“Family, right?” He shrugs again and Devon slaps him on the back in a typical manly fashion.
“Okay, then. Are you ready?” I ask.
He nods and my heart skips a beat. It’s been a long time since I sired someone. Even longer that I sired under planned circumstances, such as these.
I pat the altar and he walks over slowly. He stands in front of me and pulls my head down for a deep kiss. He lets me go and jumps up onto the altar next to me. I swing my legs up and position myself at the top, on my knees, and motion for him to sit in front of me, back facing me. I chance a quick look at Devon, who to my surprise is looking on with interest. He catches my eye and smiles encouragingly.
“You ready, baby?” I whisper to Cole. He nods stiffly. I let my fangs descend and lean down to my left. With only a second’s hesitation, I sink my fangs into his neck. He hisses at the sharp pain, but then relaxes as the pleasure takes over. I suckle at a slow pace, not wanting to send his body into shock. He groans as the bite goes beyond the limit. His blood pouring into my mouth is driving me into a bloodlust, coupled with the stress of the day and the added weight of the prophecy. I bite harder as I feel his heart rate slow. He has passed out now, only a few more seconds. Listening closely, I count back from three, two, one, and I release the bite panting with the now unfamiliar amount of human blood coursing through me. I rip open my wrist and place it to his mouth, making sure he takes it in. I withdraw my wrist and close his mouth. Holding his head carefully, I place it on the altar as I move away.
I stroke his face and kiss him, much as I did with Devon. Now, we wait, and pray that I don’t get Chosen, so we can go back to our normal lives.
M inutes pass and I’m still staring at Cole. I feel Devon join me and pull me away. “Sit,” he says.
I shake my head saying, “I’m okay.”
“Liv, it’s been a long time since you drank that much human blood. Sit, please. You’re shaking.”
Hearing his words, I realize he’s right. I am shaking. The need to drink, to shed blood, to kill, is rising up and racing through me.
“Get CK. Quickly,” I manage before I keel over in restraint of a murderous rampage. With Vampire speed, Devon returns with my sire who is looking overly concerned, as usual, I note with irritation.
r /> “Liv?” He grabs hold of me. “Aefre,” he enunciates my original name slowly. “Ah-vuh. Listen to me. Hear my voice,” he croons in my ear. I relax in his embrace. My sire is here, and everything will be all right now.
I sink into an oblivious state as Constantine continues to console me. Eventually, I feel myself being pulled under his spell and I feel my fangs retract. In a semi-conscious state, I hear my sire hiss to Devon, “Has she not been drinking human blood?”
Devon replies, “Only his, only recently.”
“And before that?” comes the angry response.
“Not for a while, eight months I think since she last drank. Her choice,” he makes clear. “We thought we had more time,” he sighs.
CK sighs as well. “No matter, it’s done. Get Nico to bring in another Feeder. AB negative, sooner rather than later. She’ll need it to get back under control,” he states.
I feel myself sink right under, then suddenly I jolt awake, still in CK’s arms. I can tell it’s getting dark out now. How long was I under?
“What time is it?” I ask, my head banging.
“A little after nine,” he says.
“Cole?”
“Still out, my sweet.”
“Gregor and Eloise?”
“No word,” he says shortly, followed by, “How do you feel?”
“Ugh. My head hurts. Speaking of heads, you might have given me one up, you know, considering…” I growl but relax knowing that the other two Council members haven’t turned up. Yet.
He chuckles. “Had I known you were refraining, I would have. Really, Aefre, for the smartest woman on the planet, you really can be quite dense sometimes.” He sighs, exasperated, then asks, “Why were you abstaining?”
“You know why,” I say mutinously.
“Trying to make up for the sins of the past? Oh, Aefre. It doesn’t work that way. Yes, you can thrive on Vampire blood, but when you start to take human blood again, even the smallest amount, you might as well be back where you started,” he admonishes.
“Mm, Castel Gradile. I wish I was there right now,” I say with a smirk.
He indulges me with his glorious made-just-for-me smile before he goes back to his scolding.