Edge of Night (42 page)

Her throat worked, and her body spasmed. Eyes flaring wide, she gurgled. Convulsions shook her, twisting her in his arms. Her limbs jerked like a puppet with cut strings.

“You know that turning takes its toll, Luca.” Gregor’s voice was gentle with empathy. “She might not have enough strength to survive what it will do to her.”

“It was worth the risk.” He kept his wrist against her mouth, let her take more of his blood. More than he should. She might drain him dry, but he shoved that thought aside. “There was nothing to lose but her.”

She shuddered, arching and writhing. A harsh cry broke from her throat, her eyes rolled until only the whites showed. Long, ugly seizures took her. The many punctures Asher’s fangs had left healed, broke open again, bled, resealed. Luca flexed his arm, pouring his lifeblood into her.

“Don’t die. Don’t die. Please, Gods, don’t die.
Ti amo,
Erin. Don’t die. Don’t leave me. Anything but that. I love you.”

“Hell, you’re going to bleed yourself dry trying to keep her alive.” Gregor shoved his own arm in front of Luca. “Drink before you kill yourself. And stop the mental shouting. The whole world already guessed you love her.”

Luca took the offering, if only because he could transfer more to Erin. Anything to save her.
Anything
.

Chapter Seventeen

Erin felt like hell. Someone had worked her over with a baseball bat, and then started in with a crowbar. Every single centimeter of her hurt. Even her hair hurt. Her mouth was gummy and she was
starving
. Hungry in a bone-deep, visceral way that she’d never felt before.

Her eyes opened, and the first thing she saw was Luca. He was sprawled in a chair beside her hospital bed, his head bent back awkwardly. He was going to have a crick in his neck when he woke up. Her gaze locked on his neck, and she could see the pulse throbbing there. She couldn’t look away from it, and it was as if she could
sense
every single beat of his heart. Her stomach rumbled. God, she was so hungry. It felt as if a ravenous beast lived inside her, clawing to get out.

“Luca,” she rasped. Her voice was so weak she barely made a sound, but he jerked to alertness anyway.

For a split second, she thought tears shimmered in his dark eyes, but then he blinked and leaned toward her. His fingers twined with hers, and her gaze dropped to the fluttering pulse at his wrist.

“I—I need to eat.” Her gaze met his. “What’s happening to me?”

Because it was taking everything she had not to lunge at him, despite the ache in her muscles. It was terrifying, and cold sweat broke out on her skin. Shivers ran through her, and she clenched her fists, holding herself as still as she could.

“Explanations later.” He held up his arm and pressed his wrist to her mouth. “Bite down.”

There was no choice—that ravenous beast inside her snapped its jaws, and she grabbed Luca’s shirt so he couldn’t escape her. Sweet, tangy fluids flooded her mouth and she sucked them down as fast as she could.
Ah
, yes. That was the good stuff.

“Oh my gods!”

They both jerked and looked toward the door, where a nurse stood with a bag of clear IV liquid in her hands. “I was coming to hook up her next dose of elixir.”

“I’ll take it.” Luca held out his hand and the woman scurried forward to slap the bag into his palm.

“I’ll—uh—get some more for Ms. Bates.” Then she disappeared.

Erin swiped a hand across her mouth, and came away with a crimson streak of blood. Uneasiness filtered through her, because now that her hunger had abated somewhat, pieces started to fall into place. Memories resurfaced, though some made more sense than others. “Luca…”

“You’re a vampire now, in case you hadn’t guessed.” He expertly switched out the IV bag that hung over her bed.

“I hadn’t really processed much beyond the hunger.”

He nodded, resuming his seat. “I’ve heard it’s especially intense the first few weeks after you’re turned. It’ll get more manageable, I promise. And you learn to always have some elixir with you.”

“What happens now? Does my family know? How long have I been out?” She licked her lips. “Tina and Asher are dead, aren’t they?”

