by H G Lynch
Chapter Four
** Reid **
“Reid, are you sure about that? I mean, we don’t know what it could do to her.” Ricky gripped his arm as they argued quietly outside Ember’s room. It was Friday, and Ember was still as weak as she had been two days ago, and he was done waiting for her to get better.
They’d tried to keep her calm, talking about the serious things in the boys’ room while Ember slept so as not to stress her out. A few times, she’d gotten angry, annoyed by her own helplessness and at the witches for doing this to her, but Reid had quickly calmed her. He didn’t like leaving her alone, worried about her hurting herself with her new, uncontrollable power.
What did those witches do to her? he wondered, anger and concern creating an immovable knot in his chest. She still tried to make witty comments and jokes, but he could see the physical toll it took on her just to talk. He knew it was driving her crazy not be able to do anything. He wanted to be able to hold her tightly without fear of breaking her in half. He wanted to kiss her wildly and feel her kiss back with just as much ferocity, and he saw the longing in her eyes too…and neither of them could do a thing about it.
Well. He was going to try and fix that. Right now.
For now, she was weak as a kitten and he couldn’t stand it any longer. He had an idea of how to help her, one he’d thought of a hundred times and kept pushing it aside because it was risky. But he’d run out of patience. He had to do something, even if it was risky. Ricky didn’t feel quite the same way, but then, it wasn’t his girlfriend.
“We have to try it!” Reid snapped, trying to keep his voice low. “I can’t stand seeing her like this! And her mother is coming in a few days. We can’t have her like this when her mother gets here. I’ll risk this to try and fix her. Maybe this is just exactly what she needs. It can’t do any more damage than what the witches have done to her.” Reid steeled himself for more arguing but Ricky just sighed and nodded.
Looking unhappy, he said, “Yeah, I get it. I don’t like it – Brandon won’t like it. But I get it. You have to do something.”
Reid scowled. “Brandon can bite me. It’s none of his business anyway.”
Ricky looked like he wanted to argue that point, and then thought better of it. He pressed his lips together and shook his head, dragging his hand through his hair. Reid sighed. He said, “I’ve thought about this, Kee. I really did. And I just can’t see any other way.”
Ricky clasped his hand on the back of his neck nervously. “Yeah, me neither. But just…” He made a face that Reid didn’t understand, and then threw up his hands as if in exasperation. Turning away, Ricky said, “Just let me know what happens, okay? I’m going to go update Brandon and try to keep him from having a stroke.” He walked away down the hall, and Reid stared after him for a second, wondering what the hell that had been about.
Then he shook his head and braced himself. He put his hand on the door handle, turned it, and stepped into the room, plastering a false smile on his face. “Hello, ladies. How is the witch-demon today?” he said brightly, wandering over to Ember and stroking her hair. She was pale, with dark circles under her eyes, despite the fact she’d been sleeping for the better part of three days now.
“Same as ever,” she replied dully, sighing. Her mouth was set in a sorrowful frown. She was not a happy bunny. At least things weren’t rattling today. He wasn’t sure if that was an improvement or not.
“She’s been a little livelier,” Sherry said from the other side of the room. “She managed to gulp down a glass of Coke on her own at least. I thought she might even throw the glass at me when I refused to give her more.” Sherry grinned, but there were deep smudges under her eyes, too. She’d been taking care of Ember practically 24/7, and it was showing.
“Well, why didn’t you give her more?” Reid asked, looking at the limp girl on the bed. She scowled up at him, and he dropped to the floor by her bedside. Her hand rested on top of the duvet, and he traced a thin blue vein along the back of her hand and up her arm. She smiled faintly at him and shut her eyes.
Sherry huffed, putting her hands on her hips. “She’s already had three glasses in the last hour and a half. She’s going to rot her teeth.” To that, Ember lifted her hand and flipped Sherry off. Sherry just scowled.
