Page 320 of Halfblood Deceived

Aiko gulped and nodded.

“You can feed on me if you want,” Evan suggested.

“Or me,” Sebastian, Mari, Aylana, and Kerian offered as one.

Aiko licked her dry lips and lowered her gaze. “They took my fangs.”

Zeydan closed his eyes. His head pulsed with pain.

Mari blinked fast. “They’ll grow back once you’re properly nourished again.” The, ‘I will make sure of it’ was silent, but palpable.

“How about some sheep blood?” Kamilla offered gently, despite the helpless, empathic ire in her topaz eyes. “Sebastian here spiced it. And he’s great at it. The best, actually.”

Kerian narrowed his eyes at his sister in mock outrage, but his fists were clenched so hard his knuckles were white. “You are biased.”

“She’s not,” Zeydan said, swallowing down his useless rage, just like the others. “Sebastian is truly a culinary genius.”

“Don’t flatter Sebastian so much, he’s insufferable as he is already,” Aylana teased.

“Hear, hear,” Diana agreed.

Aiko lifted her gaze, lips wobbling in the approximation of a smile. “I’d like that, thanks.”

Sebastian squeezed Aylana’s shoulder and stood, going to the bar located near the cockpit. There were several thermoses in a cupboard. He took one and handed it over to Aiko. “There you go.”

“Thank you,” she said, opening the lid and breathing in appreciatively.

Sebastian winked at her. “Anytime.”

Aiko gave him a small but genuine smile and drank from the thermos with obvious relish.

The door of the cockpit opened, and Dyson’s massive figure came into sight. “We will land in two minutes.”

“Thank you, Dyson,” Kamilla said.

The man nodded and locked the door after him again.

Sebastian sat next to Aylana.

Zeydan checked that Aella was securely strapped in her seat, even though he knew Dyson was an expert pilot.

Aiko released a contented sigh as she finished her ration of spiced blood. Some color immediately returned to her skin, thank the goddess. She ducked her head when she realized there were several pairs of eyes on her.

They all pretended to be very interested in the landing then.

Zeydan idly watched how the tennis court retracted to reveal the hangar and the seamless way Dyson landed the jet without even the slightest hitch.

Kerian unbuckled first, opening the hatch. “Home sweet home.” He left almost in a hurry. Kamilla followed him at a more sedate pace.

Aylana yawned and stretched before standing along with Sebastian and heading for the hatch. Diana followed their example, and only Evan, Aiko, Mari, Andreas, Zeydan, and Aella remained in their seats.

Zeydan unbuckled Aella and carefully placed her across his lap, securing his arms around her.

Aella didn’t stir even a bit. Her cold nose brushed his neck.

Evan helped Aiko with her belt, but she was holding onto the seat with both hands.

“What is it, darling?” Evan asked, blond brows furrowed.

---