Damian screws up his face in concentration.Hungry. Eat. Now.
Me:OK, so we may have to wait a few months before we get more than baby talk ...
Damian snarls and licks his lips.
Me:But you’re doing really well!
Telepathy came through for me straightaway too, so I’m betting some of my venom must have mixed in with Floss’s, both from me biting Damian’s neck and sinking my fangs into her wrist. It’s not a pure transition, which is why he’s been struggling. He’s got a combination of powers attempting to come through. Interesting. Who knows what other ones he’ll exhibit?
‘He needs to feed,’ says Hester aloud. ‘That should take the edge off. Any volunteers?’
No one puts their hand up.
‘We could take him into the forest and let him run around,’ I suggest helpfully. ‘I’m sure he’ll catch an animal of some sort …’
‘I don’t know,’ says Floss looking worried. ‘A vampire on the loose sounds dangerous. What if he comes across some wild campers?’
‘It’s winter,’ counters Hester. ‘The chances of that happening are quite slim.’
‘What about just giving him dinner then? Isn’t Uncle Tim preparing raw meat?’
‘Damian can’t sit at the dinner table with his uncle, pretending nothing’s wrong,’ I say. ‘Look at him!’
We stare at Damian, who is pacing to and fro in front ofus like a caged animal, venom dripping from his fangs.
‘Sadie’s right,’ says Hester. ‘He needs a proper drink. What about giving him the emergency blood?’
‘Yes, isn’t this an emergency?’ agrees Floss.
‘I’d rather keep that for us,’ I say. ‘I don’t need an energy boost after my ... feed. But you two will, especially Floss after donating to Damian.’
They don’t say anything in protest, but I sense their hunger. ‘So we’re all agreed?’ I press. ‘You guys grab a pick-me-up. Then we take him into the forest and let him stretch his vampy legs?’
The other two nod slowly.
Damian tilts his chin and sniffs the air sharply, as if he can smell his dinner already.
‘I’m so sorry it turned out like this, babe,’ Floss whispers.
‘There’s no time for that,’ I say pragmatically. ‘I’ll go and talk to Tim and say something’s come up—namely his nephew is now a vampire. I’ll impress upon him the implications of that and why we need to exit the house asap.’
I might also suggest that he lock himself into his bedroom as well. If Damian catches a whiff of Tim’s blood, there’s no telling what he’ll do. ‘Going off-grid’ might take on a whole new meaning.
Chapter 28
Elliott | Highlands, present day
Grasping the shackle around my wrist, I tear it away as if it were made of cardboard. I leap to my feet, curling my hands into fists, fangs extending through my gums. I’m going to make Alexander pay for upsetting Sadie and for keeping me locked up down here and using me for his sick science experiments.
As if she senses my intentions (and since she’s now my sire, she probably can), Lucy grips my arm with surprising strength, effectively keeping me from striding towards the dungeon door.
‘Don’t, Elliott,’ she murmurs.
I look down at her hand on my arm.
‘Why shouldn’t I? That fuck deserves to be drained after all the angst he’s caused over the centuries. I’m sick of living my life looking over one shoulder in case he’s lurking around.’
Lucy gives a giggle, and I frown, then realise what I’vesaid. Ah, right. Technically, I’m notlivinganymore. The transition was surprisingly easy, not nearly as bad as Sadie has been making out for all these years. I bounce lightly on the balls of my feet as renewed strength races through my muscles. I don’t feel tired or hungry anymore. I feel like I could run a marathon. Scratch that. I feel like I could compete in atriathlon.
