“Hold!” the star-guy said. “Do not fire!”
Shin slid behind me and aimed the scalpel at my throat. “Calm down, Your Majesty. Or the next cut will be across his throat.”
Kas went still.
Meanwhile, tingling filled my thigh. I looked down to see that the blood had stopped flowing.
Shin followed my glance. Blinked. “Someone clean his wound! Now!”
One of the lab coats hurried forward with a cloth and antiseptic. With gloved hands, he drenched the cloth, then swiped it over my thigh. I didn't feel the sting, only the cold. Then he straightened and gaped at my leg. We all did.
“There's no wound,” he whispered. “He's already healed! Dear God, imagine what we could do with his blood.”
I looked from my healed leg to Kaspian. “We're going to have a long conversation after this.”
“I was trying to have that conversation with you when they showed up.” Kas jerked his head at the others.
“Have your conversation now, gentlemen.” Shin got back to pointing the scalpel at my carotid artery. “Unless you think he can heal a sliced throat as fast as he did his thigh. In which case, I'd like to see that.” She started to move her hand.
“Stop!” Kas shouted.
Shin lifted a brow.
“She's going to cut me up anyway,” I said carefully, so I wouldn't jostle that scalpel. “You heard that guy. They want my blood.”
“I'd be more mindful about what I said, if I were you, Mr. Gabris.” Shin tapped my throat with the blade. “I think I've proved what I'm capable of.”
I slid my stare toward her. “Oh, yeah. You've proved that you're an evil bitch. Well done.”
She only grinned as if I'd complimented her.
Kaspian held my stare as he said, “I will tell you what you want to know.”
“Don't give these motherfuckers anything,” I growled. “I can take the pain.”
“You willnot!” Kaspian snarled. Then his stare focused on the slim blade at my throat, and he went twitchy—his whole body shuddering as if something inside him was rattling its cage.
“Go on, Your Highness,” the star soldier said. “Tell us how you got here.”
“It's 'Your Majesty.' Your Highness is a title reserved for princes, you fucking fool.” Kaspian sneered and looked the guy over as if he couldn't believe how disappointing humans could be. “You say you want information and then you disregard what I say. Listen!”
“Give me that!” the guy grabbed a pole from one of the lab coats and shoved it into Kaspian's side.
Kas roared as that asshole electrocuted him.
“No!” I jerked, slicing myself on the scalpel.
As soon as I bled, Kaspian went still. The prod was still in his side, still sparking, but he didn't move except to focus on me. “Remove your silly stick. I will answer as long as you don't hurt my mate.”
“Yourmate?” Shin withdrew the scalpel. She glanced at the star soldier. “Enough, General. He understands.” As the General backed away, she noted, “You take mates like animals?”
“No, not like animals. LikeDragons!” Kaspian narrowed his stare at her.
As the lab coats murmured and the soldiers shifted, Kas went on, “Mating magic is a gift from our goddess. It draws the perfect match to every Dragon. Some of us search for centuries for our mates. But the wait is worth it. Because when we find the person who is chosen for us by divine magic, there is no greater joy. Merely being in their presence is bliss. The bond we forge with our mates is sacred and once completed, it makes marriage laughable—a few vows, easily broken. No one can break a mating bond. It is eternal.”
“Eternal? Centuries?” Shin whispered. “Are you saying that you're immortal?”
“Did you not catch thedragonpart?” the General hissed. “I'm more interested in that.”
