Skin Walkers: Taken (10 page)

Chapter 18

The next day Nyree paced the grounds with Lilly Mulholland.  She’d slept till a little after noon, and had a large meal before calling Lilly for a walk about the Estate.  Mated to the Chief of Security, King, Lilly had insight into what was happening with the Estate and the absent Dominant.

“So, how are things between you and Rohm?”

Nyree lifted a hand to massage the tense muscles at the back of her neck.  “I haven’t seen him lately, but I can feel him.”  She peeked over her shoulder.  “I know he’s been watching me, but he won’t come to me.”

Lilly gave her a rueful smile, bending to dust snow off a bench before dropping to sit on it.  “I’m sure it was pretty tense being held captive like that.  King said they tortured you.”  She peeked up.  “Is it something you wanna talk about?”

Nyree sighed as she lowered herself onto the bench beside Lilly.  “It was just a few cuts.  Nothing serious.”

But Lilly could see one of the scars peeking out from beneath the collar of Nyree’s shirt. It wasn’t ‘nothing serious’. “Maybe Rohm’s staying away because he feels like he failed you.  You know how these Alpha males are.  If they haven’t fully kept you from pain they think they didn’t do their job or something.”

Nyree lifted her chin and frowned at the skyline.  “I asked him to stay away.”

“Oh.” Lilly dipped her chin.  “He didn’t…  Everything was okay between you two in there, right?”

Jerking her head in a nod, Nyree swallowed and looked away.  “I really don’t want to talk about Rohm or what happened in that cage.”  She looked at Lilly. “Can we let it go?”

“Sure.” Lilly held up her hands.  “Whatever you want.  We don’t have to talk about it ever again.”

“Thanks,” Nyree muttered.

“But before we drop it, I just want to put out there that I’m here if you ever wanna talk, or hang out, or…or just sit in silence, but not sit alone.”

Nyree was surprised by the tears that flooded her eyes at the offer.  “Thanks.”  She looked up as Lilly stood and turned to face her.

“You bet.  Just know I’m here Nyree if you ever need…”

Her words died off, and when Nyree looked up at her puzzled, Lilly’s gaze was fixed on something above Nyree’s head.  Glancing over her shoulder, Nyree froze as Rohm stalked toward them, his angry eyes fixed on her.

Before he got to them he was already speaking.  “You didn’t go to the infirmary,” he accused.

Standing, Nyree turned to face him.  “No, I…”  She didn’t get to finish.  Rohm bent and scooped her up before turning and heading back in the direction from which he’d come.

“Hey!” Nyree growled.  “Put me down, Rohm!”

Lilly hurried behind them. “Should I call…someone?”

“NO!” Rohm bellowed, at the same time Nyree growled, “YES!”

Rohm frowned at her without stopping.  “The Doctor, Jenny, should have seen you right away!  How will we know if you carry my child?”

Nyree felt her cheeks singe, and when she peeked over Rohm’s broad shoulder at a gape-mouthed Lilly, she knew the cat was out of the bag. 

“Child?”  Lilly whispered.

“I’m on birth control,” Nyree hissed quietly.

“Keeper seed is strong!” Rohm growled. 

That revelation had Nyree paling.  She was on birth control, all female Sentries were, but she wasn’t dealing with an average male, and the thought that she could be carrying his child had her suddenly worried and feeling like maybe she should have checked in with Jenny once she’d returned to StoneCrow.  Her wounds had mostly healed while she’d been held captive, and the Estate was in such a state of turmoil when she’d returned that she hadn’t wanted to be a burden.  Now though, she regretted it. 

She put a tentative hand on her stomach. 
I could be carrying our baby?

“Nyree?”  Lilly queried shakily.

“It’s alright, Lil.  I’m sorry.”  And it wasn’t just because they’re conversation had abruptly ended.  No, she was sorry she hadn’t confided in the other woman that more had taken place while she’d been held captive than the few scars she’d acquired. 

“It’s alright.” Lilly dismissed her apology as she half-jogged to keep up with Rohm’s giant steps.  “Should I,” she looked from Rohm to Nyree, “get King?  Or Fatal?”

The way she asked let Nyree know she thought that Nyree had hidden the truth from everyone because it may not have been consensual.  It didn’t help that mere moments ago she’d told Lilly that she’d asked Rohm to stay away from her.

“It’s fine, Lilly.  None of this is Rohm’s fault.  He didn’t do anything wrong.  Honest.”  She pushed at his chest.  “Stop.  Put me down. 
Please
, Rohm.”

He stopped walking and scowled down at her. 

“I’ll go see Jen, I just want to walk in there on my own.”

“I’m coming,” Rohm growled in a gruff tone that told Nyree he’d accept no refusal.

