Within a few seconds of the bites, the venom began to spread, Christian was still unconscious, but he began to squirm and thrash as the venom burned through his veins and I knew we had been successful.
"We have to get him out of here, he'll start feeling the burn soon its going to wake him up and we wont be able to keep him quiet." Edward deduced stepping back from Christian's side. I nodded and stepped forward to scoop Christian up in my arms; Edward grabbed a sheet from the bed and tucked it around Christian, covering him up.
Luckily night had fallen on the city and the bombing had stopped for the moment, there would be so much chaos and confusion no one would miss Edward and I, nor would anyone really notice us slipping out.
Edward made sure the coast was clear in the corridor before we slipped out into it and through a back exit that was considered off limits due to damage it had sustained during a previous raid.
Once out in the open air we unleashed our speed running as fast as we could to escape the city all the while the fourteen year old boy in my arms began to thrash more violently and even began to scream as the venom's burn intensified.
We barely made it to the cottage when Christian's real screams began, he was incoherent, impossible to understand as the screams of pain grew louder and it struck a sword right through my body, knowing I had done this to him. I had acted on impulse and had put this boy through this.
To my surprise the moment I lay Christian on the only bed in the cottage, Edward was by his side, watching over him as if he had already accepted the boy as his brother. Edward shot a look at me when that thought passed through my mind and I returned the look. Its not an insult Edward, its very caring of you.
He rolled his eyes at me and turned his attention back to Christian whose screams had quieted down worrying me for a brief moment until I realized he was fighting his screams he was trying to endure the pain without a sound. He reached out his hand looking for reassurance that he was not alone.
I stepped forward and his small hand found my own and clenched it tightly, it seemed to comfort him as he thrashed and moaned in pain. Edward placed a hand on his shoulder and I still holding his hand seemed to ease the pain, three days it would take for the transformation to finish and even if it meant Edward and I would have to sit here in this same position for those days we would.
By the morning however things had changed dramatically. The pain that Christian was in was more like the pain he would've shown on the final day. His heart had picked up speed drastically as it fought off the venom and his wounds had already begun to heal quickly.
By the time dusk had fallen marking a full day passing since Christian was brought to the hospital the transformation was nearly completely. Edward and I could both hear his heartbeat reach a humming point, one beat blending in with another a sure sign that the venom had neared his heart and it would soon cease to beat.
I placed my hand on his chest feeling the hum of his heart before looking at Edward
"Hear that? His heart is speeding up, the venom is there."
"Already?" Edward questioned "but its only been a day barely that even."
"I know," I paused glancing down at Christian, he still held my other hand tight cradling it close to his chest with both hands like a child would a stuffed toy. "Its almost done. Amazing I have never heard of a transformation happen so quickly."
The tears were still flowing down Christian's face as he fought against crying out in pain. It was almost over very nearly there.
"I'm going to run back to the city, make sure there are no questions lingering about our sudden disappearance or his." Edward said standing up "I'll be back as quick as I can will you be ok?" I nodded
"I think I can handle a newborn vampire by this point Edward." I pointed out "thank you." I added, Edward gave me a half smile and darted out of the cottage.
No sooner had he left when a noise caught my attention, the beats of Christian's heart, one beat…then another, then one more before it fluttered to a stop beating no more. Christian had passed out again, the last time he would ever sleep as his transformation into a vampire was complete.
He released my hand and I stretched my fingers out giving them the first freedom they'd had in hours. I brushed his bangs back gently before quickly checking his injuries to make sure everything had healed.
There was no sign that Christian had been crushed to death and the only sign of his vampirism transformation was his much paler skin and the slightly off color on the insides of his wrists and a small inconspicuous mark on his neck, which would be easily covered and was only noticeable by another vampire.
While he regained consciousness I made my way over to the single wash room in the cottage to change my clothes and wash up a bit. The smell of death was all over my clothing and Christian's blood as well as the blood of the hundreds of other victims had irreversibly stained all of my clothing and had even managed to get in my hair. Edward had controlled himself well enough, but Christian would be a newborn without that control the less blood he was exposed to this early on the better for all of us.
I admit I was still at odds with myself on how well Christian would handle this life, if he would have the control I hoped and if he would ease into the animal diet without much trouble. The lingering question of how this change would affect him mentally still clouded my mind and as I walked back into the main room where Christian was beginning to wake it only increased my contemplation.
I had heard the stories of the Immortal Children and that fear was in the back of my mind that Christian might be to young for this I worried that he would turn into them with no control, no morals, and the very real chance that we might not be able to control him, especially as a newborn.
The whimpers and groans reached my ears as I returned to Christian's side and sat in the chair Edward had vacated. I had to ease him awake, but it wouldn't be easy, it never was. Even when we are aware of what is about to happen we don't want to accept it at first, we fight opening our eyes and admitting that we are no longer ourselves is never easy. We like to pretend that it is a dream a nightmare that we can wake from.
I took a deep breath and placed a hand on his thin shoulder so I would not be just a unknown voice.
"Christian?" I called softly "son I need you to open your eyes," I paused and gently shook him "I know you do not want to but you are going to have to eventually."
I could see him clench his eyes shut tighter for a brief second, before his body relaxed and he slowly opened his eyes. To see the deep brown eyes he'd had before suddenly turned into the blood red caught me off guard as it has with each member of my family I have changed, I should be used to it of course, but it still catches me.
His eyes darted around the room as he slowly grew accustom to the new sights, sounds, and scents he was being bombarded with, that in itself can be overwhelming, with everything intensified the body doesn't recognize its new strengths at first and it can lead someone to panic as the sounds and smells are amplified and that in itself can be frightening and even painful. Not to mention the painful thirst I know Christian was feeling.