“Yes, Gregor and I killed them. Gregor made sure you got to the hospital alive, and then he vanished. His usual routine.” His shoulders shifted. “Your family knows. They’ve been coming in to see you in shifts. Your aunt just went to the cafeteria for some of the battery acid they call coffee. You’ve been here for eight days.” He blew out a breath. “What happens now is up to you.”

All the information made her head spin. She was suddenly very glad to be lying down. “What does that mean?”

“I turned you illegally, Erin. I didn’t have the All-Magickal Council’s or Vampire Conclave’s permission. Hell, I didn’t even have
your
permission. I just…couldn’t let you die.” A smile that looked more like a grimace crossed his face, a myriad of indiscernible emotions flashing in his gaze. “There weren’t any werewolves around to Change you into one of your family’s pack, so it was death or vampirism. I’m sorry.”

“Oh. I…” She pressed a hand to her forehead, but the room kept doing somersaults. A shiver coursed through her. “I feel really weird.”

He caught her fingers. “It’s all right. It’s just part of the process of turning. You’re going to be okay. Just rest now.”

But something in his voice didn’t sound quite right, as if he only hoped she’d be okay, but maybe she really wouldn’t be. Did vampires die while turning? What hadn’t he told her? She wanted to stay awake and talk to him, not rest the way he’d suggested. She blinked and darkness swallowed her up.

When she opened her eyes again, it wasn’t Luca or her aunt next to her, it was Tess Jones. She shook Erin’s shoulder, urgency in every line of her body. “Wake up. You need to wake up. I know going Magickal is rough, but you have to open your eyes now, Erin.”

“What’s wrong?” Erin croaked.

“Good. Drink this.” The she-wolf shoved an open canister of elixir into Erin’s hand.

That ravenous hunger gnawed at her again, so she downed the liquid. It was as clear and flavorless as water, and just as thirst-quenching. “Another one, please.”

Tess slapped a second canister into her palm, then Erin realized she’d already removed all of her IVs. The tubes lay across her legs, but there were no needle marks on her arms. The holes had already healed themselves. Erin blinked down at her arms as if they belonged to someone else. How weird.

“Put these on. We need to get going.” Pulling open a small duffle bag, Tess revealed a folded stack of Erin’s clothes.

Sucking down the last of the second canister, Erin raised a brow. “Where are we going? Why do you have my things?”

“Luca’s been arrested for illegally turning you.” The she-wolf frowned. “No one wanted to disturb your vampiric turning, but a man’s life is on the line. He’s on trial before the All-Magickal Council.”

The canister dropped from Erin’s nerveless fingers. Luca arrested. Luca on trial. Turning a Normal illegally meant he’d be put to death. The elixir she’d just finished threatened to come back up again. She jerked the bag of clothes toward her and they almost went flying across the room, but her hand snapped out and she caught the handle.

Tess helped her stand and get dressed. “It takes some practice to get used to the extra strength and speed. Usually, you’d be eased into it by doctors and physical therapists, but we’re checking you out on a day pass.”

“Are we allowed to do that?” Erin gingerly slipped her feet into a pair of ballet flats. The shirt and pants were lightweight linen, but they covered her from neck to toes.

The she-wolf put a wide brimmed hat on Erin’s head, like something from a bygone Hollywood era. “Not exactly. Do you care?”

“Nope. How long do we have before Luca goes on trial?”

Tess checked her watch. “He’s on the docket for ten o’clock. It’s nine-thirty now.”

Heart skipping a beat, Erin strode toward the door. “Let’s get moving then.”

Grabbing a bulging bag that seemed to slosh, Tess followed.

“What’s that?” Erin nodded to the bag as they bypassed the elevator and took the stairs down.

“Elixir. You’re going to get some intense cravings while we’re out.” They hit the bottom step and Tess led her to the hospital’s underground parking garage. “This is our insurance policy that you won’t attack anyone to suck their blood.”

“Good thinking.” She flinched and hissed when Tess pulled the car out into the sunny morning. Her fangs popped out, pricking her lower lip. The taste of blood in her mouth had her reaching into the backseat for some elixir.

