Page 43 of Love Bleeds
Chapter Sixteen
Crimson didn't often sleep deeply, but that night he did. Shortly after Luke had drifted off in his arms and the stress of the last day had fallen off him, he'd followed his love into dreamland. Sadly, what awaited him there wasn't all sunshine and roses.
He saw his sire in his dreams, that time he'd been ordered to kill the one man he'd managed to spare while drinking from him. Only this time, as he punctured the man’s neck, his face transformed to resemble Luke's.
Crimson woke with a start, his heart racing. It was all wrong. He hadn't killed Luke. Luke was still sleeping peacefully beside him. The curtains had been drawn in the room and the lights were off, but Crimson's night vision was good enough to make out the mortal's features. One advantage to being a vampire.
As his heart beat calmed, he drew Luke closer, inhaling the scent of his hair. There was something infinitely familiar about it, even though Crimson couldn't remember when or where he'd first smelled it. Couldn't even remember when or where he'd first met Luke, or how long they might have known each other. Something told him it had been a very long time.
There was comfort in holding Luke.
If Nicolai tried to take this from him...
No, there was no uncertainty about it. Nicolai was undoubtedly going to try to take Luke from him. He had plans for Luke. Crimson didn't know what those plans were, but they couldn't be good. He couldn't allow them to come to pass.
He'd died to protect Luke once. If necessary, he'd do it again.
Clinging to that thought, he pressed a kiss to Luke's cheek. Luke would be safe with him. He'd never allow anyone to hurt him, not even himself.
For a moment, he lay there in silence, wondering how much time had passed since he'd gone to sleep, how much time had passed since his sire had tried to turn Luke.
He'd allowedthatto happen. Hot shame mixed with frustration and made his stomach turn to knots. When push came to shove, he'd been powerless. He couldn't let that happen again.
But how could he prevent it?
Before he could come up with a plan, the door to the room opened a few inches, catching Crimson's attention. "Who's there?"
"Just me." Collin stepped into the room. "Wanted to check how you guys were doing."
"Luke’s sleeping." Crimson lowered his voice a bit, not wanting to wake him. "But he was up for a bit earlier." Crimson turned to look at Luke and gently brushed a lock of hair off his forehead. He seemed so serene in his sleep. "I think he's going to be fine."
"Really?" Collin exhaled, his relief audible. "Do you need anything? Blood? We have bottles in the fridge."
Crimson shook his head. If he drank, he had to go back to Nicolai and he'd promised Luke that he wouldn't do that. For a second, he wondered if he could actually starve himself or if Nicolai's compulsion would force him to locate a blood source somehow.Don't kill yourself,he'd ordered. An awfully broad command.
It had kept Crimson from tearing his own wrists open with his fangs in an attempt to make himself bleed out, though.
He was distracted from his thoughts when Luke stirred next to him. "Is it morning yet?" he murmured.
"Oh my God, Luke," Collin said before Crimson could reply. Light flooded the room as Collin hit the switch. Both Crimson and Luke's hands flew up to shield their eyes.
Luke cursed his brother, but Collin didn't seem to care as he rushed over to the bed and pulled Luke into a hug.
"I was so fucking worried about you! Don't ever do that again!"
"I didn't do anything!"
"You ran off on Jared!"
Luke opened his mouth and closed it a couple of times. Crimson didn't know what this was about, so he kept his mouth shut, but he couldn't help thinking that Luke looked kind of endearing when he got all flustered like that. "I had to," Luke said eventually. "I had to know."
"And you didn't think you could have found out a better way? A safer way?" Collin demanded, letting go of his brother before squeezing him to death. "Do you have any idea how hard this has been on Jared? You know what he’s been through! Did you even stop to consider that? He hasn't said a word since he brought you back here and that’s extreme even for him."
Luke lowered his gaze. He sounded very small as he spoke again. "I'm sorry. I didn't think--"
"No, you didn't think," Collin agreed. He exhaled, some of his thunder leaving him. "We could have lost you. We need to stick together. Don't you see that?"
"I won't do it again."
