Scarred
Kara had somehow escaped the tent and loud music for the cool outside air. It was a beautiful night, complete with stars and a big moon. Overall, she would remember it forever as spectacular. The day she married James Dray.
She picked a path and walked by some men. They smiled at her but didn’t interrupt her wander, not like they would have if James had been at her side.
“Kara.”
She sighed, her heels crunching the gravel under her as she put on the breaks.
“Kara, can we talk?” It was her father and though she’d been proactive to avoid him that evening, obviously she hadn’t done a good enough job.
“I guess.” She knew she couldn’t get out of it, she had to suck it up and hear his sob story, or that’s what she thought it would turn into.
He cleared his throat. “It’s beautiful here.”
She shrugged. “It’s alright.” She looked around quickly as a cool spring breeze caught her bare arms.
“Is this property big?”
Small talk… really?
“I’m not really sure. I think it goes back quite far past the gardens.” She continued her quick steps through the maze of hedges and wild flowers.
“The wedding is nice.”
She rolled her eyes. “James’ aunt and uncle pulled out all the unnecessary stops.”
“Yes, his family is quite impressive. Their last name alone…” He looked up to the moon and she caught a glance of his clean-shaven face and narrow jaw. A man she’d once loved, it seemed so odd all of a sudden to her.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kara snorted.
“Out of all the families to marry into, Kara, you chose well. Dray’s are untouchable.”
Kara stared at him and then let out a laugh. “Okay.”
“I need to talk to you about something.” He took in a breath of the fresh night air.
“Fine.” She wasn’t able to avoid it any longer anyway.
They stopped as the gardens opened up into a lush lawn with a small pond, the croaking of frogs and the slight song of crickets chirped. Eerily it was perfect but then there was her traitor father in front of her.
David turned to her. “There’s things happening, dark things, things that haven’t happened for centuries. A demon uprising.”
Kara stared at him, not in the mood for demon tales. “Are you joking?”
“No.” He got serious. “They’re going to start a war… they have. It’s why they tried to kill Josh and you, and any Hunter they could get their hands on.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” She snapped while a pain bending cramp took over along her sides. “The demons who killed Josh weren’t war leaders—”
“They were the start of it.”
Kara let out a laugh and looked away, not believing him.
“You’re more than just a Hunter. You’ll need to be protected. James can do that.”
“James’ money and name won’t protect me from any Demons.”
David stared at her and it got awkward fast.
“You had no right to come here! Why did you?”
“When they invited me, I had to come and take the opportunity to talk to you about the war—”
“Oh my god, you’re delusional! Aren’t you?” She put her hands on her stomach as another cramp wrapped around her back and down her thighs. “Just go!” She let out a quivered breath and tried to not let her father see her immediate pain.
“Kara?”
She looked up as James walked towards them along the dark garden path. The cramping in her back was intense and she reached out for him as soon as he was within close proximity.
“Are you alright?” he said softly in her ear.
She leaned into him. “My back. It really hurts.”
James looked to David as he put his arms around her. “Sit down.” He walked her to the stone bench by the pond and helped her sit. Crouching in front of her, he put his hands on her stomach.
“Better?”
She looked to her husband with relief and nodded. “A bit.”
David walked over to them, wringing his hands. “I’ll let you be, Kara. I’m sorry if I’ve made you upset. I want to give you this.” He pulled a card from the inside of his jacket and held it out for her.
She stared at it. “What is it?”
“Please, just take it. You’ll need it for your child.”
James looked up to him and stood to take it for her.
“Have a nice night. If you ever need anything, you can call me, Kara. I am now running a structured unit out of Massachusetts.”
Kara chose not to say anything as she stared at the envelope in James’ hands.
“Congratulations again.” He bowed out and walked away.
James watched him disappear into the gardens, then turned back to her. “Are you okay, love?”
“Fake contractions or something. I guess I got too worked up.” She rubbed her side.
He came next to her and sat. “What was that about? What did he say to you?”
Kara shrugged. “Stupid bullshit about how you can protect me cause… your family is loaded. I don’t know. I think he’s nuts.”
“Right.” He paused and laid a kiss on her temple. “Just don’t worry about him anymore.”
She buried her face in his neck. “I thought you were socializing.”
“Yes, well, once I couldn’t find you in the tent, I went looking.” He put his hand on her stomach as the baby kicked. “I like feeling her move.”
“She moves a lot. Kicks a lot.”
He smiled faintly. “She’s catching on from all the football.”
