“As long as I wish,” Terre said absently, accepting a tablet from a Cyst. “This way.” He led her through the rain to a vehicle that took them to a lodge at the base of what appeared to be a ski hill. “It’s after midnight. Put the girls to bed, and then we shall talk.”
She was almost grateful for the order and that she could put her girls to bed, and that response ticked her off. She wasn’t a servant, and she wasn’t helpless. But right now, she was a mother, and her duty to her children came first. As they entered the lodge, she couldn’t help but notice the different feeling of the place compared to the Seven’s headquarters. This building was cold without any comfortable couches or a pool table, and the fireplace, which had no doubt been there before the Kurjans had purchased the mountain, was silent and dark. “Which way?”
“Wait.” Yvonne set her black bag on a table and drew out a syringe. “I want to examine your blood while the Virus-27 is still present.” Without waiting for consent, she took Karma’s arm and tapped the vein. The needle pricked hard and went too deep, as if Yvonne enjoyed causing pain.
Karma remained silent as the blood was drawn and then pressed the cotton ball to her arm afterward. “No bandage?” she asked dryly.
Yvonne started and then looked at her, her gaze thoughtful. Then she took a quick swipe of Karma’s neck with another cotton ball. “I’ll see you in the morning for a full workup.”
It was already morning or would be soon. Karma couldn’t see a clock.
Terre pointed down the hallway. “Put them in the room at the end, and then return here for me. There’s clothing there for you. Those jeans offend me.”
Yeah, she was more likely to kick him in the face with the jeans giving her freedom of motion. Did he somehow realize that fact? She doubted it. She looked around for Linda to show her the way.
Linda was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps she had passed over.
Instead of answering Terre, Karma took both girls by the hands and bustled down the cold wooden floor to the room at the end, where she flipped on the light. The room was utilitarian, with two metal twin beds and not much else. Two bags had been tossed on the floor. She opened the first one and found pajamas for the girls.
“Potty,” Belle said, her tawny eyes drowsy.
“I know, baby.” Karma smoothed her hair back and then quickly helped the toddlers change into their plain sleep dresses before taking them across the hall to the bathroom. There weren’t toothbrushes in the bag, but she found some travel ones in the medicine cabinet. After washing their faces, she took them back to the bedroom, feeling a cloud of fear over her head the whole time.
Boone yawned and hopped from one bare foot to the other. “Cold,” she mumbled, her eyelids almost closing.
Karma lifted her into the first bed and then reached for Belle and placed her next to her sister. “You two share a bed. You’ll stay warmer that way.” When the girls snuggled down, she removed the blankets from the other bed to place over them. “There you go.” Her heart swelled when she leaned down and kissed them both on their foreheads. “I’m here now.”
Boone blinked sleepily. “Why did you go?”
“I had work to do,” Karma said, sitting on the bed and wishing with everything she had that she could stay right here. But Terre would come looking, and she didn’t want to frighten the girls. “I missed you both so much.”
“Story?” Belle murmured, not opening her eyes.
“In the morning. Right now, it’s very late, and you need to sleep,” Karma whispered, kissing her babies again. She looked around the darkened room, but Linda wasn’t there. Her earlier thought that the twins’ birth mother had crossed over was confirmed. The pang to Karma’s heart wasn’t unexpected. “Did you do all right?”
“Yvonne is mean,” Belle muttered. “Took blood.”
Karma brushed back her hair. Yvonne was always experimenting on enhanced females and was far less kind than the queen had been. “You’re safe now, sweetheart.”
Boone snuggled into her sister’s side. “Vero took good care of us. He’s my friend.”
Karma kissed them both again. Vero had always been a good kid; he lacked the Kurjan habit of striking first and asking questions later. She prayed he’d survive their rough world.
Both girls slipped into sleep, their breathing evening out. Karma made sure they were safely tucked in and then moved to the other bag, which held stuffed toys. Oh. So no clothing for her. Good. Now she didn’t have to change into a dress. No doubt Yvonne had forgotten on purpose, knowing that Terre didn’t like jeans.
At the moment, Karma didn’t care. She tiptoed across the room and slipped quietly into the hallway, where she ran into Vero, Terre’s adopted son. The kid had his head tipped back and held a tissue beneath his bleeding nose.
“Vero,” she whispered, drawing him into the bathroom. “What happened?”
“Should’ve ducked,” the kid said, shaking his head. “I’m fine. I’m glad you’re home. Did the Seven males hurt you?”
She shook her head. “No. They were all quite nice, really. So was the Queen of the Realm. I think she’d make a terrific friend if life was different. The rumors about her aren’t true.” She had to at least try to convince the younger generation that the Realm was not evil.
Vero’s eyes widened. “No kidding?” His speech came out muffled behind the tissue. “Can you tell me more later?” His eyes were a light blue, so different from most Kurjan children. Were the other kids still making fun of him?
Karma patted his shoulder. “We can talk all about it tomorrow. You need sleep tonight.”
“I know.” His jaw worked as if he needed to find control. “Terre is waiting for you in the large room. Make sure you duck if you need to.” Without waiting for an answer, he slipped into the bathroom.
Karma exhaled slowly and walked down the hallway. Had Terre hit Vero again? She hated that male sometimes. All Vero needed was a safe place to land, and he wasn’t getting that in the Kurjan stronghold. If there was a way to take him with her when she fled, she’d do it. Would he go? She actually wasn’t certain.
She walked quietly into the main room, which held computer consoles, two screens, and hardwood furniture except for two plush leather chairs.
Terre sat in one of the leather chairs, his long legs extended to a coffee table as he read a tablet. He looked up. “You didn’t change.” He appeared more startled than angry.
She kept her expression neutral. “There weren’t any clothes to change into. Is there a different room I should check for my clothing?” It would be a good idea to scour the entire lodge and memorize the layout and possible escape routes. Her arms itched, and she gently rubbed them, not wanting to break the skin and worsen the now-painful rash.