"Dwayne," I said as I moved away from Hank and approached him. "I love you and thank you for this gift. I want you to turn Granny."
"Essie," he began.
"I know she might not make it," I cut him off before he explained the dangers. "However, it will give her a chance. She'll be thrilled she can fly all the time. And just think… you and she can keep the drag-strip act together for eternity."
My small giggle belied my fear, but the chance Granny could survive gave me strength and hope. I didn't want to hear what she would have to go through to live, but I was going to man up and ask.
"Will it…" I stuttered.
"Yes, it will hurt," Dwayne said in a business-like tone that I understood. This was difficult for him. He adored my granny like she was his own.
"How long?" Hank asked.
"A week or so," he answered. "I will drain the rest of her blood and then I'll slash my wrist and feed her hourly for three days."
"She'll know what's happening?" I paled at the thought of what I had agreed to, but knew it was right.
"No," he said tersely. "I don't think she will understand until she rises. She'll feel the pain but won't know why."
"Oh my god," I muttered as I held her tight. My stomach clenched and my throat felt raw. What if I put her through this and she didn't make it? Her last days on this earth would be excruciating. "Am I being selfish?' I whispered.
"Only you can answer that," Dwayne replied. "But if it makes you feel better I would do the same for you, even knowing what the risks were. I wouldn't do this if I didn't think she had a chance to survive. I love her too much to put her through what she's about to endure."
I knew he did and I did too. Her pulse was barely there now and I worried we might be too late if I asked more questions.
"Do it. Now," I said as I handed her over to Dwayne. "What can we do to help?"
"Leave," Dwayne said, carefully knowing it was not what I wanted to hear.
"What?" Hank demanded. "You can't think we're going to leave her here."
"Not here," Dwayne told us. "The Dragons and the psycho Wolves know where we are. I will take her to another compound I own in Michigan while she's in Death Sleep."
"How many compounds do you own?" I asked, even though it had nothing to do with what was important at the moment. Focusing on something mundane was going to save me from losing my mind.
"Too many to count," he replied. "Real estate is a very good investment."
Why didn't I know this? How many other secrets did Dwayne have?
"The Cows?" Hank asked as we made our back to the mansion, avoiding the piles of dead that littered the grounds.
"They will come with me. Granny will have blood lust when she rises. It's not safe for any human or Were to be around her for a while."
"But the Cows can?" I asked, confused.
"Ironically, yes," Dwayne said with a smile. "Their blood regenerates at a speed that is beyond very rare. They'll be able to feed her and their size is a bonus. If we have four of them with her at all times after she wakes they'll be able to calm and restrain her."
"She'll be violent?" Hank asked as he banged at the locked doors on the back of the house.
"For a bit," Dwayne answered truthfully. "Mostly just hungry. Once she gets a hold on the blood lust she'll be fine."
The Cows greeted us with ashen tear-streaked faces. They also had robes for Hank and me. In all that had transpired, I'd completely forgotten we were naked after our shift back. I gratefully slid into my soft robe as Hank did his.
"Is she dead?" Francis asked quietly. She rocked back and forth in sorrow and her sisters joined her.
"Almost," Dwayne said as he lightly kissed his daughter's cheek. "I am going to turn her. You all will protect and feed her when she wakes."
"We'll do it with pleasure," Pat insisted as she ran her huge hand sweetly over Granny's lacerated face. "We've fed newbie Vamps before."
"A long, long time ago—going on eighty years now," Harley added. "But I enjoyed it. It tickled."
"Granny had her some pretty big balls as a Wolf," Morgan said appreciatively. "She's gonna be one wild mofo when she goes undead."
My stomach roiled a little at the thought and I prayed Granny wouldn't hate me when she realized what I had done. Of course there was the chance she would never know what I had done…
"When will we know if she made it through?" I asked as I clasped her hand, not wanting to let go.
"When she wakes," Dwayne said with a tension in his voice that sliced through me.
"If she wakes," I added almost inaudibly.
"Don't you worry your skinny little butt about nothin'," Harley consoled me. "Your granny is one tough nut and my daddy knows his shit. She's gonna be one fine undead bloodsucker slash wolf slash I have no idea what the tarnation she'll be."
I nodded, unsure whether to laugh or cry and I decided to skip the skinny comment, considering the source. There were no guarantees, but without trying there would be no Granny.
"Keep the burner phone," Hank instructed, referring to the phone we'd given the Cows earlier. "I have ten more in the glove box of the Hummer. The numbers are already set in your phone as speed dial two, three and four etcetera. If one doesn't work or if we aren't the ones to answer it, delete the number immediately and get rid of all other traceable electronics you have."