Unbidden, Hailey’s words flitted through her mind.
Just the thought of one of those things squirming inside me makes me want to vomit.
“What’s it like?” Eva asked before she could stop the words from escaping. She inhaled sharply, eyes flaring as they shot up to meet Macy’s.
Macy chuckled. “What’s what like?”
Eva cleared her throat, glancing away. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. She looked down at the partially peeled winefruit in her hands.
Well, I’ve already asked. Might as well find out.
“Carrying a kraken baby,” Eva said. “Does it…feel strange?”
“Honestly, I wouldn’t know.”
Eva looked back up at Macy, who wore an easy, unoffended smile. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve never conceived a human baby, so I don’t know the difference. To me, they simply feel natural.”
“So no…squiggling?”
Macy laughed and shook her head. “No. No squiggling. Here.” Macy folded the wrapper over her sandwich, set her food aside, and leaned back. The change of position tightened her shirt around her middle. “He’s quite active right now, if you’d like to feel?”
“Really?” She’d never touched a pregnant woman’s stomach before. “You don’t mind?”
“Not at all.”
Eva gently placed her hand upon Macy’s stomach. She watched and waited, ears straining as though there were something to be heard. Her brows lowered; what was she meant to feel?
Something bumped against her palm, making her gasp. It was such a small, gentle touch, but it was the most amazing thing she’d ever felt. Her gaze flew to Macy’s.
“The baby?” she asked, awed.
Macy nodded, her smile widening.
Eva returned her attention to Macy’s belly as the baby nudged a few more times. She couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to carry her own. To carry…Kronus’s child. The thought sent a rush of excitement through her.
Could she be pregnant even now? She’d received a contraceptive shot when she’d joined with Blake, but it had likely worn off by now. She and Blake hadn’t been ready for children. But after feeling this wonderous thing, Eva couldn’t wait to share this part of life with Kronus. She grinned. He’d be such a protective father.
“It’s a boy?” Eva asked.
“I’m not sure. We won’t know until it’s born.” Macy laid a hand on her stomach next to Eva’s. “Sarina is hoping for a sister.”
“How many do you have?”
“This will be our third and final. At least for a while.” She smiled wistfully. “They grow so fast in the beginning.”
Eva withdrew her hand. “Thank you for that.”
“Of course,” Macy said, righting herself and picking up her sandwich.
They ate in companionable silence, listening to the drone of conversations and rustling of cornstalks around them. There was an easiness about Macy that Eva liked, and she wondered if a friendship could form between the two of them in time.
“I was attacked by a razorback once,” Macy said, breaking the silence.
Eva turned her rounded eyes to Macy. “What?”
“While I was in the Facility, a young kraken girl, Melaina, went missing. She was a wanderer, much like my mate, Jax. She loved to explore, but she never quite understood the danger.” Macy’s fingers idly brushed over the sandwich wrapper. “I didn’t understand the danger either, but it didn’t stop me. All I could think of was how terrified she must’ve been. That she could’ve been killed at any moment, and how that would’ve broken her mother’s heart. It reminded me so much of my family, and how we lost my sister that I just…acted. I didn’t waste time waiting for one of the males to return or hoping one of them would find her. I knew how I could find her, so I just acted.
“I was wearing one of the diving suits when it happened. I remember the crushing pressure and the pain when its teeth finally broke through it. I’ve never been so terrified in all my life. I was able to kill it before it did any more damage, but I’ll never forget those moments. The fear, the pain, the feeling of loss when I realized I might never see Jax again. And had I not been wearing that suit…”
Macy reached down at pulled up her pant leg. Pale, jagged scars ringed her calf, nearly in the same place Eva had been bitten.
“Thanks to Arkon’s quick thinking, I got patched up pretty quick, so I wouldn’t bleed to death…but an infection set in,” Macy continued. “I would have died had Jax not risked himself and his people by bringing me back here.”
