Page 21 of Bonded Ever After

“Why the fuck does the Walker get her physical first?” he shouts.

The scientists draw into the corner of my room, looking nervous. Councilman Vyn, however, just looks irritated. Not that I blame him. The Runefalls are not fun to deal with when they’re angry.

“We were going to do your physical tomorrow,” Councilman Vyn says coldly.

“Like hell!” Callum yells.

They square off, getting into each other’s face as they yell back and forth. The scientists grab the cases and move them out of the way of the potential fight, and I’m again left watching them, making certain I have the right case. When Callum pushes the councilman, the scientists suddenly start trying to break them up. I slip toward the cases, grab the right one, and hurry out. I shove the case in a closet, then come back.

I grab one of the scientist’s arms. “You should warn the Council about what’s going on.”

He gives a frantic nod and runs out of the room.

I wait long enough to give him time to be gone while Callum and Councilman Vyn scream in each other’s face about how they both have egos, etc. Callum’s gaze catches mine, and I give a little nod.

He steps back. “You know what, give the bitch her physical. Because we all know that Runefalls are better than Walkers, and my physical will prove that.”

Relief washes over everyone. The three scientists remaining grab their cases and head out. Councilman Vyn gives Callum a warning glance, but doesn’t say a word, probably because deep down he’s relieved to be getting out of here alive.

Callum leaves with the others, but I know he won’t be gone long. I wait, counting the seconds, needing to be sure that the scientists and councilman are long gone before I dig out the case. Before Callum comes back. Eventually, Callum slips in from my backdoor, and I lead him to the hall closet, where I pull out the case.

“That’s it?” he asks quietly.

I nod.

We go to my room. I put the case on the bed, open it, and feel the color drain from my face. “This isn’t possible.”

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

I collapse in front of it, breathing hard. “This is the wrong case. They got the one with my blood and urine.”

“Fuck. Do you know what science building they were going to with it?”

I shake my head.

“We could get in the truck. We’ll be faster than them… We can find them.”

“Callum,” I say softly. We could try, but there are a million different ways to get to the science center, a dozen different buildings they could go to. We’d have to be the luckiest people in the world to catch them, and then what? Steal it from them in broad daylight? “It’s over.”

“But–”

“All this was ever going to do is buy us time. As soon as they realized my samples were missing, they’d be back for more. We have to come up with a real plan.”

He kneels down beside me and takes my face in his hands. “It’s okay. You and our baby will be safe.”

“Because I’m going to sleep with Ferone,” I say.

His expression flashes with anger. “No.”

“Then give me another plan. Give me a way to save our baby.”

He’s breathing hard. “Do you think Ferone would agree to a deal? To pretend like it’s his baby? He likely won’t even ask questions if it gets him what he finally wants.”

I think. “He might.”

Actually, I know he’ll agree to it. Anyone with half a brain would accept the deal. Hell, if he was crazy enough to say no, someone else wouldn’t be. This is a solution that could work, even though passing the baby off as his would be simpler.

“Then ask him. It’ll take them a couple days to run your labs. We’ll have everything arranged by then.”

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