"Who is he?" Ian demanded, thrusting his chin in Thomas's direction as we entered through the front door. He had the look of a crazed animal.
"A friend," I said. "Ian, you have to come with us."
But he was already shaking his head and backing away. "Not before ye tell me what's happened to John. I can feel his suffering."
"John is with my father," Thomas answered for me.
"Your father?" Ian said. "And just who the hell—"
"Conrad Abernathy," Thomas cut in. "Perhaps you've heard the name?"
"The Head Watcher? Aye, I've heard of him." He turned an accusing glare on me. "Ye say he's a friend?"
"He is. And right now he's our only ally. Tell me, Ian, do you care about John?"
Ian gaped. "How can ye ask such a thing? I love him, the same as he loves you!"
"If that's true, you have to come with us. You have to turn yourself in."
"To this Conrad Abernathy fellow, ye mean?" He shook his head. "Christ, lass. You've gone mad."
"It's the only way they'll release John," I said. "And it's the only way they'll turn me. If you don't come with us now, we're dead."
Ian's eyes darted between Thomas and me, his breath coming quickly as he contemplated his options. I held my own breath, afraid he'd turn and run, condemning both John and me.
"You have a chance to save two lives," Thomas said. "No matter what transgressions you've committed, you have a chance to rectify them now."
Ian pressed his back against the wall and ran his hands through his hair. His shoulders slumped as his breath escaped him. "God, help me."
He approached me then and cupped my face in his ice-cold hands. He hadn't fed lately, I realized. Thomas made a motion to intervene, but Ian rounded on him. "I will not hurt her! I've learned my lesson, aye?"
"Of course," Thomas said, slowly backing away
"Will ye forgive me, lass?" Ian asked. "Whatever I'm to face now, I need to know I am forgiven for what I've done."
Covering his hands with my own, I searched his eyes, mournful with regret, and said the words he needed to hear. "I forgive you."
He pulled me tight against his chest then and I felt a shudder of relief—or maybe fear—run through his body. "All right," he said. "Let's go."
**********
The drive across town to the Abernathy mansion seemed to take forever. I thought Ian would tap a hole into the floor of the car just getting there, but as I turned into the long, winding driveway, he went rigid in his seat.
"I feel him here," he said, staring ahead through the windshield at the monolithic home rising before us.
"You're doing the right thing," I said as I parked the car. Ian looked at me but didn't respond.
"Best not to keep them waiting," Thomas said from the back seat. He pushed open his door and stepped out into the rain.
"You are doing the right thing," I repeated. "No matter what happens now."
Following Thomas into the main foyer, we startled June as she emerged from one of the adjacent rooms. "Thomas, what are you doing home so early? School's not over for another two hours."
Thomas kissed her cheek. "Would you tell my father we've brought Ian McAvoy?"
June's eyes rested briefly on Ian. Then raising a hand to Thomas's face, she laid her palm gently against his cheek and nodded. "Of course."
"You're in love with her," Ian commented as we watched June walk away. He said it with such unexpected tenderness and clear longing that my heart ached for him.
"I have been since she was a young girl," Thomas replied
"But she's—"
"Old?" Thomas finished, a smile on his lips. "The choice was offered. She made her decision. It doesn't matter, though. She will always be sixteen in my eyes. She will always be the kind and beautiful girl I fell in love with all those many years ago."
June returned moments later and motioned for us to follow, and Thomas fell in line beside her. He placed a hand on the small of her back and I glanced sideways at Ian, wondering what he was thinking. His expression revealed nothing.
"Miss Ehlert," said Conrad Abernathy as we arrived in the reception area of his private office. "How very nice to see you again." He turned to Ian. "Mr. McAvoy, I presume?"
"Take me to John," Ian replied, in no mood to be social.
Mr. Abernathy clasped his hands in front of him and rocked forward slightly on the balls of his feet. "Now, now. Let's not be hasty."
"If you've hurt John I'll—"
I put a hand on Ian's arm, cutting him off. "Mr. Abernathy," I said. "You consider my parents to be friends, right?"
"Of course," he said, sounding surprised. "I hope they consider me a friend, as well."
"Then please think how they would feel, the pain they would be in, if I died. Can we hurry things along here?"
I hadn't intended to be funny, but Mr. Abernathy threw back his head and laughed. Ian tensed beside me and Thomas rolled his eyes saying, "Father, please."
"I do not intend to let you die," Mr. Abernathy said. "You have delivered Mr. McAvoy to me. As such, I will keep my end of the bargain. Josiah will see to you shortly. I'm sure you will find him a very competent maker."
Ian's eyes widened at this statement. "Ye mean to have that Watcher," he said, as though it were a bad word, "turn the lass, instead of John?"