Lowering her pant leg, Macy placed her hand atop Eva’s. “I’m so sorry for what happened to you and your friends, Eva. If you’d ever like to talk, or just hang out, you’re always welcome in my home.”
Eva turned her hand and squeezed Macy’s. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”
Macy smiled. “You have no idea how happy I am for Kronus. When Aymee told me what he was doing for you, it seriously blew my mind. I didn’t believe her. Kronus and a human.” She shook her head, chuckling. “I didn’t think I’d see the day. But I am happy. For both of you.”
They talked until the whistle blew, announcing the next rotation. Macy followed Eva into the field and worked alongside her. Time slipped away as their conversation continued. Although Eva’s body felt as though it would collapse at any moment, she pushed on to the final whistle.
Anticipation thrummed within Eva, though she knew it was likely too early for Kronus to be home yet. The sun had dipped, painting the sky orange and gold, and ushering in cooler temperatures that felt wonderful on her sweat-slicked skin. She stared at the sunset for a time, wondering if Kronus was looking at it and thinking of her, too.
She and Macy walked side-by-side through town, chatting easily with one another. Eva’s leg pained her, worsening her limp, but she didn’t care. It was wonderful to feel so carefree. To feel normal.
Macy was in the middle of a story about how Jax thought she was going to die after she drank fresh water when Eva was brought up short by someone grabbing her arm. Eva’s laughter died.
She spun on her right leg and stumbled, nearly losing her balance until she was pulled securely against a broad chest. She gasped, startled; her arms were caged between her body and the man holding her. A familiar scent tickled her nose, mixed with alcohol fumes.
No, not now! The day was going so well!
“Eva—”
“Let me go, Blake,” Eva said stiffly.
“Please just let me ta—”
“She said let her go,” Macy said, her sweet voice turned hard.
Blake tensed, his arms tightening around Eva for a moment before loosening. He drew back from her, but took hold of her upper arms, keeping her in place.
“Eva, please come home,” Blake pleaded. “I miss you. It’s…it’s not the same without you. Other women aren’t the same—”
Eva jerked out of his grasp, catching her balance by slapping a hand against the side of a nearby building. “After everything you’ve done, after I’ve moved on and found happiness, you really have the nerve to ask me to go back to you?”
Blake stepped closer, but his advance faltered when Eva held her hand up and retreated.
“No, Blake,” she said.
He pressed his lips together and frowned. His hair stood on end, his shirt was rumpled, as though he’d just thrown it on after picking it up off the floor, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Eva had no reason to feel guilty. He’d chosen his path when he walked away from her, when he renounced her. But deep down, she still cared for the man who had once been her husband, who had once been her friend.
“Blake,” she said softly, “you need help. You…you might not have shown your pain in the beginning, but now… I think you should talk to someone.”
He shook his head and stepped closer. “I just need you, Eva. Let’s start over. Remember how we used to be? How we couldn’t keep our hands off each other? We could have that again. I wou
ldn’t even mind your…” his eyes dropped to her left leg, and he cringed, “deformity. I can learn to ignore—”
“That’s enough,” Macy said, moving to Eva’s side.
“This is none of your business!” Blake snapped, glaring at Macy.
“She’s right, Blake,” Eva said. “That’s enough. I am not coming back to you. I belong to Kronus now.”
Blake flinched as though she’d slapped him. “That…that creature? You’re really fucking that thing?”
Eva narrowed her eyes. She could ignore his remark about her deformity, but she wouldn’t stand here and let him insult Kronus. “He is my mate. My husband. We’ve joined, and I love him.”
“No!”
“Yes. You and I are done, Blake,” Eva said with finality, then softened her voice. “We’re done.”
Eva turned away from him and forced her legs into motion. They were stiff, and fire blazed through her left leg, but she kept putting one foot in front of the other without looking back. Macy remained beside her and quietly offered Eva her arm, giving her a shoulder to lean on. For that, Eva was thankful. She didn’t know if she could have continued on her own.
