Her Strength

Chains

“Release him.”

    Kai stood stock still, frowning down at me.  He’d come back into the cabin after I’d finished feeding to, I don’t know, check on us?

    “Now!” I hissed, glaring at him.

    He quirked a brow, still refusing to move.

      *Commands don’t work on him.  I’ve tried.*

    “But I did command him earlier,” I mumbled softly, turning to frown at Zechariah who was literally chained to a wall.  Shackled at the wrists, ankles, and even his neck—he was being kept completely immobile in this cabin in the middle of the woods.  Turning, I tried to feel that flood of power, that rage—“Now!”

    Kai sighed, taking a step backwards.  “Take your time,” he waved over his shoulder, turning on his heel and heading outside.  To wait, I guessed.

    Glancing back at Zech, he just gave me an annoyed look.

    “What?  I really did.  It worked earlier,” I grumbled.  He rolled his eyes and I sighed, tugging at his chains, recognizing the futility of it.

    *No use.  These are made to hold Dragons captive.*

    “Dragons?” I mumbled, tugging at their link to the wall.

    Zech sighed, leaning back against the wall.  *I need to feed.*

    Oh.  Of course he needed to feed.  I’d bit him as soon as I saw him.

    Almost like I was possessed, my body had just moved on it’s own, knowing what to do.  And the hunger, the pains in my stomach—they were immediately sated.  Zech’s thoughts had been a ramble of euphoria and I’d seen the girl again.  The blonde with blue eyes.  Haunting, beautiful, and obviously dangerous.  There was something off about her expression—covered in blood, surrounded by fire—she looked completely void of emotion despite the scene of destruction surrounding her.

    I wanted to ask about her but not now.

    Right now we needed to escape.

    Looking around, desperate, I wondered if there was a key.

    *Xavier has the key.*

    Of course he does.  Turning, I glowered at Zech.  “He says he’s my brother.”

    *Impossible.*

    “Right?  That’s what I said.”

    *His mother could never be alone with another man and while Andrei may have had tristes, you’re not a Pureblood.*

    “Andrei?”

    *Xavier’s father.*

    Oh.  I frowned.  “How do I feed you?  Where could I get blood from?”

    “The fridge, I suppose.”

    The voice made me jump and I turned, glaring up at Luca who had sauntered into the door, already moving toward the fridge, pulling out a bag of blood you’d see at a hospital.  Tossing it to me, I stumbled to catch it, immediately pushing it toward Zech who tried to bite at it.

    “It’ll be easier for him if you rip it open,” Luca suggested.

    I tried to ignore my irritation with his presence, tearing at the plastic packaging.  I managed to rip a corner at the seam, holding it up for Zech to drink.  He did, greedily, and I tried to focus on his grateful humming and not the man now seated in a chair in the corner now, shamelessly impeding on our space.

    “Why are you here?” I grumbled.

    “I heard you two were having a touching reunion.  I didn’t want to miss it.”  There was a lilt of amusement in his voice.

    *I wish he’d shut the f**k up.*

    “Couldn’t you unshackle my friend here?” I pressed, tilting the bag a bit more.  Zech had already sucked down most of the bag already.

    Luca must’ve noticed, muttering, “It’s good blood, yes?  0-. Freshly donated.”  He scuffed his foot and I turned, glaring at him over my shoulder.  “Only the best for our guests,” he smiled.  The smile didn’t reach his eyes.

    “Did you bring me here to kill me?”

    “From what I understand, you brought Kai here,” was Luca’s reply.  “Not vice versa.”

    “Here to Italy,” I revised, glaring at him.

    *He knows what you mean.  He’s just an asshole.*

    “How would killing you benefit us?” he wondered.

    “One less Thanisius,” I grumbled, glaring toward the entrance of the cabin where I was sure Kai was standing.  That’s what he’d said, right?  The world would be better off.

    *There’s no more.*  It was an internal groan. *Ask him for more.*

    Setting the emptied bag on the floor, I nodded along to his acquisition.  “Is there more?”

