Page 1 of B Negative

One

A cement fistclamped around my throat as the weight of what just happened barreled into me.

A ragged cry left my lips.

The moon shone down on the courtyard, illuminating Sunny’s lifeless body with an ethereal glow.

Not quite a vampire gleam.

Not yet.

“You did this.” The accusation dragged across my vocal cords like shards of broken glass.

Broken dreams.

My gaze shifted to Julian’s graying face. The hurt etched in his features acted as a sick sort of salve to my own shattered heart.

And what did I do? I plunged the dagger deeper.

“If you hadn’t been so set on impressing Titus with this ridiculous show of magic—” I gestured to the bespelled stairs that had taken Sunny’s human life. “None of this—” I couldn’t bring myself to say the rest.

My mind played it out in perfect detail.

Sunny’s ankle wobbling on the loose slate.

The strap on her shoe snapping.

And her tumbling down the towering staircase in slow motion, landing with limbs akimbo and macabre, neck at an impossible angle.

Julian’s face went grayer still. “Eden, I didn’t mean for this to happen.” His voice was low, broken.

He took a step toward me.

I blurred backward, but not before scooping Sunny’s body into my arms. “Stay away from me,” I hissed, backing up the stairs and scanning the crowd for anyone else who might want to test me.

Most averted their gaze when mine fell on them, scrambling behind one another as to not catch my ire.

But Titus held fast, deep blue eyes flashing with a familiar need. “Where are you taking Sunsiray?”

That cement fist around my throat tightened.

Sunsiray? Was that Sunny’s given name? How had that not come up? I stared down at her face. Emerald eyes fixed upward, lips formed in an O of surprise that would remain until she rose a full vampire.

“Eden.” My gaze snapped to Titus. “Where are you taking her?” he repeated.

“Why do you care?”

I didn’t actually know where I was taking her. Away from here was as far as I’d gotten. Regardless, I’d promised to be there when she transitioned. I wouldn’t break that promise. Not even under these fucked circumstances.

I pulled her body closer, angling away from Titus as he came up three steps.

I backed up three as well.

“She needs to come with me,” Titus said.

My eyes rolled, and a snorting scoff rattled my bone-dry throat. “Over my dead body.”

Titus lowered his head, leveling a menacing glare at me as he approached. “That can be arranged.”