Alpha Mine (The Alpha Council Chronicles) (27 page)

“That’s why you should convert her,” Demetri repeated.

“I don’t know. I don’t think Kat will go for that,” assumed Marcus.

Stephan raised an eyebrow. “Have you spoken with her before about converting?”

“No, but I’ve known her for a long time. I can’t imagine she would be willing to be drained. She has a phobia about such things.”

Stephan nodded in agreement. “I’ve been in her head. I know how much she is frightened of the idea of someone drinking from her. I don’t think she will want to do what is necessary to turn.”

“Why don’t you just force her?” Demetri said with an incredulous voice, as he leaned back against the couch and crossed his arms across his chest. “Why give her a choice in the matter? Simply decide what is best, then take care of your mate. Once it is done, she will learn to accept it.”

“First of all, I have more respect for her feelings then to force the conversion on her.” Anger furrowed his brows as Stephan explained. “And secondly, I don’t know for sure that she is my mate.”

“You mean you haven’t drunk from her yet?” asked Alex, his eyes wide in astonishment.

Vlad cursed in Russian and scrubbed a thoughtful hand over the scruff of his dark goatee.

“No, I haven’t,” admitted Stephan, straightening his spine in defiance. “As I said, she has a phobia about anyone drinking from her, and I have respected her wishes by not taking from her vein.” Stephan swung a pointed glance toward Marcus when Vlad shook his head in disbelief.

Ever the warrior, Demetri suggested, “If she will not convert, then I suggest we remove the threat and take out Gage.”

Stephan looked to Demetri. Now that was a suggestion he would entertain. He nodded his head slowly. “That may be our only option.”

****

Kat stood out on the terrace, the cool air chilling her to the bone, and tried to calm her turbulent feelings. The emotions seemed strange, as if they belonged to someone else. She felt anxious, vengeful. A desperate fear crept up her spine, sending tiny shivers throughout her body.

She replayed the previous night’s events and the hairs on the back of her neck rose. If Demetri hadn’t arrived in time, she would have died at the hands of the guard. She knew she owed Demetri her life, and she had yet to thank him. She silently chastised herself for ever fearing him. She now realized that he was willing to put his own safety at risk to protect her, keep her safe. She owed him a thank you, and she intended to give it to him now before she lost her courage to face him.

Kat squared her shoulders, opened the sliding glass door and stepped into the living room. The presence of power hit her squarely as she entered, practically knocking her back on her heels. As she crossed the room, all eyes turned on her, pinning her under their intense gaze.

“Hello,” she said hesitantly, then allowed Stephan to gather her to his side.

“Hello, sweetheart.” He gave her waist a squeeze. “I believe there are some people here who you have not met yet. This is Alexander Hall.”

“Hello, Alexander.” Katrina extended her hand to the handsome blond.

“Hello, Miss Katrina. It’s nice to meet ya.” Alex stood and shook her hand with vigor as he gave a broad smile that flashed his perfect white teeth. “And please, call me Alex.”

“And this is Vladimir Starikovich,” Stephan said when Kat released Alex’s hand.

She looked over at the man sitting on the couch. Vlad was leanly muscular; well defined, but not bulky. The black T-shirt and jeans he wore hugged his body showing off his muscles in a way Kat found rather sexy. With his angular face and goatee, he looked like the devil himself as he leaned back in his seat, his long legs stretched out before him crossed at the ankles.

Vlad stood, took her hand, and bowed deeply in courtly greeting over her hand. “Salutations,” he said simply, before he sank back down onto the padded black leather.

“Nice to meet you,” she murmured, feeling a stir in the air, like something crawling over her skin. It made her uncomfortable.

Kat looked up into her lover’s eyes. She’d had every intention of thanking Demetri, but she instinctually knew now was not the time. “I can see you all are talking. I was just passing through on my way upstairs. It’s been a long night. I thought I’d go take a bath.”

“Of course, Kitten. I’ll join you soon.” Stephan gave her a quick kiss on her forehead before releasing her.

Demetri watched Kat ascend the staircase and disappear from sight. “There may be another option,” he said quietly.

“What would that be?” asked Stephan, hope lightening his voice.

“We could send her away. Keep her somewhere safe.”

