Antonietta felt a female presence joining them, working with Byron even as they chanted. Another joined in, Vlad, strong and sure, providing a steady flow of energy to the two working on Paul. Eleanor remained behind when Byron pulled out. Antonietta took the opportunity to wash her hands in Paul’s bathroom, feeling slightly ill with so much of her cousin’s blood on her. She hurried back to Byron’s side.
“Antonietta. I have to give him my blood. Even a mortal transfusion would not save him. Are you certain you can live with this decision? Perhaps it would be better if you broke off the contact with me while I do this.”
“I’ll see it through. You’re doing this for me. The least I can do is provide you with energy.” She reached out her hand, finding his face unerringly. “I know you’re tired, and I feel you’re afraid that whatever you have to do will upset me, but it won’t. I trust you, Byron.”
He leaned into her, brushed her lips gently with his. She was in darkness, but she felt every sensation, as closely connected as they were. She felt the burning pain as he cut his wrist, a terrible, gaping wound. She felt the way Paul’s mouth clamped on, the drawing of Byron’s lifeblood from his body. Shock numbed her, protected her, just for a moment. She fought her way past that protective barrier. There was realization that Byron had used his own teeth to tear his wrist. That Paul was devouring the lifesaving blood instead of being transfused. That the smell of blood was producing a craving she couldn’t understand in herself. Instead of being repelled, she was fascinated. She was also very aware that Byron was monitoring her reaction.
Antonietta lifted her chin, continued to chant, fought her human reactions, and concentrated on what they were doing, saving her beloved cousin’s life. Byron had taken an enormous chance in allowing her to know what he was. He had entrusted her with a secret even larger than her own. She had Jaguar in her lineage. He was something altogether different. Something loathed and feared by humans. He was… vampire.
No!
Byron’s protest was sharp.
Never that. I am not undead.
Deliberately, Antonietta leaned into him again, framed his face with her hands. While her cousin fed from him, she found his mouth with hers.
You amaze me, Byron.
She poured her gratitude and her feelings, as confused as they were, into her kiss, trying to tell him without words what it meant that he trusted her enough to save Paul’s life in the only way possible.
Tears glittered for a moment in Byron’s eyes. He had to look away from his sister and her lifemate. Antonietta had given him a gift more priceless than seeing in colors. She gave him acceptance.
“No more, Byron,” Vlad said abruptly. “You are already too weak.”
Antonietta felt him sway, his energy gone, his body drained of his enormous strength. He staggered and sat down abruptly, despite her trying to catch him.
“What’s wrong with him? Eleanor? Vlad? Tell me what’s wrong with him?” Panic rose fast, a terrible fear in her heart and lungs.
“He has not fed this night,” Vlad answered calmly. “Healing as he did, holding Paul to earth while doing so and giving him blood, takes a toll. I will take care of his need. Eleanor will need help, too. You are being very brave, Antonietta.”
“I haven’t done anything to help at all. If Byron needs blood, he can take mine.”
There was a sudden stillness in the room. Even Eleanor, deep within Paul’s body, was quiet. “
Cara mia
, you steal my heart with your generosity. Vlad will provide what is needed.”
“Vlad is not your lifemate. I am. I am quite able to provide for you.” Her neck throbbed and burned. Her breasts ached. Sexual hunger swirled in the pit of her stomach and spread a slow, burning heat through her body. Excitement blossomed, yet at the same time she tried to analyze why she would feel such a need to provide blood for him.
Byron pulled her into his arms. “There is no other like you,
bella
.” In truth, just the thought of you giving me your blood fills me with a hunger I dare not name. We are not alone. Allow Vlad to give me his powerful blood, and when we are alone, I will thank you properly.
She could hear the aching sexual hunger in his voice. “Is Vlad’s blood more powerful than mine? Will it make a difference?” She tried to ignore the answering fire in her bloodstream.
“Yes, his blood will give me energy very quickly.”
“What does it feel like?”
“Merge with me, Antonietta.” Byron wrapped one arm around her waist and took Vlad’s wrist to his mouth.
The rush hit him hard, hit her. Power pouring into his starved body. Cells and tissue, muscle and bone soaked up the life-giving fluid greedily. She tried to detach herself, to feel horror at the thought of Byron drinking blood, but she saw his power, felt his power. When he had taken what he needed, she realized she was barely breathing.
“How do you stop the blood from flowing?”
“We close the pinpricks with our tongue. The healing agent seals the wound and if we desire, the skin itself.”
Antonietta felt a blush stealing up her neck and face. There had been a bite on her neck; Tasha spotted it. “You’ve taken my blood, haven’t you?”
“Of course; you are my lifemate.” Deliberately, Byron caught the nape of her neck and dragged her to him, his mouth taking possession of hers, sharing the flavor and power of Carpathian blood. His tongue swept inside her mouth, tangling with hers, a primal mating while her senses leapt to life, every nerve ending on overload.
Eleanor pulled out of Paul’s body and into her own, swaying with weariness. “It is done, Antonietta. He will live.”
Vlad swept his lifemate into his arms. “You are a miracle worker, Eleanor.”
“She is,” Byron agreed. “
Grazie
, both of you. I could not have saved him without your help.”
“I guess my dinner party is thoroughly ruined. You must have such a bad impression of my family.” It hit Antonietta that if Eleanor and Vlad were like Byron, they would have heard the police in the lower stories, conducting interviews with staff with sealing off the crime scene. “Poor Enrico deserved better than being shoved down a laundry chute. I have no idea what is happening in my own home.”
“At least they wrapped him in the best lace available.”
“That’s not funny.”
Vlad kept Eleanor firmly in his arms. “Welcome to the family, Antonietta. It has been our pleasure to meet you. I need to take my lifemate home and care for her.”
“
Grazie
for all you have done, both of you. The next time we meet, hopefully things will be back to normal.”
“Until then.”
Antonietta listened, but there were no footsteps. She knew they were no longer in the room. “How do you do that? Just vanish into thin air? Not use doors?”
“I will teach you.” He pulled a chair to the edge of the bed. “Paul will be different, more aware, as you are. His hearing, his sight, everything will be that much more acute. And I can always touch his mind. It will be a different path than ours, but the connection will be there.”
“Did you pick up on what happened to him?”
“I am going to wake him briefly so we can talk. He will be weak. His body does not have the ability to heal as quickly as mine does.” Byron took her hand. “I know you have many questions for me. I will answer all of them before the night is over.” He brought her fingers to his mouth, nibbled on the sensitive pads. “Paul. Paul, come back to us now. You can rest soon, but you need to speak with Antonietta. You want to tell her something. It is very important to you to tell her the truth.”
Antonietta heard the compulsion buried in his voice, was astonished that she recognized it for what it was. “Your voice is hypnotic, isn’t it?”