Page 44 of Taste of Fate

“Hey.” I pulled her into a hug. “I know. I thought I was a goner too. But the vampires aren’t so bad, actually. I might get to visit regularly. Maybe you can even visit me.”

Amy pulled away with a cringe. “Visit a vampire clan? That’ll be like a lamb hanging out with a pack of wolves, won’t it?”

“It’s not like that. Everyone’s very respectful.” Although to be honest, I couldn’t be sure. People didn’t mess with me because I was Cyan’s blood pet. Would Amy be as safe if a vampire didn’t have a similar claim on her?

“Whatever you’re comfortable with,” I tacked on. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah. You hungry?” She led the way out of the trailer and locked up behind us.

“Starving,” I admitted. “The market over there has a deli that makes amazing breakfast burritos, but sometimes you want something classic like pancakes, you know? I’ve been there a few times and have yet to see a basic box of pancake mix on the shelf.”

Amy was quiet for a while as we walked. She kept facing forward, ignoring the looks of disdain from others we passed by. Some eyebrows raised and whispers were exchanged when they saw that I was in fact alive and well. I met the eyes of anyone who dared to keep looking, an open challenge to come mess with us. No one held my gaze. Bullies were cowards at their core, after all.

“So they’re good to you over there, huh?” she asked.

“Yeah, I would say so.”

“Makes you wonder if we’re really so much better off here,” Amy muttered. “Cut off from the rest of the territory in the name of freedom and independence. But are we, really? Free and independent, that is.”

Hope fluttered in my chest, but it was quickly weighed down by reality. I wanted to say the words, to offer her a way out of Sapien. Cyan would let her come home with me, he would have to. Amy and I would be together, and she’d be safer that way.

But bullying and mob mentality didn’t just exist in humans. Vampires were just as likely to push her around because she struggled with some things. Leaving Sapien wouldn’t necessarily mean a better life for her, but I would be able to protect her better.

My unspoken thoughts swirled as we caught up to Robin on her way to the council building, carrying a stack of sealed food containers. I called her name and waved, making the poor woman nearly drop her load when she saw me.

“Tavia?” she said in a gasp, her eyes welling with tears. “Holy shit, is it really you?”

“Really me, back for a quick visit. I’m only staying until tonight.” I rested my elbow on Amy’s shoulder. “I crashed at the short stack’s place last night, otherwise I would have come said hello sooner.”

“Well, holy hell, you’re the last person I expected to see.” Robin’s eyes scanned over me quickly. “You look well.”

“She says the vampires actually treat humans well.” Amy’s eyes went from me to Robin, making me wonder if they had been talking about leaving Sapien before.

“You’ll have to tell me all about it.” Robin smiled, and I realized it had been years since I saw genuine joy on her face. “Did Amy tell you about the stray we found?” She angled her head toward the council building.

“Yeah, I wanted to meet her actually.” The three of us started in that direction, Robin leading the way.

“She’s scared,” the older woman said with a look of sympathy. “I actually just got done with talking to Nancy and she agreed to let her out. Keeping her locked up won’t help her trust us. We’ll prepare a trailer for her to stay in, but what she does from here is her choice.”

“Glad old Nancy came to her senses,” I muttered.

Amy and Robin both shot me harsh looks. Amy even make a tsking noise, which I ignored. I stopped respecting the elders years ago. And I wasn’t part of the community anymore, so there was no point in even pretending to kiss their asses.

The double doors of the council building were held together with a chain and padlock. They were swung outward slightly, as if someone had been pushing against them from inside. A spark of anger ignited in me. The same people who imprisoned this woman allowed my best friend to be mistreated and abused. They would have sent Amy to die if I hadn’t stepped in.

I would’ve tried to run away too.

I held the food containers while Robin unlocked the doors, pulling the chain through the handles and discarding it to the side. Amy walked through first, the warmest and most non-threatening of all of us.

“Hello?” she called out. “It’s just us, Heather. We’ve brought you breakfast and the doors won’t be locked anymore.”

A bright blonde head popped out from behind one of the desks. Her hair was tangled and her blue eyes were wide. “I can leave?”

“At your own risk,” Robin said in her mom-voice. “I highly suggest you stay here, at least until you get your strength up. It looks like you haven’t been eating.” She nodded at containers of food on a side table next to the door.

“Like I’m going to eat anything you psychos give me,” Heather hissed.

I popped the lid on one of the containers in my arms, the smell of cheese, spices, and warm scrambled egg making my stomach growl. “Robin, you got a fork?”

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