Page 79 of Love Bleeds

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The bed was empty when I woke up, but that didn't worry me. I figured Crimson had just woken up before me. I'll admit that I grew slightly anxious when I went downstairs and I couldn't find Crimson in the kitchen, living room or dining room either.

But it wasn't until Collin approached me with his bad-news expression that I started to freak.

"Luke," he began, resting his hand on my left arm. It didn't help that his vampire boyfriend stood behind him looking for all the world as if I might actually attack his mate once I knew what my brother was about to tell me.

"What is it?" I demanded. "Where's Crimson?"

"Crimson?" Collin seemed a bit taken aback that I'd started calling Damian by his new name, but he recovered quickly. "About that," he said, and with his hand on my arm, he tried leading me in the direction of the couch. I stayed firm, though, not feeling like sitting down.

"What did you do to him?"

"We didn'tdoanything to him."

"Then where is he?"

It was Talon who answered. "He's with Aldrich."

"Why?" I glared at the vampire. "This place is safer than wherever Aldrich is staying." Or had Aldrich taken Crimson on one of his outings? No, he wouldn't. And if he had, Collin wouldn't be looking at me like that. Like I was about to fall apart once I knew the truth.

"It's safer forusto be here," Collin said. "But Crimson is a vampire, and he can't stay off blood forever. He came to Aldrich last night asking him to take him somewhere else."

"That... that makes no sense." Crimson would never have just left me like that. He would have told me.

Then again, he'd never told me about his sexuality either.

I pressed my lips together in a thin line.

"I'm sure he didn't want to worry you." Collin rubbed my arm, as if that would help anything.

"Is he okay? If he needs blood is he... will he be okay? I noticed how pale he was, but I figured, if there was anything really wrong, he would tell me right?" And also, I hadn't wanted to think about his need for blood, but I kept that part to myself. "He said he could do a week. It hasn't been a week."

"It's not an exact science," Talon said. "He might have been able to go a week before, but the circumstances might have been different. He told Aldrich to take him away because he didn't think he could stay without harming you or a member of your family. You can't blame him for that."

But he promised never to leave me.The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I kept them in. It was a childish sentiment that wouldn't hold up under the cruel lens of reality. "Just tell me he's going to be okay."

"He will be," Collin said quickly. "He's not going to die, so you don't have to worry, okay?"

"But he has to feed, and when he feeds..."

"No, really, it's fine," Collin insisted. "Aldrich is giving him blood. Just not human blood."

"That's an option?"

"It can be," Talon said. Something about the way he said that let me know it wasn't agoodoption, though. My stomach roiled. I tried to tell myself that everything was going to be fine as long as Crimson didn't have to die, but I couldn't quiet my mind that easily.

"Why couldn't he drink animal blood here?" I asked. At least then, I could have been with him.

"In case it stops being enough," Talon said. "Aldrich is going to keep an eye on him to prevent any undesirable outcomes, but if worst comes to worst, he needs to be able to act."

"How likely is it that it won't be enough?"

"Not very likely."

What kind of vague statement was that? "What if you had to put it into percentages?"

"Look," Collin said, "Crimson went with Aldrich so you wouldn't have to worry about him, okay?" He grabbed both of my shoulders. "Now we need to focus on taking out Nicolai so you two can be together forever."