Gale stared blankly. He heard her right, there was no questioning that, but to change her? He remembered his own change. The pain even now made him shudder. Two of his sisters had experienced the same exact thing. It had nearly taken Cole.

Gale? Cole's mental touch was feather light. Had she felt his distress? Distress is mild to what you are putting out. Your walking a knife's edge of having a panic attack. Gale sucked a deep breath and shared what Phoenix had asked of him. Cole looked the problem over from every angle. Do it. We will help.

Cole. He began to protest. He felt Cole's instant lash back.

I will not lose you anymore than I will lose the others. Gale sighed deeply. There would be no changing her mind when she was like this. One by one he felt his other two sisters fill his mind. But It wasn't just them, Daniel and Josef were also there in the back of his sisters minds. Both providing strength to the women.

Don't worry Gale. Sarah chimed. We won't lose our new sister. He smiled gratefully and looked to Phoenix. He hadn't realized she was a shadow in his mind. She had glimpsed what he and his family went through when they changed, but she could also feel their resolve to ensure her life. Gale felt her wonder at having so many people want nothing more than her happiness and safety. It brought tears to her eyes.

Don't cry! Maria said hurriedly. She didn't like to see someone else cry. It had the unfortunate effect of making her cry too. Phoenix wiped the tears from her face.

"Alright, let's get this over with before I make an even bigger mess of myself." Gale smiled.

"You're not a mess." He kissed her, kissed her lips, then moved across her cheek, and then down the sweep of her jaw line. Her breath hissed out and he could feel her body responding to his. More than anything he wanted the time before the pain to be beautiful, but he dared not go too far with all of his sisters and two of their lifemates in his mind witnessing everything. As it was, this long distance would tax them all. Especially Sarah who was still human. Kissing down her neck he found the thick vein. Her life blood pounding beneath soft flesh. He nearly lost himself in the heady feeling. Clamping down on the beast as it rose. He was doing this for her not him, he reminded himself.

Gently, Gale scraped his teeth over that vulnerable spot on her neck until she was quivering under him. She groaned and he bit down. The groan became a gasp then a moan of ecstasy. Her blood was like a fireball that nearly knocked him over. He was going to be terribly addicted to her blood. With that thought he made an incision over his heart and pressed her to it. Tentatively she lapped at the wound. Gale was forced to bite back the groan, but they both knew he was rock hard. Gale did his best to control his trembling until Phoenix had taken enough for a full exchange. Then he stopped her and sealed the wound.

"That it?" Phoenix looked down at herself checking her hands and body. "I don't feel any different." Gale's heart clenched.

"Not yet." he pulled Phoenix into his lap and held her tightly. It started slowly, a burning ache that churned in her gut then quickly spread to the rest of her body. Then with a gasp the intensity jumped up a notch. Phoenix tried to pull away from Gale, but he wouldn't let her. He solemnly refused to let her go through this alone. Pain lanced through her and drove the air from her lungs.

Gale! Ride the pain with her. Merge your minds completely. It was a command from his family's chosen leader and he did it instantly. Pain rolled over the combined mind of Phoenix, Gale, Cole, Maria, Sarah, Joseph, and Daniel. Another voice gasped,

No! Gale was only distantly aware of the window shattering and broken glass flying in all directions. Cole pushed her mind away from the connection and into Gale's body taking command of his powers. Quickly throwing a shield around them she managed to protect them from the flying debris. At the same time the door banged open and the sound of a gun being cocked echoed ominously through the silence. Gale wanted to scream because he couldn't do anything while merged so completely with Phoenix. Fire raced across their combined minds as Phoenix's body twisted and thrashed against the pain. Neither Phoenix nor Gale were aware of what was being said but even in the depths of the conversation Phoenix recognized the voice.

"Nina?" Cool skin touched their skin. Gale instinctively jerked away from the hand when he felt the parasites of a vampire.

"I'm here." Cole growled using Gale's mouth. It sounded strange, her voice from his body.

"Stay away vampire." A shield wrapped fully around the couple. A voice from out in the hall snarled.

"She's not a vampire! She's my wife!" Gale through the haze of pain thought he recognized Daisuke's voice. The shape changer had been hiding something it seemed. "Lower your gun."

"Cole says she's a vampire. Prove she's not."

"She saved her sister. She's been watching over her sister for years. She may have the parasites but she has not given up her soul. Gale knows!" Did he, Gale wondered. It was hard to remember anything through the veil of fiery pain. But it was letting up, they could breath. At least he knew it worked to have more people caring the weight of the pain. Not by much, but every little bit helped. "Gale met her at the cave." The memory clicked then. He hadn't seen her face, but he had noticed the parasites. There was also no evil from the girl.

Cole. He pleaded with his sister, shared the memories with her. Cole let his shield fall. She was wary but she trusted him. She was about to say something when the next wave of agony started, rolling through their minds like a loose cannon. Nina was crouched beside them, Gale wasn't certain what she planned to do. Healing didn't work on the conversion. It made it worse. There was a popping creaking noise, like a when a heavy branch groans then snaps under its own weight. The sound was followed by the feeling of something slick and slimy running down their skin. Everywhere the feeling touched the pain abated. Gale and Phoenix sighed in relief.

Gale, we are giving you our strength, but the sun is rising here, we must go to ground. Gale nodded. His family's strength bolstered his own just in time for another wave of pain. He wasn't even aware of when they left him, just the pain. Then the slime came again to temper the flames in them.

For what seemed like hours that became the pattern. Nina would fight the inner fire that threatened to consume them and they would rest between bursts of pain. The only break in pattern came when Phoenix thrust herself away from Gale and Nina and wretched over and over on the floor. She collapsed near the pile only to find her sister had willed the vomit away. After a time Nina put a hand on Gale's shoulder.

"Go to ground. It is safe. I will watch over everyone else." Gale didn't think, simply moved the giant bed aside and took Phoenix and himself to the waiting arms of mother earth. Pulling the rich healing soil over top of them and sending them both to deep sleep.