Crimson Born - Amy Patrick Page 0,14

flights of stairs into the hospital lobby and out into the dark parking lot.

Where someone was waiting for me.

6

Something More

It was one of the strangers from the crash site, the large man with the long, blond hair.

He wore all black—leather pants, leather boots, and a military style vest with lots of buckles.

When I’d first seen him last night, I’d thought he looked like an angel. Now I knew what he really was—a vampire.

“Hello Abigail,” he said in a friendly tone. “Do you remember me?”

I nodded rapidly, easing toward the ER department’s sliding doors though I had no interest in going back in there. If Josiah died, I couldn’t face his parents.

If he didn’t... I wasn’t prepared to answer the questions that would surely follow.

“You were there after the crash. With the woman... who bit me,” I said.

The guy nodded, still smiling. He was younger than I’d realized last night, in his early twenties or even younger.

“That’s right. That was Imogen. I’m Kannon. There’s no need to be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you—though I probably don’t need to tell you that. You must have figured out by now you’re a whole lot harder to hurt than you used to be.”

I stopped backing away. “Am I really a... vampire now?”

It felt strange to say the word, but what my father had said must have been right. After all, I’d just bitten (and consumed the blood of) one of my oldest friends.

And liked it.

“You are,” Kannon confirmed.

I shuddered, backing away once again. “No. This isn’t right. I can’t be a vampire.”

He chuckled. “Why not?”

“It’ll ruin my life.”

The chuckle turned into a laugh. “How do you know this isn’t the life you were meant for? Haven’t you ever wished for something more... something bigger than you’ve ever seen or imagined?”

I didn’t answer him, suddenly wondering if vampires could read minds.

“My car is this way,” he said. “We should get going.”

“Where?”

“I’m here to bring you home.” His tone suggested it should have been obvious.

“Home?”

An image of my family’s farmhouse popped into my mind. I’d already been home, though apparently I couldn’t use the term to apply to the farm or my community any longer.

“Yes. To our stronghold. It’s in Virginia. We could travel on foot and make it there before daybreak, but I brought a car just in case you’re not in your full strength yet. You didn’t get burned, did you?” the guy asked.

“No. I mean, I don’t think so.”

“Good. I felt pretty fortunate to find that culvert for you. It was the best shelter I could locate on short notice. We hated to leave you behind, but the human authorities were coming up on us quickly, and we were traveling in a large group. The Accord forbids us to gather or travel in groups of more than ten,” he explained. “When I went back tonight to look for you and found it vacant, I got worried that maybe you’d, you know, stepped right out into the sun or something. Avoid that, by the way.”

“Yes, I figured out that part on my own.”

“Well, you won’t have to be alone for the rest of it. Imogen is eager to get you home to the Bastion and begin your training.”

“What? What training? I’m not leaving—not until after Josiah’s funeral. And then... I’m not sure where I’ll go.”

I was determined to pay my final respects to Josiah, even if I had to do it from a distance. Hannah and Aaron’s services would probably be tomorrow as well.

Though I hadn’t been driving either vehicle, I felt responsible for what had happened to my friends.

Maybe it was the survivor’s guilt talking, but I was plagued by the thought that if I’d only taken that ride with Reece, if I’d been more courageous, been willing to step outside my comfort zone and have an adventure, none of this would have happened.

Maybe his car would have been somewhere else at that time—with me and him in it—and my friends would have traveled safely back to the village.

They’d all be alive tonight.

I’d still be human.

Kannon looked surprised at my declaration. “You must come with me to the Bastion. Imogen will have my head if I return without you.”

I didn’t like the sound of that. “What does that mean? Who is she? Why does she even care?”

“She’s our leader. I’m a lieutenant with the Bloodbound, and she sent me to retrieve you. It’s not my place to ask why. All I know is if I don’t carry out her order, it’s