16. Adjusting
sixteen
ORYM
“I just don’t know,” Dec says again. While I understand his frustration and uncertainty, a decision has to be made. Now.
“Look, I get that this is tough. But you have to decide, right now, if you’re going to let your brother die. Or if you’re going to risk pissing him off by saving his life. None of us can make that decision for you. James’ life is in your hands,” I say, pulling Garnet off the floor and into my arms.
“It’s not fair, I know. Please, Dec,” she begs again.
James’ brother glances from Luca, to me, to Garnet, and back again. I don’t envy him this decision. I’m not sure that I could do it if I were in his place, either. When his expression softens, I know that he’s come to a conclusion.
“I don’t think he’s going to be okay with this. But you’re right. If I let him die, I’ll never forgive myself. At least if he hates me, that means he’s alive,” Dec says, leaning over James’ unconscious body.
Before any of us can react, he drags James up and bites into his neck. A minute or so later, he drops his limp brother back into the chair and opens James’ mouth. Then Dec bites into his own wrist and forces it between James’ lips. “Come on, brother, drink,” he says quietly.
It feels like forever as we wait to see if this is going to work. I sit on the couch with Garnet on my lap and Luca as close to us as he can get without joining her. She grips my arm and his hand tightly while we wait.
“How long does this usually take?” Luca asks, unable to hide his curiosity.
Dec glares at him. “I don’t know. I’ve only ever turned one other person, and that was a bit chaotic. Also, she was actually conscious when I fed her my blood. He’s not even drinking.” He pulls his wrist away from James’ mouth and inspects his bite mark. We notice that it’s nearly healed already.
“Then we wait,” Garnet says. “Thank you, Dec. I promise you that James won’t blame you for this.”
“I guess we’ll see when he wakes up,” the vampire responds. I wonder if he’s going to stay until James comes to. It’s a dumb question; of course he is. None of us know how to deal with a newly turned vamp. Dec will have to teach him how to control his thirst, otherwise he could kill us all.
Oh, shit. We never even considered how we would get blood for him. I guess I wasn’t the only one who expected James to change his mind and stay human. With Ryland out of commission, it’ll be my responsibility to make sure James doesn’t hurt any of the wolves after his transition. At least until my alpha is healed and able to handle things.
“We’re gonna need blood for him.”
“It’s on the way.”
JAMES
Darkness envelops me, swaddling me in its comforting embrace. Wow, that was poetic. I wonder where that thought came from. I try to open my eyes, but I can’t. All I see is black, and I can’t escape it. Before I can panic, I force myself to think back. What happened just before it all went dark?
I remember putting Garnet and Ryland to bed, then coming out to the living room and collapsing in the chair. My side hurts, but it’s fine. I’ve done everything I can to make sure it doesn’t get infected. I just need to sleep for a bit. That’s it! I closed my eyes and I’m sleeping now. This is just a weird dream from whatever magic was used in that fight earlier.
It doesn’t feel like that’s true, though. I vaguely sense my brother is nearby. How would I know that? And why would Declan be here? Did something happen? Fuck, I need to wake up. I have to protect Garnet.
I try again to force my eyes to open, but they won’t. A sharp pain pierces my throat, and I feel as if my life force is being drained. Just when despair makes me want to give up, I hear Dec’s voice. “Come on, brother, drink.” My lips are forced apart and something warm with a metallic taste trickles down my throat. What is he making me drink?
Swallowing is the only option, though I can’t even feel myself moving. Everything goes quiet, and I think I’ve died. This is nothing like the Fae realm, or anything else I could have imagined death being like. That’s when the burning starts.
My body feels as if it’s been set ablaze. I’m on fire, and somehow, it’s started inside my veins. I feel myself buck and thrash as the sensation spreads from my center outward. This is so much worse than the pain I was in before Garnet healed me. What is happening to me?
The pain intensifies until I scream, unable to hold back any longer. My eyes finally open, and I see faces surrounding me as I lay on the floor. Garnet, Orym, Dec, and Luca hover over me. No, that’s not right. Dec and Luca are holding me down, while Orym holds Garnet back. Did I try to hurt her? Am I being controlled by Amber again?
“Fuck, this hurts,” I rasp.
“It’s okay, brother. Take a breath.” I obey the command instantly. Dec shoves a straw into my mouth. “Now drink.”
Again, I do as I’m asked without hesitation. Oh, this is that same metallic flavor from before. What kind of potion am I drinking? And why did it taste strange before, but delicious now? My thoughts are foggy as I try to figure out what’s going on here.
