She paused. “Terre? What happened to Rose? Whose baby is she?”
“Oh, I have no clue. Yvonne found the baby and took her because she looked like Yvonne. Little thing is enhanced, though. We’ll probably keep her.” He turned and the sound of his footsteps receding echoed back down the hall.
God. Where was that toddler? Surely the Kurjans were keeping her somewhere in this compound. Grace needed to wake Benny up and find the baby before they escaped. They had to get the baby to safety. “Benny?” She nudged his shoulder. “Wake up, would you?” Shouldn’t his skull be stitching itself together? She’d thought that injuries to an immortal’s most important organs healed first. That had to be his brain. She leaned in, her ear over his nose, to make sure he was breathing.
He was, slow and sure.
Good. That had to mean he was healing.
A scuffle sounded down the hallway, and Grace stood, instinctively keeping Benny behind her. If they tried to take him, she’d fight to protect him, but her chances sucked. A woman came into view with a tray in her hands. She keyed something on the pad, and a small opening appeared in the bottom of the glass.
Grace stepped closer. It was Bobbi’s sister. “Hey. I know you.”
Except today the woman wore a long dress, covering even her shoes, with her blond hair tied back in what looked like a tight ponytail. “Yes. Here. The food is healthy and will give you strength.” She pushed the tray through the opening and it smoothly slid shut again.
“Wait. What was your name? Kim?” Grace didn’t look at the food.
“No. That’s what they call me. My name is Karma,” the woman said, looking up. Her eyes were a light brown, almost topaz.
Right. Grace moved closer to the glass. “You have to help us.” She now saw there was kindness in the woman as well as fear. Grace realized the shadows in the photographs hadn’t come from her. They’d hovered allaroundher.
“I can’t.” Karma pointed to the food. “You have to eat to keep strong. The food is good and not dosed with anything.” She turned to go.
“Wait,” Grace said. “What about Rose? The little girl. Where is she?”
Karma clasped her hands together and turned back. “She’s safe right now.” She angled her neck to study Benny behind Grace. “He needs blood to heal.” Then she looked up at the corner, ducked her head, and scrambled back down the hallway.
Grace glanced up to find a camera mounted in the corner. Great. They were being watched. She pulled the food toward Benny and sat next to him.
“Okay, Ben,” she whispered. “Karma was right.” She’d have to force blood down his throat somehow. The food was simple oatmeal, accompanied by a couple of spoons and juice boxes. No knives. How was she going to cut her wrist? It wasn’t as if she had fangs.
She gingerly opened Benny’s mouth and pushed on his damaged gums. Nothing. She looked around the cell. There was nothing sharp anywhere. Her gaze caught on the bathroom. She suddenly had to go. Bad. Wincing and feeling self-conscious, she hurried over to take care of business. Hopefully the bathroom wasn’t visible on camera, but just in case, she barely took her jeans down and covered herself with her sweater. She flushed, and partially turned to view the toilet. It was standard.
She took off the lid as the water slowly filled the tank.
The stopper was held in place by a thin chain. That’d do it. She unhooked the chain as fast as she could, just in case there were other cameras around.
Nobody came running, so she sliced into her wrist, scratching more than cutting. Darn it. Holding her breath, she cut as deep as she could, pressing her lips together as the pain increased. Soon she had a decent wound. Holding her wrist to her body, she hustled over to Benny and sat on her knees, spooning some of the oatmeal at the same time. She bent over his body, her back to the camera. “You have to eat this oatmeal,” she said, shoving it in his mouth and following with her wrist.
Her blood mixed with the oatmeal in his mouth.
That was so gross.
She reached for the juice box and ripped open the side tab, pouring it in his mouth as well. The mass finally slid down. “Okay, good. Eat some more. You have to wake up.” She kept her voice loud so that any observers could hear it.
She spooned up more oatmeal and added her blood, hoping the camera wasn’t catching any of her actions. This time, more blood soaked into the oatmeal, and she didn’t need the juice.
The lumps slid down his throat again.
He still didn’t move.
Chapter 39
For the first time, Adare didn’t have to plan a Cyst attack around the time of day. It no longer mattered. He half-hung out of one of the two attack helicopters belonging to the Seven, his weapon held with ease in his hands. It was snowing again, and ice crystals battered his face and the craft, but they flew true and close to the tree line.
Ronan hung out the other side, and the second they set down, he’d launch into motion.
They landed within a gulley between two sloping hills, about ten miles from the compound to which Emma had tracked Grace. While New Mexico was high desert, there was as much snow here as there had been in Colorado. He tucked his head and hit the ground, sinking to his waist in the powder and immediately pushing himself into a run.
