At least five soldiers darted forward, and Paxton fought brutally, but whatever they’d shot into his bloodstream was rapidly taking effect. The darts were all over his body, and between punching and kicking, he tried to tear them out.
Somebody opened the cage door; it took four of them to shove him inside. The door clanked shut. He charged the bars, but they didn’t move. They were solid iron. He wrapped his numb fingers around them. “Let her go,” he hissed, uncaring that he was going to go down fast. He had to get Hope out of there.
The world swirled around him, and it took every ounce of stubborn will for him to keep his feet on the ground where they belonged. “Hope,” he called. How could he get her free?
She pushed against Drake, but he held her fast. Shock covered her pale face, and tears filled her wide blue eyes. She looked around. “Where are we?”
“Far away from where you want to be,” Drake admitted.
Paxton’s fangs dropped and then retracted. “Wait, wait a minute. You can teleport?”
The Kurjan threw back his head and laughed. “Yes, quite the situation your Seven created when they violated the laws of physics. While they took the ability to teleport away from both demons and fairies, somehow the Kurjans gained the skill.” He cocked his head to the side, holding a now subdued Hope to him. “You might want to get your rest, Paxton. I plan to kill you very slowly.”
Paxton snarled and tried to call out to Hope, to give her something even if it was just a promise. But the darts and the bullets took effect, and he started to fall, the world disappearing for now.
Then there was just darkness.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Hope felt as if the inside of her head was bleeding. She had never teleported before and had no idea if it was always that painful.
She struggled against Drake, trying to reach Paxton. He’d gone down onto the dirty snow-covered ground and appeared to be unconscious. Blood flowed from the many bullet wounds in his body, and there were several bright yellow-and-red-tipped darts still embedded in his skin. Panic made her voice hoarse. “What was in those darts?”
“Doesn’t matter.” Drake, still holding both her wrists in one hand, turned and started to drag her toward the main lodge. She fought him, but she was no match for his strength. At about six foot eight and three hundred pounds, he was solid muscle and unbeatable at the moment. She still couldn’t regain her equilibrium after the teleportation.
They walked inside the building, and three women instantly got out of their way. They were dressed in long skirts and long-sleeved shirts, and while one seemed to be dusting and one vacuuming, they scurried to the side, their eyes downcast.
A chill swept through Hope. “Drake, what are you doing?” she snapped, trying to regain some of her strength.
He didn’t answer, but instead, pulled her to the far end of a massive great room and up a set of stairs. She walked with him, trying to jerk her hands free. Finally, they reached a door that he opened and then not so gently nudged her inside a bedroom. In a word, it was opulent. There was a beautiful four-poster bed, a filigreed gold settee, a desk, and a vanity. It was like a starlet’s bedroom from the 1950s.
She turned to face him and backed away on luxurious carpet that was the color of grayish blue clouds. “What are you doing?” she repeated, her voice trembling as she tried to find her childhood friend in his hard eyes. He shut the door and leaned against it, a solid block of male that she couldn’t get through.
“It was a ‘two birds, one stone’ situation,” he admitted. “You’re here to become my queen, and Paxton is here to die. While I know he means a lot to you, the fact that he killed my father can’t go unanswered. He will suffer, Hope, and I’m not going to lie to you about that.”
“Apparently you’ve lied to me about everything else,” she said.
“That’s not true,” he said. “Or if I did, it was to protect you or my nation. It’s that simple.” He glanced at his watch. “I do want peace, and that will come when all my enemies are dead. However, for you, I’m open to ruling the Realm if you can help make that happen.”
She took a step back. “Ruling the Realm? You’d have to kill every Kayrs and Kyllwood alive today. All of my family.”
“I know. I’m your family now. Get used to it.” He glanced inside the spacious room. “Choose a dress from the many in the closet and then come downstairs. There will be soldiers outside waiting to escort you.”
She shook her head, thrown off-balance. “So it was all a lie?”
He shrugged. “No. I would like to entertain a plan to kill Ulric. He doesn’t know that, and I’d like to keep it that way. I strongly advise you not to mention it to him.”
She jerked her head. “Ulric is here?”
“Yes. This is one of the satellite bases we work out of when we’re seeking enhanced females.”
Her jaw dropped. But she’d seen an actual crown in her dreamworld. She was somehow still meant to mate this monster? “You really are behind the kidnapping of enhanced females?”
“Yes.” His eyes were a hard green with purple rims. “I’m not going to lie to you, as you’re going to be my queen. You’re going to have to accept the way things are here. Your life will be comfortable, luxurious, even. I’ll give you everything you could ever want.”
“Oh yeah? How about freedom for the enhanced females?” She scouted for a weapon in the pretty bedroom.
“Done,” he said, smiling.
She narrowed her gaze. “What do you mean, done?”
He lifted up his hand. “I’ve always had every intention of freeing them, after a short period of time.”
“What does that mean?”
“It doesn’t really matter, and it doesn’t concern you,” he said. “Again, dress.”
She looked down at her yoga pants and tank top. “I’m fine with what I’m wearing.” Actually, she could use a sweater. “Do you have a coat or anything I could use?”
“The queen will wear a proper dress. Put one on, or I’ll put one on you myself,” he said. “Now is not the time for you to defy me, Hope. That can come later. For now, since we just declared war on the Realm by kidnapping you, we need to confirm you as queen as soon as possible.”
“I say no,” Hope said, putting her hands on her hips.
“That isn’t an option.”
Hurt wandered through her. “You’re not who I thought you were.”
His expression didn’t change. “I’ve never hidden who I am or my destiny from you.” His eyes swirled purple for a moment and then returned to the green color she knew. “My loyalty has always been to the Kurjan nation. Period.”
She swallowed. That was true. Any higher attributes she’d given to him had come from her imagination…or her faith that destiny would be kind to them all. So it turned out that she would have to truly sacrifice herself. So be it. “Let Paxton go, and I’ll mate you.”