Page 54 of Kingly Bitten

Imbibing her essence would provide a good distraction from my blistering headache.

Alas, I needed her to focus.

I also needed to find my head. Juliet’s intoxicating blood had always called to me before, but I could barely smell her sweet fragrance now. My mouth ached for Calina and Calina alone.

Why?I wondered.

Yes, she tasted divine. However, most women did.

I would have to ask her to clarify her blood type later. She’d called it rare, saying it had died out during the revolution. But she’d never defined the properties of it.

Inhaling deeply, I closed my eyes in an attempt to dull the agony building—

“We have company,” Rick said through the comm unit in my ear.

Damien straightened, his gaze on the sky as he switched on his mic. “What direction?”

“Coming in from the west with a trajectory that suggests they’re on their way here,” Rick replied. “I’d say we have ten minutes before they land.”

“You’re still in stealth mode, yeah?” Damien glanced over his shoulder to where the jet was parked in the nearby field.

“Not my first time flying under the radar,” Rick drawled in response. “Want me to free up the landing strip?”

Damien cocked an eyebrow at me. “You’re the king.”

I studied him before looking at Calina. “Expecting a rescue, sweetheart?”

Her brow furrowed. “A rescue?”

I stepped forward to grab her by the chin, my eyes narrowing at her expression. “You lie so beautifully, Doctor. I almost believed you were helping us. But we both know you called for them.” And while part of me was furious at her betrayal, another part of me was excited by the prospect of punishing her for it.

“Jace, I—”

“Shh,” I hushed her, pressing my thumb to her pretty lips. “I’ll make use of your mouth when we’re done killing your rescue party.” Lifting my opposite hand upward, I pressed a finger to the device in my ear to turn on my mic. “Do it. We’ll greet the newcomers properly from the ground.”

“Excellent.” The engines were already roaring to life, telling me Rick had anticipated that response.

The jet lifted gracefully, reminding me of a rocket more than a plane, and disappeared into the sky beneath a cloud of camouflage. “I’m envious of Ryder’s toy,” I admitted, admiring the beautiful machine. “What do I need to do to have one of mine upgraded to match?”

Ryder had spent the last century hiding in southern Texas like an old-fashioned recluse on a big farm. He’d always fancied weapons, but the jet was an unexpected addition to his collection, as he didn’t seem all that keen on upgraded technology.

Which meant Damien was the real cause for that stunning enhancement.

I met his caramel-brown gaze. “Name your price.”

He merely grinned. “We’ll negotiate later.”

“We will,” I agreed, my touch shifting to Calina’s throat when she tried to speak again. I squeezed, cutting off her airflow and thereby silencing her. “I need something to shut her up with, and some rope.” The words were for Damien, not Calina.

She tried to shake her head, her eyes going wide.

I ignored her, instead focusing on the bag Damien had unzipped. “You really do come prepared for anything and everything.” If I didn’t respect Ryder, I’d attempt to sway Damien to my side and keep him as my own.

Alas, Damien and Ryder made an excellent team.

Just as Darius and I did.

Darius and Juliet were already moving to the trees, their hands clutching matching guns. “Target practice?” I asked him.