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Seasons of Change Page 24

He couldn’t leave. His love for Anne bound him there as surely as the strongest of chains. As long as there was even the slightest hope she would get better he could not abandon her.

Dominic spent the rest of the night outside the Tylers’ house. Waiting. It felt like he’d been waiting forever. When dawn approached he retreated to William’s old cottage. It was bare of his friend’s personal belongings, but fortunately it had been rented with most of its furnishings. He could have returned to the house his sister-in-law had purchased, but the cottage was closer. He did not even try to sleep. When night fell he waited, again, outside Anne’s house.

He was surprised to see John leave the house and walk towards the village, but gave no further thought to where Anne’s father was going. He might not have another chance to see Anne. Knowing Elizabeth and William wouldn’t bar his entrance, he didn’t knock. He crossed the threshold and made his way to the dining room.

William looked up from his solitary meal.

“We thought we might see you,” he said.

Dominic didn’t waste time with pleasantries.

“How is she?”

“Not well. She’s getting weaker.”

He exhaled harshly.

“John is hoping you’ll change your mind,” William said.

“He told you that?”

“No, but why else would he leave just as evening fell? He’s very angry and I know he won’t ask you again to turn Anne, but it’s obvious he’s giving you the opportunity to do just that. For what it’s worth, I think you’re making the right decision. It must be difficult to abide by her wishes at this time.”

“Difficult does not even begin to describe it.”

Dominic turned to leave, but hesitated. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to stem the rush of emotion he’d been trying so hard to keep at bay.

“I don’t want to go up there,” he said.

William came up behind him. “You’ll never forgive yourself if you don’t see her again.”

He was right, of course. Without another word, Dominic made his way to Anne’s room. Elizabeth was seated by her sister’s bedside, reading aloud from a book. She stopped when he entered the room and rose from the chair.

His attention was on Anne. She definitely wasn’t improving.

“Has she woken?”

“Yes,” Elizabeth said, her voice low, “but only briefly. She asked for you. I told her it was daylight and you would return at nightfall. I’m glad you did.”

“I’m sorry for disappointing you,” he said. “I know you want me to ...”

“I don’t blame you.” Tears sprang into Elizabeth’s eyes, but she continued. “I wanted to tell you I’d never seen Anne so happy as when the two of you were together. I’m glad you came into her life.”

Dominic accepted the quick hug she gave him, but said nothing as she exited the room.

He took a deep breath and approached Anne’s bedside. He sank into the chair Elizabeth had abandoned and just looked at her. Anne’s heartbeat was weaker now. He was so focused on its fragile rhythm he didn’t realize she had opened her eyes.

“Dominic.” Her voice was as frail as her heartbeat.

He moved from the chair and lowered himself carefully onto the bed beside her.

“I’m here,” he said softly.

She smiled and Dominic felt his heart turn over.

“I never should have left,” he said, hating himself. “This is my fault.”

“No,” she said. Her eyes closed again.

He placed a hand on her forehead, trying to gauge her fever. Anne shivered and he drew his hand back, hating that he couldn’t even touch her. He sat in silent misery for the next hour. Over that time her heartbeat grew even fainter. He could abide it no longer. He could not just sit there and watch her die. If that made him a coward, then so be it.

He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and then, for the last time, on her mouth.

“I love you, Anne Tyler,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I will never forget you.”

He had to get out of there before he broke down completely. Swiftly, he moved to the door. His hand was on the doorknob when she spoke again.

“Dominic.”

The urge to flee was overwhelming. It was only with great effort that he was able to make himself turn around and face her again.

“Turn me, Dominic,” she said, her voice a faint whisper.

He must have imagined the words. He moved back to her side, half expecting to find her in a state of delirium. Anne gazed at him steadily. Her eyes were still bright from the fever, but she did not appear to be in the middle of a hallucination.

“What did you say?”

“I want you to turn me,” she said, the words soft but clear.

He shook his head, still unable to believe she would ask him such a thing.

“You are afraid, Anne. It is normal at such a time. We both know you do not want this.”

She shook her head in a slow, abbreviated motion, before speaking again. Every word seemed to require immense effort.

“I am not afraid to die. I think I was always a little afraid to live. Truly live. I hid in this house, behind my sisters, content to care for them.” She stopped, summoning the strength to continue. “I was already dead before you came here. You brought me to life. I am no longer afraid.”

He felt a moment of intense relief. That moment ended, however, when his gaze swept over her severely weakened frame under the layers of blankets. Her heart skipped a beat and it was as though his own heart stopped in that moment.

He closed his eyes and took a shaky breath.

“It is too late. You are too weak.”

It pained him to say the words.

“Please?” He could barely hear her.

“Anne, do not ask this of me. I could kill you.”

“I am already dying.”

“Yes, but not by my hands, damn it!”

His frustration caused him to speak more harshly than he’d intended. Why now when she was so close to death? Why could she not have allowed him to turn her one of those many times he’d asked? He took a deep breath before continuing.

“I could not live with myself if I caused your death.”

“I want to stay with you, Dominic. I love you.”

He closed his eyes, torn. He could not be certain if this was Anne speaking or the fever. She appeared lucid, but she was still feverish. He had to deny her request. Even if by some miracle she didn’t die, she might hate him afterwards. He opened his eyes and looked down at her again. She met his gaze evenly. He was going to do it. He couldn’t let her go like this. She had given him an excuse to do what he’d longed to do for so long, and by God he was going to take it.

