First Blade (Awakening Book 1)

by Jane Hinchey

  "No!"

  "Well geez, Zak, that's sure what it sounded like." Of course, the whole household heard their fight.

  "I told her she'd be able to spend more time with you, that you wouldn't be distracted by her blood if she wasn't human. And that she'd be stronger, more able to fight a vampire."

  "Those points were kinda secondary to the sex part."

  "I know." He groaned again. "Shouldn't have mentioned sex. Especially after we'd just finished..."

  "What you're asking of her isn't any small thing," Skye spoke softly, her words for him alone. "I had no choice, no say in it, so my situation is different. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you turned me, otherwise I wouldn't be here at all. But adapting to being a different species is huge, Zak. I can't go outside in the sun anymore. I won't be able to run the shop anymore. Instead of eating my favorite foods, I'm drinking blood. Life, as I knew it, is simply not the same. Suddenly springing that on Georgia? C'mon, how did you expect her to react?"

  "What you say is true," he gritted, hating himself. He'd handled this all wrong. Now he just hoped she'd give him the chance to make it right.

  Forty-eight hours. It had taken forty-eight hours for her anger to burn itself out. The first twelve were a blur as she'd driven as hard and as far away as she could get. Then she'd found a pub and, as was her usual style, drank herself into oblivion. Then slept it off. And twelve hours to drive back, calmer, but no happier.

  Turning into his driveway, nothing had changed, except for everything. She'd barely turned off the ignition when the driver's side door was wrenched open and he was there, cupping her face oh so gently in shaking hands and kissing her, softly, over and over.

  "I'm sorry. So, so, sorry," he whispered against her lips. She melted. Stupid vampire. Not able to form the words that she'd forgiven him, instead she opened her mouth, scoring her tongue on one of his fangs. Their blood kiss heated her, sending her pulse racing and a delicious heat to settle low.

  "I take it I'm forgiven." He needed the words, she realized. She wasn't sure she could give them to him. Pulling away she looked into his dark eyes.

  "For now, vampire." The best she could do. Clasping hands he led her inside where she was greeted with hugs and slaps on the back. She'd been missed. It hit her that she'd missed these guys as well, that she thought of them as family. And here was her actual family, her sister Skye, now a vampire. Maybe Zak's idea hadn't been so off.

  "We need to talk," she told him, leading the way upstairs to his bedroom. Closing the door, she paced while he sat on the edge of the bed. The silence stretched between them.

  "I don't want to rehash what's already been said," she started, stopping to look at him before pacing again. He nodded, remaining silent, letting her lead. "You know you hurt me, right? But I'm pretty sure you didn't mean to, that perhaps you didn't choose your words wisely." He was nodding, so she continued, "And I guess I'm known for my knee-jerk reactions and a short fuse." He was still nodding until she frowned at him. He stopped.

  "I've spoken with Skye." His head jerked in surprise, "Yeah, she didn't tell you that, did she?"

  "She didn't," he growled.

  "Because I asked her not to. I rang while I was away. We talked about her new life, what it's like for her, her regrets if any. My quandary is that I have a choice. That I can agree to this, or not. That there are consequences either way. If I allow you to turn me, my whole world will change. If I don't? Well, that's all in the air, isn't it, but you seem convinced my life expectancy is pretty short."

  "We all change. It doesn't mean we lose who we are."

  "True. I've seen for myself, with Skye. So...I've decided..." she paused, eying him. He was so still he could have been a statue. Handsome, sexy vampire. "I'll do it. I'm not ready to die and Marius is not going to get away with what he did to me. He'll not expect you to turn me since you've kept me human all this time. And the fucking sex better be friggin' amazing or I might stake you myself."

  He laughed, swooping her up and spinning her around in his arms.

  "You are amazing. You are strong, feisty, unbelievably sexy and I love you so much I think my heart just might explode." His mouth came down on hers, crushing her against him.

  "When?" he growled against her lips.

  "No time like the present." She shivered in his embrace, suddenly nervous.

  "You don't want to talk to Skye first?"

  "She knows. We decided together when I phoned. And don't get mad at her for not telling you. I made her swear and she is my sister first, your protégé second."

