Alexis shook her head. “I told myself never to get involved with a human again because of this. I’m immortal, you’re mortal. Byron is lucky—her blood bond and the Grand Duchess’s ring make Amelia immortal.” Alexis’s voice cracked. “I’m going to have to watch you die, and I can’t deal with that.”

Katie put her head on Alexis’s lap. What could she say? It felt like this could break them, and Katie loved Alexis too much to let her go. But Alexis was right—Amelia was lucky. She was now as immortal as Byron was.

Byron wouldn’t have to watch Amelia grow old and die, and Katie didn’t want Alexis to live with this fear. She would do anything to give Alexis that security. She thought of Alexis holding her first lover Anna as she died, and tears sprang to her eyes. Katie couldn’t let Alexis feel that pain again.

Katie looked up at Alexis and said, “I don’t want you to go through what you did with Anna. I want to transition, Alex.”

“What?” Alexis said with surprise.

“I want to become a vampire. I want to live by your side as long as you do.”

Alexis stood up immediately. “No way.”

“What do you mean no way?” Katie said.

“I mean no way are you giving up your mortality for me.”

Katie stood up and approached her. “Alex, it’s not just for you. I don’t want to live with the fact that I’m going to cause you so much pain,” Katie said.

“No,” Alexis said angrily.

“I consent. You have my consent. I mean, you were going to change me when Josie nearly killed me.”

“That was different,” Alexis said. “You were in immediate danger. I’m not doing it, Katie. You have no idea what you have to give up. It’s not a decision you should take lightly, on a whim.”

“But, Alex—”

“No.”

Katie was frustrated. “I’m not taking it lightly. You forget that I was torn back from the hands of death already. I know how it would feel.”

Alexis started to pace up and down. “You don’t know—you had a glimpse at best. Your parents would be horrified, and they’d blame me for influencing you.”

“Stop treating me like a child.” Katie stopped Alexis and put her hand on her chest. “I can make the decision for myself.”

Alexis looked her in the eye. “No, okay? No.”

Katie had enough. She grasped Alexis’s wrist and bit into it hard. Alexis pulled her wrist away, but Katie already swallowed her first gulp.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Alexis said angrily.

“Making the decision for you.”

“No, you’re not. You can’t complete the transition unless you die with my blood in your system, and I’m not going to kill you, and I doubt you’ll do it yourself.”