Chapter Thirty-Nine
Tessa paced the floor of Andrei’s lair. She tried to relax, to convince herself she was safe, but to no avail. She couldn’t forget the horror of what Katerina had done. Couldn’t forget how scared she herself had been, how helpless she had felt. She never wanted to feel that way again.
Leaving town wouldn’t solve anything. Either Katerina or other vampires would search her out wherever she went.
Andrei had been right. Becoming a vampire was the only answer. It was the only way to gain the strength to protect herself. And if her blood changed after merging with his, so much the better. She didn’t want to spend the rest of her life being afraid, or depending on Andrei to protect her. And she didn’t want her blood to be responsible for killing anyone else.
As for Katerina . . . Tessa sighed. If Andrei couldn’t destroy her, what hope did she—as a mere mortal—have?
Tessa sank down on the edge of the bed. She would be helpless during the day, she thought. But once she was turned, she would stay here, with Andrei, in his lair. She would be safe here in the daylight hours. And Andrei had promised that together, they could destroy Katerina.
She jumped when he suddenly appeared in the room.
“Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Nodding, she wrapped her arms around her waist. Tension hummed through her, making her tremble from head to foot.
“Tess?”
“Just do it.”
“You’re still sure?”
“Yes.”
He sat on the bed beside her, his arm slipping around her waist, drawing her close. “Do you trust me?”
“Y . . . yes.”
“Just relax. Clear your mind of your fears. Don’t think about what’s to come.” He stroked her back lightly, up and down. Up and down. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
She wanted to say she wasn’t afraid, but the words wouldn’t come.
“Relax. I’m just going to hold you, kiss you.”
His gaze captured hers as he lowered his head.
Tessa’s eyelids fluttered down when he kissed her, ever so gently at first, as if he was afraid she might break. His tongue swept over her lower lip, dipping inside to tease and tempt her until she forgot everything else. There was nothing to be afraid of when she was in his arms. Nothing at all.
Still holding her close, he spoke to her mind, telling her that he loved her, would always love her, promising that all would be well.
She offered no resistance when he lowered her onto the bed, then stretched out beside her. His tongue stroked the soft skin beneath her ear so that, when his bite came, there was no pain, only indescribable pleasure.
Andrei drank slowly, his senses turned inward, but he detected no ill effects from taking her blood, only an increase of strength and power.
Her heartbeat slowed. Her body grew limp in his arms. The color drained from her cheeks.
He knew instinctively when he had taken enough. Sitting up, he bit into his left wrist.
“Drink, love,” he whispered as his blood dripped onto her lips. “Drink and be mine forever.”
He held his breath as a few crimson drops slid into her mouth, blinked back tears of relief when she swallowed, then grasped his arm and pulled it closer.
With a sense of wonder, he watched his blood transform her, felt his preternatural power flow into her, reviving her.
Withdrawing his arm, he sealed the wound with a stroke of his tongue. Rising, he drew the covers over her, then leaned down to brush a kiss across her brow.
“Rest now,” he murmured. “You will have new worlds to conquer when you wake tomorrow night.”
Remembering that he had promised to let Luke and the others know when it was done, Andrei returned to the living room. He found Jileen and Luke on the sofa, staring into the fireplace. Bailey reclined on the love seat, her eyes closed, though she was still awake.
They all looked up when he entered the room, their faces betraying a range of emotion—fear and dread from Jilly, curiosity from Luke, an expression of acceptance from Bailey. He touched her mind with his and realized she already knew what had happened and that Tessa was all right.
“How is she?” Jileen asked anxiously. “Is she . . . ?”
“She’s resting. Everyone’s fine.”
“Fine! How can it be fine? You turned my best friend into a blood-sucking vampire!”
“There are worse things,” Andrei replied.
Jilly uttered a very unladylike snort.
“I’ll bring her to you when she wakes tomorrow night so you can see for yourself. Until then, I bid you good evening.”
Smiling inwardly, he decided to give them a little display of vampire magic. Dissolving into mist, he vanished from their sight.
Jilly’s gasp of surprise was reward enough.