Page 35 of The Dawning
The giant, who looked as if he spent his free time lifting weights and taking steroids, crossed his bulky arms over his broad chest. “Not happening. I don’t take orders from you.”
“I’ll handle Carly.” She sidestepped him, but he swiped the dagger from her, then her gun.
She bared her teeth but kept her mouth shut.
I had to hand it to her—she had some female balls. Barnes could squash her in an instant. Then again, she was an Aberdeen, so she was headstrong and didn’t take crap from anyone.
“I’ll be right outside.” He regarded me with soft hazel eyes, then he closed the door behind him.
A vicious silence filled the room.
I needed to thank Barnes even though he was operating on orders from Carly. Still, I suspected the man had a heart. Or maybe he didn’t agree with what Intech was doing. Gary had been desperate for the money to pay medical bills for his son. Maybe Barnes was faced with something similar.
She stood just inside the door with her feet shoulder width apart and hands behind her back, outfitted in a uniform consisting of a white golf shirt with her last name sewn in red on the left side of her chest. She wore black leggings tucked inside her spit-shined military boots, and she’d shaved her head. Her long wavy brown locks were history. Our mom would cry if she saw Rianne now. She wasn’t the same person I’d grown up with. I guessed I wasn’t either.
She angled her head, studying me as though I was the most interesting person on earth to her, which I couldn’t possibly be. “Tell me how your scream knocks people out.”
I snorted. “Don’t know.” In truth, I really didn’t. Dr. Vieira and I suspected the babies were giving me magical powers. Like hell I was about to share that with her.
She cupped her hands in front of her. “Is it because of Mom’s vampire lineage?”
I picked at dirt in my nails. Upon closer inspection, I was filthy. My hands looked like I’d been digging for a bone.
“Maybe,” I said, though considering witches were part of our history, that might be a reason as well. “You look pretty.” Bald head or not, Rianne was beautiful. Her new look, if she was still human, brought out her high cheekbones and big brown eyes.
She flinched at my compliment. “And you look horrible,” she was quick to add in a condescending tone.
Her crass jab at my appearance should’ve made me angrier than I already was, but I didn’t have the energy to attack back. “Why am I here, Rianne?” I was pretty sure I knew, but I wanted to hear her say it. “You and Granny must know you can’t brainwash me into jumping on board with your sick plan.”
She snapped to attention, her brown eyes flashing with challenge as if to say,I dare you to cross me. “You’re here to refresh your memory about why the Aberdeens have killed bloodsuckers for centuries. You’ll see that what we’re doing is good for humanity.”
Fuck me. Talk about brainwashed. Rianne was so far gone.
Using her finger, she twirled an imaginary circle around my stomach. “But that thing throws a wrench into our plans.” The repulsion in her tone had me balling my hands into fists in my lap.
“Sis, aren’t you stoked that you’re about to be an aunt?” I couldn’t help my sarcasm.
Her jaw tightened. “If it were up to me, I would carve that demon out of your stomach.”
The interesting response led me to think that maybe Granny wouldn’t touch me. Why not ask? “Are you saying Granny wants her grandkid to be born?” No way was I clueing her in that I was having quadruplets.
She flicked her chin at the T-shirt and pajama bottoms next to me, ignoring my question. “Change into those clothes.”
I plastered on a smug grin. “What I’m wearing is just fine. I won’t be here long.”
Her nostrils flared. “You think you’re smart enough to escape? Or are you banking on that bastard of a boyfriend to rescue you?”
“Sam doesn’t know where I am.” I was lying, of course. Sam and the SEALs needed the element of surprise.
“He will.” Her ego sprouted as she puffed out her chest. “He’ll come freely when the time is right. You and I know he’ll do anything to save you and now that thing in your stomach.”
I raised an eyebrow while shivers blanketed my body. “When is the right time?” I didn’t want to know the answer, and yet I did.
“When both of us are reborn,” she said so easily and with excitement in her tone.
The hairs along my arms stiffened, and a sudden pain gripped my chest at the reference tous, which meant I was included. Yet she could be using the whole reborn thing as a scare tactic, since she’d given me the impression a moment before that Granny or maybe Carly didn’t want to touch me because I was pregnant.
Nevertheless, I couldn’t bank on what-ifs. While I waited for Sam, it was more important than ever to find an ally like Barnes to help me. I could use my pregnancy as a way to coax him to help. He seemed like he cared.
