Chapter 25
Marko smirked. “Yeah, I know you have no qualms about shooting me, but I’m not so inclined where you and my child are concerned.” He glanced over her shoulder. “They have a tranq ready to put you down, but I’m hoping you’ll come peacefully.” Concern marred his brow as his eyes dipped to her belly. “Jenny thinks the tranq wouldn’t hurt the baby, but she’s not one hundred percent certain. There could still be traces of the other drug in your system. She doesn’t know what an interaction would do.” He lifted dark eyes to hers. “Don’t make me take that chance, Thea. Don’t risk hurting our baby.”
Stepping back, Thea paled and swallowed hard. “You…you’d really let them shoot me? Shoot us?”
He winced at the betrayal in her voice but nodded once hard. “To keep you both safe, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do.”
Thea kept her gun leveled at him for long moments as she contemplated her options. Her eyes darted around the circle of men for an escape, but there was none.
Finally, she looked up at Marko with pleading eyes and asked, “M-Marko?”
He knew what she was asking. She wanted him to permit her to walk away. It wasn’t happening. Not now. Not ever again. His voice was full of conviction as he commanded, “Lower your weapon, Thea.”
Agitated, she cast a quick glance toward the movement over her shoulder. One of the Sentries lifted a weapon and aimed it at her.
Her head whipped around to Marko as fear spiked. “No tranqs!” Her hand shook as she tightened her grip on her gun.
“Easy,” Marko crooned, holding up his hands in a soothing gesture. “No tranqs,” he repeated then looked over her shoulder and shook his head.
Thea knew a losing battle when she saw one. She slowly pulled her hand back and released her pistol, so it swung on her index finger while her gaze was locked with Marko’s. “No one’s hurting my baby!”
Marko shook his head again and amended, “No one’s hurting our baby.”
“They can’t…” She looked around. “No one can touch me.” She looked right at him. “No one but you. It hurts us.”
Marko nodded. “No one but me, baby.”
Dropping to a squat, Thea placed her pistol on the ground and eyed the ring of Sentries as they moved in. She wanted to fight it out or run but knew she could do neither. So, she dropped to her knees and wrapped both arms around her abdomen. She knew she should lace her fingers behind her head, but no way was she surrendering and leaving her baby without some form of shield.
Marko was the first to reach her. Dropping to his knees in front of her, he gripped her shoulders and squeezed. “I got you,” he whispered. “Everything’s gonna be okay.”
She blinked back the tears that flooded her eyes and looked to the side. She felt betrayed, and it only intensified when Marko held out his hand and someone handed him zip ties.
Standing, he hauled her up with him before he caught one elbow and then the other, pulling her arms and clamping her wrists together with one of his hands.
“Marko?” She didn’t even try to hide the fear of being helpless to protect her child.
“You’re safe.” Marko’s expression darkened as he frowned at her. “They know you’re a little trigger happy where I’m concerned. Just a safety precaution. I got you.”
Once she was shackled, Thea was lifted into his arms where he pulled her close to his chest, ignoring the pain from his gunshot wound.
The ring of Sentries that had seconds ago been circling her suddenly turned, giving her and Marko their backs as they drew their weapons, providing a protective shield around them. Confusion and relief warred within her, but in the end, she decided she was grateful that at least her baby would be safe.
With tactical proficiency, she was escorted to a waiting chopper. Marko carried her inside and made to belt her in her seat and then stopped when he realized the strap would cross her midsection.
Thea shook her head. “Don’t.” Her eyes were imploring as she looked up. “If something happens…” She didn’t finish. She didn’t need to. If the helicopter took a hit, the full weight of her body would slam into the belt. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that it’d be bad for the baby.
Marko sat and secured himself before pulling Thea from the seat beside him and onto his lap. She didn’t bother fighting. She remembered all too well how strong Marko was, and struggling would only wear her out and make her look like a fool. Apparently, it wasn’t enough security because he barked, “Lok! Bodi!”