Stephan rubbed his chin. Before he could respond, Marcus said, “No. No, I won’t let you send her away.” Fear thickened his voice and it dropped to a menacing tone.

Nicholai raised a hand toward Marcus. “I think we need to hear all options,” he said sensibly. “I believe it is called brain-squalling.”

A smile took Alex’s face. “I think you mean brainstorming.”

“Yes, that is what I meant, brainstorming,” Nicholai looked back at Stephan.

The warrior nodded his head once, knowing the Alpha’s suggestion made sense. “Of course you are right, Nicholai. There’s no harm in hearing ideas. Go ahead, Demetri.”

“If we were to send her away, it would keep her safe from the threats in our world and give us time to deal with Gage.”

Vladimir spoke up. “Demetri makes sense. If she will not convert so she can be strong and safe, then send her away where she
will
be safe.”

Stephan murmured, “It is the fact that she has been drawn into our dark world that has made her unsafe.” His eyes found the vampire he had sired. “Marcus, can’t you see that?”

Marcus lowered his eyes to the ground. Like a stubborn child, he refused to agree.

“Where could we send her?” asked Demetri.

“I know of a place. I have a friend with a ranch in Utah. I could see if she could go there. Rusty is trustworthy and always looking for help on the ranch,” Alex offered.

Marcus straightened in his chair. “That won’t work. We can’t send her away. She’ll miss us and want to come back.”

Stephan began to pace as he murmured, “Right back into the dangers of our world.”

“That is why her memory will need to be wiped,” Demetri reasoned.

Marcus’ eyes widened, his hands fisted by his sides. “You mean wipe all her memories of us. That’s seven years of memories. It’s too dangerous. It could destroy her mind.”

“I don’t know if I can do that.” Stephan raked a hand down his handsome face. Erase her memories. Memories of him. Of their time together.

“If you don’t know how, comrade, I can do it for you,” offered Demetri, obviously misunderstanding his reluctance.

“No,” Stephan bit out between clenched teeth, his jaw muscle twitching. He would never allow anyone else to enter her mind that deeply. He trusted no one but himself to do the deed if it had to be done—not that he wanted to do it. “If it must be done, I’ll be the one to do it.”

Both Marcus and Demetri were correct, if he didn’t erase her memories of them, it wouldn’t matter where they sent her, Kat would come right back to their dangerous world.

“Maybe it won’t be necessary. Maybe she would be willing to convert,” Marcus offered, a hopeful look on his face.

Nicholai clasped a hand down on Stephan’s shoulder. “In the words of Emerson, give all to love; obey thy heart.” Stephan looked at Nicholai in confusion. “In other words do what you have to do for the one you love, even though it may not be easy.” After he nodded his understanding, Nicholai continued, “I am sorry you have such a difficult decision. I hope she will convert for you. I do not envy your tasks.”

“I’ll talk to her tonight and ask her to convert. If she refuses, then I’ll call Alex and he can arrange a safe place for her to go.” Stephan desperately hoped her love for him would be strong enough to convince her to convert if for no other reason than to be with him for centuries, but knowing how deeply rooted her phobia was, he tried to resign himself to accept the plan Fate had in store for him—whatever it may be. He glanced in the direction of his bedroom, apprehension twisting his gut.

Chapter 32

Kat stood in the bathroom wrapped in a white, cotton towel and placed her toothbrush back in its holder. The stereo in the bedroom played lightly in the background. Humming softly to the music, she leaned forward against the vanity letting it support her. She struggled with her emotions, tried to sort them out. All evening her feelings had been changing like a kaleidoscope, one moment she experienced fear and trepidation the next she would feel protective, and then worried and sad. It was a confusing mix that somehow did not quite feel like her own. She shook her head, in an attempt to shake the latest feeling of apprehension away.

She walked out into the bedroom and found Stephan sitting on the bed. He patted the mattress next to him.

“Come sit please, Katrina. I need to talk to you.”

She sat beside him on the bed, the mattress barely registering her weight.

“I have been wanting to talk to you too, Stephan.”

Stephan covered her hand with his. “You first,
schatz
.”

“I’ve been feeling so strange lately. I get these sensations, feelings. They don’t seem like my own.” Confusion thickened her voice. “I’ve been feeling conflicted, and then fearful and protective, and now sad.”

