The Arena novel Chapter 69

I have never felt fear like I feel right now. It’s not fear for myself. It’s fear for my unborn son.

They have kept me strapped here, on this bed, for days, weeks, months. I have no idea. There are no windows in this place. I have no idea what time of day it is, if a day has passed, or if the time is moving more slowly than I realize.

Troy’s chief laboratory technician comes in several times a day to draw fluids. I don’t care what they take from me, but the first time they stuck the needle into my stomach, I began thrashing, my fire burning off the paralytic.

Troy was quick to inject me with whatever knocks me out, and when I wake, I see the bruises on my stomach. I have no idea what they did, but my son hasn’t been moving in my stomach. I’m terrified that he’s dead.

When the chief technician comes back in, I snarl at him. “What did you do to my son?”

He ignores me at first, then turns to draw more blood or whatever from me.

“I asked you a question.”

When he still doesn’t answer, I snarl at him. “My mate will kill you for what you’ve done to me and his son.”

Now, he does look at me. “He won’t be able to when I’m done. I was hoping your child would be a dragon, but it looks like he got the Lycan gene. In some ways, that’s even better. I can create a Lycan with dragon abilities or a dragon with Lycan abilities. Either way, it will be an epic creation,” he states proudly.

“What. Did. You. Do. To. My. Son?” I spit out.

“Well, the little bastard wouldn’t stop moving around, so I tranquilized him. He’s fine … probably. He’s just staying still so I can get his spinal fluid.”

“You’re a monster!” I say to him.

He leans over me, his lips curling over his teeth. “No, you’re the monster. Since when do dragons exist in real life? Since when do humans turn into animals? It’s unnatural.” I can feel his spit hitting my face as he speaks to me, his anger palpable.

“And yet, you’re creating even worse monsters.”

“At least I can control these. You and your kind are only good for one thing.”

“And what’s that?”

He turns to look at me. “Killing each other in the arena.”

“This was all your idea. You did all of this.” I suddenly realize that Troy isn’t the mastermind of this entire operation. If he was, the arenas would have started long before they did.

“Bingo. You’re beautiful AND intelligent. I’ve heard that about dragons. I needed Troy to make it come together, but it was my idea to set up the gladiator fighting rings. After losing my family to shifters and having to raise myself, I vowed I would kill every last one of you, no matter what it took. So, I went into business with a shifter that hates you almost as much as I do. And now that I have the DNA of the top two apex predators, I can ensure that you’re all wiped off this planet. Then, everyone will bow to me. Me and my hybrids.”

“You’re delusional. First, they aren’t hybrids, they’re mutants. And second, you’re going to die. Whether it’s at the hands of my mate, me, or Troy, there’s no way you’re going to survive this.”

“We’ll see about that dragon. And if I were you, I’d be more worried about my own skin. Or, in your case, scales. That and your son. If he doesn’t give me what I want in utero, I’ll be keeping him in my laboratory.”

I snarl at this, and once again, I’m knocked out.

The next time I wake up, I’m alone. I’m still strapped down, my stomach is still bruised, or maybe it’s bruised again. I truly have no idea.

I begin searching for a way out, a way to get myself out of these restraints when I feel it. A slight cramp in my stomach.

No! No, no, no. Please, don’t go into labor! Sweet boy, please stay inside me a little bit longer. I just need to figure out how to get us out of here. Your father just needs a little more time to find us. I know he’s looking for us … him and your sister. So just stay put for a little while longer.

When I feel the next contraction, I know I’m quickly running out of time. I pull on my fire, letting it burn off the paralytic as best I can. I begin twitching my fingers and toes. It isn’t long before the Chief, as I’ve started to call him, comes back in.

“Are you going to behave, dragon, or do I need to inject you?”

I step outside, closing the door quietly behind me and leaning against the wall as my eyes adjust to the sunlight. Another contraction ripples across my stomach, taking my breath away. I bite down hard, holding my cry inside, and I taste blood in my mouth.

Once this contraction ends, I see that I am in a bunker. The entire building is underground, and I’m at a stairwell that climbs up into a forest. I quickly climb the stairs, looking for outdoor cameras. They must have them, but I don’t see any. I move as quickly as I can, stumbling over my weak legs as I make my way to the forest.

I keep going until the next contraction stops me, forcing me to hold on to a tree as I keen softly through the pain. The contractions are coming more quickly. I need to get far away so I can deliver my baby and have any hope of survival for both of us.

I finally get to a river. It’s large and has a strong current. In my current condition, I can’t cross it, but I can float in it. The water will help hide my scent, and the farther downstream I go, the harder it will be for them to find me.

I’ve just taken my first step into the water when I hear the alarms go off from what must be the facility. I rush into the water as another contraction grips me. I lift my legs and let the water take me, using my arms to keep my head above water as the contraction makes me want to push. The pressure in my lower abdomen is becoming nearly unbearable, and I’m almost unable to resist the need to push.

I know the scientists will be able to hear it, but my only chance is that a dragon will hear me. As the contraction ends and the river’s current takes me, I release my dragon’s call. I can’t call as long as I’d like as another contraction takes hold. The pressure between my legs is so strong that I reach my hand between my legs, and I feel it, the tip of his head. My son is crowning.

I’m in the middle of a rushing river. I can hear my captors getting closer, and I’m about to deliver my son. I don’t want my son to die, but I can barely keep myself above the rushing water.

And then, I feel it. Her. Kaylani. She glides underneath me in the water before gently lifting me up and out of the river. She uses her wing to send a blast of water toward my captors as she gently flies up into the air.

Another contraction takes me, and I bear down, feeling my son’s head push between my legs.

“Kaylani, you need to land! I’m in labor!” I shout, taking another couple of breaths before the next contraction hits me.

She bellows her dragon’s call before I feel her begin her descent. I bear down, screaming as another contraction rips through me. I feel my son slide between my legs, and I lay them down on either side of him, holding him to Kaylani’s back.

I’m quickly losing consciousness, and I can feel and smell my blood as it continues to flow out of my body. My mind screams for my son to make a noise. He’s too quiet. Please, please don’t let him be dead.

Kaylani lands as gently as she can, the thump of her landing still jostling us. The last thing I hear before falling into unconsciousness is the sweet sound of my son’s cry.