I slid my legs over the side of the bed and down to the floor carefully. I felt fine, but I wasn’t sure how long I’d been ‘asleep’, so the need for caution was there. I stood up, my legs feeling sturdy and walked across the room until I was right in front of him.
I reached down and took one of his hands in mine. The need to be with him was still just as strong as it was before the change began. He was mine. My mate. Always.
With his free hand, he held the side of my face and let out a deep breath. It was as if he was holding it this whole time. I closed my eyes and felt my fangs retract back into my mouth. His touch was everything I needed at that moment.
“I thought I lost you for a minute there,” he told me and brought his forehead down to mine. “Don’t ever do that to me again, do you hear me?”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Don’t ever leave me again. Ever. I mean it, Emi. I nearly lost it when I thought you were dead. I destroyed a lot of shit until I found out you were still alive.”
“What?” I pulled away and looked into Xander’s eyes. I mean, I expected it, but the fact that half the house was still standing was surprising. “How did you get back under control?”
“I talked him down,” Camille strolled in holding a large insulated cup and held it out to me. “He was all ‘Hulk smash!’ and breathing fire and shit with his big dragon ass, but I showed him you were still alive and he changed back into his human form. He snatched you out of my arms and brought you up here, only letting me in. I warded the room and I’ve only left to get food for Xander and me. That was four days ago, I think? Yeah, four days. Do you still want that?” She looked at the cup I held in my hands, bringing me back to it.
“Oh, yeah. Thanks, Camille. Thank you for everything.”
My eyes caught Xander’s and it looked as if he was holding his breath. I didn’t want to want what was in the cup, but heaven help me, I did. My fangs descended again as I caught a whiff of the blood waiting for me. I lowered my eyes in shame and turned away. I didn’t want him to see me do it.
I brought the cup to my lips and gently tipped it back. As soon as the thick liquid hit my tongue, my hunger increased tenfold. I tipped the cup back further, allowing more of the blood to flow down my throat, nourishing my body. It was the most incredible thing I had ever drunk, and I wanted more.
I reluctantly moved the cup away when there were no more drops left in it and held it in front of me. Camille was there, taking the cup from me, and handing me another one. I brought this one to my lips almost instantly, but stopped when I realized how desperate I was for it.
I didn’t ask to be turned into a vampire. I wasn’t even given a choice. It was taken away from me in the most heinous of ways.
Red hot anger filled my vision and I began to growl softly, menacingly. They did this to me. Why did they do it? They didn’t care what it would do to me, only that I fulfilled their precious prophecy.
“You okay?” Camille asked, putting her hand on my shoulder.
I whipped my head toward her and she backed away as frightened as she was before. I closed my eyes and shook my head, trying to clear the angry fog that had descended on my brain. Why did I do that? I was ready to rip her head clear from her body and relish in her blood. Camille was my friend and yet, I was ready to murder her for touching me. I wasn’t in my right mind. I needed to get out of there. Away from anyone I cared about.
But then, I caught the sound of laughing from the floor down below. I turned my ear toward the door and listened, noticing it was Di who was laughing heartily. I felt my hunger increase, not for the blood in the cup I was holding, but for vengeance. My dragon was in complete agreement with my vampire and I had little control over them, not that I wanted control. I wanted to rip her apart piece by piece.
I dropped the cup, letting the sweet contents splatter all over the pristine floor and took off out the door and down the stairs. I moved so quickly, it felt like I hadn’t even moved at all, but before I knew it, I was standing in the middle of Di’s office, right in front of the vampire herself. My teeth were bared and I had her lifted into the air by her throat.
She dug her fingernails into my arm in an attempt to make me release her, but I wasn’t easily distracted. Not in that moment. She gurgled her plea, but I was beyond reasoning with. She pissed me off for the last time.
“Emelia! Don’t!”
Amos moved around carefully, standing behind Di so I could see him. He was holding his hands up in surrender and pleading with me to let her go.
“Emelia, you don’t want to do that. She’s not the enemy. Please put her down.”
“Why? Do you want to take her place? You helped her do this to me. You’re my grandfather, for fucks sake! If my dad were alive, he’d rip you to
