I wait.
“Come back, beautiful.” My voice quivers, so small and broken, on a tight-rope of hope.
Strangely, as I watch Golden’s unmoving chest, calmness settles over me. It’s a calmness before a dropped glass shatters.
Either Golden lives or dies, and didn’t I promise to always come for him? I press my lips against his forehead, sealing my fate in the shape of a kiss.
Even if I could wait for his soul to be reborn after his death, I wouldn’t trade Golden for anyone. Not that I would even be given the option. If Golden dies during his turning, his soul will never be reborn.
Finally—the glass shatters.
Golden sucks in a pained breath—his chest swelling like a balloon filled too quickly. Gasping in relief, I drag him into my arms, my heart beating painfully against my ribcage.
“Golden!” Kai rushes over, skidding to a halt as he drops to his knees. “You’re okay—”
But Golden’s re-birth into a vampire isn’t done yet, next…is the pain.
It rips out of him on a back breaking scream, mouth so wide the corners tear and bleed. Kai falls back from the intensity of Golden’s agony, from his flailing limbs and nails that find purchase in my arm and rip open bleeding lines.
Vampirism heals his wounds, just as it burns his blood to boiling point, Golden only able to howl one word: “HURTS!”
“What’s happening?” Kai begs, eyes wide and wet. “Fix it! Stop it, Lucero! He’s in pain!”
If only I could.
The car drives up and without a word, I collect my thrashing mate as tenderly as possible and collapse into the back seat.
“Shit,” Summer says as she looks Golden over. “Is he okay?”
“Home, now!” I bite out.
Kai and Ramy join us in the car, leaving Rurik and Apollo behind as Summer drives like a bat out of hell. The blazing warehouse collapses in on itself and buries Jace as we leave that hell behind.
I don’t know how Summer gets us home in record time, but I’m grateful for it. Golden’s howling only intensifies with his pain as I get out of the car. The mansion’s front door has been kicked in, and when I enter, I can see how ransacked the place is.
The others can deal with it.
My only thought is getting Golden as comfortable as possible as he rides out his transformation. I hope that it’s quick like my own was.
I speed into our bedroom, heading directly into the bathroom, leaving the lights off, and jump into the bath, cradling Golden’s head as his small body is wracked with sobbing extreme hurts that burns him from within.
“Make the pain stop, Lucero. Please. Please. Make it stop!”
“I’m so sorry, Golden. So sorry.” I’d take it gladly. Let it be doubled, tripled to save Golden from this suffering. I’ve never felt this helpless, the cool darkness is the only comfort I can give him.
“Kai, stop. Let Lucero handle this!” I hear Ramy’s approaching voice and clutch Golden closer, his tears creating a puddle on my chest.
“He needs my help!” Kai snaps, voice trembling.
“It’ll be over soon,” Ramy promises.
I whisper the same to Golden as he writhes, gagging on his shrieking, and I have to clutch his hands to my chest to prevent his fingers from breaking as he claws at me.
Kai begins to sob. “He’s my best friend, Ramy, my best friend…”
“It’ll be over soon,” Ramy repeats.
But it didn’t end. In fact, it was only the beginning.
