shake on a new deal where they’ll hold me for six months, take my baby, harvest my blood and then kill me, I follow two gray-uniformed guards to my new living quarters. It’s a cheerless bedroom with minimal furniture and a small en suite bathroom. The air is stale and unmoving with a faint smell of mildew, and I haven’t seen a single window down here. It reminds me of a university dorm—only located in a grim subbasement.
When the guards leave and close the door behind them, I can finally rejoice in the surprising news about my pregnancy.
My baby.
Mine and Ash’s.
Our baby changes everything.
If it were just me, I’d have taken the risk of being hurt and pummeled Franco, Elle and the doctor with my power until I smashed everything to smithereens. But I won’t risk my baby. They need to keep me alive for six months, and in that time, I’ll find a way to escape or Ash will find me.
Job number one is staying alive.
Cradling my hands around my belly, I look down to see that they naturally form a heart shape. Several thoughts skitter across my consciousness.
I have all the magic in the universe at my fingertips but can’t use it.
Elle’s spell to appear human must be powerful. Neither Ash nor I suspected her of being a witch.
How much does Edmund know?
How long will it take for Ash to realize I’m missing?
The last question is answered an hour later when Ash opens the mate bond. I ran into Elle. She said you went for a ride when you two returned from the school. It’s getting dark. Are you heading back?
He can still reach me using the mate bond. Thank the gods! Concentrating on the suspension bridge in my mind, I do my best to answer him. I’m being held at the school for girls by Elle and Franco Rossi. And Ash, I’m pregnant. This isn’t how I wanted to tell him we’re having a baby, but I need to share this with him. The binding curse has other plans however, and bounces my words back to me, causing my head to erupt in throbbing agony.
Ash continues to call out to me over the next couple of hours, checking to make sure I’m okay and asking me to please answer him back. Love and concern permeate in his voice.
I attempt repeatedly to answer him but can’t break through the curse. In desperation, I try until black spots hover in my vision and the hammering in my head is unbearable.
His messages escalate in agitation, until finally Archer calls out to me, roaring across the mate bond as if in pain.
That must be the moment he realizes I’m not coming back.
After a broken night’s sleep, I’m awoken by Ash’s deep voice in my head saying how much he loves me and promising that no matter where I am, he’ll find me and bring me home.
The sound of his voice helps center me, and I take several deep breaths before opening my eyes to face whatever the day will bring. Sitting up in bed, I push a gentle stream of my power out into the bedroom, testing the windowless walls for any sign of weakness. I don’t sense any as my power drifts around the room, bumping the bedside lamp to the floor.
“What’s that noise?” My bedroom door flies open, and a guard fills my doorway.
I clutch the blankets close to my chest. “I was trying to turn on the lamp, and I knocked it off the nightstand. That’s all.”
“Get up. Come with me.” The commands are barked out and leave no room for refusal.
“Where are we going?” I get out of bed, still wearing my blood-stained blouse and black dress pants.
“Doctor,” the guard snaps.
When we leave my bedroom, we pass a large common room, and I see other girls there. I’m not the only captive down here. I follow the guard down a maze of hallways and into a small exam room. Elle and Franco are both there; their eyes practically glowing with anticipation in the dimly lit room.
“You’re having an ultrasound,” Elle announces. “We want to verify the pregnancy, see the baby with our own eyes.”
“What did you say to Ash when you returned to Kilkenny Keep? How did you explain my absence, Elle?” When I realized Ash was still able to contact me using the bond, I decided not to share that information with anyone here. I need every advantage I can get.
“I told him that, on the drive back from the school, you said you were going to head down to the stables and then out for a ride. I paid the members of Edmund’s pack who drove us and one of the stable boys to corroborate my story. The working theory is you were attacked or hurt on the ride. Everyone suspects Kyoko. Ash and Reg are questioning her right now. They’re both frantic with worry about you.”
“It makes sense to suspect Kyoko. She never liked me,” I say quietly.
“That was a stroke of good fortune, her blatant antagonism toward you. Deflects attention from me. Of course, Ash questioned me first because I was the last person to see you. But what threat could I, as a puny human, be to someone as powerful as you? Edmund defended me, and I’ve invited Ash to come and search the school anytime. But don’t get your hopes up, Nina. Ash will never find you. He could search the school a thousand times. He’ll never locate the portal to get down here to the subbasement.”
“Change into this. You can go behind that screen over there and then lie down on the table.” The doctor doesn’t even look at me as he hands me a hospital gown and gives the orders.
I comply without question because I’m not in a position to argue. The room is small, and if I attempt to use my power to fight my way out, I’ll only end up hurting myself and possibly the baby. I have to be patient. I have to bide my time.
Once I’m changed and lying on the examination table, I check out the ultrasound machine. It’s large and clunky. The equipment here is not nearly as advanced as what Sofie has.
The doctor snaps on a pair of gloves and picks up a long probe. “This is an internal ultrasound. More accurate in the early stages of pregnancy.” He covers the probe with a condom and then covers the condom with lube. “Spread your legs.”
He inserts the probe inside me, and I want to cry. It all becomes so real. This should be Sofie examining me, and Ash should be holding my hand. The moment should be a joyous occasion with Ash and me giddy with excitement at finally being pregnant. But I’m surrounded by enemies, my body a means to an end and my baby a pawn. For a second, despair grips my heart.
Then a black-and-white image fills the monitor. I search the gray swirls for my baby as the sound of a heartbeat fills the room.
“There are two,” the doctor says succinctly.
“Two!” I gasp and cover my mouth with a hand, tears of happiness immediately filling my eyes.
The doctor ignores me completely and looks at Elle and Franco before tapping the screen twice. “One and two. The heartbeats sound strong. I would say she’s three to four weeks pregnant.”
I stare into the monitor with blurry eyes and then cover my face with my hands. Ash’s babies. My babies. Twins. I open the mate bond even though I know Ash can’t hear me and I’ll probably bring on a massive headache. We’re having twins, Ash. I promise I won’t let anything happen to them. I swear on my life.
I look back to where the doctor tapped the screen and see two small black circles with a tiny white flicker inside each of them. Those little flickers instantly become my whole world. I’ve never felt a love like this—an overriding instinct to protect my babies with everything I have. I pledge to them that I will not let any harm come to them. I love you. No matter what I have to do, I’ll get both of you home safe.
I’m so engrossed in my babies, I almost miss Elle saying, “One for each of us.”
