Page 62 of Kingly Bitten

“Where is Bunker 37?” Jace asked.

“Lajos Region,” Vigil One confirmed. “It’s our home base.”

Not once did he think to question how Jace didn’t know any of this, which told me the Vigils at Bunker 37 had never been instructed properly on security protocols. My instructions had been very clear—only those with jurisdiction were allowed to know these details.

And Jace had more than proved he didn’t have jurisdiction in this operation.

Yet these humans bowed to him and gave him every answer without provocation.

Fascinating.

Would the Vigils from Bunker 47 have done the same?I wondered.

Maybe.

They came from a different sort of upbringing, their early lives spent at the Blood Universities around the country, where they fought for the privilege to become Vigils. They achieved their status through the death of other humans and by proving their loyalty to the immortals they served.

So I supposed bending to Jace’s every will made sense for them.

“What happens at Bunker 37?” Jace demanded.

Vigil One cleared his throat. “That’s… that’s above our jurisdiction, My Prince. You would need to ask Prince Lajos.”

“I see.” Jace’s hand moved from my hip to the back of my neck and squeezed. His silver-blue eyes resembled ice as I met his gaze, his expression as harsh as stone. “Do you have anything to add, Doctor?”

“That’s the lab I was born in,” I told him. “Bunker 37. It’s where they do research on the mating bonds between vampires and humans, and the rare blood types.”

“And Bunker 27?” he prompted.

“It’s hive mind tech, which I only know because Lilith used that tech to control some of the stronger vampires in the labs.”

“Vampires like Cam,” Jace said, looking at Damien and then at the humans. “Have any of you ever met Cam?”

Silence followed.

Then one of the Vigils in the back—a dark-skinned male with long black hair—stammered out, “D-do you mean the v-vampire who opposed Lilith’s rule?”

“The very one,” Jace confirmed.

More silence.

Then Vigil One said, “F-forgive me, Your Highness, but I don’t understand the question. Master Cam died during the revolution. Lilith killed him.”

“No. She used hive mind tech to weaken and capture him,” Jace corrected on a sigh. “Damien?”

The other male nodded in my peripheral vision. “I’ll start the transfer process, but this is going to take weeks to dig through.”

“Good.” Jace’s grip on my neck softened, but he didn’t release me. “Leave the transfer alone as well. We don’t want to tip anyone off at the disruption here.”

“And the humans?”

“Are useful to us and will remain alive so long as they pledge their loyalty.” Jace finally looked at me again. “And as for you, my apologies for doubting you. Now go be a good darling and help Damien, hmm?” He pressed a kiss to the edge of my mouth, then released me with a soft smile.

I blinked several times, stunned by his apology, but he was no longer paying attention to me. Instead, he was addressing the Vigils again, telling them their new orders were to report directly to him and do exactly what he said. Anyone wishing to disobey was free to make their way back outside and find their own way home because he intended to commandeer their plane.

None of them stood to leave.

None of them argued, either.