Not since that attack when Jean had hidden under Christopher's bed and listened to the sounds of warfare outside the window had she been so terrified.

Lucien had gone to the morgue to meet with Mrs. McKenna, and she had expected him back shortly thereafter. She was interested to hear how it had gone and whether there was any clue as to what Sara McKenna had been doing in Ballarat and with whom. But Lucien was late for dinner. That did not surprise her too much. He sometimes went off investigating and forgot the time. She'd keep something warm for him. She and Mattie could have dinner on their own.

Imagine her surprise, then, when the sounds of a car driving up to the house sounded and instead of hearing the front door open and Lucien shout an apology for his tardiness, the doorbell rang. Jean got up from the dinner table, frowning curiously at Mattie as she did. Mattie just shrugged.

"Alice!" Jean greeted in surprise upon opening the door.

"Jean, you have to come to the hospital," Alice said gravely. "I borrowed a car from Matthew Lawson to come pick you up."

"What's happened?!" Jean asked in surprise.

Lucien was stabbed in a barn and Chief Superintendent Lawson thinks it was the killer vampire. Alice's thoughts were forced into Jean's mind as she communicated silently.

Jean replied the same way. What do you mean, he thinks it was the killer vampire?!

Alice shook her head. Chief Superintendent Lawson found Lucien's car on the side of the road where Sara McKenna was found and Lucien was in a barn a ways off in a field and he was bleeding from his torso, and I read in his head that he thinks it might be connected to Sara's death.

Lucien thinks?

No, Chief Superintendent thinks it, but the police ruled out any suspicious activity in Sara's death so he didn't say it out loud, Alice clarified.

Jean's mind was spinning. "I-is Lucien alright?" she asked aloud, her voice small and afraid.

"He was going into surgery when I found out about it," Alice answered, also out loud.

Mattie suddenly appeared in the entryway. "Jean, you go with Doctor Harvey. I'll clean up the kitchen and gather some things for Lucien and meet you there later," the young woman insisted.

Jean was grateful for Mattie's cool head. Jean herself usually kept a cool head. But right now her head was empty. All she could think was that Lucien was hurt and Jean could not help him. Her soulmate was hurt. Soulmate. Jean would rather die than lose him. That's what that meant, didn't it? He was her soulmate and her soul would never be complete without him. Especially not now that she had gotten this glimpse of happiness. This taste of a future with Lucien was not nearly enough.

Alice was kind enough to stay out of Jean's head as they drove. Jean felt numb. Nearly paralyzed with fear for Lucien's safety. Just as she had all those years ago when Christopher went out to fight. When Christopher never returned home. The idea that Lucien might not return home to her was more terrible than she could contemplate right now. She pushed the very suggestion of that thought right out of her head.

They were left waiting for a long time at the hospital. Jean sat still and quiet, hoping her numbness continued and she could just keep her mind empty. There was no comfort anyone or anything could provide her now. Not until there was something to know about Lucien's condition.

Alice wandered around. She was anxious about Lucien, as the two of them had become close friends through working together and Lucien knowing about her vampirism. But her wandering had more purpose than just nervous fidgeting. She was a doctor at Ballarat Hospital, and she had access to everything. And she could read minds to determine if there was any update. She would go check every few minutes and come back and whisper into Jean's mind, Nothing yet.

Matthew Lawson came by, and Jean desperately did not want to talk to him. Or to anyone. Thankfully, Alice sensed that—or possibly read it from her mind—and deflected Matthew's attention. And it was when Alice and Matthew were speaking quietly in the corner that a doctor Jean did not recognize came over.

"Are you here for Doctor Blake?"

Jean bolted up from the chair. "Yes, is he alright?" she asked anxiously.

The doctor nodded. "He's come through surgery just fine. He will need a lot of time to recover, but I think he can probably go home after a couple days."

"May I see him?" Jean begged.

"He won't wake up for a little while, but yes, you can go in and see him."

She followed the doctor to the recovery room where Lucien had been moved. Alice and Matthew were right behind her. It took everything in her to not use her vampire speed to rush to Lucien's side. She pulled over a chair and took Lucien's hand in both of hers. And she could finally exhale and release some of her panic.

His blood flowed through his veins. Jean could feel it thrumming. Could hear it. Smell it, even. He was going to be alright. She could tell based on his heartbeat. Relief flooded Jean so overwhelmingly that she hardly noticed that she'd begun crying.

She was vaguely aware that Alice and Matthew were standing there watching. It took a bit of concentration, but Jean pushed out a thought to Alice. Could you give us a little time, please? She did not look to see if Alice understood. But the next thing she knew, Jean and Lucien were alone.

Jean brought his large, strong hand up to her lips, kissing it gently through her tears. "I told you to be careful," she choked out, almost laughing over it. She should have known better. She had already witnessed him goading a known murderer until he was nearly strangled to death. Lucien Blake was not a man who behaved with an abundance of caution, even if he had no real intention to be reckless.

But didn't he understand how frail human life was? Hadn't he realized how vulnerable he was to harm? He was only a man! A wonderful man, of course. The best man she had ever known. But still a man. He did not possess her powers. He had no increased speed or strength. He could not control or read minds, nor could he resist it from others. His body was not impermeable as hers was. As his would be if he were a vampire.

Jean knew what she had to do.

Just then, a little twitch of Lucien's hand in hers startled Jean. "Lucien?" she murmured, hope nearly bowling her over.

"Jean," he whispered, his voice barely audible. But Jean had heard.

"I'm here, Lucien." She pressed more kisses to his hand, squeezing it so he would feel her presence.

"What's happened?" he slurred, his eyes starting to flutter open.

"Never mind that now. Everything's alright," she assured him. "You're here. You're safe."

Jean took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to keep herself calm. The wave of emotions from panic to relief in such violent changes was difficult to contend with. Jean was a steady sort of person, not prone to such drastic swings.

Lucien's eyes started to clear of the fog, and he smiled gently at her. She pressed more kisses to his hand, not knowing what else to do.

"I'm afraid I've missed dinner."

She laughed. "It'll keep," she promised.

Lucien smiled softly at her, his gaze filled with the beautiful loving affection she had come to know from him. And in his eyes, thanks to this whole horrible night, Jean found clarity.

"As soon as you're better, Lucien," she began, knowing that if she said it aloud, it would be real. She would not change her mind once it was said out loud. "After you've recovered your strength, I'll turn you."

His eyes went wide. "You will?"

Jean nodded. "I have to. I can't go through this again. I can't have you running about without the protection that being a vampire provides you. You are my soulmate, and I cannot lose you."

"All I want is to be with you forever, Jean," he said, squeezing her hand with his. "I don't want to cut that short before we start our life together properly."

"I know," she answered. "I know, and I agree. If I have to be cursed, I want to live cursed with you. I don't care about the council or about the fact that we've only known each other a short while. As soon as you're strong enough again, I'll turn you."

"What council?" he asked.

Jean had forgotten that she'd avoided telling Lucien about the vampire council thanks to her own fears surrounding the subject when it was discussed with Alice. But Jean shook her head. "We can talk about it later. For now, let me just thank God that you're alive and you're safe."

Lucien nodded, grimacing slightly in pain as he did so. But when he stilled, he just looked at her with a smile on his lips and love in his eyes.