  "I may disagree with that."

  "Not if you're smart."

  Again he laughed. "We'll need a bit of preparation first. Get some fresh blood in for you; you'll need it when the thirst arrives."

  "Don't you have blood here?"

  "Enough to take care of the men and Skye, but newborns have a raging thirst. We'll need more. Don't fret, I'll send Kyan and Heath out to source more while we get started."

  He kissed her again, hard, then disappeared. She crossed to sit on the edge of the bed to wait. Within a minute he was back. Grinning.

  "Don't look so triumphant." She grimaced.

  "Sorry. The men are thrilled that you will be joining the ranks."

  "The ranks? I get to be a warrior?"

  "Only if you want to."

  "Well, there's a career choice I'd never considered." She played with her fingers nervously in her lap. A large hand came down over hers and she stilled.

  "Don't be afraid."

  "I'm still human. I'm afraid," she admitted.

  "Skye would have told you what she went through? The transition?" Georgia nodded. "The only difference is I need to drain you first. Then give you my blood. Then you'll sleep. When you awake the transition will be upon you, and it'll hurt. We may have to lock you in a cell to keep you from harming yourself or others while the bloodlust is upon you. I won't leave you alone; I'll be there with you, every step of the way. I promise."

  She nodded. Right. Locked in a cell. She shuddered. She didn't want to be locked in a cell. Ever again. She stood, started pacing again, her breathing was jagged, and her pulse strummed loud enough he could hear it from across the room.

  He moved to her, reaching out to catch the single tear that rolled down her cheek. As soon as he touched her, Georgia's whole body began to tremble.

  "Just do it." Her voice was no more than a whisper, and she didn't look at him. His hand caressed her cheek, then he pulled her into his arms, hearing her heart rate triple as his head dipped to her throat.

  "Zak..."

  "Shh," he whispered, resting a finger against her lips as he held her in an unbreakable grip. "Don't fear. We'll get through this together. I love you."

  Then he buried his fangs in her throat, right into the pulsating vein that thrummed in unison with her heartbeat. Georgia moaned, her hands grasping his shoulders. Zak drew his teeth out, allowing a stream of hot, sweet blood to fill his mouth.

  He swallowed the richness of her blood, his fingers moving into the thickness of her hair. Then he slid his fangs into her jugular again, deeper this time, sinking them to the hilt. Georgia shuddered against him, the blood loss making her sway on her feet. His arms tightened around her, holding her body and her throat closer to him as he bit her a third time, the three sets of twin punctures sending Georgia's blood shooting into his mouth as fast as he could swallow it.

  His entire body began to feel heated, heavier, and humming with the energy he absorbed with every swallow. Feeling Georgia's blood pour into him, merging them together more thoroughly than sex ever could, caused a heady exhilaration to flare through him. Georgia would never be closer to anyone than she was to him in this moment, her life force draining from her and flowing into him, tying them together with a bond that could never be undone.

  When Georgia hung limply in his arms, her heartbeat all but silent except for a few stubborn, intermittent flutters, Zak pulled away from her throat at last. Her eyes were
closed, her mouth slightly open, her breathing stopped.

  Pulling a pocketknife from his back pocket, he dug it into his neck, tearing the flesh, then held Georgia's mouth to the wound. He could feel her body react to the blood. Zak kept her pressed to his neck until the wound closed, and then he tore it open again with the pocketknife. This time, he didn't need to assist Georgia in swallowing his blood; her throat worked even as her heart fell silent for the last time.

  Zak cradled her to him, reveling in the small pain as she fastened her teeth onto his neck and sucked, stronger and stronger. He maneuvered them to the bed, sat with his back against the headboard with Georgia straddling him, knees by his hips, chest to chest, mouth never leaving his throat. He celebrated the pain of her bite as she chewed at him with little finesse, because in each desperate swallow, Georgia absorbed life from him just as he had from her.

  Eventually, he pulled away, restraining her when she would have fought to return to his throat. Her eyes sprung open, blood red, and two fangs curved out from Georgia's previously flat upper teeth. A last shudder tore through her, then her eyes rolled back, and she slumped against him, her humanity gone, her new vampire body unconscious but soon to rise.

