Chapter 14

Savannah's physical body was motionless in its' meditated state. She had become light and energy to enter into Elena's body to begin the healing. A chant, soothing but effective, echoed in the woman's mind willing her to stay in this realm. Light called to another light and Elena had no choice but to stay and listen to its purity. Even in the state Elena was in she, forced herself to seek out the one man that made her blood heat and her breath catch in her throat. Her Nicolae. She just had to stay for him, had to look upon his face one more time before she died.

Warm soothing hands began a deep massage on Savannah's achy neck and Gregory soon joined her in the body of the poor woman. She had to stay concentrated on the process of feeding Elena's Starving cells with oxygen, while moving the blood through her body without the aid of the heart. It was damaged with the strike of the vampire and Savannah couldn't chance repairing it without the aid of her life mate.

Gregori surveyed the damage and began his work on repairs to the most serious of wounds first. Retreat from her body pet. There is nothing more you can do but to conserve your strength. I will need your aid when I return to my own body.

Savannah sent Gregori a warm thought of encouragement and rejoined her physical body with a wave of off balance. She focused on Gregori to make sure he was not hurt in the battle and then saw the body of the woman lying at her feet. Elena looked of death itself. Torn and shredded clothes left her body barley covered. Blood soaked thoroughly leaving no clean patch of material. Many cuts marred her legs and ankles. Black and blue marks appeared over ribs and breasts. My God……How can anyone do such a thing to another person?

Nicolae didn't look much better. He was awfully pale and she could sense his rising hunger and worry for his loved one. The beast wasn't too far from the surface but she had not had to worry about such things since she was life mate to the bogyman to their race. He was packing her chest wound with his healing saliva and some soil he had found in the potting plants outside. (Thank goodness for charitable donations!) The rich minerals will aid to her healing and hopefully help Gregori internally.

Stay with me cara… do not leave me so soon. We have only just begun to live.

Savannah frowned and placed a hand on his shoulder to comfort him in his time of need. Gregori emerged from the battered woman's body and took a minute to regain his strength.

"She is stable for now, but she is bleeding internally. There is nothing more I can do for her. She needs to be converted Nicolae… or she will not survive." The words were clear, crisp, and to the point. His eyes showed guilt for not being able to do more. The great ancient healer can't solve every problem…don't put so much on yourself. You did what you could.

"Would she survive the conversion in this state?" His eyes pleaded for an answer. Any answer that would say they had more time together and spoke of life after this.

Gregori stood slowly and brought Savannah with him. "She will survive but you must hurry back to your lair. In the mean time take what I offer to you…so that you both may survive the next couple of hours." Gregori held out his wrist to the man freely. Nicolae only hesitated once. Knowing that they would be tied and that this was a huge step for Gregori to take.

Hunger and weakness beated at his brain and the smell of the ancient blood filled his senses. He knew he would have to be at full strength to aid Elena through the brutal conversion. His incisors lengthened and pierced the muscled skin of the dark healer. The blood flowed to his starving cells in a rush. The blood was powerful, ancient. He was thankful for its rejuvenating qualities. When he had taken enough, he had closed the wound and scooped Elena up in his arms. "Thank you Dark One…I will give word to you when we have converted and rested." He bowed courtly and fled as fast as he could to the cave.

Savannah grabbed her life mates head and kissed him tenderly. "You need to feed love you are weak." She ran her fingers through his hair and moved her body closer to his. When his teeth pierced her skin she had moaned softly against his ear. She would never get tired of him ever. Every moment with him got better and better every day.

It better Cherie…once we are done here, cleaning up this mess, I will take you to a place of privacy on the outer banks of Erie. His voice was a purr, whispering sweet nothings and promises.

Then we should hurry don't you think? He closed the pinpricks on her neck and smiled at her. Then he began work repairing the floor and cleaning up the blood. I will take that as a yes then.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The trees and wild life flew below them as they descended to the cave. She knew her body was unconscious, but her mind still flickered in and out. Nicolae's voice was calling to her to stay with him. Whispering encouragement as they neared the state park. She tried her hardest to tell him that she was still with him but she couldn't seem to communicate. She knew she was in bad shape.

Nicolae clutched Elena close to his body protectively as they landed on the mossy ground outside the mouth of the cave. The cave was slick with prearranged condensation as a safe guard. Anyone stupid enough to enter his lair would meet a deadly fate. No more chances were going to be taken away from him or his life mate ever again.

