Page 67 of Queen Takes King
Rik snorted under his breath. “Are you honestly going to claim that you’d rather not have sex when you feed?” The man scowled at him, making him laugh again. “That’s what Ithought.”
“Do you have a name other than Leviathan?” Iasked.
“Leviathan is my beast. My name…” He hesitated, and I felt his bond shutter, like he was slamming windows and doors, locking up for the night. And then he realized that it was too late. The monster was already inside the house withhim.
“You don’t have to tell me. I was just tired of calling you the new guy in my head. I’ll go withLevi.”
He scowled again, which improved both Daire’s and Guillaume’s moodconsiderably.
:You have a bond with Gina now,:Rik reminded me, his bond a low whisper. He’d targeted that thought to me only, none of the other Blood. It made me sad, because there was doubt now. Distrust. He didn’t want the new Blood to hear him.:You can tell her we’re coming and she can bring clothes and the doctor up to meetus.:
Sorting through the bonds in my head was almost too much for me to manage. Worse, Levi’s bond was heavy and dark against Rik’s molten lava, a hissing, angry dragon I’d chained with my blood. His power was mine now. Literally. I would be able to refuse him access to his own beast, something no queen had ever been able to do for him. Ortohim, depending on how he felt at themoment.
Finally, I found the threads that belonged to Gina and Frank.:We’re coming down the trail now. Can you bring clothes and Dr.Borcht?:
I felt Gina’s flash of shock at hearing my voice so clearly in her head, but she was already giving orders and gathering up supplies. Bless her. It was so nice to have someone take care of the details of getting from point A to pointB.
I dozed despite the pain in my arm. It felt like I hadn’t rested in days. I guess I hadn’t. Not with the sun god sending skeletons out of nowhere, and getting up early to make plans to come here and find Leviathan. My stomach rumbled and my fangs throbbed and honestly, it all made me want to cry a little. I was too fucking tired for this shit. Eveneating.
Rik went down to his knees and I opened myeyes.
Dr. Borcht smiled at me. “You must stop hurting yourself, younglady.”
“I’ll try,” I mumbled, fighting to get my eyes open. “If you can clean it up a bit and wrap it, I’ll take care of it in themorning.”
Frank set a small lantern down to provide light for the doctor’s examination. She frowned, clearly not happy with leaving the actual healing to tomorrow. Or maybe it was my condition over all, because she felt my head and peeled back my eyelid to flash something in my eyes. “I didn’t think Aima could suffer from shock, but you’re definitely more exhausted than you should be. Even after these injuries, you should be able to stayawake.”
“She’s too tired to eat or feed,” Rik replied. “Is it her period? Making heranemic?”
“Could be. Or it’s just a matter of too many things stressing her body right now. New powers, battles, trials, injuries. They all take a toll. I’ll feel much better once we get you into your nest and let you rest for severaldays.”
“Yeah,” I drew the word out. “That soundsgreat.”
My nest. My first place of safety. My gorgeous manor house. I couldn’t wait to getthere.
Dr. Borcht poured something on my arm that made me gasp despite my exhaustion. “Sorry, just applying some disinfectant. Was this a bite? It looks like it’s already infected. You really need to heal this, Shara. Now would bebest.”
“Yeah, that was one nasty motherfucking bite,” Daire drawled, sidling closer. “You haven’t fed on me yet today, my queen. I’m more than happy to help youheal.”
I started to lift my arm toward him, but forgot it was my injured one. I gasped, my eyes flying open at the pain. My stomach pitched and I fought the urge to throw up. Rik rumbled, deep in his chest, chastising Daire for me hurting myself, which wasridiculous.
I started to fumble through my bonds, trying to find G’s, but he approached without me having to ask, knife in hand. He sliced his palm open and pressed the cut to my mouth, earning a snarl fromDaire.
“Bring your own knife, dickhead. Or wait until she’s done and I’ll be happy to cutyou.”
His sweet blood flowed into me, decadent and rich. Almost like eating dessert before supper. Then Daire gave me a taste, purring against my side, his fur swishing through my mind. Xin, soft and silent, a whisper in the night, the hush of a snowflakes falling on pine trees in the dead of winter. Before he left, I felt through his bond, searching for his injuries. He’d sprained his ankle and gashed his shoulder in the fall. I wiped those injuries away with athought.
Rik, strong, steady, my rock. Literally. The one I would build my courtupon.
With his blood on my tongue, I sent power flowing through my arm, pushing out the toxic bacteria I’d picked up from Leviathan’s bite. If I’d been human, I think the infection alone would have killed me already. I’d have to remember that his beast’s bite was a hefty weapon, even if he didn’t kill his victim rightaway.
His bond shimmered with rage, his dragon hissing. Surprised, I forced my eyes open and met his gaze, glittering like chips of dark emerald. Hunched with pain yet still defiant, he stood by himself off to the side glaring at usall.
“I won’tmakeyou feed me.Ever.”
His eyes flickered, doubt chasing across his face like shadows. “You’requeen.”
Ignoring him, I turned my head and found Dr. Borcht, hovering behind Daire. “Can you check it now and see how itlooks?”
