Alanna giggled as Niall gave her a mock frown. “Nag, nag, nag. He’s like an old woman nippin’ over there. He’s just crabbit because we’re holding up his schedule in Nairobi.”

“Well, as valuable as you are to me, the scenery in the Ngong changes a great deal in the dry season. I’m not sure you’re worth missing that.”

Evan rose, setting aside his sketchpad. Leaping easily to the other side of the creek that bifurcated the glen, he came to stand before the two of them.

“I’ll see you through, Niall. I promise.”

The Scot rose, clasping his forearm so that they were toe to toe. “I trust you, Evan. In all things.”

A muscle flexed in the vampire’s jaw, his emotional reaction to that schooled to a quick nod, but Alanna caught it. She loved watching it, the small, subtle nuances of male communication that had become far more intimate and easy between them since the decision had been made. “What may I do, Master . . . s?” She drew out the s deliberately, inciting amusement in them both.

“He’ll need human blood immediately, Alanna. As a third mark, you can handle the first attack of blood hunger, but it can be savage. Your strength has returned, but offer your wrist, instead of your throat.”

“My thigh would be better, Master. It’s a better distraction, changing his hunger to something else.”

Niall raised a brow. “Ye said ye watched it. That sounds like ye participated.”

“Stephen turned at least two sanctioned humans during my time in his household. I helped feed both of them. Blood and sexual hunger are close during the transition. One helps to balance the other.”

“Maybe the lass should take the lead,” Niall said, deadpan. “Given she’s the most experienced of the three of us in this.”

“Nonsense,” Evan said. “Alanna has the ‘Turning a Vampire for Dummies’ manual on standby for me.”

He ducked Niall’s punch with a grin, but caught the man by the nape, held him still. “All right, then,” he said. “Let’s do this.”

At Niall’s quick nod, he turned, and the Scot followed, the two of them going to the large flat rock along the bank where Evan had taken him to the ground all those years ago. As Alanna watched, Evan sat against the rock, then gestured to Niall, directing him to lie back between his thighs, his head resting on Evan’s shoulder, long legs stretched out before him.

Yes, Niall was ready for this, but he was tense about it as well. She sank to her knees on Niall’s other side, her hand closing over his.

“Look at her, Niall,” Evan said. “Imagine what it will be like, her being yours for nearly three centuries.”

“And you,” the Scot said, putting his other large hand on Evan’s knee. “You’re both mine.”

“Spoken like a true vampire.” Evan met Alanna’s gaze. I expect he will handle himself well, yekirati, but animal instinct may take over. Remember, follow my lead.

Always, Master.

Lowering his head, he placed his lips on Niall’s throat, nuzzled. When he bit, it was gentle, not yet a full penetration. He made it an erotic tease, his hand wandering into the collar of Niall’s shirt, stroking his chest as Alanna unbuttoned the garment, both men shifting so it fell off his shoulders, crumpled between his body and Evan’s. Niall’s hand briefly covered Evan’s, caressing his fingers as Evan pressed against the chai mark. Then Niall lifted his knuckles to Alanna’s face, stroking. “I love you, muirnín.”

Her breath caught as Evan lifted his brilliant gaze to her, held it in a lock as he bit down fully. Niall stiffened, then made a conscious effort to relax, though his hand remained tight on hers as Evan began to drink.

With a non-servant human, a vampire would pierce the major artery, let it gush until the blood loss was mortal, but it was different with a servant. Lady Lyssa herself had instructed Evan on it, indicating that several quarts were sufficient. It left the third mark’s body in a receptive condition for the silver serum necessary for the turning. Once that was flowing through Niall’s veins, the transition would be completed by drinking a certain amount of the sire’s blood.

The alarm Evan had anticipated started to kick in as the vampire took more and more. Niall’s breath came faster, heart beating like a frantic bird’s. His hand constricted on hers painfully. She bore it, putting her other hand on his brow as Evan spoke in both their minds, soothing the man.

Easy, neshama. Everything’s fine and as it should be. Don’t fight me. You said you trust me. For once in your life, let surrender be part of that trust. Give your life to me.

I did. I do. As Niall gripped Evan’s thigh, holding on, Alanna felt the surge of emotion from her vampire master. The declaration was the male equivalent of what Niall had just told her. I love you.

For the vampire’s side of things, it was a lot to drink at once, but like the old wives’ lore about consuming the placenta of an afterbirth, there was an ancient wisdom that said ingesting all of a human’s blood in a turning would increase the bond between sire and fledgling. She knew Evan would embrace that. As he continued to swallow, she inched closer until her knees were pressed against Niall’s hip, both her hands on them, one on Niall’s chest over Evan’s, the other on Niall’s opposite shoulder. His arm came up around her, fingers digging into her back, a sudden convulsion.