  25

  Georgia was trapped in a roaring inferno. She could feel the agony of the flames as they ravaged her body and peeled away her skin. And then relief, washing over her burned, broken body, easing the torment that seared her from the inside out.

  She could taste something incredible. Something so rich and succulent, it made the inferno fade into obscurity. She needed more of that, whatever it was.

  Then that amazing nectar was gone and the inferno claimed her once more, flames dancing across her skin, burning her eyes, peeling the skin from bones and leaving her nothing but a burnt, charred mess. She whimpered.

  "Georgia."

  Her name. She focused on her name, dragging herself toward whoever had spoken it. Eyes fluttered open, squinting against the flames that threatened to burn them. Suddenly, she saw Zak's face right in front of her, his dark eyes glittering like diamonds, his skin so smooth and perfect. Zak. He had killed her...and brought her back.

  A loud boom sounded behind her. Georgia jumped, sure that the house was falling down around them, the sound had been so loud and it vibrated all around her. Zak pressed her down, preventing her from running. A jolt went through her as soon as his hands touched her skin. It felt like his entire body was electrified, currents shooting through her.

  "It's just the door swinging closed, Georgia. You are in no danger." Georgia looked at him, focused solely on him and his sparkling, mesmerizing eyes. His hand cupped her jaw and again his touch seared her, shooting sparks through her body to pool low in her abdomen.

  "Relax. You've not adjusted to your new senses yet. Everything is louder, clearer, sharper. You'll get used to it, but to begin with, it could feel a little overwhelming."

  Your new senses. A little overwhelming. Amidst the sizzling voltage that seared into her from Zak's hands, the continual booming around her, a strange mix of scents, and the flashes of light that burnt her eyes, Georgia's mind was seized with one single, unbelievable thought: she was no longer human.

  "I'm...you..." Blindly, her hand reached out to feel her neck. Nothing but smooth skin. No wounds. No pulse.

  I'm a vampire.

  Zak said nothing, his hand still cupping her face. His thumb caressed her skin and a thousand volts followed the movement, sparking through her, making her gasp and arch, whether toward him for more, or away for relief, she couldn't say. Her eyes left his, gaze locking on his neck. He had no wound, but she could see dried blood on his shirt. She strained closer to sniff, catching the scent of ambrosia, stretching to latch her teeth into the fabric and suck.

  He chuckled, easing her away, the fabric tearing as she refused. "Easy," he soothed, something in his hand more appealing than the dried blood on his shirt. He tilted her head and sweet syrup poured down her throat, easing the burn, dampening the flames that had been licking all around her. All too soon the ecstasy of that nectar was gone and she groaned.

  "What's happening to me?" she whispered.

  "Bloodlust. It'll be over soon, we just have to ride it out."

  She looked up at him leaning over her. He looked...different. Sharper. She could make out the different shades of black in his hair, for the first time noticing that his eyes did, in fact, have faint lines of red in them, hidden in his irises that she'd never noticed before.

  "You're beautiful."

  "So are you. You take my breath away." He lowered his mouth to hers, allowing their lips to lightly touch. Again her nerve endings sizzled with the contact.

  "Why are you electric?"

  "I'm not." He chuckled again, "You're super sensitive right now. It'll settle."

  Unbidden, a surge of lust powered through her. "I want you!" she gasped, arching her hips and pushing against him. Then the flames returned. No, no, no. She didn't want the flames, she wanted Zak, wanted his sizzling body on her, in her, around her. Her temper flared along with the heat and she bellowed her frustration. Something clasped her wrists and pinned them next to her head, then a heavy weight across her, stopping her struggles. All the while the fire burned, the flames licked and she thought she was dying. She fought and struggled, no way was death going to claim her now, but she was soon empty, defenseless against it as she sunk into oblivion.

