BK 3 - Prequel Chapter 4 - Vampire Bite
One week after their wedding, Janel and Thatcher were sitting on a beach in Venice. They were preparing for her to be changed later that day. She was excited to complete the process and all the benefits that would come with it.
"You're sure we can have children once I'm changed? I want a family." She laid back against him with her head on his chest.
"I promise you we can still have all the children your little heart desires. You can't believe everything you've seen on TV or read in a book. The reality is much different. My parents were both vampires when they had me." Thatcher's heart hurt thinking about his family. They'd been gone a long time. He'd never really spoken to Janel about them, but as his mate, she had a right to know. She turned slightly to look up at his face.
"You've never talked about your parents." She said, gently taking one of his hands in both of hers. Janel knew this was a sensitive topic for him, so she didn't want to push.
"I know. It's not my favorite subject, but I'm ready to tell you now. My dad was Isaac, and my mother was Aurelia. They met when they were over five hundred years old. Both had given up on ever finding their mates. Neither had thought about having children after so long, but then I came along." Janel saw the light in Thatcher's eyes talking about his parents.
"They showered me with love. When I was about twenty, a grand elder, saw my mother and wanted her for himself. He was close to a thousand years old. Grand elders are more or less the leaders of the vampire world. He thought he could convince my father to give her up, and when he refused, the elder tried to take her by force. We fought him, but he was too powerful. He ended up killing both of my parents. He thought I was dead, too, because I was severely injured, but I survived." Janel squeezed his hand as he continued. He got so little time with his parents. Her heart ached for him.
"I refused to let their deaths go. I waited for over a hundred years to get my revenge. All I needed was the perfect opportunity. I watched from the background until he practically fell into my lap. One day I saw him trying to take a young human woman from her family. Unless we mate with a human, we don't interfere with them too much. At least not enough to draw attention to ourselves. I waited until he got her alone, and then I struck. I came up behind him and tore his head clean off. Catching him by surprise was the only way I could do it. Grand elders are supposed to be the ones we look up to, but he wasn't good. No one knows I was the one who killed him, but there weren't too many grieving, either. He'd been causing trouble for a long time. It didn't bring my parents back, but at least I got justice and saved others he may have killed in the future."
Janel wiped the tears from his face that were silently falling. He had one of the biggest hearts of anyone she'd ever met.
"Your parents would be so proud of what you've become." She turned completely around so she could hug him tightly. Thatcher wrapped his arms around her and cried into her neck. He had never spoken to anyone about this. All those centuries, he had lived alone, holding everything inside. It was an incredible sense of relief to not have to do that anymore.
After the sun had set, they returned to the cottage they were renting. It was in a remote area, so they could be completely alone as Janel went through the change. It would take three days, and then she would be immortal.
"Are you ready for this?" Thatcher asked her as they sat on the side of the bed. He rubbed her cheek and ran his fingers through her long hair. They had picked up plenty of blood, so she would have something to drink when she woke up.
"Yes, I'm ready. I've been waiting for this since you first told me you were a vampire." Thatcher pulled her onto his lap so she was sitting across his thighs. Tilting her head back, he looked at the spot on her neck where he would sink his fangs.
"Alright, sweetheart. I won't leave your side. I love you." He leaned down to kiss her.
"I love you too." Janel gave him a small smile and tilted her head to the side. She closed her eyes as he bent down toward her neck. When his fangs pierced her flesh, it caused her to yelp, but the pain immediately went away. She could feel him drinking some of her blood before pulling out.
Janel relaxed, thinking it wasn't so bad, but then the burning began coursing through her veins. She screamed as her body became so hot she thought she would burst into flames. The pain was unbearable, like a thousand needles attacking her from the inside out. She could no longer feel Thatcher holding her. Her body shook as though it was convulsing as he laid her in the bed, trying to keep her in his arms.
Thatcher hated seeing her like this, but he knew it would be worth it in the end. All he could do was be there for her while her body adjusted. He kissed her forehead and stroked her hair. Just three days, and they would have their whole lives to live.
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**Three Days Later**
Janel felt the burning sensation leave her body. The pain was no longer there either. She was scared to open her eyes and see that she was still human rather than a vampire. That was until she heard the sweetest voice.
"It's all over, sweetheart. Open your eyes." Janel slowly did as he said and saw she was lying on the bed beside Thatcher. Everything seemed much clearer. She felt Thatcher rubbing her cheek, and it caused multiple little electric shocks to run through her body.
"How do you feel?" He asked her when she looked up into his eyes.
"I feel weird." Thatcher laughed as he leaned down to kiss her softly.
"That's understandable. Are you ready to get up?" Janel nodded and slowly sat up. She expected to feel dizzy or something, but she felt nothing. In fact, she felt incredible.
"Wow. Am I strong and fast now?" She asked in a whisper. For some reason, she thought her voice was going to be different, but that appeared to be the same.
"Yes. Do you want to try it out? We can go outside. I think you'll want a drink first, though." Janel smiled as she stood up. The memory of the burning and pain she had felt the last three days was disappearing.
"Give me my first drink, and then let's go out and play." Thatcher laughed at her excitement. He went to the refrigerator and pulled out the blood he had prepared for her. Janel looked into the cup seeing the dark red liquid, and shrugged. She drank it all down in a couple of gulps. As the blood made its way through her system, she felt alive in every fiber of her being.
"Are you okay?" He asked as she finished her drink.
"Yep. Better than ever." Janel grabbed his hand and pulled him to the door. That's when she looked down and realized she was in nothing but her panties and bra. Thatcher laughed when she looked up at him with her eyebrows raised.
"I had to take your clothes off because you were tearing at them. I didn't want you to mess them up. I would say go out like that, but you never know who we may encounter." She ran into the bedroom and threw on some shorts and a T-shirt. When she returned, she took him outside.
"What do I need to do," Janel asked, looking up at him with her eyes shining bright.
"Do you see that tree over there?" She nodded as he led her to the large tree. "Pick it up."
Janel looked at him like he was crazy. The tree was lying on its side where it had been uprooted and was enormous. She knew she would be strong, but not that strong. However, she had to try. When she got to the tree, she felt tiny next to it, but that didn't stop her. She reached down with both hands, effortlessly picked up the tree, and threw it fifty yards from where she stood. Afterward, she ran over to Thatcher, giggling.
"Did you see that? Now how do I run fast." He smirked at her.
"You already are; you just haven't noticed. Go to where you threw the tree." Janel did as he asked, but she didn't feel like she moved any faster.
"Okay, now what?" Thatcher was laughing so hard he almost fell down.
"Janel, you're moving at lightning speed. You just can't see it because it's your new normal. Now you have to try and slow down. We can't go around humans with you being like a tornado." She carefully put one foot in front of the other, feeling like she was moving in slow motion until she reached him.
"How was that?" She asked.
"Not bad, but you need to go a little slower. Don't worry; we'll get you there. Right now, let's go explore." They ran all over the place, allowing Janel to see things in a new light. It was thrilling for her. She couldn't wait to travel all over the world with her new abilities. The earth was their playground, and she planned to take full advantage of it.
