"No!" Dawn grumbled, upset at this attitude. "He said that the only way to save her would be to turn her," she looked at Caleb, who was now staring at her intensely, "into a vampire."

Caleb's disposition changed. He left her arm and his gaze darted between Daryn and Dawn.

​​

"And Lord Lazarus would do that?" Daryn asked, narrowing his eyes.

"He should, in my opinion. After all we helped him resurrect…" Dawn hinted. On the inside she was very unsure, but this option was like a small light of hope at the end of the tunnel. "We should ask them. And considering her situation, we don't have much time."

Caleb raked his fingers through his hair. He walked away from them to Yelgra. He leaned his hand on it for support and scratched his stubble. Then slowly he said, "Elize had said that she hated the idea of vampires." His shoulders dropped. "If we try to convert her, she would be disgusted with herself. She would never forgive me…"

"But Caleb, don't you want her to live?" said Daryn. He couldn't think of a better proposition than this.

"I want to," Caleb covered his face in his hands. "But what would be the cost of that? She would grow to hate me."

Dawn walked up to him and caressed his back. "I don't think so, Caleb," she said. "You are giving her a chance to live a life with you. You are giving yourself a possibility to have a future with her. Chances are that she is going to like this."

"What if she doesn't like it?" he asked as nervousness seeped in his heart. The idea was good, yet there was fear in his heart.

"Then you have to show her that you did it for her, for you. I am sure she will recognize the true intentions," said Daryn.

Seeing that he had become lethargic in his thoughts, Dawn coaxed him, "You have to make a quick decision. We don't have much time. Besides, we don't even know if Lord Lorza would come… We have to send him a message and then hope that he comes here just in time." She shuddered to think otherwise.

Caleb debated his options. And they were: either she becomes a vampire or he follows her in death. The former was definitely luring. He had to take the risk. "Okay," he nodded. "Let's do this and hope for the best."

"Great!" Daryn patted Caleb. His brother would live and so would his mate. He walked back from there to meet the council members to find a way to call Lord Lorza.

Dawn looked at her husband bouncing on his feet. Caleb joined him. Excitement charged the air as though electricity had zapped through them. Each of them was wrapped in their hopes, expectations and dreams. Dawn crossed her fingers over her head and pressed her palms in. She threw her head back. "I wish Emma could just come here now! She had said that I could call her when needed!"

'Why don't you go to call her?' said Quetz. 'She would more than welcome you.'

'I don't have the time for frivolities, Quetz. I am sure Daryn would do something about it.' She paused and then added, 'Thanks for the idea. I hope it works.'

'If she is turned, it will definitely work.'

Tension built in her. 'Elize stay alive please,' Dawn murmured a prayer. She walked back to the chamber and saw that Elize was thrashing her head on the pillow.

"What happened?" Dawn rushed to her.

"I don't know," said Caleb. "I don't know…"

Elize's eyes were half opened and she was delirious. "Cale—"

"Yes Elize. I am right here," said Caleb as he lifted her in his lap. Her body had become colder.

She adjusted her eyes to see him through her blurry vision. With a lot of effort she picked her hand to take it to his face, but they slipped back to her side. "I… love… you…" she whispered.

Tears streamed through his eyes and fell on her face. "I love you too baby," he replied caressing her cheeks. "There's something—" he hesitated, "something I wanted to say."

Elize blinked her eyes once to indicate that she was listening.

Caleb gulped and said, "There's one way to save you."

Her lips moved in the semblance of a smile.

At first he thought that he would tell her that she would turn into an immortal and hide all other facts as to how she would turn into one, but then decided to go with the truth because one truth would be better than a hundred lies, which he would never remember. He hoped that Elize wouldn't hate him for that. "We are calling Lord Lorza, the vampire king of Wilyra. He is the only one who can save you from this imminent death."

Her eyes fixed on him and her expression stiffened. "No…" she croaked. "I would rather die…" she said in a hoarse voice using every modicum of energy she could.

"But that is the only way you would live, Elize," cried Caleb. He was desperate for her to survive. The helpless feeling that his mate would die in his arms was stabbing in his chest like a dagger. "Please Elize, you can hate me later if you want, but you must do this for us. I need a chance to be happy with you." He wiped his tears.

She shook her head feebly. "I—" she gulped. "I… won't… accept…"

Suddenly the chamber doors opened and Lord Lorza, the pure blooded vampire along with his wife Emma entered. Daryn was right on the heels. He had gone personally to call them via a portal one of the council members had created.

Lazarus was huge and strong and his neck was as big and round as a lady's thigh. His upper arms were bulging with raw muscled and his shoulders were twice the size of most men. When he walked, others winced in his dominating aura. His pale blond hair that hung on his forehead over his red eyes gave him an eerie look. He walked towards the bed with Emma behind him.

He saw a pregnant woman standing right next to the bed. He gave her one of his rare smiles. "Dawn," he greeted her in his throaty voice. It was the first time they had seen each other. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Dawn gave him a smile back and nodded. She glanced towards Elize and Lazarus looked towards the girl.

Caleb looked at him with hopeless eyes.

As if on understanding what he meant, Lazarus stopped. He had turned many dying humans into vampires and they were all blood vassals in his kingdom. That was a debt they had to pay. He had to bound them with that oath because of the dwindling population of his kingdom. However, today he was standing in debt to Dawn Wyatt and he wouldn't make Elize his blood vassal.

Elize rolled her head to look at him and she trembled seeing those red eyes. She shook her head as violently as she could, which was a mere feeble shake of her neck. "No!" She whispered. Her body had become too cold. Blackness was enveloping her slowly. She closed her eyes and clutched Caleb's shirt weakly. "Don't do this."

"Please Elize," he compelled her. Then he looked up at Lazarus and said, "Do it!"

The vampire sat down next to Elize on the bed.