She stepped away after a minute. “Let Nanu stitch you up so we can get you out of here.”

He smiled at the order. “Yes, ma'am.”

Nanu stitched him up in no time and offered him pain meds that he refused. His stomach hurt but it wasn't anything he hadn't dealt with before. Once he got some blood in him he'd feel even better.

Rosa had to help him stand up. His legs wobbled like rubber bands and his upper body felt too heavy to be supported by his weak legs. He hated looking so frail in front of her; hated even more that he had to lean on her just to stay upright. She only smiled up at him and his worries eased just like that.

“I missed you.” They moved slowly out of the medical ward taking it one step at a time.

“I missed you too, bambino.”

They stopped at the foot of a staircase that looked so long the image of them spun in his head with a dizzy spell. But she only tightened her arm around his waist and helped him up the stairs one foot at a time. God, he loved her. He smiled at the thought and when she caught it and raised an eyebrow in question he merely shrugged. He didn't think she was ready to hear that yet. He'd tell her at the right time.

She helped him into a guest room furnished with two dressers, a huge arching window, tall ceilings, and an adjourning bathroom. The idea of a shower almost gave him enough energy to take one but after the journey up the stairs his muscles started to tremble from exertion. She pressed him against the bed and he fell on it with a groan. She instantly lifted his shirt to inspect his bandage.

“Are you okay? Did that hurt? Maybe I should get you that pain medicine.” She looked away in thought. “Or I could make you some. Maybe the healer has herbs or I can have that demon Draven port me back to my shop or—”

“Kiss me.” He enjoyed the surprise and pleasure that fleeted over her face.

“What?”

He would have laughed but his stomach felt raw and he didn't want to tear the stitches. “You heard me, Rosa.”

Her cheeks darkened with color and then she leaned down and placed her lips over his. Soft, smooth like silk or satin or some kind of fabric he didn't recognize. But no flimsy material could hold anything on her, not with the heat and pressure she added. Her scent teased him, soft and delicate. Fresh like a flower. Her tongue darted across his lips, wetting them, then pushed inside. He groaned. His body hardened at her womanly taste at the slippery glide of her much thinner, smaller tongue. His hand curled into her hair, pulling her closer but she broke away breathing in an unsteady way that made him grin.

“We can't...not until your wound is better.”

“That's a shame.” He meant it too.

She laughed a little. “Can I get you anything?”

His eyes fell to her neck. The animal in him wanted her to part her hair off her neck so he could see the pumping pulse there. His hands crushed the comforter in hard fists.

“Blood. I need blood.”

Her eyebrow flew up in that pretty way and another blush darkened her cheeks. Her hand fluttered to her throat. “Mine?”

His cock jerked in his pants at the huskiness in her voice. His turned equally low. “No, Tyrian will have some here.” Get out before I take yours. He wet his lips, his eyes closing as he tried to imagine what she'd taste like. That only made him harder, made his mouth drier though. “Please go.”

“You can have mine,” she said softly.

He tensed, the points of his fangs throbbing in time to his cock. She had no idea what she was asking, what it meant. He couldn't take her blood and not her body. No matter how much he wanted to feel her wet heat wrapped around his cock again, he couldn't do it. He needed to get strong again.

He looked her straight in the eyes. “That means a lot to me. I promise to take you up on that as soon as I can do sit-ups without breaking my stitches. But right now, if I take your neck...” his mind wandered off as he envisioned taking her inner thigh right next to her pussy. He almost started panting. “If I do then I'm going to fuck you. It's going to be hard and fast, and now is not the time, baby.”

Her chest rose and fell in fast waves but she slowly backed up then fled out the door. Shit. That hadn't gone well. As his mind tried to figure out if he'd ever see her again or if she'd just gone to get him some blood, he also thought about the demons that had attacked him.

They were good. Trained like fucking assassins, which made since. They'd had a purpose coming to Telal's headquarters: to kill Telal and everyone in their path. Kearnyn didn't wish to be in Telal's shoes right now. He couldn't begin to understand how he felt. He'd never really known his own five. Some died of illnesses before they were even twelve, and, well, those who were still alive turned their backs on him when they found out what he'd become. Like it was his fault. He ground his teeth but stopped as his fang almost cut his tongue.

Sometime later, a soft knock sounded at the door and Rosa came in with a plastic container filled with red. His tongue watered. She gave him a wobbly smile and handed the container to him. He tore it out of her hands and was chugging it in big gulps in the next second. He closed his eyes in pleasure. He hadn't realized just how thirsty he'd been. His taste buds opened up, absorbing the delicious taste. The blood fueled his body moistening his muscles and cells, powering him up. He finished the entire container and wanted more but he refrained from asking her to get some.

If he took too much he could make himself sick. He wouldn't vomit the blood up but he'd get tired and lethargic from overeating and it'd take him at least a day to adjust to it.

She took the empty container from him and set it aside. “Can I sleep with you?”

He almost laughed because there was no way she wasn't sleeping with him tonight. “Yeah, get over here.”

She pulled off her dress and he groaned. She wore nothing under it. Not a stitch on her beautiful body. Only all natural woman, just how he liked it. She didn't flush with embarrassment either and he smiled. Good to know she was adjusting to him, because he planned to see her body a lot more in the future.

She cuddled up next to him but didn't touch his stomach.

That night, he slept like a rock.

CHAPTER 39

After slow, passionate lovemaking with Lily, Telal grabbed a quick shower and dressed in some clothes provided by Tyrian. The clothes weren't his usual fair but they fit. Plus, he had to admit, wearing suits got bothersome. Not enough pockets and even the smallest of spills resulted in a dry cleaning bill. The money didn't bother him but it always felt like a hassle, one necessary to his job.

The forest green cargo pants, black tee, and boots worked out better than he thought. If he were fully equipped with his favorite weapons, his knives since he'd always favored them in hand-to-hand combat, he'd have enough pockets to put all his extra gear. Lily came up beside him with a satisfied expression that showed just how sated he'd made her. His chest swelled with a mixture of possessiveness and pride. He had the urge to grin at her and say, “Yeah, I did that, baby.” But he didn't. He wasn't going to make himself look like a fool even if he did feel that way.

“Ready?” she said.

Nodding, they went downstairs to a meeting he'd call with everyone. All the Bellum sisters were there along with their mates and even Kearnyn felt well enough to attend. Rosa sat next to him, their hands clasped together.

Telal's stomach felt jittery. He'd awoken early in the morning and had lay there with Lily wrapped in his arms as he'd thought…planned. He weighed the pros and cons of all the possible situations the best he could. He'd miss something, he knew. Last time he'd had no idea his brother was the king or his father dead. At least in some ways that knowledge might help him to succeed. He still teetered on the edge though. What he really wanted to do and what needed to be done were two different scenarios. And in this case, not just for him, but also for Lily and his people, he had to do the latter.