Blood Lines: Conduit

by Mechele Armstrong

  Nick opened his mouth, then shut it tight.

  “These things can happen to me too, you know? Yet, you wait for some magical day when you’ll know it’s right.”

  Copper’s head had jerked up at Bastian’s edict. She loved him, but he couldn’t decide this for her. After Sarah berated Nick, she lit into Bastian. “Why can’t we make me a vampire? I’m a grown woman. If I want to be a vampire, I’ll become one. And it doesn’t have to be you that makes me. I can become a vampire on my own if I need to.”

  “Because ... because ...” Nick slammed a fist into the door. “Because I don’t want to have to kill you if it goes bad.”

  “I know that.”

  Nick stood, tall and silent, hands clenched by his side.

  Sarah put a hand on his shoulder. “You won’t. I’m ready. I’ll handle it.”

  He pulled her into his arms. “Ma petite, I can’t lose you.”

  Copper was riveted to this unexpected conflict between Sarah and Nick. Bastian spoke sharply. “You will not go to anyone else to be made a vampire. If anyone does it, I will.”

  “I know. I think it’s time.” Sarah smiled, a shaky one. “I know it’s time. I need to become a vampire. I’m mortal, Nick. So much could happen to me now. I’m ready for this. And I need to become what you are.” He squeezed her tightly. Closed his eyes. And nodded an agreement.

  Copper turned toward Bastian, pointing to the other couple. “Look at that. He’s going to do it for her. Then why won’t you for me? You heard what Henri said. I die, you go with me. And they are right. Too much can happen to a mortal. I wouldn’t want to die. But gods, I’d die inside each day I’ve not been made a vampire, knowing I can take you out of this world. Simply for being bonded to me.” Copper shook her hair back. She had to convince him to do this. It was the only way. Her heart ached along with her head.

  Bastian shook his head. “I have Crimson here. I cannot handle two new vampires at once. One is tricky enough to be fostered. Crimson has problems. Once she gets a handle on those, then I will make you a vampire.”

  “How long will that take? For Crimson to gain her footing as a vampire? To master her new abilities?”

  Nick piped up, still holding Sarah. “It could take years.”

  “Years? You don’t have years, Bastian. You have got to make me a vampire. Before anything happens to my mortal self.”

  “No.”

  Copper bit her lip. “Nick, please. You know what I need to become. Please do it for me.”

  Bastian roared. “No. He will not make you a vampire.”

  Staring him straight in the eyes, she made her words deliberate. “Then you do it. Because I will be made one. Tonight.”

  * * * * *

  Bastian looked down at the woman standing before him, not scared of his outburst. Nor would she give an inch on this. “Copper. I can’t deal with you and Crimson being new vampires at the same time. It’s too much for me. I need to foster Crimson if she has any hope of being sane. Of living as a vampire without being a crazed animal. Or being killed by a sane vampire. I know you want her safety.”

  “Send her to Henri.” The small voice made them all turn. Sarah smiled sheepishly. “You are of his line. Knowing Henri, he’d consider it his duty to help you with a vampire you made. And if anyone can help her make the transition, he can. Then you’d be free to deal with Copper as she deals with becoming.”

  “I’m not sure he’d help me. He wouldn’t have made Crimson.” Henri would never show his displeasure outright. But he’d been disappointed. Bastian’s other protégés all did so well. He’d always been so careful with who he’d made a vampire.

  You don’t know as much as you think, mon étudiant.

  Bastian straightened. He smelled Henri’s cologne. Henri?

  Sarah contacted me. Send the girl to me. I will take care of her. Help her transition. Make her into a damn fine vampire.

  But ...

  No buts, Bastian. You must make the other one a vampire. The sooner the better. And you’re right. You couldn’t deal with both. Now go, make your mate one. Send her sister to me in the morning. Nick and Sarah can bring her back with them.

  Sarah nodded. “We can take Crimson back with us.”

  “You can contact him from here in your mind?”

  Sarah nodded.

  Bastian had known her powers were strong. That was incredible. Something Henri had mastered recently, Sarah could do as a mortal. “You’re going back to Henri’s?”