Tess didn’t comment on the sunshine reaction, just worked her way through the morning commute traffic. “Today is the actual sentencing. The idiot didn’t even show up to defend himself during the hearings. He refused to leave your side. After he mauled the shit out the first guy they sent to try and force him to the Council chambers, they couldn’t find anyone else who would go up against him. His FBI team flatly refused, and so did the Seattle PD after Selina was done with them.”

The blare of a horn sounded like someone had slammed a hammer into her eardrums. She could smell too much and hear too much. She could sense the heartbeat of every person they passed—a drum-like cacophony. She folded her arms around herself and tried to shut it all out. Stay strong, stay focused. Luca needed her now. “So he’s going to be killed?”

Tess cast her a look. “Do you want to guess who’s on the special panel reviewing the case? From the witches—Millie Standish. From the werewolves—your uncle. From the vampires—Luca’s father. So, it doesn’t really matter who the elf and Fae reps are if the first three vote in a block.”

“Rigged voting, nice.” But rigged which way? Millie wasn’t above bending rules, but would she do so for Luca? Her uncle would do whatever he thought was best for his niece, but did he think Luca was what was best for her?

“They all know it’s rigged.” Tess shrugged. “Politics is politics, whether you’re a Normal or a Magickal. Luca’s dad has Millie and Darren on his side
if
you were willing to be turned. But you weren’t awake to say one way or another.”

“Well, I’m awake now.” Why no one had tried to awaken her before, she didn’t know. Then again, maybe they had tried and only Tess had succeeded. Erin had distinct memories of being in and out of consciousness, but only that one brief conversation with Luca was concrete. She recalled what he’d said about not having the approval of the Conclave or Council when he turned her. “Wouldn’t I have had to be approved by the Council
first
for my willingness to matter?”

Shaking a finger at her, Tess grinned. “See, that’s why you’re a special case.”

“I am?”

“Your aunt and uncle offered to Change you to a wolf, right?”

“Yeah, a few years ago. I said I’d have to think about it.” She’d never gotten around to making up her mind, but that was a moot point now.

“In order for them to have even made that offer, they had to apply to the All-Magickal Council. A background check was run on you, and their initial application was accepted, which means that technically you were approved to be turned into
any
kind of Magickal. The assumption was a werewolf, but the application doesn’t specify what you’ll be turned into, just the species of the person applying.” Tess arched an eyebrow. “An oversight I’m sure the pencil pushers will rectify.”

“No doubt.”

“There are more steps involved, but you have to have agreed to being made a Magickal.” She waved a hand. “These being unusual circumstances with your life on the line, the panel would probably overlook Luca jumping the gun so long as you testify that you were vampirized willingly.”

“Then that’s what I’ll say,” Erin stated. “Luca is
not
going to die for saving my life.”

The thought of him dying at all opened a gaping maw of pain and loss within her. She hugged herself tighter. It would not happen. She wouldn’t let it. She’d perjure herself before God if that was necessary to save him. How long would a sentencing take for something like this? Would they put him to death right then and there? She didn’t know how things like this worked, other than justice was swift and brutal if a person was convicted. What if they were too late?

“Can you drive a little faster?” Erin asked. “And why are you the one who came to get me and tell me this?”

“Hold on.” Tess careened around a corner, ignoring the blast of another horn. She glanced at Erin and shrugged. “Everyone else is in the Council chambers to watch the verdict…and I don’t want Luca to die any more than you do.”

“I don’t think that’s entirely true.”

She tipped her head to concede the point. “Right. I’m not in love with him, and you are. But I still don’t want him to be put to death.”

“I think a lot of people would be surprised to hear you say that.” Erin included. Except for what Luca had told her, every other person she’d spoken to had said Tess Jones would like to kill Luca herself.

“I know. I’m a little surprised myself.” The wolf offered a slight smile.

“What changed your mind?”

“He did,” she said simply.

A hiss that wasn’t quite human erupted from Erin’s throat. Possessiveness unlike anything she’d ever felt before gripped her so tightly she saw red. “You can’t have him back. He’s mine.”