Pure Desire [Pure 3] (Siren Publishing Allure)

by Barbour, Carolina

  Chapter Forty-two

  Legend, Texas

  Caroline paced the room. She stopped occasionally to clutch her belly, which ached with sharp pains that left her sweating and wheezing for breath. When the episode was over, she walked slowly to the full-length mirror and stared at her reflection. Her hand moved over the swell of her stomach. She felt the baby inside her kick and squirm, and instead of the pleasant flutters she expected, it felt like the dull end of a knife poked around inside her. Horrified, she looked at her stomach stretching and protruding each time the child pushed against her skin, seeing the outline of a hand or foot, much too large considering how far along she was. The sight made her shiver. The knowing terrified her.

  Doc Cochran had tried to remain passive when he examined her, but even he couldn’t hide his dismay when he spread his hands over her stomach to determine the size of the child growing inside her. Shocked in disbelief, he mentioned something about twins. The baby was abnormally large to be in a first trimester. Hearing one heartbeat confirmed she carried a single baby in her womb. What they couldn’t figure out was the unusual sounds, clicks, and clucks that came through the stethoscope and were so alarming that Doc Cochran had snatched the device from his ears, gawked in disbelief, and then dropped the tool, almost tossing it aside as if it was tainted. Ignoring the doc’s warning, she retrieved the stethoscope and listened. She heard the sound but refused to believe it was low growling.

  The baby or thing moved again and sent a vicious blow to her midsection that caused her to double over in pain. Unable to bear the constant battering, Caroline cried out, then fell to her knees and screamed as another piercing sting ripped through her body.

  Caroline was on the floor, knees draw tightly to her chest, her arms hugged firmly around her legs, when Noor entered the room with Matt Graham on his heels. She looked up at them, whimpering and sobbing uncontrollably. She stammered, “Please—please help me.”

  Matt Graham halted in the doorway, his leathery-bronzed face creased with worry, his eyes filled with sadness, and slowly approached Caroline. He knelt down, hefted her into his arms, and carried her over to the bed. His gangly, slim build sagged under the exertion. “She’s been like this going on a week,” he said over his shoulder to Noor. “Doc Cochran can’t figure it out. He gave my Caroline something for the pain, but when she takes the elixir, it seems to agitate her condition, so she won’t take the medicine. She just suffers the god awful pain.”

  “The baby doesn’t like it,” Caroline said.

  Matt Graham looked grim. “You don’t know that, Caroline.”

  “I know when I take the concoction the baby’s reaction is almost…savage.” She cried, sniffling. She eyed Noor with contempt. “You’re from that monster’s world…what he did to me was horrible enough. Now this…”

  Matt Graham scratched his head, bewildered. Looking apologetically at Noor, he said, “She talks nonsense sometimes, about a weird place and an inhuman man that raped her, supposedly. She could be delirious with pain. Doc Cochran says the pain could be causing her to be delusional. That happens when a person has suffered an atrocity like being…abused.” His Adam’s apple bobbed and he shook his head. He continued, saying, “I don’t tell much folks ’cause it’s a private matter…given her reputation and all at stake, but my Caroline was raped and left for dead. If one of my ranch hands hadn’t came across her in the south pasture, she wouldn’t be with us now. I’m telling you ‘cause you seem to know something about it.” Matt Graham’s features went taut, hardened the lines of his face, and magnified the webbed cracks around his eyes and mouth that showed his age. “When I find those responsible, a hanging won’t be good enough.”

  “You should have let me die!” Caroline said shrilly. “God…I want to die.”

  “Now, don’t go and get all hysterical. It doesn’t do you any good to fret for nothing. You gonna be just fine, you hear.”

