Lord King (The King)

A deep chuckle sounded off from the other side of the curtain.

Asshole. He enjoyed getting a reaction out of me. Next time, I’d laugh at his dick. I’d laugh at him. Even if on the inside I was thinking about how badly I wanted what he had.

Bottom line, King already owned my heart. I wasn’t going to allow Ansin to own the rest of me.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Ariadna was not much bigger than a jelly bean on the screen, but her heart sounded like a team of horses galloping wildly across an open plain. Strong. Unstoppable. I felt relieved knowing she was okay.

My health was good, too, despite the stress I’d been under. Unfortunately, unless I had a medical issue, I wasn’t going to be making more trips to the doctor. The moment Dr. Nadine put the ultrasound wand inside, she started to sweat and get dizzy. I had to call for the nurse.

The baby was defending herself. I’d felt the heat in my womb and the air spike with electricity.

Was this normal? Did this happen when you carried a Seer?

I had no one to ask, and I didn’t dare bring it up with King. That was the problem when you were surrounded by people you didn’t trust.

I left the doctor’s office, and Ansin drove me home in the very large, very decked-out armored Hummer he’d obtained. I didn’t bother asking where he got it.

“Are you certain you don’t want to stay in your new house?” he asked as we headed back.

“Sorry?”

“I told you I would ensure you wanted for nothing, little treasure.” His intense eyes remained fixed on the road and mirrors, constantly searching for threats.

“You stole a house?” He had no shame.

“I bought it. Legally.”

“That’s surprising. I thought you didn’t believe in owning things.” Except me, apparently.

“A peace offering. I know you don’t approve of my philosophy regarding material possessions,” he replied.

“Nope. Sure don’t.” And I wasn’t about to get all gooey and squishy over this guy just because he’d purchased a house. I knew what he was. A mistake.

Now that I’d seen the baby, reality had come crashing down on me. Hard. What kind of world would I be bringing her into? Ansin and King as our protectors? No, this wouldn’t do.

“Are you ever going to trust me?” he asked.

“No.”

“Good.” He smiled, weaving in and out of traffic, driving like he meant business. “You shouldn’t trust anyone.”

“You sound just like King,” I muttered.

“I may want to kill the man, but he’s no fool.”

“You sure about that?” I threw back.

“What exactly is the story between you guys, anyway?”

I shrugged. “Why do you care?”

“I’m going to end his life. Maybe not today, but someday. Even he won’t argue with that. I suppose I’d like to understand the dynamics of your relationship—what it will mean to you when I end him.”

“How thoughtful,” I said sarcastically. “The answer is: I don’t know. I met him. I felt a connection. Then I discovered his soul is anchored to me, and since us Seers can’t ever really die, he won’t die until that bond is broken somehow.”

“Which means he can’t be with his wife and son.”

“Yes,” I replied.

“So you love him, he loves her, and you’re standing in his way.”

“Not me. The ancient Seers,” I pointed out.

“And what happens when I finally end his life and break that bond? How will you feel?”

“I don’t know,” I lied. I knew exactly how I’d feel. Devastated.

“Do you think you’ll still love him, or are your feelings a product of the bond?” he asked.

I’d contemplated that question a thousand times but came to the conclusion my love had nothing to do with our supernatural bond. I guessed because it wasn’t love at first sight with King. If anything, I’d wanted to run away and never look back when we first met. “What’s it to you?”

“You are going to be my wife and the mother of my children. I’d like to know where your loyalties lie.”

“They lie with my baby.”

“Will you always choose your children over everyone else?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Not as if I’d place Ansin over them. He frightened me. He was brutal and coldhearted. As for my other feelings for him, those were sexual. They weren’t the sorts of emotions I could base trust on.

Ansin’s eyes grew intense as he barreled onto the freeway. “Funny, you and I have the same weakness: family.”

“Family’s a weakness? I don’t see it that way.” My family gave me strength.

“You will. Especially when those Seers come calling with their list of demands.”

“They’re not my family.” How could they be when I would never trust them?

“They’re your blood. And you, my little treasure, won’t have an easy decision to make when they ask you to give up every piece of yourself for what they want. You’ll feel the pull.”

“Are you speaking from experience?”