The serum has gone in. In a moment, you’ll start to feel very different . . .

She knew the moment that Niall could smell her blood as a vampire could, for his eyes opened, and she saw the reddish tint.

“Almost, neshama. Almost.” Evan’s arm was now fully over his chest, holding him firmly. Move back for a moment, Alanna. You’re too close.

Of course. She knew that. She had to give Evan time to complete the final step. A fledgling that drank of human blood before the process was complete would get sick on whatever they gorged themselves on. She was embarrassed she’d forgotten, so intent on being near.

There’s no shame in forgetting yourself because of your love for him, Alanna.

Then Niall tried to surge up toward her, and Evan had no time to spare for reassuring thoughts. The vampire shifted their positions, tackling him, bearing him back down to the ground. As he straddled the male, keeping him pinned, she sensed the strain in it. Evan was trying to hold the big Scot down and make one of his own veins available to him. Sliding around them quickly, she pulled out her small knife, caught Evan’s sleeve and pulled it back, cutting the vein in his wrist.

Niall’s head whipped toward her hands of course, a growl in his throat, but the gush of Evan’s blood drew his eye. Evan got it to his mouth, and Niall drank, holding on to his wrist with both large hands. Evan stroked the side of his head. “There you go, neshama. Final step.” Get ready, Alanna.

She was. She waited until she knew Niall had swallowed enough, and then lay back on the ground behind them. She drew up her skirt, slid the panties down and off, getting them out of the way. Taking up the knife once more, she found the femoral, poised over it and waited.

Now.

She made the quick puncture as Evan deftly levered Niall up, directing his energy and hunger immediately to where she lay. Niall, his mind nothing more than blood hunger at the moment, was a fearsome sight, lunging toward her, but Evan caught him by the chest. Despite the difference in height and weight, Evan did have the strength, barely, to hold Niall from coming down on her too roughly. Because of his advantage as a third-mark servant, Niall was likely to have at least a hundred years’ worth of strength and speed out of the starting gate, but she saw no worries in Evan about that. For her own part, she expected she’d have the pleasure of seeing some intriguing wrestling matches between her two Masters.

Evan shoved Niall to his knees between her spread ones. “Here, Master,” she purred, sliding her fingers over her labia, teasing herself to wetness so the two aromas came together. “Everything you see is yours.”

The Scot’s hands clamped down on her legs, and she let out an anxious, yet exhilarated breath as he shoved her wider, put his mouth on her thigh. He bit into it, despite the cut already there, and she made a little cry at the size of his new fangs, thick and sharp.

Easy, neshama. She’s your servant. Do not harm her. Let her serve you.

Niall’s fingers flexed as he took the blood in large gulps. It would be a hefty amount, sure to make her light-headed, but she felt no fear. She gazed up at the night sky through the trees, heard the lap of the water and thought of how her two Masters had met here, so many centuries ago. She served them, and they cared for her. The moment was everything she could want.

Sliding her other hand down, she touched her pussy again, stroked it, arousing herself further. Even without being marked by him, she knew just when it started to penetrate Niall’s senses, the scent of her honey competing with the blood. She slid a finger inside herself, and then made a little noise of surprise and pleasure as Niall shifted, putting his mouth over her knuckles, her wet folds, his tongue sliding in to join her finger, stroking it and her cunt at the same time, likely bringing the flavor of her blood to mingle with her arousal.

Use your coagulants, Niall. Glands under your tongue. You need to stop her bleeding before you turn yourself to other pleasures.

Evan had to repeat it twice, but then Niall shifted, doing just that. When he came back to her cunt, he caught her wrist, drew her fingers from herself, licked them clean. Rising on his knees above her, the sight of him, aroused, powerful, fangs revealed, made her stop breathing. He would be a formidable vampire for certain, as much a bear among smaller predators as he was as a human male.

Do not build him up too much, yekirati. As his sire, I still have to keep some type of leash on him.

Evan’s mind-voice was amused, however, and she couldn’t help smiling. Niall guided her hand to the ground over her head. Obeying, she stretched both arms out there, surrendering herself to them utterly. Evan stood behind Niall, who was on his knees, and now the vampire pulled the Scot’s shirt all the way off his arms. When Evan knelt behind him, he slid his arm across Niall’s chest to hold and stroke. The chest hair was still there, but she knew by the following dawn it would be gone. She’d miss it, so she’d enjoy it now, once more. As Niall bent to taste her, Evan slid his hands to his hips and then lower, reaching beneath the kilt. She knew he’d gripped Niall’s cock when she saw him working it against the fabric in front.