Page 72 of Haunted Prey

Lena slept with her back toward me, curled up on the mattress. I was just happy she’d finally calmed down enough to sleep at all.

The room was cool and dark. It had grown quiet as the others had either gone away or shut themselves in their rooms for the night.

All except Emery who was sitting by and guarding us just like the night before.

I told them everything I could remember about Severfalls, tried to give every little detail I could remember that might help. About the inner workings, the staff, the security, the grounds, everything. Even the patients. The women I left behind and now regretted leaving. Women whose unborn children were being pumped with a drug that would change them forever, and likely kill the mother.

It was even harder to accept another terrible thought. Something I didn’t want to even fathom.

Why had I been there with them?

I closed my eyes and touched my stomach. I was late, I’d known that since I escaped, but that didn’t mean I was pregnant. I’d been late before in the past. Something brought on by stress and other factors. With everything that had happened, it was nosurprise the trauma would affect my body in that way. None of the doctors had made me take a test, and when I first arrived, it would have been too early to know.

But then I remembered the “nightmares” of being held down and something being injected into me. Nightmares that felt all too real. Why would that happen? Why did they watch me so closely? And I remembered it had been Nurse Jackie who’d suggested I get to know the other women and that was when I started sitting with them in the sunroom.

No, it couldn’t be true.

I closed that door in my mind, but I knew I couldn’t keep it that way forever. I didn’t mention the nightmares, or what I saw happen to Jonsei and Adrien, or about my phantom. I just told them what they needed to know the most. About the gate at the back of the grounds and how the chain could probably be cut. How there were several ways in, including a staff entrance to one side. How the guards switched out every eight hours and at what times. Funny how my paranoia had allowed me to not only take notice but to remember those things.

Micheal revealed what they planned to do in return.

Save those women and any other victims inside, destroy everything, end the experiments for good.

And get revenge.

I didn’t need them to elaborate on that part. Knowing now what I knew, I didn’t feel sorry for what might happen to those who caused such terror and pain.

After we talked over everything and went through the plans, it was time for Andrea to take Lena out and make her calls.

“My sister is going to be pissed more than anyone,” Lena said, sitting in the backseat of Andrea’s SUV as I stood by her door. Lez was putting her chair away in one corner of the garage while Andrea was talking briefly to Micheal and Emery. “Marcus will probably be freaked out too. And some of my roommates…and my dad since I’m sure my sister mentioned I hadn’t gotten back to her.” She sighed. “What a shitshow.”

“I could come with you, if it will help,” I said.

“It’s all right,” she said, shifting in her seat. “I have a feeling Emery wouldn’t want to be separated from you. And since Mr. Stabby is already tagging along to make sure I don’t go blabbing”—she glanced at Leslie with a frown before turning back to me—“it’s going to be a little crowded.”

I took her hand, and she clasped mine without hesitating. “You’ll be okay,” I said.

She nodded. “I’m not saying I trust any of them still, but…I don’t feel in danger anymore, so I guess that’s an improvement.” She bowed her head, chewing on her lip. “I still don’t trust Emery, either, Eve. Not after what he did to you. But…now that I know everything. What your dad did to them. It’s so fucked. I can see that level of revenge, of rage. I just wish it hadn’t been your family.”

“I know,” I said.

“I don’t trust him, but I want to trust you. Even if I can never understand what you two got. Honestly, I don’t ever want to.”

I couldn’t blame her. Ever since I’d gotten to know Emery in St. Agnes I had wished every day we had met in some other way. Anything but this.

Andrea ended her conversation and moved into the driver seat. “We shouldn’t be too long. We’ll keep the calls short,” she said, shutting her door, then putting her key in the ignition.

Lez went around to the other side of the car, opening the door opposite to Lena and sliding in next to her. Lena grimaced before scooting as far from him as she could as he shut his door.

Andrea glanced back at him. “Be nice, Leslie.”

He leaned back in the seat, placing his arms over the tops of them. “I am being nice.”

“You know what I mean. Don’t make her uncomfortable.”

He made a little noise as if appalled, shaking his head as he looked out his window. “What if she makes me uncomfortable? Anyone ever thought of that? I might be putting myself in danger here. Who knows if she swiped a knife when I wasn’t looking.”

Lena rolled her eyes. “Give me a fucking break.”

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