I wake up in the bathtub with everyone but Sam in the bathroom. Vincent is crying and has Katie and Steven at his sides. Eric is kneeling by the bathtub holding a glass of wine to my lips.
“What?” I say gravelly.
“Sip and then we will talk,” Eric says while caressing my cheek.
I sip it slowly as my stomach growls, “Katie go grab her something to eat. Let Sam in while you're at it too please,” Eric tells her.
She nods and then leaves. She comes back with a bowl of fruit and Sam. Eric feeds me a grape and asks, “Does it taste ok?”
“It's fine,” I reply as I chew it.
I see relief flash across all of their faces until Sam erupts, “What the f*ck Vincent!”
Sam rushes at him and raises him up by his neck. I see Vincent use hypnosis to keep him from moving further, but it doesn't hold. I know they're going to tear each other apart if I don't do something.
I reach my hand out, “No! Stop! Just stop!”
A force shoots out and pins them to opposite walls. I take in a breath, “Enough!”
I sigh and grab my head as I wince in pain.
Eric takes my face into his hands as he kisses me softly, “Eva please listen. You need to focus on yourself right now. Drink, eat, and take a few breaths. Please do this for me.”
He's so concerned for me. I need to listen to him. So I do and I quickly feel my senses return.
He smiles at me, “Better?”
“Yes, thank you,” I reply.
He looks over at the guys and then back to me, “Let them down, please.”
I lock eyes with both Vincent and Sam, “I will but no more violence.”
They both grumble "Fine” as I let them down.
Eric instructs, “Now everyone out to the living room. We will be out in a few. Eva, drink a bit more.”
Once we are alone I ask, “What's going on?”
He strokes my cheek, “What do you remember?”
“Vincent bit me, I screamed, and then everything went black,” I tell him.
“Is that all?” he asks.
“There was a shock,” I say.
He smiles, “Okay,” as he grabs a towel and helps me up. He hugs me and then helps me into a robe.
“You’re worried,” I say as I run my hands on his chest.
He grins and then kisses me before saying, “I was, but not now.”
That's good because now I'm more confused than ever.
He takes my hand, “Come on I can explain this.”
I tug him, “First why is this sweet red wine spicy?”
He smirks, “It has my blood in it.”
I gasp and his smirk widens, “You're not a vampire.”
He kisses me once more before guiding me to the living room, “Sit please, Eva. Vincent, stop looking at her like that!”
Vincent puts his head in his hands, “But I turned her.”
“You what!!!!” Sam rages.
Eric gets between them, “Hold up a minute!”
Vincent sighs, “You gave her blood Eric.”
Eric looks at all of them. “Everyone quiet!” he orders.
“Vincent, did you set out to turn her?” Eric asks.
“No,” Vincent says emphatically.
I come to his defense because I can feel how angry Sam is, “We'd talked about it but I'm not ready and we don't even know if it is possible because we don't know what I am.”
“She's not a vampire. You didn't turn her,” Eric reassures.
“But?” Vincent retorts.
Eric explains, “I know you've never turned someone. You have to want to for it to happen when you take them to the brink of death. Then they must drink your blood. What life is left in their blood
mixes with yours. Yes, she's drinking my blood but only a small portion to help her regain herself and she's eating to regain her powers too. She's the same as she always was. We know you can't harm your mate. Why did you try Vincent?”
My face falls at the accusation. He wouldn't purposefully try to hurt me, would he?
“I didn't! I would die first!” Vincent yells as he finally looks at me.
I want to know what happened. I want to understand. So I walk over to him and place my forehead against his. I let the visions come. I see us in bed. Kissing and snuggling. He enters me from behind and teases me with his fangs on my neck. I allow him to bite me. Then it becomes slightly painful. I yell and a shock shoots through us. He immediately pulls away. I smile and touch his face and then blackness.
I went and put my hands on both Sam’s and Eric’s shoulders and shared the vision I shared it with them.
Sam says still confused, “So you accidentally almost killed her.”
Eric corrects him, “No, they shocked each other. We can't kill our mates!”
“Then what?” Sam asks.
“He took too much too fast which caused the pain Eva felt. She could've told him to stop but instead her body reacted and shocked him. He reacted to hers which caused her to pass out,” Eric clarifies.
“But I thought,” Vincent starts to say as tears run down his cheeks.
I climb onto his lap and hold his head in my hands, “You didn't. I'm fine.”
“If I’d,” he says but I kiss him to keep him from finishing his sentence.
“Eric, was he hazed?” Sam asks.
Eric shrugs, “Possibly.”
Katie giggles, “Maybe you guys are the ones that need a babysitter!”
Sam looks around, “Katie might be onto something.”
Eric nods, “It might be best.”
I yawn. Vincent looks into my eyes, “We aren't doing the bank later. Eva, you need rest.”
“But?” I try to argue.
Sam puts his finger to my lips, “I'll use the hack and dig what I can. I will find proof to help any that they swindled so
going inside won't be necessary.”
Eric nods before asking, “Eva, how are you feeling?”
I smile, “Better and the headache is gone.”
Vincent hugs me and kisses my cheek, “I'm so sorry.”
I peck his lips, “It's ok, I'm fine.”
“If I…if anything,” he says.
“Vincent, stop. You didn't and I'm fine,” I tell him.
“How can you forgive me so easily?” he asks.
I smile, “Because I know you didn't mean to and I love you!”
I lay my head against his chest and his heart beats in time with mine. I smile because I know I made the right decision to let this go. I know it will never happen again unless I ask for it.
“So let's all try to rest,” Eric suggests.
I nod and go to our room. Vincent and Sam follow me. I take my robe off and climb into bed. They lay on either side of me.
Sam orders, “Sleep, I'll curl up as a wolf if I need to.”
I can tell that he's still upset with Vincent. I won't allow my mates to have animosity towards each other. If we are all in this for an eternity, we all need to get along.
“Sam, you could've hurt me just the same on our run. Your wolf is stronger than mine,” I point out.
“But I didn't lose control he did,” Sam replies.
“I'm sure we all will at some point. But what matters is that I'm fine because mates can't harm each other. This just proves we are mates! So I can't deny it anymore,” I say with a smile.
“I'm sorry,” Vincent says.
“Vincent, all is forgiven. Now forgive yourself!” I say as I kiss him. He tenses at first but then melts into it.
“Goodnight Vin,” I say as I turn to kiss Sam, “Goodnight Sam.”
Then I fall into a dreamless sleep.