“Are you okay?” Macy finally asked once they’d followed the path through the jungle and the row of clifftop houses was in view.
“I’ll be fine.” Eva turned her head, meeting Macy’s concerned gaze. “Thank you.”
“Of course.” She rubbed the back of Eva’s hand. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. He…doesn’t look well. I’ll talk to Dr. Rhodes tomorrow to see if he’ll pay Blake a visit. I think whatever guilt Blake’s holding onto is festering inside him.”
Eva frowned. Had Blake remained by her side, everything would have been different. They might have pulled through the entire ordeal together…or they might not have. She’d never know. Perhaps it made her heartless, but she was glad for the way things had turned out. She’d discovered true love — it was both selfish and unselfish, unwavering, powerful. Everything that had happened had brought her to Kronus.
Macy remained with her until they reached the home Eva and Kronus shared. Before the woman could leave, Eva caught her and pulled her into her arms, holding her tightly. Macy returned the embrace without hesitation.
“Thank you so much, really,” Eva said. “For everything.”
“Anytime,” Macy replied.
Macy drew away and made a shooing motion. “Get inside and take care of that leg. You worked hard today, probably more than you should have. Rest up.”
Eva laughed, brushing the moisture from her eyes. “I will.”
Once Macy was gone, Eva went inside and moved to the window. She gazed out toward the sea, searching the beach below for any signs of Kronus. Though she knew she wasn’t likely to see him until after dark, she couldn’t help her hopeful anticipation. She touched her fingers to the glass.
Soon.
Stepping into the bathroom, she pulled off her filthy clothes and tossed them in the dirty clothes basket. Her stomach felt hollow, but the thought of food nauseated her. All she wanted to do was clean up and crawl into bed.
After removing her prosthesis, sock, and liner, she grabbed her crutches from their place against the wall nearby and stepped to the shower. She set the crutches aside and turned on the water.
Cold blasted her, making her hiss. It made her cherish those few hot showers she’d been blessed with at the clinic all the more. She washed quickly, soaping up her body, shampooing her hair, and rinsing off without pause. By the time she was done, she was shivering.
Plucking the towel off its hook, she hurriedly dried herself and wrapped it around her body before pulling her crutches closer. After brushing her hair and teeth at the sink, she made her way back into the main room.
Standing in the center of the room, Eva looked around. Everything was so still, so quiet and lonely without Kronus. So empty. It was their home, and yet…
This place wasn’t home, he was.
Whenever he was near, everything felt right in the world. When he wasn’t, this place was nothing more than wood and stone. She wouldn’t care if it burned to the ground so long as she still had Kronus.
Eva plucked a sleep shirt out of the armoire’s drawer and pulled it over her head, letting the towel fall. She caught the towel on her stump and flung it aside. She maneuvered over to the bed, turned, and plopped down on the edge. A relieved sigh escaped her; it was lovely to finally be off her legs.
She propped her crutches against the bottom corner of the bed and glanced out the window. The sky was a deep violet, with only a sliver of sunlight on the horizon. She smiled knowing Kronus would return soon.
Scooting herself farther onto the bed, she laid down and closed her eyes. Every one of her muscles felt like it was made of rock, heavy and unresponsive, and her whole body ached from the day’s work. Before she knew it, weariness tugged at her consciousness, dragging her into the depths of slumber.
It felt as though she’d just closed her eyes when the bedding dipped behind her and a body pressed against her back. She must have turned onto her side in her sleep.
He’s home.
Eva smiled, humming sleepily as a warm hand fell upon the bare skin of her hip. It slid upward, bunching the hem of her nightshirt as strong fingers smoothed over her belly and toward her breasts. Her skin tingled with awareness. The palm cupped her breast as forefinger and thumb caught her nipple and pinched. A bolt of arousal shot through her, but something about this touch felt wrong.
