for how that injured slayer had gone ghost like that.
The seventh cabin they came to was directly on a trail that had been used frequently enough at some point so that they could still see its path through the evergreens.
This one was missing a number of panes of glass, and its door had been blown open, a snowdrift barging in like a burglar. Qhuinn crunched grimly through the ice pack, his shitkickers making mincemeat of the pristine surface as he closed in on the porch. With a flashlight in his left hand and a forty-five in his right, he jumped up under the eaves and leaned in.
Same shit, different dead space.
As he swept the interior, there was a whole lot of absolutely frickin' nothing. No furniture. Some built-in shelving that was empty. Cobwebs that waved in the breeze coming through the busted windowpanes.
"Clear," he called out.
Turning away, he thought this was bullshit. He wanted to be downtown kicking ass, not out here in the middle of nowhere, hunting and pecking and coming up with nada.
Rhage put a penlight between his teeth and unfolded the map once again. Making a mark with a pen, he tapped the heavy paper. "Last one is about a quarter mile to the west."
Thank. Fuck.
Assuming everything was as snore as it had been, they should be out of this and engaging the enemy in the alleys within fifteen, maybe twenty minutes.
Piece of cake.
Chapter Fifty-nine
"You look really happy."
Layla glanced over. On some level, it was unfathomable that the queen of the race was propped up next to her on the bed, reading Us Weekly and People, and watching television. Then again, except for the huge blood red Saturnine Ruby that winked on her finger, she was as normal as could be.
"I am." Layla put aside the article on the newest season of The Bachelor and laid her hand upon her belly. "I am ecstatic."
Especially given that Payne had stopped by earlier, and appeared to be back to feeling like herself. Although Layla's wish for the pregnancy to continue was nearly pathological, the idea that the blessing had come at a cost to the other female had not sat well.
"Do you wish to have young?" Layla blurted. And then had to add, "If it does not offend - "
Beth batted away the concern. "You can ask me anything. And, God, yes. I want some so badly. It's funny, back before my change? I had no interest in them - at all. They were a noisy, out-of-control complication that I honestly didn't know why people bothered to bring into their lives. Then I met Wrath." She pushed her dark hair back and laughed. "Needless to say, everything has changed."
"How many needings have you had?"
"I'm waiting. Praying. Counting down."
Layla frowned and made busywork opening a new sleeve of saltines. It was hard to remember much in specific of those crazy hours with Qhuinn - but it had been a trial of epic proportions.
Given the miracle that was still resting within her, it had all been worth it.
However, she couldn't say she ever wanted to go through her fertile time again. At least not unmedicated.
"Well, I wish your needing for you soon, then." Layla bit into yet another cracker, the square splintering and melting in her mouth. "And I can't believe I'm saying that."
"Is it as rough as...I mean, I didn't get to talk to Wellsie much about hers before she passed, and Bella's never said anything about her time." Beth looked down at the queen's ring, as if admiring the way its facets captured and reflected the light. "And I don't know Autumn all that well - she's lovely, but given everything she and Tohr have just been through, it doesn't seem an appropriate topic to bring up with her."
"It's mostly a blur, to be honest."
"Probably a blessing, huh."
Layla winced. "I wish I could tell you otherwise - but yes, I believe it is a blessing."
"It's got to be worth it, though."
"Without a doubt - I was just thinking that very thing, as a matter of fact." Layla smiled. "You know what they say about pregnant females, yes?"
"What?"
"If you spend time with them, they'll encourage your needing to come."
"Reeeeeeally." The queen grinned. "Then you could be the answer to my prayers."
"Well, I'm not sure whether it's true. On the Far Side, we're fertile all the time. It's only here on Earth that females are subjected to hormone fluctuations - but I have read about the effect in the library."
"Then