    “You can hear him?” Luca countered.  Stiffening, I pursed my lips, meeting Luca’s gaze.  It was a knowing look on his face.  He’d asked the question but didn’t need me to answer it.  “You were having a one-sided conversation when I came in.  I know he’s not mute.”  His eyes were on Zechariah now.  “I thought she was bonded to the Prince.”

    Zech said nothing but if looks could kill, Luca would be dead on the ground.

    “Is the child really Cronan’s?” Luca pressed, searching.

    Rage welled up in my stomach and I felt it—that flicker of power—

    Humming.  Zech was humming.

    As quickly as my anger had emerged, it evaporated.

    *Don’t tell him anything.*

    I sighed, tired.  My belly was full but I felt restless.  Helpless.

    My commands weren’t working on Kai anymore—if I was even commanding him?  It didn’t feel like they were coming through the way they had before and Luca, he’s a Pureblood.  Commanding him would be more complicated, right?  I still wasn’t sure how all of this worked.

    *They’re not going to kill us.*

    Frowning, I took in Zech’s dark gaze.

    *At least not until conception.*

    “Kai said you weren’t eating earlier.  Said you threw up,” Luca drawled on.  “Is it because you need to feed from your bond?”

    My gaze shifted back to him and I frowned.  My “bond” wasn’t here but he didn’t know that.  I kept my mouth shut.

    “So the child is his,” Luca said, gesturing to Zech.

    By their standards, would it be better or worse if I wasn’t bearing the child of Cronan Thanisius?  Would they simply let us go?  Or would that mean they had the wrong pregnant woman and deem me “disposable”?  I shivered at the thought.

    *They’re after the child.*

    But why?  My eyes moved back to Zech on a reflex.

    *When you look at me like that, they know we’re communicating.*

    Dropping my gaze to the floor, I heard a low whistle behind me and tried not to feel that tingle of fear tugging at me.  Panic.  A part of me was panicking but the other part—I should be more scared, right?  Frightened?  A full grown Pureblood was seated not a foot away from me probably deciding my fate, there’s a jaguar shifter just outside that won’t follow my commands consistently, and my only sort of potential protection from the two was chained to a wall and hungry.  I could feel it now, Zechs’ hunger, tugging at me, chafing on me.

    *Why couldn’t the second son be the one at the conference?*

    I shifted, trying to understand his line of thought.

    What was it about Luca?

    This was the second time that somebody seemed to view Luca as more . . . formidable than Xavier.  Glancing back at Luca, I thought about how chipper he’d been, cheerful even.  Smiling kindly, telling Xavier to behave—he was smaller in build than Xavier, albeit that didn’t make him small by any means.  Xavier was just the more domineering type, taller, broader, while Luca seemed more clean cut than his brother, proper.  Even Kai had laughed when I’d said that Luca was the kinder of the two.  Sure, he’d said.  Pursing my lips, I wondered what it was that they saw in Luca that I obviously hadn’t.

    “That would explain why Xavier brought him along,” Luca went on, crossing his arms over his chest.  “Sustenance for the child, I suppose.  Though, the child should be of a Royal bloodline.  That’s what was prophesized at least.”

    I narrowed my eyes.  “Prophesized?”

    *I told you not to talk to him.*

    Luca smiled, still friendly, looking completely lax.  “Yes.  Didn’t your bond tell you?”

    “Tell me what?”  Nobody would tell me anything.

    What I am.

    What my child is.

    What all of this means.

    Even the Augur hadn’t said much—just that Cronan would kill us.

    Standing, the chair scraped back against the floor a bit.  “Come.”

    *Don’t.*  Zech’s response was immediate.

    I hesitated for a moment on the floor, thinking.

    “I’ll answer your questions,” Luca offered.  “You deserve to know.”

    I heard the rattle of the chains, the first time since I’d arrived that Zech was trying to get out.  “You don’t even know if it’s true,” he growled.  “Don’t fill her head with more things to worry about.”

    I watched him struggling futilely for a second before turning back to Luca, poised at the door, completely calm.  He was waiting, I realized.  For me to make my decision.  To follow.

    “You deserve to know,” he repeated softly.  More coaxing.

    *Violet, just listen to me for once—*

    “Okay,” I decided, rising to my feet.

    Luca smiled and I could hear the obscenities being spewed behind me.

    I deserve to know.