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“What reward?” Killian snarled. “Barbie could have died!”
“Guys, guys!” Cade waved his wand. “We need to keep working together. Remember, this is about rescuing Barbie. Are you okay, Barbie?”
My lower lip quivered at his concern.
“Does she look okay to you?” Killian said while I buried my face against Rock’s shoulder.
I lifted my head and turned to the princes, showing them my bruised, bleeding face. They gasped, their eyes widening at my poor condition. I nodded at them and waved my bandaged stump at the ground. They dipped their gazes and spotted the iron mask, the broken chains, and the torque that still emitted a trail of inky smoke.
Horror and rage swept over the princes’ gorgeous faces.
“I’m going to stab those dead fuckers over and over!” Silas spat. “I’ll find out who is behind all this and claw their hearts out!”
Louis just stared at my stump, as if he thought it was his fault that I suffered.
“Don’t worry. It’ll grow back,” I explained. “Thank you for coming to rescue me, high sirs. I’ll never spit on your food or in your drinks.”
The princes blinked, then let out low chuckles, even though rage and dismay stayed in their eyes. The tension diluted, so everyone could breathe easier with five high-powered alphas in a cramped space.
“She wasn’t joking, idiots!” Killian growled. “Barbie is suffering! We’re leaving now.”
Before the chaos prince could lead Rock to charge out of the hallway, Rowan stepped into his path.
“It’ll take more time to depart CrimsonTide in a conventional way,” Rowan said. “Furthermore, anything could happen in this unlawful region. It’ll be faster and more logical if we all combine our powers again and teleport Barbie out of here.”
I blinked in surprise. I knew I wasn’t on the academy grounds anymore, but I hadn’t expected to be shipped to the neutral zone where the five kingdoms had no authority. I’d once thought of fleeing to CrimsonTide if things didn’t work out in Shades Academy, but it seemed that I had to scratch that idea, since I wouldn’t gain obscurity here anymore.
It made sense, though. Whoever had ordered the grab didn’t want the kidnapping to lead back to them if things went south.
“Fine,” Killian said. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
“You haven’t even noticed Barbie’s true condition, even though you pose as her caretaker,” Louis said, stalking closer and ignoring Killian’s threatening growl. “She’s depleted. She’s too weak to teleport.”
The vamp prince was right. The rush of adrenaline had run out after the princes arrived at the scene. I didn’t have any juice left, and Sy was in even worse shape. We were most dangerous in our current condition, as we might snap. Without the torque to hold me back, I had to exert every ounce of will I had so as not to suck the magic out of the land and into me.
I trembled. My teeth chattered with effort.
In a blur, Louis got to me before anyone could stop him, pressing his wrist against my lips. Without thinking, I bit into it instinctively. Somehow, my fangs or Sy’s fangs slid out, piercing the vampire prince’s skin.
His blood, pure and rich and rippling with power, fell on my tongue, and it was surprisingly sweet.
I leaned forward from Rock’s arms, my good hand lashing out and grabbing Louis’s muscled forearm to prevent him from escaping while I was feeding.
My predatory nature slid out just like that.
“I’m not going anywhere, Barbie.” Louis chuckled.
As I peered up, I spotted satisfaction brimming in his pale blue eyes for the first time since we’d parted on bad terms.
“What the fuck?” Silas scowled.
He’d regarded me as a dormant shifter who was under his authority, so he wasn’t happy with this little twist.
“Is Barbie a vampire now?” Cade asked in shock and confusion.
“She isn’t,” Rowan said. “We’ve never met her kind. Barbie turns out to be able to feed in a variety of ways, and blood from a powerful pureblooded vampire like Louis can give her a faster boost than other energy sources.”
I felt a lot more alive after I swallowed two mouthfuls of blood. Instantly, the tiny wounds on my face closed. I was grateful for the vamp prince’s donation, so I didn’t have to worry about siphoning magic from the land.
