Chapter 14 – Hecate
HECATE
Iawake feeling warm, and I’m never warm.
It instantly sends terror racing through my heart, and I spring to my feet, stumbling away.
Had Hades sent one of his demons to fuck me again?
Had he allowed a prisoner in to touch my hair while I slept, knowing how unsettled it would make me? Or is it something more sinister?
In a crouch, I blink away sleep and take in my surroundings. Blaise and Orion are staring at me, while cooking something over the fire. They both have matching expressions of “what the hell?” on their faces. My heart slows down, and I rise from my crouching position.
“Uh, good morning?” Blaise says.
I turn away from him and stumble to the small pool of water. Scooping my hands in, I lift it to my face and inhale deeply. It smells fresh. I splash it into my face, cleaning my skin and the frightening thoughts from my mind, and don’t turn back around until I’ve calmed.
Then, head held high, I come back and sit down on my blankets.
It’s the first time I realize that there was a sleeping bag on top of me.
Frowning, I look at the two men and realize that Orion must have covered me in the night.
For a complete asshole who seems to hate me, it was a strangely kind gesture.
“What are you making?” I ask, staring at the skillet over the fire.
“Eggs and bacon,” Blaise says, grinning, then adds, “Okay, so dehydrated eggs and some kind of bacon jerky, but it shouldn’t be too bad.”
My mouth drops open. “Can I have some when it’s done?”
Blaise gives me a strange look. “Everything we brought, we’ll share with you. We’re not going to make food and watch you starve.”
“Thank you,” rushes out of my mouth, and the guys exchange another glance I don’t understand.
Then I sit on my hands to keep from reaching for the pan. Eggs. Bacon. I can’t believe it. How many years had it been since I tasted those things? I crave it like a drug, and my entire body shakes as I wait.
“Since you can’t eat anything down here, did you just starve?” Orion asks.
I finally force myself to look at him over the flames, and my heart races.
He looks so damn much like Andros that it seems impossible.
The cut of his jaw, the arch of his brows.
And yet this Orion has longer hair, not too long, more like a man who hasn’t cut it in too long.
And his eyes aren’t pale, they’re a dark brown that’s nearly black.
But more than that, he seems...different from Andros.
My gargoyle is broken inside, but also sweet and loving, while on the outside he is harsh and cruel.
This Orion seems harsh and cruel, inside and out, and yet my heart speeds up when I look at him.
I lick my lips, and his gaze follows the movement. “No, I ate. Persephone’s maids brought me food whenever they could.”
“Why would the Queen of the Underworld do that?” he asks, frowning.
I shrug. “I’ve never really been sure. Maybe because I tried to save her when Hades kidnapped her.
But any time I see her, she seems happy as the queen.
I don’t know if it’s all an act and she hates Hades as much as I do, or if she has her own reasons, but she saved me.
The food didn’t come often, but it was enough to survive. ”
Orion’s gaze moves over me. “You’re thin.”
I stiffen. “I’m sorry if I wasn’t able to retain big boobs while starving in a prison.”
“That’s not what I said.” There’s a tick in his jaw.
“Yeah, well, you might as well have.”
Blaise clears his throat. “Food’s done.”
He hands me a metal plate with curved sides, something I think would work as a bowl or plate.
He spoons out food onto it, and then serves both of them.
I blow on the food, breathing in the delicious scents, and when I can’t wait any longer, I dig in.
Yeah, it burns my mouth a little, but I don’t care.
I moan and eat, tasting each bite, rolling it around in my mouth, eyes closed, living for that food.
When my fork finally scrapes the bottom, I ignore whatever the two might think and lick it clean. Then I set the plate down and sigh.
Sure enough, they’re both staring at me, open-mouthed.
“What?” I snap back.
They both jump a little, then start eating their own food.
I sigh again and lie back down on my side.
Soon, we’ll have to keep going. The guys might think Hades can’t find us here, but I’ll never underestimate the asshole.
And yet, I’ve never felt this tired or this weak in my entire life.
I know it’s the baby, but remembering that my precious child is growing inside of me only adds to my need to be free.
This baby won’t end up like my daughter, raised in hell. No, she’ll be free, no matter what it costs me.