I nod. That is acceptable. Although, I am still in for a world of hurt when I arrive back to my husband. He is so going to kick my arse for this.
“Tomorrow, Aefre,” Remiel says. “I want to see her tomorrow.”
“You will,” I say and Astral myself out of this warded room as he drops them for me, wherever the Hell it is, and straight back to the D.F.K., landing next to CK in the Great Hall, who is seated around the long table with everyone, including Sebastian and Maurelle, in attendance.
Great.
Witnesses to the fight of the century that is about to ensue.
“Aefre,” CK says mildly and stands up to give me a chaste kiss on the cheek. He breathes in deeply, as I knew he would, and he freezes. He can smell Remiel’s blood on my breath and he knows exactly what happened as he peers at me curiously and then with such hurt it stabs at my heart.
“He turned you?” he asks quietly, but everyone heard him anyway.
They all wait with bated breath for my answer and I face them all, and say, “Yes. I am a Vampire again.”
The uproar nearly deafens me, and I put my hands up to calm them all down. The only one not shouting and waving his arms about is CK (well CK and Maurelle, that is, as she just looks even greener than she did a moment ago). He is as still as a statue and I take his hand.
“It’s okay, my love,” I say to him. “The baby is fine. I am fine. Better than fine. I am back.”
“Yes, yes, I can see that,” he says. “Excuse me.”
He pulls his hand out of mine and exits the Hall in a rapid manner.
I want to chase after him and explain to him what happened and how I feel, but I know better than to follow him now. He needs a minute and I will give it to him and deal with everyone else first.
“Be quiet!” I snap at them and they all shut up, even Drake.
“Lizzie,” Devon asks. “Why did you do this? Why did you align yourself with him?”
“I didn’t, per se. It’s complicated. I needed him to turn me and he was willing,” I say.
“Why him? How? I thought it was impossible. Constantine tried,” he says.
I avoid his gaze and shuffle my feet and he knows what I don’t want to say: that Constantine wasn’t powerful enough.
“It’s more than just that,” I say to him. “It has to do with him being my original Chosen one. Like I said, it’s complicated.”
“Humph,” he says rudely and crosses his arms defensively.
“The question is, my darling boy, do you want me to try and re-turn you?” I ask, wickedly.
Devon’s eyes snap to mine and he gives me such an intense look it bores into my head. “Do you think it will work?” he asks with no emotion in his voice to betray his thoughts to me.
“Yes, I do,” I say. “I am stronger now than I ever was, and you have always been mine. I want to try if you want me to.”
I wait for him to leap at the chance, to grab me and insist that I try right now, but it doesn’t come. He just glowers at me over the table.
“I’ll have to think about it,” he says.
“Fair enough,” I murmur, heavily disappointed. “I should go and…” I point over my shoulder and back away.
Everyone is staring at me in varying degrees of interest and it is making me uncomfortable. I catch Lincoln’s eye and give him a slight smile, which he returns with a burning lust in his eyes. I know exactly what he is thinking. He wants me to bite him. I smirk at him and he chuckles, and I say to him using our telepathic Alpha connection, “Soon, my love. Very soon.”
“Don’t wait too long. I am bursting with need over here,” he replies in my head.
I nod at him and then I exit, not bothering to hand out any explanations. I need to get to CK and explain everything to him first.
I find him outside, sitting on the low, stone wall that transects the garden of the palace. He is smoking a cigarette and I just watch him for a moment before I go over and sit next to him.