Curled in Gideon's embrace, Visena had the best sleep of her life. When they woke, it was dark, and the night air was crisp, billowing through the open window. It had been fixed while Visena was with the Council, and she hadn't seen it yet. It looked good as new through her bleary eyes. "You fixed it." Her sleepy voice had Gideon chuckling. "Yeah, I fixed it."

She sighed contentedly and draped herself over his warm torso before stiffening.

"What's wrong, Vi?" Gideon propped himself onto his elbows and looked down at his frazzled mate.

"There is so much to do, and I don't know where to start," Visena said, burying her face in the duvet. She groaned and kicked her feet a few times, satisfied by the rhythmic plopping sounds.

Gideon scooped her under the armpits and pulled her over his chest, their faces parallel. "Whatever we decide, we do it together. Take a deep breath with me." The Alpha's chest rose beneath Visena, and she mimicked his movement with an inhalation of her own and a wide smile.

"You're cute." She pressed her nose against his. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you more," he replied breathlessly.

After a chaste kiss, Visena decided what to do first. "Can you call Calypso and Mihnea? I need to tie up a few loose ends."

Gideon scoffed and squeezed Visena so tightly that she wheezed before erupting into a fit of giggles.

"Gideon, stop it!"

"What loose ends, huh? You're turning cryptic, Visena." He tried to tickle her, but she wiggled out of his grip and skittered off the bed in a huff.

"Are you gonna call them or not?"

"They're already here," Gideon smirked before climbing out of the California king and freshening up in the adjacent bathroom.

"How do you know?" She ran after him and saw his naked form retreating into the shower. She spun away, blushing but quickly turned back with a furrowed brow. 

Why should I be embarrassed? We had sex, for godsakes. 

With rejuvenated confidence, she stripped off and climbed in behind Gideon. His body was even sexier from behind. His shoulders, back and ass, were perfect. Bodies carved in marble for all eternity had nothing on the beauty of her mate.

He spun quickly, feeling her breath on his back and almost slipped on the sudsy floors. Visena grabbed his shoulders and steadied him against the tiled wall, leaning her body against his. He bit his lip and stared at her openly.

Visena kept her eyes trained on his. "We won't be getting anything done if you keep staring at me like that."

"You were making all the plans," Gideon quipped, dropping his hands to her waist when his eyes suddenly glossed over. He blinked after a moment and pulled a face. "Cal is getting impatient."

"What's new?"

He kissed her plump lips and helped remove all the grime from their bodies. Gideon would have to remember to strip the bed after falling asleep covered in soil and death. 

Amateur.

*

"Well, I hope you're satisfied after making me wait for thirty minutes. Although I figured you would have more stamina, being Alpha and all." Calypso's pointed look at Gideon had him rolling his eyes and dragging her into the empty dining room. Gideon had sent the rest of the pack to the forest to train that night.

"Get your ass in here and be quiet. I don't need the whole pack gossiping about my sex life."

Gideon found his seat at the head of the table, and Visena lingered in the doorway as Calypso sat opposite him. The Alpha tried to signal Visena to sit down, but she waited for something. Someone.

"Mihnea! Finally. Here, take some." She lifted her wrist to the Vampire, who had only just walked through the door. Gideon stood in a rush, about to shift and rip Mihnea to shreds.

"Gideon, sit down," Calypso took her turn, rolling her eyes and signalled for him to wait. Instead, he stood poised to strike as Mihnea strolled into the room.

"My, not many people would offer themselves so freely to a Vampire. Especially not the Vampire King."

Visena backhanded him lightly on the arm and dragged him by the hand into the room. "Don't antagonise him."

His brow rose, as did his thin lips as he cradled her hand in his. 

Gideon looked more irritated by the second.

The silver-haired woman rocked on her feet. "Are you going to have some or not? I owe you one. I'll do the rest of them tonight, too, if they are nearby."

"What are you doing, Visena?" Gideon's voice had merged with his wolf slightly, and she responded with a blushing face and visible shudder.

Mihnea slid his hand up her wrist and brought his lips to her fluttering pulse mark.

"I'll show you," she whispered.

With the slightest pinprick of a sharpened canine, Mihnea pierced her milky flesh. He lifted his mouth before the blood could reach his tongue and met her eyes. There was a wariness held there, excitement and fear. His tongue darted out and brushed the small bead of blood from her wrist, savouring the sweet copper on his tongue. A growl emanated from the table, but it was hushed when Mihnea fell back against the door frame with a hiss.

"What the fuck is happening?" Gideon had rounded the table and drawn Visena into his arms protectively as Mihnea curled in on himself. His body shivered and jolted in a mix of pain and pleasure. 

Finally, he stood to full height and ripped his shirt open to reveal pale flesh, a spattering of coiled chestnut hairs and blackened veins writhing beneath his skin. "It's working."

"What's working." Gideon all but shouted, dragging Visena away from the apparent deranged Vampire.