“Fine.  Come, but let me do the talking.”  She glanced at Lilly.  “I’m sorry, Lil.  Can we catch up another time?”

Lilly threw her hands in the air, palms facing Nyree and backed up a step.  “Absolutely.  Go, do what you need to do.  And, Nyree, I’m here if you need me for
anything
.”

Nyree nodded her appreciation and turned to Rohm, heaving a great breath.  “Let’s do this.”

***

Rohm followed Nyree, offended that she’d made him set her down, but mostly he was pissed with himself.  He’d assumed the Walkers who took Nyree from the Megalya compound would have ensured she’d was taken care of.  She hadn’t been.  After being held and tortured, she hadn’t even been seen by their doctor.  It was grating, especially because it was his responsibility to make sure Nyree was taken care of and he’d failed. Again.

Behind her his nostrils flared as he attempted to scent life growing within her, but all he could smell was her fruity shampoo and exhaust from the machines that chugged nearby, working to rebuild the Estate.

He knew she was still angry with him and it bothered him.  He’d hoped their time apart would have her yearning to see him, to speak to him.  He’d been aching for her.  So much so, he’d gone to the infirmary to talk with Jenny regarding him and Nyree’s time together, and to see if Nyree had offered Jenny any insight on their time in captivity and the fact that he’d claimed her while they were being held.  He was shocked and angered to learn that Jenny had no idea what he was talking about.  Jenny had assumed Nyree had been cleared by the medics on the team who’d rescued them, and she’d had no clue that the Megalya doctor had cut Nyree up while she’d been held.  Most shocking to Jenny though was the fact that he and Nyree had slept together.  She was highly concerned, because Walker pregnancies were a strain on human females and while she was well aware of the Keepers penchant for simply taking women and seeding them, she had no knowledge of what a Keeper child would do to a human female, even one as strong as Nyree, because no pregnancies from Keepers had occurred yet at the Estate.

Following Nyree into the infirmary, Rohm had expected to scent her anger, but instead he only scented worry, which concerned him.  Did she know something he didn’t? 

Walking down the corridor to the exam rooms, she saw Dr. Jenny Arkinson standing at the end of the hall, frowning hard.  She cast Nyree a disapproving look.  “You should have told me!”

Nyree shrugged as she approached.  “It’s my business.”

That got the Doctor’s face flushing.  “You’re a human, assigned to StoneCrow, Nyree.  Don’t ever forget that.  And don’t forget that you no longer have any personal business.  You belong to the Estate, to Monroe.” 

That remark earned a deep growl from Rohm.

Jenny shot Rohm a hard look before she waved a hand between Nyree and Rohm.  “This
is
his business.  Follow me.”

Nyree glanced over her shoulder at Rohm. He placed a large hand reassuringly on her hip and steered her into the exam room.

Inside, Jenny snapped on rubber gloves and reached into a cupboard before handing Nyree a small lidded cup and jerked her thumb toward the bathroom.  “No worries where Monroe is concerned.  I’m sure, once his life is back on track, he’ll take great pleasure in reminding you of what it means to be assigned as a Walker Sentry.”  She pursed her lips a moment then, “Directions are on the back of the door.”

Feeling admonished, Nyree slipped into the bathroom with an eye roll that belied the butterflies flitting frantically in her middle.  Closing the door behind her, she locked it with a soft snick. She was grateful she’d had way too many glasses of milk with her late lunch.  Reading the directions on the back of the door, she made quick work of providing a urine sample for Jen.

Chapter 19

Jenny came in staring at her e-pad.  “Results are negative gang.  You’re in the clear.”

Hurt tore through Nyree so fast it felt like she’d been shot.  If she’d wondered whether she wanted a child, the feeling was answer enough.  Glancing up, she found Rohm staring at her.  His eyes were hard, and his lips were thinned into a grim line, his look brooding and intense.  She knew he was watching her, scrutinizing even the slightest twitch of muscle to determine what she was feeling. 

His nostrils flared, and a pained look flashed across his expression before he could banish it.  “Nyree,” he started toward her, but she held up a hand. 

She didn’t want to hear it, she
couldn’t
hear it right now.  She’d just lost something she hadn’t even realized she’d wanted, and worse, it put a bigger gap between them.  Part of her wanted to look up and study him as closely as he studied her, to determine if there was any sign of relief for him.  Was some part of him grateful, pleased that they weren’t tied together in that way?  She’d never know, because she dipped her head.  She couldn’t look at him right now.  If she saw the softening in his eyes that matched his voice when he’d said her name, she’d be undone. 

Nyree jerked her head in a tight nod.  “Thanks, Jen.”  She jumped down from the exam table. Jenny’s hand on her forearm stilled her.