Kara groaned. “I can only imagine what your babies will be like inside of me, just kill me now.”
“Yes, perhaps you should be concerned about any sons.” His eyes went to hers and he stood. “Let’s get back.” He offered her his hand and she took it, letting him pull her into his side. “Here…” He handed her the card and envelope her father had given her.
She looked down at it and back up to him. “I don’t really want it.”
“Mm.” He slipped it into the inside pocket of his undone jacket. His mouth went to her ear. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” She wrapped her arms around him under his jacket and against the smooth fabric of his vest.
His arm around her shoulders tightened and led her back to the party. When they got to the tent James got pulled away and that left her to watch Becky, drunk and dancing.
She smiled and walked to the head table where she sat. It was a great view to watch her friend grind and mack on the best-looking men there. Tall, trim, some of the finest single men around no doubt.
Her eyes soon left that show though for another view. James to be precise, as he spoke with a group of men Garrett had pulled him into. He socialized with an ease she couldn’t understand.
“Oh my god, where have you been?”
Kara looked away from the back of her husband and smiled at Becky’s drunkenness. “Where have you been?”
“Dancing with the hot boys!” Becky waved a hand at her cheek, “James introduced me to the two footballers over there, fuck my life, they are amazing!”
“Where’s Drew?”
Becky rolled her eyes. “Somewhere drinking and smoking likely.”
Kara laughed. “So, you’re getting into trouble?”
“Enjoying myself.” Becky corrected with a giggle. “That’s a lot of stamina behind me.”
Kara wrinkled her nose. “Stamina? You really are drunk.”
Becky reached out for her wrist. “Come dance!”
“Oh no, like you said, too much stamina.”
“We all know James likes to use his stamina on you all the time, isn’t that why you’re preggers? You can survive a few songs!”
“Oh god!” Her cheeks flamed up at the topic. “Okay, okay. I’ll dance.”
Becky giggled. “Good bride!”
Kara rolled her eyes as she walked back around the table. “You think this will make you look good in front of the boys, a very pregnant married girl?”
Becky grabbed her arm without a thought on it and hauled her into the group of dancing people. The music slowed almost in the same moment and a handsome young man stole Becky away and Andrew was nowhere near to see it.
Kara smiled and let it slide as she stepped back off the dance floor.
“I keep getting taken away from you…”
She turned to face her tall husband.
“I wonder why?” She smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Mr. Popular.”
He smiled and kissed her, then became serious again. “Have you had any more contractions?”
“They were just cramps, there’s a difference.”
He didn’t look too pleased with the information either way.
“You need to drink more,” she teased. It’ll get rid of your general paranoia, James Dray.
He rolled his eyes. “Andrew keeps trying.”
“It’s ten o’clock though. I figured you’d be hammered by now.”
“I want to be sober when I wake up. I need to run at least ten kilometers tomorrow morning, that will be when you’re still sleeping and then we’ll go to the airport.”
Kara stared at him with a smile. “You can run that far?”
He creased his brow and didn’t reply.
She looked him over with a giggle. “Becky is right about the stamina.”
“The what?” James joined her laugh now.
“So, you’ve felt sick all day?”
“Hung-over sick. I was really fucked last night.”
“Yeah, and not in a good way. Why did I marry you again?”
He pressed his mouth against her forehead and pulled her in. “Something about love.”
Her feet ached along with her sides and the exhaustion caught up with her. She saw the evening ending short. “I’m getting tired. Are you?”
“I’ll take you up to bed, if you like?”
“I’m fine for right now. I think.” Her hands gripped into the back of his tailored vest, his jacket had been stripped somewhere and his sleeves rolled to his elbows. He was a bit over heated in the tux, she could tell and she felt the dampness from the slow sweat of the evening coming through the pristine wool and cottons.
“Though me and the baby will sleep better than last night, no four AM interruptions from you…”
He looked at her. “I can still do a four AM interruption if you like, I just won’t be drunk for it. Might work out better in your favour.”
She giggled. “If you promise to use your mouth in certain places.”
He glanced at her and his lips twitched a smile. “I’ll agree to those terms and conditions.”
“You would.” She blushed and went for the head table. “I’m going to sit down.” The chairs were looking mighty comfy to her at that moment. He walked with her over to the table and helped her sit, kissing her cheek once she was settled. Then pulled up his chair next to her and sat.
“I’m sure the other side of the room would now like your attention, James.” She leaned down and tried to reach for her shoes to slip them off.
