Page 167 of Heartbeats & Highways

“Good news,” Dr. Winchester said. “She’s having twins.”

“Twins,” the Grand Patriarch murmured. “How far along is she?”

“Middle of her first trimester I’d say,” Dr. Winchester said. “I’m concerned about her stature.”

“Go on.”

“She’s petite, and I’m worried she won’t be able to carry the twins to their full term.”

The Grand Patriarch looked at me and smiled. “Then we must do everything in our power to ensure she births two healthy babies. After all, they are the future of the Seed Reapers.”

His eyes focused on me, but he addressed the doctor.

“Leave us.”

The doctor didn’t even bother looking at me, instead doing as the Grand Patriarch commanded without hesitation. The door closed with finality, and I wanted to shrink inside myself.

The Grand Patriarch said nothing, but his gaze dropped to my stomach. He walked toward me and placed his hands on the gentle swell of my lower belly.

His eyes gleamed with fanatic zeal.

“You are the bearer,” he whispered. “You carry my son’s legacy inside you. You are fruitful. Yes, you will carrymanylegacies.”

Many . . .

Terror bathed my spine and my fingers went cold.

“You must eat.” He lifted his hands from me and went to the tray of food. “I will feed you. And we will talk.”

My throat was parched.

“What did you drug me with?” I rasped.

The Grand Patriarch frowned at the tray of food before looking at me. “A mild sedative. Dr. Winchester assured me it won’t harm the baby—babies.”

“How did you know I was pregnant?”

He lifted the tray and walked over to the stool with wheels. He sat down and rolled toward the side of the exam table. He pressed a button, and the table lifted me so that I was now propped up.

“We didn’t,” he crooned. “Not until we got you here and saw that you are showing.”

He stuck the straw into the glass and before I could reply, he shoved the straw into my mouth. I gulped greedily.

When I’d downed half of it, I released the straw, and he set the glass aside.

“How did you find me?”

He paused for a moment before replying. “We caught your face on camera at the bus station. It wasn’t hard to figure out you bought a ticket to Waco.” He smiled but it wasn’t at all pleasant. “Calvin has always been like a dog with a bone. I knew once I put him on your scent it was over, and if he kept asking around, he’d find you eventually. He finally picked up your trail, and here you are.” His gaze slid over me. “You cut your hair.”

“It’smyhair.”

“No . . . your hair—like your womb—belongs to the Seed Reapers.”

He sliced a piece of sausage and held it out to me. If I wanted the food, I’d have to lift my head and lean toward it. He’d makeme meet him halfway. He’d prove his power over me every chance he got.

I didn’t want to give in, but I wasn’t eating for me. I was eating for the babies.

So, I leaned forward and opened my mouth.

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