Page 17 of Bite The Terror That Feeds

“So…I could become an Original.”

“Yes.”

Her eyes moved back to mine. “And how would that happen?”

“You need to taste the blood of a human—or a vampire.”

While most people would rush out to finish the transition, she looked paler than I’d ever seen her, like an immortal life was truly repulsive to her. It disturbed her on such a deep level, a moral disgust.

“So, as long as I don’t do that…I’m safe. And it’s not like I can just ingest someone’s blood on accident.”

The disappointment burned inside me, and while I did my best to combat it, it was pointless. I didn’t want her to feel what I felt, but it was too potent for her to ignore. Unless she was too revolted to notice my sadness. “Why are you so repulsed by immortality?”

Her eyes found mine again. “Because we aren’t meant to live forever.”

“Says who?”

“That’s just the way things are—”

“Then why aren’t the Ethereal that way? Why are they the only ones bestowed with immortality? Why are they superior to the rest of us?”

“Because they’re gods—”

“Just because they said they’re gods doesn’t mean they are. They’re a bunch of pretentious pricks who think they’re better than the rest of us. That’s all. They want you to believe you’re content being poor, so you won’t want their riches. They want you to believe a single lifetime is enough, so you’ll always be less powerful than they are. It’s pure manipulation—and you’re falling for it.”

She breathed as she processed my words, her chest rising higher than it did before. “It would be one thing to be an Ethereal, but to be a vampire—”

“You say it like it’s a dirty word.”

“You feed on blood—”

“And what do the Ethereal feed on? Have you ever thought of that?”

She turned still, cornered by my words. “They’re true immortals—”

“Sure, that’s what they say, but I don’t believe their lies. No one has ever crossed their borders. No one has ever been privy to their ways. They could be feasting on children for all you know.”

She looked away. “Don’t you dare turn me.”

I felt her palm strike my face from across the room. “I would never do that, sweetheart.”

“Promise me.” Her eyes stayed on her hands in her lap, as if she couldn’t look at me.

“Larisa.”

She fought the command.

“Look at me.”

She finally found the courage to face me.

“I would never turn anyone against their will. If you think I’d hold you down and force my blood into your mouth for my own purposes, then you don’t think very highly of me.”

Guilt radiated in her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

I didn’t accept her apology.

“You’re just so aggressive about this… It scares me.”