Dage stepped away from the queen. “It appears as if fangs and eyes aren’t going to do it for you in this case, Evan O’Connell. I’m a rather busy guy at the moment, with possible wars breaking out and all of that, so let’s get on with this. I guess you’d better shoot me. Aim for the shoulder or leg, would you?”
Max instantly stepped forward. “No. Shoot me.”
Fuck, these folks were nuts. Evan looked at Emma, hoping for some sort of rationality.
She stepped away. “Don’t shoot me. I mean, I heal as well, but I hate to get shot. It’s such a pain.”
Evan could feel the danger around him, but he’d never been a person who could shoot an unarmed man. He shook his head.
“For Pete’s sakes.” Tabi grabbed his gun, yanked it free, and shot Dage Kayrs three times in the left arm before Evan could stop her.
Chapter 9
Tabi’s mouth gaped open. “I shot the king,” she whispered. Who would’ve thought?
Dage gave her a look as blood poured from the three wounds. “Thanks for missing my head.”
Evan launched into motion, grabbing a pillow from the sofa. “Press this against the wounds, and I’ll call for an ambulance.” His voice was low and controlled as he no doubt fell back on training.
Dage sighed and pushed the pillow away. “Watch the wounds.”
“What?” Evan snapped, tension rolling from him.
“Watch,” Dage said, looking down at the bleeding holes in his arm. He sucked in air, and three bullets instantly plopped out of his flesh to fall onto the wooden floor. Then the holes mended shut. He wiped his arm off, leaving streaks of blood. “All good. See?”
Evan took a step back. “But…no way. No. That was a trick.”
“It was your gun, buddy.” The king used the word buddy? He looked at Tabi. “You know him better than we do. If his human personality is amplified, is he dangerous?”
“No. Bossy, controlling, and protective, however,” she murmured. And she’d mated the guy.
Emma smiled. “Sounds like a normal vampire to me. Now can I please take some blood? I’ve never studied blood from an enhanced human male or a demonness who’d just mated one. This is so exciting.”
Dage lifted his chin. “I’d like him unconscious if you’re near him.”
Max stepped forward. “I’d be happy to knock him out.”
Evan growled, low and hard. “Try it.”
Desire, warm and fast, flowed through Tabi’s body. That sound. Her neck, right where he’d bitten her, pulsed as if in perfect tune. “Why don’t you take my blood first?”
“No,” Evan said, his back vibrating.
The queen sighed. “This is too much. Maybe they should accompany us to Realm headquarters, and we can make friends there?”
Dage crossed powerful arms, one still bloody. “I’ve heard worse ideas.” He looked at Tabi. “How close are you to finishing with your prototypes at your factory?”
Her mouth gaped open and she quickly shut it. “How do you know—”
“The. King.” Dage muttered. “I know shit. Just answer the question, please.”
Very impressive. “I’m probably a couple of months out, and if those work, I can go into mass production within another couple of weeks.” She tried not to sound too proud.
“Excellent,” Dage said. “I hope you give the Realm the right of first refusal. We’d make it well worth your while.”
She smiled. Most of her people, maybe all, really liked making money. It came in so handy for a demonness. “Of course.”
Emma tilted her head. “What’s your invention?”
