Crimson Born

by Amy Patrick

  I was jealous of them.

  Kissing Reece last night had been everything I’d ever dreamed it would be. And yet he insisted it should never have happened.

  And wouldn’t be repeated.

  A depressing thought considering he was the only male I was interested in. Even more depressing... he would take a vow tomorrow night that would ensure we could never be together.

  Speak of the devil.

  Reece stepped into the ballroom and surveyed it, moving his head slowly side to side in a scan of the crowd.

  He wore the Bloodbound’s dress uniform tonight—a high-collared velveteen swallowtail blazer with an embossed Victorian pattern around the sleeves and lapels. The deep red formal jacket was worn over slim black trousers and knee-high black boots. His dark hair gleamed like polished onyx.

  I wanted him.

  I could swear he wanted me. And yet he behaved like the wild fox I’d attempted to turn into a pet when I was nine.

  Despite my father’s warnings that it was hopeless, I’d spent hours upon hours, day after day, sitting on the dirt floor of its pen, trying to lure it to come close with slivers of raw meat in my open palm.

  Reece’s visual search landed on me, and he wore the same sort of expression—hunger tainted by fear.

  His gaze flickered over me, taking in the new dress that bared my shoulders and highlighted my cleavage, the upswept hairdo that exposed my neck.

  For a moment, my stomach flipped with excitement and anticipation. But just like that wild creature, he made no move to approach me. His eyes held as much trepidation as longing, and just like my little fox, I felt him slipping away.

  After a few days of trying to tame my new pet, I’d gone out to the pen and found it empty. The fox had dug under the fencing and escaped, never to be seen again.

  For weeks, I’d been inconsolable and furious with my mother when she’d tried to explain that some creatures simply could not be tamed.

  But I was no longer a little girl who believed that if she just wanted something enough, it would come true. I’d given Reece multiple chances to explore the possibility of a relationship with me. He knew where I stood.

  And in spite of kissing me last night in the maze, he’d told me where he stood.

  Several times.

  It was high time I started listening.

  This was my last night at the Bastion. I would have fun tonight if it killed me. I would drink and dance and not stare at Reece in his dress uniform.

  Tomorrow night I would walk away with some good memories of this place and its inhabitants.

  When I left for Washington D.C. with Kelly and Heather, I wouldn’t be coming back. It would be too painful to see Reece all the time and not be able to be with him. Moreover, I knew I didn’t belong here.

  Turning to my friends, who stood with me on the mezzanine of the ballroom space, I said, “Shall we go locate some dance partners?”

  “Heck yeah,” Heather said with a gleam in her eye. “I haven’t had a new partner in at least a week, and these guys look absolutely yummy in tuxes.”

  Smiling, Kelly looked out over the glittering assembly. “This almost makes up for missing my senior prom. Let’s go.”

  We descended the winding ramp to the ballroom floor, speaking with people we knew along the way. There was a beverage fountain in one corner of the room, and we each took a glass from the table and filled it with the festive bubbly blend of champagne and blood.

  It was heavy on the blood and light on the champagne, as we didn’t have functioning livers. That meant the alcohol went right into the bloodstream and circulated quickly to our hearts and brains. Too much too fast was sure to result in embarrassing intoxication.

  Sipping from my glass as I took stock of the crowd, my bravado began to fail me. I tried to imagine walking up to one of the men and asking him to dance.

  A moment later, I realized it wouldn’t be necessary. My friend Sam approached me.

  Upon further study, he definitely did not have a pumpkin head. That famous hair of his was sleekly styled tonight, its natural tendency to curl tamed by gel or some other hair product.

  “May I have the pleasure of a dance?” he asked with a slight bow.

  I had to suppress a giggle at the formality of his request, but I accepted happily and took his offered hand.

  As Amish people don’t dance, I’d learned here at the Bastion. My lessons had included basic ballroom dancing steps, and I could do a decent job of a waltz or a foxtrot, but I hadn’t had a great amount of practice.

  “I hope I won’t step on your toes,” I warned Sam.

  He laughed and swept me onto the floor. “I wouldn’t worry yourself. I’ve had a lot of practice. Just follow my lead. And if you do happen to break my toe, it’ll heal quickly.”

  “That’s true.”

  As the dance went on, I relaxed, actually began to enjoy myself. So much so, we stayed on the dance floor for the next few songs. Sam really was an excellent dancer. As we moved among the other couples, he made lively conversation and funny remarks and was generally good company.

  “You look beautiful tonight, by the way. I like your hair up, and that dress is worthy of a sonnet.”

  “Why thank you, sir,” I said. “And you look very handsome in your tux.”

  The frivolity of the moment was dampened when Sam turned me, and I caught a glimpse of Reece’s glower.

  He stood at the edge of the dance floor, not taking his eyes from me and my partner as we stepped and spun from one side of the room to the other.

  When the song ended, Sam escorted me from the dance floor. “May I refresh your drink for you?”

  “That would be nice. Thank you.” I nodded and watched him scurry away toward the blood bar.

  “Good riddance,” someone grunted on my left.

  I turned and saw Reece at my side.

