“We?”
“My sisters and I.” Kaede raised his head proudly and winced, turning toward the wall. “They have been demanding to meet you and your cubs. I keep telling them to give you more time to settle down, but they are becoming impatient.”
“They can introduce themselves tomorrow over breakfast,” Xylo interjected groggily. “That is, if that works for everyone. Some things need to be discussed tonight.”
“And Selena needs to be fed,” V’dim added.
Xylo sat down next to me and brushed my hair back, tucking it behind my ear. I leaned into his touch as I searched his worried teal eyes.
“Do you want to tell me what happened?”
“Are you all right?”
Xylo gave me a warm smile. “Other than wanting to know what happened to our clan, I am well enough.”
I glanced over at Odelm, who still hadn’t moved from his location, and peered at the sleeping cubs as I tried to form the words.
“Odelm was… hurt. I offered the princes the chance to sire the next offspring before you and him.” I grimaced at the memory. “He believed he wasn’t good enough to have a chance—not with the princes and your mental capability or the fact that you were my first.” I returned my gaze to Xylo and licked my teeth, noticing a pair of lumps near my fangs. “Something came over me, and I bit him.” I chuckled at how ridiculous that sounded. “It was as if some part of me needed to remind him he was mine, and I wasn’t going ever to let him go.”
“Did you notice anything different? Any changes?” Xylo’s eyes roamed to Kaede for a split second before returning to mine. “It is important for me to know.”
“There was a slightly tangy taste in my mouth right before I bit him,” I confessed.
“Stars… that changes everything,” Kaede murmured.
“Changes what?” V’dim asked.
“She gained my Bahzyl venom,” Kaede said in disbelief. “Thank the Stars, it isn’t Vusyte. All we need is you going around, killing whoever you have the urge to bite.”
Xylo removed his hand as his face turned serious. “What can you tell me about Bahzyl?” he asked as he stood up and studied the room for a moment. “I need to know what aftereffects it has. Selena’s bite somehow triggered Odelm’s manhood to become active outside of her heat cycle and blinded him in a lust rage.” He walked over to a table with multiple medical gadgets to pick up his scanner and returned to me.
“Bahzyl puts the victim in a paralyzing state of arousal and would remain in their system until they burn it out. It varies between victims.” Kaede cringed. “Other than that, there are no lasting side effects.”
“Can it be controlled?” I asked, worried every time I had the urge to mark one of my mates—or bite someone in defense—I would inject them with Bahzyl accidentally.
Kaede met my gaze and licked his fangs, his black forked tongue flicking in and out as he studied me. “You didn’t inject Prince Zirene when you marked him on the day of your arrival. I can control what glands to use and when. I assume it is the same with you. You weren’t trying to mate with him, so the venom wasn’t needed.”
What he said was true. I wasn’t trying to comfort Zirene when I marked him. It was political, even though we had a connection and a history together. Odelm’s bite was different. I wanted him to know how much I loved and cherished him. I needed to show him how much he mattered to me. Wrapped up in my thoughts and feelings about him, I must have triggered my new glands to release their venom as if my body was telling me I needed to be united with him.
Was that the reason why mine didn’t paralyze like Kaede’s? Or was it because my body only absorbed that effect from his venom?
I fell silent as Xylo examined my arm, although my injuries were long gone.
He explained firsthand what had happened from his point of view.
When I injected Odelm with Bahzyl, his mating rage poured over his connections with both Xylo and me. While Xylo’s body wasn’t capable of performing, through both of Odelm’s and my bonds with him, he needed to join us. Odelm almost fought him before I asked him to allow Xylo to aid my release. While Odelm ravished me, Xylo focused on kissing me. My release made Xylo’s legs give out, the effects echoing through Odelm. When Odelm climaxed, he collapsed because of the rush that coursed through him.
“If my Bahzyl did that to both of you, what would happen if I accidentally use it on either of the princes?” I faced V’dim. “You both have shared a nestbrother bond since you were hatchlings. I am afraid of what would happen to the crew if I caused either of you to faint like I did when you searched me on the Destiny.”
“Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.”
Chapter Twenty V’dim
“The readings look normal. Everything states you are completely healthy, and your wounds left no permanent damage,” Xylo announced. “Other than the growth of glands near your fangs along the roof of your mouth, I see nothing concerning.” He turned away from Selena and faced Kaede, holding his scanner and medical tablet. “Would you allow me to compare her glands to yours?”
Kaede’s eyes hardened. “You think I am a fool?” he growled. “You would have to kill me before I would allow you to examine my body.”
“That can be arranged,” V’dim murmured.
Shock crossed Kaede’s face, ruining the menacing expression he held well. He nodded with a smirk, crossing his arms.
Selena gasped and grabbed one of V’dim’s tentacles, tugging it. “You don’t mean that.”
V’dim gave her an innocent smile. “He was offering.”
“I know Kaede is difficult, but you
