Page 78 of Crown of Death

I close it, leaning against it. I look up at the ceiling, feeling my stomachsink.

There are real world consequences for what is about to happen. For the path I’m being ushered down. My mother is going to think this is going somewhere itisn’t.

This is the deal you made though, I think to myself.You’re supposed to be finishing your humanlife.

And as I think about it, a cold drop of panic sinks into mystomach.

Today is the fourteenth. My death date is the twenty-forth.

I have ten days left to wrap up my humanlife.

With a gasp, I cross the entry and rush up the stairs. I shove open the door to my bedroom and head for the desk against the wall. Throwing open drawers, I sigh in relief when I find a notebook and a pen in anotherdrawer.

Things to wrap up, I write in big bold letters across thetop.

Work, I write on the first line. In less than ten days I’m going to have to quit. I realize now that I’m already too late to give two-weeks’ notice. Emmanuel isn’t going to be happy. He’s always been so good to me. And now I’m going to leave himhanging.

Amelia, I scrawl on the nextline.

Family, I write on the oneafter.

I need to tell themsomething.

Once I’m turned, if I don’t just die for good, I doubt I can be around them for some time. I’m going to have to goaway.

“Cyrus?” I call out before I even really think aboutit.

And almost as if he was just waiting for me, he’s instantly there, standing in thedoorway.

“If I really wake up after being dead for four days,” I say, watching him, but not really seeing him. I’m imagining where I’ll be while I’m dead. “What can I expect in those first fewdays?”

Cyrus leans against the doorway, watching me. “Your new body will be overwhelming in ways,” he says. “The strength, the speed, the new sense of sight and hearing. But your body will already be perfectly adapted forit.”

I nod, taking it in, but not really hearing him. “That’s not what I’m talkingabout.”

Cyrus’ lips thin. But he nods. “You ask about thethirst.”

Inod.

He takes a deep breath. He steps into the room, and slowly crosses the room to sit on my bed. “The thirst will be consuming when you first awaken. Your throat will burn with fire, your need for blood will be unquenchable. Only fresh blood will satisfyyou.”

“Meaning I will hurt someone,” I say, swallowing once. I resist the instinct to raise a hand to my throat, whichtingles.

“Yes,” Cyrus whispers. “The first feeding is always a draining one. No matter how much you might not wish to hurt or kill someone, no one can stop themselves the firsttime.”

Breathing is difficult, my throat is tootight.

I swear I can already taste the coppery wet of blood in the back of mythroat.

“You’ll need to feed often in the beginning, as your new body adjusts,” Cyrussays.

“How long?” I ask. I clear my throat and blink. “You don’t go running around, driven mad by bloodlust. Mina seems to have things under control. The House of Valdez wasn’t attacking every human at the casino. How long until I have the thirst undercontrol?”

He looks at me, again searching for something. “Everyone is different. For some they gain control in about three weeks. For others it’s longer. A month, two. It’s controllable if you’re aware of your needs and take care of them. But most don’t have full strength of will over the thirst until they’ve been Resurrected for a year orso.”

Ayear.

A year before I won’t pose a threat to my family. Myfriends.

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