After a few more moments of strangled groans, Mihnea stood calmly and rebuttoned his shirt. A few had popped off in his vigour, but there were enough to make him decent.

"Your mate," Mihnea started carefully with dark eyes locked on Gideon. "Visena's blood has the power to make my kind into Sunwalkers."

"Your heart doesn't beat like a human." Gideon pointed out with a frown.

"No. Somehow, we retain our abilities and gain the gift of immunity to sunlight. She is a treasure to us all." Mihnea's gaze fell on Visena. It was full of undying gratitude and respect. "My people are waiting at your border if you are prepared."

"And what? Have hundreds of Vamps take her blood? Are you crazy? She'll die." Gideon squeezed his mate tighter, and Calypso chimed in after sitting in curious silence for the impossible event.

"He's right, for once. She could do a few hundred before she lost too much or the sun comes up."

"Hey, I'm right here, okay?" Visena huffed and unravelled herself from Gideon's embrace. "I'll help as many as I can, and then I'll do another batch tomorrow, and the next night, until everyone is free from the dark... Okay?"

"No-"

"Actually, I don't know why I asked permission... That is what's gonna happen. Are you going to come or stay here?" She looked at Gideon with a raised brow. He hardened his gaze but followed her regardless into the dark and towards the border.

It didn't take long before Visena could hear shuffling feet and muffled voices. Their excitement was tangible in the air. She broke out into a giddy jog and saw Thana amidst the crowd. "Thana!"

The Fae ran straight through Calypso's barrier and into the Vampires arms. Thana appeared taken aback by the gesture and awkwardly patted her shoulders.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine, Princess. Or should I call you Queen?"

"Visena is fine." The response was doused in mock- seriousness. "Anyways, let's do this." Visena rubbed her hands together nervously and looked back to her mate, Mihnea and Calypso. "Do any of you have a pin?"

Calypso snorted and pulled the dagger from her thigh. "Here, it's sharp. You can just use the tip."

Gideon knew what his mate was about to say a beat before she uttered a word.

"That's what she said...." As expected, Visena couldn't stop herself until it was too late. Calypso went beet red, and Mihnea's smirk was so sharp, the Fae could have used it to draw blood. Gideon suppressed his smile not to look childish.

"Sorry... I'll take it." She tentatively took the dagger from the Witch's hands and turned back to the Vampire horde. There had to be thousands.

There had to be a better way to do this. Visena pricked her finger and walked up to the nearest Vampire. Like all the rest of her species, she was deathly pale, had dark, dead veins and was ice cold to the touch. "Hi." She held out her beading finger, and the female latched on, sucking fervently. 

Mihnea stepped forward and swatted her over the head just as she flew backwards into the crowd, her body wracked with convulsions. The Vampires near the event drew back fearfully and watched as the woman returned to 'normal.' She sat up, dark eyes melting away to a pair of baby blues.

"What's happening?" Visena whispered to her companions.

"Her heart is beating like a human...." Gideon leaned in closer to confirm his hearing.

Mihnea hissed and dragged the woman up to her feet. "You drank too much, you greedy wench. Enjoy the remainder of your life as a human. Although I don't know how long that will be..."

The woman shook with guttural sobs. Her skin began to sag where she stood, wrinkles creasing every crevice on her face.

"Leave," Mihnea ordered, and the woman hobbled off through the crowd and disappeared.

"One drop." Mihnea's voice boomed across the mass of silent bodies. "Or humanity will be your fate. A fate worse than death."

Well, that's harsh.

The rest of the night was smooth, and Visena changed hundreds of Vampires into sun walkers. It was laborious and tedious, and by the early morning hours, she was half asleep as strangers took turns licking a drop of blood from her shaking fingertips. The whole situation was ridiculous and weird as hell. 

Gideon was more than happy when the remaining Vampires had to find shelter before sunrise. "Let's go get you some rest." He kissed the top of his mate's head and carried her to the medical bay, laying her in a cot next to Jed.

His brother was still pale, but his wound had finally closed. Gideon believed he was choosing to stay unconscious. There was no reason for him to not wake up besides his stubbornness and desire to feel sorry for himself.

"Go easy on him," Visena mumbled, facing her contemplative mate. "Even with my mother's healing, he won't be the same. He has every right to mourn that."

"I just want him to wake up." Gideon felt guilt at his mate's words. She was right. She was always right, but his love for his brother and the self-blame he felt for Jed's injury swirled in his stomach like poison.

"I know he will. I feel it in my gut." 

~~~

A/N

Double update as promised, and it's a long one!

Savour it, cause I'll be MIA for a few days while I have a much-needed rest x 

I'll post again in a few days - we're gonna meet some new characters too!!! exciting :D

And poor Jed :( but Visena's good old fae intuition seems to be suggesting he'll wake up soon.... fingers crossed... ;)

See yah!!!!

K <3