“Both. You might be the only one left who interacted with this woman, but our treatment of her sets a precedent. As one of the village leaders, I must make sure her punishment fits the crime. Yet as your friend, I know how badly this female hurt you. She has much to account for before I will even consider her as a potential mate.”
A muffled thud drew Heather’s attention toward the front door. Her heart lurched in her chest and she drew in an anxious breath. Had Patrick returned or did someone else know the location of this cottage?
Trepidation sped her pulse, and she looked around for something she could use as a weapon. Before she could locate anything helpful, the door opened and Gabriel, one of the villageleaders, walked in. Patrick stepped through the threshold a moment later and casually closed the door.
She looked from one male to the other, unsure what the new arrival meant. Had Gabriel learned of Patrick’s actions and… and what? She wasn’t sure why Gabriel was here, but it wasn’t to assist her. Of that she had no doubt.
The eagle brothers, as many of the females had started calling them, were strikingly handsome males. Raphael and his second, Victor, had claimed Claire, one of Heather’s close friends. Raphael was outgoing and gregarious while Gabriel was dark and brooding. She had never so much as spoken with Gabriel, but everyone in Eagle Village knew who he was.
She glanced at Patrick, hoping to judge how much trouble she was in by his reaction to Gabriel’s arrival. Patrick’s thick mahogany hair appeared messy as if the wind had played through the wavy strands. He watched silently, features tense, green eyes intent yet cautious.
Dragging her gaze back to Gabriel, Heather drew in a breath and tried not to panic. His hair was longer than Patrick’s. The shoulder-length strands blended shades of yellow and gold. His features were angular, with sculpted cheeks and a square jaw. He crossed to where she stood, his strange orange gaze boldly assessing her. “I chose Patrick as my second because he’s methodical and cautious.”
She hadn’t realized that Patrick had any connection to Gabriel. Would this improve her situation or doom her to even more intense punishments?
“Snatching a female and spiriting her off to his secret hideaway is out of character for my steadfast second,” Gabriel went on. “What, I wonder, caused him to act so recklessly?”
He looked at her expectantly, but Heather wasn’t in the mood to indulge him. They were going to take whatever the hell they wanted and there was little she could do about it. “I wouldn’t presume to explain his motivation. You’ll have to ask him yourself.”
“I did,” Gabriel insisted. “Now I’m asking you. Why did Patrick bring you here?”
Her heart began to pound, and she fought back a cruel surge of hope. Was Gabriel here to listen to her side of the story? The possibility was so unlikely that she nearly laughed. It was much more likely that he was here to participate in her punishment. This was Rydaria after all. There was no such thing as due process.
“I don’t like repeating myself,” Gabriel warned, his voice firm, gaze penetrating.
Lying was pointless. Patrick doubtlessly told Gabriel that she was part of the medical team. “I worked at Nuevo Biotech,” she admitted.
“In what capacity and for how long?”
The gleam in his eyes warned her that he already knew the truth. “I’m a physician’s assistant. I was assigned to Patrick’s team and was employed there for just over four years.”
Gabriel motioned toward the living room. “Have a seat. This could be a lengthy conversation.”
Wrapping the blanket snugly around her body, Heather walked over to one of the chairs angled toward the fireplace and sat down.
Patrick hung back, closely watching and obviously listening to every word the other two said.
“Tell me about yourself,” Gabriel prompted as he strolled across the room. He stood in front of the fireplace with his hands locked behind his back.
She stared back at him silently, trying to keep the defiance out of her expression. His interest made her feel vulnerable. She was the enemy. Her role might have been minor, but she had been part of the organization that redefined their existence.
The pause lengthened and his gaze narrowed, lips pressing into a disapproving line. He was being polite if not actually friendly. The last thing she wanted was to make him angry. “What specifically do you want to know?” she countered.
“You were part of the medical team that conducted experiments on Patrick. That is literally all I know about you. Who are you? Where did you grow up? What did you do before you came to work at Nuevo Biotech? I’ve heard lots of stories about the employee. Now I’d like to understand the woman.”
Why?The question echoed through her mind, but she didn’t allow the word past her lips. Why would he give a damn about her past or anything beyond what she had done to Patrick and the other hybrids? Still, anything she told him would help him see her as a person rather than just an enemy. What did she have to lose by answering his questions?
“I was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia.” She allowed her Southern accent to become more pronounced. “Mychildhood was routine. Loving, financially secure parents, happy memories. The drama arrived when I was fifteen.”
“What happened?” Gabriel unclasped his hands as his posture began to relax.
“My father died and a few months later my mother took up with an abusive asshole. He made good money, which was why Mom kept him around, but he verbally abused all of us and regularly beat the shit out of my mother.”
“‘All of us’? Do you have siblings?”
Heather nodded. “Two sisters, one older, one younger.”
“What became of the abusive asshole?” Gabriel moved to the chair on her right and sat down. Though his manner seemed more relaxed, his features gave nothing away. “Did your mother get tired of being his punching bag and kick him out?”