  Up close he was even more dazzling than he’d been from a distance. The formalwear suited him. It matched his austere expression and somehow made him seem even more dangerous than he looked in his usual uniform of head-to-toe black leather.

  I forced myself to turn away and watch the dancers take the floor for the tango just beginning.

  “I don’t know about that. Sam was attentive and complimentary, and he’s a very good dancer. In fact, he’s asked for another dance tonight, and I’m in a mind to indulge him when the next waltz plays.”

  “You’ve had enough dancing. You need a break,” Reece said. “You’ve been dancing non-stop.”

  “How would you know? Were you watching me?” I challenged.

  “It is my job,” he said in a tone that suggested it should have been obvious. “As your bodyguard.”

  “I told you, I won’t be needing your services tonight. Go and enjoy the evening with your new brothers.”

  The Bloodbound stood in a group on one side of the ballroom. They seemed to be in good spirits tonight, drinking freely and laughing loudly.

  Female eyes from around the room strayed to that corner often, but like me, the other female vampires here would have to content themselves with the regular guys.

  Speaking of... several more men asked me to dance. But before they could even finish the question, Reece informed each potential partner I was “tired” and sent them away with a stern look.

  “Excuse me? I am the one who’ll decide whether I’m tired or not or if I want to dance with someone. Why are you acting this way?” I demanded.

  “You can dance,” Reece said. “Just not with them. As Bloodbound we’re given the files on everyone in the Bastion. None of those guys was worthwhile.”

  “Oh really? And who is? You?”

  He crossed his arms over his chest and put on an obstinate expression. “The Bloodbound don’t dance.”

  “Okay then, who? Who is ‘worthy?’”

  His dark brows dropped lower, shading his lilac eyes. “Not them.”

  “What about him?” I asked, nodding toward Gio who was making his way through the cr
owd toward us.

  The bodybuilder smiled at me and mouthed, “Wanna dance?”

  I was in mid-nod, when Reece took my arm and turned me away from the dance floor, steering me toward the private alcoves.

  “Meathead,” he muttered under his breath.

  Stumbling along beside him and working to keep up with his long, digging strides, I asked, “What is the hurry?”

  “It’s a popular song—there’ll be a rush for the floor. You might get stepped on.”

  “Really? A stampede of dancers?” I rolled my eyes. “That’s what you’re worried about? Or are you worried about a certain ‘meathead?’”

  We arrived at an empty alcove, and Reece pulled me inside. Here, shadowed from the bright party lights, his face looked even more severe than usual.

  “I read his file too. Gio had three drunk driving arrests and lost his license not long before he was turned,” Reece said.

  “Well, as we’re walking back to our chambers tonight instead of driving, I don’t think that’s much of an issue.”

  I studied his face, the dark eyes and sullen set of his mouth.

  “If I didn’t know better... I’d swear you were jealous.”

  30

  How Things Work

  My words floated in the dark space between us.

  In spite of my vow to let it go, I was apparently still holding onto some hope Reece would change his mind.

  My heart pounded so hard I was almost lightheaded. His breaths were loud in the quiet refuge of the alcove.

  “Why would I be jealous?” he finally said, and my newfound hope deflated. But it was buoyed when he added, “It’s not like you were ever going to be mine.”

  “Are you saying you wanted me to be yours?”

  When he didn’t answer, I decided to be brave just one more time. “I haven’t forgotten what you said about destiny. It’s not too late, you know.”

  “It is. Abbi... you know as well as I do... things have changed a lot since that night.”

  “Some things haven’t changed. Not the way I feel for you. Although I guess that’s changed too, because I care for you even more. I want to be with you even more. Reece... I love—”

  His mouth crashed against mine, though I wasn’t sure if he was moved by my words or a desperate desire to muffle them.

  He kissed me with no hint of gentleness, only a primitive hunger that awakened an equally ravenous craving in me and dissolved all my thoughts in a wave of hot bliss.

  Although I’d been raised to be modest in every way and we were essentially in a public place, I couldn’t seem to dredge up any concern over who might see us or what they might think.

  Kissing Reece felt too good. I’d never expected to experience this again, and the unexpected pleasure was more delicious than a stolen chocolate or a forbidden sip of wine.

  As his mouth moved over mine, Reece’s hands slid around to my back, running up and down the bare skin and tangling in my hair, no doubt destroying the complicated updo created by the stylist who’d helped dress me tonight.

  It didn’t matter. Nothing did. I was lost in the sensations washing in waves over my body.

  I was shaking all over, overwhelmed by the pleasure of his kiss and touch but even more so by the emotion I could sense in it.

  For whatever reason, his restraint had cracked, and he was no longer hiding his feelings from me.

  My palms went to his chest to capture his thrashing heartbeat then slid down his torso where I explored the fascinating terrain of his abdomen, so firm and segmented with muscle.

  My touch seemed to agree with Reece. He made a quiet grunt of enjoyment and deepened his kisses. As my fingers moved upward to caress his biceps, shoulders, and nape, he broke the connection with my mouth and moved his attention to the side of my neck.

