Hope Awakened by Charlene Hartnady

Chapter 28

They seemed to fly for hours and hours. On and on and on...

In reality, it was probably an hour, possibly less. Hope prayed that the Feral who held her in his talons wouldn’t feel that her belly was fake. That he wouldn’t feel it was actually a pillow stuffed under her tight dress. The whole thing was held on by surgical tape that Hope prayed would hold. They finally reached a much-reduced version of the Feral lands. Towers dotted the countryside. The creatures flew her straight to the entrance of a tall building that looked to be made up of several towers, all pushed up against one another.

They slowly descended until the beast holding her touched down on a wide stone ledge. His claws scraped on the rocky base as he landed. The creature put her down and started shifting. Hope took the opportunity to ensure that her belly was still in the right place. She needed to try to get away with this ruse long enough for Reece to sound the alarm. For someone to find him tied up.

Reece’s face.

The color drained from Hope’s just thinking about all the blood. His gorgeous lips had been an ugly, puffed-up, bleeding mess. His one eye was swollen shut. He looked just awful lying on the tiles in her clinic. Blood spattered all over the white floors. For a second, she’d faltered. She’d been ready to give it all away to help him. She couldn’t, though. She knew deep down he would want her to see this through. She needed to keep this together for a little while longer. She needed to give him as much of a chance as possible to keep Claire safe. The queen and her unborn babies were most important.

“Come with me.” The Feral took her arm and led her into the room.

It was vast. A fire crackled in the large hearth. Everything was huge, from the long wooden table – it had to be a twenty-seater – to the candelabra hanging overhead. There had to be hundreds of lit candles twinkling above her like stars. The artwork was elaborate as well. Large paintings of men on horseback in the midst of battle. The curtains were a thick red velvet with golden tassels.

A man walked into the room. He was tall and attractive. She could see the resemblance to Leukos immediately. This was when her ploy would be uncovered. Ekon had met Claire. It had been over a year ago, but still. Hope decided to try her luck, anyway.

“Ekon.” She tried to sound bored. “Long time no see. I didn’t know you were in the business of kidnapping pregnant women. That’s an all-time low even for you.” She pretended to know him. Praying that they hadn’t spent much time together. It didn’t sound like it from the stories Claire and Magnar had told.

“Needs must…” He shrugged. “Leukos has backed me into a corner.” He turned to the Feral next to her. “You may leave.”

“It’s my pleasure, Sire.” The guy bowed, looking as if he was expecting more. Poor asshole. All he wanted was a little acknowledgment for bringing her in. She almost felt sorry for him…not! This loser had hurt Reece.

Ekon moved closer as soon as they were alone. His eyes narrowed as he took her in. This was the part where he realized that she wasn’t Claire and sent his goons back to get the real queen. “You look different,” he finally muttered. Just like a man to be bamboozled in this way. If Ekon had been a woman, this would not have been possible. Also, it sounded like the guy was so far up his own ass. Perhaps she’d get away with it after all.

“It’s my hair. I dyed it darker. Do you like it?” She touched her ponytail. “My mates love it.” Pregnant women didn’t dye their hair, but he more than likely wouldn’t know that.

“That’s the last I want to hear of those traitors.” His voice hardened. “You are mine now.”

Say what?

She frowned. “What do you mean, yours? I’m mated already.”

He got an evil smile she didn’t like at all. “I am the true king of the Ferals. If I say you are mine, then you are mine. It’s as simple as that.” His eyes dipped to her belly. “At least,” he got a look of revulsion, “once those things are out of you.”

“Things?” She clutched her belly. Even though she wasn’t really pregnant, she felt protective of Claire’s babies. This guy was completely off his rocker. “My children are not things.”

“It does not matter,” Ekon blew it off. “We will talk again once you have had this clutch.”

It did matter, though. It mattered very much. What did he plan on doing with the babies? Thank god she hadn’t let them take Claire.

“How close are you to the laying? It can’t be long now.”

Hope didn’t say anything. The less he knew, the better.

“It doesn’t matter.” He shrugged. “They will come when it is time.”

And there it was again. It doesn’t matter. That line worried her to no end.

“Milos,” he called. “Milos!” he shouted, walking over to the wall and ringing a bell. “Good help is so hard to find,” he told her.

“What are you going to do with me?”

“You’ll go to one of the nests.” He flapped a hand. “It has everything you need. My staff will check in on you from time to time.”

“Sire,” Milos asked from the entrance to the tower. “You rang?”

“From time to time? What if I go into labor?” Her eyes widened.

Ekon gave a shiver of revulsion. It was the only way she could describe it. He did this thing with his mouth and his eyes rolled. His whole body gave a little shake. “You are a female, are you not?”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Her voice was shrill.

“You were made to lay eggs. You will figure it out. I will see you again when you are back to normal.” His eyes slid over her body, making her feel some of that same revulsion…although hers was justified. “I’m glad that you have mostly kept your figure. That is something, at least.”

Back to normal.Kept your figure. This guy was something else. “I’m a human, pregnant with Feral young.” She gripped her belly as if it were true. “Anything could go wrong. Clutch sickness is real. I could die.”

“Stop being so dramatic.” He flapped a hand again. “Humans can birth our eggs just fine.”

“We’ve had one birth to go on. Just one. Just because that went well, doesn’t mean we can rule out clutch sickness or any other labor complications.” Shit! She was speaking like a doctor. “We were just discussing it at my examination this evening. This delivery will be high risk.”

“Who do you recommend? There are a few human females on our soil. One of them? Milos perhaps?” Ekon gestured to the Fallen who looked afraid at the prospect.

A doctor would be nice. This asshole didn’t seem to get that. Hope didn’t say any of that. She wasn’t really pregnant. She didn’t want him kidnapping anyone else. It was a case of biding her time and praying that someone rescued her before that madman caught wind of her lies.

“Nothing to say, Claire?” He paused for a few seconds. “You will be just fine. Take her, Milos.”

The Feral gripped her arm tightly. At least if she was locked away in some tower all alone, she could hold on to this lie. Every second, minute, hour would help Claire.

There was a scraping of talons on the balcony outside.

“Who is that?” Ekon said, frowning heavily. “I didn’t call for—”

Hope gasped when she saw a huge Feral walk into the room. He was half carrying Reece, who was slumped and moaning.

Hope shrieked when she got a better look at him. His hair was matted with blood. He looked half-dead. “What did you do to him?” she shouted.

Milos gripped her arm to prevent her from running to Reece.

“What is the meaning of this, Cradock?” Ekon narrowed his eyes. “Who is this male?”

“He was with the queen. He is claiming to be a healer.”

“A healer?” Ekon didn’t look convinced. “They only have one male healer, and this isn’t him. This keythong looks familiar.”

“He is a healer,” Hope improvised quickly. “Not many Feral know about him. His name is Var, and he’s been helping me in secret. Your spies truly aren’t everywhere.” She shook her head, looking

contemptuous. “I’m surprised they don’t know about him too.”

“There.” Ekon waved to Reece. “You have the healer you wanted. Put them in one of the cage towers together.”

Thank god!

Hope breathed a sigh of relief. It was short-lived. What would happen to Reece when they figured out that they were lying? Thank god she left the note back at the clinic. It was just a matter of time. Her throat clogged with fear. She was a woman…Hope was sure they wouldn’t hurt or kill her. All bets were off where Reece was concerned. Why had he lied? Why had he put himself in danger?

For her.

He’d done it for her.