Reid smiled briefly, then he met Sherry’s eyes and jerked his chin meaningfully toward the far corner of the room. Sherry took the hint and moved with him. Out of Ember’s hearing range, he whispered, “I’m going to give her some of my blood.” He glanced back at the sleepy girl on the bed, making sure she couldn’t hear. Sherry’s bruised green eyes went wide, and her mouth fell open a little. Reid hurried to explain. “It’s the only thing I can think of to give her energy. And we can’t leave her like this forever. We have to try something,” he murmured, keeping his face calm so as not to worry Ember, who had opened her eyes and was watching suspiciously.
Sherry frowned and opened her mouth to protest, but slowly shut it again. Reluctantly, she nodded, concern pooling in her eyes. Reid expected questions from her, but she asked none. He had a feeling she was just as desperate to fix Ember as he was. She just said, very quietly, “If you think it’ll help her.”
He nodded, glad someone approved of his plan – it made him feel a little less anxious about it. “Ember?” Reid said softly, returning to her bedside. She looked at him with sleepy, hazy blue eyes and he brushed some stray hair off her cheek. Her hair was smooth and silky as ever, so he guessed Sherry had brushed it for her. But her skin was cool, like porcelain.
“Mh?” Ember sighed.
He took a breath he didn’t really need, stalling or trying to steady himself; he wasn’t really sure which. “I’m going to try something. We’re not sure if it’ll work but we think it might help you. Just trust me, okay?” Reid murmured softly, hoping like mad that this would work. And that she’d agree to it. Her eyes registered hope and surprise, but he saw a flash of liveliness. She was coherent and comprehending. That was a good sign.
“Vampire blood right?” she guessed with a weak smile, and Reid nodded, smiling back fondly. Of course she’d guess his plan. She had accepted his vampirism with enthusiasm, and questioned him endlessly. She was smart enough to realise where this was going.
“Yup. My blood to be precise,” he said, and caught the twinkle of a thrill in her eyes. She watched him with unconcealed curiosity as he extended his fangs and bit into his wrist. The sharp sting lasted only an instant and then he held his wrist to her mouth hesitantly. She bit her lip nervously, and met his gaze with anxious blue eyes. He smiled reassuringly at her and she fixed her eyes on the bright red blood trickling down his wrist. Swallowing his anxiety, Reid prayed once more that this would work. He normally wasn’t the praying type, being damned and all, but he tried.
Slowly, Ember leaned forward a little and put her lips to his skin. Her tongue brushed his wrist, lapping the blood hesitantly at first, and then sucking more eagerly. Reid had to bite his lip on a moan, feeling her silky tongue and soft lips working on his skin like that. The rich blood flowed from him into his Ember, and he felt a blossoming of heat in his gut. That was the part of drinking – or giving – blood that every vampire either loved or hated: the rush of endorphins, the burning, aching feeling down low. It was something to do with the chemical make-up of vampire saliva and the way a bite released oxytocin, which was sometimes called the ‘love hormone’.
Of course, while the bite was always pleasant for the vampire, it wasn’t always so for the victim; different chemicals were released into the saliva depending on if the vampire was angry or hurt or scared, and sometimes the combination of chemicals being sent into the victim’s bloodstream went right to the brain and attacked pain receptors instead of tickling the oxytocin-producing part of the brain…it was all very complicated and confusing, and Ricky had explained it to him repeatedly, but all Reid really cared about was the effect, not the science.
Giving blood created the same effect as giving it, but
the science was different – the act of giving blood, and the way human saliva interacted with vampire blood, triggered the same dirty little receptors in the vampire’s brain.
And the effect of Ember sucking his blood from his wrist…oh God. It made him burn and he swallowed hard to keep from groaning at the pleasure. That was definitely the oxytocin at work, and part of him felt guilty for enjoying it, knowing this wasn’t supposed to be fun – he was trying to fix her. But then, her nails dug into his arm, and she made a faint moaning sound in the back of her throat as she drank, and he realised he wasn’t the only one burning. He’d never exchanged blood like this before, never expected it to feel so…intimate. It was practically sex without getting undressed. Suddenly, he really wished Sherry weren’t in the room, and he hoped she wasn’t watching.
