Whatever this evil entity is, it may just win.
Chapter Forty
BIRDIE
I blink, my body feeling drained and exhausted. I try to push myself up to sitting, but I can’t even move. I’m too weak and end up letting out a grunt of frustration. I hear someone clear their throat from across the room and shift my head and gaze toward them.
It’s a woman sitting in the corner, but the room is bathed in darkness. “It’s me,” Martha’s voice calls out.
“What happened?” I ask.
There is a moment of silence, then she clears her throat again and tells me about this dark entity, how it had filled Florence and was coming after me. She explains that she thinks it was created and sent here to destroy the prophecy and possibly the world.
“Who could have done this?” I rasp.
“I do not know, Birdie. Florence is being held in the jail until further investigation.”
I gasp, forcing my arms to push me up so that I can lean against the headboard and look directly toward her. I watch as she turns up the lamp at the small table next to her.
“You’re a witch,” I point out.
She nods her head, her lips turned up in a grin. “I am,” she admits.
“How?”
“I was sent to watch over Colt, though my powers are technically not legal, I have been instructed to use them if need be.”
“By the Assembly?” I ask.
She dips her chin. “By a few friendly members, yes.”
My eyes widen as I stare at her in awe. Not only is she a witch, she’s been sent from the Assembly, the same group that had some members plot to kill Colt just days ago.
It shouldn’t surprise me as much as it does. I have a feeling that a lot of this plotting and devising of evil plots happens a lot with leaders of countries, I’ve just never personally been involved and it’s shocking, surprising, and scary.
“What happens now?” I ask.
She doesn’t say anything right away. Instead, she watches me for a moment. “Now, you and Colt work on your relationship, then you go with him to take care of the Assembly and weed out the bad seeds.”
“What about Florence and Logan?” I ask.
Martha watches me for a moment, then her eyes widen. “Logan,” she breathes, as if she hadn’t really thought about Florence’s grandson and the role that he’s going to play in all of this. He will no doubt be angry that his grandmother is in prison, but does he know that that thing was inside of her? Is he in on all of this?
“We have many unanswered questions,” she rasps.
“No shit,” I snap.
Martha’s eyes widen and her lips turn up into a grin before she lets out a small chuckle. “Indeed.”
Leaning my head back, I close my eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. I hear a deep chuckle and crack one eye open, only to see Colt standing next to me. Opening both of my eyes, I lift my head and look around him where Martha was sitting only to see that her chair is empty.
“I relieved her. I also brought you a tray of food.”
I shift my gaze back to meet Colt’s, my eyes widening in surprise as he gathers the tray and brings it over to the bed, setting it down next to my hip as he sinks down on the bed on the other side of the tray.
“Colt?” I ask, my voice low.
He hums, reaching for something on the plate, then holds it up to my lips. I have no choice but to open my mouth and take his offering. I moan as the sweet taste of orange fruit touches my tongue.
“Whatever awaits us, can do just that, Birdie. It can wait.”
“That big black blob cannot wait,” I murmur.
He hums, nodding his head. “This I know, but nothing will happen tonight. First, I am going to enjoy feeding you, then we’re both going to enjoy the way that I take you. After that we’ll sleep, then tomorrow we shall begin on the next move.”
“What about Florence and Logan?” I ask.
He shakes his head once. “Tomorrow, my bride.”
“Bride?” I ask, arching a brow.
“You are, are you not?”
Pressing my lips together, I nod my head. “I am, Colt,” I whisper.
He continues to feed me, then when he’s satisfied that I’ve had enough food, only then does he kiss and strip my clothes from me until I’m completely bared to him. My stomach is already beginning to round and I cover it with my hands, hating the extra weight that I’ve already started to put on.
“Don’t,” he grunts, reaching for my wrists and tugging my hands from my belly. “You’re beautiful, darlin’. Every square inch of you is breathtaking, especially the part of you that grows with our child.”
My entire insides melt in a swoony mess at his words. Shaking my head, I sink my teeth into my bottom lip and shake my head again. “Colt,” I breathe.
His lips twitch into a cocky grin before he strips himself of his clothes, then climbs into the bed next to me. He doesn’t touch me at first, his eyes just searching my own, looking for something, but he never says what exactly and I’m a bit too afraid to ask him.
Then as if he’s found it, or maybe he hasn’t, I’m not sure, he shakes his head before reaching out and cupping my cheeks with his palms. Colt leans forward and every thought in my head vanishes as he kisses me—owning me, as he seems to always do.
COLT
Sliding my hand down the outside of her thigh, I wrap my fingers around the underside of her knee and spread her leg wide for me. Nestling my hips between her warmth, I guide myself toward her