Stephan’s eyes widen slightly. “And love,” he added. Kat nodded. “I believe you are probably feeling my emotions. It’s from the blood exchange. My blood is now a part of you. It has permeated every cell and what you are feeling are my emotions. I’ll forever be a part of you.”

“Oh,” Kat murmured her eyes down cast. “I didn’t know that was possible.” Stephan gave her a moment to digest what he had said while he placed his arm around her shoulders.

“It’s okay, Kitten. You’ll get used to it. Eventually you’ll be able to know which feelings are mine and which are yours. Don’t let it scare you.”

Katrina’s mind turned that bit of information over. Knowing how someone else felt, especially the man she loved, might not be such a bad thing. She would never have to wonder if he told her the truth. Most men had a hard time discussing their feelings, at least this way she would always know what Stephan felt whether or not he spoke them aloud. This definitely had advantages Katrina decided.

She looked at him from beneath her long lashes. “You said you wanted to talk to me,” she reminded him, when she remembered he’d initiated this conversation.

Stephan took a deep breath before he spoke. “Kat, I love you, and I want us to spend the rest of our lives together…” His voice trailed off as if he waited for her to absorb what he said.

“But…” she prompted.

She watched him swallow, seemingly to gather his courage to continue. “No buts. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of our lives together.”

“Oh Stephan!” Kat wrapped her arms around him and gave him a tight squeeze. “I love you too. Of course I want to spend the rest of my life with you!”

He pulled back slightly and looked into her eyes. “I’m relieved to hear you say that.”

“You’re relieved? But I can feel you are still troubled.”

Stephan dropped one arm to the mattress. “Sweetheart, I need to talk to you about something. I can’t imagine watching you grow old and die. It would break my heart. When I speak of being together for the rest of our lives, I want that to be centuries. I need to know if you would be willing to convert.”

“Convert? You mean like become a vampire?” She worried her lower lip between her teeth.

“Yes.” His face remained expressionless. “Yes, I mean become a vampire. Would you be willing to do that?”

She thought for a moment, her mind racing. “Tell me how it is done.”

He turned toward her on the bed, and took both her hands into his much larger ones. “The way to convert is for me to take your blood from you as you take mine from me, creating a transfusion of sorts. Slowly the virus that causes vampirism would ease into your blood. It would be absorbed by your body and cause changes in your DNA.”

“Will it hurt?”

He squeezed her hands before continuing. “Kat, I won’t lie to you. The changes will be painful. It will hurt a lot.”

“But you have taken my pain away before?”

“Yes. I would be here with you, taking as much of your pain as I can, but when I have eased your pain in the past, it was because I healed you. As your wounds mended the pain went away. This process is different. I cannot heal you from this. There will be no wounds. Every cell, muscle, even your organs will change from the virus and that I cannot heal. I will shoulder what pain I can, but there will not be much I can do. There will be much pain.”

Kat stilled, tension tightening her shoulders. “So once I became a vampire, I would have to drink blood like you and Marcus?”

“Yes, you would. The virus changes our muscles, causing them to grow stronger by creating more muscle fibers. Those muscles require more blood so it enlarges our hearts to pump the extra blood throughout our bodies. Our bodies do not make enough blood on their own to sustain the changes so we must consume the blood our cells and tissues require. The virus will also shrink your stomach to make room for your larger heart. The smaller stomach makes it impossible to eat large quantities of food. Therefore, the blood you consume will also help provide the nourishment you will no longer get from food.”

Kat pulled her hands from Stephan and wrung them nervously in her lap. Her heart rate increased, stomach tightened.

“And you would have to drink from me, to convert me?” she asked nervously, her voice but a whisper.

“Yes, that is how it is done.”

Kat once again became pensive, her eyes downcast. Stephan stilled beside her, awaiting her decision. Could she become a vampire? Not aging, a plus. Extra strength, also a plus. Allowing him to drink from her? The thought of it turned her stomach. Bile pushed into her throat. Her heart raced, panicked breaths left her body in short bursts.

Decision made, she looked back up at him from under her lashes dark with unshed tears threatening to spill from her eyes. “I’m sorry, I just can’t. I can’t have anyone drink from me, even you, Stephan. It’s too scary.” Her tears burned her eyes as the lump formed in her throat. “I want to be with you, but I don’t want to be a vampire.” The tears began to fall.