Page 29 of Crown of Death
I look back at Cyrus. Still stone serious. He gives a little nod. “Correct.”
Half a breath, I hold it. “And then what?” I ask. “What will be the rules of my new life? What can Iexpect?”
All this time, Cyrus has not moved a muscle. He still sits with his arm over the back of the couch. The picture of controlled, dangerousperfection.
“You’ll crave blood,” he says. “It was a curse, that we crave the blood of our former kind. It will be…” he draws out. “Difficult to control, for a time. But you’ll also feel incredible. Like your best day of health, times one hundred. You’ll be strong, capable. Never to be ill again. You’ll be fast, nearly indestructible. So long as you avoid stakes andblades.”
Iswallow.
Guess some of the stories aretrue.
Eli was carrying a stake. And how could he know we would run into vampires at thetime?
“And the sun will not be your friend,” Cyrus continues. “Your eyes will not be able to handle the direct sun. You will prefer the night. It will feel natural, the change to a nocturnalschedule.”
“And what about my life?” I ask. “When I’m craving the blood of every single person I know? What about my job? My family? If I’m going to want to hurt them, whatthen?”
Finally, Cyrus moves. He shifts, both of his feet on the floor. He leans forward, his elbows on his knees. His dark eyes bore into mine, and I now realize just how much my eyes have adjusted. I see his clearly. They dilate big and wide, taking all of mein.
“That is what these four weeks are for,” he breathes. I hear it in his tone, how difficult giving me those four weeks is. And I still don’t understand why this has to happennow. “For once your human life is over, you will be stepping into a whole new world. A new birthright. And you have no idea the wonders and horrors that awaityou.”
Without another explanation, he rises and walks to the kitchen, picking over the food Fredrick has beenpreparing.
And I sit on the couch, feeling utterly lost. Completelyoverwhelmed.
But something stirs inside of me. Something excited. Something antsy. Something a littledeadly.
Chapter 8
The stone walls are glittering.
Like crushed diamonds were mixed into the pressed earth, they sparkle andshine.
I turn, taking in the dim red light that refracts off their surfaces. And as I turn, the space opens up. Wide, so high. Great beams span the air above me. A glittering black chandelier hangs overhead. And from somewhere in the room, beautiful music floats through thespace.
Faces. But not faces. All around me. Masks, exposing glowing redeyes.
And I’m surrounded by sweeping, swishingfabric.
Men and women float around the room, dressed in opulent finery. Gowns. Suits. Feathers and pearls are splashed here andthere.
I step forward, the gown around me swishing softly. Heels click beneath my feet. Soft fabric hugs my face. The tickle of a feather brushes mycheek.
My eyes sweep between dancingcouples.
Something in my chestaches.
I take another stepforward.
From one corner of the room to the other, my eyessearch.
Glowing red. Glisteningwhite.
But instead of fear, I only feel that sense ofsearching.
Something ismissing.
The dancers sweep into a new movement, and a division in the room forms, leaving me standing alone in the center of the room. And there, at the other end of the room, stands a man in an entirely blacksuit.