Page 110 of Blood Red Rage

“He needs blood!”

“And you're not the only fucking vampire in this room.”

Volken froze as Roman was already removing his jacket.

“No.” Every head turned toward me.

Roman rolled his sleeve upward. “I wasn't asking.”

“Roman.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

He tore his wrist open with his fangs, blood welled immediately, dark, powerful, old. Roman stepped closer. I turned my head. “No.”

His eyes narrowed. “Viking.”

“You need your strength.”

“So do you.”

“You have Layla.”

“And you have Bryn.”

Fuck. “You have a son.”

“So will you.”

That stopped me as Roman leaned closer. “You are going to live long enough to hold that fucking child, do you understand me?” His voice had changed. It was rough, angry and afraid. “You're going to hold your baby and drive Bryn insane. You're going to threaten every person who comes within twenty feet of them because you’re going to be the most insufferable fucking father this family has ever seen.”

Lucien muttered, “High bar.” But nobody laughed.

Roman pressed his bleeding wrist against my mouth. “Drink.”

I looked at my oldest brother, then I drank. Power hit me instantly because Roman's blood was different from Volken's. Older. The ancient power inside him flooded through my veins like fire. My back arched.

“FUCK!”

“Hold him!”

Draugr replaced Volken at my shoulders. Roman didn't move his wrist. “Drink.”

I did and felt as the poison reacted. Holy fucking Christ. It felt like acid beneath my skin. I tore my mouth away and roared, black veins pulsed around the wound. Dragan moved immediately. “That's it.”

“What?” Lucien demanded.

“His blood is fighting it.”

“Then why the fuck does he look worse?”

“Because the venom is reacting.” Dragan grabbed a metal tray. “Roman, keep feeding him.”

Roman returned his wrist to my mouth.

“Dragan,” I growled.

The healer looked at me. “What are you doing?”