Two Sentries sat on either side of him and fastened themselves in before the one near her feet put on thick gloves and then grabbed her ankles, lifting her feet onto his lap. He clamped vice-like hands around her lower half to secure her in place. Then her upper body was being pulled back until she was laying flat across three laps. She squeaked and tensed to protest, but was no match for the strength of the Sentry on the other side of Marko, who also wore thick gloves.
“Relax,” Marko commanded.
She tried but was too tense. A rucksack was shoved under her head and then the other Sentries arms banded across her shoulders. Marko and the two Sentries held her pinned down and it was humiliating. She tried to adjust but couldn’t move an inch.
“LET’S ROLL!” Marko commanded, and the chopper blades whomped louder as the helicopter powered up.
Thea closed her eyes to keep from staring at the Sentry hovering over her. His arms were banded across her shoulders, and she wondered why his contact with her didn’t hurt. Even when she’d been taken by the other man, she could feel the zing of painful electric shock through the material of his clothes that separated her skin from his.
Looking down at her, the Sentry smiled and glanced at his arm then back at her. “Kevlar. Doc Jen thought it should do the trick.”
Thea lost all focus on his words though when the helicopter made to lift off and her belly dipped. Mouth suddenly dry she licked her parched lips and concentrated on Lamaze breathing through the queasiness.
“THEA?” She heard Marko say loudly.
Unwilling to open her eyes, she simply shook her head, hoping he understood she couldn’t talk right now.
After several seconds, the sick feeling ebbed but didn’t fully disappear. She was worn out. She’d been awake since she’d shot Marko. Even sleeping at the motel had been futile. Worse, she’d been sick the entire time. Her body felt run-down, and she was pissed at not taking better care of herself for her baby.
Safe now, she couldn’t worry about what awaited her at StoneCrow. Her biggest concern was the Sentry with his hand protectively settled over her belly and her unborn child…their unborn child.
The repetitive whomp, whomp, whomp of the chopper blades was lulling as the flight drew out and the fight slowly left her. The cadence of the blades mixed with the heat in the cabin. That coupled with the recent strain on her body, and Thea was fighting to stay awake. It was a fight she eventually lost.
***
Marko struggled to hide the elation he felt at having Thea in his arms. She was exhausted which had him both glad and worried. She was too tired to fight him, and he didn’t want that, but should she be this worn out? Is she well? Inhaling, he tried sifting through her anger, fear, and exhaustion. His heightened sense of smell was only just coming back, which had been triggered by his affliction. Thank the Grandfathers! It took him longer than normal, but he was finally able to pinpoint what he’d been looking for. He remembered her scent, but the memory of it was nothing compared to the real thing, and now it carried another marker. The new scent had his chest tightening painfully. It was just the softest whisper of new life. A new life they’d created together! His child. He hated to admit it, but part of him had worried that she’d terminated the pregnancy. Now, scenting the baby she carried, he couldn’t stop the emotion that tore through him and had him pinching his eyes shut as he swallowed hard. It was pure happiness and inside, he thought he felt just the merest stirring of his beasts.
In her sleep, one of Thea’s hands curled into his tactical vest in an almost possessive gesture, making his own possessive urges shoot to the fore. His arm tightened around her as he eyed the male Walkers in the cabin and wondered if she smelled as good to them as she did to him. The sound of a mewling noise passing her lips drew his attention back to her. Her features were so soft in sleep, and the weak feminine sound had him recalling how she’d made similar noises when he’d been inside her. He had to adjust her on his lap to ease some of the discomfort from his now erect cock.
“SHIT!”
It was the only warning they got before the helicopter rocked and alarms started blaring. Marko’s hands tightened on Thea even as her eyes snapped open and she struggled to sit up.
“Stay still,” he barked, eyes slicing to where Tito struggled to control the helicopter in the pilot’s seat.
Tito yelled, “We’re hit! We’re going down! We’re going down! We’re going dow…”