Page 129 of Red Fury

“It’s beautiful out there,” I try again, gesturing toward the front door even though my hands are shaking. “I’m sure you played outside when you were kids. Why don’t you show me?”

He shakes his head suddenly, like he’s snapping out of a trance. The red fades slightly from his eyes, though they’re still far from human.

“Yes,” he says slowly, his voice rough. “We did. I can show you.”

He starts to walk toward the front door, and I sigh in relief, following him. I move slowly and deliberately so as not tospook him or provoke his hunting instincts. At least my legs are obeying me now, though I still feel weak and shaky.

The cool evening air hits my face as we step outside, and I take a deep breath.

“Tell me about it,” I say as we stand in front of the dilapidated cottage. “It must have been awesome to live out here.”

His expression softens.

“We had this entire area to explore,” he says, as he gestures toward the darkness beyond. “My brothers and I would spend hours running through those fields, racing each other, building forts in the old barn.” A small smile tugs at his lips.

I nod, pretending to care even though every instinct is screaming at me to run. “What were your parents like?”

The smile vanishes instantly. He looks down at the ground, and when he looks up again, his face is filled with such raw anguish that it takes my breath away.

“It doesn’t matter,” he says, his voice breaking. “Because they’re dead and it’s all my fault.”

“How is it your fault?”

“I brought him here.”

“Who?” I ask.

“It doesn’t matter, Claire. None of it matters. What is your name? Will you tell me…please?”

Once again, I see the real Roman. I see a hint of humanity. It makes me answer him. “Shadow.”

“Such a pretty name. I’m sorry, Shadow.” The words tumble out in a desperate rush. “I’m so very sorry. I can’t help what I’ve become. I should never have drunk from you. Should never have had that first taste.” His hands shake as he clasps them in front of him. “It’s so much worse. So difficult to live like this. I can’t stop thinking about it. About you. Your blood. I’m addicted to you, and I don’t know how to make it stop.”

“You can. You’re strong. I’ve seen you,” I tell him.

“No, no, no.” He shakes his head violently, his eyes starting to glow red again. “I’m not.”

“You are. You’re disciplined. A man does not get to where you are today without discipline and values. Without—”

“That’s all a lie. It’s all a fat lie. Not real.”

“It is real. Kozlov Enterprises is a multi-billion-dollar concern. You did that.”

He laughs, the sound holding little humor. “You have it all wrong.” His voice cracks. “I’m a monster. A killer. A nothing. A complete fuck-up. And I’m so sorry.”

Then he attacks.

He moves with inhuman speed, slamming into me before I can even think to dodge him. We go down hard, my back hitting the packed dirt with enough force to knock the wind out of me. His weight pins me down as he sinks his fangs deep into my throat.

I scream as he begins to feed, the sound echoing across the empty landscape. The pain is excruciating, like liquid fire burning through my veins. I try to punch him, to kick him, anything to get him off me, but he’s impossibly strong and I’m still so weak from the drugs. From when he drank from me before.

I go for his eyes with my fingers, desperate to cause enough damage to make him release me, but he catches my wrists in a crushing grip that makes me cry out again.

He’s sucking the life from me, pulling great mouthfuls of blood with an urgency that tells me he’s not going to stop. Not this time. When my vision starts to falter, I think this is it. This is how I die.

Then there’s a loud screech from above.

I know that sound. Even in my weakened state, even with my dragon suppressed by drugs, I know that sound like I know my own heartbeat.