“This is a permanent decision, Michael. I know you’re hoping that there’s a way to turn mortal again, but there isn’t.”
The thought had crossed his mind that if they did discover a way to reverse it, then they could both become mortal, but he hadn’t made this decision based on that hope. He took Amaia’s hands in his and locked eyes with her. He needed her to understand. “I intend to spend the rest of time with you, Amaia. I’ve made my peace with what that entails.”
“Really? So you’re fine with drinking human blood?”
Just hearing her say the words made him queasy. “I can live off of energies the same way you do.”
Amaia shook her head. “No, you can’t. It takes years, decades, to learn to live the way I do. I know you’ve given up meat in an attempt to know how it feels, but you can’t possibly imagine how painful it is to subsist off of energies. It’s like starving but still being able to function. Even if you could learn how to do it right from the beginning, you would still have to feed from a human—kill a human. You’ll have to make a transformation kill of your own.”
“Is there no way around it?”
“None that I know of. Drinking the blood is a requirement. After I drain you and feed the venom-blood back to you, the venom will require more blood to burn and complete the transformation.” Amaia swallowed. Michael knew she salivated at the thought of drinking his blood. “The transformation process is the same every time. If you don’t kill, if you simply drink blood that has been collected for you somehow, it might not work. There is a very brief window of time for the transformation to take place. If you don’t kill and feed while overcome by my venom and the venom burns out, you’ll die. You’ll be too weak to do anything.”
Michael hadn’t known the intricacies of turning. He intended to learn all the details before actually going through it, but the knowledge that he had to kill threw him. In the back of his mind, he’d known he’d probably have to drink blood for it to work, but it was an entirely different matter to wrap his head around killing someone. He’d taken his share of lives. During his first life as a sea captain, he had killed men who threatened his ships, but he had never relished it and never killed a man one on one for any reason other than self-defense.
“Nothing is going to make me change my mind. I am sure. I may not be comfortable with everything, but continuing on as a mortal is unacceptable. The possibility of being separated from you is intolerable. I know I can do this—that I can get through it, as long as I have you with me.”
Amaia’s hazel eyes pierced his, searching for proof of his sincerity. “All right then. I’ll write to Meg. I’ll need her and Liam here for it. I’ve never seen a transformation before, and I need her support.”
“Of course.” Somehow the thought of meeting Meg and Liam, other vampires he had only ever heard about, made it more real.
“Do you have a preference for when?”
“There’s not much time left. I’ve made my peace. I’m ready whenever you can be.”
“Then as soon as they get here, we’ll do it. Faster is better. I don’t want to risk something happening to you before you turn.”
“Write a letter while I dress. We’ll go to Notre Dame and then take a walk along the Seine. I want to get the most out of my last birthday.” When he rose, Amaia followed, and he pulled her to him, kissing her so passionately that he considered making love to her on the table. It would have been a perfect birthday celebration, but he didn’t want to waste any time. Once Amaia left her letter, they would have eternity to do what they pleased.
Chapter 7
“They’re here.” Amaia rose from the bed and smoothed her dress.
Nerves assaulted Michael’s stomach. Once she had sensed their energies as they passed by on their way to Notre Dame, she had cuddled with him on the bed in silence. They had already done plenty of talking, and Michael had just needed her near him, in his arms. He would have made love to her if the thought of being interrupted by her two vampire best friends hadn’t unnerved him. Besides, he knew Amaia wanted to look nice for her friends and not as if she had just rolled out of bed.
Amaia’s nervous energy fed his own. He was happy for her. He’d always regretted that his presence in her life made her feel as if it wasn’t safe for her to keep her friends in her life. It was yet another reason turning into a vampire was the right choice. Amaia had never been one to make friends easily, even as a mortal. The fact that Meg meant so much to her was telling. Michael’s nerves had as much to do with meeting one of the few people Amaia had let into her life as it did with meeting two vampires who would view him as a meal.
The gentle knock at the door was so at odds with the image of a pair of vampires who could break through the wood as if it were butter that Michael smiled. It was a nice relief of the tension.
Amaia opened the door and stepped aside as two tall, blond vampires entered, dressed in well-kept clothes that were hardly extravagant. He didn’t know what he had expected, but they weren’t it. They didn’t display any wealth. The girl had a cheery disposition, open and welcoming. Her mate appeared much more guarded.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Meg swept Amaia into a hug with a huge grin on her face. “Amaia, it’s really you! I worried we had been too late getting your note when I didn’t sense you.”
“I didn’t want to risk unmasking my aura. Besides, it’s become second nature.”
“I understand. I’m so happy to see you. I’ve missed you terribly.”
The two women kissed each cheek, and then Meg stepped back. Liam remained with his arms crossed and nodded to Amaia. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Really, Liam? I thought you’d never want to see me again.”
“You make Meg happy.”
That appeared to be enough of an answer for Amaia. She held her arm out to Michael. “This is Michael. My Michael.”
