Page 70 of Desired for Her Blood
“What?” Ryker asks his voice full of wonder.
“Angus transformed.”
“Into a vampire?” Zuben asks. “I thought you said—“
“Into agrizzly. He mauled the man, tore him to shreds. I’d never seen one of my kind do that toanykind of animal, never mind a human and…I knew that I had lost Angus forever.”
“And he still wasn’t a vampire?” I ask, trembling.
“I don’t knowwhathe was.” Axe shakes his head. “But dawn was approaching, and so the vampires left us.” His head drops. “I watched as Angus suffered.”
“That must have been horrible.” I stroke Axe’s cheek and look into his eyes, wishing I could use whatever theoretical magic everyone seems to think I have to wipe away his pain.
“By this time, I was used to seeing death.” Axe’s voice breaks. “My mate, my cubs, most of my clan were gone… Angus was the last of us. The strongest. And I watched, helpless from my cage, as my friend switched erratically back and forth between forms, until he was some kind of horrific mix—part human, part grizzly, part vampire—screaming in pain, unable to recognize my voice when I called out to him.”
I snuggle in close to him.
“Just a few hours before sundown, before the vampires returned, Angus took his last breath.”
“Oh, Axe.” I stroke his cheek and he bends to rest his head against mine.
“But thenyouhad a successful transition,” Zuben says. “Do you know what they did differently with you?”
Axe raises his head. “Not fully. I do know that Octavia drained and fed me twice, but it’s all a fog. I was unconscious for long stretches, confused, but I do feel sure that I never fed on a human.”
“Not until after you turned,” Ryker adds.
Axe shakes his head. “Not even then. I never took the vein of a human. Not until I was down here, starving and desperate.”
“Well.” Zuben taps his fingers on his knee. “Your story is very encouraging.”
“Encouraging?” I ask, my mind swirling, my emotions still in shock from absorbing the pain of Axe’s story. Encouraging is the last word I’d use.
Zuben nods. “Axel’s account is a verifiable precedent for a successful transition without the requirement of a human’s vein.”
Ryker lets go of my hand and leans toward Zuben. “Are you saying you didn’t think it could be done until now? Because you claimed it would fucking work. I’m starting to side with Axe on the whole, this is a bad idea thing.”
I touch Ryker’s back hoping to keep this from escalating, but as Ryker aggressively gets in Zuben’s face, the latter remains rigid, only lifting his chin slightly.
“Let us say that I am now evenmoreconfident. I have read accounts in ancient texts of transitions which did not require human blood, but until Axel’s story, I had not heard a first hand account.”
Ryker shifts back, seemingly satisfied. “I know you don’twantto kill her. But buddy, if she dies…” He shakes his head. “My stake is ready.”
“If she does not survive.” Zuben nods toward Ryker. “I will demand that you put a stake through my heart.”
I gasp. We make eye contact, and I see a new kind of pain in Zuben’s eyes. His words sound like bravado, hyperbole, but he meant them. Zuben always means what he says, and while his willingness to die hurts my heart it also calms my fears.
Zuben wouldn’t agree to try this if he didn’t think it would work.Would he?
“Okay.” I shift forward out of Axe’s arms. “When do we do this?” If we wait too long, or they tell me much more, I’ll lose my nerve. And I refuse to be the reason these three men are trapped down here.
Zuben licks his lips. His fangs have already sprung out, and I gasp.
“Apologies.” He bows his head. “It seems my body is anticipating the taste of your blood. A delicacy of which I have only had the tiniest drop, some time ago.”
Yes. Back when he licked my cut palm.
My gaze flicks to his lap and I can’t help but notice another part of his body is anticipating me too.
