Blood and Snow 11: Resolved to Rule Read Online Free Page A

sucked in a deep breath. “They’re a little creepy.”
    I laughed. That’s exactly what they were.
    “So, what’s it like to be a vampire?” she asked, changing the subject.
    I blinked, unable to answer. The question was so surprising. Her lips danced, as though she were fighting back a laugh.
    “It’s… fine,” I answered, wondering how much she knew about vampires.
    Her face grew serious. “How far along are you in the process?”
    I bit down on my lip. “What do you mean?” What process?
    “Have you fallen in love? Did you drink your true love’s blood? You’re eighteen. You must be relatively close.”
    I blushed. “Um…”
    “Talk to me.” She glanced around, crossing her arms, seemingly uncomfortable. “I know you don’t know me—not really. But I’d love to hear what’s going on with you.”
    “There is someone,” I said. My face burned with heat.
    “And you’re in love, I can tell,” she said, smiling. “Who is he?”
    I glanced at my feet, uselessly studying the tips of my Converse. It wasn’t that I felt defensive, but I was nervous. “His name is Christopher Charming. He’s got… had hazel eyes, and hair the color of a soft, sandy beach. He’s tall, and really nice. He…” I thought about what word to use to describe Christopher. Sure he was completely gorgeous, caring, and utterly kissable, but he was so much more.
    “He what?” my mother asked.
    “He gets me,” I finished. That was it. More than anyone, he and I were the most alike. He understood my craving for blood, what changing had been like. He accepted every part of me.
    “I see,” she said, her lips tight. “And have you drank from this boy?”
    My face got hotter. If I became any more embarrassed I might turn into fire.
    “Well,” she asked, her voice concerned.
    “Yes, but its no big deal,” I responded. It was crazy that I hadn’t seen her in thirteen years, but she was still able to make me feel like a little girl. “He and I are—” I paused. I didn’t want to say, made for each other. That was just too cheesy. Cliché. But it was how I felt.
    “Have you kissed him?” There seemed to be some hope to her voice. And I remembered Professor Pops said if I kissed my true love I would be changed back. Become a human again. I nodded. “Yes, we’ve kissed.” I touched a hand to my cheek. It burned with uncomfortable emotion.
    Her eyebrows lifted. “You’re still a vampire.”
    “Probably because of the Seal, or, I don’t know.” It was all so complicated. The whole idea of kissing my true love. Drinking his blood. Eating his heart. I’d kissed Christopher before I was the Seal, and nothing happened. If anything I craved blood, his blood, more. At first I hadn’t loved him. Only lusted. Now that I knew I was in love, I was the Seal. It seemed reasonable to believe the Seal made it so I couldn’t change. Either that, or Professor Pops lied.
    The Vampire Queen implied that was the case.
    Did I even want to be human again? Go back to the girl I was before?
    “You’re probably right,” she said, interrupting my thoughts. “You’ll never be human again.”
    And there it was, the truth I’d been trying to avoid, spoken aloud. I don’t know why, but her words made me angry, and I lashed out. “Yeah, but I was never wholly human anyway, so no biggie.”
    She sighed, and crossed her legs, leaning her hands against the rail in the elevator. “I’m sorry,” she said, her words heavy with sentiment.
    I released the tension in my shoulders. “I’m sorry too.”
    Without looking at me, she said, “All that’s left is for you consume his heart. Sharra might be able to take over your body. You’ll be the next Vampire Queen. With the power of the Seal you’ll be the mightiest creature on the planet.”
    “Yeah, but I won’t be me.” What would happen to me? I didn’t know. And I wondered if anyone knew.
    “Perhaps.” She moved toward me. “Do you want to be the Vampire Queen?” she