Page 162 of Wicked Heirs

That was what we’d done as soon as we’d teleported from the alcove to my chambers.

Well, what my baby bird had done for me.

He was afraid for me.

Afraid I’d end up like him, losing my father.

I couldn’t deny that I was above thinking that either.

But I couldn’t allow too much of that, I had to focus.

I had to pull on all the reason and logic at my disposal and squash the emotion threatening to rise up and piss all over it.

My father needed me to bring it now.

Nothing less would suffice.

I looked around the room at Talon, Alena, and even Xavier, gathered around.

Here for me.

Supporting me.

Our foursome in all its glory.

It had been fractured recently, so seeing this now, it was something else, and it meant a lot.

Meant a lot?I was headed to an emotional place again.

My father could certainly have that impact on me. Especially in this case, with what we were dealing with here—him needing me like never before, him actually in a helpless state.

I gritted my teeth, then focused on watching Xavier’s reaction as I drew the blade across my open palm, spilling blood from first one, then the other.

He hissed and his fangs dropped.

Just like angel blood, Dark Fae blood was absolutely intoxicating to vampires.

“All right, sweet thing?” Alena asked, worriedly.

Surprising me, he actually kept it together better than he ever had done before, his eyes flaming with his cobalt-blue power, a moment before his fangs retracted and so did the demon as a whole.

He sucked in a deep breath. “Yeah. Fine. All fine.”

“Impressive,” I told him.

He shrugged. “Just a good day, I guess. Also, I just fed ten minutes ago.”

No, it was more than that.

And judging by how he’d quickly blown it off as nothing, it leant weight to him being up to something.

Alas, I didn’t have time to venture down that path at the moment.

Talon stepped between the three of us and unfolded the mammoth map of the human realm that included portals to the Fae Kingdoms and the Dragon Empire too. I needed to track my father right from the edge of the Dark Fae Realm portal. “Ready?” he asked us.

Alena nodded and grasped my bloodied left hand.

“Let’s begin,” Xavier said, taking my right hand, my blood seeping through his fingers.

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