Crimson Born - Amy Patrick Page 0,64

the vampires seemed to be paying them any attention either.

Moments after we found a spot, a large white spotlight lit up the top of the monument’s staircase. The enormous crowd quieted. I was so filled with anticipation it was hard to sit still.

Seated on a stool in front of a stand microphone, a young female vampire sang a wispy-voiced song that went from poignant to furious and back again.

After that a male vampire I recognized from news coverage as a senator made some introductory remarks. And then Sadie Aldritch stepped up to the microphone.

At this distance, it was hard to tell if there was any sisterly resemblance, but their coloring was completely different. Sadie looked more like Grace Kelly than Audrey Hepburn, with smooth waves of shining blonde hair and dressed in a classic tweed skirt suit.

Like Imogen, she was beautiful and cloaked with the kind of wisdom that could only come with a long life. But where Imogen’s consistent air of calm was almost frightening, Sadie emanated peace and goodwill.

She spoke with the kind of motherly voice that set you at ease and made you believe everything was going to work out—somehow.

But she also imparted a sense of deep-rooted strength—the kind that reminded you of one of those giant Sequoia trees that had stood for literally thousands of years.

For the first time, it occurred to me there were many different ways to be a “strong” leader. I was certain Imogen believed her way was the best, just as Sadie did.

What did I believe? I wasn’t sure yet, but when a line started forming to meet the peaceful vampire leader after the rally, I jumped at the chance. Heather and Kelly joined me.

“Was that the best thing you ever heard in your life?” Kelly asked.

“Pretty much,” Heather said. “Well, I did get to see Billie Eilish last year in concert—so it’s a tie. But I love Sadie. I feel like I’ve known her my whole life or something.”

My fingers shook with adrenaline as our wait finally ended, and we approached the monument’s highest step where Sadie waited with literal open arms

“Welcome young ones. I’m so glad you were able to come. Where do you hail from?”

Thrown off by the odd wording, I let Kelly and Heather answer first.

“Alabama,” Heather said.

“West Virginia.”

When Sadie’s gaze fell on me, I stuttered, “P-Pennsylvania. Amish country. I... really loved your speech.”

She gave me a beatific smile. “Thank you. You’re new to the life. How have you found it so far?”

There was a complicated question if I’d ever heard one. But Sadie was the expert at giving speeches, not me. I simply said, “It’s not so bad.”

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—if you 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.

But this seemed like the perfect solution—an opportunity to learn to live with humans instead of fighting against them.

Was I really free to leave? I wasn’t sure the maker bond Imogen held over