Chapter 30
Alice
The first thing that hit me was the scent of blood. But it was unlike any smell of blood I'd ever experienced. It had a slight hint of metallic underneath, but then a very strong mix of leather and freshly mowed grass on top. All of it combined together created an overpowering sensory overload.
My eyes blinked open, and I was greeted by the sight of a tall ceiling. My brows furrowed as I noted just how bright everything around me was. It was so blindingly white that I had to close my eyes for fear of getting sick.
I took several deep breaths to calm my mind, but that caused more scents to flood my nostrils. My chest moved rapidly as I started heaving before jerking upright and quickly turning to the side to throw up.
The door flew open, banging hard against the wall. I felt a strong force at my side, and I instantly knew it was Acheron. His addictive scent was a lot stronger now, but it was the only thing that soothed me—even though I was horrified that he was witnessing something so undignified.
"Thank the gods," Acheron shakily said, as he knelt down beside my weak frame. "It worked. It worked."
"Acheron," I croaked out.
"Yes. Yes, my love. I am here." Lips were planted to the side of my face, and I winced at the contact. It was too much…everything felt too much.
"What's too much?" Acheron questioned. "Tell me, my love."
"I feel weird," I mumbled, licking my dry lips and collapsing back onto the bed.
His face hovered over me, concern etched in his features. "You are ill?"
I shook my head, closing my eyes. Ah, that's better.
"Keep them closed then," Acheron ordered.
I frowned. Was I talking out loud?
A cool cloth stroked against my hot head, and I relaxed in relief.
"Do you feel better?" His voice sounded loud in my head.
"I don't know. Yes. No." I held my head and moaned. "I feel weak…but also strong." I couldn't explain it, but the longer I closed my eyes and breathed through everything, the more muted my surroundings became. The only thing that I could feel, smell, and sense was Acheron.
Doors slammed, and footsteps hurried down the hall. I winced as Von suddenly appeared beside Acheron, his gaze concerned as he peered down at me. There was another man next to him who looked around thirty, but knowing this lot, he was probably two hundred and thirty. I giggled at the thought.
"What is wrong with her?" Acheron demanded.
"Nothing," the new man said. He picked up my hand and felt around for my pulse. "Considering she is alive, I would say she is more than fine."
"Alive?" I mumbled, confused. "What do you…" And then it hit me.
King Damon.
The feel of a dagger piercing me. Searing pain before a peace swarmed over me. And then darkness.
"King Damon!" I gasped, struggling to sit up.
Acheron's hand came around me, his body cradling mine. I could feel a red haze of anger in my head, and I knew it wasn't coming from me.
"Do not worry about him."
"But…he—" I glanced down at my abdomen, my brow puckering with confusion at the smooth skin. "He-he stabbed me. At least, I think he did."
Another wave of fury slammed into me, and I glanced up at Acheron. His expression was tight, a tic thrumming in his jaw.
Immediately, my hand clasped his, needing to soothe and take away his pain. The emotion in my mind changed. Love. Happiness. Relief. It all came to me so quickly that my head fell back onto the pillow as I moaned.
"Alice!"
"Acheron…I-I don't feel so good. Everything…it's too much. The smell, my sight…I feel drunk and nauseous."
I glanced down at my hands, noting how much longer and healthier my nails looked. I kept them short out of necessity, but now they appeared almost…sharp. Wait, what?
"Wh-what’s happening to me?" I stammered.
Acheron's large hand covered mine before he lifted one up and placed a reverent kiss against my palm.
"Thank you, thank you."
"What are you thanking me for?"
Acheron's eyes flashed to mine, his blue eyes bright and clear as mine widened in shock. A dawning clarity slowly rose in me as a pleased smile curved his mouth.
"Now, Alice, do not be alarmed. But I have something to tell you."
***
Six Weeks Later
My tongue ran over my top teeth, poking gently at the new incisors. It was a habit I couldn't stop, even though the first few times I'd done it, I accidentally pricked my tongue.
My teeth didn't show up straight away, much to my frustration.
Even though I'd been miraculously brought back from the dead, I still wanted physical proof that I was…
one of them. It wasn't until two weeks after I woke up that I experienced an immense toothache.
It came on suddenly and so strongly that I felt like ripping my gums out.
An hour later, the pain had disappeared just as fast as it arrived.
And in its place were two sharp incisors.
It finally hit me that I was no longer human. The turning had been successful.
A Vampire.
The thought was still odd to me, yet not unpleasant or unwelcome. After all, my dreams slash visions all pointed toward me becoming like Acheron. I just took an unconventional route to get there.
New teeth weren't the only change. My sense of smell and sight were heightened.
I could see something across the horizon as if it were right in front of me.
