“They’re scum, and they deserve to die that way. They’re cowards.”
“You don’t think I’m a coward.”
The other two vampires are still watching us, keeping their eyes on us and this brilliant dance between us. He’s right when he says that they deserve to die. I don’t doubt that. If the Eagleton citizens have actually been hunting vampires all of this time, well, there’s not too much I can do about that, is there?
But I have my own mission, and it doesn’t involve letting Benjamin walk all over me.
“I don’t think you’re a coward,” he finally says. “I do think you’re an idiot. Brave, but dumb.”
“Then bite me and prove it,” I say. I have to shoot my shot. I have to go for it. I want to be a vampire. I want to live forever, and I want to be strong. If half of the things I’ve heard about vampires are true, then I want it. I’m in. I know that the vampires heard me, but they don’t speak. Not right away.
The room falls silent, and I worry for a second that I played my card too soon. They don’t need to know that’s what I want: to live forever, to be immortal. They don’t need to know that I don’t mind drinking blood or not having any friends because I’m going to live forever.
They don’t need to know that.
Because I know that vampires are strong, and fierce, and they’re incredible. Monsters or not, they’re incredible beings, and I want to be one. I’m tired of always feeling sad, and lonely, and isolated. I want to have the strength to overcome those feelings.
Benjamin is very quiet, and then he steps forward.
One.
Two.
Three.
Three steps and he’s in front of me. Three steps and he’s staring me down, trying to scare me. Well, it won’t work. I grew up in Eagleton. I grew up in a place with secrets. I lived in a town where nobody liked me and everyone was happy to let me know.
I’m not afraid of him.
“You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“I know exactly what I’m saying.”
“I won’t turn you.”
“You said you wanted me to be your mate, didn’t you? Prove it. Turn me. Let me live forever.”
“I’ll do nothing of the sort,” he says.
“Why? Scared?”
I’m taunting him. I’m playing with fire, but I don’t even care. I know perfectly well that this is a dangerous game, but I don’t care. If they’re going to kill me, then I just hope they make it fast, but if they’re going to keep me alive, then I want it to be on my terms, and I want to be a vampire.
“A vampire mate is never turned,” Eli says, interrupting.
“She is only kept,” Matthew adds.
“Why?”
“Her role is to be the beloved companion of her mates until she is old and grey.”
“And then what? She just dies?”
Matthew nods.
Eli nods.
Benjamin just looks at me.