“You need to convince Sherry to let you turn her.”
Eyebrows rising at that announcement, Basil glanced to Victor and then back to the glittery and very skimpy halter top he held in his hands. Trying to imagine Sherry in it, he pointed out, “I have only just met her. Can we not enjoy getting to know each other before we get into—”
“No. With Leonius around, you cannot afford to dally,” Victor said firmly. “Especially since I think you will have some trouble convincing her to turn.”
“What?” Basil dropped the top and rounded on him.
Victor shrugged. “The woman was panicking in the restaurant at the mere thought of becoming immortal. She started trying to convince herself that this was all just a dream or the result of drugs.” Scowling, he asked, “What the devil have you been saying to her to make her so afraid of becoming one of us?”
Basil frowned and then admitted reluctantly, “I may have mentioned that living so long without a life mate was difficult.”
Victor narrowed his eyes on him and then gasped with dismay, “Suicide by Rogue Hunter?”
Basil grimaced. “Stay out of my head.”
“I will if you start using your head,” Victor countered grimly. “Dear God, how could you tell her all of that?”
“She seemed upset, perhaps even a little horrified, that I have had so many children with Mary, and I was trying to explain—”
“Oh God, you told her about Mary and the kids too?” Victor asked, looking alarmed.
“Of course. She is my life mate, Victor. I have to be honest with her,” he pointed out.
“Yes, but you could have saved that little nugget of information for after you convinced her to be your life mate,” Victor said grimly. “Good Lord, man. Telling her how depressed and miserable you were to live so long? And you think that is going to make her eager to become immortal?”
Basil turned his back and began to rifle through the tops on display, but he was worrying now that he’d blown it with Sherry. Maybe it hadn’t been a good idea to tell her—
“I’m sorry, brother,” Victor said suddenly. “Of course you had to tell her about the kids. And perhaps it’s only fair that you warned her about how long and lonely life can be when you live so long alone,” he added solemnly. “I just wish it wasn’t. I do not want to see the same thing happen to her as happened to Stephanie and her sister, Dani.”
Basil stiffened at the thought of Sherry somehow being turned by Leonius and becoming an Edentate. It presented worries that being an immortal wouldn’t. They would have to worry over any children she bore, that it might grow up to be a no-fanger, if it even survived to birth. Frowning, he said, “That should not be a worry. We brought her to Port Henry to keep her away from Leonius. She is supposed to be safe here.”
“Yeah, well Dani was supposed to be safe at the Enforcer house too,” Victor pointed out. “But Leo still got his hands on her.”
Basil nodded slowly, and then asked, “How? I was told about it at the time but now do not recall how exactly. They were away from the house, were they not?”
Victor nodded. “They went shopping. She got separated from the others for a couple minutes and that was all the time Leo needed.”
Basil glanced around and spotted Elvi sorting through a rack of tops about ten feet away. Sherry was alone. Cursing, he headed for the entrance to the dressing rooms.
“He could not get past us and to her unseen,” Victor said soothingly, following in his wake. As they stepped through the arch to the cubicles, he added, “I have been watching. She’s perfectly— Shit!” he muttered even as Basil barked an alarmed, “Sherry!” and rushed toward the crumpled figure at the end of the hallway full of dressing room doors.
Reaching Sherry’s side, Basil knelt and anxiously turned her over to search for wounds.
“She’s unharmed,” Victor said with relief next to him, even as he noted there were no obvious wounds. “She is okay.”
“She is not okay, she is unconscious,” Basil growled, scooping her up into his arms.
“I just meant there are no serious injuries,” Victor said soothingly, straightening beside him.
“What happened?” Elvi asked with concern, rushing to join them. “I heard you shout her name. What—? Why is she unconscious?” she asked with alarm as Basil turned toward her with Sherry in his arms.
“We do not know. She—” Victor paused as Sherry moaned and stirred in Basil’s arms.
Blinking her eyes open, Sherry peered around at the three of them.
“What happened?” she asked with confusion, and then began to struggle as she realized Basil was carrying her. “Put me down, I’m fine,” she muttered with embarrassment. “You’ll hurt yourself carrying me. I’m too heavy.”
“You are not heavy, and I am not going to hurt myself,” he said dryly, but set her carefully back on her feet. He continued to hold her by the arms, though, as she regained her feet.