She started to protest, but he cut her off.
“Trust me, I will get Paxton out of here. If you’re both here, Drake will use you against each other. He’ll hurt him to force your acquiescence. He’ll hurt you to mess with Paxton. I have to take you out of play.”
Hope took a big deep breath. “I just can’t leave him, Hunter.”
Her cousin’s gaze softened. He didn’t look right with the Kurjan features, and that surgery had to have been painful. “I know, I get it, but he’s nowhere we can reach right now. He’s in that cage in the middle of the courtyard, and we can’t just walk out there. You need to trust me. I will get him free, and we will both meet you. Please.”
Hope took a deep breath. She trusted her cousin almost as much as anybody in the world. He’d been undercover since he was sixteen within the Kurjan nation, and no doubt he had plans in place. “Can you trust Vero?”
Hunter winced. “I don’t know. He’s actually a good guy, but he has taken a vow to follow Drake. And he and Drake are blood like you and I are.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Come on, cuz. Let me get you out of here.”
“All right.” Hope had to go on trust. “But please tell me you’ll get Paxton free.”
“I promise. Follow me.” Hunter opened the door, looked both ways, and pulled her out. He glanced at his watch. “The soldiers are on a five-minute rotation today, so we have five minutes to get through the forest. It’s going to be close. Are you any faster than you were before?”
“No.”
“All right.” He looked down at the dress. “We don’t have time for you to change out of that thing, so you’re just going to have to hold the skirt up and run. If it gets too close, I’m going to throw you over my shoulder. Okay? I want you prepared.”
She hated that he might have to do that because she wasn’t fast enough, but there was no other choice. “Understood.”
Cold instantly slammed into her, and she ducked her head. There were so many layers to the bottom of the dress that her legs were warm, but the bodice was flimsy, leaving her skin exposed and chilled. “I’m okay, let’s go,” she said.
The shoes skidded on the ice, but she didn’t complain. Instead, she ran as fast as she could behind Hunter. He had to slow down for her, but he dodged and wove through the trees as if he’d memorized the entire forest. He was impressive, and she would make sure to tell Uncle Dage that he should be very proud of his son.
They were in the middle of the dark forest when he paused, turning. “Are you doing okay?”
She panted, her breath filling the air. “Yes, I’m fine,” she lied. “Are we close?”
“We’re getting there,” he said. “I know where most of the scouts patrol, but every once in a while there’s a random one. If I start to fight, you keep running. I have a car waiting for you.”
“Okay,” she said. “I’m ready.”
Something cracked. “That’s unfortunate,” Drake said, coming around a corner up ahead. “I’m not ready to lose you quite yet, Hope.”
Hunter jumped in front of her and set his stance. Soldiers dropped from the tops of the trees all around them, their guns out. Hunter tensed.
“No,” Hope said, grabbing his arm. “There are at least twenty of them. You’re good, but nobody’s that good.”
Hunter looked at Drake. “I couldn’t let you force her to mate. As a Kurjan, I felt I was doing the right thing.”
Drake laughed, his low voice roaring through the trees. “As a Kurjan? Give me a break. You’re not a Kurjan.”
Hunter blinked. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve known exactly who you are for at least this last year, Hunter.” Drake smiled and addressed the nearest soldiers. “Take him, find another cage, and put him next to Paxton.”
Hunter fought them, but he was outmatched. He did some serious damage to a couple of the soldiers, but there were just too many of them. Soon they had him trussed up, and they dragged him away.
The wind whistled, freezing Hope’s skin, but she stood tall and faced the Kurjan. “If you knew he was Hunter, why did you let him live?”
Drake shrugged. “I didn’t think it’d be this easy to get you here and thought there might be a trade necessary in the future.” He grabbed her arm, digging his fingers in until she winced. “You need to understand this now, my queen. There is no escape for you, so you might as well stop fighting me.”
Chapter Thirty-One After a nail-biting afternoon during which Hope was locked in the opulent bedroom with nothing to do but pace back and forth, trying to catch a glimpse of the now-missing Paxton and Hunter, soldiers escorted her back down to the same study, where a table had been set with white linen and crystal goblets. Drake poured two glasses of wine and gestured her to the other seat. “I thought I could show you how life might be with me,” he said.
She looked at him. “You don’t know me at all. I’m a strategist who likes to work. I’m happiest out in the field, Drake.”
“That’s unacceptable for a queen,” he said. “Your other hobbies won’t get in the way, I’m sure. Sit down.”
She sat and once again eyed the bookshelf. There were several tomes she wanted to get her hands on—maybe there was something in one of them about killing not only Ulric but Drake. Maybe that was her destiny. “How familiar are you with these books?”
“Not very. Several of them were just dug up,” he admitted. “Vero is usually the one poring over books. With Hunter.”
Fresh concern welled up in her. “What have you done with him?”
“He’s in a cage, much like Paxton. I don’t want to start our life together on a contentious note, so I’m going to make you an offer.” Drake nudged her glass toward her, and she picked it up.
A woman brought in two plates laden with steak and potatoes and placed them on the table. Without saying anything, she scurried away. Hope watched her go. “I don’t like the way your females look around here. They appear terrified.”
“Most of them have been recently kidnapped. I’ll set them free soon,” he muttered. “Human females scare easily. You know that.” His gaze was appraising. “You, however, do not. I appreciate that in a mate.”
“What’s your offer?” She sipped the wine. It was rich and full-bodied, but the tannins hit her stomach and made her want to throw up.
He leaned back. “Here is the deal. I will let Hunter Kayrs go immediately, and I will let Paxton live after a week if he can survive that long. Take that as a mating gift to you. In addition, I will give you full access to our medical database and all of the kidnapped enhanced females. You may speak with them, you may advocate for them, and you may see what we’re doing.”
“If I refuse?” she asked.
“That would be unwise. Should you refuse, I will tear both Paxton and Hunter apart, inch by inch, in front of you,” he said. “Then I will kill all of the enhanced females we have, and I will torture the ones we’re about to claim. Finally, you will mate me.” He shrugged. “So choose your path. You either come willingly or not, but one way, you will avoid monstrous pain for people you care about. Either way, you will end up in the same place.”