It was overpowering at first, and I was sick for a week while I came to terms with my powerful senses.
Acheron was right there beside me, coaching me through the changes and mopping my brow when it all became too much.
Last week, at my insistence, he taught me how to blur—something I'd been excited to learn.
But, as with most things in this new world, it took a while for me to get used to the sensation.
The speed of it made me dizzy, even though we started with shorter distances from our bed to the other side of the room.
I couldn't control my steps yet and kept plowing through the walls, unable to stop in time or judge my distances. And that was another strange and wonderful thing—I went through those walls completely unharmed. Any residual marks went away in the blink of an eye.
Then, there was the blood. Oh, how I hungered for it. I had an overwhelming sense of need for it. But not just from anyone—it was Acheron's blood I craved.
Of course, Acheron had learned his lesson and decided to slowly ease me into it.
He put his own blood into a cup for me to consume, and I greedily tossed it back, desperate for more.
He tasted so good. I was ready to drink straight from the source, but he was being infuriatingly careful with me.
It was frustrating. Yes, I had some…teething issues… but I now felt strong and ready.
For more than just a bite.
"On my way home, my love."
I jumped. That was something else I was getting used to. I could feel his emotions as if we were one, and we could also converse with each other—no matter our distance.
"Good."
Through our bond, I let him feel…everything. My desire. My need.
"Alice."
"Yes?" My reply was coquettish and slick.
It wasn't long before he was in front of me, his handsome face tortured by sexual frustration and hunger.
Good.
"How was it?" I glided over to him, sweeping some invisible dirt off his collar. "Any luck finding Damon?"
Now that he was sure I was safe and wasn't going to speed off a cliff, Acheron had left me in Von's capable hands while he met with the Territory Kings. He'd been in tough talks with them for days now, locked in disputes over what had occurred and what the next steps would be.
Damon had disappeared, and no one knew where he was—either that or someone was protecting him. Of course, in his absence, he had been stripped of his title and all privileges. He was a wanted man—dead or alive.
News of his father had spread, sending shock waves through the Territories.
When his mother had been kicked out and abandoned by her so-called mate, King Artemis’s brother claimed the child as his, as a favor to the King.
But Damon had grown up knowing who his father was as his mother was bitter and angry about how she'd been treated.
Which was fair…although, everyone involved sounded like truly horrible beings.
Damon's uncle became King by default but only ruled for just over a hundred years before Damon took over. Although now the question on everyone's lips was whether Damon's uncle was murdered by him so he could ascend the throne.
"Do not concern yourself with him," Acheron ordered, his mouth pulled tight in anger, as it always did whenever he thought of his former friend. "He does not get to taint our life."
So that was a no. Damon had successfully given everyone the slip.
Acheron had confided in me that they suspected him of hiding with the BloodKin, but I wasn't so sure about that.
Sure, he worked with Vladimir in the end, but that was more for his gain and to further his revenge plot.
I could tell from our brief interaction that he held no respect for the BloodKin.
Acheron believed me, but the rest of the Kings did not.
I lifted myself onto my tiptoes and placed a soft kiss on my mate's mouth. He held himself so rigid, his body and mind always on alert. I didn't want to sully our time together either. I was ready for our lives to begin, however long they would be.
But more importantly, I was so ready for Acheron to stop treating me like spun glass.
"Come to bed," I murmured against his mouth. "I missed you so much. I need you."
His erection poked against my stomach, and I shivered with desire as I sensed his control slipping. Oh, yes…he was more than ready to take me.
"Stop treating me like I'm fragile," I chastised, kissing his jaw with loving pecks. "I'm immortal now, remember?"
"Yes, and have been for about five minutes," he gritted out. "You need to be careful."
"Okay, how about I give you a very careful blow job?"
His entire frame shuddered, and his hands snapped tightly on my waist. "Alice…" he warned. It was all the words he could muster, his control slipping in the face of his brazen mate, whose intention was to seduce.
With my eyes locked onto his, I slowly slid down until my knees hit the floor.
Acheron's breath sucked in at the same time my hands landed on the waistband of his pants.
With deliberate movements, I unbuttoned his jeans and tugged the zip down.
Before he could stop me, his pants were around his ankles, and his hard dick strained against the material of his briefs.
He inhaled sharply, and his large hands landed on my head, his fingers threading through my dark strands. "Fuck, Alice…God, yessss," he pleaded.
I was in no position to tease him further. After all, by prolonging this torture, I was only punishing myself.
I pushed his briefs down, over his huge cock, and rested the band just under his tight balls. I licked my lips as I stared at the glorious sight of his rather large dick. It jutted out at me, its little drop of precum inviting me to take what I needed.
Don't mind if I do…