Read Online My Love Lies Bleeding by Alyxandra Harvey - Free Book Online
Authors: Alyxandra Harvey
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under a microscope. “Just
like I know that’s not why you’re really here.”
“I’m sorry I let him get away.”
He looked up. “It’s hardly your fault— even I would follow orders if I got a mouthful of Hypnos. It’s very potent, Lucy.”
“I know.”
“Now, what can I do for you?”
I bit my lip. “I want to know about the bloodchange.”
“You know about the bloodchange.”
“No, I don’t. I know it’s the big bad and everyone’s freaked out, but that’s it. And every time I ask Solange, she tells me
not to worry.”
“And she’s right.”
“Please.” Apparently I wasn’t above begging. “I just want to understand it so I can help.”
He smiled gently. “Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to help, my dear. This is Solange’s battle.”
“Solange is my best friend,” I said stubbornly. “So it’s my battle too.”
Something in my face must have convinced him I was going to make a nuisance of myself until I got what I wanted, because he
finally sighed and said, “All right, Lucy. Have a seat.”
I sat quickly, before he could change his mind.
“The bloodchange is still a bit of a mystery,” he admitted. “I’ve been doing research and experiments to better understand
our family’s special challenge, but with varying degrees of success. It’s not strictly scientific, nor is it strictly supernatural,
so we have as many questions as answers. There are only a few other families who can procreate like we do. All other vampires
are made, not born. Technically, the Hel-Blar are made the same way; it’s only that they have a more violent transformation, without guidance or mentoring until it’s too
late.”
“Are they as scary as everyone makes them out to be?”
“Yes.”
“Do the Hounds get sick too?”
“In a manner of speaking, though not like us. Our change is genetic, you understand. As near as we can explain it, when our
young reach puberty, the flux in hormones triggers the change. It’s like the body attacks itself and then shuts down— until
it is reawakened by drinking vampire blood. Our children need to be very strong to fight through it and win.”
I swallowed. “But mostly everyone gets through it, right?”
“Mostly.”
“Why do some go crazy? Is that a hormone thing, too? Like permanent PMS?”
He smiled briefly. “Not quite. It’s just that some are stronger than others. The bloodchange is so difficult, some just can’t
hold on to themselves. If they get only just enough blood to survive, the thirst takes them over and it’s all they can think
about, like the Hel-Blar . ”
“Are you telling me Solange could turn into one of them if she’s not strong enough?”
“I wish I knew for sure. The more likely outcome would be that she might simply die and not reawaken.”
“This sucks.” I scowled. “But Solange is totally strong enough. She won’t die for real and she won’t go crazy.” If I said
it enough, it would be true.
“I’m sure you’re right,” Geoffrey said soothingly. “She has strong genes, which is an asset. Drinking the blood from someone
of the same lineage will restore her enough to win the battle. Her body won’t attack the new blood, but it can’t create its
own supply either. At first, she’ll need to drink every day to supplement, less as she gets older.”
“She’s not going to get older.” I tried not to dwell on the fact that one day I’d be wrinkled and wearing dentures and she’d
still look young enough to be my granddaughter. We had way bigger worries.
“She won’t age physically, no. At least not for a few years, after her body completely adjusts to its new form. I’m afraid
I don’t really understand the science behind this adaptation yet. My theory is that it’s another genetic survival mechanism:
we reach our optimum age, where we look the strongest. It’s a way to scare off predators, like making yourself look bigger
to scare off a black
like I know that’s not why you’re really here.”
“I’m sorry I let him get away.”
He looked up. “It’s hardly your fault— even I would follow orders if I got a mouthful of Hypnos. It’s very potent, Lucy.”
“I know.”
“Now, what can I do for you?”
I bit my lip. “I want to know about the bloodchange.”
“You know about the bloodchange.”
“No, I don’t. I know it’s the big bad and everyone’s freaked out, but that’s it. And every time I ask Solange, she tells me
not to worry.”
“And she’s right.”
“Please.” Apparently I wasn’t above begging. “I just want to understand it so I can help.”
He smiled gently. “Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to help, my dear. This is Solange’s battle.”
“Solange is my best friend,” I said stubbornly. “So it’s my battle too.”
Something in my face must have convinced him I was going to make a nuisance of myself until I got what I wanted, because he
finally sighed and said, “All right, Lucy. Have a seat.”
I sat quickly, before he could change his mind.
“The bloodchange is still a bit of a mystery,” he admitted. “I’ve been doing research and experiments to better understand
our family’s special challenge, but with varying degrees of success. It’s not strictly scientific, nor is it strictly supernatural,
so we have as many questions as answers. There are only a few other families who can procreate like we do. All other vampires
are made, not born. Technically, the Hel-Blar are made the same way; it’s only that they have a more violent transformation, without guidance or mentoring until it’s too
late.”
“Are they as scary as everyone makes them out to be?”
“Yes.”
“Do the Hounds get sick too?”
“In a manner of speaking, though not like us. Our change is genetic, you understand. As near as we can explain it, when our
young reach puberty, the flux in hormones triggers the change. It’s like the body attacks itself and then shuts down— until
it is reawakened by drinking vampire blood. Our children need to be very strong to fight through it and win.”
I swallowed. “But mostly everyone gets through it, right?”
“Mostly.”
“Why do some go crazy? Is that a hormone thing, too? Like permanent PMS?”
He smiled briefly. “Not quite. It’s just that some are stronger than others. The bloodchange is so difficult, some just can’t
hold on to themselves. If they get only just enough blood to survive, the thirst takes them over and it’s all they can think
about, like the Hel-Blar . ”
“Are you telling me Solange could turn into one of them if she’s not strong enough?”
“I wish I knew for sure. The more likely outcome would be that she might simply die and not reawaken.”
“This sucks.” I scowled. “But Solange is totally strong enough. She won’t die for real and she won’t go crazy.” If I said
it enough, it would be true.
“I’m sure you’re right,” Geoffrey said soothingly. “She has strong genes, which is an asset. Drinking the blood from someone
of the same lineage will restore her enough to win the battle. Her body won’t attack the new blood, but it can’t create its
own supply either. At first, she’ll need to drink every day to supplement, less as she gets older.”
“She’s not going to get older.” I tried not to dwell on the fact that one day I’d be wrinkled and wearing dentures and she’d
still look young enough to be my granddaughter. We had way bigger worries.
“She won’t age physically, no. At least not for a few years, after her body completely adjusts to its new form. I’m afraid
I don’t really understand the science behind this adaptation yet. My theory is that it’s another genetic survival mechanism:
we reach our optimum age, where we look the strongest. It’s a way to scare off predators, like making yourself look bigger
to scare off a black
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