Eventually, despite how much he was enjoying himself, he had to pry Ember off his arm and stroked her head as she lay back on her pillows, licking blood from her lips. She was gasping faintly, her face flushed, and her pupils were wide. “How do you feel?” he asked gently, trying to mask the faint tremor in his voice, wiping a drop of blood from her chin with a chuckle that came out a tellingly husky.
“I feel…good,” she murmured, her gaze darting away from his. Her cheeks darkened with a blush, and he held his breath, counting to ten so he wouldn’t do something he shouldn’t.
“It will take a little time for the blood to take full effect,” he said, rising to his feet. At least, that was what he’d read in one of those dusty old books stacked away in the Meeting Den. He was totally new to this experience. He’d never seen any reason to share his blood before.
Reid placed a quick kiss on her forehead and turned, meaning to leave her to sleep for a while. But before he reached the door, Sherry gasped at something and he whirled round. Sherry’s eyes were wide as she gazed at Ember, who was now sitting up on her own, staring at her own hands with something like amazement. Her mouth was slightly open and she lifted one trembling hand to it, and abruptly slammed her teeth together, wincing. She whimpered and curled over.
Panicked, Reid was instantly at her side. “Ember? Ember, what’s wrong?” He put a hand on her shoulder but nearly jumped back when she turned glinting silvery eyes on him, letting out a feral hiss – a sound too real to be human. Uh-oh, He thought as realisation slammed into him. This was precisely what he’d been afraid would happen. Apparently, God didn’t listen to the prayers of the damned after all. Ember’s eyes were wild and confused, but her mouth was trembling. Her eyes calmed down after a moment, reverting to their usual pale blue, and filled with tears. She looked heartbreakingly scared.
“Oh, Ember,” he sighed ruefully.
Sherry was standing by the window, clutching her hands together nervously, her anxious green eyes darting between Reid and Ember. Her mouth formed a small ‘O’ and she breathed, “Oh. That’s...oh.”
Ember took her hand away from her mouth. “I…I think we just discovered how to awaken the vampire in me,” she whispered in a shaky, weak voice. But there was nothing weak about her body now. He could see the muscles hardening under her soft skin, the vampire blood coursing through her and Turning her, strengthening her.
This was not how Turning was meant to happen – a human had to be drained of blood to the point of death, and then fed vampire blood in order to rise again as one of the undead. Again, more complicated science. Reid was starting to think he should have paid more attention to Ricky and his long-winded explanations after all.
Ember gazed at him with wide, fearful eyes, and he sighed. Why was nothing ever simple?
** Ember **
Ember could feel tremors running down all her muscles, and she felt more alive and energetic than she ever had. But she could also feel the sharp points touching her lower lip. Her vision shifted ever so slightly, blurring and then clearing. Dammit, she thought, when I said I wanted to be a vampire, I didn’t mean like this!
She met Reid’s worried gaze and blinked back tears, wondered what he was doing when he cautiously raised one hand to her face and touched her lip with one finger. Fearfully, she flinched back, not wanting him to reveal the lengthened canines she now had. He gave her a little smile, a little too tight to be reassuring. She held still as carefully pushed back her upper lip to get a look at her fangs. She wondered what they looked like, if they were as lethal-looking as his were. Her eyes were fixed on his as he touched one fang gently with his fingertip, as if testing it. She instantly jerked away, her eyes widening further and her breath coming in a sudden ragged gasp.
Reid blinked, pulling his hand back in surprise, and she pressed her lips together, terribly embarrassed. It was just that his touch made her fangs throb, a sweet sort of pain. It felt good – too good. The kind of good that made her want to kiss him…or bite him. She cringed at the thought, burying her burning face in her hands.
“Ember?” Reid said her name softly and it sent a feather of heat down her spine. She swallowed. Unable to explain her reaction, she just shook her head, peering at him through her fingers. A tiny part of her wondered if his fangs were so sensitive. She sort of wanted to find out. Then she shoved that thought away brutally. Reid just looked at her expectantly, waiting for an explanation for her jumpy reaction.
“I, um…the fangs…” she murmured, feeling a blush scorching her cheeks. She looked down at her hands in her lap and tried not to bite her lip. How the hell did you retract these things? She wanted to make them go away now.