"Father," Thomas said. "You cannot let Josiah turn her."
Mr. Abernathy leveled his gaze at his son. "Are you doubting my judgment, Thomas?"
"He cares nothing for her!"
"I have made my decision. It will be Mr. Butler who sires Miss Ehlert, or no one."
"Let me do it," Thomas said. "Blake and I are friends. I would be kind to her."
Mr. Abernathy turned away. "Do not argue, Thomas. I am afraid you cannot sway me."
"But I would—"
"No!" Mr. Abernathy pounded his fist against the table, making me jump. He closed his eyes. "I said no," he said again, more calmly. "Besides, what would your dear June say?"
"She would understand," Thomas replied.
"Then you do not know her as well as you think you do. She would resent you for the rest of her life."
The line in Thomas's brow deepened as he considered the possibility of a life without his dear June's total devotion.
"It's okay, Thomas," I said. I turned to Mr. Abernathy. "Please, where is John?"
"Exactly where you left him, Miss Ehlert."
Not wasting any more time, I rushed past Mr. Abernathy into his office. I disregarded Josiah standing guard, but my heart nearly stopped at the sight of John lying on the couch. I hurried to his side, kneeling by his head.
"Get him a bag," Mr. Abernathy instructed June. "Be quick about it."
"Yes, sir," she said, relief evident in her voice.
Ian knelt beside me and took one of John's hands in his own. "We're here," he said. John gave no indication that he was aware of our presence.
I would have opened a vein and offered my own blood if I thought it might help, but my tainted blood would only make him worse. Thankfully, June returned with nourishment. Ian snatched the bag of blood from her hands and, ripping the corner with his teeth, held it steady at John's lips.
"Come on, man. Drink it up." Ian forced John's mouth open and let the blood trickle in until it dribbled out and ran in rivulets down his cheeks.
"Not too fast," Thomas cautioned as John coughed and sputtered.
"Aye," Ian said, tipping the bag to John's lips once more.
John's throat moved as he swallowed, and swallowed again. A few tense minutes later, his cheeks began to bloom with color. He blinked several times, seeming for the first time to realize that we were there.
"Ian," he rasped. "Oh, God . . . I'm so sorry."
"Ye have nothing to be sorry for," Ian whispered, gripping John's hand. "I'm the one who's sorry."
My throat tightened. I opened my mouth to speak, but all that came out was a small, strangled sound. John's eyes found mine and he reached for me. I buried my head in his chest, only then realizing how scared I'd been for his life, as well as mine.
Mr. Abernathy cleared his throat from the corner of the room. "This is all very touching, but there are deals to uphold and business to attend to. Mr. Butler, if you would be so kind?"
Quite unexpectedly, Josiah grabbed me by the back of my shirt and pulled me away from John. "Wait!" I cried, flailing my arms and legs in a futile attempt to regain my balance. "Wait a minute! I'm not—"
The suppleness of Josiah's lips against my neck was a stark contrast to the razor-sharp teeth that pierced my flesh. I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing but a sigh, like the air from a punctured tire, escaped my lips. My arms and legs went limp as a fresh dose of venom paralyzed my body, numbing me to the pain and almost everything else in the room.
"Mr. Butler, I did not mean in my office, at this very moment," Mr. Abernathy reprimanded. "The girl is our guest. We had a room prepared. At least try not to make a mess of things, would you? And for God's sake," he added, sounding suddenly agitated, "whatever you do, don't kill her!"
My vision began to fade as I drifted closer to everlasting death, only vaguely aware of John's weak protests in the background. Josiah's teeth came free a moment later. I heard the sickening crunch of skin breaking and felt something warm being pressed to my mouth with the curt instruction to swallow. I couldn't move, though. Drained almost entirely of blood and paralyzed, I couldn't even open my mouth to accept the life-sustaining nourishment. From somewhere in the far corners of my mind, however, I knew I would die if I didn't do as Josiah said.
Blood flowed into my mouth and down my throat of its own accord and I swallowed. With each subsequent swallow, I gradually began to regain feeling in the center of my chest, a pearl of warmth that flowed outward to my extremities. And yet everything remained hazy around the edges, as though I was stuck in a lucid dream. The voices around me sounded flat and far away.
"That went well, wouldn't you agree?" Mr. Abernathy said. "Thomas, please escort Mr. Kelly home. I'm sure he'll be more comfortable recuperating there."
"Blake is coming with me," John said.
"Miss Ehlert is no longer your responsibility," Mr. Abernathy replied. "She belongs to Mr. Butler now."
"Let her go," Josiah said. "I need time to recover."