He took her ankles, lifting them into his lap. “I’m not worried, they can wait.” He pulled off the heels for her and started to rub.
She smiled and let her eyes flutter shut. “You have such nice strong hands. Good for massages and other things…”
He tightened his grip on her heels and kneaded them. “Please, elaborate.”
She giggled and shook her head at his expert flirting.
When his eyes lifted off her, so did his touch.
“Don’t stop. It feels so nice…” Her eyes caught on to what he was seeing. Carter had just walked into the main tent, except he wasn’t alone. He had Jessica in tow.
She cursed under her breath.
He turned towards her as she scooted her legs off his lap. “Do you know why they’re here?”
Kara swallowed. “Well, I… I only invited Carter. I didn’t know Jessica was still here!”
“Kara!” James stared at her. “What the actual fuck!”
“I thought maybe you and him could try to move past all this?” She whined, “Anyway, I never heard back from him.
“This is ridiculous! Why didn’t you say anything to me?”
She closed the distance between them as their old friends approached. “Your family invited my damn father, what’s so bad about inviting Carter?”
Jessica caught her eyes and Kara knew what was coming, she took the last possible second to threaten her husband to silence. “Don’t be an asshole, James! Please!”
He ground his teeth as they stepped up in front of them.
Kara stood slowly and looked at her friend, it had been a good long while but Jessica looked… well, happy.
“H-hi,” She got out, finding her heels blind and stepping into them.
Jessica nodded but Carter spoke. “Hope we’re not intruding but we wanted to bring you a gift.”
Kara smiled warmly. “That’s so nice of you!”
James stood and kept quiet, boiling over from what Kara figured.
“Hey, Jim, congratulations.” Carter held out his hand across the table.
James looked to it and Kara elbowed him in the side, still trying to smile as she held the gift bag Carter had just passed her.
James withdrew a hand from his pocket and met the gesture from his old friend. “Thank you.”
Jessica looked around her. “Nice get-up.”
Kara’s heart swelled. “It is, even James thinks so, right, hun?”
James looked to her and creased his brow, likely from the nickname she’d slipped out from her nervousness. “Right,” he forced out a reply.
Carter smiled at her. “Well, you look really beautiful, Kara!”
She blushed. “Thanks. How have you guys been?”
Jessica nodded. “Alright. I got my visa here, so I’m just working on getting into a university come fall. I’ve gone back to Virginia once to make sure I can get all my credits up, but I have everything passed already.”
Kara suffered from the bit of incompetence she suddenly felt, something she might not ever get or even need; her high school diploma. Yet here she was pregnant and married to James, who didn’t seem to care about that fact at all.
James stared at Jessica. “Here?”
“Oh yeah!” Carter wrapped his arm around Jessica’s shoulders. “Finally, I met a girl that puts up with me.”
James muttered something but Kara cut him off before he could say it louder.
“So how’s things going with you guys?” She couldn’t hold her curiosity any longer.
Jessica smiled. “Really good. I think I want to marry him. Right, babe?”
Carter’s worried chuckle was enough to answer Kara’s question thoroughly.
James couldn’t seem to take being around Jessica any longer and turned to his former best friend. “Want a bottle of cold?”
“Please.” Carter took the offer as quick as it was presented and they walked away.
Kara looked to a nearby chair. “I need to sit.”
“Yeah, we’ve been out all day. I’m exhausted. We should probably just go.” Jessica sat next to her.
Kara looked over to Carter and James. She didn’t want to separate them, mostly because her husband looked mildly happy with the sudden appearance of his friend.
“Just stay a bit longer, I think James is happy Carter is here.”
Jessica paused and looked over to the boys. “I know Carter liked you, Kara.”
“Yeah,” Kara said softly. “We were good friends.”
“He told me a lot about what he’d do for you when James was away. I had to convince him that’s not really normal.”
“I was really having a hard time and I was sick a lot too. Carter made it easier to endure, he’d cheer me up.” Kara couldn’t believe she was defending herself against the subject.
Jessica turned to her. “Yeah… so anyway, you look pretty, James looks like a million dollars… as usual.”
Kara smiled. “Thanks. He does. He got so nervous for his speech but it was great.”
“Sorry we missed it.” Jessica mumbled and they looked up as both Carter and James walked back over.
The men stopped in front of them.
“Feeling alright, love?”
Kara smiled at him. “I’m fine.”
He glanced at his watch. “You should probably go to bed now. It’s almost midnight.”
“No, I’m okay.” She tried really hard to brush him off but she was tired and he must have been noticing it, if her tenth yawn wasn’t enough of a clue.
