Page 325 of Halfblood Deceived

It made him smile.

“Yes,” he said. “Go ahead.”

Aella sank her fangs into his vein without hesitation.

A low hiss escaped through his lips at the sharp sting.

She loosened her grip on his wrist.

Zeydan ran a thumb over her pulse point. “Don’t stop, Amazon. Take everything you need.”

Aella took a deep breath and deepened the bite, gripping his arm with both hands now. She breathed out a low moan, bending one leg and arching against the table.

Zeydan’s every sense narrowed down on the feel of Aella’s fangs in his vein. On how the pain melted into warmth that traveled from his arm to everywhere in his body, making him feel lightheaded and yet more aware than ever. Aella was taking the pain away and making him feel that gentle heat, something she shouldn’t know how to do, but she did. Maybe it was instinct. Zeydan didn’t know, nor did he care.

Aella’s irises changed color. The blue and red merged into an intense, beautiful purple.

Mari, Diana, and Kamilla inhaled sharply.

Aella’s canines sank a little deeper into Zeydan’s vein. The mild sting and the sizzle of heat rushing through his nerves were simply delicious. A shudder coursed through his body. “That’s it. You’re doing wonderful, Amazon.”

Aella all but purred, eyes crossing before falling closed.

“Her blood levels are going up,” Mari announced.

“Her vital signs are stabilizing,” Kamilla added. “And she’s healing.”

Zeydan was vaguely aware of Kamilla covering Aella with a blanket up to her chest.

“Her organs are… changing. Adapting.” Mari’s voice was full of awe. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“She’s special like that,” Zeydan said, rubbing soothing circles over Aella’s pulse point, feeling the bob of her throat under his fingers.

Kamilla chuckled. “That she is.”

Aella sighed and released her bite. She ran her tongue over the puncture marks, letting her arms drop on her chest. “Emkeyou, Sheydan.”

Zeydan huffed, amused and relieved. He bent to kiss her forehead. “Anytime, my love.”

She took a luxurious, deep breath.

Mari gently pried Aella’s jaw open.

Aella made a soft sound of protest.

Zeydan almost batted Mari’s hand away, but then he saw the same she did. “Her teeth grew back.”

Mari nodded. “Which indicates she heals like a vampire. That’s good. She doesn’t have double canines, though.” She released Aella.

“Because she’s not a pureblood,” Kamilla said. “In theory.”

Aella licked her lips and her body relaxed as she fell fast asleep.

Mari hummed, examining the hologram.

Zeydan reluctantly looked at it as well. His brow furrowed. “There are new connections from her heart to her lungs?”

Mari nodded. “Yes, just like in vampires. She’s fascinating. Similar to Aiko, but different. I need to run more tests when she’s up to it.”

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