Do Or Die [Nuworld 4] by Lorie O'Claire

paused and gripped Ana’s
    chin, turning her head from side to side staring at her. “You really don’t look good
    Ana…and what is that smell?”
     
    He turned to look at the small pot simmering on the back of the stove and then shot
    his head back to her quickly when he felt her body stiffen.
     
    “It’s a terminating potion.” Beel leaned against the counter where Andru had been
    and wrinkled his nose. “I recognized the smell the second I came in here. I’d guess
    someone got our dear sister pregnant.” His tone was light but no one appreciated his
    humor.
     
    “You’re pregnant?” Gilroy looked stunned. “Who’s the papa?”
     
    “Well, it’s one of two men,” she shot back at him.
     
    Andru dropped his hand and stepped back, almost falling into the counter. He
    stared at her in complete horror.
     
    “You got the anti-conception medication before you left Gothman. You can’t be
    pregnant.” Gilroy and Ana both looked at him as his face went white.
     
    “Always checking up on me, aren’t you, dear brother.” Ana knew these men, her
    men, had plenty of time over the past couple of cycles to come to terms with having
    taken her. They possibly could have battled it out for all she knew. But they hadn’t had
    time to prepare for this bit of news and Andru’s face showed it. He looked close to
    panic and complete bewilderment. “Well, one of you got me pregnant.”
     
    “Have you been to a doctor?” Beel rested his chin in his hands and for the first time
    looked more composed than Andru.
     
    “No. I can’t risk news getting out that the daughter of Lord Darius and Lady Tara
    stopped off in some Norther town to discover she was pregnant. Especially traveling
    alone—or worse yet, with she-witches.”
     
    Gilroy and Andru focused on her and she could read their thoughts easily this time.
     
    “I haven’t flowed since I left home and I haven’t been with anyone else.”
     
    Andru stared at her a minute longer before turning intentionally and walking over
    to his coat. “You did the right thing about not going to anyone about this. That was a
    good call.” He shrugged into his heavy fur coat and scowled at the concoction
    simmering on the stove. “Come on, Beel, we’ve got work to do. Gilroy, she’s your
    claim.”
     
    “She could be carrying your child,” Beel spoke up and stared blankly at the glare
    Andru gave him.
     
    Andru turned quickly, causing his long coat to fly around him. “No.” He looked at
    all three of them. “No. If she’s pregnant, she’s carrying Gilroy’s child. None of us will
    discuss any other options ever again. Is that clear?”
     

 
    None of them said a word. Andru looked harshly at each one of them in turn and
    then turned and opened the door, flooding the trailer with cold air.
     

 
    Chapter Five
     
     
     
    Ana sat on the stool in the kitchen of her trailer and stared at Gilroy after Andru
    and Beel went outside. Her mind raced as she repeated everything that was just said in
    the past few minutes. Andru would deny any of it ever happened. He would wipe it
    from all of their minds if he could. And he’d just washed his hands of her.
     
    Gilroy watched her with sensual blue eyes, his black hair tossed around his head
    and down to his shoulders. He hadn’t shaved in a while, which made his gaze darker,
    more dangerous. When he smiled, she felt the warmth race through her body, but she
    detected a touch of sadness as well.
     
    “I’ve really missed you.” He spoke gently as he began to remove her leather jacket
    so he could look at her shoulder. She could tell he wanted to wipe the humiliation away
    from her. She looked up at him and he kissed her, softly and passionately. “You don’t
    know how worried I was when this snow began to fall relentlessly and we couldn’t find
    you.”
     
    He unbuttoned the top buttons of her shirt and exposed a greenish-blue welt with a
    deep red gash zigzagging through the middle of it. She