There was a lengthy silence. “Do you think it was Our Gloomy Friend?” Jane asked, voicing what she knew they were both thinking.
“It’s possible,” Byron said.
“You did say you sensed danger,” Jane reminded him.
Byron nodded. “But I was almost certain it had nothing to do with her,” he said, sounding angry.
Jane looked at Chloe. “Is she going to be all right?”
“Unfortunately, no,” Byron answered. “She’s too far gone.”
Jane, horrified, turned to him. “She’s going to die?”
“Either that or end up insane,” said Byron. “Whoever did this drained her too much. If she survives, her mind will be gone. She’ll spend the rest of her life having horrific visions. Frankly, she’s better off dead.” He hesitated before continuing. “Of course, we could always turn her.”
Jane was shocked. “Turn her?” she said. “Into a vampire?”
“Those are the options,” said Byron. “She can die, she can go mad, or she can become a vampire. I’ll let you choose.”
“Why me?” Jane exclaimed.
Byron sighed. “Because—as loath as I am to admit it—you have the greater character. Were it up to me, I would finish her off. However, I realize that there may be reasons to choose otherwise.”
Jane sat in one of the chairs near the couch. She didn’t know what to think. If Chloe died, there would be an investigation. Also, she would be dead. If she lived, she would be insane. That was, frankly, a bigger problem. Being dead was unfortunate, but being insane created the possibility of further disaster.
Jane sighed. “We have to turn her,” she said.
Byron raised an eyebrow. “You’re certain?” he asked.
“No,” Jane said. “I’m not at all certain. But do it anyway.”
“You’re going to do it,” said Byron.
“Me?” said Jane. “Why me? I didn’t do this to her.”
“Neither did I,” Byron reminded her. “And you’re going to turn her because you need to learn how.”
“No, I don’t,” Jane objected. “I’m never going to turn anyone, so I don’t need to know how.”
“Turning also increases your powers,” Byron told her. “You need all the help you can get. Besides, this is a perfect opportunity. The girl is already nearly dead, so it’s not as if you’re killing her. Well, not exactly. At any rate, you’re saving her.”
Jane looked at Chloe’s face. “Well, when you put it like that,” she said.
“Now that that’s settled,” Byron said, “come here. I’ll show you what to do.”
Jane moved to the couch, kneeling on the floor beside Chloe.
“It’s just like feeding,” Byron said. “Only keep feeding until her heart stops.”
“What then?” asked Jane.
“Then you have to feed her some of your blood,” Byron answered. “Don’t you remember what happened when I turned—”
“I’ve tried to forget,” said Jane. “Apparently it worked.”
Byron sighed. “Well, haven’t you seen the movies?”
“I never know what’s true and what isn’t,” said Jane. “There’s no need to be mean about it.”
“Just bite her,” Byron ordered. “There’s not much time.”
Jane took Chloe’s head in her hands and gently turned it away from her. Closing her eyes, she clicked her fangs into place. Then, before she could stop herself, she leaned down and bit into the soft flesh of the girl’s neck.
She couldn’t think about what she was doing. Instead, she shut her eyes and imagined herself in her childhood room, tucked into bed beside Cassie. It was dark, and outside the house a storm thundered. Jane was frightened, and Cassie was comforting her.
Sleep, my child, and peace attend thee, Jane sang silently as Chloe’s blood slipped down her throat. All through the night.
She thought about Cassie holding her, and imagined her sister’s warm breath against her face.
Jane felt the life drain from Chloe’s body. The girl’s heartbeat thudded in Jane’s ears like the slow steps of a giant.
The flow of blood slowed. Jane clutched Chloe to her, forcing herself to keep feeding as she rocked the girl to sleep.
The flow of blood slowed, then stopped altogether. Jane ceased sucking and sat back.
“Is she …?” she asked.
“Yes,” Byron said. “Now quickly, feed her. It’s easiest if you use your wrist.”
Jane hesitated only a moment before biting the underside of her wrist. As blood poured forth she pressed the wound to Chloe’s lips.
“How long does it take?” she asked Byron.
“Not long,” he said. “You’ll know when it begins.”
Jane waited. Her wrist ached. Then she felt a gentle sucking, and she realized Chloe’s lips were moving against her flesh.
“There she goes,” Byron said.
The sucking increased. It was accompanied by a strange sensation—a kind of dizziness—that filled Jane’s mind. It began as a faint feeling of confusion, but the more Chloe drank from Jane’s wrist the stronger the emotion became. Suddenly Jane was frightened. She tried to pull her wrist away.
“No,” Byron commanded, his fingers closing on her wrist and holding it against Chloe’s mouth. “Remain still.”
Jane fought him. The dizziness had become an overwhelming sense of falling, as if she had tumbled from a great height and was turning head over heels on the way to her death. Colors rushed by her, and her ears were filled with the sound of voices laughing maniacally. I’m going insane, she realized. And I can’t stop it.
Around and around she spun, her body thrown like a rag doll in a tornado. She screamed, although no sound came from her throat. Then, just before her mind went completely blank, she felt Byron pull her arm away from Chloe’s mouth. She collapsed on the floor, heaving.
Byron took her in his arms. “Just breathe,” he told her. “It will pass.”
Jane allowed herself to sink into his embrace. The spinning of her mind slowed, and piece by piece she felt herself come back together. The dizziness faded away until she felt almost herself again. She opened her eyes.
On the couch, Chloe had also opened hers. She turned her head and looked at Byron and Jane. “Where’s Ned?” she asked.
“Ned?” Byron said. “Who’s Ned?”
“Ned from the barbecue,” said Chloe, trying to sit up. “He came over this morning and brought me those.” She nodded at a vase of pink roses that sat on a table opposite the couch. “He’s really sweet.”
Byron looked at Jane. “Ned from the barbecue,” he said, a hint of anger in his voice.
“Ned,” Jane repeated. Her brow wrinkled. “Wait. I thought Ted was the vam—”
“Ned had to go,” Byron said loudly, drowning her out. “But you’ll see him later. Right now you need to rest.”
“Why?” said Chloe. “I feel fine. Just a little hungry.” She ran her tongue over her teeth, which were still stained with blood. “Actually, I’m starving.”
Jane looked at Byron. “Now what?” she mouthed.
She saw a change come over Byron’s face as he looked into Chloe’s eyes. He’s going to glamor her, she thought.