Carlos wasn’t sure how long he waited. He paid no mind to time, instead settling himself in a cross-legged position and meditating. It helped to block out the screams, which cut off after some time. Sometime after that, Pan returned from the room. Blood splattered his clothing and his eyes were blank and hollow. Carlos scrambled to his feet, hating that look in his old friend’s eyes. He hadn’t seen it in a very long time.

He had thought that he’d never have to see it again.

“I found out what we needed to know.” Pan didn’t look at him as he stripped off his blood-soaked shirt. “The human is still alive; he’ll survive and recover fully. Physically, at least.”

Guilt weighed heavily on Carlos. Torture had never sat right with him. He knew many faes could do that and worse without blinking an eye, but it always left him feeling like the evil being that humans often thought vampires were. He knew Pan felt similarly. It was wrong – he’d learned that long ago. But here, in such a desperate situation . . . 

Carlos gently put a hand on Pan’s shoulder. “I’m sorry that you had to do that.”

Pan shook his head. “You didn’t ask me to.”

“I would have.”

“And I would have done it even if you had forbidden me, Carlos.” He finally looked up and met his king’s eye. “I would do anything for you and your child. I swore myself to you long, long ago, and I have no intention of breaking that promise. Especially not when someone like Daye is on the loose.”

The weight of Pan’s loyalty was heavy on Carlos’ shoulders. After all these years, he still looked at Carlos with that fierce determination. That look that had drawn Carlos to him in the first place.

“Thank you,” the king murmured. “But you know that I can’t love you again. Not the way it once was.”

“I’m not asking you too.” It was Pan’s turn to grip his shoulder. “To be truthful, I can’t love you that away again, either. I haven’t for a long time. We both know it. I am happy for you, that you found Belinda. And now we have to focus on getting her back. From the first time the two of you looked at each other over that poisoned tea, I knew that she was the one who would give your life back to you.”

“He was never dead,” Finley spoke from behind them.

Carlos turned to find her with her arms wrapped around her middle, an uncertain look on her face. It was so unlike her that he almost asked her what had happened. He didn’t need to, though, when her gaze trailed over Pan’s form. A look of grief etched into her features and she shook her head.

“It’s been so long since the battle-lust has taken me. If you weren’t here, I would have killed the fire-fae king without a second thought. Daye is luring you away, Carlos. The girl is probably already dead. She wants your life. If you go, she’ll kill you. I won’t leave the palace for another battle. I can’t control myself when I have a blade in my hand. But you can stay.”

“Finley—”

“You and Pan and whoever else you wish to keep. You can stay inside my palace and be safe from everyone who wishes you harm. Daye will break herself against my walls. We can play and make love and forget about everything outside. We can ensure that our fun is never bothered again. The three of us. I’ll give up all the rest of my lovers, Carlos. Just stay here.”

Carlos shook his head slowly.

Finley’s head dropped. “Because of the human.”

“Even without her, you know that I could never take you up on that offer. It’s not me. You know it’s not. And right now, my love is out there being handed over to my greatest enemy. My child is in danger. I will not sacrifice either of them.”

“She’ll die. You know she will. Whether today or fifty years—”

“Even the stars grow cold. And perhaps she won’t. Perhaps she has enough fae blood in her that we can trigger it and she can live forever.”

“But that chances of that . . . ”

Carlos’ expression hardened. He had wasted enough time in this conversation already. He turned to Pan. “Where do I need to go?”

Pan swallowed. “Daye’s old lair. Finley’s right. This is a trap.”

“A trap.” Carlos nodded. It was a trap with a double-edged sword. If he did nothing, Belinda would die. If he went after her, he would most likely die. There wasn’t enough time to wait for his men. He’d sent for them shortly after Pan started his interrogation, but he wasn’t going to wait for them to arrive and then go after Daye. Grimly, he turned to Finley. “I’m going to need a bike.”

“There’s two in the garage you can have. I assume you’re following him into battle again?”

Pan nodded.

Finley sighed. “And I will radio your men and tell them where to go. Hurry. Every moment you spend here—”

Carlos didn’t need her to finish that sentence. He turned on his heel and raced down the corridor, his heart in his throat. Hang on, Belinda. I’m coming.

***

Belinda sat in the corner farthest from the door. The cell she’d been shoved into was dark and damp. There was a red glow that came through the barred window at the top of the wooden door but it did little more than increase her fear. She could barely see the outline of her own hand, let alone what else was in this cell with her.

She’d figured out what was going on the moment that the other bounty hunters handed her over to demons. Her head still ached from where they had hit her but it hadn’t stopped her from fighting back. Or at least, trying to.

Now her arms wrapped tight around her middle as her stomach churned. How long would it be before Daye came for her? Was it going to be a spectacle or would it be quick? Would Belinda have a chance to fight back?

I’ll make my own chance.

The red light blinked out and the door opened. Belinda scrambled to her feet and lashed out blindly as demons entered. From the sounds, there were at least three of them. Belinda’s first managed to collide with a soft, squishy stomach before her arms were pinned to her sides and she was dragged from the cell. The light gradually brightened as she dragged her down the corridor.

Finally, she was brought to a large room dripping with crystals and gold. Belinda stared around in awe before her gaze settled on the white-skinned woman sitting on a golden throne. Her dress was a rich red velvet, the same color as her ruby lips.

“Greetings, little human.”

Belinda glared at her. She didn’t need introductions to know that this was Daye.

