Thaddeus looks at Ryland. Ryland looks between both of us and puts his hands up in surrender. “I am out; I ain’t making her do anything she doesn’t want to,” he states, walking out of the room.
“Just let them calm down, then we will deal with this,” Thaddeus says.
“Deal with it?” I ask as he rubs his hand down his face, his eyes softening.
“Yes, we will deal with it; you can’t keep it. I will take it away; you won’t even remember, Evelyn, be like it never existed,” he says. I shake my head but can’t even say anything around the lump in my throat. “Evie?” he says, getting up.
“No, just leave me,” I manage to choke out.
Thaddeus sighs and walks out, closing the door behind him, leaving me a sobbing mess on the floor. They are going to kill our baby, take it from me. I get up and wash my face. My eyes are all puffy and they still haven’t returned. Walking out, I notice the car keys still sitting on the dresser. Opening the door, I peer out.
We are on the second floor. The stairs are only a few yards away, and the car is parked right next to them. I just need to get to the car, but I’m not sure where they went. I duck inside and quickly close the door, tying my hair in a bun and slipping some clothes on.
Grabbing the keys, I dash for the car, stopping on the bottom step and pressing the button to unlock Thaddeus’ car. It beeps once, the lights flashing. When I don’t see them, I rush over, throw the door open, jump in, and start the car.
Reversing out and tearing off down the road for the highway, I have no idea where to go, but anywhere is better than the alternative. If I knew where Thaddeus’ parents went, I would go to them, but they left the city, and I have nowhere to go. Trying to think of somewhere to go, I continue driving down the highway until suddenly, I notice a figure in the middle of the road. I am forced to slam on the brakes before hitting the person, only to realize it is Thaddeus. I slam on the breaks, barely missing him. Then, I put the car in reverse and looked over my shoulder to find Orion, standing behind the car.
Evelyn
Thaddeus stalks toward the car, making me panic, and I hit the gas. The car jolts backward but it stops, the wheels keep spinning but it’s not moving. Looking back, I see Orion has his hands on the trunk.
He growls loudly as smoke from the tires spews everywhere, and I can smell burning rubber, but it is useless. How he is strong enough to hold the car in place is beyond me. I take my foot off the gas, not bothering to turn the car off. Instead, I dash over the seat and out the passenger door just as Thaddeus rips the driver’s side door open and tries to grab me.
I run; it’s all I can think of. I hear the car cut off right before my feet are knocked off the ground and out from under me. Arms wrap around my waist, tugging me against them. I thrash, kick, and scream, but Thaddeus doesn’t let go. Instead, just tosses me over his shoulder, stalking back towards the car and throwing the back door open. I manage to kick backward, forcing the door shut.
“Evelyn, stop it,” he snaps at me, but I don’t. Instead, I continue to thrash. Tears roll down my face, and I cry and scream hysterically. They aren’t taking my baby; they will have to kill me first. “Evie enough,” Thaddeus says, spinning me around to face him and pressing me against the side of his car.
“No! No, you’re not taking it from me!” I scream.
“It’s too dangerous; we can’t risk you,” he says. I can barely even see his face through my tears as he pins me there, my feet not even touching the ground as I thrash, and I know it’s pointless; I am not getting away. Not from them. “I’m sorry. I have no choice,” he murmurs, pressing his face into the crook of my neck, and I go limp, giving up.
I will hate them forever if they make me do this. I can hear Thaddeus’ hard breathing, his breath on my neck. Orion is standing behind him, looking away from the scene unfolding. I can tell neither of them want to do this, but they feel like they have no choice.
“I’ll let you change me,” I whisper.
My voice shakes but it’s loud enough to get my point across. Orion’s head snaps in my direction.
Thaddeus pulls back, looking at me. “What?” he asks, wondering if he misheard me.
“You can change me; I won’t die. Please don’t make me do this.”
Thaddeus looks over his shoulder at Orion as he too walks over. “We don’t even know how far along she is or when it will be born,” Orion mutters, and I feel hope die out.
“It worked on my mother,” Thaddeus answers him.
“Your mother had vampire DNA. Evelyn doesn’t. Her heart could stop long before our blood takes effect and is in her system,” Orion says.
“I can drink it every day, please, Orion,” I beg.
His eyes soften as he reaches his hand out to stroke my face. “You will drink our blood every day, no complaining, no matter how gross it starts to taste?” he says, and I nod.
Thaddeus looks at him, and I can see the wheels are turning in his head. “C-section, if we keep her heart beating long enough by getting it out, she should survive?” Orion nods.
“Chances of finding a doctor once she goes into labor, Thaddeus-” Orion shakes his head, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“But if your blood is in my system, won’t I just die and come back?” I ask.
“That’s what we are hoping, but the baby will be tribrid; it might absorb everything. My mother craved blood during pregnancy,” Thaddeus explains, and Orion nods.
I can see he is trying to think. “I’ll do it,” Orion says, making Thaddeus look at him.
“You’ll do it; you’ll really cut her open? Your own mate?” Thaddeus asks, incredulous. The idea nauseates me.
Orion nods. “Can’t be that hard.” He shrugs.
“I’m not saying it is; I’m just asking because I know you don’t like hurting her.”
“Well, I don’t have a choice now, do I? She won’t go through with it, so that’s all we can do; you and Ryland can hold her down; I will cut it out while you feed her my blood.” They both look at me, and dread consumes me; they are going to cut it out of me while I am awake and can feel it. They both stare, and I realize they are waiting for me to answer. I nod, even though the thought of it petrifies me. “And you do as we say. We have hunters after us, and until things die down, we can’t stop, Evelyn, no matter how tired you get of moving.”