She couldn’t breathe. Her throat was closing, and the edges of her vision were narrowing. “Where are Paxton and Hunter right now?”
“I couldn’t keep my men off them the whole time,” Drake drawled. “I believe Ulric is having a chat with your cousin right now, and several of my men are interrogating Paxton. He’s not holding up very well. I think the genetic manipulation may have weakened him more than the scientists thought it would. I will spare his life if you do as I ask, but I truly don’t know what kind of life that will be.”
She had to get out of there before she threw up. “I need to think about this,” she said, her stomach aching. She stood, swiping a knife from the table into her sleeve with a sure hand. “I’m not hungry.”
“All right, let me sweeten the pot,” Drake said. “Not only will you be rescuing your friends and the enhanced women, but if you mate me, we will make peace with the Realm. There’s no other avenue, so in effect, you’ll be saving everybody. It’s a small sacrifice to make, Hope, and I think you know that.”
She had contemplated the sacrifice she’d probably need to make her entire life. When she had been younger, she’d believed that her path was meant to be with Drake, that maybe it wouldn’t be a sacrifice, and somehow they’d fall madly in love as her parents had after meeting in the dreamworld. Now that she was here, face-to-face with reality, she didn’t know which avenue to follow. Any romanticization of the situation had long been blown away.
Her heart ached, and she needed Paxton. Right now. “So you’re comfortable threatening or blackmailing me to be your mate,” she said. “That’s where you are in life.”
“That’s exactly where I am,” he said, not rising to the bait. “If you want peace and safety for everybody you care about, it’s a very simple decision. You may go now. Why don’t you think upon it tonight? At dawn, you will speak into the cameras outside this lodge, telling my people and yours about your decision. I think we both know what it’s going to be.”
Giving him a look, she walked gracefully in her long skirt to the bookshelf. “Fine, but I’m going to read and let my subconscious work on the entire situation tonight.” She tried to make her choices appear random as she grabbed several books, making sure to put the scaly black bound one in the center. She was sure it was the other half of the dragon book she’d read the other day.
“Very well. You may read all you want. Be ready at dawn, Hope, and don’t disappoint me. There are a lot of people counting on you.”
She strode to the door, her heart pounding, and made it nearly across the living area with her guards before Drake was suddenly there. “Wait a minute.” He leaned over and studied the books, a small smile tilting his lips. “You impress me.” He pulled the dragon skin–covered book as well as an ancient Greek book out of the pile and tossed them on a small table near the door. “Not those two.” Grabbing her arm and digging in, he pulled her toward him, his expression hard. “Don’t play games with me. Ever.” He pushed her away.
Pain vibrated from the bruises he’d just left on her arm. She swallowed. “I don’t know you at all.”
His sneer distorted his handsome features. “You never did. But you will now, and only you can decide what kind of life you want with me.” He turned, already dismissing her but addressing the guards. “Make sure she’s locked in for the night.”
Hope had to get her hands on that book, but she also needed to save her friends. She had no doubt both Paxton and Hunter were being tortured that very minute, and there wasn’t a thing she could do about it. More soldiers lined the roof outside, making it impossible to escape out the window. With the guards outside her door, she was truly secured for the night.
Lyrica appeared again to help her get out of the stupid dress. Together, they tried to find something for her to sleep in. “It’s all pretty sexy,” she said. “I don’t see anything all that comfortable.”
“There’s got to be some sort of T-shirt.” Hope pulled out the bottom drawer and rifled through it. It was full of silky camisoles with lace everywhere. “He’s got a lace thing,” she muttered. Finally giving up, she just pulled a pink-and-white silk sheath over her head. “Do you have any idea how I could get out of here?”
Lyrica threw up her hands. “If I knew, girl, I would’ve already gone that way. But we’ll figure it out.” She patted Hope’s arm, forced cheerfulness in her voice.
“Sure, we will,” Hope said. “Thank you for your help.” She sucked in air. “What have they done to you so far?” She believed Drake’s threat that he would kill all the captured females if she didn’t obey him.
Lyrica looked at the door and then leaned in. “We have strict orders not to tell you, but fuck them. They’ve been injecting drugs into us. Mostly in our arms, but sometimes in our heads. Do you know what it could be?”
Drugs? That was the last thing Hope would’ve expected. “Maybe.” She thought through the facts but couldn’t reach a solution. “The Kurjans experimented on females by injecting Ulric’s blood into their brains and creating a sort of tumor. Then they hypnotized and trained them to kill. Are you being trained? Have you lost time?” It had all happened to Dessie, and then she’d tried to kill Garrett. But the doctors had taken the tumor from her head.
“No,” Lyrica said, rubbing the top of her head. “Did they give me a freaking tumor?”
“I don’t know,” Hope admitted. “That doesn’t make sense.”
A guard opened the door. “Move.”
“You bet.” Lyrica took the dress with her as she went.
Hope chewed her lip and then pushed the nightstand in front of the door. It wouldn’t stop anybody from entering, but at least she’d hear them come in.
Then she climbed into bed. She didn’t know if this was going to work, but she had to reach Pax. She practiced several deep breathing exercises before finally dropping into sleep. She remained dreamless for a while and then forced herself to create a dreamworld, trying to build some sort of shield around it. Then she pulled Paxton in.
He landed on the snowy white sand and rolled over to sit up, his jaw fierce. “Are you all right?”
“I am.” She rushed to him and fell to her knees, reaching for his face. “How badly are you hurt?”
He looked down at his arms. “I’m fine in the dreamworld.” He shook sand off and noted the calm blue lake. Up above, the sky shone down, warming them both. “Are you okay?” He reached for her, his gaze intense, his body still healthy in the dreamworld.
“I’m fine,” she said. “Drake told me they’re torturing you right now.”
Paxton’s leg twitched. “Don’t worry about me.” His gaze flicked away and then back. “Did you hear that I’m half Kurjan?”
“Do you believe them?”
“Yes. I’m changing, and all for the bad. But none of that matters. We have to get you to safety. Is there any way we can reach the Realm from here?”