It couldn’t be true. She was letting her imagination run away with her. The vampires were playing a cruel trick on her, that’s all it was.
Tears of relief rained down her cheeks. Grabbing a corner of the sheet, she wiped her eyes—and stared in horror at the bloody streaks left by her tears.
It was true.
She was a vampire. Undead. Nosferatu.
Her wordless cry of denial rang throughout the castle, echoing off the cold gray walls and vaulted ceilings.
Downstairs, Derek buried his face in his hands as Sheree’s hoarse cry of pain pierced the very depths of his soul.
“Pearl, did you feel that?” Edna shook her head as if coming out of a trance.
Pearl looked up from her crossword puzzle. “Feel what, dear?”
“Derek made a new vampire last night. She just took her first breath as a fledgling.”
“How do you know?”
“Because Derek’s blood runs in my veins. And hers.”
“The girl!” Pearl’s eyes widened. “He turned the girl? Are you sure?”
“Yes. During the full moon.”
“He didn’t shift?”
“He did, but Sheree got hurt and he shifted back to human form to save her. Don’t you see what that means? He was in control.”
“How can you possibly know all that? I mean, I’ve never known a blood link to be that strong.”
Edna shrugged. “I don’t know, but it was as if I could see it all happening. It was . . .” She smiled. “Amazing.”
“Well, then, I guess Mara won’t be needing us for anything else,” Pearl remarked. “I’m thinking we should get back to Texas, where we belong, and I’m thinking we should have left yesterday.”
“You’re probably right. But I’d sure like to stick around and see how Sheree reacts to being a vampire. Just think about it. She was made by Mara’s son. That means she has ancient blood running through her veins. She’ll be almost as powerful as Derek.”
“A force to be reckoned with, to be sure,” Pearl agreed. “Now, let’s pack.”
Sheree felt numb and drained of tears when Mara entered the room. “Hello, daughter.”
Daughter. That was funny, Sheree thought bitterly. “I want to go home.”
“Then go.”
Sheree frowned. Was it as simple as that?
“You’re a vampire now. A thought will take you anywhere you wish to be.”
Curious to see if that was true, Sheree tossed the covers aside, surprised when they flew across the room and landed in a heap against the wall.
“You also have a vampire’s strength,” Mara remarked. “I understand your anger, your wish to leave us. No one will stop you. But, like it or not, you are family now. If you need us, you have only to call.”
“I won’t.”
Mara nodded. “Vampires are not only possessive about territory, but about those we love. There is a bond between you and Derek now that can never be broken. It runs deeper than the sharing of blood, deeper even than the wedding vows you exchanged.”
“I don’t care. He had no right to do what he did without asking me. I can never forgive him for that.”
“Never is a long time for vampires. You’re a fledgling now. But my blood runs in your veins. You will be stronger than most new vampires, but not invincible. Remember to stay out of the sun.” Moving toward the door, she murmured, “Farewell, daughter.”
Determined not to shed any more tears, Sheree faced the window. The sky was lowering and gray. Lightning split the heavens. Thunder rumbled in the distance.
Feeling like Dorothy, she closed her eyes, clicked her heels together, and wished for home.
A mighty rushing filled her ears.
When she opened her eyes again, she was standing in her living room in California.
It was seven o’clock in the morning and the sun was up.
Overcome with a sudden lethargy, Sheree dropped to her hands and knees. Grateful that the drapes were closed, she managed to crawl into the hall closet and shut the door.
This is death.
It was her last conscious thought before sinking into an ebony sea of oblivion.
Chapter Forty-One
Sheree woke with the setting of the sun. One minute the world was black, the next, sensory information flooded her mind. She knew where she was and what time it was. She heard an argument coming from the house next door, traffic noise, a faint sound that eluded her at first, and then, with a laugh, she realized it was the sound of a moth fluttering near the ceiling.
But all that faded into insignificance compared to the horrible thirst that plagued her, an all-consuming thirst unlike anything she had ever known.
Because she was a vampire.
Pain knifed through her whole body. She knew instinctively what it meant. She needed to feed. She needed blood. She had watched Derek call his prey to him. Could she do that? Could she summon a stranger to her and drink from him? Just the thought filled her with revulsion, but another part—the ravenous vampire part—demanded to be fed by whatever means necessary.