Page 82 of Kingly Bitten

“Well. That answers my first question,” I muttered.

I’d been intending to ask him why he was limping. I’d been able to smell the blood on him, suggesting a recent feed that had gotten a little out of hand, but I hadn’t realized just how badly out of hand it had been.

“How the bloody hell did he manage to get those bags up here?” I wondered out loud, glancing at him and then at Juliet and Darius’s bags.

“I’m guessing he didn’t have a choice,” Calina replied, her tone lacking in emotion. “He very clearly wants to survive, to the point that he stopped breathing when you left the room.”

I frowned. “That’s the opposite of trying to survive.”

“You told him not to move. He took it literally.” She finished removing his pants and moved his leg to study the wound on his thigh. “He needs stitches, and likely a blood transfusion.” Her gaze lifted to his bloody dick. “Depending on how deep these incisions are, he may need—”

“Jesus,” Darius breathed as he exited the elevator into the suite with Juliet at his side. “What the fuck, Jace?”

I gave him a look. “You know that’s not my feeding preference.”

Biting a female’s cunt to drive her to orgasm, yes. But that was never truly about feeding, as the blood didn’t flow in that region nearly as well as the femoral artery. Which was why I barely broke the surface when feasting on a woman’s slick flesh.

Whoever had done this to the male had clearly wanted it to hurt.

Calina stood abruptly. “I need supplies.”

“You’re going to operate?” I asked, mildly amused by the prospect. And also a bit stunned that she’d immediately expected that to be the solution to this problem. It showed how little she understood about this current society.

Almost all royals in my position would just finish the job and let the human die.

But Calina wanted to save him.

In this case, I desired the same outcome as her because I needed to know who had done this to him in my absence. This human was my property, and he’d been regulated to serve in my personal tower. Which meant he should be off the menu. Other humans were designated for that fate.

I might not agree with the current operations of this world.

But I had a part to play in seeing them through. At least until I could properly change them.

“Yes.” Calina looked at me. “Where is your nearest hospital?”

I gave her a wry smile. “Darling, hospitals are for humans, not immortals. Therefore, they no longer exist.” Apart from the breeding clinics. However, those served a very specific purpose. And saving this male’s life would not be a priority there.

She didn’t even blink. “Then where do I find supplies?”

“There are none.”

“Needles and blood bags absolutely exist somewhere,” she replied, still unfazed. “And I’m sure his blood type is on record somewhere. That’s how you catalog humans, yes?”

“He doesn’t have the time you require to save him.”

“Then give him your blood to hold him over.”

My eyebrows lifted. “My blood?”

“Yes. I’ve felt the effects of it. You’re strong and old. Your essence should be enough to save him.”

“And why would I save him?” I had every intention of doing just that, but her insistence on helping the human fascinated me.

“Because you’re not Lilith.”

“No, I’m not. But that doesn’t mean I see value in his life.” Humans died every day. They were food. And while I might not agree with their overall treatment, I still acknowledged their place in the world.

“You chose him to bring those bags up for a reason. And it wasn’t to just let him die in your living room.” She folded her arms. “Save him.”