“Okay, let’s help him sit up. Keep her back until I’m sure he’s not going to attack,” Dec says.
“Why would I attack Garnet?” I ask, staring up at my brother.
GARNET
“Because, James, you’re a vampire now.” Dec’s quiet answer echoes in the silence of the room. My mind replays James thrashing and screaming in pain before his eyes finally snapped open. I understand the concern for my safety. My wolf mates are better able to protect themselves from a newly turned vamp. As a witch, I don’t have as much that I can use. My Fae side, however, should be able to fend for herself.
I won’t correct Dec, though. He’s done enough for us today to earn my respect and reverence. I’ll cooperate with whatever he asks of me. I owe him for saving my mate. As soon as James finishes drinking the blood bag, his panic lessens. I can feel him along the bond, stronger than ever.
Of course, he’s scared and confused. I expected that, since he wasn’t able to agree to this. And I’m sure he’s going to be angry, because he didn’t have time to prepare.
“I’m a what?” James asks, looking from Dec to me and back again. “I thought you weren’t going to do this until after the Wolf Moon.”
His anger is palpable, just like his confusion. He’s conflicted and unsure of how to feel. “You lied to us about being hurt today. By the time I found out, you’d nearly bled to death in that chair.” I spit the words at him as Orym keeps me from moving closer.
“So, you did this to me? We had a plan and you just go change it to suit yourself?” His accusation cuts me. He’s acting as if this is something I’ve orchestrated to manipulate and control him. Surely, he doesn’t really think those things about me.
“James, this wasn’t her fault. It was my decision. She called me to come see if there was anything else we could do to save you. This was the only way. You were so close to death already. I did what I had to, brother. If you’re going to blame someone, it should be me.” Dec’s forceful declaration is exactly the opposite of what we’d discussed, and it catches me off guard.
I shake my head. “No. That’s not true. Dec didn’t want to turn you. I pushed him into it. But not as a manipulation. It was the only way to save you.”
“Maybe you should have just let me die, then,” James snarls. Tears slide down my face. I know that he’s not done processing what’s happened, and none of this should be held against him, but his words hurt.
“James, you don’t mean that. Stop taking this out on her. If you’re mad at me, let’s work this out,” Dec insists. I understand that he’s trying to bear the brunt of my decision, but I can’t let him. Can I?
“Why would you suddenly be okay with turning me when you were so against it? This makes no sense. I was fine when I sat down. I wasn’t hurt that badly,” he insists.
I push away from Orym and stomp toward James as he stands up. “You almost bled to death in that chair!” I point at the chair for emphasis. “If I hadn’t found you when I did, you would have died. So, obviously, your wound was worse than you thought. Or you lied to me. Which is it?” I can’t stop the fury from rolling over me.
As happy as I am that he’s alive, I want to punch him in the face. And I just might, if he doesn’t stop being a dick.
“I can’t deal with this right now. I have to go,” he says and starts for the door. Dec blocks his path.
“If you need some space, you’ll have to come home with me. There’s no other option. I can’t turn you and let you run off. It’s too dangerous,” he explains.
“I’m sorry, James, but if you leave, I’m following you. Where you go, I go.” When he shakes his head, I take a step closer. “You are one of my fated mates. I’m not about to let you run away again. It was stupid of me to let it happen the first time.”
“I don’t want to break our bond. I just need some time to adjust. This isn’t an easy transition.” He looks at me and licks his lips. “And honestly, Garnet, you smell delicious.” I know that I should be scared, since he is a vampire now, and could easily kill me. But I’m not. Instead, I’m so turned on that I know my panties are soaked.
Luca and Orym’s groans through the bond tell me that they noticed too. I won’t apologize for the things that get me going, but I do realize that now is not the time. “Fine, I’ll let you have some space. If you stay with Dec, and if he brings you back as soon as possible. And you have to keep our bond open so I know that you’re okay.”
He sighs. “Yes, mother.” Before I can close the distance between us and slug him, Dec slaps him in the back of the head.
“Show your woman some respect, little brother. She was willing to do anything to save you. The least you can do is let her stay connected so she knows you’re safe.” Dec turns to me. “I won’t let anything happen to him. And I’ll make sure he’s back after the sun goes down. Eli will need time to get him an implant and make sure it’s working properly before he can go out in the sun.”
“Then you two need to leave now. The sun will be up soon,” I insist, practically shoving them out the door. I can’t take the idea that they could get stuck outside while James isn’t protected.
“I can’t let him get close enough to hug or kiss you. I hope you understand. It’s not safe yet. But I’ll take good care of him,” Dec explains, dragging James out the door with him.
