She strode to the door, her heart pounding, and made it nearly across the living area with her guards before Drake was suddenly there. “Wait a minute.” He leaned over and studied the books, a small smile tilting his lips. “You impress me.” He pulled the dragon skin–covered book as well as an ancient Greek book out of the pile and tossed them on a small table near the door. “Not those two.” Grabbing her arm and digging in, he pulled her toward him, his expression hard. “Don’t play games with me. Ever.” He pushed her away.
Pain vibrated from the bruises he’d just left on her arm. She swallowed. “I don’t know you at all.”
His sneer distorted his handsome features. “You never did. But you will now, and only you can decide what kind of life you want with me.” He turned, already dismissing her but addressing the guards. “Make sure she’s locked infor the night.”
* * * *
Hope had to get her hands on that book, but she also needed to save her friends. She had no doubt both Paxton and Hunter were being tortured that very minute, and there wasn’t a thing she could do about it. More soldiers lined the roof outside, making it impossible to escape out the window. With the guards outside her door, she was truly securedfor the night.
Lyrica appeared again to help her get out of the stupid dress. Together, they tried to find something for her to sleep in. “It’s all pretty sexy,” she said. “I don’t see anything all that comfortable.”
“There’s got to be some sort of T-shirt.” Hope pulled out the bottom drawer and rifled through it. It was full of silky camisoles with lace everywhere. “He’s got a lace thing,” she muttered. Finally giving up, she just pulled a pink-and-white silk sheath over her head. “Do you have any idea how I could get out of here?”
Lyrica threw up her hands. “If I knew, girl, I would’ve already gone that way. But we’ll figure it out.” She patted Hope’s arm, forced cheerfulness in her voice.
“Sure, we will,” Hope said. “Thank you for your help.” She sucked in air. “What have they done to you so far?” She believed Drake’s threat that he would kill all the captured females if she didn’t obey him.
Lyrica looked at the door and then leaned in. “We have strict orders not to tell you, but fuck them. They’ve been injecting drugs into us. Mostly in our arms, but sometimes in our heads. Do you know what it could be?”
Drugs? That was the last thing Hope would’ve expected. “Maybe.” She thought through the facts but couldn’t reach a solution. “The Kurjans experimented on females by injecting Ulric’s blood into their brains and creating a sort of tumor. Then they hypnotized and trained them to kill. Are you being trained? Have you lost time?” It had all happened to Dessie, and then she’d tried to kill Garrett. But the doctors had taken the tumorfrom her head.
“No,” Lyrica said, rubbing the top of her head. “Did they give me a freaking tumor?”
“I don’t know,” Hope admitted. “That doesn’t make sense.”
A guard opened the door. “Move.”
“You bet.” Lyrica took the dress with her as she went.
Hope chewed her lip and then pushed the nightstand in front of the door. It wouldn’t stop anybody from entering, but at least she’d hear them come in.
Then she climbed into bed. She didn’t know if this was going to work, but she had to reach Pax. She practiced several deep breathing exercises before finally dropping into sleep. She remained dreamless for a while and then forced herself to create a dreamworld, trying to build some sort of shield around it. Then she pulled Paxton in.
He landed on the snowy white sand and rolled over to sit up, his jaw fierce. “Areyou all right?”
“I am.” She rushed to him and fell to her knees, reaching for his face. “How badlyare you hurt?”
He looked down at his arms. “I’m fine in the dreamworld.” He shook sand off and noted the calm blue lake. Up above, the sky shone down, warming them both. “Are you okay?” He reached for her, his gaze intense, his body still healthy inthe dreamworld.
“I’m fine,” she said. “Drake told me they’re torturingyou right now.”
Paxton’s leg twitched. “Don’t worry about me.” His gaze flicked away and then back. “Did you hear that I’m half Kurjan?”
“Do youbelieve them?”
“Yes. I’m changing, and all for the bad. But none of that matters. We have to get you to safety. Is there any way we can reach the Realm from here?”
She had to save him somehow. “From the dreamworld? No. We’re not really here, Pax,” she said. “That’s not how it works. We need a plan.”
“Our plan is to get you to safety,” Paxton said, his body jerking.
She clutched his arms. “What was that?”
“Nothing, don’t worry about it.”
Realization smacked her. “Oh my God. They’re torturing you right this second, aren’t they?”
He grinned, the look fierce. “They’re trying to bring me back awake, but I like this unconscious state.” His body jerked again. “Hope, no matter what you do, get free. I think Vero will help you. If he does, you have to go. Don’t worry about me.”
