Page 66 of The Way You Bite
Vee bit her lip as chaos carried on around them. She gripped Lexan’s hand tight. “Hold on.”
He smiled weakly but didn’t open his eyes. “There’s dignity in a quick death during battle, but not this.”
Roman ordered, “We’re ready. Do your thing, Vee.”
Vee gazed at the jugular vein pounding in Lexan’s neck. Fifteen wolves stared at her with abject curiosity. She whispered to Lexan, “I can’t do this with them watching me like I’m a circus sideshow act. Plus, they think I’m about to die a horrific death. Several of them might enjoy watching. Who’s to say one of them won’t put it on YouTube?”
“Everyone other than Roman, my guys, and Ryder get out. TC, you’re in charge outside,” Lexan ordered.
“I’m not leaving,” Julio declared.
“Get. Out!” Lexan thundered.
Julio scurried out the door.
As soon as the room cleared, Vee leaned in. “Let me know if you want me to stop.” She licked his neck, felt him tense, and bit as gently as she could manage. After a short time, the euphoria of his blood was surpassed by a stomach cramp, but she forced herself to continue. Sweat dribbled down her back and forehead as the level of pain in her midsection increased. When she felt him get weak to the point passing out was imminent, she followed the steady thrum of his heart until it got faint. Then, she stopped. Within seconds, Roman had Ryder hooked up to one arm and Eric hooked up to the other, donating.
Her whole body went cold. The cramping spread everywhere. Had she ingested too much? She’d never taken in that much blood before. She leaned against the far wall, hoping the pain would pass.
“You doing okay?” Lexan asked. Worry was etched into his face.
Everything in her rebelled. She vomited. Then she hit the floor.
…
Lexan roared and thrashed to get to Vee.
Roman center-chested him and body-smashed him against the sofa. “Don’t move. They’ve got to finish refilling you. We just need another few minutes to get enough blood back into you. There were risks, even though she’s…special. No one really knows about these things.” He quickly disconnected Ryder from the catheter attaching his arm to Lexan’s left. “How you doing, Eric?”
“Let him have what he needs.” Eric shifted on the sofa next to him and cradled his head with his free hand. He’d given too much.
Damn it. His second was about to die for him, and his mate was dying.
Vee writhed. Her back arched as she started seizing.
Lexan yelled, “Vee talk to me. What’s going on?”
She didn’t answer as her body contorted. Her head whacked against the wall.
Lexan looked about the room wildly. “Show yourself, old man. I can feel you in here. Get over there and do something for her.”
Blay walked from behind him, probably releasing whatever mental lockdown he had on everyone else, which prevented them from seeing him. Damned unnerving skill. “What the hell were you thinking? I leave for ten minutes to take a call and you two try to kill yourselves? Have you gone completely daft? I told you to let her have a drink when she shifts, not drain you dry.”
The other wolves in the room started at Blay, frozen with shock.
Blay’s mouth twitched. “Surprise. I’m not dead.”
Vee’s body shook with convulsions. The sound of her head still hitting the floor had Lexan’s muscles swelling against the restraint Eric and Roman both now had him in.
“What’s wrong with her?” Lexan thundered.Don’t let her die. Jesus, let her live.
Blay rolled his eyes as he pulled a three-foot high vase away from Vee so she wouldn’t hit it during her seizure. “You’re a moron. That’s what’s wrong with her. You just encouraged her to ingest all the silver floating around in your body while conveniently forgetting she’s half wolf.”
“We discussed it. She didn’t think it’d hurt her. Oh, holy hell.” Lexan released a harsh breath as reality crashed in. Terror beat back fatigue and pain. He’d just killed her.
“His Highness has had an epiphany.” Blay pulled a small black pouch from his inner jacket pocket from which he extracted a syringe of brown fluid. “Roman, get over here. I need you to hold her arm. This has to go intravenous. Lexan, you keep your ass over there and let Eric finish.”
“What is that?” Roman asked, approaching.