  * * * *

  Noor wanted to contradict Matt Graham’s words but held his tongue. The man looked weary and haggard, but understandably so, given what he was going through. First, he had to deal with Harland’s death, which was unavoidable—when he arrived, they hashed that matter out between them, and Matt Graham relented amicably that Harland was at fault and he had no choice but to kill him. Now, his daughter was suffering. And unbeknownst to Matt Graham, Caroline probably wouldn’t survive the birth of the emperor’s child or thing growing inside her. Her body was anatomically incorrect to handle a cretin birth, and she would be torn apart during childbirth. This information he kept to himself, not wanting to burden Matt Graham further. He respectively concealed the details of what Caroline would suffer until he could figure out if he could save her.

  This was a reason he returned to Legend, but foremost, he needed information about Emperor Agaci and knew he couldn’t learn it without talking to Caroline. Asher Sterns was dead. Given the timeline of his demise, there was no way he could have been involved in getting Caroline entangled with the emperor. That left Denny. He knew this but wanted to validate it with Caroline before he sought the bitch out and enacted revenge.

  “Do you mind if I have a word alone with Caroline?” he said.

  “If you think you can convince her to take the medicine, I would be much obliged.”

  That was the least of his worries. Noor said instead, “I will do everything I can.”

  Noor waited until they were alone before he approached the bed and sat on the edge. He withdrew five small vials and an injection container, a slender metal cylinder with probes on the end that would push the pain medication into Caroline’s skin when she pressed the button mechanism at the end of the canister.

  “I’m going to give you something to ease your discomfort.”

  Caroline looked at him suspiciously, her eyes widened in alarm when he filled the tube with the liquid. “The medicine will burn going in, but the hurt will pass and you will feel much better.”

  “No! The baby won’t like it!” She shrieked. “It seems to know…it will punish me.” She quivered, wiping at her cheeks. “It seems to know when I put something foreign in my body. I swear it’s aware and doesn’t like it,” she whispered, as if she feared the child could hear their conversation.

  In his no-nonsense manner, Noor said, “You are probably correct. The emperor is not human, by your standards, and what he did was impregnate you with what we call non-specie chromosomes. The correct term for the child inside you is cretin.” Caroline blanched. “Where I am from, there is an entire clan of cretins who live among another class of their type named Txtrca. They have a, ah, features that are inhuman, but they are not animals and can be highly intelligent, sociable, and outside of appearance, just like you and me.”

  “I have a beast inside me.”

  It didn’t make any sense to try to dissuade her judgment. Before she was aware, Noor took her arm firmly and injected the fluid. Caroline struggled and then calmed down. It would be easier to talk with her this way.

  He waited until Caroline drifted in a haze the medicine induced but would keep her alert enough. “How did you get to my planet?”

  “A woman named Denny approached me with a lucrative offer. It all sounded like nonsense, but the amount of money she offered…I didn’t resist. Who could? Gowns, diamonds, rubies…everything would suddenly be back to where it once was,” she said happily, shortly forgetting the pain.

  Noor had no idea what she rambled about. “Denny brought you to the emperor?”

  Caroline nodded, seemed to slip in and out of consciousness, and then opened her eyes wide. “The emperor is a horrible man…so cruel,” she said quietly, avoiding Noor’s eyes. A considerable amount of time elapsed before she finished her thought. She lowered her head, as if her next words shamed her. “He took me repeatedly, like an animal. I screamed for mercy.” Noor thought he noticed something in her eyes that made him leery of what she said. He dismissed it. Caroline continued. “He laughed in my face. It was terrible the way he ravished
my body. My cries seemed to escalate his arousal, so I tried to remain quiet.” She sniffled, glanced at Noor. “He didn’t stop. And that woman watched, unaffected. I wanted to kill them both. I tried to figure out a way to, but then everything spun out of control and my head exploded in pain. He must have hit me or Denny struck me. I’m not sure. The next thing I remember was awakening in my bed with my father crying. All these years, this is the first time I saw him show any emotion.” She shifted uncomfortably. “Maybe what happened to me, this creature inside me, is god’s punishment for what I did to Channing and Allura. Can you forgive me?”

  Forgiveness wasn’t in his nature. He refused to respond, not allowing Caroline to appease her conscience so easily. “If it’s any conciliation to you, both Allura and Channing are alive.”

