Page 54 of How to Stake a Vampire
Virgil jutted his chin. “There’s no harm trying.”
I swallowed, heart thumping hard. “You mean, giving Ellie your blood might help her through her transformation?”
“Yes.” An uneasy expression flashed in Virgil’s eyes. “It also means his hold on her won’t be as strong.”
I stilled. “His hold?”
“A newborn vampire is beholden to the one who transformed them,” Virgil admitted guiltily. “They will struggle to enact theirown will for some time.” He looked at Ellie. “My blood may counteract that effect.”
Ellie had listened to all of this with mounting horror.
“Does that mean if I don’t drink your blood, I might become that—that monster’s slave?!” she asked.
“Yes.” Virgil hesitated. “It does mean I will hold a degree of influence over you. If you’d rather not?—”
“I’ll do it.”
I stared at Ellie. Her eyes held a light I’d never seen before.
“I’ll do it,” Ellie repeated, her voice steady.
“Are you sure?” Virgil asked quietly.
Ellie nodded. “I’d rather it be you.”
17
TEETHING PROBLEMS
We decidedto take Ellie to the Hawthorne estate. According to Samuel, it was the safest place in Amberford right now. Even Barney agreed that the chances Ludvik would enter werewolf territory just to attack a vampire were low.
Didi and Gavin went home from Bean Me Up while Detective Johnson returned to the precinct to write up a report about today’s incidents.
My shoulders unknotted when Samuel parked the Bentley outside the mansion. I hadn’t realized being in our territory could bring such relief.
The pain hit Ellie when we walked through the front door.
She doubled over with a gasp. “Oh God!” She closed her eyes tightly and moaned. “It feels like my insides are on fire!”
Victoria came forward. “I have a room ready.” Her voice was steady despite the unease darkening her eyes.
Pearl squinted at us as she padded next to the Hawthorne matriarch. Hugh and Bernard hovered anxiously behind them.
Samuel had called ahead to let his family know what had happened.
A car screeched to a stop outside. Caroline and Kent stormed inside the foyer seconds later.
“We came as quickly as we could,” Caroline said breathlessly.
Having the Hawthorne pack enforcers around dispelled some of my fears about our security.
A guttural sound left Ellie. Her nails sank into my skin as she tried to catch her breath against the agony storming her body, her face pale and sweat beading her forehead.
The lights in the foyer flickered.
I realized my power was responding to Ellie’s distress, my wolf feeding off my fury at what had been done to my best friend.
Bo whined and backed away a couple of steps.