Carter got a bit antsy. “Well, the least she can do is dance with me?”
Kara smiled. “Okay, my last appearance of the night then will be with Carter Green.”
Carter helped her to her feet. “I’ll watch your toes, my lady.”
She rolled her eyes at him and let him lead her to the dance floor. He swept her into his arms and grabbed her hand. It took almost all of the song before he spoke to her.
“How are you doing?”
She smiled. “So pregnant.”
He laughed. “Well, I can see that.” His smile faded though. “I’m sorry about in the flat, that was rude and I really don’t know why it happened.”
Kara shrugged, once again she was forgiving people with just a brush off, she just didn’t know how else to do it.
“I do feel bad. I apologized to James as well.”
Kara nodded. “I missed you, Carter.”
He smiled again. “You didn’t.”
“I did.” Kara breathed through her catching emotion. “You were my best friend.”
When the music ended, he stepped up close to her, kissing her cheek. “Thanks for the dance, pretty lady. I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah, for sure.” Kara smiled, waving goodbye to him as he took Jessica’s hand. She spun toward James as he waited nearby. “I’m ready for sleep, husband.” His hand came to her back when he stepped up to her and she snorted out a laugh. “Husband. That’s what you are now.”
“It’s definitely your bedtime if you just realized that.” James pushed her toward the edges of the tent. “Did you enjoy our wedding?”
Kara looked at him and smiled. “Yes.”
“Good.” James opened the door for her and she stepped inside Blackwell. “I enjoyed every moment, even fucking you in the church beforehand.”
She giggled and hit his chest playfully. “I still hate you for that.”
“No.” He stopped her just inside the quieted, dark halls of the beautiful home. “You love me, Mrs. Dray.”
“Only an itty-bitty-tiny-bit,” she teased as she stepped closer and kissed him. “Come to bed with me, James.”
“Mm.” He watched her sway against him and he smiled from her lack of seduction techniques. “I said I’d go back and visit with Trevor.”
She rolled her eyes. “He sees you more than I do.”
He chuckled, “I won’t be long. I promise.” He took her elbow and led her forward and up the foyer staircase to his bedroom. She pouted but followed him.
“Oh, pyjamas! Finally!” She walked in the door and found their suitcases on the chaise near the fireplace.
He shut the door and joined her.
“Undo! Undo!” She put a hand to her chest to catch the dress once it was free from her body.
“I’m undoing.”
She felt him unzip her and she stepped out of the dress, throwing it over the couch and reaching down to find her pyjamas. She pulled off her underwear and put on a longer nightgown, pre-approved for their wedding night by Becky. After using the washroom and washing her face free from all the makeup, she found him waiting for her in the room.
“You’re just lovely, aren’t you?” he said as she headed to the bed and spun towards him with a smile.
“Sure you don’t want to stay and cuddle n’ stuff?”
He walked toward her as she perched a hand on the top of her belly and waited for him. The shadows of the dark room cast mystery all over his tall frame, until he sank to one knee right in front of her. The moonlight filtering in caught his unwavering stare on her and his hands took hers.
“It was an honour to marry you today, Kara Heart.”
She bit her lip to hold her giggle and dug her fingers between the spaces of his. “Oh, it’s Kara Dray now.”
“Right.” He smiled and dropped his forehead into her belly with his relieved exhale. “Forever.”
She almost went down on the floor with him but she wasn’t sure she’d get back up that well. He stood before she had much more time to debate it and kissed her cheek.
“I’ll be in for the four AM interruption as promised.” He walked her to the bed.
“I’m looking forward to it,” she giggled as she sunk into the mattress. He pulled the blankets over her and helped her adjust a pillow under her belly like she liked. A smile brimmed her as she got comfy fast.
“Your new job as my husband is tucking me in every night, okay?” she mumbled into a pillow.
He leaned over her with a chuckle. “I can accommodate that request.”
“Good,” she smiled with her eyes shut.
“I love you…” He leaned closer and kissed her cheek. “Get some sleep.”
She nodded, burying herself into the thick quilts and fluffy pillows. He slipped out of the room and she gulped back her need for him. Why is he so hot?
She huffed into the darkness and shut her eyes, letting the exhaustion from the day catch up to her but it wasn’t long before she was woken.
A soft touch on her shoulder. The warm, caressing as it brushed across her back and over her hips woke her. She shifted, still dead tired and not really in any mood to put up with the interruption to her dreams, even if it came with the promise of James’ love making.
