Elize had hated the idea of vampires. She knew that none such existed in the world, but even the mention of it gave her shudders. She always thought that if they even existed, they were abominations and that they had no right to live. As a child she hadn't watched a movie on vampires and throughout her adulthood, she ended up watching only one, and that too on her friends' insistence. It was her parents who had instigated these values in her. Her hatred for them was stoked since she was a child. She had to resist the turning as much as she could. How could she allow Caleb to turn her into something she despised?

"Do it!

" Caleb said with determination.

"I will… hate you… for this, Caleb…

" she hissed at him.

Caleb released a breath as if someone had kicked hard on his stomach. He knew that the turning would be insufferable for Elize.

"You don't have any other option, Elize. Can't you see?

"

She shook her head and stared at him with her blank eyes. The darkness and pain was too to bear. She lost consciousness.

"She is sinking,

" said Caleb as nervousness gripped his heart.

"Help her now!

" he pleaded with Lazarus. It was anytime now and she would slip into oblivion, into death. Caleb began to tremble. This was it for him and his Elize. The misery was too much to bear. He wanted to get a dagger and carve his heart out. He wanted to die. Bile rose in his throat and he felt like puking.

"Give her to me,

" said Lazarus and Caleb handed her to him with quivering hands. Lazarus took her in his lap. He cradled her and then positioned her in a way that the flesh where he had to bury his fangs—the place between her neck and shoulder—was right in front of him. He licked his pearly white sharp fangs and slicked them with his venom. He looked up at Caleb and then said,

"Don't look at me while I do this.

"

Caleb turned his head away because he knew that if he looked, he would end up attacking Lazarus.

Lazarus glanced at his wife, who seemed extremely tense. He knew that it was her jealousy gnawing her on the inside. He hadn't been drinking from her all this while and she was growing itchy about it. She had even grazed the skin of her breasts with her claws to lure him. He had gone completely out of control because all he wanted that time was to latch himself on her nipples and suckle her. He had shattered the furniture of their bedroom only to calm his nerves. And Emma—she sat there patiently watching him going on a mad spree of breaking and shattering things. In the end he had to promise her that he would drink from her the moment he is healed. The vampire had healed and today he was about to drink from his wife when Daryn requested them to come to Ixoviya.

He bent down on Elize's neck and raised his eyes to look at Emma. She was staring at him. All at once he pierced his fangs into Elize and he heard a gasp from Emma. Blood oozed out and he sucked it, closing his eyes. Elize convulsed in his grip once when he pierced her flesh.

The vampire soon released her. There was blood dripping on his fangs and his lips were the shade of her blood. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and said,

"The girl has been poisoned, but she will come out of it. She will have a fever in reaction to the turning, and it will take a few hours for her to regain consciousness.

"

Caleb turned to look at him and was stunned to see blood on Elize. He growled and tightened his fists hard in order to control himself and not hit the vampire. He took her immediately in his lap and pressed her against his chest.

"Thanks Lazarus,

" he murmured in a gloomy voice and began rocking her. He was clearly mentally tormented to the level that he was still in a shock.

"Elize…

" he murmured her name in reverence.

The moon outside was on the horizon making way for dawn, for the sun's new beams to fall on Ixoviya.

"She will live,

" said Lazarus.

"The turning will definitely have its effects. And as soon as she wakes up, she would need her food, which is blood. So you better prepare yourself for that.

"

Caleb nodded.

"Thank you Lord Lorza,

" came a soft voice from behind.

Lazarus smiled. He turned to pick Dawn's hand and kissed it lightly, but a growl from the Lykae beside her made him chuckle.

"You are most welcome Dawn Wyatt. If there's anything else, let me know. I am forever indebted to you.

" He gave her hand to the impatient Lykae who immediately soothed.

Dawn smiled at him. She said,

"There's something both Daryn and I would like to talk with you and Emma.

"

"Sure!

" Lazarus was more than ready to listen to her.

Dawn guided them out of the room, while Daryn stayed in for a while. When he scanned the room, he found that all the healers and the servants were absolutely shocked as to what just happened, but none spoke a word. He didn't encourage them to say anything either, instead he instructed them.

"Take care of the royal couple. See to it that they both are well rested before the coronation tomorrow.

" Immediately the servants and the healers began to work. The room was a flurry of activity within seconds. There were too many things for him to do. He knew that Caleb wouldn't leave Elize's side even for a second until he would see her opening her eyes.

"Are you okay Caleb?

" he asked as he placed his hand on his shoulder.

"No…

" came a stifled groan.

"Take care. I am right here,

" assured Daryn and walked out of the room to find his wife.

Dawn had taken Lord Lorza and Emma to their private chambers. With what had happened in the last few hours, it was difficult to trust almost anyone. She was narrating the incidents that took place when Daryn entered their room. He went to sit next to Dawn. Kissing her forehead he said,

"How are my babies?

"

"They are doing well,

" she said.

"And why don't you ever ask how their mother is?

"

For the first time, Dawn saw Emma grinning. And she was a breathtaking beauty.

"Because I know that you are not letting them rest even for a while. Once we are in Bainsburgh, I will be sealing you in a room. You are not going anywhere after that!

"

"That's a good decision,

" Lord Lorza said in all solemnity.

"I will be doing the same thing with my wife.

" Though the way he sounded it was as if it was to protect her from any danger. It was more to take her again and again and punish her for tempting him to the point of insanity.

Emma tried hard, but the blush on her cheeks gave away her thinking. She changed the subject,

"So you're saying that it was Mozrath behind all these attacks?

"

"Yes!

" Dawn replied.

"Their mission was to kill me or Daryn. I don't know how or when are they going to attack again, but they surely will, and we have to be ready for that.

"