Page 174 of Blood & Snow

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He has my phone.

"Morin," he says when someone answers, "I have your whore. And I have your baby."

I hear Xander's voice on the other end screaming profanities.

I can't make out the words, but I hear the rage in them.

Arkady smiles.

"You want them back? Then come and get them… You can enjoy apirozhokwhile you watch me kill her. Come alone, or I'll cut the child out of her womb before I kill her."

He hangs up and then looks down at me, still smiling.

"See? You've been so helpful giving us your phone. Morin will come," Arkady says, "and when he does, I'll put a bullet in his head while you watch."

I start sobbing.

I can't help it.

The tears come in waves, choking me, drowning me. I press my hands to my stomach and curl into a ball.

"Please," I whisper.

"Please don't hurt him."

"Too late for that."

The nausea rises again so violently, I can't stop it.

I leanto the side and vomit onto the floor.

It splatters across the concrete and across Arkady's shoes even as he backs away to avoid it.

I heave again.

And again.

Until there's nothing left inside me but terror.

Arkady curses at me as someone tosses him a towel for his shoes.

Then he nods to the blond one.

"Lock her up."

The blond one grabs my arm and drags me to my feet.

I'm too weak to fight.

Too weak to do anything but stumble as he pulls me back to the corner.

He shoves me down and steps back and as they retreat I hear a lock engage.

I sit in the darkness, my arms wrapped around my stomach, and I cry.

I cry for the child growing inside me.

I cry for Xander, who's walking into a trap.

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