Chapter 6

RED

"W hat did you say?" Octavia says, her crimson eyes wide as full blood moons.

"You heard me." I'm snarling and growling, my whole body contorting under tensed muscles. But it's not the rage consuming me. This is happening involuntarily.

The addiction.

It's becoming completely unsustainable. I need to feed.

I mean, drink.

Fuck. What's wrong with me?

Octavia draws a sharp breath, and it brings me back to her. Her head is shaking in slow, steady, confused movements.

"It's… It's not possible," she says.

"What isn't, Octavia? It's not possible that you did the one thing I asked you never to do? Not possible that you stole my memories? Or tried, I should say. Tried to control me. To take my fucking free will and compel me into obedience? That's not possible? Because I assure you… you certainly tried."

She's stepped back. One foot, two. Her head still shaking, her pupils blown wide. Her bottom lip is dropped and gulping at the air like a fish.

"I don't understand?" she breathes.

"I do. I understand that you're a fucking traitor. You betrayed me. Broke my trust. And for what?"

That makes her snap to attention. Her face crumples into lines, and a simmering fury shivers through her expression.

"To protect you, Red. For the love of blood. Don't you get it? You're the fucking dhampir."

"And you think me not knowing that is going to help us? Are you na?ve? In what world does me not knowing who I am help the situation? I'd be completely helpless. Entirely at the whims of your protection."

Something in her shatters. She shoves me back, gripping my shoulders. "Yes, and I'd give my life to protect you."

"YOU'RE ALREADY DEAD, OCTAVIA. You were born dead, for fucks sake."

She recoils. Her face crumpling.

Great. Now I feel bad. But as soon as I think it, I push it away. She doesn't get to make me feel guilty. She's the one who betrayed me.

"I did it to protect you. If you don't know… If no one knows, then I can keep the secret. No one can torture it out of me, and I can keep you safe." But she's no longer looking at me. She's examining the tunnel floor like there's a work of art on it instead of dusty cracked concrete.

I fold my arms. "I can look after myself. That's the point. You don't get to choose what I…" but my words fade as I cough.

My throat goes suddenly dry. The hunger in my belly is twisting and furling until I want to be sick. I buckle, bending over and gagging. Octavia reaches down to help me up. I shuck her off.

"Don't fucking touch me."