Page 76 of Unmasked

More banging, and the room faded again. I knew my body went back into heaves. I even expelled bile. The chills that hit at the coolness settling over my skin is what drew me from the darkness.

“I’m taking this off. Don’t worry. No one will look at you.”

Lord Summerlyn’s tone was smooth. Soft. I felt my riding coat leave me, and then the blouse. Where I thought he’d remove the chemise, he pulled it higher on my chest, hiding the brand that was leveled over my heart. Only then did I relax. I wasn’t sure when he took off my boots or pants, but the chattering of my teeth drew me back as something was leveled over my hips, covering my waist. My panties were pulled down and words left more than one person.

“No…There’s…” Lord Summerlyn pulled the panties free and the weight over my lap adjusted, covering me more. I was rolled as they put something underneath me, moving me this way and that.

I was screaming. Not outwardly, but on the inside. I was tearing against the heaviness that kept me suddenly contained. My hand was getting cold from whatever was being pumped through the IV, and I could barely stay conscious.

“She’s possibly losing it.” The physician. “It’s hard to know until we let things play out.”

“What the hell happened?” Lord Summerlyn. “She left here scared but healthy. Why go after her? And why is she like this?”

King Lawrence cleared his throat. “I didn’t want to alert the guests. There wasn’t something right with her guards. Mine have been watching them. They alerted me that one was in the kitchen this morning. It triggered enough suspicion that my physician decided to come check any food that she may be keeping in her room. That’s what we all walked in on. He was trying to make sure she was safe, but I didn’t get that out of him until after she was already gone. We managed to get to her plane in time, but the damage was done. She was unresponsive. At their sudden fight, we had to take them down.”

“Sire.” Lord Summerlyn’s voice was strained.

I heard nothing else.

Nothing but my cries for Rowan, Mark, and my baby.

What had happened?

What was I missing?

I didn’t know.

I was being taken back to the silence.

Back to the nothingness.

Warmth.

It was the first thing I noticed as I began to come back.

Not the pain or the nausea. Not the heaviness that seemed to love to pull me back under.

Warmth.

A slow, deliberate touch brushed through my hair, smoothing it away from my face. Fingers stayed steady. Unhurried as they pushed the strands away.

Something registered, but I couldn’t put my fear into words.

My fingers twitched.

Something…

Wasn’t there… something?

My lashes fluttered, and nothing came into focus. Everything felt so far away. Distant. Like I was treading water, but something was pulling me back under.

“There you are.”

A voice. It was low. Close. Too close?

A breath brushed my temple as his fingers slid through my hair. It was slower this time, and more unhurried. Affectionate? Yes…

“I was beginning to wonder when you’d wake for me.”