LUCA
I take a step forward and block Red from James’ reach. He doesn’t seem to be trying to get to her, but until Dec can get him out the door, I have to make sure she’s safe. “Should we get them an escort?” Orym asks.
Dec turns back to us, still holding his brother’s arm. “I’ve got him. It’ll be quicker if I just take him without endangering anyone else. You have my word, he’ll be fine.”
When the door closes, I turn and wrap my arms around Red. She drops her head to my shoulder and lets me hold onto her for a while. Orym walks over and sandwiches her between us. The three of us stay like that until Red hears Ryland starting to stir.
“I need to check on him. Hopefully he’s okay. I don’t know how much more I can take today,” she whispers. Orym and I follow her back to the bedroom where Ryland is trying to sit up.
“What hit me?” he asks, dropping back onto the pillow.
“One of the witches, apparently. James said they attacked you because he wasn’t as much of a threat,” I explain, helping Ryland sit up against the headboard.
“Where is James?” he asks, looking around. “He got stabbed. Did you get him patched up?” Red, Orym, and I exchange a glance.
“That would have been nice info to have before everything went south,” Orym responds.
Red sits on the bed next to Ryland. “He’s okay now, but we had to call Dec to turn him. James almost died.”
“He’s a vamp now? Wow, I didn’t think he’d actually do it,” Ryland says, wiping his hands down his face.
“It wasn’t his choice. By the time Red found him, he was too far gone for her magic to help. Orym got Dec to come, and Red talked him into turning James. When he woke up, he wasn’t very happy about it,” I explain.
“He went back to Midnight with Dec for the day. He needs a UV implant so he can go into the sunlight, and Dec will help him with his cravings. We will probably need another fridge for blood storage, though,” Red insists.
Ryland nods, agreeing with her. I know that he’ll do whatever she wants, the same as the rest of us. Red is our top priority, keeping her happy makes us happy.
“Do we know when he’ll be back?” Ryland asks. “I feel like I got hit by a truck. I don’t know if I can deal with everything right now.”
“He should be back tonight, after the sun sets. You don’t have to deal with anything. I’ve got the wolves handled. I can arrange for a small fridge to be brought in if that’s what you want. Let me help while you recover,” Orym says, stepping forward to lay a hand on Ryland’s shoulder.
Our alpha nods at him. “Thank you. I’m going to need more rest.”
RYLAND
Waking up to learn that James didn’t tell anyone about his injury and now he’s a vamp is definitely going to take a minute to process. “I don’t understand why he would lie about being hurt,” I say.
Red shakes her head. “I don’t know, but he did. He insisted that he only had scratches on his arms and wouldn’t let me check him out. He was adamant that we take care of you first. I used too much magic at once, and nearly knocked myself out. When I came to, I checked on him, and he was almost gone.” She grimaces and continues. “We’ll have to replace that chair. It’s covered in his blood.”
“My chair? Seriously? The guy couldn’t bleed out on the floor? Fuck.” I’m not really worried about the chair, just trying to figure out what to say to my mate so that she isn’t making that face.
She slaps my arm and laughs. Good, it worked. “We can get a new chair. We can’t get a new James.”
I cock an eyebrow. “Are you sure? I saw some hot guys the last time we went to Midnight. I bet we could find a replacement pretty easily.”
“Ry!” she squeals and slaps me again. I laugh and tug her toward me for a kiss. Of course, she knows I’m teasing. I would never try to replace one of her mates.
“I’m glad Dec was able to help. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when you needed me. Getting beat up by a group of witches wasn’t on my to-do list for yesterday,” I say in her ear. Red rests her head on my chest and I feel my heartbeat pick up.
I love being this close to her and hearing her laughter. When this is all over, I’m going to make sure that she laughs every day. I wish that I could end this fight now, but it’s not my place to take Amber out. I understand that the universe has a plan, and I’m going to do my part. No matter how hard it is.
“You need to rest. I’ll get you some tea and food,” she says, trying to pull away from me. I wrap my arms tighter around her and shake my head.
“Nope. I need you to stay right here. You need rest and care too. Luca, do you mind getting us something to eat while Orym checks in with our security teams?” It’s not an order, but I still don’t expect either of them to tell me no.
“Of course, Ryland. We’ll take care of everything,” Luca says, ushering Orym out of the room.
“How did I get so lucky?” I ask after they leave.
“What do you mean?” Red answers my question with one of her own.
“Our family is pretty awesome. We take care of each other and do what needs to be done without letting ego or pride get in the way. I love that.”
