“I usually wouldn’t need to. I don’t think you are going to like what I have to say,” she adds carefully.
He sighs. “It’s Sebastian’s, isn’t it? Somehow the Faerie nature is blocking you,” he says flatly.
“I couldn’t say for sure,” she says and stands up. “I can’t even tell if she is with child or not. I can tell there is a lot going on in her head though.” She puts her hand on his shoulder. “You shouldn’t have given your permission if you feel this way about it,” she scolds him.
“I had to. I would rather we get this out of the way and then we can just be left alone and be together,” he says.
“I see,” she says with a nod and he can see that she does get it. He wants it so desperately himself, but it will be ruined by her going off to create the Faerie baby. If she has that one first, then he can take her away and they can start making their own family. He wants to tell her this, but he knows how it sounds and he doesn’t think she would be all that pleased with him.
“Is she alive?” he asks, resuming their previous conversation now that the important matter has been dealt with.
“Yes,” Rosalina says. “It took a while, but her Druid nature saved her. She is very impressive.”
“Good,” Constantine says, not that he is really all that bothered whether Jess lived or died. “We are square then?”
“Absolutely,” Rosalina says. “You did good, little brother.”
“Humph,” he says with a scowl. He doesn’t know what Rosa wanted with the girl, but as far as he is concerned, good riddance.
“How is she not a Vampire anymore?” Rosalina suddenly asks.
Constantine sighs again and then explains the story to her.
Her eyebrows go up. “Why don’t you just re-turn her?” she asks.
“We were told it wouldn’t work,” he answers.
“Why not?” she asks.
“Who the fuck knows?” he growls, getting annoyed with all the questions.
“Why don’t you just try it and see?” she says slyly.
“What would be the point? I am not going to risk her life to try it, she may never wake up from her transition,” he says.
“But what if she did?” Rosalina presses. “I can assure you, brother, that whatever is currently happening to her is because she no longer has a dominant force. The Vampire kept them all in check.”
“I know,” he says through gritted teeth. “But I won’t risk her.”
“Wouldn’t she be grateful to wake up sired to you again and once again in control of all of her faculties?” Rosalina asks. “And you know it is the only way to ensure that you stay together.”
He glares at his older sister. Why is she doing this to him? Can she not see that he is in agony over losing his charge and quite possibly the only person in any World that he can ever truly love?
“Do it,” she whispers.
He stands up and goes over to his sleeping wife. Her face is constricted with pain as he stands there and watches her. She flashes suddenly into Aeval and then to Xerxei and then back to Aefre all in a second. He steps back in surprise and loathing for all of these beings that are causing her so much hurt.
“It is the only way,” Rosalina says again. “The only way you will be able to control who she is.”
He spins around, ready to blast his sister back to her own Realm, but she has disappeared. She has nurtured the seed in his head that he has been trying to ignore. Ever since Aefre woke up not a Vampire, he has wanted to try again. She is strong, a fighter, what is there to lose?
He picks up her wrist and she flashes again to Xerxei, this time sticking around for a bit longer until he pierces her soft flesh with his fangs. She moans in her sleep, but he doesn’t stop. He is looking down into the face of Aefre as he drains her of her blood, sucking hard and fast to ensure he can get her to the point of turning. He slices his own wrist open and places it to her lips just as Devon comes storming into the room.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Devon yells at him. “Get away from her! You will kill her!” Devon grabs hold of his arm to pull it away from Aefre’s lips but he isn’t strong enough. She swallows and Constantine closes her mouth. He looks up at Devon calmly and says, “Now we wait.”
Twelve hours pass and there is still no sign of Aefre waking up. Devon is curled up on the bed next to her, having fallen asleep with his head on her stomach. Constantine sits vigil in the armchair, never taking his eyes off her even for a second. He is tired and anxious that he has made a terrible mistake and that she will never wake up from the transition. He clenches his fists as Devon stirs and the hatred in him for the man flares up suddenly. He must sense Constantine’s furious glare on him and he looks up and then back down to Aefre.
“Nothing?” Devon spits out. “You have really fucked up this time!”