Page 73 of Royal Bite
He offered her a strained smile, his eyes falling back to the bite mark. The bruising was slowly fading but was definitely noticeable. She had lost count of how many of the vampires around her had taken notice of it.
“I have a gift for you,” he said. He jogged over to where his duffle bag lay. He came back holding a small device. It was a silver-looking cylinder that held a button on the center of it.
“What is it?” she asked. She reached out hesitantly and picked it up. It had some weight to it. It had beautiful designs on it, and as she looked closer, it had the crest of Riskel family.
“A collapsible staff.” He grinned. His eyes lit up, and he motioned to the button on the cylinder. “Press that and it will go from three inches to five feet. Here, watch.”
He scooped it back up from her and demonstrated. He tapped the button, and instantly, the device grew in length. Stormey’s eyes widened at the weapon. She grinned and reached for it. It was certainly deceiving, and she loved it.
“This is amazing,” she gushed. She twirled around with it, swinging the weapon in the air. She pressed the button again, and it withdrew to its smaller form. She looked back up at Zeke and flew across the mat to hug him.
His body stiffened slightly before relaxing, and he returned the gesture. She pulled back and took his hand. She had a feeling what was going on with him, but she didn’t want to embarrass him in front of Jasper. If he even spoke of caring for her more than he should, he’d lose either his tongue or his life.
“I really appreciate this gift, Zeke. You are a true friend,” she said gently.
Sadness appeared in his eyes, and it confirmed her assumption.
She stepped back and peeked at Jasper, showing off her new weapon. “Did you see that?”
“Yes, my lady.” Jasper nodded.
The guard stood straighter and tossed Zeke a look, switching his attention back to her. Each warrior who guarded her were the best and each were handpicked to watch over her. The fact they were all willing to give up their lives for her sent a shudder down her spine.
“But I wouldn’t be doing my job if you ever needed to use that,” he said.
“You are absolutely right, Jasper.” She glanced down at the weapon in her hand, enclosing her fingers around it. She peered back up at him with the grim reality of why Hegna had insisted she train and learn to protect herself. No one was invisible, and if her guards fell to the enemy, she could at least buy herself more time and have a chance of survival.
Hegna swiped at the blood trailing down the side of her face. It wasn’t hers but that of a lycan she had decapitated. The animal had refused to give her any information, so he’d paid for it with his life. She strode through the small makeshift camp her men had created. They had been gone for a full week, and Hegna wasn’t thrilled about it. Just one week ago, she’d had her first taste of her mate’s blood. The power and energy she had gained from it was unspeakable. She had never experienced anything like it.
They had returned to the castle, and she had been immediately swept away by Bijou with word that lycans were on the attack. All across the country, the lycans were creating chaos.
Just as Azura had promised.
Hegna and her men had immediately deployed.
When she should have been at her mate’s side, claiming her, giving her everything she deserved, Hegna had been pulled away for battle without being able to say goodbye to Stormey. It didn’t sit right with her, but she was bound by her duty to her people.
One taste of her mate, and the last part of her resistance to mating had dissolved. She ignored the fact Stormey had been brought to her because of the matching results. Yes, the test result confirmed it, but that wasn’t what Hegna sought. She’d wanted to make her own decision, and being around Stormy, sensing how her body reacted to her, the taste of her and Stormey’s personality, all was what had won her over.
That had been what she’d wanted.
Had she desired to wait until later in life, once the world was safe for her people? Yes. But she was quickly learning time was of the essence. Her mate was with her now, and she would reward her human for being so determined.
But now, she had these damn lycans to take care of.
They were deep in the plains of Nebraska. Lycans had gone on a rampage in the city of Grand Island. The once-thriving city was now a shell of what it had once been after the war, just like most major cities.
Their camp was located on the outskirts of the city underground. Hegna stalked along the rough terrain and headed toward the opening of their lair. Soon, the sun would rise and they would need to take cover. A few human guards who were employed by her would remain. Throughout history, they had created these caverns as a means to survive during the years. Sunlight was a threat to her kind, and they had constructed their belowground facilities without humans being aware.
“Your Grace.” A warrior bowed his head and thumped his chest with his fist. He reached down and pulled open the doorway that led to beneath the earth’s surface.
“Thank you.” She rested a hand on her daggers and descended the stairs. They were located in the earth’s belly, safe away from the sun. The stairs curved slightly with her arriving at the opening of a hallway. The tunnels were much larger than one would assume. The stone-and-brick walls were constructed to withstand the test of time. Small lanterns lit the way, hanging from the ceiling.
There were underground lairs constructed for vampires all across the world. It was a way they were able to function during the daylight. This particular tunnel had been built during World War II when many other tunnels were being constructed. The air was cool and the walls slightly damp. It wasn’t pretty or luxurious, but it allowed vampires to survive during the day when away from home.
Hegna strolled through the complex hall, arriving at her destination. Bijou and a few warriors were gathered in a room. The men and women were the top warriors and answered directly to Bijou. Her general stood before a map posted on the wall. The room fell silent as she moved to join her.
“What do you have?” Hegna growled. Her temper was on a short fuse, and she was ready to return to Black Hollows. Since arriving in Grand Island, they had captured and eliminated lycans who had been terrorizing the inhabitants of the city.
