Kiss Me Before I Die by Rena Marks

Author:Rena Marks
Format: epub

Chapter Nine

Contrary to what I’d told Ethan, I had learned something. I’d learned that my original hatred of vampires was born from fear. Not my own but my mother’s. It had been instilled early, in my developing childhood. A critical formation period for mental growth. But how could I share such a prejudice with him?

I’d been with her until I was three, when the government had taken me. But back then, there was a lot of red tape to go through before the Academy of Extinguishers finally got their way. She still had legal visitations for quite a while, in fact, I was bounced back and forth between her home and the government for a few years.

One judge decided that was too stressful for a child. While the legal hassles were underway, I was sent to live in a catholic orphanage. One solitary nun taught me my humanity, though I’d spent more years with men trying to make me forget those early lessons. The government had thought ahead to keeping me permanently by committing my mother, knowing there was no one else to want her bizarre child.

When it was all said and done, the judge had no choice but to return me to the Academy.

I didn’t remember that fear, for I’d never seen a vampire. But it was triggered over my first encounter with the one I’d killed at thirteen. The one who taunted me about my gene pool.

I believed his full name had been Ramon Durant.

Although, in a way I should be grateful. He was the one to instill upon me the need to search into my government records. To search and destroy the hidden files kept by one solitary man, as detailed as a personal diary.

Dr. Fokusovich.

I parked the car but instead of heading up the staircase to my apartment, Ethan took my hand and we headed to the lush green yard around the building. “Come, let’s relax. Let it all go before we bring the tension inside.”

I wasn’t aware I was tense. But I let him lead me because his hand was warm and large and comforting.

We settled on the soft grass, against a tree, the scent of orange blossoms wafting in the air. Sitting behind me, Ethan wrapped his arms around me while I leaned back against his chest. “Do you remember our first time, bella?”

“Why do you think of it? I almost killed you,” I murmured.

He traced a finger down my bare arm. “Here we both are. Alive and well. I know it’s hard but it’s meant to be.”

“It is hard,” I agreed. “I barely trust you and you’re asking me to trust your vampire tribe enough to live with you.”

He pressed a kiss to my shoulder. “Yes. Just as I ask them to trust you. It is just as hard for them, you’ve killed many of my kind.”

“Another reason why we cannot coexist, Ethan.”

“I’m the connecting reason. And you are the only Extinguisher I would ever expose my family to.”

“I’m not different from the rest.

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