“Of course it is. I recognized his eyes from your description.” Meg approached him. “It’s so wonderful to finally meet you. I feel like I already know you. Amaia talked about you all the time.” Meg embraced Michael. Her skin was cold like Amaia’s, incongruous with the warmth of her personality. “I’m Meg, and this is my mate Liam. But of course you already know that.”
“It’s nice to meet you both. Amaia speaks highly of you. I’m glad you were able to come. Your friendship has meant a lot to her.”
“We’ve been best friends since the day we met. We love her like a sister. Isn’t that right, Liam?”
“He’s human.” Liam did nothing to hide the distaste on his face.
“Hush. You knew he was human.” Meg swatted his arm.
“I know. That doesn’t make it any more palatable.”
“Well, we’re hoping to fix that, Liam. Come, sit.” Amaia gestured to the table, and they all sat. Michael resisted the urge to bounce his knee. It didn’t escape him that he was a lone mortal surrounded by three vampires, any of whom could kill him before he’d even have time to know what was happening. However, he trusted Amaia, and she trusted them.
“Please tell me you asked us here for the reason I think.” Meg took both of Amaia’s hands in hers. Michael couldn’t help the little tinge of irrational jealousy he felt. He needed Amaia’s touch, and he didn’t like this stranger so openly displaying how close she was to Amaia.
“Yes. Michael’s decided he wants to become a vampire.”
“Excellent.”
Liam grunted.
“I’ve never seen a transformation, and you know how it is. The memories of my own aren’t exactly clear. I was hoping you both could help.”
“We’d love to. Wouldn’t we, Liam?”
“Help the poor little human now that he’s finally grown a pair and decided to do what he should have done what, a hundred years ago? Love’s too strong a word, but I’ll help. You know I’ll do whatever you want.”
For someone who spoke so vehemently about Michael’s balls, Michael couldn’t help noticing that Liam seemed to
be in thrall to his woman.
“Don’t even think it, human. We’ll talk when you’re a vampire.”
Michael didn’t know how Liam could possibly know what he’d been thinking. Likely, he just took a guess and jumped at the opportunity to unnerve Michael.
Relief spread over Amaia’s face. “Thanks, both of you. I have no problem admitting that the thought of turning him scares me.”
“It shouldn’t. What are your concerns?”
“For starters, I’m worried about my ability to mask our energies while it’s happening. The last thing we need is for nearby vampires to sense the transformation. I can try to obscure mine, but there’s no telling what kind of influence I’ll have on Michael’s.”
“You shouldn’t do it in the city, not with Ferdinand and Lucretia here.”
“Who are—”
“Zenas’s representatives.” Amaia answered his question before he could complete it.
“We have a cottage we’ve been using. It’s not too far from here, but it’s far enough that they shouldn’t sense anything. Even if there are nomads in the area, they won’t think twice about a vampire being born. It’s of no concern to them.”
“Thank you. I’ll take as much energy as I can before we start.”
“Remember that you’ll need to stop subsisting on energy.”
“What do you mean?” The puzzlement in Amaia’s voice was genuine.
“You’ll need to burn off the blood in your system so that you have room for Michael’s. After you’ve fed it back to him, you’ll need to feed again to fill your veins.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.”
“That’s why you asked us to be here, dear.”
“Are you all right with that?” It was the first time Amaia and her friends had acknowledged Michael’s presence since the conversation started.
“I have to be. You can’t endanger yourself. Do what you need to do.”
“That brings us to the issue of Michael’s transformation kill.”
“We can lure a human to the cottage or simply capture one. Liam can seduce a nice young woman and get her to follow him home.”
Michael’s stomach twisted. As normal as Meg and Liam seemed, as supposedly mundane a picture they painted as friends sitting and talking around the table, they were killers.
“No, Michael doesn’t want an innocent person to die.”
“What?” Liam’s face twisted with incredulity. “He does know what he’s becoming, right?”
“Yes, he does,” Michael said. “And he’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t talk about him as if he weren’t here. Just because I’m transforming so that I no longer endanger Amaia doesn’t mean I’m going to change into some sort of demon, killing innocent people.”
Liam snorted. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, human.”
“A transformation kill is a necessary part of the process. I’ve never heard of it being done without the kill,” Meg said.
“That’s because no one can withstand the urge. I don’t care what compunctions plague your soul. You’ll kill like we all do,” Liam said.
“Yes, we’re not suggesting otherwise. We agree that it’s not worth the risk of the transformation not working. We’ve discussed him killing a man who’s destined to be executed anyway. If we can procure a man under a death sentence, then Michael will simply be expediting justice.”
“You’ve got to be kidding. This is ridiculous.”
“They’ve made their choice, Liam. It should be easy enough to capture someone. Liam and I can take care of it and bring him to the cottage for you.”
“Thank you, Meg.”
“It’s the least we can do. When do you want all of this to happen?”
“As soon as possible. We can leave in the morning for the cottage. We’ll have to travel at a human pace for Michael. Once we get there, you two can travel back and get the prisoner. Once you return with him, we’ll begin the transformation. I’d appreciate it if you could be there for the whole process.”
“Of course.”
