Page 9 of Love Bleeds

Suddenly, dread pooled in Crimson’s stomach.

What was he doing?

Another drop of blood landed on his tongue, even though he wasn't actively drinking anymore. He swallowed it down. Something came along with it. An image. More than an image. The people in it moved. It was almost as if he was watching a movie play before his mind's eye. The scene laid itself over his vision, semi-transparent. It was only when Crimson chose to center his whole attention on it that he could see it in full color. The man he was drinking from starred in the movie. He and a couple of other humans, sitting around a large wooden table. They were talking animatedly among themselves. Something about... dice?

The scene faded from view before Crimson could fully grasp what was going on.

His victim had gone limp in Nicolai's hold.

Regret tightened Crimson’s throat.

He'd fucked up again.

Except the man’s chest was still moving. He was still breathing.

Maybe, just maybe, he had enough blood left in him?

Crimson hardly dared believe it. Had he actually done it? Taken blood from someone without killing them?

He glanced at Nicolai. Should he explain what he'd just seen? Nicolai would probably be able to explain, but still, Crimson wasn't sure that he should share. Sometimes it seemed that, the less his sire knew, the better.

"Did you get a read on him?" Nicolai asked, one single eyebrow raised as if he already knew everything that had transpired.

"A read?"

"A memory," Nicolai explained, his dark eyes fixed on Crimson. "It's often easier with people you used to know."

"I..." For a moment, words failed Crimson. He'd known this man? Back when he'd been human too? But he hadn't been in that memory. Crimson stared at the human's unconscious form. At his dirty blond hair. Had the man recognized him? Had they been friends?

Crimson's heart started to race with horror.

How could he have done something like this to someone who had been a friend? How could he have sucked the blood out of his friendwithout even knowing?

"Don't be so shocked," Nicolai said. "I told you, your past is in the past. This just goes to prove my point, doesn't it? You had no idea before I mentioned that you knew him once."

"How did you know that?" Crimson demanded, but even as he asked, he remembered Nicolai telling him that he'd seen Crimson's memories when he'd turned him, made him into a vampire.

Nicolai said nothing. Maybe because he didn't like to repeat himself, maybe because he realized Crimson had already found the answer on his own.

"Why did you want me to get a memory?" Crimson tried another question.

"Blood is more nourishing when you get the victim's memories at the same time," Nicolai explained.

"Why?"

Nicolai gave a shrug of his shoulders in response. "Does it matter?"

Maybe not, but Crimson couldn't quite quench his curiosity. He glanced at the man again. Of all the times that he hadn't managed to keep his victims alive, thank God that this was the one time he'd succeeded. He wouldn't be able to live with himself knowing that he'd killed a friend.

"The next time we go out," Nicolai said, "I'll teach you how to erase your victims' short term memory so they don't know they ran into a vampire. Memory charms are tricky business. I suspect that for now, it'll be beyond you."

Nicolai's complete lack of faith in his magical capabilities didn’t surprise Crimson. So far, he'd proven himself pretty useless in that regard.

"Lucky for you, there's an easier way to make sure your victims don't blab about vampires." Nicolai tossed the still unconscious body in his direction.

Crimson caught him before he could fall face-first to the ground.

"What--" Crimson started, but his sire cut him off before he could finish getting the question out.