Page 99 of Royal Bite
“She’s not going to make it. She’s lost too much blood,” Bijou said quietly. Her friend rested a hand on Hegna’s shoulder. Bijou’s eyes were full of sorrow. They had lost plenty of warriors on the battlefield, but this was different. Stormey was an innocent. Even Bijou had connected with her mate. “Unless you try to turn her.”
“She may not make it then,” Hegna murmured. Panic swirled around inside her. Hegna never lost her cool, but seeing her mate standing on death’s door had her close. She lifted her wrist and bit into her flesh. She held it over Stormey’s stomach and allowed her blood to flow into the wound. She hoped her enzymes would staunch the flow of blood.
What Bijou had said was correct. The only way she could potentially save her mate would be to attempt to turn her. It had been a long while since she had done it. Her sister, Lethia, had turned her guard, Lane, saving his life. He had been on the brink of death when her sister had given him the choice.
Death or eternal life.
But Stormey was not conscious to be able to make the final decision. Hegna, as her mate, would have to make it. If she didn’t attempt to turn her, then she’d lose her. If she did risk turning her and she didn’t accept the change, then at least Hegna had tried her best.
She moved her hand and allowed her blood to flow onto Stormey’s neck wound.
“I’m here, Your Grace.” Aries, their combat healer, arrived at her side. The pale-skinned vampire had traveled along with Hegna for many battles over the years. She had trained under Ellanora and the king’s personal healer. She sat next to Hegna, setting her bag down beside Stormey’s head.
Hegna removed her hand and licked the holes on her wrist to seal them shut.
Aries began her assessment of Stormey. She paused once she got a good look at Stormey’s abdomen. “Oh, no.”
Aries immediately set to work going through her bag. She pulled out gauzes, soaking them with a fluid from a dark glass bottle. She pressed the bandages to Stormey’s neck and motioned to Bijou to hold them in place. The general didn’t hesitate. She, too, looked as helpless as Hegna felt.
“Do you think you can save her?” Hegna asked. Her voice was low, and even she heard the tremor on her words. She reached out and took Stormey’s cool hand in hers. She needed to feel her mate, only Stormey was always warm to touch.
Hegna and her warriors had searched long and hard for the location of Azura’s hideout. The lycan had grown bold and was still in Black Hollows. Hegna bit back a growl at the balls the lycan had. Azura was taunting her with her mate right under her nose. June was able to pinpoint a high amount of electricity being utilized in a building that was supposed to be abandoned in town. While Bijou had dispatched warriors to other known properties owned by Rayna, Hegna had felt it in her gut that she needed to look into this particular building. She’d always relied on her instincts during battle, and they never let her down.
Her father’s tech vampires were even able to find the signal Azura’s lycans were using and knock it out, replacing her broadcast with his. The king would assure the humans and vampires that he was still in charge and that they would take care of this new threat. Knowing her father, his message was probably filled with his own threats. None of the human government officials were bold enough to try to cross him.
“I can make her comfortable,” Aries answered softly. Her hand rested on Stormey’s stomach, pressing a bandage to the wound.
Hegna squeezed Stormey’s hand at her honesty.
“She’s lost so much blood and she’s human. Their bodies are much more delicate than ours. We have the ability to regenerate, but she does not.”
Hegna’s mind was made up.
She was going to save her mate by turning her. It was the only way, but if she passed on to the afterlife, then Hegna—
She shook that thought from her mind.
No. Her mate was strong and would survive. Stormey hadn’t survived a hard, human life to not be able to accept the change.
“I’m going to change her,” Hegna announced. She stared at Stormey’s still face and felt more confident. Yes, her mate would survive this. “Can we get her stable enough to get back to the castle? I don’t want to do it here.”
Hegna glanced around at the filthy warehouse the lycans had been utilizing. This was no place for her mate to transition. When she woke up, Hegna wanted her to be in the comforts of home.
Their home.
Then she would claim her mate.
“We’d have to move quickly,” Aries replied. She reached into her bag and brought out an ampule and syringe. She drew up a medication and injected it into Stormey’s arm.
Hegna trusted the healer to do as she’d promised.
“This medication will keep her heart beating. We need to move now.”
Hegna leaned over Stormey, resting her lips near her ear.
“Hold on, mate. Stay with me. I need you.”
“Are you real?” Stormey whispered. She stood before the handsome couple in awe. She had dreamed of one day seeing her parents. As a child she had imagined that she had been removed from her parents and they would come swooping in and take her home where they could live happily ever after.
