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Dr Caedes returned, bearing a soblet with some kind of lid attached to the top It looked like those cup attachentlemen with mustaches He passed it to the queen, who took it in one hand
"Prepare the girl"
Dr Caedes grabbed the comatose woman by the shoulders and shifted her into his th irl not been relatively slight He turned her head so that she rested with the side of her neck exposed
The queen took a drink frooblet, swished the contents around in her mouth, and paused, an intense look of contemplation on her face Then Countess Nadasdy bared her teeth, both the longer regular fangs, the feeders, and the ss to either side, the istics of vampire metamorphosis They were secretive about the details, and rarely were scientists, save their own, permitted to observe But she knew the current theory held that feeders sucked the blood out while makers pumped blood in, so iving her own blood over to the new vampire
The countess opened herperfect drops of dark blood, aloblet acted as a catalyst
Dr Caedes bent and looked into his queen’s mouth "I believe we may proceed, My Queen"
Lady Maccon could only hope that the vampire metamorphosis process was less brutal than the olves Her husband had practically eaten Lady Kingair whole in order to change her It wasAlexia wanted was to witness the va this? Isn’t unbirth aon a hiss
"I think we are re as witnesses apurpose, th" The major seemed not at all perturbed by the prospect
"Does she? Why? Did I look as though I doubted it?"
"No But our Alpha has ed two successful ot to s awful for the vampires"
"You mean, I have stumbled into some kind of eternal tiddlywinks match? Who can make the most immortals? What are you people, schoolroo tilted his hands, paloodness’ sake," said Alexia, and then hushed, for the countess was biting down at last
It was a good deal ant than with the olves at first Countess Nadasdy sank her feeder fangs deep into the flesh of the girl’s neck and then kept going until she was far enough in for the s to sink in as well She cradled both arms about the woman and leaned back so that she was held up to her irl’s slack white face tilted toward the s an expression of ecstatic bliss She e up and down fluttering in her neck, like a cow regurgitating its cud, only faster, smaller, and in both directions
Asphodel re while, until her whole body jerked--once Alexia juave the look
Asphodel’s eyes popped open, wide, startled, looking directly at the observers Then she began to screaony Her pupils dilated, darkening and changing color, extending outward until her entire eyeball was a solid deep red
The girl’s eyes began to bleed Drops of blood leaked out, running down the sides of her face and dripping off her nose Her screaan to pour out of her h, My Queen It isn’t taking There will be nothis one over"
The hive queen only continued to suck, her expression beatific Her arging over the girl
Dr Caedes stepped forward and ripped Asphodel off of his queen’s fangs Under normal circumstances, Alexia suspected he would not have been able to do so All vaest of them all However, the countess’s beautiful eyes, when they finally opened, were sunken with exhaustion
Dr Caedes yanked the rasp and threw her to the floor like a used dishrag The girl convulsed one final time and stilled
Alexia went to bend over her solicitously, careful not to touch her in case, somehow, this was all as it was ht interfere with the process of irl, however, was motionless Lady Maccon looked up fro The olf shook his blond head
Dr Caedes spoke into the shocked quiet of the Blue Room "My Queen, it did not take You need to feed and restore your strength Please, put the makers away I will call in the drones"
Countess Nadasdy turned an unfocused gaze onto her vaone How unfortunate I shall have to buy a new dress, then" She looked around, catching sight of the fallen girl and Lady Maccon bent over her She laughed "There’s nothing you can do, soul-sucker"
Alexia stood, feeling queasy
There was blood everywhere Soaked into the countess’s green gown, splattered across the crea under the body of the unfortunate girl It was reallya social call
Dr Caedes gestured Mabel Dair forward "See to your mistress, Miss Dair"
"Certainly, Doctor At once" Mabel ran to the countess, her golden curls bouncing, and offered up her wrist
Dr Caedes followed, reaching around to support his queen’s head "Now remember, only feeders You are weak, My Queen"
Countess Nadasdy drank for a long ti in silence Mabel Dair stood still and quiet in her beautiful bronze dress, but soon the rose blooan to fade
Dr Caedes said gently, "Enough, My Queen"
Countess Nadasdy did not stop
Madaular and sharp under the irabbed Miss Dair’s arm above the wrist and jerked it off the vaasp in surprise
"He said enough"
The countess glared at the Frenchwoman "Don’t you dare dictate to me, drone"
"Haven’t you had sufficient blood for one evening?" The inventor gestured with her hand at the body and the mess that resulted