Her eyes fluttered open briefly but then fell into darkness again. “James…” She pushed her cheek into the pillow. She knew she hadn’t been asleep for that long but he had promised to come back up.
The blankets shifted around her, his hands grabbed her waist as he molded her onto her hands and knees. She moaned in protest.
“Okay, god…”
He caged over her, nipping her neck a bit harder than she expected.
“Ow…” She kept her eyes shut from the way her body begged to stay in it’s dream state. The hot saliva tingled on her skin, waking her a little more. With an adjusted bite, an intense and sharp warmth spread through her. She moaned as it made her quiver and the laugh that gurgled the space around her filled her with fear.
“Tom!”
He grabbed her, keeping her pinned against him. “I told you, you’d be mine.”
She screamed but he grabbed her mouth.
“Shut up. Don’t tip off your husband, it took me waiting all night to get in here,” he growled into her ear. “How the fuck did you get him to marry you anyway? I’m impressed…”
She struggled but the aching across her belly made her stop.
“You’re so fucking pregnant. So fucking fat… don’t you move or scream. It’s already done.” He put her down on the bed in a swift movement that had her unable to catch up to the blow of his hand across her face. It stung her cheek and the taste of blood pooled in her mouth.
He came around her and pushed his finger to her lips. “Don’t you say a goddamn word, don’t you move,” he stepped off the bed and laughed. “Shh, now… I hope you both enjoy the wedding gift.”
Kara bit her lip to silence her need to scream for help. To scream for James.
Tom backed his way out of the bedroom and once he’d left, she lied there, crying for minutes on end until she could get her limbs to work. She could still feel him all over her, still feel the burn of his bite on her neck. A trickle of ooze crossed her collarbone and she reached to feel where it had come from. Like straight out of a nightmare, the bite had more than broken her skin, it had bubbled like a third degree burn. Her fingers felt it as the terror ripped through her. She winced and pulled her fingertips back as the moonlight in the room caught the puss and her bright red blood she’d drawn way.
“Help!” She screamed, getting off the bed and running from the room, struggling to open the door and once the old oak freed from the frame, her feet slipped out from under her. She fell hard into the edge of the molding. Her forehead took the brunt of the tumble and left her vision blurred while turning black.
James adjusted the sleeve of his shirt as he listened to Trevor’s opinion on the next few teams they were up against. The party should have been dying down but at two-thirty in the morning it still had yet to see much of the crowd leave.
“James!”
He looked up from the conversation as Becky ran toward him, shoving a chair out of her way as she did. His eyes paused from the way she looked as she came crashing up to the bar and grabbed it for support.
“It’s Kara.”
He stared down at her and her inability to get it together. “What?”
“Kara’s not okay… she’s been hurt,” she gasped for breath through her hysteria.
“What do you mean? I left her in bed—”
“She’s unconscious in the hallway upstairs… and she’s been hurt, on her neck!” Becky was almost in tears and it was enough for him. He took off running for the backdoors of Blackwell. The lack of information Becky provided him only propelled him forward at a pace few would have been able to keep up to. Even in the dress shoes and their lack of grip, he scaled the stairs in seconds and found her lying on the hard-wood floors of the upstairs hall, just outside his bedroom door.
Andrew looked up to him from where he was leaning over her. “She’s knocked herself out and…”
His cousin stumbled back out of his way and James dropped to his knees in front of his wife. Her head was bleeding but so was her neck and the lacerated skin brought with it a blinding rage of realization. A rage he’d only felt when his parents had died.
James didn’t know where to touch her but his hand soon found her forehead and he gulped back his fear. Fear that the wounds she sustained had also taken her life. That the scar along her neck had been a parting gift to him.
He put his hand to her chest and felt her faint heart beating through and he sighed.
“Kara…” He brushed the locks of her styled hair, now crusted with fresh blood, away from her face. She moaned just enough but her eyes didn’t open. He turned toward Andrew.
“Call a bloody doctor now!”
Andrew blinked at him. “You didn’t do that, did you?”
James sneered. “Why would I do this!”
Becky appeared, with his uncle just behind her.
Garrett walked right into the mess, staring down at Kara in shock. “What has happened!”
“I know what’s happened…” James got off the floor as his blood hit a new temperature, one that spiked him like a shot of twenty-year-old single malt might.
“James!” Garrett stuck out his arm and caught him around his chest. “No. That’s not how we’re going to handle this.”
“It’s how I’m going to!” James shoved his uncle off.