“Nyree, I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have…”

So, Jenny could scent her misery too?  Of course she could, the Chief of Surgery was a Walker.
Damned heightened senses.

“Let it go, Jen.”  Nyree swallowed and lifted her head, pinning the doctor with a hard glare that Nyree prayed was void of all emotion.  “I have.”  She pulled from Jenny’s grasp and left the exam room.  She wasn’t surprised when booted feet followed her.  Of course Rohm wouldn’t leave it alone. 

Her chest was tight, her throat closing as she battled tears.  Her steps quickened.  She didn’t want anyone to see her like this, least of all Rohm. 

He had other ideas.

A large hand gently gripped her arm and turned her, but instead of confronting her as she expected, Rohm crushed her to him, holding her tight.  His strength pulled something from her, and one lone tear streaked silently down her cheek as she fought to keep from crying outright.

“This changes nothing for me, Nyree,” his voice rasped softly, lips grazing her ear.  “I saw your face in there, and I…” He swallowed before continuing.  “I don’t ever want to see that look on you again.  How can I fix this?”

She chuffed a humorless laugh and sniffed.  “You don’t need to fix this, Rohm.  This one is on me.”

***

Rohm could feel Nyree trying to be strong, trying to throw up walls between them.  It wasn’t happening.  Not this time. 

“No, it’s not,” he whispered, fighting the urge to nip her ear.

When Nyree looked up at him he saw nervousness reflected in her eyes.  He’d take that over the hurt he’d seen earlier.  Hell, he liked her nervous, it was exhilarating.  Was she afraid of him, of what she knew he wanted to do to her? Or was she worried about herself and the pull he could feel between them?  She couldn’t deny it.  There was a string that held their hearts tethered together by a mere whisper, but it’d strengthen with time.  Nyree didn’t respond to his words, and he couldn’t remember what it was he’d meant to tell her.  His thoughts were on her slight body folded in his arms.  He remembered his hands gliding over her delicate hips the night they’d been together.  He remembered being awed that something,
someone
, could be so fierce, and yet so delicate.  She was a warrior woman, one he knew was made for him.  Even now he could feel her struggling against the arousal he scented in the air.  He grinned. 
Good.
  He was having the same effect on her that she was having on him.

Dipping low, he ran his nose up the column of her throat and was rewarded with the shuddering release of her breath. 

“Rohm,” she breathed, and he knew she’d meant it to come out much more forceful and less needy.  

She shoved back.

And there it was, that ragged pain he’d been trying to avoid.  What else could she need? He’d been honest with her.  He hadn’t for a second denied wanting her…  Well, if you didn’t count him discrediting her in front of Monroe and Fatal. 
Fuck!
Is that what this was about?

“Nyree, I told Monroe and Fatal…”

“I know,” she cut him off.  “I know you told them about us.  You told me that.”

“Then what?” he shook his head, confusion clear on his craggy features.

“We slept together, Rohm, because I begged you to take me.  I thought it was what you wanted.”

“It was!  I…”

She held up a hand.  “At the time it wasn’t what you meant though.  You were trying to gift me Zavier and I misunderstood.  I asked for something that wasn’t your original intention.   Then, when we got back here and you denied me…” She shook her head, looking down.

“I fixed that, Nyree.”

She didn’t look up.  “I know you did, but I’m not sure what all of this means.  You said you claimed me, but in body only?”

He started shaking his head, but she tore her haunted gaze from him and turned.  “Give me a minute.  Okay?  I need…”  What did she need?  “I need to talk to Fatal.”

“Fatal?” Rohm growled viciously.  “What do you need from him that I can’t give you?”

“The truth.”

“I have never lied to you, Nyree.”

She was shaking her head.  “The truth about what’s happening between us.”

“I’ve already told you.  You’re mine.”

“I have questions you can’t answer for me, Rohm.”  When she looked up, her eyes were imploring.  “Answers I need to hear from the ruling Keeper.  Let me have this?”

He didn’t want to.  He didn’t need Fatal giving his Light advice, but what choice did he have?  He doubted he’d ever be able to deny Nyree anything she asked of him.  He gave one sharp nod. “Speak to Fatal, and then…”

She cut him off again, and it was grating.  She was always doing that, never letting him get out his demands.

“Seven days.”

His brows speared down.  “Seven days?”

“I want a week,” she challenged.  “I need to talk to him, deal with what he tells me,” she let a slight hand ghost over her belly, “deal with this. Deal with the loss.  I want seven days.”

A growl rumbled up from his chest, rattling long and hard.  He wanted to tell her ‘no’ and thought on it for long minutes before he finally agreed.  “Seven days, Nyree, then I’m coming for you.  No more excuses.  No more talking.  No more running.  No more waiting.  No more hiding.”