  Nick nodded. “Where I’ll be making my mate into a vampire. We best go so you can make yours.” They tumbled out the door and shut it behind them.

  Bastian nodded, barely hearing anything past they were going back to Henri’s. So torn. So divided. He wanted nothing more than to make Copper his forever. But he owed so much to her sister. He’d made her. He should take care of helping her.

  Copper leaned in. “You won’t be shirking your duty to her.”

  His face flew to hers. “You can’t read minds?”

  “No. But I can read faces. We can check on her often. Maybe once I’m stable, I can go to Paris. But you have to make me. Crimson won’t mind. And she thinks me being a vampire is a cool idea.”

  He frowned. “You talked about it today?”

  “No ... errr ...tonight. Crimson and I can mind talk.”

  His eyes widened. “You can what?”

  “Mind talk.”

  “That’s not possible. You aren’t of her line. Nor even a vampire.”

  Copper shrugged, taking his hands and pulling them around her. “I think maybe being twins has something to do with it. She could sense when I was upset tonight, too.”

  “Could be. I think you screamed in my mind when Lucy took you. Perhaps you have some latent telepathic talents. Will make you strong at that ... if you ...”

  She leaned up to kiss his cheek. “We’d better get going on this. I’d hate to fall or something. Die before you make me.”

  His swallow wouldn’t go down. “Are you sure? It’s forever.”

  She chuckled. “I am sure. Like I was about bonding. I still think blood drinking is icky. But I’ll deal.”

  He sat down in the chair, pulling her onto his lap. “I’m going to take blood from your throat. Take it all. Then ...”

  “I know the steps. Do it.”

  She snuggled into him.

  He closed his eyes, sinking his fangs in deep into her artery. The blood waned. The beats died. The breath ended.

  Copper died in his arms.

  He didn’t expect it to hurt so much. Even knowing what he was about to do, to make her immortal, his body tensed, hands fisting. Now he had to act instantly to give her new life.

  He’d darkened the room. Perfect for a new vampire. The blood bank delivery had arrived. He’d get her a bag.

  Slicing open a vein, he put it to her lips. Forced her throat to swallow. It moved up and down, swallowing.

  One light gasp of breath.

  He let out a sigh. Relief swept through him. The what-ifs had assailed him, even knowing what he was doing. What if she didn’t live? What if he really killed her? Not something he could live with.

  “Oh, God, what am I hearing?” He covered her ears with his hands.

  “Blood rushing in people. Night noises. You’ll get used to it. In time.”

  Her senses all kicked in. Overwhelming her. She shook with the over-stimulation. He rocked her back and forth in his lap.

  Her eyes opened slowly. “I love you, Bastian.”

  Soon fangs would grow in that mouth. His. For an eternity. Or longer. It would all be all right. Crimson would go to Henri. He’d see to her sanity. He’d transition this one over the humps of her new blood. Even Sarah would now become a vampire. Her strength would make her a powerful one. Would she and Nick bond if it was possible? He didn’t know if they could, though it would help. But somehow it would all get worked out in the end.

  He leaned down to kiss her sweetly. “I love you, too, Copper. For
always.”

  Mechele Armstrong

  Have you ever wondered, "What if crayons have a kingdom?” Mechele Armstrong did at age five. Now, turning the imagination of a wide-eyed child into intense spellbinding stories for adults, she is winning over new fans every day.

  Writing stories and poetry as a hobby, she graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Religious Studies and Social Welfare. Although there were challenges with work and family, the need to write and be published, to share her passion for books was always there.

  During a rainy weekend at the beach reading several romance novels she fell in love, not with the hero, but with the genre again. So began a two-year adventure of doing what she loved most, creating worlds with strong heroines and enchanting heroes that will keep you turning pages until the end.

  Using the Internet and the local Romance Writer’s Association, she learned and refined her craft. Living in Virginia with a husband, kids, dog, and fish, she finds time to share her vivid imagination and ability to tell stories of adventure, love, lust, and everything in between.

  Visit Mechele on the Web at http://www.mechelearmstrong.com, or email her at mechele@mechelearmstrong.com.