With lightning fast speed, Nicolae brought Elena to the shelter of his bed chamber. The warm colors and soft fabrics made him a little less tense for what was about to happen. Quickly; he crushed herbs into a bowl and lit a couple of candles he had gathered from his people in the Carpathian Mountains before he made the journey to America. The aroma filled the room and turned to his woman. She was a mess.

How could I have done such a thing to you? This is all my fault for not warning you further of pending danger. I am sorry…please forgive me for what I am about to do.

He lowered his body next to hers and cleaned away the blood and offensive clothes…Or what was left of them. Her face was that of beauty and honesty and he didn't deserve her. He lowered his head to the nape of her neck and pulled her closer into the shelter of his body. I love you. He allowed the smell of her blood to excite him. Make him hard with need. He teased the pulse under his tongue and sunk deep into her throat.

Her blood flowed like nectar into his mouth. An addicting taste he knew he would never get enough of. She held the key to his heart and soul and nothing would ever change that. In this life or the next.

When her heart began to stutter and he thought he had taken enough for a proper exchange, He closed the pinpricks with a sweep of his tongue and slashed a line across his heart. Urging her head to him he woke her up out of her unconscious state.

Come to me love…Drink deeply so that you may live. There was no hidden compulsion in his voice. Pain rippled through her body and he still urged her to him.

Elena's eyes snapped open with a new found meaning of the words "Pain and Suffering." She moved her mouth to his wounded chest and began to drink the life of him. She was completely aware of what was happening to her and of what she was doing. She knew from seeing in his mind that if she didn't that she would surely die and she just wasn't ready to leave him yet. Even if that meant that she had to hive up her freedom and the light.

One tear fell away from her sad eyes as she looked up to Nicolae. She knew from his memories of the other Carpathian males that the conversion is painful and almost unbearable to watch. "I am not afraid anymore Nicolae. I just couldn't let myself die without seeing you one last time." His heart melted at her confession. She was by far the bravest woman in the world. In that moment he cradled her against him and met his mouth to hers. She was his and she wanted to be with him.

She began to wince under his touch and felt the warm heat spreading to her stomach. The heat turning into cramping pain and then the nausea came. It was starting.

Her insides began to convulse and the feeling of a blow torch ripped through her stomach like a hot knife to butter. Wave after wave of pain and suffering plagued her small body with hardly a break to breathe in between. The muscles all through her body would stiffen and she would jerk around as if in a seizure. Nicolae held her hair away from her face as she disposed of all her bodies' toxins and bile. Blood and sweat seeped over her body in a fine sheen when she cried and begged for him to end her existence and live without her. Her organs were being reshaped and her blood was being replaced and she cried out for him to help her and then damn him…and then help her again.

He knew it was the pain talking and that she couldn't help it. But it hurt to hear her say such things. He felt so helpless. He could only take away about a third of her bodies' pain and the rest he could do no more than to share with her. It broke his heart to see her like this. And when the last of her convulsions swept through her, he had thought it safe to put her to sleep. All evidence of her conversion was cleaned away and her body was bathed and cleansed of the left over toxins it had disposed of.

Slowly and carefully, he picked her up and carried her to the secret chamber of earth behind the wall. She would sleep the sleep of their people and she would live. The earth opened up and he floated them down to its welcoming arms. The rich minerals will aid in her health and her body would recover.

He glanced down at her face before covering their bodies. Her face was innocent and pure. He had looked upon this face once only in his dreams...thinking she was lost to him forever. Now she was here and he was going to catch some major hell when she woke up. His little spitfire will be a handful when she wakes…but at least he had her.

The soil drifted over the two bodies in the ground. Their heart beats ceased and the last breath was taken. He would have to sleep well for the vampire who caused this was still loose and will come back for revenge. But this time he will be ready.

(Author's Note)

Thank you all for being so patient with me. And to my loyal readers I thank you for your support. It is much appreciated and well thought of. Here is a glimpse of what is up next for our heroes:

Gregori and Nicolae face the final battle with the Master Vampire.

Elena is finding it's not so bad to be a being of the night and the 2 love birds reconnect.

And a surprise to both couples will set the scene for the next story I am writing….can't give away too many secrets yet. But stay tuned and keep reviewing.

Thanks,

Ashley