That and Fiadh had sworn she would turn Ross, and if they thought to thwart her now, heads would roll.Quite likely theirs.
They both felt more comfortable seated on the couch, Glenn holding Ross in his lap and his mother seated behind Ross, to give her better access to his neck.Fiadh was nearly beside herself, she was so excited to finally follow through after seven years of threatening to turn him.She was dressed for the occasion in a green velvet cocktail dress, her deep auburn hair done up as if she were going to a party.Yet her expression was one of a three-year-old child about to dive headfirst into a chocolate cake.
Perhaps her excitement struck a chord in Ross’s nerves; he looked up at Glenn for reassurance as his hands tightened on Glenn’s upper arm.
“This will be fine,” Glenn assured him again, his smile gentle.“It stings for a second, and then it feels pleasant, sort of euphoric.You’ll stay in that state until you lose consciousness, and won’t even feel the turning.”
Fiadh demanded of him, “Do you mean to tell me in the seven years you’ve been together, you’ve never bitten him?!”
“Of course I have,” Glenn shot back over Ross’s head.His mother looked so outraged, her beautiful face contorted in disbelief.To a vampire, not mixing blood and pleasure was unheard of.It was no wonder she acted this way.“But it’s always been when we’ve had sex.”
“A little different than my mother-in-law biting me,” Ross muttered.He sucked in a breath.“Okay, Fiadh, I’m ready.Commence with the biting.”
She gave Glenn a look that promised they would talk about this later (oh joy) before soothing Ross with a pet to his arm.“This will be fine, not at all painful.Just relax.”
Ross gave him such a look—packed with exasperation, edged with worry, and an extreme desire to just get this over with.
Really, Glenn felt the same way about it.He knew very well Ross would never have contemplated this path if not for him.It was his desire to stay with Glenn, to not leave him alone as the years advanced, that influenced this decision.
And he was so thankful for it.Even the concept of living without Ross stilled Glenn’s heart with terror.It might have taken him over two hundred years to find the love of his life, but Ross was worth every second of the wait.He had no desire to lose him to something as pedestrian as old age.Ross’s willingness to become a vampire, to match their lifespans, was one of the greatest gifts his husband would ever be able to give him.Just thinking of their future together made his eyes sting.He wanted that, more than anything.More than blood, or breath, or wealth, he wanted his husband.
Fiadh leaned in, sinking teeth neatly into skin, and Ross only flinched once before he settled.He shared a smile with Glenn, there and gone again, as if reassuring silently that he was fine.Glenn appreciated it, as he did feel a little nervous about this.He wanted it to go perfectly.The arm he had around Ross’s back kept him supported even as Fiadh leaned around Ross’s back to keep her mouth latched onto his neck.
Glenn soothed a hand up and down his husband’s thigh, pressing soft kisses against Ross’s forehead, unable to help himself.He wasn’t precisely worried, but he didn’t enjoy this process overmuch.Even if he did anticipate the outcome with relish.It was partially having another vampire’s teeth in his husband’s skin he didn’t like; part that Ross didn’t enjoy it.It was an uncomfortable experience for all involved.
Ross’s body weight slowly sank more and more into him, head coming sideways to rest on Glenn’s shoulder, his eyes fluttering shut before he dropped entirely.Unconscious, then.Good, that hadn’t taken any longer than anticipated.Glenn felt a mix of relief and excitement that they were past the hardest part.It was a matter of waiting now, giving Ross’s body time to adjust to the change.Part of Glenn really wished they could hurry that along, as he was anxious to start this new chapter in their lives.But he also couldn’t move, as Fiadh wasn’t quite done yet and he didn’t want to rush her.She’d promised Glenn before starting that she’d give an extra dose of her venom to make sure Ross would transition well.
But holding Ross’s lax body in his arms made it hard, too.Glenn had to remind himself, and his anxiety, that this was going perfectly so far.He just had to wait, just a little longer.
Fiadh gave it another minute before she lifted her head and licked a drop of blood delicately from her mouth.“He’s delicious.”
He gave his mother his best unamused stare.
“Oh stop, I’m not saying I’ll try to seduce him away.No point, really, he’s entirely unmoved by women.I much prefer him as a son-in-law.”Fiadh shifted around so she could see Ross’s face, then put two fingers against his neck to check his pulse.“No heartbeat.Good, he’s properly in transition now.I don’t know why you two were so worried.”
“I wasn’t.”That was mostly the truth.“It’s just an uncomfortable situation in some ways.”
“Hmm, yes, I can understand that, at least.But you’ll have eternity with him now.”
“I will as soon as he wakes up.”Glenn ran a hand over that coarse dark hair, his heart filled with warmth.There was so much he could share with Ross now.Glenn could show Ross every part of the world he loved and linger there for as long as it suited them.They could hunt together, plan for the future, indulge in each other without restraint or care.No longer would Glenn battle the feeling that there was not enough time for him to properly love and care for this man.Time they were gifted without worry.He no longer had to worry about his safety, either.Before, what had protected Ross was his wits and deadpan aplomb.Now, he would be in the same weight class as the other supernaturals and could bring the fight to them, if necessary.
He was relieved, on so many levels.And thankful Ross had seen his fears, recognized them, and in his own way demolished them.Ross always chose the right path so they could walk perfectly side by side.
And Glenn loved him all the more for it.Two hundred years was not too long to wait for such a man like this.He’d have waited another two thousand if that’s what it had taken.
Glenn was beyond eager for his husband to wake up, and even though he knew it would take a good hour for Ross to come around, he kept hoping that Ross would wake up even a few minutes sooner.
“Oh, look at you,” Fiadh said in a fond, reminiscent tone.“It reminds me of when I turned you and your father.I was so eager for the two of you to wake up, I nearly vibrated right out of my skin.”
Glenn shot her a rueful look.“That’s the feeling exactly.”
“Remember,” she tacked on with a warning look, “he needs to feed exclusively from either you or me for the next six months.He’ll be stronger for it.”
“Yes, I remember,” Glenn said patiently.
“It’s not like you’ve ever had a fledgling before, I’m just making sure.”
His mother sounded like a rational person.Was the world ending?
