Page 44 of Princess
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~Nadira~
She slowly walked backover to Cooper’s bed, moving the side table out of the way. She had only turned one vampire in her almost four hundred years and that was almost two hundredyearsago.
Phaelyn had been the daughter of a neighboring farmer, who had gone looking for the family dog that ran off after a rabbit. Phaelyn had gone to search for the dog and did not return home that night. She had been attacked, beaten, and left for dead. Nadira found Phaelyn’s broken body the next morning as part of a search party. Phaelyn was close to death and Nadira turned her friend into avampire.
Phaelyn made a vow to always serve the Olaru family. Two hundred years later, Phaelyn kept that promise. She fought as a member of the Dark Shadows for the last one hundred and fiftyyears.
Nadira climbed into the hospital bed with Cooper, turning his head to the side. She felt her gums burn as her incisors slowly slid into place. “It’s going to be all right, Cooper,” she softly whispered in his ear. She sent up a prayer to the Gods, begging for strength that will be needed to turn her mate. “I love you, Zac Cooper,” she said, pausing a breath away from his carotid artery. “I hope you forgive me for what I’m abouttodo.”
She pierced his neck with her fangs, instantly holding back a moan as the taste of his warm, tangy blood hit her tongue. His blood had a unique taste, one she had never consumed before. She had to be careful, knowing that she had to take almost all of his blood before returning the favor of feeding himfromher.
The excitement of fresh blood had her breaths quickening, coming in short pants as she gripped him tighter to her. She was lightheaded with the rush of adrenaline that coursed through her veins. She squeezed her eyes tight as his memories surfaced in her mind. She witnessed him riding his bike with his friends as a child, him older passing a note to a young girl while in school. It flashed to him playing football, his high school prom, and then his graduation. She followed his memories, catching snippets ofhislife.
Someone moaned and she wasn’t sure if it was she or Cooper, but she wanted to take it all. His blood was intoxicating but she would have to stop. She had to bring him close to the brink of death. Her vampiric senses became extremely sensitive, allowing her to hear the rate of his heartbeat slowly lower. She continued until she heard the thump of his heart skip a beat and she knew itwastime.
She gently pulled away from Cooper, licking the puncture holes to seal them. She turned his head towards her, placing a small kiss on his lips tenderly before she bit her own wrist. She held his mouth open slightly with her free hand so she could hold her bleeding wrist up to hismouth.
“Cooper, drink, honey,” she pleaded, trying to coax his mouth to her wrist. His eyebrows bunched together as she continued to try to get him to swallow. He pulled his head away, turning away from her. She grabbed his head again, patiently putting her wrist back to his lips. She rubbed his throat, speaking softly to him, willing him to latchontoher.
His hand rose up to grip her wrist, drawing it deeper into his mouth. Finally! His draw on her wrist became stronger as he continued to draw her blood into his body. His color slowly crept back. She smiled as he continued to drink his nourishmentfromher.
“That’s it, Cooper, keep going,” she whispered as his grip tightened. His eyes flashed open, unfocused. She gasped as his brown eyes deepened to a crimson red. He let go, moaning in agony, as the change began. She jumped off the bed, licking her own wound closed as he thrashed around in the bed. His body contorting, his muscles getting larger and firmer, his bruises, cuts, and bite marks disappearing. A howl escaped him as she watched his newly developed fangs descend fromhisgums.
The door handle rattled as someone tried to openthedoor.
“Nadira!” Nicu yelled, banging on the door. More shouting could be heard from the other side of the door as they tried to gain access totheroom.
Thud!She quickly turned her attention from the door, not seeing Cooper on the bed anymore but on the floor. She rushed to him, kneeling on the floor, drawing him intoherlap.
“It’s okay, Cooper,” she said as he groaned again, his red eyes now focusedonher.
“Nadira,” he groanedhername.
“It’s okay, the pain will go away,” she whispered as the banging continued on the door. “Soon, everything willbeokay.”
“What… is… happening to me?” he asked, his muscles twitched, his eyes rolled into the back of his head as the change hit him again. His body stiffened before goingstill.
The door burst open with Nicu, Toma, and Adrian storming into the room. “Nadira!” Nicu shouted. She peeked around the bed, still holding Cooper. They spotted her on the floor, and rushedtowardsher.
“Shit!” Adrian exclaimed, seeing a recently healed Cooper. “She’sturninghim!”
She pulled Cooper’s stiff body closer to her as she looked up to herbrothers.
“Nadira, what have you done?” Nicu demanded, scowling at her. He snatched her from under Cooper, ignoring his body hitting the floor, bringing his face closer to hers. “?tii ce aifacut?”
What haveyoudone?
Before she could answer, a growl resonated from the floor, shaking the room and gaining everyone’s attention. Cooper stood next to the bed, glaring at Nicu.A very naked Cooper.Curses filled the room as Cooper bared his newly developed fangs, his sanguineous eyes lockedonNicu.
“Shit! He’s an alpha!” Tomacursed.
“Of, all guys, Nadira…” Adrian’s voice trailed off as they all went on alert, not knowing if Cooper would attack. Cooper’s feral gaze didn’t leave Nicu. Nicu’s grip tightened on Nadira, as he growled back, bearing his fangs. Toma was right; Cooper was an alpha vampire. There was no way that if Cooper were a regular newborn vampire, he would be standing and ready to fight. Most newly turned vampires took months, if not at least a year before they gained all of their strength. Cooper’s alpha vampire vibes were radiating acrosstheroom.
“Nicu, let me go,” she said softly, trying to pry Nicu’s hand offherarm.
“He’s not stable,” Nicu said, not letting her go as she struggled to get free. She could hear her other brothers drawing out their weapons. She finally broke away from Nicu, running to stand with Cooper, facing her brothersheadon.