The demoness smiled, a harsh light in her eye. “You certainly aren’t what I expected. I thought that Carlos’ lover would be a raving beauty, like the ones he’s chosen in the past. But you? You’re just a skinny little girl. I see no reason why a man such as Carlos would be excited by someone like you . . . And what is it about him that made you turn against your bounty’s oath, child?”

Belinda didn’t reply. It didn’t stop her from thinking about it, though. She hadn’t known he was her mark when she had technically betrayed her oath. And afterward? Well, she had been reluctant from the start to take the mission, and once she saw how kind and generous he was . . . how handsome . . . how much he didn’t want to hurt her even though she was still going to kill him . . . 

“C-Carlos could give me more than The Guild ever could.”

Her heart pounded, throat dry. She had been fighting the word ever since it was first brought up in her mind but now, staring at this demon, she had to admit it to herself. Love. The deep feelings she had whenever she was with Carlos . . . The warmth in her chest, feeling giddy when he was near her, the feeling of being hugged from the inside out when he smiled at her . . . It was all love.

Would she ever be able to tell him that?

Daye still stared at her and Belinda forced her mind back to the current situation. There was no iron in sight, nothing to take on the demon-fae with except her bare knuckles. Better than nothing, perhaps but still wouldn’t do much at all.

“I wanted Carlos’ wealth and power,” Belinda continued, her voice strengthening. “I was tired of having to constantly be in danger. I wanted an easy life.”

“An easy life?” Daye slapped her knees and laughed. “More like a hard death, little girl.”

“I’m not a little girl.”

Daye’s smirk widened. “That child inside of you will kill you. And I’m not meaning because of anything I am going to do. Humans are too weak to bear fae young. Oh, you’ll live long enough to give it life, but then it will steal yours. It will suck the life from your bones and you’ll die a slow, agonizing death. Carlos knows this. He doesn’t care about anything except that child.”

A chill ran down Belinda’s spine. She had wondered if he cared more about the baby than her. And it wasn’t like they had known each other for very long. How well did she know him? And if—

Wait. Belinda frowned. There were several women in the guild that had married fae. One of them even had a vampire husband. They had all had to undergo a lot of treatments in order to be pregnant by their husbands, but all had had healthy normal pregnancies and births. How had she forgotten that? This pregnancy was unexpected but no more dangerous than if Carlos had been a human.

Daye narrowed her eyes. “Carlos cares about nobody but himself.”

The taste of something rotten drifted over Belinda’s tongue. She gasped as she stumbled back from the demon. “You’re trying to put a spell on me? Why? What do you have to gain from me hating Carlos?”

Daye narrowed her eyes for a moment before sitting back on her throne. “Interesting.”

Belinda wrapped her arms around her stomach, shaking as her fear was replaced by anger. How dare this demon try to take what little comfort she had in her life away from her? The beast was evil, there was no denying that.

“You’re already going to kill me.” Belinda’s hands clenched into fists. “Why torture me?”

“Torture? No, I was going to make this easier on you. A willing sacrifice is more powerful than one that isn’t willing, and it would have spared you some pain. Oh, well. Carlos and his little pet are on their way now, and I will have to work quickly if he’s going to find your dead body still warm.”

Still warm. It would destroy him. As Daye strode towards her, she prepared herself to fight. She even managed to land a blow in before the demon grabbed her wrist. Instantly, it was as though all strength left her body. Her muscles unwound and she slumped to the floor. Daye smiled and lifted her up into her arms before carrying her from the room.

Belinda’s eyes slid closed and when they opened, she was in hell. Or at least, that was what it seemed like to her. The walls were glowing red like the coals of a fire. The air was so thick she could hardly breathe, the scent of sulfur clogging her lungs. Sweat coated her body. The roar of fire surrounded her, and from the corners of her eyes, she saw flames leaping and dancing around her.

Daye stood over her, a hand pressed to Belinda’s abdomen. Her skin gleamed with an orange hue in the fires. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and a harsh voice ripped from her throat as she started chanting.

The fire around them burned hotter.

Something twisted painfully inside of Belinda. Her stomach churned. A pressure started to build up inside of her. It pressed against her spine and stretched her skin as if she had gorged herself at a Chinese buffet. Tears sprang to her eyes and her back bowed as spikes of pain shot through her. She couldn’t stop herself from crying out. Her arms and legs felt useless. She couldn’t lift them to fight back, couldn’t even wiggle her fingers.

Daye grasped her shirt and tore it in half. Her stomach, which had been flat when she had been pulled from the cell, had a distinctive bulge to it. As Belinda stared down in horror, she saw her stomach ripple and grow bigger. Pain ripped through her again.

“Stop,” she managed to gasp out.

Daye laughed as she stroked Belinda’s stomach as it grew larger. “Stop? Why would I do that, little one? Death cannot be unwritten. Carlos took my boys from me and I cannot have them back. But I can have a new child. A new son. Thank you so much for carrying it for me.”

Now that the demon wasn’t touching her, she could fight. Belinda thrashed from side to side, desperately trying to free herself from the bindings that held her. A wave of white-hot pain blinded her and she screamed, unable to stop herself.

“I will take Carlos’ son as my own,” Daye continued, shouting over Belinda’s screams. “I will take him now and leave your mutilated body for your lover to find. And when this child, my son, is grown, he will kill his father and I will have my sweet revenge.”

No!

Belinda couldn’t get the word out. Her body was being torn apart and all she could do was scream.