3. The Turning

He needed to get her to his family estate, where she would be safe, before her screams alerted everyone outside around them. Immediately he placed her in a deep sleep and picked her up, placing her gently into the backseat of her car.

Finding her car keys, he hopped in the driver's side and adjusted the seat to match his height and placed his hands on the steering wheel.

Panicked!

He glanced back at her and stared at her still form, knowing that she couldn't speak in her trancelike state, he was assured that she would not make a scene. He didn't need her screams to alert passerby for it would be impossible to explain and a pain to erase everyone's memories during her turning.

Since she could hear him, while she was in a deep sleep, he turned towards her and replied, "Anna, once you kissed me, you started your turning. I will take you to a safe place, where you can turn and no harm will come to you. I promise."

Matthias figured that she was vehemently angry with him, but she was his mate and would have needed to turn eventually anyways. It didn't matter now though. The damage was already done and perhaps she would fracture his soul if she rejected him, after her turning was complete.

Unfortunately, he wouldn't know the depth of her wrath for some time.

Starting the car, he slowly pulled onto the main road and headed out of the crowded tourist area and onto the highway.

"Anna, we will get you into our vault and then I can help ease the pain of your turning."

Her eyes showed the anxiety and anger brewing in her soul, but she was trapped and unable to speak her mind. If looks could kill, Matthias knew that he would be a deadman instantly. Not that he could blame her. Not at all.

Driving slowly to ensure her safety, they arrived a couple of hours later, he meandered down the long driveway towards the family home. As soon as they pulled in front of the mansion, he picked her up and carried her deep underground.

As prying eyes looked upon him, he remained absolutely silent, for he was unwilling to provide an explanation to anyone until this situation was resolved.

Within ten minutes they approached the vault, which was three stories underground without any windows or lights. The ceiling was thirty feet high and the roomed echoed with every sound. The floor and walls were black granite with only one entrance, a massive wooden door with metal hinges that weighed almost 2 tons. The door was sealed shut and bolted. No one was getting in or out without his permission.

Anna lay in the center of the room on a stone slab, as cold as ice. Matthias watched from the corner, but she was unaware of his presence as he was nothing but a shadow. His thoughts raced as he watched her edges start to fade. She was transforming but hers would be painful and slow if he didn't step in to speed it up.

She was starting to wrestle with the pain, twisting and turning with a piercing groan. Her screams echoed across every inch of the vault.

He turned back into his human form and stood over her as memories washed over him. She was so kind to him once but turned on him when she learned what he was. She was stronger than any human he knew, especially her ability to resist him. He needed her, but...

Betrayal!

That's what he felt in his heart.

She betrayed him.

He knew better. He knew he kept secrets from her and he let her get too close. He betrayed her by not trusting her.

His heart, what was left of it, started to break for her. He could ease her pain now by casting out the pain with pleasurable memories and speed up her transformation by giving her another of his venom kisses.

"Matthias," she whispered his name, but it echoed through his mind.

Her hands were fading in and out, as the shadow started to take control. He stood still over her, watching. Deciding.

He leaned in until his hair was just about touching her face, so he brushed it away and kissed her with his venom. Before he could start to cast, her reaction was rapid. She was agitated and crying out in agony.

He stood still, concentrating. His black eyes were like mirrors to his soul, as he started to cast his childhood memories of swimming in the river, riding horses, playing catch and in later years driving down the Autobahn in a new car, and on and on. It felt like he had been casting for hours and he was exhausted.

Anna was silent now; she was shifting from her human form to her shadow form without ceasing. She was no longer in pain but it would be awhile before she would be able to control the shifting.

Matthias bent down to kiss her, which slowed the shifting for the moment. He reached for her shadow hand and it formed in his.

She breathed deeply and tried to get up but her body betrayed her.

Matthias spoke gently, "Anna, you will need to rest here for a few days to regain your strength and learn how to control your Schatten powers."

In a still small voice, she asked, "Will you stay with me?"

"For a bit longer, but I need to go above to manage some business affairs. You will be safe here as you gain your strength."

"Where are we?"

"In the depths of the castle, in the turning room."

"Will I," but her voice trailed off.

Matthias laughed and touched her cheek gently, as he said, "You will be the strongest Schatten; a force to be reckoned with. The way you could block me before, your stubbornness! That's how I knew you were meant to be one of us, but I didn't expect that you would be my soulmate!"

"How many? Where do they..."

He cut her off mid-sentence and said, "there's plenty of time to teach you later. Get some rest and I will be back in a few hours."

He kissed her gently again, and then he was gone through the door without ever opening it.

As she lay there with her mind racing, body shifting, she drifted off to a fitful sleep.