“Are you saying I have no immune system?”
“Yes.”
“I’m dying.” Their expressions told her they already knew that. But she needed to say it out loud to wrap her mind around it. She had no immune system. At all. She wouldn’t live another twenty-four hours.
Bastien looked over his shoulder.
Roland stepped forward. “Bastien has asked me to transform you, Dr. Lipton, if you so desire it.”
Transform her. Make her an immortal. Like Bastien.
She had always known the option was there for her and had intended to take advantage of it. She was a gifted one, after all. It just had always seemed like something that would happen in the distant future. Not now.
She focused on Bastien. “Why Roland? Why don’t you want to transform me?” It hurt that he would rather someone else do it.
Leaning forward, he stroked her face in a loving gesture she was surprised he would let the others witness. “I want you to be strong like Sarah. I want you to have every advantage over our enemies. I want you to be able to kick my ass when you get tired of my bullshit.”
She covered his hand with hers, understanding now why such seemed to take so much effort.
Roland nodded somberly. “We all want you to be able to kick Bastien’s ass. And you don’t have to wait to get tired of his bullshit.”
Melanie smiled. “I admit, there were times I would’ve already done so if I could.”
Everyone laughed.
Except for Bastien. His brow remained furrowed with concern. “Will you do it? Will you let Roland transform you? I’ll be right here. I won’t leave you.”
She found enough strength to squeeze his hand. “I will. But I don’t want you to stay.” Yes, she did. She really, really did. “I’m going to be out of commission for a few days and—”
“You’ll do it? You’ll become an immortal?”
“Yes.”
The relief that swept his handsome features was heartrending. For a moment she thought he would weep with it. “Thank you.” He pressed a kiss to her hand. “As I said, I won’t leave you. I’ll stay with you and help you through the transformation.”
She shook her head. “As much as I would like you to stay with me, finding Cliff and Joe is more important than holding my hair for me while I vomit.”
“I don’t want you to go through this alone.”
Linda rested a hand on his shoulder. “I could watch over her at night while you hunt. Then you could take over during the day.”
Bastien seemed surprised by the offer. “Thank you.” He looked at Melanie. “Is that what you want?”
“Sounds good.” Melanie drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, nervous butterflies fluttering in her belly. “Okay then, can we go ahead and do this? The sooner we get it done, the sooner I’ll stop feeling like this.”
Bastien started to rise. Roland cupped his shoulder and eased him back down, then walked around to the other side of the bed.
Melanie searched out Sarah’s gaze. “You’re okay with this?”
Smiling, Sarah nodded. “It won’t bind the two of you together or anything.”
Jeeze. She hadn’t even thought of that. That was good to know. “Does it hurt?”
“I don’t remember Roland biting me.”
Of course she didn’t. Melanie had forgotten the GHB-like chemical the glands above their fangs produced and released under the pressure of a bite.
“What about the rest of it?”
“It’s like having the worst case of the flu ever. You’ll be miserable as hell for about three days. But, if you’re like me, you won’t remember most of it.”
Melanie nodded. “It’s worth it.”
Sarah smiled at her husband. “It really is.”
Roland winked at Sarah and carefully removed the IV, needle, and tape.
Melanie’s heart slammed against her ribs. Her eyes sought and clung to Bastien’s. “I’m nervous.” She needn’t say it. Everyone but Linda could hear the physical manifestations of it. “Were you nervous?”
He smiled. “My transformation took several weeks. Definitely not the way I would recommend being transformed, by the way. And when I realized what was happening, I was terrified.”
Roland lifted her free arm off the mattress. “Do you want a warning, or should I do it on the sly?”
“Warning.”
“Then consider this your warning.”
She nodded.
His lips parted. His fangs descended. Bending his head, he sank his teeth into her arm at the bend of her elbow where she had donated blood so often.
She gritted her teeth. It felt like twin needles piercing her.
Where was the erotic ecstasy vampire bites inspired in movies and novels and TV shows? Not that she wanted to feel that for Roland.
Bastien brushed his hand over her hair. “Okay?”
“Yes.” She smiled up at him, feeling very mellow all of a sudden. “You’re cute with your hair slicked back like that.”
Someone snickered.
Bastien’s smile widened. “Thank you. Shall I wear it like this more often?”
“Absolutely. It makes me want to run my fingers through it and muss it up.”
His eyes flared amber.
“I like that, too,” she said. Were her words beginning to slur? “I like it when your eyes glow. You’re so beautiful.”
“I don’t know about her,” Étienne murmured, “but I’m beginning to feel rather nauseated.”
Melanie laughed. “He’s just jealous because you’re hotter than he is.”
Bastien gave her a rueful smile. “Perhaps it would be best if you rested and didn’t speak.”
“Why? I feel . . . I feel great. So relaxed and . . .”
The lights went out. No. No, wait. She had just closed her eyes.
Opening them, she examined Bastien with a grin. “You look like those women in the old Star Trek TV show episodes.”
Someone guffawed in the background.
Bastien smiled and frowned at the same time. “I don’t know how to take that.”
“It’s like I’m seeing you through a soft focus camera. You’re all blurry and pretty.”
More male laughter.
“Jackasses,” a woman with a French accent said. “Stop laughing. She can’t help it.”
“We’re not laughing at her. We’re laughing at him.”
“Ignore them,” Bastien said, leaning forward to stroke her hair again.
Melanie practically purred with pleasure. “You know what I want to do when I’m immortal?”
“What’s that?”
She licked her lips. “I want to make love with you again.” His eyes flared brighter. “I want to know what your bare body will feel like against mine when all of my senses are heightened.”
A throat cleared. “Okay. This is starting to get personal. I’m thinking maybe you should get us out of here, Richart.”
“Good idea. Lisette, are you coming with us?”
“Oui.”
Bastien leaned in close, still holding her hand. “You shouldn’t say such things, sweetheart.”
She tried to move her other arm, but couldn’t. Someone was holding it.
“Don’t move your arm, love,” Bastien instructed softly.
A winter chill seemed to settle into her body. “I’m cold,” she said, shivering.
Bastien turned away. “Do you have another blanket?” Releasing her hand, he shook out a blanket and draped it over her. “Better?”
When he leaned down again, she touched his face, stroked his jaw. “It isn’t true.”
“What isn’t?”