Reid chuckled. She glanced at him and saw he was blushing a little too. “Ah. Yeah. I know what you mean. Yeah, they’ll be pretty sensitive for a while,” he muttered, failing to hide his wicked smile. Ember blushed deeper and felt heat in her face. God, couldn’t she ever catch a break? Someone ought to shoot her right now, and save her the embarrassment.
“How do you retract them?” she asked quietly.
Reid cocked his head thoughtfully. Then he shrugged and said, “Easily. Just…make them. It’s just like controlling your arms and legs. Try it.”
Ember frowned but she tried to feel her fangs the way she felt her arms and legs. She could feel the fangs throbbing, but she couldn’t work out how to make them shrink away. She tried to imagine them retracting. To her surprise, the fangs melted into her normal canines and she gasped. Cautiously, she raised a hand and prodded at her teeth. Nothing happened. She breathed a sigh of relief.
“Well done,” Reid murmured. He smiled at her cheekily, and she bit her lip, wishing he’d quit it.
“Okay,” she said hesitantly, “So, I’m a vampire.” God, it felt weird to say that. She laughed a little, sounding slightly unbalanced. I’m a vampire, I’m a vampire, she repeated it in her head over and over, and it only sounded funnier each time. She laughed again, and covered her mouth with her hand. Sherry gave her a worried look, like she thought her friend had completely lost her mind, but Reid just arched an eyebrow.
“Part vampire. And yes, you are,” he said. “And I have to say, you’re reacting surprisingly well so far. I’m not sure if I should be worried, or glad.”
She continued giggling, and he lowered his eyebrow. His eyes narrowed. “Okay, I’m going with worried. That laughter – yes, that sound right there – that is not the way a sane person reacts to being Turned.”
She grinned at him. “Who ever said I was sane?”
He snorted. “Fair point,” he muttered. Then, more seriously, he asked, “Are you sure you’re not going to freak out? I mean, finding out about vampires is one thing, but becoming one… or partially one…that’s a little different, don’t you think?” His eyes narrowed, and he leaned back slightly, as if he was expecting her to sudden freak out and try to claw his face off. She pursed her lips thoughtfully, wondering if she should freak out. But she didn’t feel like freaking out. She had freaked out when the witches had done whatever they’d done to her, because that had hurt – that had scared her. This didn’t hurt; she felt better. She felt strong. She felt…powerful. And she liked it.
Reid looked at her probingly for a second, and then stood up. “Okay then,” he said, “Welcome to the blood-sucking club. The ground rules are simple: don’t eat anyone.”
She scowled at him. “You eat people,” she accused.
He shrugged. “I used to eat people,” he corrected. “And I am far more experienced. I am not likely to kill anyone if I bite them, and I know how to cover my tracks. You,” he added, pointing at her, “are a newbie, and would most definitely kill someone if you bit them. But this is purely hypothetical, of course. We don’t even know if you’ll need to drink blood. You are only half vamp, after all, and as far as I know, witches don’t much fancy the red stuff.”
Ember frowned. She didn’t really like the idea of eating people anyway. She was a vegetarian. Although, she was less repelled by the idea of eating people than she was by the idea of eating animals. Go figure. She said, “So what do I do if I have to drink blood?”
Reid pondered that for a moment. “Well…there are always blood bags in the Meeting Den. Brandon made friends with someone in the local blood bank, and he insists on getting the blood that way–”
“Except, you never do what you’re told to, and decided to feed on girls instead,” Ember put in, and he scowled at her.
“Used to feed on girls instead,” he insisted, and she rolled her eyes. “I don’t bite anyone anymore – that is entirely your fault, by the way. It’s been years since I got my blood from blood bags; it tastes bland in comparison to getting it from the source.” He made a face.
“At least you’re unlikely to catch some blood-borne disease from blood bags,” she pointed out. His eyes narrowed, glaring at her. She grinned and added, “In the same way that you’re less likely to catch an STD since you’re not having sex with every female that bats an eyelash at you. Really, you should thank me.”