Heart's Desire

Chapter 37 - Kit

At the sound of Ferrault's name, fear eclipses my mind, and something inside me breaks. I hear what the others say, and see what they do, but it's almost as if I'm watching the scene from outside myself as I huddle in the corner between the bed and the wall.

"So, you understand, yes?" Elena asks, standing over Martin. "Right now, your brother's children each have ten little fingers, and ten little toes. If you don't want them to lose any, you will do as I say. Defy me, try to escape, or fail to cooperate, and there will be consequences. They're your responsibility, now, Martin."

"You can't just leave them like that," he says, looking at Julian and the twins. "The babies need to eat."

"They'll wake up soon," Elena replies, waving her hand carelessly. "In the meantime, I leave them in your hands. I suggest you ensure my brother's prizes are in good condition, when he arrives."

Martin shakes his head, his face a mess of confusion and pain.

"Your brother," he whispers. "How can that be? Was everything you ever told me a lie?"

She smiles with mock sympathy. "Of course not. I've told you what a pathetic excuse for a man you are plenty of times, and that wasn't a lie at all."

He chokes on tears of impotent rage, and she rolls her eyes.

"Here." She tosses him the key Jake had retrieved from the floor. "Take care of the fox. He'll hurt himself if he stays tied up like that, and my brother wants him primed for the hunt. Just don't let him escape. You know what will happen if you do."

She turns on her heel and leaves the room, and Jake saunters after her, shutting and locking the door behind him as he goes.

Martin remains where he is for several minutes, staring straight ahead, the key held tight in his hand as a mix of blood and tears streak his face. At last, he looks up as my violent shivers rattle the frame of the bed. He rises and comes towards me, and I cringe away from him and shut my eyes.

He kneels at my side and touches my arm. His voice sounds hollow and wounded when he speaks. "Kit. Hey, look at me. Please."

I look. His cheek still oozes blood where Elena's ring cut him, and his face is bruised and swollen on that side. She hadn't held back.

"You won't try to run, will you?"

I shake my head. If Elena's anything like her brother, I know she'll make good on her threats, and I won't jeopardize Luna and Luca's safety, no matter how terrified I am.

Martin nods in understanding, and gently pulls me away from the corner to unlock the chains on my wrists and throat. Once I'm free, he slides the manacles and chains away across the floor, and I curl in on myself, hugging my knees to my chest. Martin sits at my side, close but not touching, offering me what little comfort he can.

"Are you alright?" he asks, after several minutes pass in silence.

I realize that he doesn't know all the ways I fear Ferrault; only Monty knows everything.

Poor Monty, who will blame himself for not protecting me; and Dane, who will face a terrible choice as his family is torn apart. The only small comfort I feel is the knowledge that Monty was right.

I didn't bring the trouble; the trouble was already here.

"How could you not know?" I breathed. "How could you not know your own Mate's family?"

Martin doesn't answer for so long that I finally look up at him. He stares ahead, his eyes haunted by the shadows of a nameless pain.

"She told me she was estranged from them. That she'd fled Argentina to escape her father's despotic rule. She didn't want to talk about it, so I..."