Page 17 of Exiled Prince

Food helps, but it doesn’t stop the urge. I need blood, and I won’t be able to hold out much longer—a few days maximum.

“When’s the last time you fed?” Axe asks, studying me. I realize my fangs have extended, and I quickly retract them. “You didn’t feed from Saylor last night?”

I’m the only one of us who has to drink blood. Most demons and vampires are alike in that way, and although I didn’t get the common red eyes, I still need blood to survive. It doesn’t matter whose blood, but I know that when it’s your fated mate, it’s different. Her blood is going to be the sweetest to ever land on my tongue and give me a strength I can’t get from anyone else. Does Saylor know that she’s going to have to feed me for the rest of our lives? That or allow me to drink from someone else, although I don’t know if I’m even physically capable of that. The thought makes me feel sick. I only want Saylor, and that includes her blood.

I don’t reply, but that is answer enough. “You need to feed, Bane.Tonight. Otherwise, I’ll go get Nova. You know she’ll be more than happy to help you.”

I wince, picking up my glass of whisky and taking a sip. Nova is one of the three females I had on a sort of rotation for sex and blood, but she was the one I saw the most.

After Astrid told me about my mate, I stopped seeing any of them for sex, but I still used all three for blood up until I met Saylor on that battlefield.

I’ve never claimed to be a saint, but when I’m in a relationship, I’min.

And I couldn’t get more fuckinginwith my mate.

“It’s Saylor, or it’s no one,” I snap.

“Then do what needs to be done,” he fires back. “You don’t need to be weakened right now, Bane.”

“I fucking know,” I mutter, standing up and leaving the dining table.

Nothing I need right now can be served there anyway.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Saylor

It’s two days later when I get back to my house and find Bane, sitting on the edge of my bed, his head in his hands. He’s dressed in his usual all black, his muscles straining against his tunic.

“Bane,” I whisper, moving toward him. I like coming home to find him here. He lifts his dark eyes to me, and I straddle his lap, wrapping my arms around him, my gloves running through his thick, dark hair. He holds me tightly like I’m his lifeline. He looks tired and drained. I hate that I left him alone in my bed the other morning.Can I trust him? Let him in?I’m exhausted, and not just because I managed to track down and kidnap Jagger from the strip club last night.

“Sunshine,” he rasps with a deep sigh.

“Are you okay?” I ask him as he gently nuzzles my neck, breathing in my skin’s scent.

“I am now,” he rasps, kissing my neck. “Sunshine, I need—”

The banging on my front door has my head snapping toward it. Bane makes a pained sound deep in his throat.

“Saylor! We have a lead. We need to gonow,” I hear Sage call out, banging again. “And why the fuck am I warded out?”

Fuck.

“All you have to do is invite him in,” Bane says, his lip twitching.

“You meddled with my wards?” I ask, grinning.

He rests his forehead against mine. “Have to protect my woman.”

My heart melts.

Fuck it.

I’m going to tell him everything. We can’t go on like this, andI don’t want to hurt him.

My brother bangs again.

“Will you be here when I get back?” I ask him, kissing his lips. “Wait for me. There’s heaps of food in the kitchen if you get hungry.”

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