Chapter 14 Cross
FOURTEEN
CROSS
My father waves to get my attention, walking steadily in my direction. I have no idea what he wants, but I stop what I’m doing and wipe my hands on the seat of my pants while waiting for him to reach me. “Cross, want to give you a heads up about something.”
I blink, doing a quick assessment of his mood. He seems interestingly in good spirits, but his request catches me off guard. Nodding, I plant my hands on my hips. “What’s going on?”
A broad anticipatory smile curves his lips. “It’s nearly time for us to verify the gender of the child Twenty-Two is carrying.”
A sense of foreboding hits me right between my eyes. It’s at this point where there’s either a sense of excitement that flows over the compound or one of lingering dread that lasts until the child is born.
“Okay.” I nod. “What about paternity?”
He shrugs, glancing away before murmuring, “At some point we’ll determine that, yes.”
Oh. But when? Rather than asking him about it again, I clamp my mouth shut. I don’t want to risk pissing him off.
Wetting his lower lip, my father grasps the back of my neck and tugs me close before whispering, “I hope it’s yours.”
My eyes widen, but I ease back enough to nod, exhaling in a steady stream. There’s only one proper answer to be given, no matter what my actual feelings are. “I hope so, too, Father.”
“I’ve never been so proud as when you told me that it was a possibility.”
I blink. I remember it all too well. Twenty-Two hadn’t been here long, perhaps participating in eight or nine rituals when I finally caught her for myself.
And then … she’d begun to grow round. So, is it possible?
Entirely. Is there also a chance that the child isn’t mine?
Of course. A mild sort of trepidation rolls through me at the idea of it.
The first time one of the sons is actually successful in the attempt to breed, there will be a surge of unrest—a jealousy the likes of which we haven’t seen before. Of that, I am certain.
Interrupting my musings, my father continues, “But we shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves.
We must be certain of a son first.” He bobs his head.
“But you did so well with the correction earlier, I thought you deserved to be part of the testing, no matter what. You’ll also learn more about the procedures during this stage of pregnancy and what I look for beyond what we’ve already discussed. ”
I can’t deny I’m interested in learning—I always am—but my mind has been firmly caught up in our Disturbance and wondering just how long they intend to leave her outside.
Not one of the Collective has so much as breathed her name since the correction.
Not a single word uttered. Slowly, I nod.
“Yes sir. I’ll join you for that learning experience. I’d be honored.”
My father’s eyes crinkle as he grins. “Perfect.”
“When will we do it?”
“A few days, I think. Maybe a week. I’ll send for you when it’s time.”
At my nod of understanding, he gestures to the other members of the Collective who have gathered around Kiefer’s sketch pad by the edge of the river.
They’ve been working through some sort of calculation for a while now.
My father sighs as he takes in the wild gesticulating and blustering that’s going on.
With a quiet groan, he jerks his thumb toward them.
“I’m going to see if they need my help before I head back inside.
Would you mind taking a break and going to see what’s holding Evren up?
I sent him to bring a couple jugs of water out here a little while ago. ”
I glance at Arrow and Hayze, who are hard at work before nodding. “Yeah. I’ll be back shortly. If I can’t find him, I’ll bring it myself.”
With a quick wave to let the others know where I’m going, I head into the woods.
Making my way along the well-worn path back to the main compound, I move at a good clip as I drag in lungfuls of the cool, musty air.
The scent is a complex mix between damp soil and decaying vegetation, as well as something else I can’t quite pinpoint. An animal nearby, maybe.
I’m lost in my thoughts when a bitter sob echoing through the trees stops me in my tracks.
In the fraction of a second it takes me to recognize the source, fear slices into the very fabric of my soul.
Crashing through the trees, I run, not paying any mind to the wicked branches scraping my skin raw or the burning fire that has ignited in my chest. All I know is this—I have to get to Delilah.
Anxiety slicks over me in a cold sweat, and my breath is ragged as I force my legs to pump faster. Leaping over a moss-covered log, the end of the forest path comes into view where light filters through the leaves. Almost there.
I’m coming, Delilah.
As I burst into the open field, my heart stops, then kicks hard to restart. Rage. It dumps into my system, circulating through every artery and vein, seeping into muscle and bone.
