Chase's POV:
I couldn't stop imagining what I would do to the world, to anyone who had the misfortune of crossing my path. I wanted to rip it all apart, to destroy everything and everyone until the pain that seared through my chest matched the destruction around me.
The vampire in me whispered promises of vengeance, of endless bloodshed. My vision turned red, the room blurring as the monster within clawed its way to the surface.
"Chase!" Damon's voice cut through the haze like a blade, sharp and commanding.
I blinked, my head snapping toward him. He stood a few feet away, his gaze steady but filled with concern. "Snap out of it!" he barked. "Ash needs you. She needs you."
The words hit me like a thunderclap, shaking me from the precipice of madness.
Ash.
I looked down at the small, fragile boy in my arms, his tear-streaked face pressed against my chest. His trembling fingers clutched at me, as if I was his last lifeline.
My son.
Leila's son.
