“Good.” His shoulders relaxed just as the door opened and another Kurjan strode in. This one also wore the same black uniform as the rest, but he had many more silver medallions on his breast pocket. “Hello, Intended.”
Harold stepped closer to the door, keeping his back to the wall. “Sir. We were just getting her medical attention. I hadn’t known she was an Intended, but surely the great leader Ulric would want her healthy.”
“Yes.” The leader cocked his head, looking down at her. He had long black hair, deep amethyst eyes, and a sharp jawline. “I’m Dayne, the leader of the Kurjan nation.”
“Dessie.”
He smiled, looking almost charming. “I know exactly who you are, Destiny Applegate. I know of the marking on the nape of your neck, and I have watched you for years as you prepared to become an Intended.” He winked. “Or an assassin. Could’ve gone either way.”
Everything inside her wanted to kick him. She held her wrist away from his prying eyes, because it no longer hurt. But she wouldn’t look yet to see if it was healing. “You were responsible for pumping poison into my brain?”
His smile dimmed. “Poison? We gave you Ulric’s blood. If you had any idea what we had to do to get it from him in that hell world, you’d be much more appreciative. As well as regretful for killing Yvonne. She gave much more for our cause than you have.”
Gross. Wait a minute. “How do you know about Yvonne?”
He straightened, standing at least six foot seven. “The great leader Ulric is awake and has told me of your story. To think it was the blood that broke the prison world.”
She’d vomit about that later. “How do I get rid of the tumor in my head?”
Harold shot her a look of surprise.
Dayne shrugged. “By mating Ulric, of course. He’ll give you enough blood during the event that it should destroy the mass in your brain.”
Should. She needed more than should. “What of the other women from the college?”
“They’re irrelevant.”
She pushed to her feet, hugging her injured wrist to her stomach. “No, they’re not. If they have tumors like this, then how can they be healed without mating?”
“They can’t.” Dayne moved aside as a Cyst soldier, smaller than Ulric but still huge, strode inside. “Your medic is here. Then Ulric would like to see you.” He turned and moved into the storm.
The medic reached for her arm.
She looked down to see that the bone had set itself, leaving open a gaping wound.
“Stitches,” the medic mused.
“No.” She lifted her chin. “Just give me a bandage.” The wrist was healing, and she’d fight better without more holes in her skin. She might lack size and strength, but if she could call on all of her skills, the element of surprise would help.
The medic shrugged, dug in his pack, and handed over a bandage. “Call me if you need more.”
Harold stopped him with a hand on his arm before he could leave. “Are the comms still down?”
The medic frowned. “Why do you care?”
Harold grinned. “Vero and I met a couple of women in town the other day, and I’m not done with mine yet. So, comms?”
The medic rolled his eyes. “Young people. So stupid. No, the comms are not back up and probably won’t be until the storm abates. Find a mate, would you?” He left.
Harold lost the smile and leaned against the wall, studying her.
She wound the bandage around her rapidly healing skin. “Where are we?”
“We’re outside of Butte, Montana, in the mountains.” His gaze sharpened, and he walked toward her.
She pressed against the wall but couldn’t move.
Harold pushed her hair away from her neck. “What the fuck?”