A nightmare plays out before my eyes. Delilah struggles against her bonds, and both Gannon and Dragan have pressed close.
Their greedy hands are all over her, lips where they shouldn’t be.
I blink, taking in more of the scene before me as I charge toward them.
What happened here? Evren is sprawled on the ground, and as he goes to get up, Gannon lifts a foot, kicking him square in the chest like he would an annoying dog.
Watching the action from where he’s pawing at Delilah’s breast, my brother throws his head back and laughs.
Desperately trying to escape their touch, Delilah writhes. Agony digs under my skin as her panicked eyes open wide, her face a mask of terror. This woman fully comprehends both how much trouble she’s in and how little she can do to stop their advances.
Her disgusted fury settles inside me like the gloom of darkest night, like a murky shadow, like the gnawing pit in my stomach.
Because I’m the one who strapped her to that tree.
And even though this would have happened whether it was me to tie her up or not, the fact is, it was me who ultimately took away her ability to defend herself. Faster. Move fucking faster.
The bellow that spews from me is like the roar of an animal. They hardly have time to look up before I’m on them. The wild swings of my fists become uncontrollable as I pummel and strike and do damage until Dragan and Gannon stare up at me from the flat of their backs.
For several long seconds, I stand over them, my chest heaving with every harsh drag of air I draw into my lungs. They pant, gape-mouthed, their eyes wide, blood leaking from noses and split chins.
“Cross. What the fuck has gotten into you?” Dragan groggily gasps out as Gannon’s beady eyes track every shuddering inhale I make. Getting to his feet without a word, Evren sidles closer to Delilah. Waiting. Watching.
I turn, eyes blazing to answer my brother.
“What’s gotten into me?” I growl, knowing I gotta think fast, flip this to make sure they understand my show of temper is nothing more than me being pissed off that they aren’t following the Collective’s teachings.
“We don’t touch the women without permission,” I grind out.
“What were you thinking? This is not the Hunting. Just because she’s tempting as fuck”—I force a smirk—“does not mean you can do what you want.” It pains me to continue on, because I know she’ll hate me for this.
“She may be our next sacred vessel … as of this morning.”
All three mouths fall open, eyes flicking from me to Delilah. She exhales, focusing on the grass at her feet.
Pressing a few fingers to his chin where I clocked him, Dragan glances down at the shiny red coating them. “Are you her self-appointed guardian now?” His lips twist, and he laughs.
Gannon’s eyes narrow. “You’ve always thought you were something special being one of the firstborns.” He exchanges a look with Dragan that’s more than a little concerning.
Fully cognizant of how Delilah watches the heated conversation with curious eyes, I verbally slap at Gannon, anyway.
“And you’ve always been pathetically jealous ever since Malakai arrived.
” Laughing, I shake my head as the barb lands.
His lip curls, and I hold my breath to see if having the truth shoved in his face will cause more trouble.
With a roll of my eyes, I level my gaze on my brother now.
“I’d have thought you’d be a little more cautious with your father back in the compound.
” I work my jaw to the side before pointing toward the building.
“Go back to doing whatever the hell you were sent to do. Both of you. Get the fuck out of here before I decide the Collective needs to know what you were up to.” Grumbling, they cast disgruntled looks my way, muttering something to each other as they take off.
Once they’re out of range, I shift my attention to Delilah.
She’s shaking like a leaf, but whether it’s from the intensity of what just happened or something else, I don’t have a fucking clue.
She meets my eyes, and the glossiness of the unshed tears residing in them reaches inside me and rips at something way down deep.
My heart is still hammering behind my rib cage, unrelenting in its pace, bruising with each thunderous beat.
I heave out a breath in an attempt at calming myself.
From the corner of my eye, I watch as Evren rubs his palm over his sternum, grimacing, his eyes flicking toward Delilah before they skirt away again.
I frown, needing to go to Delilah, but not liking the way he’s massaging a spot dead center on his chest, the redness of his cheek, or the mess of dried grass and bits of leaves in his hair.
Everything in me wants to just send him through the woods to my father so I can focus on Delilah, but I’d never forgive myself if he were seriously injured and I could have caught it.