Page 37 of Transfiguration
“No more pain?” Sam wondered.
“None.”
“Nausea?”
“No. But I’m hungry. Food hungry, not blood hungry.”
Sam smiled. “Good thing there is cake.”
Luca’s eyes lit up. “Yeah.” He got out of bed, heading for the shower, testing his movement as he went. Sam watched with worried eyes until he vanished into the bathroom, then headed downstairs.
Seiran leaned against the counter. Gabe sat on a barstool a few feet away. “It won’t last,” Seiran said. “I can feel the earth tugging at him. I’m sorry.”
“Is there anything I can do to make it easier?” Sam asked. “To ensure his change is right? Do you know how much time he has?”
“A few days at most?” Seiran shrugged. “It’s hard to tell.”
“We can keep feeding him over the next few days. I can try to create a bond, but there isn’t much time,” Gabe agreed. “I’d say enjoy the time you have with him. Once we’re close to the end, I think all of us being near will help. You, Hart, and myself. It’s all we can really do. The transition to vampire isn’t necessarily a bad thing. He’ll have the support he needs.”
“As long as he doesn’t get taken over by his revenant,” Sam said.
“We’ll do our best to ensure that doesn’t happen,” Seiran said. He stepped in close and dragged Sam into another tight hug. “It’s okay. He’ll be okay.”
“His soul is strong,” Gabe added. “He has you and Constantine to return to. That should be enough to give him the strength to override the revenant. You had a lot less to hold on to when you returned.”
Sam found it hard to breathe for a minute and swallowed hard. He had to work to hold back tears. He had had nothing to pull him back. That had to mean something, right? “Thanks, Ronnie. Gabe.”
Gabe tilted his head in a single nod.
Seiran let go. “Have Con call later, okay? I need to have him look at that stuff for me.”
“Will do.” He let them out and stared upward to the loft, where he heard Luca puttering around. The man was humming and Sam knew he was probably dancing to some tune in his head. Feeling good enough to dance. That had to mean good things. Sam wondered what he could do to make Luca’s last bit of time amazing. Luca would say sex him up, but that was only part of it. Sam opened the fridge and pulled out the container of cake, sliding a giant slice onto a plate and grabbing a fork before shoving the rest back in the fridge. Sometimes life’s smallest pleasures were the most important.
He headed upstairs to greet Luca with cake and kisses before he had to head off and be a political media star for the vampire elite. Con would be home soon, and Sam was already forming a plan.
SIXTEEN
They stopped for late lunch, early dinner, having it at one of those build your own pizza places. Con ordered one for Luca too, knowing what his lover preferred and that they both loved these pies. Since it was approaching dinner time, Kelly dropped them off in the parking garage of their loft with a wave and instructions to keep him in the loop. Con planned to get his help with Bella as much as possible. The rest of his life wasn’t something he shared with anyone but his guys. Would that have to change?
His plan was to make Bella some things to help protect her, altering a jacket they’d bought, and maybe making a new bag for her. They headed up to the loft, Con carrying stacks of Bella’s stuff, and his work, wishing he could curl up and play games for a while to clear his head. Or fuck Luca and Sam through the mattress. That would help too.
Luca greeted them at the door, opening it and taking bags. “Food, sweet!” he said as he stepped in close to kiss Con on the cheek. Very PC of him as he usually felt Con up the instant he walked in the door. “You both already eat?”
“Yep. Though Kelly said Seiran was bringing over cake.” Con narrowed his eyes at his lover. Luca had an infamous sweet tooth. “Is there any left?”
“Cake?” Bella asked, brightening.
“I left two pieces,” Luca said.
“Full pieces?” Con prodded. Luca had a habit of cutting down the other pieces to give himself more nibbles.
“Maybe?” Luca said without promise.
Con shook his head at his lover as he made his way to the counter to unpack and sort everything. He’d need to get all of Bella’s stuff washed and pull out his supplies so he could work on a backpack for her and begin the upgrade to her coat.
Luca grabbed the pizza and dug in. Sam appeared from upstairs, dressed in a suit he rarely wore, a Hugo Boss that fit him like a glove. Con gaped at him, instantly turned on by how nicely he cleaned up.
“Damn, you’re pretty,” Luca wolf-whistled at him.