Page 56 of How to Stake a Vampire

Ellie blinked sweat out of her eyes. She looked at the blood pooling on Virgil’s skin and shook her head in panic.

To my shock, Virgil took a mouthful of his own blood, curled a hand around the back of Ellie’s head, and kissed her.

Hugh sucked in air. Victoria arched an eyebrow.

My best friend stiffened, blue eyes rounding.

“Well, that’s a novel way to do things,” Barney said with a frown. “Novel and stupid.”

Pearl sniffed. “Ah, young love.”

My pulse raced as I finally understood what had driven Virgil to defend my best friend at the risk of his own life and offer her his blood.

Ellie finally unfroze. Her hands found Virgil’s shirt. She clung to him, welcoming his kiss. A shudder shook her as she finally swallowed his blood.

She wrenched her mouth free, grabbed Virgil’s wrist, and started drinking with a newfound desperation.

Virgil’s eyes bloomed crimson.

“We should leave,” Victoria advised tactfully.

“I’m not leaving Ellie,” I said mutinously.

“You will if you want to help her!” Samuel snapped. “She’s about to go through a hell of a lot of pain and your power will only make this situation worse. She needs calm, Abby, not a supernatural hurricane!”

I flinched at his words. Samuel cursed and came over to hug me.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured in my hair, our bond thrumming with his pain and regret. “I’m trying to help both of you.”

He was right, as much as I hated to admit it.

I swallowed and looked over at Ellie.

“I’ll be right outside, okay? Virgil and Barney are going to take care of you.”

Ellie paused mid-suck, the action seeming to cause her pain. She looked at me from under her lashes and nodded slightly.

The last I saw of my best friend before Barney closed the door on us was the hungry look in her eyes as she feasted on Virgil’s blood.

Samuel forced me to go downstairs to the sitting room.

Bernard kept a steady supply of snacks and drinks going as we spent the night waiting out Ellie’s transformation. Victoria and Hugh occasionally spoke in hushed voices with Caroline and Kent while Samuel and Bo never left my side.

Pearl watched the proceedings with an almost bored expression, though even I could tell she tensed a little whenever Ellie’s stifled cries of pain reached us.

It was dawn when the sounds stopped. A door opened on the second floor sometime later. Soft footsteps came from the stairs.

Barney entered the sitting room, faint circles under his eyes.

“It’s over.”

I rose stiffly where I’d been sitting with Samuel and Bo.

“Is—” I stopped and clenched my fists. “Is Ellie okay?”

Barney gave me a bewildered look. “She’s more than okay.”

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