Daughter of Nyx (Book Four)

Chapter Sixteen

Elliot met them at the back door. He took the book from her nerveless fingers as his eyes fixed on Draven. Or, more precisely, the blood that he was wearing.

"Are you alright?" he asked, facing her.

"Physically, I'm fine," she replied, glancing at the book he had a white knuckle grip on. "Draven is going to help me get cleaned up. If you wish, you can read that thing."

He looked down at it, black mixing with the brown of his eyes and she felt his rage in her bond.

"They are long dead now, but nothing would give me greater pleasure than to kill them again." He once again met her eyes. "I don't know what could be worse than what they already did to you and I must admit to some trepidation as to finding out. By his appearance, what could be so bad as to ask him to go as far as he must have."

She held out her hand and he pressed it to his cheek, a slight smear of her drying blood sticky against his skin.

"If you decide to read it, you will know. I will say this. Not all pain is physical, and sometimes, the mental aspects of things hurt the worst."

Glancing at Draven once more, he gave a nod. "I'll keep the others away while you two clean up."

"Thank you."

With the last press of her hand, he let her go, turning and leaving the kitchen.

Draven ran them a shower and fed her a little and eventually, the water that streamed from them turned clear.

Taking a deep breath, she clung to Draven's hand as they walked into the great room.

As soon as Elliot met her eyes, she knew he had done it.

"Chevonne, I'm so sorry."

Her world turned pink as bloody tears filled her eyes as she remembered how to cry and emotion sealed her throat as he took her in his arms. She fell apart as those hideous words, frozen babies, played over and over in her head. Tiny pieces of her. Tiny pieces that could create life.

Elliot held her softly and eventually, she was able to get herself together.

"On the bright side, this means we don't have to look too far for 'plan b'," she said and closed her eyes at the feeling of fingers running through her hair. "He said to 'start it'. There is a good chance that the... eggs are still frozen. Or, the person carrying—" The sob took her by surprise. "The person carrying the baby is still pregnant."

"We will find them, Chevonne," Jaylen said and she turned to find him beside her and she took his hand.

"We have to." She looked up at Draven, standing by the window overlooking the pool. "Will you go to Wyoming with us? I don't like to ask, but I don't know if I could handle the separation. Not now."

"Of course I will." His smile was soft. "After the feast."

"That is so long away."

"You need your strength." Elliot said and she had to agree. "And it's only a few weeks."

A few weeks that would feel like forever.

"It will also give you time to adjust. To come to terms with this new knowledge," Draven said.

"You are right," she said, moving to the couch. Jaylen sat beside her and Trey took the other side. Their warmth cocooned her. "You both are. The wait will be excruciating, but worth it."

~~~

Bella, wake up.

Chevonne opened her eyes, immediately searching danger.