Crimson Born - Amy Patrick Page 0,21

allergic to sunlight, living underground was a smart choice.

“Only about an hour left till we get there,” Kannon said. “You’re welcome to change the station if there’s some other kind of music you’d like to hear. Oh—wait, do you guys even listen to the radio?”

In answer, I switched the satellite station to a classic rock channel and started singing along with the song in progress, ACDC’s “Back in Black.”

It was an inside joke among Amish teens—an anthem of sorts.

Kannon laughed. “Well okay then. What—do you have stereo systems in those buggies or something?”

“Something like that,” I said. “We bring along boom boxes. Our parents won’t let us listen to English music at home, but we all work, so we have money. We buy the music and clothes we like and enjoy them when we’re away from home.”

Feeling the need for honest confession, I added, “I only heard this song for the first time last year when I was sixteen.”

Kannon wore an amused grin but didn’t laugh at me. “It’s a good one, that’s for sure.” In a low voice, as if speaking to himself, he added, “Imogen sure knows how to pick ’em.”

“What does that mean?”

“Nothing. You’re just not like her usual ‘recruit.’ No offense. I like you, kid.”

I looked down at my typical Amish clothing. “What do people wear at the... what did you call the place you’re taking me to?”

“The Bastion. It’s another word for fortress or stronghold. It’s like our headquarters and a sanctuary all in one.”

“What do they wear at the Bastion?” I formed the word carefully, its unfamiliarity a challenge for my tongue.

He chuckled and tossed his head in my direction. “Not that. Don’t worry about it. You’re fine. You may just be the first Amish vampire anyone’s ever met, that’s all. And hey, there’s a first time for everything, right?”

“What were you like, you know, before?”

“Before I was Crimson born?” he asked. “I was sort of like you, in a way. Not Amish, of course, but I was paralyzed too. I played college football at Auburn—wide receiver. Shoulda been a quarterback with a name like Kannon, right?”

He laughed. “Anyway, I was hit on a play, pinned between these two huge defensive backs. Obliterated my spine. I was pretty depressed. There was no way I was going to ever walk again, much less play ball. When I finally got out of the hospital, some of my friends took me out to celebrate, or more accurately, to cheer me up. I met Imogen at a bar in Savannah. She offered me a job. Of course she explained I’d have to be turned first, but once I found out I’d be able to walk again, I was all in.”

“What kind of job?”

“I’m Bloodbound,” he said with a noticeable sense of pride. “We’re sort of like Jedi.”

At my blank look, he shook his head and chuckled. “There are actually people in the world who haven’t seen Star Wars. Wow. Okay, well, how can I explain it? We’re sort of like soldiers, highly trained in battle, but we don’t seek out a fight. We’re like a peacekeeping force—ready and able to fight if needed, but we’d rather prevent a battle than start one. We serve the queen, do whatever she needs. One of our jobs is to go out and collect the strays—”

He held up a hand. “No offense—the newly turned vampires. See, generally, when someone is turned, it’s an intentional thing. They’re surrounded by a community that helps them through the acclimation process—we’ve even got a special ceremony for it at the Bastion. But occasionally, like in your case, it’s more of a spur-of-the-moment thing, and the circumstances leave a few loose ends. Sometimes when a newbie is left on their own, it gets ugly. We have to track them down quickly and bring them in before they put us all at risk.”

“Ugly? I don’t understand.”

“They’re confused, thirsty,” he said. “They kill humans indiscriminately, or they make other poor choices when it comes to blood sources.”

“Animals?”

“Exactly. Either way, by the time we find them, the rogues aren’t always cooperative. Sometimes we have to use force to subdue them and bring them back to the Bastion for remedial training and sometimes for detox. If they’re too far gone, we have to destroy them.”

The early morning horizon glowed with pink promise as we parked the car and Kannon announced we’d reached our destination.

It was the kind of sight that would have filled my heart with joy and anticipation—before. Now sunrises