Page 51 of Bradi

Chapter Twenty-Five

Marisa walked slowly toward Lorelei and Sevan’s home. She didn’t need to look back to know Pheebes followed her. He’d been trailing her for the greater portion of the day. She knew that he meant well, but it was annoying all the same.

“Can’t you go to lunch or something?” she called out.

“No, I have sworn to protect you and that is what I shall do.”

“Fine, but could you at least take a break to eat and bring me something while you’re at it? I’m craving just about anything sweet, so take your pick and I’ll eat.” She turned to see him closing in on her.

“As much as I would love to assist you, Doctor, I was instructed to stay with you at all times.”

“By whom?”

“Too many names to list. I can assure you that all have your well-being on their minds.”

Marisa didn’t like the idea of a permanent babysitter, but couldn’t deny that the stories she’d heard of Stegian, the vampire, terrified her. “The suns are high in the sky, Pheebes, and you yourself told me that the compound is safe, so why can’t you take a minute to bring me lunch? Oh, I bet Lorelei would be thrilled to have someone bring her something as well. She’s nursing twins and needs all the nourishment she can get.”

Pheebes seemed to mull over her words. His gaze darted toward the village and she knew that she had him. Laying it on thick, she ran her hand over her swollen belly. “Oh, the baby kicked. I bet he knows that Uncle Pheebes is going to make his mommy happy.”

“You will go straight to the Devi’s home?”

If Lorelei hadn’t told her that the natives called her Devi, she’d have been lost. “You have my word that I will go straight to the Devi’s house.”

“Very well. I will meet you there.”

She exhaled as she watched Pheebes walk away. With a light skip in her step, she headed for Lorelei’s.

“Marisa.”

She glanced over toward the compound fence, looking for signs of life. Something moved in the brush, and she was just about to scream when Peter walked out. His clothes were tattered and torn, and his hair was a good deal longer than when she’d last seen him. She’d assumed that Christian had killed him, but she’d never outright asked. She hadn’t been able to bring herself to.

“Peter? I thought you were dead.”

His eyes locked on her. “I got away. I was wrong to do what I did to you and to Bradi. I was wrong to threaten you. I know that now. Marisa, you have to help me! I tried to board my ship and these things attacked me. They’re coming for me. Help me, please!”

She eyed him warily. It seemed odd to her that Peter, a man who prided himself on his fine upbringing, would have enough survival skills to last in the wilderness for any length of time, especially when she knew firsthand just how dangerous the jungles could be, but she couldn’t in good conscience leave him out there with the likes of Stegian’s goons. It stood against everything she’d sworn to do when she’d taken an oath to be a doctor.

While there were no true security gates near her, there was an older looking gate that she wasn’t sure was operational any longer. She positioned herself near the computer panel there and began keying in security codes that she’d seen Christian use in the past. On the fifth try, the gate slid open, and she motioned for Peter to come inside. He took a few steps toward her, then tumbled to the ground.

Instinct took over and Marisa raced toward his fallen body. Her swollen stomach made her kneeling next to him take longer than it should, but she made it. He swung around and knocked her to the ground.

Landing with a thud, pain shot through her back. “Peter?”

Peter leered down at her. His eyes seemed to scorch her with no more than a look. When they got to her swollen belly, his eyes narrowed to slits. “Get up.”

Marisa opened her mouth to yell for help, but stopped when she felt something cold and hard pressing against her stomach.

“One sound and I will cut this abomination from your body, Marisa.”

Unsure if he was telling the truth or not, Marisa froze.

Peter touched her neck, the blade still in his hand, and ran his rough fingers over her skin. His touch used to bring her joy; now it made her skin crawl. There was something about him, something different…

It was his eyes. Where once they were brown, now they were gray.

“So soft, Marisa. Always so soft,” he whispered.

She didn’t dare move. Whatever had happened to Peter had left him wild, untamed, frightening.

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