“Will do,” Cahal murmured when his son didn’t reply, leaning back against a wall, arms crossed.
Antonio’s gaze hit mine, and I could tell he was still upset with me, barely hiding it with his actions and words as his fingers dug into my stomach muscles, magic sizzling.
I met his eyes evenly. “I would do it again.”
“I know,” he stated gruffly. “That’s what scares me.”
“If she’s going to be ill for a week,” Elder Merrick began to pace, interjecting our exchange, “The Elder Shifters will need to be told something when our Queen suddenly disappears for a week with a war knocking at our door.”
Antonio shook his head. “No. No others can talk to her. How the hell does she explain it?” He shrugged a shoulder. “Oh yes, Elder such-and-such, I willingly broke into a Mage’s restricted space reserved for one of the largest Mys criminals, then made a deal with the devil.” He glanced at me. “And yes, none of us here are senseless enough to believe you didn’t make a deal with her of some sort,” my lips thinned, though I managed to control my heart rate, but he still snorted at my expression, “and God help us when that happens.”
His attention went back to Elder Merrick. “And then, Elder such-and-such, I had the King Elemental and Queen Mage perform an illegal act inside our only sanctuary, and then I broke into an Elder Vampire’s suite and willingly gave up my own damn life to the King Vampire, and the only way I could be brought back to life was to announce my hybrid nature and bring in my Vampire father to save the day.” Again, he shrugged. “Sounds about right to get everyone shot, hanged, and burned.”
The only person in the room who didn’t stare at me with a narrowed gaze was Ezra.
“It does sound kinda bad when you put it like that,” I muttered as Antonio massaged the front of my shoulders.
“It is that bad,” Cahal said dryly, glancing to Elder Merrick. “Antonio’s right. We should allow only you to answer any questions to the Elder Shifters. Come up with a story that will fly on everyone’s truth radar.” His gaze met mine. “You’ll just have to suck it up and not recover in your room the whole time, and make believable performances, so no one suspects you’re hurting.”
I gritted my teeth as Ezra helped me sit up, since Antonio was done with the massage. “I can handle that.” Hopefully.
Elder Merrick sighed, giving me a glare, knowing I wasn’t being completely honest, but he still turned his attention to his group, asking, “Then what’s the damn believable story?”
Everyone was silent, considering, until Antonio’s head teetered back and forth, murmuring, “If anyone notices she’s not up to par just tell them the arrow that pierced her thigh did more damage than expected, which caused a need for a blood transfusion, which she couldn’t have. Just don’t mention why she couldn’t have the transfusion. So, she’s drained of energy, which she actually is, and since she’s an anomaly to most anyway, they’ll believe this to be the cause.”
Elder Merrick’s jaw clenched. “They’ll suspect something’s askew.”
Elder Jacobs retorted, “Suspecting is better than knowing.”
I sighed, sluggishly rubbing my forehead. “Once I drink again, I’m sure I’ll feel better. Elder Venclaire wasn’t incorrect. I’m parched, and it’s not helping the situation.” When Elder Merrick and Elder Jacobs only stared at me blankly, I stated, “Blood, gentlemen. I need more blood.”
They physically jolted at the reminder of my hybrid nature.
Cahal asked quietly, “Who are your donors? Because Ezra can’t be the only one supplying you.”
Instant. “I can do bagged.” I wouldn’t mention Pearl and Jack. The less they knew the better.
Even though his face scrunched up in disgust, he stated, “That wasn’t what I asked.”
“Are you offering, Dad?” Ezra interrupted, getting the focus off me.
I was pretty sure his dad didn’t quite know what to say as his jaw slacked a bit.
Antonio sighed heavily. “Since you’ve obviously had more practice with live, Lil, go ahead. I’ll donate. My blood’s powerful and it should help you recover faster.”
It was like a switch flipped inside my head, I was so damn thirsty. I seriously blacked out for a moment, pretty sure I showed the tiny bit of Vampire speed I had, because a moment later my fangs were in his neck, the bubbly, almost tart, taste of Mage blood pouring into my mouth. I sighed, wrapping an arm around him as I pulled, instantly sending him peace. His body went slack in my arms as I pulled again…and I shuddered, tasting just how powerful he was…as I gently lay him on the bed, my hair fanning over his face and mine in a semblance of privacy as I drank.
“Well…shit,” I heard Elder Jacobs rumble quietly. He cleared his throat. “Did you see that? She’s too f**king fast for a Shifter.”
Ezra grunted, and I felt his hand running over my back softly. Up and down. Warmth trailing its repetitive wake. “Imagine the control she’s always had to use.” His lips brushed my neck, saying quietly, “She’s amazing.”
“Huh.” Elder Merrick’s wolf growled quietly in his throat. “I need to think of something different for her training now that I know this.”
“Or,” Ezra stated, his grip on me tightening, his own Vampire growling quietly, “I can join your training sessions with her, so she gets both Shifter and Vampire training.”
Antonio’s pulse started to slow against my tongue, and I sighed in frustration, still thirsty, but I pulled back, licking over the wounds and hearing Elder Jacobs state, “That’s actually a really good idea, if it can be done privately.”
I listened to Antonio’s heart, resting my hand gently against his cheek and watching as his lids slowly fluttered open. I smiled down at him. With Elder Venclaire’s blood already coursing through me, and now Antonio’s, I felt a hell of a lot better. I kissed his forehead, murmuring, “Your blood rocks. Thank you.”
His chuckle sounded groggy. “Glad to help.” He blinked. “I didn’t expect you to go for the neck. I almost zapped you.” He chuckled again. “But your mind hold isn’t so bad.”
It was my turn to blink. “Yeah, um, sorry about that. It’s what I’m used to and I’m so thirsty I just kind of lost it there for a second.” Slowly, I helped him sit up, resting him against the headboard. My eyebrows puckered in confusion when a bottle of orange juice was dangled in front of my face. I glanced up, seeing Cahal holding it out while he listened to Ezra and Elder Merrick argue about my ‘new and improved’ training schedule they were concocting all by themselves without my input. Since there was time to argue about that later, I took the juice, mumbling, “Thank you.”