The Scarlet Dagger (The Red Sector Chronicles, #1)

Chapter 27

I slept all weekend, content to just remain holed-up in my room while I sorted some things out. Aden told his mom I wasn't feeling well, and after assuring her I didn't need to see a doctor, I was relatively undisturbed, except when she brought me food. I appreciated Aden and Mrs. Knight understanding. God knows if I had remained at the mansion, I'd probably be dead by now, most likely sentenced to death by my own mother. It hurt to think about that, like every time I did, my heart tore that much deeper.

Sunday night, there was a light knock at my door around dinner time. I sat up from the couch, folding up the novel I'd emerged myself in. "Book worlds" were so much more appealing than the one I lived in.

"Come in," I called, expecting Mrs. Knight.

I gasped a little as Aden walked through the door. Honestly, I hadn't seen much of him since I'd been back. I didn't know if he had been taking pains to give me some space or if he'd just been incredibly busy. Either way, I didn't mind when he brought me a tray and sat down beside me.

"How are you feeling?"

I chuckled darkly. "I was never sick, remember?"

"I'm not talking about that," he said quietly.

I stared at the plate, picking at the fresh veggies with my fork. It smelled delicious, but I suddenly wasn't very hungry. "All right, I guess."

"Just all right?"

I stabbed at a carrot. "I don't know, honestly. Confused. Guilty, maybe." I sighed. "I'm just so sick of feeling... bad. Over Orion and now..."

He waited, not pushing me as I collected my thoughts. "I bit my best friend," I whispered, cheeks flaming.

I thought maybe Aden would be furious, thinking I'd betrayed the vampires and told them about the base's whereabouts. But he appeared perfectly calm as he settled back into the couch. "I figured that would happen. The thirst for blood is in our nature. It's something that can be controlled but not always helped."

"Then how come I haven't felt this raw need for blood before? I've been a vampire for over a month now."

"Our desire for blood becomes much stronger around humans," Aden explained. "As we don't have any here – since it's technically against Nero's Laws – you simply haven't thirsted for blood."

Huh? One of Nero's Laws?

I thought of the lab full of deceased human bodies and of the dead face of the little girl I had tried to help escape. Paris admitted Nero was with her the night I camped out in the lab. He definitely knew about the bodies, which meant he was breaking his own laws.

My thoughts were so hung up on Nero that I almost missed what Aden said next. "Now that you've tasted human blood, you'll need to feed more regularly."

My eyes widened. "I am not biting another human being."

He held up his hands. "Relax. I'm not asking you to go on a killing spree. We have blood bags here to help with 'the thirst.' Paris happens to know a vamp who ironically works at a blood bank on the surface."

When I didn't respond, he added softly, "If you don't drink it, you'll die."

Good, I almost thought then pushed the notion away. No way was I going to just give up. If I did die, I would go down putting up a fight.

I crossed my arms. "Fine."

Aden leaned forward, and I felt his eyes on me. "It's not your fault, Sloane, feeding on your friend, that is. Did you drain him?"