Jane glanced at Chloe’s still form. “Then I think you’d better get over here.”
Byron promised to be there as soon as possible. No sooner had Jane finished speaking with him than Julia came back into the trailer.
“Okay,” she said. “They bought it. Now what?”
“Now you go back to work,” said Jane. “My friend will be here in a few minutes. The more normal things look to everyone outside, the better.”
“Right,” Julia agreed. She glanced at Chloe. Jane had rearranged the girl on the couch so that she indeed looked as if she were sleeping peacefully. “Is she really all right?”
“Yes,” Jane assured her, although she was not at all sure this was the case.
After Julia left for the second time, Jane tried to wake Chloe by gently tapping her cheeks. When that achieved nothing, she tapped harder. Still the girl didn’t wake up. Jane felt for a pulse and was relieved to find one. However, it was very faint.
Hours seemed to pass, but finally the door opened and Byron slipped in.
“Did anyone see you?” Jane asked.
“Some of us know how to stay invisible,” Byron said dismissively. “Now what’s this about someone being bitten?”
Jane showed him the marks on Chloe’s neck. They were almost completely healed, but there was no mistaking their purpose.
“You didn’t do this?” Byron asked Jane.
“Of course not!” Jane said. “This is something I would expect of
“Well, I didn’t do it either,” said Byron. “And I flirt with everyone. You know that.”
There was a lengthy silence. “Do you think it was Our Gloomy Friend?” Jane asked, voicing what she knew they were both thinking.
“It’s possible,” Byron said.
“You did say you sensed danger,” Jane reminded him.
Byron nodded. “But I was almost certain it had nothing to do with her,” he said, sounding angry.
Jane looked at Chloe. “Is she going to be all right?”
“Unfortunately, no,” Byron answered. “She’s too far gone.”
Jane, horrified, turned to him. “She’s going to die?”
“Either that or end up insane,” said Byron. “Whoever did this drained her too much. If she survives, her mind will be gone. She’ll spend the rest of her life having horrific visions. Frankly, she’s better off dead.” He hesitated before continuing. “Of course, we could always turn her.”
Jane was shocked. “Turn her?” she said. “Into a vampire?”
“Those are the options,” said Byron. “She can die, she can go mad, or she can become a vampire. I’ll let you choose.”
“Why me?” Jane exclaimed.
Byron sighed. “Because—as loath as I am to admit it—you have the greater character. Were it up to me, I would finish her off. However, I realize that there may be reasons to choose otherwise.”
Jane sat in one of the chairs near the couch. She didn’t know what to think. If Chloe died, there would be an investigation. Also, she would be dead. If she lived, she would be insane. That was, frankly, a bigger problem. Being dead was unfortunate, but being insane created the possibility of further disaster.
Jane sighed. “We have to turn her,” she said.
Byron raised an eyebrow. “You’re certain?” he asked.
“No,” Jane said. “I’m not at all certain. But do it anyway.”
“You’re going to do it,” said Byron.
“Me?” said Jane. “Why me? I didn’t do this to her.”
“Neither did I,” Byron reminded her. “And you’re going to turn her because you need to learn how.”
“No, I don’t,” Jane objected. “I’m never going to turn anyone, so I don’t need to know how.”
“Turning also increases your powers,” Byron told her. “You need all the help you can get. Besides, this is a perfect opportunity. The girl is already nearly dead, so it’s not as if you’re killing her. Well, not exactly. At any rate, you’re saving her.”
Jane looked at Chloe’s face. “Well, when you put it like that,” she said.
“Now that that’s settled,” Byron said, “come here. I’ll show you what to do.”
Jane moved to the couch, kneeling on the floor beside Chloe.
“It’s just like feeding,” Byron said. “Only keep feeding until her heart stops.”
“What then?” asked Jane.
“Then you have to feed her some of your blood,” Byron answered. “Don’t you remember what happened when I turned—”
“I’ve tried to forget,” said Jane. “Apparently it worked.”
Byron sighed. “Well, haven’t you seen the movies?”
“I never know what’s true and what isn’t,” said Jane. “There’s no need to be mean about it.”
“Just bite her,” Byron ordered. “There’s not much time.”
Jane took Chloe’s head in her hands and gently turned it away from her. Closing her eyes, she clicked her fangs into place. Then, before she could stop herself, she leaned down and bit into the soft flesh of the girl’s neck.
She couldn’t think about what she was doing. Instead, she shut her eyes and imagined herself in her childhood room, tucked into bed beside Cassie. It was dark, and outside the house a storm thundered. Jane was frightened, and Cassie was comforting her.
She thought about Cassie holding her, and imagined her sister’s warm breath against her face.
Jane felt the life drain from Chloe’s body. The girl’s heartbeat thudded in Jane’s ears like the slow steps of a giant.
The flow of blood slowed. Jane clutched Chloe to her, forcing herself to keep feeding as she rocked the girl to sleep.