“Your wife’s lying on the ground bleeding and you want to run off and do what now?”
James paused only for a moment. “I know who did this to her!”
“You may know but shifting won’t help us deal with this mess right now. I hope someone has called a doctor!” Garrett turned to his son and Andrew finally pulled out his phone.
James swallowed and looked down to Kara. His heart broke into a million pieces. What had happened was castasphoic to their relationship. He’d fought through so much to keep her and the baby safe and it had all been for nothing.
“And get her off the floor!” Garrett demanded next.
He thought of how to pick up his limp wife without hurting her. He took her under the neck first and then lifted under her knees.
“What’s going on?” Millie’s heels clicked along the wood floor boards as she walked into the disturbance. When her eyes fell on Kara, bloody and mangled in his arms, his aunt gasped. “My god! What’s happened here!”
His aunt and uncle stared at him for an answer.
He couldn’t form any words so he carried her to his room with his anger in a pressure cooker.
Even with his pounding heart he fought against leaving her to go hunt him down because once he caught the scent of Tom all over his bed, he felt the air leave his lungs and push toward the shift.
“We need answers, James, now!” Millie demanded.
“I have a warm cloth!” Becky swooped in as he put Kara down in the bedding. The blonde crawled in beside Kara and started to wipe at the fresh blood still dribbling his wife’s delicate skin.
Kara moved her head away with a cringe. “Ow…”
“James,” Garrett insisted through all that was happening.
“Is there a doctor coming or not?” James snapped loud enough the entire room filled with his voice.
“Yes.” Andrew walked over to the foot of the bed. “They’re on their way.”
“Did you tell them…” James’ sentence broke apart before he could get it all out. A moment longer and he had it. “Did you tell them she’s pregnant?”
Andrew didn’t reply quick enough for James.
“Well!”
“Yes, they know, for Christ’s sake…” Andrew walked away from the bed.
James looked back to Kara, a little less bloody this time now that Becky had cleaned her up. “Kara…”
“Cover her up. She’s shaking… it’s shock.” Becky reached for the quilts but James did it for her, taking them and pulling them over her.
He crushed around her as she moaned and he whispered in her ear, “I’m sorry, my love.”
Kara’s eyes tried to open, but the swelling across one side of her cheek stopped her and she lifted her hand to his chest in vain. “James…” She broke to a few tears. “It hurts.”
His chest collapsed when he attempted to breathe. “I should have stayed with you. I’m so sorry.”
She let out a sob. “W-what did he do to me? What did Tom do?” Her hands went to her pregnant belly and he watched her rub and cry in desperation.
He dropped his hand to hers and held her tummy with her. “Shh, there’s a doctor coming.”
“James.” Garrett’s voice boomed.
He looked to his uncle. “What?”
“Who did this?”
James looked back to Kara as she begged him for answers as much as his uncle did.
“James!” Millie demanded. “Now.”
He cracked, “Her bloody ex-boyfriend did it.”
“What kind of Elite behaves like this—”
He stopped his aunt before she got any further. “He’s not an Elite.” That brought everyone back into a silence.
“I’m sorry,” Kara cried.
He shook his head at her. “No, I’m sorry.”
“Come with us.” Garrett grabbed his shoulder.
“If you’re not going to let me go after him…” James didn’t move from his place with Kara. “I’m not leaving my wife.”
His uncle let out a breath and turned to Andrew. “Go wait for the doctor, you as well, Becky.”
Andrew headed for the bedroom door, not needing another suggestion but it took Becky longer to give up her place near Kara.
“Do you need anything?”
“No.” He swallowed. “Thank you…”
Becky got off the bed and left the room quietly. Millie shut the door and both his aunt and uncle stalked over to the bed.
“This is unnerving,” Millie started. “She’s been scarred, this type of behaviour is reckless. It’s unacceptable!”
He shut his eyes to keep his calm as he fought to not just leave and find Tom himself, he couldn’t have gotten that far. He’d catch up. He’d find him. He was stronger. But staying with Kara won and the uncertainty of the baby also kept him from leaving her side.
“She’s marked like this permanently. That’s it—”
“It’s not it. I’ll kill him for this and the bond will be removed,” the growl left his throat with his words.
“You will not get blood on your hands.” Garrett told him. “This is her doing, not yours.”
“I will protect her…” He made it clear for them. “With or without your help.”
Millie shook her head from the shock of his statement and approached the bed with her index finger on him. “You have gotten yourself into a horrid mess with her. I hope you realize this!”
