Chapter 12

     JULIAN GAZED AT THE fancy glass cup that was filled with healthy, refrigerated blood, his mind a thousand miles away. He still couldn't get the terrified expression of Erin Dexter when she learned his real identity out of his head.

   "If I didn't know you better boss, I'd say you appear heartbroken."

  He didn't even realize that Sebastian had entered the room. He ignored his words because he didn't want to ponder on it. It couldn't be possible that, after hundreds of years with no emotions and feelings, one small girl would make him feel this way. He had never believed in true love or having a soul mate, but with Erin springing up in his life, things were so different now. He still felt the insane urge to go after her and protect her, but he needed to respect her decision. Right now, she was completely terrified of him and he wouldn't add to it by chasing after her and giving her no option. He would let her make whatever decision by herself.

   The vibration of his phone brought him out of his thoughts. He sighed hesitatingly. He wasn't in any sort of mood to speak to anyone that wasn't—  his screen showed Erin Dexter. He turned to Sebastian, who was looking at him with his eyes narrowed. Julian turned and picked up the phone.

     ERIN WAITED AS THE phone rang. Then he picked. "Erin?" She sucked in a deep breath as she heard the sweet timber of his deep voice. She shouldn't feel this way. She shouldn't feel like her knees had suddenly given way, and she was floating. She couldn't be falling for a Vampire. An actual vampire. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

    "Julian..." She whispered, gripping the phone tightly to her ear. She felt a rush of tears to her eyes and tried to squash it. She didn't want them seeing her cry.

   "Is everything alright?" He asked, his voice on edge.

"No! No... Julian I.. I need your help. Immediately. Can you like... Come to my place now?"

   "What's wrong? What's happened??" He demanded.

   "I... I just need your help. Will you come or not?" Erin snapped. He was asking too much questions when the time was going. Fresh was going to die soon.

   "Erin, You literally ran from me. You are scared of me. It's going to take more than that to make me believe that you really want or need my help."

   "Please, Julian! It's my friend!" She sniffed, wiping the tears that had escaped. "She's in trouble. She's.. She's dying, Julian. Please can you come?"

  There was almost a minute silence from the other side. Erin was about to give up and cut the call when he finally replied.

     "I'll be there before you know it."

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    Erin stared at Feesh's still body. Jake had assured her that she was still alive and the sedative had just knocked her unconscious. But it looked like she was.. Dead. Erin was so scared that Feesh would lose her life.

     "Don't worry, sis. The drug won't do anything that it's not supposed to do. Anyway, who's this mumbo-jumbo savior of yours anyway?"

   Erin knew the question was coming after the eye he'd given her during the phone call. "His name is Julian Ferrari and he is my boss. Well.. Not directly my boss.."

   "So what? You're shagging the CEO of your new work place?" He asked, his tone mocking. He didn't even appear surprised.

   "No!" Erin shouted defensively before she could stop herself. "I'm not sleeping with him! He's just.. Like my friend. And he's.... powerful"

    "Powerful enough to save Feesh here? Because I don't think there's any undoing this." Jake said, glancing at Feesh.

   "Yes. He.. Can save her, somehow. We may not like it, but that's the only thing that might save her." Erin whispered.

   "What is he going to do, Erin?" Jake asked slowly, his voice on edge.

    "She wants me to turn her friend into the bloodsucking monster she's terrified of."

Both Erin and Jake screamed and fell on each other in a heap. Julian stared at them, lying down shocked and startled on the floor.

    "I'm sorry if I sneaked up on you." He said to the both of them, Waiting till they got their footing before walking further into the room.

   "Couldn't you at least knock?!" Jake yelled at Julian, making Julian chuckle as he stared him up and down.

   "You look just like your sister, I must say. And your... Personalities match. You got that from Erin." He stated. Erin wiped her brows before going closer to him.

"Julian... I need to talk to you, privately." Erin told him in a whisper.

   Julian nodded and allowed her to lead him out of the room. They got to the passage way and stopped.

"Julian... I need you to make my friend a Vampire." Erin told him.

   "I don't just go about changing people into something they didn't ask for, Erin. I knew that's what you wanted to ask from me, so I came here to tell you no. You have to let her die. If she changes completely, she becomes a demon, a rogue and will kill anything in her way. Without the blood of an original, like me, she becomes a predator and has to be killed. But... We can end her before you have to see that ugly side of her. One dose of wormwood would kill her immediately, and I brought that with me."

  "I'm not letting you kill my friend!" Erin yelled with a strong glare at him. How could he even mention Feesh being a demon? The thought of that happening to her was like a thorn in her flesh. Maybe she could find a way to contact his right-hand man, Sebastian.

    "I'm sorry, I can't do anything to help you. And you can't go in front of any other bloodsucker to make this request. It is very dangerous because the blood of a turned vampire causes more damage to their body more than the good." He warned. Erin frowned at him, confusion on her face.

   "What do you mean? What damage could it possibly cause?"

   "You see, a turned vampire is like a... A fake version of the real product. They have the same abilities, strength, speed, hearing.. But their bloods are just a mixture of a tiny drop of an original's blood and the rest is venom. So, a turned vampire turning a dying human.. Instead of making them strong and fast, they become more weaker, sicker and closer to old age."

"You mean they become a vampire... But still weak?" Erin asked unbelievingly.

   "Yes. They have that thirst for blood, they can't survive a day without it, and they have no powers, no strength. They're literally sick patients." He paused to gauge her reaction. "We have thousands of them in my coven. They live at the healing bank. I could show them to you so you could see the way they are."

   Erin kept quiet. She knew he was right. No one else could turn Feesh into a vampire other than him.

   "I'm ready to stay by your side at all times if you're willing to turn Feesh." She blurted out, placing a finger on his chest. Julian looked down and stared at it, then turned back to her.

   "I'm tempted, but no. I can't turn her without her permission." He said with a smile.

  With a frustrated groan, Erin turned away from him. She couldn't let her only new friend die or turn into an ugly monster. She needed to help her. She didn't know Feesh well, but she was certain that she would have wanted this. Feesh would have wanted to be a vampire. Slowly she turned to him. She looked into his eyes then did something Julian didn't expect. She tilted her head and tossed her hair back, baring her neck.

   "If Feesh can't make the decision herself, then I can assure that I will make the decision for her." Erin held out a sharp tiny pin for him to see. His eyes widened in shock as he realized what she was about to do. She wanted to stab herself in the neck.

  With a shaky voice, she continued. "The Feesh I know would have wanted this! She wouldn't have wanted the world snatched from her! She wanted to live to the fullest! And being a vampire would help my girl. So if you won't help her, maybe you can help me, because when I stab my guts out, and you see the blood, you'll have no choice but to turn me. That is my decision."

   Julian stared at her in silence. His eyes full of so many emotions that Erin didn't understand. Then after some moments, he picked the pin out of her fingers. And brought it to his. In one fluid movement, he disappeared from where he was in front of Erin. Erin ran back inside and stopped. Jake was sitting and watching what was happening, he was surprisingly taking it well.

    Julian was crouched beside Feesh, his forefinger inside her mouth. He was giving her his blood. Without turning he said.  "Guess you've had your way, manipulative girl."

   Erin smiled and clapped her hands together happily.

       

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