Page 61 of Taste of Fate

“Why?” Another dumb question but I wasn’t thinking straight. I was desperate and this was fucking urgent.

“Because we’re vampires.” He quirked a brow. “Maybe you’ve heard of the term?”

I felt like a malfunctioning robot, all systems locked up and frozen. Well, except for scream and maybe punch him. “But…but they need help now. My best friend is bleeding out right now. People are fucking dying!”

He crossed his arms and had the decency to look at least a little sympathetic. “I’ll rally the clan to ride out the moment the sun is down. But we simply can’t move out any sooner. I’m sorry, Octavia.”

A beat of silence passed and then I turned on my heel, heading the opposite way down the hall. “Robin, are you still there?” My hand ached from my grip on the phone.

“Yes,” she said wearily. “I heard your conversation. Tavia, I don’t know if we’ll last ‘til nightfall.”

“You won’t be waiting that long.” I returned to Bea’s room and grabbed a few essential items. Durable shoes, a thick coat, and the silver dagger I’d never had the chance to return to Cyan. “I’m coming right now.”

“What? Not by yourself!”

I paused on my way out of the apartment, looking back at Bea still fast asleep. She could withstand pre-dusk light and any backup would help. Just as quickly as I thought of it, I dismissed the idea and shut the door behind me. I’d be wasting precious time waking her up and explaining the situation. Plus, I didn’t want to put any more of my friends at risk of losing their lives.

“Yeah, it’s just me. The vamps are sitting ducks until it’s dark, so what else am I going to do?” I flew up the stairs and crossed the empty great room, heading straight for the garage.

“You’ll get yourself killed! There’s, I dunno, a dozen, maybe twenty of those things out there.”

“I’m armed and I won’t pick a fight, I’ll head straight for you. I just—” My voice choked and I tried again. “I just want to be with Amy.”

There was a long pause and then Robin’s panic-laden voice. “Be careful, Tavia. I mean it. Be so fucking careful.”

“I will, promise.” With the flick of a light switch, the fleet of motorcycles became visible. “I gotta go, Robin. But I’ll see you soon.”

I hung up before we could get into a drawn-out, emotional goodbye, and headed for the spare bikes that were parked in a far corner. Cyan told me they used these when their main rides needed repairs or were out of commission for whatever reason.

Did I actually know how to ride a motorcycle? No. Did that matter to me when my best friend probably didn’t have much longer to live? Absolutely not.

I had driven quads back at Sapien, so I figured I knew the basics. This was just two wheels instead of four. Besides, I’d seen Cyan and the others start these puppies up plenty of times. How hard could it be?

I went for the smallest motorcycle, figuring it would be the most comfortable for my stature, and saw that the keys were still in the ignition. After a quick turn, the bike sputtered a bit only to fall dead.

“No, no. Come on, I need you.”

It took a few tries, but she finally turned over, roaring to life. I grabbed the helmet resting on the seat and hopped on, testing my balance before bringing the kickstand up. The gas tank was half full, which was hopefully enough to get to where I needed.

Even if it wasn’t, I’d run the rest of the way if I had to.

Once I was confident I could stay on the bike, I hit the garage door button clipped to the handlebars and waited impatiently for the door to rise. Accelerating gently until I cleared the door, I hit the button again to close it, then flooded the throttle with gas.

The sudden movement jolted me, but I kept steady and the bike upright. Wind whipped my hair and jacket as I zoomed across the landscape. The more steady I felt in the seat, the faster I went. Amy needed me and time was not on my side.

To the west, the distant mountain peaks of Vargmore, the werewolf territory, were just touching the bottom of the sun as it lowered. By the time the sun was fully below the horizon, it might already be too late.

I leaned low over the handlebars, my eyes on the stretch of road leading me home. Not so much the place, but the person. I had thought that being with Cyan could be home, but he showed me how wrong that was.

If he didn’t need me, I’d give my everything to those who did. I had never failed to be there for Amy when she needed me. And I wasn’t about to start now, when she needed a friend at her side more than ever.

Hold on, Ames, I prayed. I’m coming. Just please, please hold on.

Chapter 23

Cyan

Putrid, rotten blood that made me want to vomit. Since I broke my blood mate’s heart, that was what I had to look forward to at every feeding. And it would be nothing less than what I deserved.

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