Riley Hayes | A Vampire Novel | Book 2

Chapter 18

I wake up to a dimly lit room, the soft flicker of candlelight casting dancing shadows on the walls. My body feels heavy, and I'm surrounded by the warm, waxy scent of burning candles. My eyes slowly focus, and I see Rayna standing beside me, her hands moving in intricate patterns as she chants softly in a language I don't recognize. Damian, Aria, Christina, Wyatt, and Leuca stand around me, their faces a mixture of sadness, resolve, and something I can't quite place.

I manage to croak out, my voice weak and strained, "What's happening?"

Leuca is immediately at my side, his forehead touching mine as he kisses me gently. His voice is a soothing murmur against my skin. "It's going to be okay," he says, but his eyes betray a deep, painful resolve.

Rayna's voice cuts through the haze of my confusion, instructing Leuca to proceed. I watch as he takes a deep breath, then makes a clean slice across his wrist. His blood wells up, dark and rich, and he holds his wrist over my mouth.

I try to pull away, but he forces the blood into my mouth. I choke a little as the warm liquid surges down my throat, an intense and bitter taste filling my senses. My vision blurs with pain, and I see Damian's tear-streaked face, his eyes wide with agony. "I'm sorry, Mom. I love you," he sobs, his words barely audible through my haze.

Another wave of pain hits me, more intense than any before. I cry out, my voice a broken wail, and I try to make sense of the situation. Something isn't right. I see their faces, the mixture of sadness and determination etched into their features, and I force out through the pain, "What are you doing?"

Aria, her voice trembling, is the one to answer. "They're changing you," she says, her eyes filled with a pained resignation.

Panic surges through me. "No, no, no," I plead, my voice breaking. I turn to Leuca, tears streaming down my face, and beg, "Please, stop it. Don't do this."

But instead of stopping, Leuca presses his wrist harder against my mouth, forcing more of his blood down my throat. His expression is a mix of anguish and love as he speaks softly, "I can't let you go after all. I'll face your wrath when you wake up, I'll face it for however long I need, but for now, know that I love you too much to let you go."

His words are a bittersweet comfort, but the reality of what's happening is sinking in. I struggle against the pain and the flood of his blood, my heart breaking as I realize there's no escaping this. The taste is disgusting, the metal overflowing my tastebuds. I want to fight, to scream, but the pain is overwhelming, and darkness begins to close in on me.

The darkness envelops me, but I can still feel the intensity of the ceremony unfolding around me. As Leuca continues to feed me his blood, I feel an eerie chill coursing through my veins, mingling with the relentless pain. The room feels charged with an almost tangible energy, the air heavy with anticipation and sorrow.

Rayna's chants grow more fervent, her voice rising in a crescendo of mystical syllables. Her hands move gracefully, tracing symbols in the air, and the candles' flames flicker wildly, casting erratic shadows on the walls. The soft hum of her magic fills the room, vibrating through the very fabric of reality.

Leuca's blood, now mingled with my own, feels like a burning river inside me, transforming every part of my being. The pain is a relentless tide, pushing me to the brink of consciousness and then pulling me back under. I hear the faint murmurs of the others, their voices blending into a symphony of worry and hope.

As I struggle to keep my eyes open, the room shifts. The walls seem to pulse with energy, and the temperature rises, becoming almost unbearable. Rayna's voice breaks through the haze, urging Leuca to continue with the final step of the ritual.