“I’m okay. It’s her I’m worried about.”
Power swirled through the air as Ronan placed his hand on Sara’s brow. “She’ll finish healing while she sleeps. When she wakes tomorrow night, she’ll be as good as new.”
“She’ll be a vampire,” Travis said dryly. “I don’t call that as good as new.”
“Well, if you look at it from my perspective, she’ll be better than new.”
“Somehow I doubt if she’ll think of it like that.”
“She might surprise you once she’s had time to think about it. After all, being forever young and beautiful and healthy isn’t such a bad thing.”
Hewitt grunted softly. “Where’s Overstreet?”
“He went back to Winona’s place. The guy’s got guts, I’ll give him that. He intends to write about his experiences in Susandale and how he was turned.”
“What? Are you kiddin’ me?”
“Nope. Only this time, he’s writing a book of fiction instead of a series of articles.”
Travis chuckled. “Looks like he’s going to give you some competition in the publishing game.”
“More power to him.” A faint grin twitched at his sire’s lips. “Maybe he can get Winona to pretend to be him if he gets the thing published and his editor wants him to go on tour.”
“And there is nothing new thing under the sun,” Travis said, grinning as he remembered how Shannah had posed as Ronan.
“Are you quoting the Bible now?”
Travis shrugged. “It seemed appropriate.”
“Seriously, are you going to be all right?”
Travis glanced at Sara. “I won’t know that until she wakes up.”
“Well, you know where to find me.”
Nodding, Travis said, “Thanks, Dad.”
Ronan glowered at him, then was gone as quickly as he’d arrived.
As the sun climbed over the horizon, Travis brushed a kiss across Sara’s lips, then stretched out on the floor beside the bed.
Murmuring, “I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, love,” he closed his eyes and let the darkness carry him away.
Chapter 34
Sara woke to the sound of rain drumming on the roof, so loud, it sounded like horses’ hooves pounding on the tile.
Where was she? The room was dark and unfamiliar, yet she could see everything clearly. When the light came on, she closed her eyes against the brightness. When she opened them again, cautiously, she saw Travis standing at the foot of the bed, a peculiar, almost fearful look in his eyes.
“How are you?” he asked, his voice guarded.
Sitting up, she said, “I had the most horrible nightmare.”
Something in his expression told her it hadn’t been a dream.
“Sara …”
“Why are you looking at me like that? What’s wrong?” Fear’s icy tentacles slithered down her spine. “Where am I? What have you done?”
Clearing his throat, he shoved his hands into his pockets. “What do you remember?”
“Remember? About what?” she asked. And then she frowned as snatches of the previous night returned—Travis fighting with another vampire, ripping out his heart. Bowman grabbing her … biting her … Eyes wide, she stared at Travis. “Did he turn me? Is that why I feel so peculiar?”
“No.”
She stared at him. Waiting.
“You were dying,” he said, his voice ragged. “I couldn’t let you go.”
Her gaze searched his. “You turned me.”
He nodded, his eyes dark with guilt and regret and something that looked like fear.
He had turned her into a vampire. One of the Undead. A creature of the night. It was incomprehensible. Unbelievable.
“Sara, are you all right?”
“All right? All right!” she exclaimed, her voice rising with every word. “How can I be all right? I’m dead!”
“You don’t look dead.”
She scowled at him, then burst into uncontrollable laughter. Welcome to the club, she thought hysterically. First Travis. Then Overstreet. And now me. Just one big happy family of ghouls. Maybe she should change her name to Morticia.
“Sara?” He looked worried now.
When he took her in his arms, her laughter dissolved into tears.
He held her close while she cried, his hand lightly stroking her back. “I’m sorry,” he murmured, his own tears dripping onto her hair. “So damn sorry. But I couldn’t lose you. Hate me for all eternity if you want, but I just couldn’t live in a world without you in it. I love you, Sara.”
I love you, Sara. Four simple words that healed the hurt and banished her fears. She recalled her grandmother saying there could only be happiness in a relationship when like married like. Well, she and Travis were alike now, that was for sure. And, in reality, this was the only way they could ever realistically have been together. After all, a turtle might love an owl, but where would they live?
“Sara? Say something.”
“I love you.”
He drew away a little so he could see her face. “You mean it?”
“Of course.”
“So, you don’t hate me?”
“Have your ears stopped working? Didn’t I just say I loved you?”
“I know, but …”
“But what?”
“I thought you’d be angry, despise me, say you never wanted to see me again.”
She blew out a sigh. “I guess I should be more outraged, but what’s the point? What’s done is done. And you did save my life, after all. How can I hate you for that? Am I upset? Of course. I never wanted this,” she said with a wry grin. “But, like you once told me, it’s done and can’t be undone. So I’ve decided to accept it. I’m sure there will be days when I regret it, when I will hate you, but for now, I’m just glad to be alive.” She looked at him intently. “Are we alive?”
Travis nodded. “We’re alive, just in a different way. We still breathe, our hearts still beat.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “So, since you don’t hate me, would you consider being my wife?”
“I’ll have to think about it,” she said, her brow furrowing. “Okay, I thought about it. I’d love to marry you.”
“Sara!” Pulling her back into his arms, he held her tight. She loved him. It was a miracle.
“What am I going to tell my parents?” she asked at length.
“Anything but the truth,”
