Page 108 of Burn Falls

IfIcould, I’d die with her.

Since meeting Calla, she’d opened my eyes to a new world. A world I wanted tolivein. A world where I wanted to settle down. Looking down on her, listening to the slow beat of her heart, and seeing the dark blood soaking her sweater, I knew that I still wanted all of those things and time was running out.

But Calla had never expressed that she’d wanted to ever get turned into a vampire. “What if she hates me like we hate Renzo for turning us?”

“Calla loves you. She won’t hate you for turning her.”

“She didn’t ask for this.”

“Did she ask for a herd of deer to make her throw her car off of a cliff and get a tree lodged in her chest?”

“No,” I muttered.

“Listen to me, D. You haven’t opened your heart since Mary. You did for Calla. And you can deny it all you want, but you’ve loved Calla for a long time.”

“We’re not soulmates.”

Athan groaned. “You want to let some myth prevent you from being happy?”

He was right. And before he spelled it out for me, I knew it in my bones. I didn’t have another second to spare to fight with myself. “Okay. Take off your jacket.” He didn’t hesitate as he tore it off his back. “Place it on the ground so I can lay her down.”

I had no idea what I was doing because I’d never turned a human, but I didn’t want to lay her on the wet ground with nothing between her and the dirt. This wasn’t the perfect place for the change, it was the best I could do on such short notice.

After Athan set his jacket down, I placed Calla onto her back. I paused as though I had a deep breath to take, and then I ripped the wood from her chest and tossed it aside. Blood started to gush from the wound, and I heard Athan growl before dashing off. If I hadn’t had a bag before I left the hospital, I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist draining her completely.

My mouth latched onto her neck, and I sucked. I drank until the fluid started to thin and then I stopped. After biting into my wrist, I held it to her mouth, tilted her head back and let it flow down the back of her throat.

I’d forgotten how long it would take for the change to be made, and I didn’t want to wait in the damp forest for it to occur. “I’m taking her home. Do something with the car and then go to the hospital for mine. Compel Elizabeth, and she’ll get you to my locker where you’ll find my stuff and my keys. I’ll text you the combination when I get Calla situated.” Even though Athan wasn’t in sight. I knew he’d heard.

As I was picking Calla up off the ground, he dashed back. “See you in a few hours. Do you want me to pick up a human for her transition to complete?”

“No, I have bags.”

“Right.”

Once I got home, I laid Calla in bed and waited for the first time for the love of mylifeto turn into an immortal.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

When my eyes fluttered open, I realized I was staring at the wood beams of Draven’s bedroom, and I was starving. How did I get here? What time was it? The room was dark, but I could see clearly. I closed my eyes again, trying to remember coming to Draven’s, but the last thing I remembered was seeing a family of deer in the road and swerving to not hit them.

“Hey.” I heard Draven’s voice, and then the bed dipped beside me.

I opened my eyes and looked over at him. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he looked more handsome than the night before. “Hey.” My voice was raspy as though I needed a gallon of water.

“How are you feeling?”

“Starving.” I tried to sit up, but he stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.

“There’s something you need to know.”

“Is Athan okay?”

“He’s fine.”

I nodded. He was, of course, a vampire and I didn’t think a car accident could kill him. Especially if I didn’t die.

“He called me when you had the accident.”