There was a brief pause, and then: "Very well. Thomas, escort them both to John's house."
"What about Ian?" Thomas asked.
"He will stay here."
"He is my maker," John protested. "I can't leave him behind."
Mr. Abernathy sighed. "Mr. Kelly—John. I have always liked you and consider you a member of the family. Would it ease your mind if I promise Mr. McAvoy will live to see another day, another hundred years if he so desires?"
My heart skipped, trying to find its proper rhythm, but it was Ian who said the words I couldn't. "You're letting me live?"
"I am not in the habit of disposing of my kind without reason," Mr. Abernathy replied. "You are safe with me. Besides, I believe you might prove useful yet."
"He broke the law," Josiah protested. "Where is his punishment?"
"Laws are meant to be broken on occasion," Mr. Abernathy replied. He turned to address John and me. "Now, then. Good day to you both. Welcome to the family, Miss Ehlert. I am sure we will be seeing a lot more of each other in the future. Thomas?"
Ian embraced John. "I'll be fine, aye?" he said, though his voice trembled. "Tend to the lass now. She needs you."
**********
John and I were sitting together on his couch some time later, me with my head resting on his shoulder and eyes closed, feeling a little less drunk and disoriented than I had an hour before. I heard Thomas's approaching footsteps and then something cool and squishy being pushed into my hand. I grudgingly opened my eyes.
"You could use one, too," he said, handing a pint to John. "You're lucky to have bagged blood these days. When I was newly turned, I was forced to go out and . . . Never mind," he said when he saw me sticking out my tongue.
I was ravenous with hunger but sipped the blood as Thomas suggested, so as not to make myself sick. The brain-fog that had persisted during the drive over had finally begun to clear with each swallow, and I felt almost entirely my normal self.
Except that I wasn't.
I was changed, fundamentally altered from the inside out. Would my parents suspect anything was different about me? Would Olivia, my best friend, who could usually tell when I was lying before the words even escaped my mouth?
"What do you think is going on over there?" I said, my thoughts returning to Ian.
"I was wondering the same thing," John said.
Thomas sat in the chair opposite us. "My father said Ian might prove useful yet."
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"I don't know," Thomas answered.
I massaged my temples. "Can we talk about something a little more pressing at the moment?"
"Such as?" John asked.
"Such as what I'm going to tell my parents."
Thomas waved his hand, brushing aside my concern. "Drink a few more of those and you'll be fine before the end of the day. You can go home and pretend it was just another normal, boring day at high school."
"I just hope my blood was so tainted with venom it knocks Josiah out for the next year. He deserves it."
Thomas chuckled. "Josiah isn't known for his people skills. I am sorry how things worked out in the end, but at least you are both alive."
My phone rang just then, saving us from further conversation about my new vampire sire. "It's my mom," I said before answering. "Hello?"
"Hi, honey. How was school?"
"Not bad."
"Anything happen that I should know about?"
My paranoia radar was on full blast. "Nope. Just another boring day."
There was silence, and then: "I know you're lying, Blake. I went home for lunch and found your iron pills sitting on the kitchen counter. When I went to drop them off at your school, I was informed by the principal that you were involved in some sort of altercation with Gabe and, of all people, Thomas Abernathy. Ms. Rogers in the front office said she saw you and Thomas running out of the building together in the middle of the day. Care to tell me what that was all about?"
"Not really."
Another prolonged silence, and then: "Where are you right now?"
"You mean at this very moment?"
"I don't make a habit of cursing, but dammit, Blake. Be honest. Where are you?"
"John's house."
I could sense her irritation even over the phone. "I thought you were with Thomas Abernathy."
"I am. We're both at John's."
"Why?"
"Why?"
"Blake!"
"Because he was sick today. We brought him his assignments."
"Right. There seems to be a lot of that going around lately."
"The good news is I'm feeling much better. I might not even need those iron pills anymore."
"That's for the doctor to decide." She sighed then, relenting. "I am glad you're feeling better, though. I'll give you an hour and then I want you home. If you were involved in some sort of trouble at school, there will be consequences. You've got the rest of your life to plan for, Blake, and as cliché as it sounds, the rest of your life starts today. You can't blow off your responsibilities. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"I understand. I'll be more responsible from now on."
"Good. I'll see you in time for dinner."
"Wouldn't miss it."
Ending the call, I faced John and Thomas, who were watching me with intense curiosity. "Apparently I have bigger problems to worry about than being a new vampire."
"What could be bigger than becoming a vampire?" John asked.
"My mom expects me home. For dinner."
Grinning, Thomas tossed two more bags of blood in my direction, which I fumbled and caught against my chest. "Then you'd better drink those before you go."
*****
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