Page 79 of Toward Immortal Ruin

“The process is rather simple,” the other woman began. “There is an exchange of blood. First, I’ll take yours. Immediatelyfollowing, you’ll receive mine. From there, the transition will begin in your blood.

“It’s normally painless, but the effects take varying forms,” Nina continued. “Some fall asleep, some exist temporarily in an altered state of consciousness, and others find themselves speaking coherently throughout. Regardless of the direction your siring takes, the transition process itself takes around three hours if successful. Don’t worry if your case takes slightly longer.

“Your inner strength and calm will be a deciding factor, so try to take all of this as a guide, but do not be alarmed if things proceed in different ways. It’s not necessarily a bad thing. Whatever happens, at the end of it, you’ll sleep until the next rising. Don’t try to fight it.”

A fleeting glimmer of nervousness threaded through their bond, and Nero tightened his hand around Eden’s. Though he rarely had occasion for deep, soul-crushing fear, he felt it whisper within him.

“And you’ll be here with me?” Eden asked. “You and Nero and Aidan?”

“We won’t leave you, Eden,” Nero promised, pressing a kiss into her knuckles. “We’ll stay right by your side through it all.”

The others nodded and formed an unbroken circle of support around his mate. At his call, Luna appeared beside them and dipped her chin in greeting.

“Now or never, right?” Then, a bit more quietly, Eden added, “If something we fear happens, Nina, can you please look after Nero? I’m worried he’ll hurt himself.”

Nero was aghast at the insinuation, but knew her fear held merit.

“You have my word, Eden.”

Nina’s attention was focused on him. Staunch determination flooded the air between them. The other Raeth sovereign had a tenacity unseen in the modern world, and he knew without adoubt that she’d fight for him to stay among the living to the bitter end.

It was a battle his oldest friend would lose. Without Eden, Nero would not continue breathing.

“Are you ready?”

A nervous chuckle escaped his mate. “How painful is it when you bite me?”

“There will be no pain, I promise.” Nina grinned. “Fortunately, I can control the pain or pleasure associated with my bite. Our saliva also has healing properties, which makes for very reliable plausible deniability, and ensures the bite mark disappears almost instantly.”

Nina hummed with affection. “We’ll have to compare notes on Gothic fiction once you’re out of the woods, Eden. It’s a favorite pastime of mine to see what the human literature got right and what fantasies they indulged in.”

“Absolutely,” Eden gushed, looking at them with gratitude. “Thank you all for doing this for me—I can’t express how much I appreciate all of you.”

“Whatever happens, Eden,” Nero promised, “I’m with you.”

“I’m ready.”

Unlike in the stories Eden loved, Nina didn’t bite her neck. When she asked, his mate extended her wrist and Nina’s barely visible fangs gently pierced her flesh.

His panther suddenly surfaced, outraged at the sight. Nero hissed his displeasure, earning him a startled look from Eden.

Calm yourself, Nero.I’m not hurting her.

Nina telepathic message cut through the sudden red haze in Nero’s vision. The woman was unflappable, even in the face of his panther’s hysterics. Swallowing the unexpected reaction, he pushed his cat back from the surface.

Soon, his friend was retreating from Eden’s wrist, gently folding her tongue across the two pinpricks of blood left behind.As soon as she sat back, there was no trace of the bite, and his panther was instantly relieved.

Nina manifested a dagger into her right hand and split the flesh of her left, blood welling rapidly in the wound.

“Drink, Eden.”

Hesitant at first, his mate leaned forward, gently lapping at the dark puddle. The tentative lick soon became a zealous pull, a sign that Eden was giving herself over to the process. The change had been triggered in her blood.

Nina had moved to position herself by Eden’s side. The vampire supported the feeding with her free hand, eyes intently focused on the human attached to her vein.

“Open yourself to the transition, Eden. Don’t fight any of the sensations, no matter how alien. Feel it take shape in your blood. Being calm and centered is your best ally.”

Gently, Nina pulled Eden’s curtain of hair backward and studied her features. Nero’s senses sharpened, trying to discover what Nina had felt.

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