Page 72 of Bleed

I shrug, not nearly as shaken as I probably ought to be. “Maybe I’m just trying to feel alive.”

“Well that isn’t the way to do it.” He rubs his face again, letting out a long, frustrated groan before turning away. He paces the length of the room once, then back again, like he’s trying to walk off the lingering effects of my blood. “Dammit,” he mutters. “Now I have to tell Doc.”

I wrinkle my nose. “Tell him what?”

He stops pacing long enough to level me with an incredulous look, like the answer should be obvious. “That I drank from his source.”

“I mean…” I gesture toward the empty pouch. “Technically, you drank from that.”

“Not the point.” He resumes pacing, stabbing both hands into his hair and tugging at the strands. “He could end me for this, you know.”

My brows shoot up. “Seriously?”

“He has every right to.”

I roll my eyes, waving off his dramatics. “Calm down, dude. It’s not that big of a deal.”

Albert lets out a humorless laugh. “You really don’t understand how this works, do you?”

“Apparently not.”

“You’re his source.” He points at me for emphasis. “He trusted me. And now… well, he’ll never fucking trust me again, will he?”

“Then don’t tell him.”

“I have to.”

“Why?” I scoff. “Because he’s your boss? Or because he’s your vampire daddy?”

I wag my brows, but he doesn’t even crack a smile.

“Both,” he groans, expression twisting like the thought of betraying Elliott’s trust physically pains him.

“Relax,” I sigh, pushing to my feet. “Your secret’s safe with me, dude.”

He shakes his head, then strides toward me. His fingers close around my wrist, and before I can protest, he’s already pulling me toward the door. “Come on.”

“Whoa!” I exclaim, digging in my heels. “What are you doing?”

“We’re going to tell him.”

“Now?” I gawk at him. “Are you fucking crazy? He’s sleeping!”

My protests fall on deaf ears as Albert drags me from the room, down the hall, and up the stairs. A minute later, we’re standing outside the door to Elliott’s bedroom, and for the first time since this whole ridiculous experiment started, a niggling feeling settles in my stomach.

Maybe this wasn’t my best idea.

Albert fishes a key fob from his pocket and presses it against the sensor, a green light illuminating before the door unlocks with a soft beep. Grabbing for the handle, he pushes it open and drags me inside.

The room is dark, the blackout shades drawn tight over the windows. It takes a second for my eyes to adjust, but then Albert hits a switch and soft recessed lights glow to life along the baseboards, outlining the room without disturbing the darkness too much.

Elliott lies motionless in the center of his bed, the dark sheets pooled low around his waist. My gaze instantly snags on the broad planes of his bare chest, then slowly drifts down the ladder of his abs before climbing back up to his face. It’s completely relaxed– despite the way we just barged into his bedroom, the man’s somehow still out cold.

“Boss,” Albert barks.

Nothing.

“Doc,” he tries again, louder this time.