A Trail of Echoes (A Shade of Vampire #18)(29)

Raising his head again, he looked deep into my eyes.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” His voice sounded hoarse.

I swallowed hard. “Yes.”

“Because the last thing I want is for you to regret this decision,” he said. “You know that it will mean losing your fire powers, right? They will become dormant, like your father’s do when he is a vampire.”

I raised my hand to his face, my thumbs brushing either side of his lips as I kissed him harder.

“I want you to turn me, Caleb.”

I had grown attached to my fire powers and I was sad at the thought of losing them, but this was what I wanted. Still, the pain and danger of the experience had been built up so much, I couldn’t help but feel nervous. But I made sure to not show it in my expression. I didn’t want Caleb to see even the slightest bit of hesitation in me, because this was difficult enough for him as it was.

He nodded slowly. “All right.”

Taking my hand, he led me down to our bedroom.

“Is this really the best place to turn me?” I asked. “Won’t we get the bed all… messy?”

“Yes, it’s going to be messy,” Caleb said grimly. He had a dark expression as he looked around the room. “But I would rather have you in a contained space than out in the open. I don’t know what kind of state you’re going to wake up in. The last thing I want is for you to go diving into the ocean.”

My spine tingled as he sat me down on the bed.

“Wait here,” he said.

I did as he requested. He returned a minute later carrying a large blue tarpaulin. I lifted myself from the bed as he spread it out over the mattress, covering the silk linen.

Then he nodded toward the center of the bed. I positioned myself there and looked up at him, my heart fluttering.

He removed his shirt and dropped it to the floor. Then he climbed onto the bed and crawled toward me. He positioned himself over me until his legs straddled my hips. He unbuttoned my shirt and removed it completely, discarding it on the floor next to his own. Then he removed my jeans. Now I wore only my underwear.

His breath hitched as he positioned himself over me, his eyes falling to my neck.

He placed his hands either side of my head, his fingers tangling in my hair. He lowered his head to mine and caught my lips in his. I could feel how tense he was, and I could feel him trembling slightly. I reached up my hands and cupped his face, hoping to reassure him. When his lips broke away from mine, I whispered:

“I trust you, Caleb.”

Chapter 19: Caleb

My hands shook slightly as they rested in my wife’s hair.

I closed my eyes, relishing the feel of her warm hands against my face. I didn’t know when I would feel her heat again.

Rose’s sweet scent engulfed me as I dipped down lower. So close to her, normally by now I would be in full-blown battle mode to restrain myself. But this night would be different. For the first time since I had met her, I would taste her blood. I swallowed hard as she stared up at me, her eyes so wide and trusting.

“Just try to keep as still as possible,” I said, my mouth dry.

She nodded, and then, after dipping down to taste her lips once more, I moved toward her neck and pressed my mouth against her soft skin. I bared my fangs, feeling her tender flesh beneath them. My mouth salivated. I could practically taste her blood already. I pressed down harder. Rose gasped, her fingers digging into my back as I broke skin.

A hot rush of blood flowed into my mouth, setting my tastebuds alight. Her taste overwhelmed my senses. It was more exquisite than I had imagined. As the blood glided down my throat, my gut clenched. My instinct was to lose myself in her and take draught after draught until I had sucked her dry.

I couldn’t stop myself from swallowing three mouthfuls, but after that, I managed to regain control of myself. Forcing myself to focus, I released my venom.

Rose moaned and squirmed.

Lowering a hand to her right thigh, I repositioned her beneath me as I finished infecting her. And then I withdrew, my mouth dripping with her blood as I raised my head above her. I stared down at my beautiful wife. Her eyes were shut tight, her forehead now covered with a sheen of sweat. Her head rolled from side to side as her convulsions grew stronger and stronger.

And then came the vomiting of blood.

I never would get used to witnessing a turning. The horror of my own was still fresh in my mind, even though it had taken place many decades ago. I would never forget the pain. The fear…

I might not be able to do anything about the pain for Rose, but at least I could help to alleviate her fear.

Moving to the side of the bed, I placed a palm over her forehead and stroked it. I reached for her hand and clasped it tight.

“You’re doing fine, Rose,” I said calmly. “I’m here with you, and I’m not leaving.”

I wasn’t sure whether my words registered with her, or whether the pain was all-consuming. But I hoped that the steady sound of my voice would help reassure her.

The waiting that followed was torturous. As promised, I didn’t once leave her side. I lost all track of time as I remained in that bedroom with her. My only relief came from seeing that she did not seem to be vomiting more blood than was usual. I had not been there to witness Ben’s turning personally, but I had heard from his parents that he had been expelling huge amounts of blood.