“He’s going to try to feed off of energies as soon as possible. I don’t expect it will happen quickly, but he doesn’t want to feed directly from people. I was hoping we could collect blood for him to drink.”
“Sure. That shouldn’t be a problem. The area around the cottage is sparsely populated, but we shouldn’t have a problem finding fresh sources of blood. Don’t worry about anything, Amaia. We’re here for you. It will all be fine.”
“See, Michael? I told you Meg was the best friend a person could ask for. In a couple of days, you’ll be a vampire.”
For the first time since Meg and Liam had arrived, Amaia took his hand. The comfort he felt at her touch overwhelmed Michael. He hadn’t even realized how desperately he had needed it. “In a couple of days, this will all be over.”
“And your new life will begin.” Amaia held his gaze for a moment before turning to Meg and Liam. “I didn’t know how long it would take for you to get my note. We’d leave now, but we want to spend one last night in our home. I don’t know where we’ll be after he turns.”
Meg stood, and Liam followed suit. “I understand. We’ll come around tomorrow morning. We’ll be outside the city tonight. We haven’t visited Ferdinand and Lucretia. As long as we’re not in the city for long, they seem to not have a problem with us. Our cottage is outside their territory.”
Amaia and Meg embraced.
“It’s so good to be with you again, Amaia. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
Amaia walked them out and shut the door. “How are you feeling?”
“Anxious. The decision’s made. The help’s here. I’m eager to have it all over with.” Michael took Amaia’s hand and led her to the bedroom. “But since this is my last night here as a mortal, I want to take advantage of it and make love to you.”
Amaia giggled. “If there’s anything you’ll miss as a human, it won’t be the sex. Once you’ve turned, you’ll be amazed that you ever enjoyed it as a mortal.”
“I’d rather be on the safe side. Do you have any objections?”
“None.”
Michael couldn’t imagine enjoying their lovemaking any more than he already did, but he’d be happy to let Amaia try to prove him wrong when the time came. For tonight, he’d relish this very primal assertion of his mortality.
Chapter 8
The stone cottage was small but clean with a living space and one bedroom. As soon as they’d arrived late last night, Meg and Liam had left to go back to Paris for Michael’s transformation kill. Amaia had taken Michael to the bedroom and tried to get him to sleep. She’d practically heard his mind whirling. She wished she had some wise words for him, something that would make the night easier, but nothing came to mind.
She tried not to let the relief and happiness she felt show, not just because she knew this was a difficult time for Michael, but because that wasn’t the full extent of her feelings. She wished some other solution to their problem had presented itself. She’d been sincere when she told Michael she’d be willing to return to her mortal state. The very existence of vampires offended Michael. She couldn’t help worrying that he’d come to regret his decision and, with that regret, come to despise her.
That line of thinking served no purpose. Michael had made his decision, and her conscience was clean. She hadn’t tried to pressure him. If anything, her relationship was more secure with him as a human. She didn’t know how he’d feel after the transformation.
Despite the late hour at which Michael had finally succumbed to sleep, it didn’t surprise Amaia to feel him wake before the sun. He stayed still, but Amaia knew his thoughts raced.
“What are you thinking?” She curled against him.
After a brief silence, he spoke. “I don’t really know. You want to go outside? From what you’ve told me, I’ll be spending a good amount of time indoors.”
“Good idea. We can watch the sunrise.” Amaia didn’t pry into his thoughts. If he wanted t
o share, he would. Besides, he likely didn’t have the words.
Amaia pulled him from the bed and grabbed the quilt folded at the foot. She led them outside to a giant oak tree and spread the blanket on the ground to protect him from the frost. Michael joined her, and they gazed at the last fading stars. An excited, nervous buzz tinged the air. Amaia didn’t want to intrude on Michael’s last hours of mortality, so she lay quietly.
The first rays of sun peeked over the horizon. Michael gasped, drawing Amaia’s attention. Her heart pricked at the tears she saw pooling in his gray eyes. “There’s no reason for that look. After the transformation’s complete, you’ll be able to see so much more of the beauty around you. You’re blind to it now. It’ll feel like you can’t remember anything simply because the memories are so dull against your new senses. When you first see a ray of sun, you won’t be able to remember ever seeing one before because you haven’t, not really.”
“I still feel like this is the end of something.” His voice strained with emotion.
“It is. But it’s also the beginning of something extraordinary you can’t even comprehend yet.”
“I just need to get through today.”
Amaia didn’t know how to soothe his nerves. Completely different circumstances had surrounded her own transformation. In the distance, she felt Meg and Liam approaching with a human. “Finally. They’re back.”
Michael jumped to his feet. “I’m going inside. Don’t let me see him.”
“I won’t. I promise.” They’d already discussed this, but she didn’t mind reassuring him.
Michael nodded and jogged to the house. Amaia longed to join him, but he needed some time alone, and she needed to see Meg and Liam.
A minute later, Meg came into sight, followed by Liam carrying a gagged and tied man over his shoulder. A few seconds more and they stopped in front of her.
Immortal Echoes (Haunting Echoes Book 2) Page 5
