Page 55 of Crimson Born

“What?” This was crazy. “I’d like to speak to yourbossplease.”

“He’s busy.”

“Just get Kannon—or you’ll regret it tomorrow.”

The guard gave me an uncertain look, but he moved into the corridor and knocked on the first door.

Kannon opened it. When he spotted me, he smiled and strode toward me.

“What the hell are you doing here, squirt? It’s almost morning, and this is a no-girls-allowed zone.”

“I know. Your muscle-headed friend here made that clear, but I need to speak to you a moment. Privately.”

With a quick jerk of the head, Kannon dismissed the guard. “Okay, what’s up?” he asked when the man was out of sight.

“I need to see him.”

His lips twisted in a grimace of unwillingness. “That’s not a good idea.”

“Why? Is something wrong with him? Is he okay?”

“Of course. Sure, he’s okay. He’s just... adjusting. He needs some time before...” His sentence drifted away unfinished.

“Before what? Before seeing me again? Why?”

“I honestly don’t know. But it’s not me who’s keeping him away from you. The Bloodbound recruits aren’t forbidden to talk to females—outside of the barracks that is. This is his choice. Maybe he just wants to focus on his training—to be sure he passes the tests so he can get initiated and take the vows.”

“Why did Reece do this, Kannon? What do you know?”

“Absolutely nothing, and that’s the truth. This was between him and Imogen.”

I let out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t understand what happened. He was dying to leave, and then suddenly he was signing up for eternity. And now he’s treating me like a complete stranger.”

Kannon said nothing, just gave me a sympathetic shrug.

“Reece said it was too late. Is that true?” I asked. “Can he still change his mind?”

“I suppose so... up until he takes the vows. But I have to tell you kiddo, he seemed pretty sure about his decision. He even asked if there was any chance of moving up the swearing-in date. I told him he’d have to wait for the Inception Ceremony on Devil’s Night.”

Why was Reece in such a hurry? I suspected it was because he was afraid hewouldchange his mind.

“Kannon... I need a favor.” At his grimace, I said, “Please hear me out. All I need is a few minutes alone with him. To say goodbye. I’m leaving the Bastion.”

His blond eyebrows shot up. “You’re leaving? Why?”

Though I had no intention of leaving without Reece, I kept going with the farewell-visit storyline.

“You know how unhappy Imogen is with me. I’ve never really fit in here. I’ll never be happy attending a ceremony where humans are being turned. And I’ve sworn never to bite another human. If Reece doesn’t... well, if he really wants to be Bloodbound... there’s nothing for me here.”

He shook his head and looked away, his expression filled with dismay. “Imogen’s not going to like this.”

“She’s the one who invited me to leave. Anyway, she’s not going tohearabout it—not until I’m long gone. Right?”

“When are you planning to leave?”

“I’m not sure yet. Sometime before the Inception Ceremony.”

The ceremony that also happened to coincide with the night of Sadie Aldritch’s speech, but I didn’t mention that to Kannon.

---