Kara shut her eyes as he looked down to her, he wasn’t sure how much she was hearing and he hoped not much.
“You’re an Elite. You’re our Alpha-blood—”
He turned on the bed toward them. “I know what I am and for once, I’d love for you both not to bring it the fuck up!”
Millie looked to Garrett. “Are you hearing this? He’s so fucking in love with her, he can’t even think rationally! What would your parents think of this situation, James? Better yet, what would your parents think of her!”
The door of the bedroom opened and they all turned toward it as Rose walked in.
“What’s going on? You’ve all woke me.”
“Mother…” Garrett shook his head to dismiss her. “Now is not the best time.”
“When is it ever?” Rose walked to the bed and looked down at Kara, she sighed. “Oh no…”
“I didn’t do it,” James said. “I swear.”
His grandmother took his shoulder. “Who did this then?”
“He already knows,” Garrett muttered.
Rose nodded. “Good. Then it’s reversible, once this immoral male is tracked down and destroyed. This is against Coven Law, after all.”
“She’s hardly worth the trouble—”
Rose looked up to Millie with the sternest of expressions. “She’s worth every ounce of trouble. She’s a Dray now—”
“Mum…” Garrett tried to stop her.
“Don’t interrupt me. This is your brother’s son. You will do this for him. You will fix this,” Rose told them. “Do you understand?”
Garrett’s eyes dropped away with a nod. “Yes.”
“Garrett,” Millie snapped.
“No.” He shook his head. “Mum is right. Kara has to be protected. It’s James’ child.”
“That’s right.” Rose glowered at Millie. “Remember whose blood runs through him next time you speak, remember that the same blood will run through his children as his wife—that you seem to hate—carries them. You have no right not to help her.”
The silence pinned the room into unease and Rose tipped her nose as her speech won the argument.
Kara’s whimper pulled James’ attention back to her. He brushed a hand along her swollen cheek.
“I’m here,” he breathed.
The bedroom door opened on cue and Becky was followed in by a doctor.
“Garrett.” The woman walked towards him with her bag in hand. “I’m afraid the details were sparse. Can someone fill me in?”
“Yes, sorry about that—” Garrett’s sentence fell short when James got off the bed and the doctor stopped in front of him instead.
“Oh my goodness, you look like Kevin. I’m Maureen Reynolds. I’m not sure you’ll remember me, James, you were quite small last time I saw you.” She smiled but it faded when he didn’t share the memory she painted.
“My wife’s been marked by force and she’s very pregnant. I need her completely checked over.”
“Yes, of course.” The middle aged woman moved around him. “I can try to ease the pain but there won’t be much else I can do for the scar other than bandage it right now.”
James stepped out of her way and the woman sat on the bed, inspecting Kara.
“She’s hit her head?”
His chest tightened. “She was found unconscious.”
“Right.” The doctor opened her bag. “And she’s how far along?”
“Almost eight months.”
The woman’s eyes paused on him and then she nodded. “I’ll check the baby first.” She went about pulling out a few items as Kara’s eyes opened enough for her to see what was going on.
“Let’s leave them.” Rose said to Garrett and Millie.
“We’ll be in the study, James,” Garrett said and went to leave. “Come see us once this is done.”
James nodded as he watched them leave, his grandmother offering him one last look of sympathy. He didn’t deserve that though. He should have protected her better, he should have done a lot more than he had.
“I can feel her moving,” Kara’s soft voice broke through the thick air around them.
He moved over to the bed and watched the doctor place a doppler on Kara’s distended belly. The swooshing sounds filled his ears with hope.
“The baby is fine, perhaps a bit stressed but sounds okay,” Maureen concluded. “Now, your neck…”
Kara tried to sit up but she failed to be able to, James came around to help her. He sat behind her so she could lean on him and the doctor looked it over.
“It’s not a clean scar. It’s been done carelessly.” The doctor studied it. “It will take a month or more to heal.”
James sighed as Kara let out a sob.
“But it will go away, right?” Her desperation ate at him as he realized she had no idea what any of it meant. Not a clue. They were in for a long, possibly more turbulent night because of that.
“The bond’s been sealed unfortunately with the breaking of your skin.” Maureen took a swab from her kit. “I’m just going to take a sample. The Coven will want it if you take legal action against this individual.”
“Legal action?” Kara echoed in more confusion.
James shut his eyes with his exhale and brought his arms around her to offer her more support. She squeezed his arm and held onto him.
“I think that would be wise.” The doctor continued. “If you were taken by force, laws have been broken. It’s punishable by death.”
