Page 21 of Crimson Born

I gasped at his accusatory tone. “No. I didn’t bite you because I was thirsty. You were dying, Josiah. They said you wouldn’t make it through the night. I didn’t want you to die. I bit you to save your life. I wasn’t sure until I saw you tonight whether it would work.”

He barked a harsh laugh. “Oh, it worked all right. And now I’m cursed to live like this forever because you didn’t want to be alone.”

The remark stung—because it was partially true. It was kind of wonderful to have friends who knew you inside and out—and kind of terrible, too.

“Cursed? Didn’t you want to live?” I asked.

“This isn’t alife.I’m... an abomination.”

Josiah flung his arms out to the sides then clenched his hands in his hair until they shook. “I’ll be shunned as soon as the others get wind of it. And my poor parents...”

“Yourparents brought you home. They still have a son.”

“They have an embarrassment. They haven’t said so, but I can see it in their eyes. They’re shamed by me.”

His words stole my breath. How could this be happening—any of it? How could our lives have changed so drastically in the space of a few days?

“They’re probably just in shock. You recovered when they’d been told you’d die. I’m sure they’ll come to accept it and be grateful to still have you.”

He shook his head. “You’ve led a sheltered life, but I’ve been out in the world. I work at the factory, and I hear what people think of vampires. They may be living out in the open, thanks to the Crimson Accord, but that doesn’t mean they’re accepted. Or good.”

For a moment, shock prevented me from answering. Josiah and I had known each other nearly our whole lives. I’d always thought of him as a kind and accepting person. He seemed completely the opposite now—bitter and judgmental.

“You’regood,” I argued. “I’m a good person too. We didn’t just change into different people overnight because our irises changed colors.”

He scoffed. “It’s a lot more than a change in eye color. Don’t you feel it? The thirst? When I woke up in the hospital today, I almost lost my mind smelling the blood all around me. Even my parents...”

Here he stopped and swallowed, his face twisted in disgust. “It was hard riding home in the buggy with them, hearing their hearts beat and the blood rushing in their veins. I wanted to bolt from the buggy and run away. It took everything in me to come upstairs and lock my door. I don’t know how I’m supposed to live this way.”

“We’ll just... live,” I offered, suddenly hyper-aware of my ignorance on the subject. “We’ll figure it out. If you can’t stand living with your parents, we’ll go somewhere else. We’ll leave together.”

“I don’twantto leave,” he growled, sounding angrier than I’d ever heard him in our lives. “I never wanted to leave. You know that. This is my home. This is where I thought I’d stay and spend my life.”

Collapsing back onto his bed, Josiah covered his face with both hands, speaking into his palms. “I wish you hadn’t done this. You should have just let me die. My parents could have grieved me and moved on. Now they’ll never be able to do that. Their pain will just go on and on—like mine.”

My belly was somehow completely hollow and simultaneously full of lead.

He’s in shock. He’ll get over it.

Even as the words went through my mind, I doubted them. I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the turn my life had taken, but it was better to be alive than dead, wasn’t it?

As long as you were alive, there was still a chance you could do some good in the world, find some joy.

Apparently Josiah didn’t agree. He cried quietly on the bed, overcome by grief.

What was I going to do if I couldn’t persuade him to come with me? I really would be alone.

You should be with your people.

The big blond vampire’s words came back to me, straightening my spine and replacing the lead in my stomach with something resembling fire.

He was right. But my people weren’t somewhere in Virginia. They were here. My life was here. And I wouldnotleave my lifelong friend behind.

If Josiah couldn’t be strong, I’d simply have to be strong for the both of us.

We’d stay here. We’dshowour families there was nothing to be afraid of, and we’d get through this.

This was our home, and neither one of us was leaving.

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