Chapter 1 – Leah
Grogginess is the first thing I notice. And the skull-splitting headache.
I roll over, knowing instantly I’m not in mine and Damon’s bed. It smells nothing like his spice and fire.
“I know you’re awake, little human.” Derrek’s voice paralyzes me. A hand brushes my hair behind my ear, clearing my eyes. He lies on his side next to me. “Such beauty,” he breathes. “I’ve missed you.”
“What did you do?” Panic surges in my mind. “Where are my daughters?” I go to get out of bed, but his hand grasps my wrist, stopping me.
“We aren’t done here.” He yanks me to his chest, curling his body on top of me.
“We never should have started Derrek!” A twitch in his right eye has me paying attention. “And you know it. I was never meant to be yours. Always Damon’s.”
He presses a kiss to my forehead while he straddles my waist, securing me to the bed. “This time it’s different. The demon king won’t win. He doesn’t get the girl, the queen.” His hand lands on my pudgy stomach. “Soon, this will be filled with my heirs.”
I snort, acting brave when fear laces through my veins. “You’re insane. There’s no way I’ll ever sleep with you again, Derrek.” His eye twitches again. “You’re not Damon.” No twitch.
It’s not Damon’s name.
Why would he twitch at his own name?
“No, I’m not. That won’t matter to you, though, not when I have her.”
A door opens up to a screaming.
“No.” Fear, unlike anything I’ve ever felt, petrifies me. “No, please,” I beg.
Asher strolls in with a screaming Mara. Her face blotchy and angry. Her tails slap at the demon, demanding to be let go. “She’s a fighter. Sterling is lucky to have her as his catuca.”
I shake my head, reaching for my baby girl.
Asher stays by the door.
I don’t take my eyes off her. Not once. “Why are you doing this?” I weakly ask, my fingers reaching out for my littlest girl. “Can’t you see she’s terrified. Give her to me!” I snap.
“What will you do to keep your daughter safe, Leah?” Derrek presses his chest against mine, his lips brushing my earlobe. “How far will you go to keep her from hating you?”
I snap my eyes to his when he pulls back slightly to look into mine. “I’ll kill you. Damon will hunt every last one of you down and end your lives. And I don’t want him to make it last. I want it done and over with, as you are nothing. Your life is worthless.”
Tsking, he nods at Asher, who turns to leave.
“No!” Panic surges.
“No? But you just said you want your mate to die. I don’t think you deserve your daughter if that’s how you’re going to treat me.” Derrek crawls off me, disappointment in his eyes. Asher hands him Mara. “Such a tiny little thing. Why don’t you bring Sterling in? I’m sure he’s sensed her presence. Damon prevented him from zapping anywhere near his castle’s walls. I bet he lied to you about that, didn’t he?” He softly bounces Mara until she calms down in his arms. “Do you know what that’s done to him?”
I’m out of bed, standing in front of him with raspy breath. “Please.” I hold my shaky hands out for her.
“I think Sterling deserves to curl up with his catuca first. She was fed from your breast before you woke up. Her tummy is full, and she’s tired from screaming. The little one needs a nap.”
My fingers twitch near her back. The urge to snatch her up overrides all logic.
Derrek steps back, shaking his head. “Don’t be rude. Separating young catucas is wrong and hurtful.”
A scream from the hallway has Mara wiggling in Derrek’s arms. A soft whimper from her chest squeezes mine painfully.
Knowing I have to play by his rules, I take a step closer and press my forehead against his bicep. “Will you allow me to hold my daughter if I have Sterling on my chest, too?” If I have to compromise to keep Mara safe, I will. I’ll do everything in my power, even destroy myself, to keep her out of their clutches.
Calliope strolls into the room, a smug look on her face.
Derrek grips my nape, angling my head back. “I think a family nap is in order. Get on the bed.” He spins me on my heels and marches me back to the bed. I don’t fight.
Mara’s soft whimpers stop me.
Derrek rests behind me, placing Mara against my chest.
Calliope places Sterling against Mara’s back as she crawls into bed with Asher.
I stare in shock at how big Sterling’s gotten. He’s twice the size of Mara. Easily twenty pounds already.
“He’s part lycan. By the time he’s a teenager, he will be as tall, if not taller than, his father.” Calliope says, softly running a hand down her son’s back.
Sterling wiggles against Mara. One tiny arm wrapping her waist as if to keep her locked against him.
“Does he know who she is to him?” I’ve gone over this subject enough to know all the answers. Damon doesn’t keep anything from me, but I want to hear what these bastards have to say.
“Not in the way we do. He’s too young to realize she is his catuca. Now that he’s holding her, his lycan will crave her touch. No one touches her. No one plays with her without him being there. Her happiness, her giggles, her attention belong to him now. If you take her away from him, it won’t be good, Leah.”
Derrek threads his fingers through mine, keeping me from snatching Mara up. Her tiny mouth is parted as she lets out an adorable little snore.
“How? How did you bring us here?” I don’t stare at Calliope or Asher.
I can’t watch them, not when my heart is screaming out for Damon and our daughters. I can’t imagine the terror he is feeling right now. To lose me a third time and one of our daughters? I don’t have to be near him to know he’s feeling weak, pathetic, a failure.
“It was easy, really,” Asher chuckles. “The necklace Damon gave you yesterday was a transporter. It fused to your skin while it sought a way to escape all the protection spells.”
Derrek nuzzles my cheek. The harshness of his beard is no longer enjoyable. “I’ve had unlimited access to the castle for years while Damon was off killing children of Queen Ashan’s infidelity. Spelling the necklace was easy enough when the king of the castle was nowhere to be seen.”
