Etienne hesitated and then glanced at Inez and said, “Do you know what you’re agreeing to here?”
She nodded solemnly.
“Vampires are forever, Inez,” he said quietly. “Or long enough that it seems like forever.”
“Thank you very much,” Rachel said from the doorway in dry tones.
Etienne scowled at his wife. “You know what I mean.”
When Rachel nodded slightly, he turned back to Inez. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
She nodded again.
“You realize you’ll be his lifemate? Forever?” Etienne persisted.
Inez nodded once more, but when Etienne opened his mouth to speak again, Rachel tsked impatiently. “Just ask her what you really want to know.”
Thomas raised his eyebrows as Rachel now moved in front of them and peered solemnly at Inez.
“I’m sorry, but I have to ask this. We love Thomas. He’s a great guy and deserves to be loved. Do you love him? Is that love strong enough to last for centuries?”
Thomas glanced down at Inez, and despite the fact that he was almost positive she’d been trying to tell him she loved him down by the river, her found himself holding his breath. She didn’t simply nod this time, but gave the question the consideration Rachel was demanding. She took a moment, her expression thoughtful, and then she turned a solemn gaze on him for another moment before turning back to Rachel and nodding.
Letting his breath out on a gust of relief, Thomas turned to head out the door. “You heard her. I’m turning her.”
“Dammit Thomas, wait a minute,” Etienne snapped, rushing after him as he started up the stairs. “You can’t do this.”
“The hell I can’t. I can and am doing it right now.”
“Stop thinking with your dick and use your head,” Etienne snarled. “Do we have enough blood here for her to turn? And what about the pain?”
It was the second question that brought him to a halt at the top of the stairs. Frowning, he glanced at Etienne as the man squeezed past to get in front of them on the landing. Rachel followed, and Thomas couldn’t help noticing she was biting her lip and looking worried now.
“It’s painful,” Etienne said grimly, his gaze focused on Inez’s face as he spoke.
Noting the trepidation now growing on Inez’s face, Thomas scowled. “Stop trying to scare her out of it.”
“I’m not, but she should know it’s not all happy, happy, joy, joy,” Etienne said firmly and then turned to Inez again. “I’m not talking toothache pain here. I’m talking unbearable agony, drowning in a vat of acid that’s eating you up inside and out, horrible, nightmare ridden, desperate pain that will make you wish someone would just put a bullet in your brain and end it all…or cut off your head since you’ll be immortal and a bullet wouldn’t kill you.”
Thomas felt Inez shrink against him and snapped, “Shut up, Etienne. How would you know anything about it? You were born one and slept through Rachel’s turning.”
“I was unconscious,” Etienne quickly corrected and then challenged, “And I know you were there for Greg’s turning. Tell her it isn’t true, if you can.”
When Inez turned to him in question, Thomas sighed unhappily. He couldn’t lie to her. From what he’d seen and been told it was a slow ride through hell.
“I’m sorry, “he said finally. “It is very bad. I wish I could go through it for you, but…” He shook his head.
“It doesn’t have to be that way,” Etienne said quietly. “Despite what you think I’m not trying to stop you, I’m simply trying to slow you down. Rather than do it now, why not call Bastien and have him arrange for blood and drugs to be sent here so that she can turn with at least a little less pain?” He glanced to Inez then and said apologetically, “The drugs don’t stop the pain, but they ease it a little, enough, at least, that it won’t leave you insane at the end of it.”
When her eyes went round, Thomas grimaced. He’d forgotten about that little detail. There had been recorded occasions when turns had come out of it quite mad, their minds snapped by the endless agony. Sure she wouldn’t want to be turned after this, and no longer sure himself that he could endure her suffering so, Thomas turned and started back downstairs, growling, “Call Bastien, then, and get on it. In the meantime, I’m getting her some honey for her throat.”
“You can put me down,” Inez whispered when Thomas carried her into the kitchen and tried to open the cupboard door without releasing her.