GARNET
Ry’s words bolster me in a way I didn’t know I needed. I thought I was prepared for James’ anger. What I wasn’t prepared for was his hunger. How did I not think about vampires drinking blood? Even after Declan gave him a lecture about being certain this was what he wanted, and thinking that I knew what it would entail, I still managed to screw it up.
“Thank you for making sure everyone has what they need. I know that you don’t have to take care of this for me. It should be my responsibility. I’m the one who insisted he be turned. Now I’m making everyone do extra work, and James is pissed at me,” I admit, nuzzling against Ry’s chest.
He’s not going to let me have a pity party. I know him well enough to realize that. But he does let me snuggle for a minute before he tears into me. “So, you’ve decided that all of this is your fault, huh? Well, then. I guess it’s pointless to remind you that your mates are grown men who are perfectly capable of making up their own minds. And even more ridiculous to tell you that the four of us love you, otherwise, we wouldn’t get so annoyed when you say something stupid.”
“But, Ry, this is my fault. I’m the one who asked Orym to call Dec. I begged Dec to turn James instead of letting him die. And it’s my aunt who’s after me, forcing you four to try to protect me. All of that makes it my fault,” I argue.
He shakes his head and shifts so he’s sitting up straighter. “You’re lucky I’m not feeling well enough to storm out of here. This poor me bullshit is on my last nerve. I can only imagine how Luca and Orym feel, since I’m sure it was worse before I woke up.”
I lift my head, putting some space between us. His harsh words sting, and I wonder if he’s trying to upset me. “Why are you saying this?”
“Because it’s true. You constantly take the blame for things that aren’t your fault, and I’m sick of it. I know it’s what you think you’re supposed to do because of how Gunnar raised you. But he’s gone, and I’m the territory alpha now. You’re not even a wolf, so you shouldn’t care about all that. I appreciate you taking responsibility for your mistakes, but this is not one of them.” His tone is icy, and his words burn.
“You don’t think I’m to blame for any of this? Amber is my aunt. She wants my powers. The Moon Goddess linked the four of you to me. That puts me in the center of everything. Of course, it’s my fault.” I know it’s not smart to keep arguing, but I can’t stop myself. I need him to see my point and agree that I’m right.
He refuses, though, and keeps arguing. “Red! Stop that right now. You are no more responsible for any of that than you are for the sun coming up this morning. You cannot take the blame for things other people do anymore. Do you understand me? I won’t have it.” His veiled threat constricts my chest, and I struggle to draw in a breath.
“What are you saying?” I whisper the question.
“I’m saying that if you insist on trying to force us to blame you, there will be consequences.” He leaves it at that, and I’m not sure what he means exactly. I don’t know if I want to find out, either.
“Fine. Then tell me, who am I supposed to blame?” I spit back, part of me scared that he’ll decide I’m giving him too much attitude and he’ll make me leave.
“Whoever is actually responsible. I understand that James’ situation is difficult, but it’s not your fault. It’s his. If he had just told you that he’d been injured, then the wound could have been treated before it got to the point where turning him was the only way to keep him from dying. Hell, his brother can share the blame. It’s not like you forced Dec to change him. He had a choice. So, please, stop blaming yourself.” Ry’s tone is softer now, more pleading than hurtful. I realize that he’s trying to get me to see his side, and I do, even if I still blame myself.
“What if I still feel responsible, even after you’ve made a pretty convincing argument?” I counter, making sure to leave the edge off my tone as well. If he’s trying to discuss this, it won’t do any good for me to keep snapping at him.
Before he can respond, Luca comes in with a tray. “I have tea, sandwiches, and carrots. Orym insisted that I give you a veggie option, even though I wanted to bring you chips. He’s worried that we’re not eating healthy enough lately.” Luca rolls his eyes for a second, then realizes that we were in the middle of something. “Oh, I’m totally interrupting. Sorry. I’ll just leave this here.” He places the tray on the bed and starts to back away.
“Wait,” Ry stops him with one word. Luca raises his eyebrows and freezes. “I need backup. She’s arguing with me, and I want her to stop.”
“Oh. What are we arguing about?” Luca strolls back and hands each of us a cup of tea before setting the sandwich plates in front of us and moving the tray so he can sit.
“Red thinks everything is her fault,” Ry growls.
“Well, she’s right,” Luca says with a grin. I can’t stop the laugh that barks out.
“What? How is she responsible for other people’s actions?” Ry snarls at Luca. For a moment, I’m worried that they’ll fight.
“It is all her fault. She controls everyone, right? So, she’s the one who makes us do all the stupid things that we shouldn’t,” Luca says.
That asshole.