Chase's POV
Leila was still holding Ash tightly, her hands gently stroking his hair as he babbled excitedly. "Mama, your eyes are so cool!" Ash exclaimed, his voice filled with wonder.
Leila frowned slightly, puzzled. "What do you mean, baby?"
Ash pulled back just enough to look up at her, his little finger pointing at her face. "They're red! Like Uncle Chase's sometimes. Crimson!"
Her brows furrowed further, confusion mixing with apprehension. Slowly, she turned her gaze to me, her lips parting as if to speak, but no words came out. Finally, she managed, "Crimson? Chase, what's he talking about? Did… did you turn me?"
I froze. The weight of her question hit me like a blow, and I struggled to find the right words. How could I explain the truth? That her father, not I, had awakened her dormant vampire bloodline in a desperate attempt to save her? I knew her reaction could swing in any direction—anger, fear, betrayal—and none of those possibilities sat well with me.