I caught the twitch of his nose as a scent entered and I found myself checking the air to determine what it was that had caught Christian's attention and concern washed over me. Someone was in the woods; far enough from the cottage to not really be an issue, but close enough that Christian caught his scent and began reacting to it. His eyes went wide as his brain registered the scent and he sat up quickly growling and screaming at the same time
"NOOO!" He shouted, quickly I reacted and pushed him back down on the bed as he fought me. I could see the indecision, it was written all over his face, part of Christian wanted to react, to rush outside and give into his instincts the other part feared just that happening and though he fought to sit up, his instincts were losing the battle with his subconscious, which surprised, but delighted me.
"Easy Christian, easy son. It will pass, hold your breath if you must. It will pass, I promise it will, trust me.
Though he had stopped fighting me he did growl in response and it slightly amused me though I managed to hide it. I could see he was holding his breath and continued to do so as he realized that he could hold it indefinitely. He began to relax as the human scent faded into the woods and he took a single deep breath, and I gave him a reassuring smile
"Dr…Dr. Cullen?" he called weakly and my smile grew, he had remembered my name which gave me renewed hope for his control. I pushed his bangs back again, keeping my other hand on his shoulder just in case.
"You did well Christian, very well." I answered him unable to keep the pride out of my voice. I was alarmed when he looked away from me quickly as if he was undeserving of such praise.
"Will it always be like that?" He asked, his voice still weak and just on the cusp of maturity, reminding me just how young he was "Will I always feel that?"
"The burning?" I asked, just to clarify that was what he was talking about and he nodded. "It will always be present." I explained and I saw his face fall "however, the intensity will fade with time and experience. Eventually you will be able to for the most part ignore the scent. It will not be easy, but we learn to endure." I slowly sat up and allowed Christian to sit up on his own, he put a timid foot on the floor and I half expected him to be unsteady on his feet the way he was moving, but he seemed to handle it well.
He walked slowly away from me, heading towards a mirror that lay against a table, it had been in the cottage when we had come here and I just left it where it was. But now Christian seemed drawn to it. He glanced back at me as if waiting to be reprimanded, before using his sleeve to clean the dust from the glass as he examined his reflection carefully. It was fascinating to watch at his surprise at seeing his reflection and at his lack of fangs. Edward had been right about Christian's past, he had read Dracula and did know what a vampire was, at least in that context.
My fascination stopped however when Christian pulled out a tiny charm from under his shirt a small gold cross. I watched as he stared at the charm in surprise and even fear obviously wondering why it was not branding him. He lifted the charm up and held it timidly in his hand as if he was afraid it would burn him.
I suddenly realized why I had felt for Christian the moment he was brought to the hospital, why I knew I had to save him even if it meant bringing him into this life, I saw myself in him. Christian Callaghan stood in front of me but all I saw was a fourteen year old Carlisle Cullen, frightened and unsure about what he was expected to do, but still curious and thoughtful about the whole thing. I knew virtually nothing about Christian and yet I felt like I knew everything, I knew he could handle this life and knew it wouldn't be easy but he would persevere.
When he looked back at me I could see the panic forming on his face, but I quickly realized it had nothing to do with his charm, something else was frightening the boy. I knew that look, the look of confusion and fear at something that should occur, Edward had the same look when we discovered he could read minds, I do not know how I knew, but I was certain, Christian too had an ability.
I remembered what Edward had mentioned at the hospital, something about Christian being an observant kid, his reading our lips when there was no way he could hear our voices, and his constant look of studying even when he was in pain. I would bet on it, something about Christian's ability revolved around body language and perhaps reading his environment. It would have to be tested to know the extent of it, but that certainly explained quite a bit. It also inspired new confidence in Christian's willpower, especially if he was able to see the world differently then the rest of us.
"I know you have many questions," I said softly and he nodded his shoulders shaking. "But first things first," I reached into Edward's case and extracted a pair of trousers and a sweater for Christian to change into. Both would be somewhat large on the boy's small frame, but at least he could change into clean clothes that were not covered in blood or soot, and when Edward returned I would run into the city and purchase some better fitting clothes. Christian looked them over and nodded a thank you. I gestured towards the washroom and he gratefully darted over to it.
In my mind I went over how best to discuss this with Christian as smart as I knew he was, an explanation needed to be done in a different way than I had for the others, he is above all younger. One of the biggest hurdles I expected was his parents. My greatest concern was that Christian would try to return to them, or at least go to let them know he was safe. That could prove to be a problem, even if he just wanted to say goodbye it would be impossible, but stopping him would also be a problem, despite how small he is, Christian is now a newborn vampire, incredibly strong and fast, and even with Edward and I there to stop him, it would not be an easy task.
I sighed and reached into my bag to pull out a book. I didn't know how long to expect Christian would be in the washroom. I hoped that Edward's clothes would fit Christian well enough, he was so small it was unbelievable. The cost of war was never a pleasant one, but looking at Christian it was clear how much England had suffered in the year since Germany had invaded Poland beginning the war. I know there had been what was referred to as a phony war, but supplies was limited within the first month of the war, preparing for whatever Germany had in store. The ration points each family was allotted was so minimal it was amazing that starvation wasn't present, nor was it as much as I expected. Until I looked at the thirteen year old I was now responsible for, Christian was so emaciated and small, that if I wasn't so sure how old he is, I would have been positive that he was no more than eleven years old. I ran my hand through my hair, going over what I would say to Christian when he came out.