Page 86

Oh. Holy. Fuck.

An ungodly moan surfaced from Reid, his hands moving to his mouth and running over his gums. “Fuck,” he grunted, and my gaze dropped to a droplet of blood smudging the pad of his finger.

I dragged in the stale air, smothering it with my hand immediately. I couldn’t pull my eyes from him, even as he held his finger in the air, inspecting it.

Suddenly, his eyes blew wide, two giant saucers flinging at me. “I told you to leave. Now, go!” he demanded.

I forced myself not to move. To not show the fear tearing through me. He was still Reid, my fated mate. My best friend. I could not let him see the pure terror coursing into every cell in my body. My limbs felt weak, my breathing shallow. I wished I could squeeze my eyes shut and open them to a different reality. One where everything was normal. Banter and happily-ever-afters.

But I needed to face this. My new reality.

I’d messed this up for everyone, not just us. His friends and his family, too. From now on, nothing would be the same.

“What’s the alternative?” questioned Tyler from the far wall.

Callan turned to him. “There is none. If he doesn’t drink from her, he will die.”

Reid shuffled closer to the wall, backing hard against it. “I’m not doing it.” He locked eyes with Colt. “Get her out of here,” he demanded.

I would never forget the look in his eyes. A pain so dense I felt the ache in my chest. He was doing this for me. Prepared to die to not put me through this. The ultimate act of love.

Colt’s head fell to his hand. He stared at the ground.

I stood frozen, not knowing what to say. My mouth went dry, and I ran my tongue over the seam to moisten them. They parted on silent words.

“This is a decision you guys need to make together,” said Colt, finally looking at me. He folded his arms to his front as if that was it. The only advice he had left. Turning, he gave Tyler a look that only meant one thing.

Leave them to it.

I stood frozen in place, not knowing where to even look, much less say.

Tyler dragged his gaze from Colt back to me. His lips pressed into a thin line, the grim expression on his face not wavering. A quick nod, then they headed for the door.

A bone-chilling cold sank into my limbs, and it had nothing to do with the cold in the cell. I hesitated, unsure whether to demand they stay.

I decided against it.

A new kind of numb found me. I pressed each fingertip into my thumb, trying to bring back any kind of feeling. There was none.

Reid straightened, his boots scrambling on the uneven cell floor. “Colt!” he roared. “Get her out of here!” When none of them returned, he slammed his fist behind him. “Fuck!” The dull thud of his fist connecting with the wall made my nausea increase further. I tried to stamp down the feeling, but couldn’t. Like a bull tearing toward a red flag, it held no brakes, rocketing through me. I swallowed the lump in my throat, my lunch only moments away from me meeting it again. I had to breathe. Had to gather the strength to be strong for both of us.

Reid squared Callan with a dark look. “I’m going to rip your heart out if I ever get the chance,” he sneered.

Callan raised a brow, shoving his hands into his pockets. “And I would kill you before you even lifted a finger.” He turned his attention to me. “Questions?”

My heart stammered.

My voice caught in my throat, and I fumbled for words. “Can I talk to you, um, outside?”

“Of course,” he replied.

I didn’t know what I would say to this vampire, but I needed space to think where Reid couldn’t see me crumble if I completely lost it. A pep talk from a vampire seemed ridiculous, but, right now, he was the only one who held answers to my questions.

I followed Callan into the hallway and found Colt and Tyler leaning against the wall a little further down. They turned away, giving us privacy to speak.

I fell against the wall, and a cold damp sank into my spine. “What’s it like?” I asked, unable to word it any differently. “Getting bitten, I mean.”

Callan searched my face like he was trying to read my thoughts, and maybe he could. I didn’t know the ins and outs of a vampire’s daily life and capabilities. A look I couldn’t decipher gleamed in his eyes, like a diamond in a jeweler’s window. He moved closer, and I stiffened, raising my chin in feigned confidence, but I was sure the terror in my eyes would not go unnoticed.