  Caroline broke down in sobs.

  Noor merely stared at her a minute. He felt no empathy for Caroline, even though she seemed genuinely relieved to learn Allura and Channing survived. Maybe. Maybe not, he surmised. “What do you know about the emperor’s plan for Allura…and me?”

  She shook her head pitifully. “Only that he wanted both of you dead. He made that quite clear. Denny mentioned something about coming into power, riches beyond my wildest dreams, everything that she could do for me if I sided with her and that beast. She made it sound as if…if she would become royalty if the monster succeeded in killing you and Allura. There were talks about a great army of invincible warriors…political assassinations…a new world order. None of it made sense. I just listened to her rattle on. At the time, I didn’t care about her gains, but selfishly, my own. The emperor appears to be a very powerful and wealthy man.” Her eyes brightened.

  Noor saw the thought made Caroline’s eyes illuminate with interest. Maybe he was mistaken, and it could be the drugs. He watched her perceptively, and then decided Caroline was as twisted as Channing said and definitely bad karma.

  He had heard enough. Having derived a conclusion, Noor understand why Denny and Emperor Agaci were in bed together. He stood up and laid the vials on the night table within reaching distance if Caroline chose to use them. Briefly, a wave of consideration surfaced for Caroline’s fate. On Magnus, they might be able to save her, utilizing a technique to purge what the emperor had implanted in her womb. The extremely evasive procedure wasn’t a common practice, and there was an amendment discussion between government officials to make embryo ratification unlawful. Instead, the child would be removed and fostered to ensure its survival until the cretin was placed with a Txtrca family. They weren’t barbarians in the sense, every life was precious to someone, and he understood such. He didn’t side on the law one way or another, but believed it was a personal choice and not his to make.

  Considering matters, the chances of survival for Caroline were still slim because he could tell she was breeding the cretin at an accelerated rate. If the physicians tried to remove the child and incubated it, innate instincts would prevail and the baby would kill its host to live. Caroline might die with either choice.

  “You can return to my planet. We may be able to assist you.”

  “I don’t want to go anywhere near that horrific man again.”

  He felt warranted to try to be persuasive. Call it a conscience, whatever. “We might be able to save you. It’s worth giving it a try, Caroline.”

  “Why are you trying to help me? I almost killed Allura.”

  “My mother apparently raised me right.” That was the only excuse he offered. The truth of the matter was he hadn’t an ounce of benevolence for her fate after what she almost did to Allura and Zephyr.

  “No. I won’t return to your home on any conditions. I have made my bed and will lie in it, so to speak.”

  “Use the medicine sparingly. If given in excess, it will kill you.”

  Caroline rolled over and stared at him. “I will die anyway.” She snatched the vials up and clutched them to her chest. “I’m not a bad person. Really.” My father is penniless, you know. He squandered my mother’s entire wealth on bad investments, gambling, and women. We are living in this grandiose house by the good graces of the banker because he and father are friends. But, soon, even a friendship can’t save us from ruin. Then there is Mrs. Tidwell, who insists on spreading horrible gossip about our financial state to anyone who will listen. I was desperate.” She pleaded.

  Noor didn’t respond. There was no confirmation or denial given on his part. Caroline did not need to seek his forgiveness. Abject absolution was something she had to obtain from her god.

  He walked from the room without a backward glance. He had done all he could for Caroline. Matters that were more important required attention. If somebody plays you for a fool, you seek revenge.

  Chapter Forty-three

  Waiting just in the alcove of the building across the street, Noor watched the entrance of Denny’s high-rise apartment dwelling. His normal method of operation would have been to go inside and surprise Denny when she entered her complex, but she had the sense to live in an ultra classy and highly secured place. High-ranking officials who were concerned about assassination attempts or paranoid drug czars primarily inhabited the fortress. The security measures were impeccable, impenetrable. He should know because he helped design the state of the art structure. Even if he could get in the building—and he could without an issue—infrared scanners, which monitored the interior and identified foreign visitors whose DNA didn’t reside in the residence database, would send a direct alert to the “tight suits” who manned the doors like rabid canines.

