Page 47 of Taste of Fate

“So?” I was too pissed off to be surprised at the vitriol in my own voice. “It wouldn’t be your fault, because their lazy, entitled asses shouldn’t put all that on you, anyway. And even if it was your fault, they were going to cast you off to the vampires anyway. Fuck them, Ames.”

She kept shaking her head, hearing my words but not really listening. “I can’t do that, I don’t have it in me. I can’t just say, fuck you all and walk away. This place is all I have.”

“You have me,” I reminded her.

“You left.”

“I’m right here!”

“And I’m so fucking thankful for that, you have no idea.” She forced a smile, which she was always better at than me. “But you’re not really with Sapien anymore, are you? You’ve never been happy here. I’m not really surprised that you jumped at the chance to leave.”

“What the hell, Amy?” I took a few steps back. “I volunteered to go for you. Everyone thought being the blood pet was certain death. I saw it as giving my life for yours. I didn’t know I’d be basically moving into a new community.”

“I never asked you to go in my place. In fact, I didn’t want you to. I was devastated that you made that decision for me. I was scared as hell, but I was willing to make that sacrifice because my fellow humans asked me to. If it kept our kind safe for fifty years, I was willing to do it.”

Now it was me shaking my head at her. “Humans are not better than vampires, Ames. You would’ve been discarded by people who didn’t give a shit about you. Chances are, the vampires would treat you a lot better than our own kind have.”

“I guess we’ll never know.” A strange coldness entered her voice. “Because you threw yourself on the gauntlet in my place.”

A sigh deflated my chest. “I love you, Amy. I just wish you loved yourself as much as you loved these ungrateful assholes.”

“I love you too, Tav.” She turned to look at the settlement behind us. “I just don’t see it that way. It’s more important to me that humanity lives on, that our culture is preserved for future generations. Especially in a world of supernaturals who live ten times longer than we do. If I can contribute to preserving our future, that will have more impact than my own, individual wants. If I abandon our people, then I’m contributing to the erasure of humans.”

My lips pressed together in a thin line, fighting the urge to argue. Amy was repeating the same mantra that the council drummed into us since we were old enough to remember. As if humans were some precious, dying out species. There were seven billion of them in the human world. A small handful of them stumbled into Shyftworld every decade or so. Humans weren’t going anywhere. And the individual was just as important as the collective. She was important to me. Everyone else could fuck off.

A few moments of tense silence passed before I heard the telltale rumbling of a motorcycle. A single headlight floated down the road, growing larger as it raced toward us.

“Your arranged husband arrives,” Amy cracked with a smirk. Just like that, we were done arguing.

“Shut up,” I grumbled back, trying to ignore the onslaught of nerves.

After a full twenty-four hours apart, I didn’t know what to expect from Cyan. Would he continue to ice me out? Or be the warm, flirtatious friend? The stress of not knowing what side of him I’d get sat like a brick in my stomach.

Approaching footsteps had me turning to see Robin and Heather approaching from the settlement.

“You’ve decided to stay,” I observed.

Heather looked much better than she had that morning, with washed and brushed hair, a clean set of clothes on, and a refreshed, hydrated glow to her skin.

She shrugged and the gesture looked like she was trying too hard to be casual. “How could I miss an opportunity to see a real-life vampire?”

Robin smiled at her overly sarcastic tone before approaching me for a hug. “Don’t be a stranger, now.”

“We’ll chat when Amy and I get on the phone,” I said, returning her embrace. Quieter, into her shoulder, I whispered, “Thanks for taking care of her for me.”

Robin patted my shoulder in response and then released me just as Cyan pulled up. Before I could think any better of it, I decided to make introductions.

“Hey Cyan. I don’t think you were able to meet everyone before,” I said over the motorcycle. “This is Amy, Robin, and Heather. Everyone, this is Cyan of Blood 'til Dawn.”

“Good evening, ladies.” Cyan dipped his head and flashed a quick, polite smile, which was enough to catch a glimpse of his fangs.

“Uh, hi.” Amy blinked in wide-eyed fascination.

All vampires were interesting to look at. The differences between them and humans were subtle, but noticeable enough that most people couldn’t help themselves. They had a dark ethereal quality that drew one’s curiosity.

But Cyan was an especially fine feast for the eyes. Those red eyes, prominent cheekbones, and full lips were on full display in the dim security lights. His long legs straddled the machine under him, hands wrapped around the grips in full, calm control, torso leaning forward slightly. Even though he was relaxed, friendly, he looked like a predator in wait.

I glanced at Heather, whose wide-eyed stare was one of utter disbelief. Her mouth hung open in shock. She didn’t start arguing about red contacts or fake fangs because she knew on a deep, instinctual level that Cyan was not human.

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