“Tom can die for this?” Kara turned in his arms and looked to him with her swollen eyes.
He tightened his hold on her. “Yes.”
Maureen stood to shuffle through her bag. “I need some warm water to clean and bandage her.”
“I’ll get that.” He stood carefully from the bed and lied Kara back down, securing the quilt up and over her belly. Her tremble killed him. “Are you cold?”
“I don’t know…” Her lips quivered.
“The bond will be exhausting to endure and it may cause some shock.” Maureen filled them in. “A hot water bottle may help. Warmed blankets in case she gets cramps.”
“Right. I’ll be right back.” He left the bedroom and found Becky pacing at the bottom of the stairs.
“Is she okay?”
He stopped in front of her. “Get the staff to bring Kara a hot water bottle and warm blankets.”
Becky paused. “But is she okay?”
“Did you hear me?” He walked toward the kitchen.
“Yes.” Becky trailed him. “But James?”
“I suppose it depends on your definition of okay.” He found a medium sized glass bowl and flipped on the tap to warm the water.
“Is the baby?”
He filled it with water. “Yes, seems so.”
“Oh, good!” Becky exclaimed. “Since you know who did this, it will all be okay once he’s found.”
He wished everyone would stop saying that. James flipped off the tap and turned toward her. “Kara’s not going to forgive me for this.”
“It wasn’t your fault—”
“It will be once she connects it all. Just get me what I asked for.” He left the kitchen, Becky following, calling after him but he jogged the stairs and returned to the bedroom. Where the doctor cleaned and bandaged her.
Kara relaxed back into the bed as the woman finished with her neck.
“You’ll need to clean it twice a day and I will write a mild pain reliever prescription for you. Something that won’t have any side effects on the baby. What’s your name, dear?”
“Kara,” James answered for her.
Maureen grabbed a prescription pad from her bag and pen. “Last name?”
“Dray.”
The doctor’s eyes lifted to him and looked him over in the tux he still had on. “Oh, yes, of course, sorry.” She tore off the prescription and handed it to him. “Can you bring her back to see me in a couple days? And if there is any bleeding, she needs to go to the hospital right away. I can meet you there. The chances of any premature labour just heightened with this.”
“We’re going to Paris,” Kara’s voice bleached with hope.
He winced, entirely convinced that wouldn’t be happening, not once his wife really figured out what was going on. “Yes, I can.”
“If anything else presents an issue…” Maureen handed him her card. “Keep her in bed for a few days. That would be best for recovery.”
He nodded. “Thank you.”
“Most welcome, James.” Maureen collected her things. “I’m sorry this has happened. Sometimes being an Elite is not easy on anyone.”
He didn’t reply, because being who he was should have insured something like this not ever happening. Especially to him and his wife and that innocent child inside of her.
The doctor left them and James stayed standing beside the bed as two house staff walked in with the items he’d asked Becky to look after.
“Put it on the bed, please.”
“Yes, sir.” The women bowed out of the room as quick as they’d come.
“Here.” He pulled back the covers on her to put the warm ones right to her skin, before covering her back in the normal quilts. He stayed leaned over her and breathed in the still faint smell of Tom on his bed and more so, his wife. “Is that better?”
“Yeah.” Kara nodded as their eyes met. “This is bad,” she whispered. “I know it is.”
He let out a breath. “A little more than bad.”
“At least she’s okay.” Kara adjusted herself in the bedding and onto her side as he reached for the hot water bottle.
“Maybe under your stomach.” He peeled back the blankets just enough to slip it under her.
Her hand took his wrist before he got too far away.
“I thought he was you at first,” she admitted.
If there was one way to make him instantly angry, it was those words stringed together in a sentence. His eyes shut as he tried to fight the way it shifted his world out of control.
She took his hand and brought it to her belly. “Feel.” The baby tossed and moved, and he almost broke from how it all collided together.
“I’m so sorry, Kara.” His eyes opened to her.
She shook her head and caressed her fingers over his hand as it covered the majority of her bump. He took a deep breath and leaned toward her, taking his hand away and putting an arm on each side of her.
“I hope you now know how much I love you.”
Kara took his cheeks and nodded. “I do.”
“I love you so much, it makes me blind, and I just can’t seem to see past it sometimes. I love looking after you. I love you being mine.”
She swallowed. “W-what are you saying?”
And that’s about when he knew, after almost five years and never having the gumption to destroy her fantasy of him, he had to do it right then and there.