Page 79 of Crimson Born

Reading between the lines, she said, “But not so good, either, huh? I hope you’ll believe me when I say it does get better—ifyou find a way to channel your newfound abilities and limitations into a good cause. I think there’s a reason you came here tonight.”

My heart rate took off as if someone had fired a starter pistol. She had just unknowingly repeated the words Reece had said to me the night we first met.

“What?” I whispered, almost too stunned to make noise.

“Well, we need help, some ‘fresh blood’ so to speak.”

She laughed at her own pun. “Most of the vampires who work with me are ancient. It’s important for us to know how modern people see things, how they think. You girls are young and newly turned, so you’ll be able to advise us and you’ll be able to relate to modern humans much better.”

Sadie stretched out her arms and cupped her hands in a come-closer gesture.

“It seems that perhaps you—all three of you—need to make sense of what happened to you. How would you like to come work for me in Los Angeles?”

33

Free Will

Too shocked to respond, I simply opened my mouth and let it close again.

“I think you’ll see that a lot of good can come from accepting circumstances you wouldn’t have necessarily chosen for yourselves,” Sadie said. “I can help you turn what some might consider to be a curse into a blessing. What do you say?”

Heather and Kelly answered simultaneously. “Yes!”

It took me longer—I wanted what she was offering—desperately.

On the last night of our human lives, I had told Josiah I wanted something different, somewhere else. The Bastion hadn’t been it.

Butthisseemed like the perfect solution—an opportunity to learn to livewithhumans instead of fighting against them.

Was I really free to leave? I wasn’t sure the maker bond Imogen held over me would allow it, and I definitely didn’t want to start some kind of war between the sisters.

“I’d like that. Very much.”

Looking thrilled, Sadie reached out to grasp both my hands in hers.

“But there’s a complication,” I added quickly.

“I can feel that.” She stared down at the veins in my hands, which had risen to the surface at her touch. “Your blood has a familiar fragrance. Are you...”

Shifting her gaze to my eyes, she said rather than asked, “You’re Imogen’s child.”

“Yes.” I nodded gravely. “And she doesn’t want me to leave the Bastion. She wants me to be her heir.”

“I can see why. You have the makings of a powerful queen. Have you passed the test already?”

“The test? You mean turning a human with my bite? I’m not sure. I mean, there was a boy, but I don’t really know if I was his first bite. My test was supposed to be tonight—at the Bastion—there’s an Inception Ceremony. It’s happening very soon actually.”

“And yet you’re here.” She smiled. “With me.”

I nodded. “I didn’t want to take the test. I don’t want to bite anyone, and I don’t want that life. But your sister is my maker. I’m not sure if I can leave her.”

She smiled warmly. “You can do anything you want to do, child. Your maker can’t alter your free will. Shecanlocate you whenever she wishes to, but that doesn’t bother me. The location of the VHC headquarters is not a secret. It’s on the news frequently. We have nothing to hide—unlike the Bastion. Imogen won’t like it, I’m sure... but she can’t stop you. If you want to join us, we’d love to have you.”

Relief crashed over me like a wave and then lifted me, making me feel nearly weightless. It took everything in me not to hug this woman I’d just met in gratitude.

Unlike Imogen, she did seem huggable.

“Oh thank you. Yes. Yes, I want to work for you. I want to work for peace.”

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