“Well, shit, that’sdepressing.” I took a bite of my burrito. A flavor explosion played over mytongue and I moaned. He burst out laughing at my expression.
“Your taste buds areenhanced. Every meal is like sex in your mouth,” he told me.
Someone slammed downtheir tray across the table, glaring at us. “Quit acting like best friends,”the new guy spat. “You’re all going to be at each others’ throats in twoweeks.”
Jayden threw a chip athim as my stomach sank. “Calm down, meathead,” he said.
Maybe this new guy wasright, I shouldn’t be making friends. I glanced at Jayden and he smiled. Shit.Too late. I kinda already went and liked my roomie. I’d just have to worryabout it if and when Jayden and I fought. For now, Jayden and I were on thesame team.
I ate half of my burrito.The conversations had dried up in this section of the ash hall. Mostly everyonejust stuck to themselves and threw around lots of glares. After thirty minutesof this, I dropped my plate onto the return tray and said goodbye to Jayden. Ineeded some alone time, and if I remembered robot Jose’s tour correctly, he hadsaid the roof had a jogging track.
My room hadn’t had anyjogging clothes, just the jumpsuits, so I decided to just head up and hope forthe best. Luckily, as I made my way upstairs, there was a supply room justoutside the gym and running area. A female vampire, who was not very friendlyat all, hooked me up with some running shoes and clothes. Probably didn’t wantto get attached to an ash who was most likely going to be killed in the firstround of the culling. Or she was a bitch. Either one.
Fifteen minutes later Iwas running on top of the world. Sixty stories in the air, it was glorious. Thefreezing wind slid through my hair and my feet pounded on the track. I couldsee the whole city from up here! The Columbia River divided Oregon fromWashington. I had officially found my new favorite place. If my entire worldhad to fall apart, then this was something in the glass half full part of mylife now. I pushed harder into the run in awe of my new speed and strength. AsI angled myself for the turn, someone whipped by me on my left.
“Number forty-six…”Ryder’s voice sailed by as he blurred past. He was doing the seamless gracefulthing, his movements controlled and strong.
Asshole was still callingme number forty-six. I picked up my speed, my lungs increasing as my legsblurred underneath me. What can I say? I was competitive. As I caught up to him,I was assaulted by the beautiful network of muscles that made up his back. He waswearing a tank, but I still had plenty to perv on. Pushing myself harder, Igrinned as I stepped in beside him, matching pace. Yes! I was anunicorn-ash-badass.
Ryder side-glanced at me.
“Getting slow, ash,” Isaid.
At first his expressiondidn’t change, but then, as he leaned forward a little and took off at somesort of super speed, I swear the slightest of smiles lifted his lips. Dammit! Iwas never going to catch him now, so I decided to slow my pace so I wouldn’tfall on my face. No reason to give him any more reason to think I was a clumsyidiot.
As we did another roundof the track, I noticed a newcomer was standing next to one of bench chairs, farback under the cover, out of the light. It was a gorgeous vampire with brightblond hair and fair skin. He had not been on the track when I started, butthere was no missing him now in his very white trench coat. Hewaswatching me, gaze locked on with intensity, and I found my pace slowing as mycuriosity was piqued. He was tall and well-built, his distinct silver vampire eyesswirling as they continued to track my movements. He was momentarily distractedwhen Ryder stopped in front of him and gave a military salute. Words wereexchanged; their demeanor was friendlyish. Then the vampire pointed at me.Ohshit.I stopped about twenty yards away, cautious as the blond started towave me over. Ryder spared me a quick glance before turning his back and takingoff down the track again.
This guy looked abouttwenty-five and was watching me with an intensity that made me swallow hard.
I couldn’t exactly ignorehim. The vamps ran this world, so even though I really didn’t need any newdrama in my first real day in the Hive, I found myself slowly crossing the outerlanes, stopping an arm’s distance away.
“Hi,” I said.
The vampire gave me whatseemed like a genuine smile. “Hello, Charlene. May I call you Charlene?”
Hell no, you’re not mymom. “Sure.” I needed to play nice. I had no friends here.
He extended his hand.“I’m Lucas Belcroft.”
Lucas. This was the dudeJayden had said was interested in me. Looks like I was about to find out why.He held out a hand for me shake. I hesitated briefly, but the sense ofotherness which kind of freaked me out about vampires was not as strong withLucas. I took his strong, firm hand, and instead of repulsion I was met with alight flutter in my stomach. I let go as soon as Lucas’s silver eyes began toswirl.
“I wanted to make youracquaintance for many reasons. And I am reaching out as a member of the Quorum,the vampire council. We are all very intrigued by you.”
Yeah, no shit. Female ash.Didn’t happen. Got the freakin’ memo loud and clear. “Yeah, I’m a littleshocked myself.” I noticed Ryder was eyeing us while running.
Lucas’ eyes dropped to mychest for a fraction of a second, but then rested on my lips. Men, vamps or ash,were all the same. “We have been in discussions since you were … discovered.The rules and traditions stand for a reason, and there are no exceptions. Youdo have to participate in the culling, but I will do everything in my power tomake sure you survive.”
There was apossessiveness in his voice. Homeboy wanted this ash-unicorn bad, for what Ididn’t know. I was struck with an uncomfortable thought then, one which Ireally should have had earlier but there had been already quite a bit going onin my head.
My father was a vampire.
Not John, the soldier Momspoke of, who had bravely saved his men from a landmine. Nope, I had been siredby a virus-infected bloodsucker.Crap!What if Lucas was my dad? Thatwould be super weird, because he was really hot and I had been checking himout. Note to self: no more checking out vampires until I knew which one was mydaddy-o.
Seemed I needed to have achat with my mom. I wasn’t sure if that was allowed or not, but I was damn sureasking the first chance I got. I focused on Lucas again.
“And why would you wantme to survive?”
He smiled again. Dude wasquite cheery for the undead. “I’m your sponsor. We all want our initiates tosurvive.”