  Slowly Georgia opened her eyes. The flames had stopped; she was no longer on fire. Moving only her eyes, she scanned the room. Where was she? A cell. Yes, Zak had warned her, hadn't he? That it was safer for her in a cell while the bloodlust was upon her. Across from her, she could see a bed in total disarray, the mattress sideways, dark stains on it, legs bent, the whole frame twisted. The walls had deep gouges and purple smears. The floor littered with empty blood bags. Did she do this carnage? Surely not?

  "Don't panic. I've got you, it's okay." Zak's voice rumbled in her ear. She realized they were on the floor. He was propped up against the wall in the corner with her between his drawn-up legs, her back pressed up against his chest and a strong arm across her stomach keeping her pinned in place. Caged by his body.

  "Zak?"

  "You're safe," he assured her. She nodded, indicating she'd heard him. He didn't loosen his grip, but he wasn't hurting her.

  "So. Bloodlust, eh?" she indicated the mess in front of them.

  "Indeed. Do you remember?" She shook her head. No. Vague memories of fire and burning and soothing, cooling ambrosia in her mouth.

  "You weren't...happy...being in the cell. Whenever you were lucid enough to know where you were, you lost it."

  "Lost it?"

  "Totally. Fought tooth and nail to get out. Took three of us to subdue you the first time. Dainton is probably going to be walking with a limp for a week."

  "I HURT him?" she asked incredulously.

  "Where it matters most," Zak assured her. "It must have slipped his mind that you're not beneath fighting dirty if you want out bad enough."

  "How did I hurt him?" She asked suspiciously, "Where did I hurt him?"

  "You bit him. In the groin." He felt her stiffen in his arms, quickly adding, "Through his fatigues."

  "Oh gross. Oh yuk. I bit his...?"

  "You did." She could hear the grin in his voice.

  "You'd better not think this is funny," she warned, feeling his chest rumble behind her.

  "I didn't...you know...sever it or cause long-lasting damage, did I?" She cringed at the thought.

  "He's fine," Zak assured her, loosening his hold slightly. "Though it's doubtful he'll live it down among the guys."

  "Tell me I bit and let go. Tell me I didn't latch on and..."

  "No way I'm ever going to let you drink from anyone but me!" Zak growled, "No matter where your fangs land. Rest assured, I pried you off him."

  Georgia relaxed against him. His touch no longer an electric current but a pleasant buzz up and down her spine. Delicious.

 
"And all this?" she waved her hand around the room, at the gouges in the brickwork. "Did I do this?"

  "You were quite the hellcat. I didn't think being in a cell would torture you so; I was wrong, and for that I am sorry. I should have anticipated your panic about being restrained in this way."

  "It's done. But can we go now? Am I okay to leave?"

  "Yes. Bloodlust will still hit you, and it'll come on quickly, but you're through the transition."

  "Good. 'Cos I could really use a shower." She was covered in dried blood, her clothing torn and filthy.

  Georgia caught sight of herself in the large mirror above the sink when Zak transported them upstairs to his bathroom. The bright overhead lights hurt her eyes, so he'd immediately turned them off, lighting the candles that littered the countertop. In the flicker of candlelight, she studied her reflection. Zak leaned against the door jam, watching.

  She looked the same, yet different. Her skin wasn't as tanned as before, but she wasn't totally pale. Her freckles were gone, and her skin appeared...poreless. While her hair was dirty and the ends matted, it looked thicker, more lustrous, deeper shades of chocolate layered throughout. Her eyes no longer green, but glowing red. Zak had warned her about this, that in the early days they'd be red, but the green would return as she became acclimatized to her new body.

  Her hand fluttered up to her throat, not a mark or blemish in sight. She pulled her collar aside and gasped when the fabric tore, as flimsy as a cobweb.

  "Touch everything as if it were made of eggshells," Zak advised, "You'll break lots of things before you get used to your strength."

  She nodded in acknowledgment, brushing her hands down her front but not gentle enough. Her shirt now a torn rag at her feet. No matter, it was ruined with all the blood anyway. Her eyes went back to her reflection, searching for differences in her body. Were her breasts perter? Fuller? She edged a bra strap aside and was left gaping when that too was left hanging in her hand, torn. She heard Zak swallow and turned her head to look at him. His eyes were on her breasts, his tongue sweeping along his lower lip.