  He could handle the nuisances but preferred to get in and out without incident just in case he wasn’t the only one after Denny. With the rumors surfacing about her involvement with the emperor, it wouldn’t surprise him if Denny didn’t have a target on her back if the Federation Conglomerate or any other line of Sanguine’s government had a clue she was a rat. A very large, nasty rodent that had sold her soul to Emperor Agaci by buying into his mad scheme of world power that anybody with sense knew only existed in comic books. The villain always gets it in the end and goodness prevails. Denny should have known that. Maybe she did and was just stupid.

  A sleek solo-cruiser pulled up to the curb. The door attendant rushed over, opened the door of the vessel, and helped Denny out. Noor watched long tanned legs and velvet black high-heeled pumps appear before Denny emerged, perfectly manicured from head to toe. Everyone on the street stopped and paid attention to her Hollywood starlet looks, mesmerized by her beauty. Denny did enjoy the attention. She paused for the effect and let the breeze filter through her red-flaming hair, which flowed in the wind, a halo of fiery shimmers. She removed her dark designer D&Gs sunglasses, tossed back the red mane, glanced around at her admirers, and looked them over like paupers with a condescending air. Noor noticed she smirked, wetted her bottom lip, making her red lipstick glisten as she moved toward the entrance with a model’s catwalk stride.

  “I see you haven’t lost your touch.” Noor moved up beside Denny and took her elbow to keep her headed to the entrance.

  Denny seemed unsurprised by his sudden appearance. If she was shocked by his appearance, she masked it. “Noor Rynoir, how are you? This is a pleasant surprise, since I haven’t seen you in ages. Not even at Asher’s funeral, but then, I heard you were on an assignment.”

  He firmed his hold, leaned in close, and said, “Cut the bullshit. I’m not in the mood.”

  Denny’s façade slipped and her eyes darkened a second before she regained her composure. But not before the armed pitbull at the door took notice and decided to interfere with their reunion.

  “We have a problem, Mrs. Sterns?” the pitbull said, giving Noor the once-over.

  Sarcasm dripping, Noor said, “We’re good friends. I assure you Mrs. Sterns is happy to see me. Isn’t that right, darling?” His grip tightened, and he kissed her cheek.

  Denny flinched.

  The pitbull moved closer, and his hand went inside his jacket. “Mrs. Sterns?”

  “Tell
the man there isn’t a problem or there will be one.” Noor’s expression was implacable.

  For a second, Noor thought Denny would do something foolish, and then she relaxed and turned on her million-dollar smile. “He’s with me. Thank you.”

  “That’s a good girl,” he said.

  “Just say the word, Mrs. Sterns, and he’s history.”

  “Go have a doughnut or something. That means fuck off.” Noor led Denny to the elevator, jabbed the button for the penthouse, keeping an eye on the pitbull who circled like a ravenous dog on the scent of blood.

  When the doors closed, Denny snatched free of his hold and spun around. “What do you want? It isn’t wise for you to be here.”

  “Nor is it to try and kill my wife. Oh, by the way, you and your narcissistic boyfriend failed.”

  Denny’s eyes flashed, astounded. She quickly regained her stone persona.

  “Emperor Agaci didn’t share that information with you?” He tsk-tsked and said, “If I were you, that would concern me greatly. Lovers should never keep secrets of that magnitude. It might mean you are more dispensable than you considered.”

  Denny clenched her teeth. “I have no idea what you are talking about. When was the last time you had a psych evaluation? The hazards of the job can get to you, you know. Just last week, one of my top officers put a blast through his head. It seemed the pressure became too much for him.” There was no remorse in her tone.

  “Really? Just like Asher? I’m still trying to figure out how he managed to hold a stunner, rip open his chest, and then aim between his eyes—a dead shot. The forensics and your statement don’t match, Denny. That and we both know what a pussy your husband was. He couldn’t kill himself.”

  “The case was investigated and concluded to be a suicide.”