Page 42 of Love Bites

I thanked them, asking the typical questions one would in a hospital and focusing on the information they gave me.

I’d been out for about a day, but my forehead was already mostly healed.

The doctor would be back to remove my stitches soon.

All in all, the situation could’ve been much worse.

I shooed them out when Izzy’s stomach growled, agreeing to text them when I was ready to meet up.

When they were gone, I settled back against my pillow, my gaze moving to Damian once more.

Was he still bleeding?

Had someone given him a blood bag?

He needed to drink blood to recover, didn’t he?

I didn’t know enough about vampires to say for sure. I’d need to ask around so I could learn how everything worked for them, especially how often they needed to feed. Despite everything, I hadn’t forgotten his promise in the throne room to bite me whenever he was hungry.

I was so focused on my thoughts, I didn’t notice the woman who walked into the room until she cleared her throat.

I jumped a little, sucking in a breath as she caught me off guard. Damian stirred, but thankfully, stayed asleep.

“Sorry to scare you,” she apologized, her voice gentle so as not to wake up Damian. The woman was stunning, with dark skin and curly black hair cut short. Her massive blue eyes were lined witha cat-eye that made them pop, especially given the white coat she had on.

“I’m Kara. I’m technically a medical doctor, but just call me by my name,” she said, sitting down in a chair across from Damian’s. She grabbed a remote and hit a button to raise the angle of the back half of the bed so I was sitting up. “How are you feeling?”

“Totally normal,” I admitted.

“Good. Are you ready to get these stitches out?”

When I confirmed, she grabbed her tools and started working on my forehead carefully.

“Hale said you fed on him after the attack?” she asked, as she worked.

I murmured my confirmation.

“I’m sure that’s the reason these healed so quickly. An unmated parasitic being would usually need about three days to handle a wound like this one, even fully-fed. Mate bonds enhance healing, but the amount of the enhancement typically depends on how powerful the bonded beings are. Considering Hale’s strength, I shouldn’t be surprised by how quickly it worked.”

“But you are?”

“I am,” she admitted.

“In what ways is he stronger than most vampires?” I asked. No one had ever explained that to me.

“He’s faster. Much faster, when he wants to be. Physically stronger, too, hence his ability to take down as many wolves ashe did at your home. The real problem with power for vampires comes with its requirement, though.”

“What do you mean?”

“The more he relies on his strength, the more blood he burns through. The more blood he burns, the more he needs to drink. And the more he drinks, the more bloodlust he has to fight. He’s trained himself not to use his enhanced abilities unless he has no other choice, to preserve his sanity.”

“But now that we’re mated, he doesn’t have to deal with the bloodlust. Right?”

“As long as he drinks your blood.”

“That should make it easier, shouldn’t it?”

“Assuming he feeds as often as he should.”

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