“I guess I’ll be reading then.”
Alexei snatched a book and threw it onto the bed. The spine slammed into the bedframe, and both Sam and I cringed.
Good thing Cato wasn’t here.
“If you change your mind, let me know. Otherwise, I have you scheduled for another healing tonight.”
Alexei flipped open the book, glaring into the pages.
“I’m keeping my wings.”
“That’s your choice,” Sam agreed, then turned to me. “Ronen, I need to speak with you in my lab.”
Had he finally found another solution to studying the blood? I hoped so.
“I’ll be right there.” I waited until he left Alexei’s room, then faced my brother. “I need something else from you.”
Alexei turned another page. “You heard the doc. I’m to be imprisoned until my wings quit being little Bowel babes.”
“Do you still talk to Vanessa?”
He looked up from the book, frowning. “Maybe. Why?”
“Does she still work in the kitchen delivering food?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I need you to use your Alexei charm on her so she can spy on Lucifer for us. Figure out a way to get her here and have her report to you every other day. Keep it all discreet.”
“So we’re going to risk our heads to spy on the king?”
He sounded reluctant to give in to my demands, but I knew him. And judging by the glint of intrigue in his eyes, he’d do it.
“Yes. I think there’s something else going on with him.”
“Fine. But only if you ask MJ to grab more of myAngel’s Gone Wildmagazines. They’re under my bed.”
I raised my head to his painted ceiling. “You jack off in here, and Sam might cut off your wings just for the fun of it.”
He snorted. “How do you expect me to jack off when my dick is smashed into the bed in this position? The magazines will give my eyes a break after all the dry texts.”
“You’d find a way,” I muttered as I walked out.
His short bark of laughter followed me, easing the tightness in my chest. He’d be okay. Even if Sam had to remove his wings, he’d be okay. And if he weren’t, I’d make sure he was.
I found Sam scanning charts at the healers’ station and speaking with Bree, his one and only sub-elite healer.
“Thanks, Bree. Make sure you tell the rest of the healers the protocol.”
She nodded and left.
Sam gestured to the door to his lab.
“Follow me.”
No one entered Sam’s lab besides him. He created his special elixirs, treatments, and who knew what else in there. So if he was allowing me in, I had to assume he’d found a solution to study the infection.
He gripped the glowing yellow door handle, unlocking the seal with his blood, then opened it just enough to squeeze us through before shutting it behind us.