“Listen to me, Anne,” he said. “I need you to concentrate. To hold on. I need to drink from you, bring you almost to the point of death.”

He pushed aside the voice inside himself that said she was already there. That she could not survive this transformation. Anne had to live.

“At that moment you will need to drink from me. Do you understand?”

She nodded.

“Hold on, Anne. For me, for us. You have to do this.”

Quickly, he moved onto the bed beside her. He was now in a race against time. He moved her hair away from her neck and brought his mouth down, his teeth tearing into the fragile skin there, seeking the very essence of her life, and drank. The world consisted only of the two of them in that moment. The feel of her blood flowing into him, her heartbeat growing fainter still. He’d never done this before. He’d been told a sixth sense would tell him when Anne was at the point of death. Many vampires ignored that warning when feeding and pressed on, wringing every drop of life from their victims. Dominic had always been careful not to reach that point when he’d drunk from humans in the past. Now he prayed that sixth sense was not merely a myth.

And then it came. He could feel her begin to slip away, could almost see her life held by the thinnest of threads. He tore his mouth away, sank his teeth into the artery at his wrist, and pressed the wound against Anne’s mouth.

“Drink, Anne.”

She lay there, unmoving. Her chest barely rose when she breathed and her heart threatened to stop at any moment.

He allowed the blood from his wrist to pour into her mouth and gave her body a slight shake.

“Swallow, Anne. Put that stubbornness to good use now and hang on.”

Still nothing. He started to panic, and then saw her throat move.

“That’s right, Anne. Drink.”

Her heart stopped. Dominic stared down at her, appalled. What had he just done? Horror filled him and he started to move his arm away. To his immense relief, Anne’s heart began a new rhythm then. Her body shook from the great gasp of air she took in and her eyes opened. Quickly, he pressed his arm more firmly against her mouth.

“Keep drinking, Anne,” he said, knowing it was vital she not stop at this point. The change was not yet complete.

She did. She brought her hands to his arm and clung to it while she drank deeply from him. He closed his eyes and gave a silent prayer of thanks. He waited, allowing her to take as much blood from him as she needed, even if that meant he’d be weakened. It wasn’t long before the tremors came. Anne stopped drinking and Dominic could only watch, miserable, as she convulsed in pain. He held her but turned his head away, unable to continue watching. This was a necessary part of the transformation from human to vampire, but he could not stand to see her in such pain.

When she stopped he looked at her again. Their gazes met, held, and they stared at each other for several long moments. Dominic braced himself for whatever was coming. He’d soon know if Anne had truly desired this change or if she’d been out of her mind when she made her plea.

After what seemed an eternity, Anne pushed herself up and stood. He watched her carefully as she took stock of herself. He rose from the bed as she turned to face him.

“Am I ...?”

Was she happy? Disappointed? He couldn’t be sure. She didn’t appear to be angry with him, but that could come later after the shock wore off.

He nodded.

“You said you wanted it.”

“I know,” she said, a smile lighting her face. “I didn’t think you would.”

He couldn’t speak. Relief was a mild term for what he felt. He crossed the space that separated them, drew her into his arms and just held her. And then he kissed her. He poured into that kiss ever ounce of love he felt for her and revelled in her ardent response.

“I can’t hear what you’re thinking,” she said, drawing back from him finally.

He gave a shaky laugh.

“That’s because I’m not thinking. You gave me the scare of my life back there.” He was silent for a moment before continuing. “I thought I’d lost you. That I was responsible for –”

She placed a finger on his lips, quieting him.

“You’re responsible for saving me,” she said. “It took you leaving for me to see it. I didn’t think you were coming back.”

“I was angry with you for not coming with me.”

“I know. I was afraid,” she said, her expression sheepish. “Afterwards, I was angry with myself, too, for being such a coward.”

“When I came back I’d decided it was more important for us to spend what little time you had left together. I’d come to terms with the fact you were never going to become a vampire.”

His admission surprised her.

“But you were so adamant before you left. What made you change your mind?”

“I realized it was already too late for me. I couldn’t possibly care for you more than I do right now. By being away from you I only inflicted on myself the pain of losing you sooner. I love you, Anne.”

Her smile made everything right again.

A strange expression crossed her face and she looked at him with uncertainty.

“Dominic? Something is happening.”

He remembered his own transformation and the subsequent overwhelming urge to drink. He could see Anne was in the grips of that same desire. He watched as the blood lust overtook her.

“It is normal, Anne. The change requires a tremendous amount of energy. Your body is still changing and requires more blood.”

“But you …”

“It will pass as your body adjusts to its new state. After a time you will not need to drink as often.”

Comprehension dawned as she read his thoughts.

“I am a danger now to my family and friends now. We have to leave.”

He nodded.

She turned away from him and Dominic braced himself for her anger. He hadn’t had time to prepare her for this. He reached for her. Her spine straightened as her resolved firmed and she turned again to face him.

“We’ll be able to come back?”

“Yes, in a year or two when you are better able to control your hunger.”

“But we’ll be together.”

“Always,” he said.

She smiled.

“I’m ready.”

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