Vampire Mine - Kerrelyn Sparks [96]
“Even Bunny won’t come,” Marielle cried. “They’ve given up on me.”
Connor looked back toward the warehouse entrance and spotted more Vamps coming out. “Roman! Angus! Over here!”
A group of Vamps dashed over.
Connor knelt beside Marielle. “He barely has a heartbeat.”
“God’s blood.” Roman turned pale as he looked Whelan over. “This will kill Shanna.”
Angus turned to Robby. “Bring her here.”
Robby nodded and vanished.
“Shit,” Phineas muttered. “I knew it was crazy for that dude to come here.” He looked at Roman. “Why don’t you take him to Romatech? Give him some blood.”
Roman shook his head. “He would be dead by the time we got the transfusion started. And that wound to his stomach—it’s not something we can just patch up.”
Connor stood. “It would heal if he were a Vamp.”
Roman stiffened. “Are you suggesting—”
“Aye,” Connor replied. “But if we’re going to do it, we’d better be quick.”
Robby reappeared with Shanna.
She gasped and fell to her knees beside her father. “Dad!” She touched his face. “Oh God, no! Dad, please don’t go like this.” She turned a tearful face to Roman. “Can’t you do something?”
Roman shook his head slightly. “He only has a few minutes left.”
Tears streamed down Shanna’s face as she looked at all the Vamps. “I thought you guys would protect him! How could you let this happen?”
Connor shifted his weight. Bugger. He’d saved Whelan’s life twice tonight. He’d thought the man was safe when only a few fledglings were left.
“I’m so sorry,” Marielle whispered. She picked up a dagger beside her. “I used this on the vampire who was attacking him. But I was too late.”
Connor’s breath hitched. Marielle had killed to protect Whelan? No wonder she looked so pale and devastated.
“He might survive if we transform him,” Angus said.
Shanna gasped.
“Dude,” Phineas mumbled. “He hates vampires.”
“He might see us in a different light if he was one of us,” Connor argued.
“That’s an excellent point,” Angus said. “We wouldna have to worry anymore about him turning on us.”
“Unless he gets so pissed by waking up Undead that he kills us all,” Phineas grumbled.
“I can’t believe you’re discussing this like a business decision,” Shanna yelled. “Weighing the pros and cons while he’s dying? He’s my father!”
“Then what do ye think?” Robby asked. “Would yer father choose to be one of us? Or would he rather die?”
Shanna blinked. “I—” She looked down at her father, then back up at the Vamps. “Yes. Yes, do it.”
The Vamps glanced at one another.
“What are you waiting for?” Shanna asked. “He’s dying! Do it!”
Connor looked at Angus. “Ye do it. It was yer idea.”
“Nay, ye were the first one to suggest it. Ye do it.”
Connor glanced down at Whelan. Just the thought of sinking his teeth into the bastard made him shudder. “I’m no’ touching him.” He nudged Phineas. “Ye do it.”
“I don’t even know how!” Phineas poked at Robby. “You do it.”
“Why me?” Robby turned to Angus. “Ye’re the expert. Ye do it.”
Angus grimaced. “I’m no’ doing it. I hate the bugger.”
“Stop it!” Shanna screamed. “You— Forget it! I’ll do it myself.”
“Shanna, you don’t know how,” Roman said. He closed his eyes and groaned. “God’s blood. I guess I have to do it.”
“You guess?” Shanna cried. “He’s your father-in-law. Are you going to just let him die?”
“He threatens to kill me every time he sees me.” Roman knelt on the other side of Sean. He leaned over him and shuddered.
“What’s wrong?” Shanna asked.
“I’m having trouble getting my fangs to come out,” he muttered.
Shanna touched his hair. “Do it for me.”
Roman hesitated. “I’m trying.”
“He hates you,” Shanna said softly. “He told me he wants to plunge a hot poker through your heart and dance on your ashes.”
“Bastard!” Roman’s fangs sprang out, and he sank them into Sean.
Marielle flinched. The other Vamps nodded with approval, but she looked away.
Connor pulled her to her feet. “Ye doona need to watch. Let me get ye out of here.”
“Will he be all right?” she asked.
“We willna know for sure until tomorrow night.” Connor led her