Legacy of Blood by J. L. McCoy, Virginia Cantrell Read Free Book Online

probably kill me on the spot.  “Yes, sir,” I nodded to Hagan, my eyes meeting his and hopefully conveying that I understood the seriousness of what I was about to do.  “I will.”
    The house was eerily quiet as I turned back to my glass.  Not a breath was taken by anyone as I picked it up and looked across at Archer.  “Well, here goes nothing I guess.”

Chapter Five
     
     
    I tentatively brought the glass to my lips and felt the warmness of the thick blood as it passed my lips and hit my tongue.  The coppery thickness first coated and then exploded on my taste buds.  I was expecting the most amazing thing I had ever tasted based on the smell of it but was sorely disappointed as I swallowed.  The blood tasted old, like the dried blood on my fingers had.  I was also picking up heavy notes of plastic and some sort of… anticoagulant agent maybe?  It was hard for me to know since I had never drank blood before, let alone bagged blood.  But I can tell you one thing, it was absolutely disgusting and definitely undrinkable.
    After I swallowed my first sip, I carefully put the glass down and dabbed at my lips with the napkin Trey had so thoughtfully put down next to me.  “How do you guys drink this crap?” I asked, meeting Archer’s anxious eyes.
    A light chuckle sounded around the room as Archer smirked.  “It’s not the best, but it meets our needs.  You’ll get used to it in time.”
    “I don’t think so,” I said, scooting my glass to the center of the table and further away from me.  “I’m not drinking that shit again.  It’s revolting.  It tasted like plastic and it’s just…wrong.  It’s seriously disgusting.”
    Archer’s brow furrowed as he picked up the bag the blood came in and studied the label.  “It was drawn three days ago, so it’s still relatively fresh.   It’s O negative, maybe we should try another blood type and see if you like that one better.”
    I sighed, not thinking it would help, but nodded my head because I was willing to try anything at this point.  The pangs in my stomach had started to become overwhelming.
    Trey heated up every blood type they had, which had been all of them, but nothing tasted any better than the O negative.
    “Archer, I can’t drink any more of this garbage,” I bit out in frustration as I pushed the last glass away from me.  “I’m sorry, but it’s making me feel really sick.  I need to eat something… right now.  The pain is becoming unbearable.  There has to be something else.  Can’t I just eat an orange or maybe some crackers?”
    Archer’s brow furrowed deeply as he stared at the multitude of full glasses on the table before us.  “Human food will only make you vomit.  It is not compatible with our needs.  I just don’t understand it, Skye.  Can’t you force yourself to drink any of it?  It’s not that bad really.  We all do and it doesn’t taste as bad to us as you say it does to you.”
    Oleif reached around me and picked up the glass I had just pushed away.  I glanced over my shoulder to see him sniff its contents and then guzzle the blood down.  “Tastes like bagged blood.  What is the problem here?  Drink it or starve,” he shrugged with indifference as he set the empty glass in front of me.
    An unexpected wave of nausea slammed into me and I flashed from my seat, knocking my chair and Oleif and Hagan several feet back, as I ran for the kitchen trash can.  Every bit of the blood I had just swallowed came heaving out of my stomach in a rather loud and unglamorous bluuugh . 
     I felt a soothing hand rub my back as another pulled my long hair out of the way.  “Well, this isn’t good,” I heard Trey mumble next to me.
    “Aye,” Archer replied with a sigh.
    “Why don’t we try a feeder?” Hunter offered in solution.
    “That’s a good idea,” Trey said as I spit the last of the fetid blood from my mouth and leaned back up.  “Would you be willing to try that?”
    An involuntary