  His lips traveled up and down, teasing the sensitive skin there until I felt as if my legs would give way.

  All the while he pulled me closer against him, closer and harder.

  “What are you doing to me, Abbi?” He panted. His voice sounded ragged. “I feel like I’ve lost all control over myself.”

  All I could do was nod in rapid agreement then accept his mouth on mine again, trying to convince him with my lips and tongue and fervent caresses that everything was all right, that this thing we had happening between us was much more important than “control,” that it was more important than anything.

  Stroking his cheeks and jaw as we kissed, I tried to pull him ever closer.

  A group of people walked past our small refuge, laughing and talking loudly. They didn’t seem to notice us, or if they did, they didn’t care.

  But Reece obviously noticed them. He pulled back, breaking the kiss to stare down at me. I watched as the glazed pleasure-drunk look in his eyes was replaced by something close to terror.

  His hands gripped my shoulders as if he were falling from a cliff and holding on for dear life.

  Very deliberately he moved me away from him, creating some space between our bodies.

  “I did it again.” His tone expressed disbelief. “I... I can’t be alone with you.”

  “You could be with me all the time, if that’s what you want. It’s what I want. Reece... let’s go—right now. Everyone’s dancing and drinking and hooking up. They’ll never even notice us. We’ll leave together and never come back. Tonight—before it’s too late.”

  I grabbed his hand and tugged. Our arms stretched between us and went taut as he stayed firmly in place.

  “We can’t.”

  I went back to him, pressing close again as I pleaded with him.

  “We can. We’re not slaves. Not yet. You will be if you stay and become Bloodbound tomorrow night.”

  His jaw clenched, and his eyes glistened in the dark. I was getting through to him. My words raced as I tried to capitalize on the moment.

  “Do you remember what you said to me the night we met about not settling for ‘good enough?’ You said there was no such thing. That you preferred greatness. We can have that. I know we can. We can have it together, but not if you’re committed to the Bloodbound vows.”

  Those glistening eyes squinted with emotion. “You don’t understand, Abbi. I want to take the vows.”

  I reeled back as if I’d been slapped. White hot pain seared the space around my heart. His tone was so sure, so determined.

  He meant what he was saying.

  But how could he say that after the incredible kisses we’d shared, after he’d just said I made him lose all self-control?

  There was only one explanation—he didn’t feel about me the way I felt about him.

  He didn’t love me.

  It really was all physical with him. All the fight drained out of me like a well-bucket with a hole in the bottom.

  “No... I think I do understand—finally. You told me last night at the maze, but apparently I’m a slow learner.”

  Huffing a sad laugh at my own expense, I swiped at the moisture leaking from my eyes.

  “You know, you could have saved us both a lot of trouble by just telling me when you realized you’d lost interest in me. You could have given me the, ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ line.”

  Spotting my tears, Reece’s breath hitched, and he reached out as if to wipe one away. But he didn’t. He snatched his hand back and held it in a tight fist.

  His words dripped with some unidentifiable emotion. Anger? Agony?

  “It is you, Abbi. Do you not realize it by now? You’re a future queen. You’re never going to take just a single mate. I’ve got no other choice but to sit by and watch as you mate with a swarm of other drones. The best I can hope for is to wait my turn and be grateful when I get to be with you every once in a while.”

  Shivers ran across my skin and lifted all the fine hairs on my body.

  “What on earth are you talking about?”

  There was no more pretense in Reece. He’d been pushed to his limits, and the stoic shield he usually held in front of his emotions had be
en shredded.

  “That day when Imogen came to see me in the clinic... the day I decided to join the Bloodbound... she explained to me how things work.”

  His eyelids closed, and he took a deep breath, letting it out in a shudder. “She swore me to secrecy—she’ll probably kill me if she finds out I told you. But you should know.”

  I grabbed his hands and clutched them to my chest, pressing our clasped hands between us.

  “Know what? Tell me Reece.”

  His eyes opened and pinned me with their intensity.

  “Of all the women here, only you and she have a chance of producing biological children. But she’s almost two hundred years old, and it hasn’t happened yet. You may be the only hope for the survival of our people. Unfortunately—for me—that means you’ll have to mate with many, many drones, as all queen bees do. That’s why the Bloodbound get specially formulated blood bags. It makes us stronger—and more fertile.”

  He looked disgusted by his words, but he went on, sounding choked.

  “You are the only woman I want. But my only chance of being with you, at least occasionally, is to become one of the Bloodbound.”

  31

  Promise Me

  In shock, I staggered backward.

  “No. This is crazy. This can’t be happening.”

  Reece caught and steadied me. He wrapped me in his arms and pulled me close again. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

  I shook off his efforts to comfort me, overcome with revulsion. “That’s vile. And it’s not true. It just... it can’t be. I don’t want that, Reece. I don’t want any of this.”

  “It doesn’t matter. It’s going to happen.”

  “Not if I leave.”

  He shook his head. “It’s pointless to run. She’ll find you—wherever you go. She can always find you. She’s your maker. Any ‘independence’ she may have offered you was an illusion. You’ll never be able to break the bond. Neither will I. She owns us both, Abbi.”