Page 139 of Cruelly Bitten

Exactly.

I smiled.Thank you for handling the preparations, sweet genius. In the interim, I’ll handle Damien.

She glanced at the still-simmering male. He was focused on the screens, pulling up code and typing furiously on his keyboard.Good luck,Calina murmured.And be careful how you handle him. I’m just as possessive of you as you are of me.

With that sensual warning, and a subtle sway of her hips, she left the room.I have no intention of ever playing with anyone other than you, love.

Her mind caressed mine as she verified the truth of my statement. Instead of replying, she allowed me to sense the echo of agreement in her thoughts.

Our relationship might be new, but our bond felt old. As though our souls had always been tied to one another, well before Calina was even born.

“When do we leave?” Damien asked, his emotions seemingly throttled by a mental fist of determination.

I’d always liked Damien, and this demonstration of restraint was precisely why. His twin sister had been injured by an unknown entity, and rather than futilely continue to search for a way to call her, he’d shifted focus to what he knew would work—even if it would take a bit longer to execute.

“If we work together, we can leave within the hour,” I told him. “And if you can convince Kylan to come with us, perhaps he’ll let us use his jet. It’s faster.” I hated admitting that, but this wasn’t the time for arrogance. It was the time for practicality.

Damien smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Leave Kylan to me. Ryder and I will convince him.”

“Excellent.” Then it appeared we were going on a journey.

To Deirdre City in Hazel Region.

To finally fucking find Cam.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CAM

“Stubborn lioness,”I whispered against Ismerelda’s ear as I held her in the bath.

We’d arrived in Deirdre City over an hour ago, Ismerelda having slept the entire time. I’d showered her off to remove all the blood and fluids from her sensual form, then I’d soaped up her skin and rinsed her thoroughly twice. All while sitting on the bench, holding her. Then I’d washed her hair.

When none of that had made her stir, I’d started a bath, my instinct to pamper her an intrinsic need deep inside me. One that said I had to apologize somehow. To show her that I cared. To be here for her. Tosootheher.

“Hazel will be here soon,” I told her now, passing on the information Deirdre had provided upon my arrival. Her progeny Abigail had guided us directly to Deirdre Lodge, which was a luxury resort built near Lake Bled.

I hadn’t visited this area of the world in a very long time, making everything new to me. But I suspected the construction wasn’t that old and had perhaps replaced whatever had been here before.

Lush views spanned the back windows of the room I’d been escorted to, the three-bedroom suite more than reasonable for me to share with Ismerelda and Keys.

I’d opted to keep the human with me instead of handing him over to Deirdre and Abigail. They’d said something about servant quarters, making me snort and reply, “He can take one of the rooms in my suite.”

Keys hadn’t reacted, but Abigail had. Her dark brows had inched upward in surprise, while Deirdre had simply said, “Enjoy your snack.”

I hadn’t bothered to correct her, instead showing Keys to a random room before telling him to order some food up to the suite.Humanfood, not blood.

Because I fully intended on feeding Ismerelda once she woke up.

“You need to eat, love,” I informed her softly. “I’m not letting you starve.” Although, I’d admittedly gotten a bit carried away with her before and forgotten how fragile mortality could be.

She needed more than one meal a day.

Obviously.

I’d just been too caught up in fucking her to consider her needs.

I wouldn’t make that mistake—or several others—again.