She pushed past her grogginess, forcing herself to alertness. The hand touching her was rough, calloused, and not once did she feel the delicious scrape of its claws.
Eva’s eyes shot open, and her entire body jolted when a hard cock, restrained by clothing, ground against her backside. There was a deep, throaty groan from behind her.
“Fuck, Eva. I missed you so much,” Blake said, brushing his lips against the back of her ear and trailing them down her neck.
“What the fuck!” Eva screeched, kicking her leg and reaching for the edge of the bed to pull herself away from him.
Blake grabbed her, yanked her closer, and rolled her onto her back. He loomed over her, a dark shadow in the night, and captured her wrists in his hands, securing them on the bed beside her head. Eva thrashed beneath him.
“Stop it, Eva! Quit fighting me!”
“Let go of me!” she screamed.
“Shh! Be quiet! I don’t want anyone—”
Blake’s word cut off in a pained grunt as her thigh connected with his groin. His hands loosened, allowing her to escape. She pulled herself out from beneath him and crawled across the bed toward her crutches. She reached forward. Her fingertips brushed the cool wood of her crutches when Blake’s hands fell on her hips, pulling her back.
The crutches clattered to the floor.
“Damnit, Eva! Why are you doing this?” Blake growled, picking her up. “Why are you fighting us?”
“Let go! Leave me alone!” she yelled, shoving against him.
“Eva, stop! Damnit, stop fighting me! I can’t let you keep fucking that monster. You’re my wife!”
Eva pulled back her fist and struck him. She felt the scrape of his teeth against her knuckles as he flinched, reflexively dropping her.
She wasn’t expecting it. She fell, striking her head first on the corner of the bed, then the floor. Pain exploded within her skull, and a wave of dizziness hit her. The floor was cold against her cheek. She tried to lift her head, but it was too heavy. Whimpering, she stretched her arms and curled her fingers, seeking purchase to drag herself away.
“Fuck!” Blake snapped, stomping his foot. He growled, then released a frustrated yell. “Damnit, Eva, why did you have to fight me?” His footsteps neared until he stood right next to her. Sighing, he slipped his hands beneath her, lifted her body off the floor, and cradled her against his chest.
Eva’s stomach lurched, and black spots swam before her eyes. Her head hurt so much…
“Let’s tak
e you home,” Blake said softly.
“No… I’m—”
“Shh,” he soothed, caressing her face, his finger pausing when it met something wet on her cheek. “I’ll take care of you this time, Eva.”
No. No! I want… I want Kronus!
But she couldn’t give voice to her pleas; her eyes drifted shut as darkness claimed her.
Chapter 18
Kronus watched the razorback glide through the water below, shafts of evening sunlight creating wavering patterns across its spiny back. The pair of harpoons jutting from the creature’s side had not been fired today; they were reminders of what had happened near the dock four weeks ago.
This was the razorback that had escaped.
He adjusted his hold on his spear, shifting its haft to run along the outside of his harpoon gun’s barrel. It wasn’t an ideal arrangement, but the spear was too large to hold in his tentacles as he swam without impeding his movement. He flicked his gaze ahead. Dracchus swam in the lead, the spearhead of their hunting party. He was flanked by Randall and Larkin, both dressed in sleek diving suits from the Facility. Vasil, Kronus, and Brexes formed the middle row — Kronus in the center — with Charos and Mareus immediately behind. Jax swam at the rear, the diamond point immediately opposite Dracchus.
Kronus’s hearts thumped. Razorbacks were dangerous beasts, but it was not fear that sped his hearts. He could not deny the thrill of being on a hunt again, the thrill of swimming alongside his people — human and kraken alike. Locating the other razorback that had attacked Eva and her friends was an unexpected but welcome bonus.
And still, he found he would rather have remained with Eva. The pride of providing for and protecting his people was great, but it could not compare to the joys he shared with his mate, could not compare to the happiness he’d finally tasted.
Rising from the Depths Page 18
