Page 66 of House of Crimson Kisses
I came here to tell her about the vampire we tortured and the fact that I’m pretty sure Cordelia is trying to kill all the hunters.
Not to confess that I am actually the dhampir.
But what harm can telling her do? She’s the Chief, for Blood’s sake. She’s the one that sent me on a mission to go undercover and bring back intel. The Chief has always been and will always be on my team.
All she wants is to keep me safe.
My mind races back to Octavia, and how she was willing to take my memories to make sure no one would ever find out who I was. The fact that she doesn’t trust anyone. And yet she is the one who took not just my memories but her brother’s.
She did it to protect me, but there is a line between doing a bad thing for the right reason and actually playing a villain. I think she’s the former, but if you truly had a good heart, wouldn’t you give the memories back? Or is the villain Octavia says she plays for me who she actually is?
Octavia is worried, but really… who am I meant to trust? A vampire or the hunter who’s looked after me my whole life?
“Red? What is it?” the Chief says more urgently this time.
I have a decision to make. Who can I trust? Who do I trust more? Who’s never lied to me?
The Chief or Octavia?
My gut swirls as I realise there’s only one obvious choice.
“I know who the dhampir is,” I say.
And the Chief’s complexion pales, her blue eyes glimmer like ocean droplets in the lunchtime sun and she smiles for the first time since I stepped onto Academy grounds.
Chapter19
Sneaking out, Red?
Tricky, tricky.
Looks like you’re letting your hunter skills go. I followed you, and you didn’t even notice.
I wonder if you’ll notice when I pull the rug out from under you?
I wonder if you’ll figure out before it’s too late what I have planned for Cordelia.
Dear, Red. None of this is even about you.
But then, collateral damage is a part of war.
And you, sweet thing, will be collateral damage.
Chapter20
RED
The whole carriage ride back to Octavia’s mansion, I second guess everything. It’s in part the time and space to think and partly because I am famished. I need to drink. I should probably eat human food, too. But I am consumed by the need to drink.
The carriage rocks me side to side as the horses clip-clop under the city and I fight wave after wave of exhaustion. My head told me to tell her. She’s the Chief. What else could she want other than to protect me? Regardless of the fact Cordelia has cornered her into retiring, she wants the best for us hunters.
“I’m the dhampir, Chief,” I said, and her mouth fell open. I swore for a brief second, as her eyes drooped, there was a flash of sadness. But then her expression hardened, and she grabbed me by the shoulders.
“Listen to me. We have to keep this secret, okay?”
I nod and she continued.
“You can’t tell anyone. Especially none of the vampires.”
