Page 20 of Crown of Death

The man’s eyes once more come to mine, and that excitement does not diminish. “Who you may be is why you mustdie.”

Once more, his fangs lengthen. His eyes ignite brilliant, bloodred.

“No!” The word rips from Eli as he surges forward, his restraintsgroaning.

And a scream cuts from my throat. I throw my hands up, shoving back against hischest.

But he does not look deterred. His hold around me does notloosen.

“No, please,” I beg. “You don’t need to killme.”

“Yes,” he breathes. His gaze is misty, excited. “I actually do. And I pray, I pray a thousand and one prayers that you will understand why in a few days’time.”

Staring into his brilliant glowing red eyes, I fear. But I’m also ready tofight.

“You can’t kill me,” I say, my voice turning hard and even. “I don’t even know yourname.”

The look in his eyes softens, but there is also something sad in them. “Oh, my love, I pray that soon you will remember that,too.”

“Let her go,Cyrus,” Eli barks, as if he can order this manaround.

A hiss blows over his lips and he turns to bare his teeth atEli.

A terrified storm calms inme.

Cyrus.

Cyrus.

“Cyrus,” I say softly. And like a calming wave washes over him, he looks back at me. His eyes widen. His mouth hangs slightly slack. And I don’t know what brave, idiotic instinct in me makes me do it, but I raise my hand to rest it against his cheek. “You want to kill me, but you don’t even know me. How is thatfair?”

He blinks once, slow. “I’m afraid in our world, the wordfairapplies verylittle.”

Ourworld.

“I say you must die so that you can awake in four days’ time and be like myself,” he says quietly. “So you may learn the truth of your world, your birthright. The truth of your vampireheritage.”

Vampire.

The word echoes through me over and over, banging against the back of my brain. Against the hollow places in my lungs. Down over the bones in mylegs.

Vampire.

Not real.Not real, my brain wants toscream.

But it’s there right in front ofme.

A set of gleaming fangs. A pair of glowing redeyes.

“You must die so that we can know who you truly are,” Cyrussays.

I blink. His body is pressed against mine, and I suddenly have to ask myself why I haven’t been recoiling from this stranger who is telling me that I mustdie.

“No one tells you no, do they?” I breathe. Because I see that it’s true. His eyes, the expressions of everyone else in this room, confirm it. “If there is no other option, I have ademand.”

His nostrils flare slightly, his eyes widen just abit.

“A deal,” I say. “You’ll kill me. But you have to give me…two months to say goodbye to my family and friends. To finish my life. You don’t even know me, and you want to kill me. You owe me at leastthat.”