Free Stealing Fire (Bad Boys Of The Underworld Book 5) by Mallory Crowe

like Dad, though it was hard to look like a man whose entire face was covered by crazy white hair and beard. He was older, but it was common enough for men to have children in their forties.
    “So, what? Am I half...whatever the heck you are?” She waved her hand limply toward Lucian.
    The doctor shook his head. “Not necessarily. After reading a few of your father’s articles from back then and taking a closer look at your blood, it looks like you were exposed to the myotis genetic code during the early stages of your development.”
    “Like, when I was a baby?”
    “More like a fetus. Most likely he performed surgery on your mother while you were in the womb and either fed or injected you with something.”
    Ella shivered as she imagined a pregnant woman allowing these people to do things to her unborn child. “That sounds dangerous.”
    The doctor and Lucian exchanged an uneasy glance before Lucian stepped forward. “We think that’s why Dr. Murray ran. He truly cared for you and didn’t want to see you get hurt.”
    “And he was just allowed to take me? Didn’t you say the old king was mean?”
    “He wouldn’t have much use for a baby. He was probably planning on tracking you down once you’d reached, um, once you were older.”
    Ella couldn’t stop the look of revulsion that covered her face. “He was going to see if I could get pregnant.” She took a few deep breaths as she tried to keep herself from gagging.
    The doctor shifted in his seat as Lucian clenched and unclenched his fists. “He’s dead now. That’s not going to happen. I promised I wouldn’t touch you.”
    “For the love of— Stop pretending you not raping me makes you the good guy. I’m here against my will. I’m not allowed to call anyone. I’m not allowed to go anywhere without babysitters. You’re not the good guy here!”
    Lucian moved between Ella and the doctor until the only one she could see was him. Everything in her wanted to stare defiantly at the ground, but she refused to back down and brought her eyes up to his.
    “My people need you. I need you. Here. I’m not going to apologize for that.”
    Ella considered punching him but knew it wouldn’t do her any good. Instead, she gave in to the impulse to look back to the white tiles on the floor and let out a sigh.
    “What’s next on the agenda?” asked Lucian, apparently eager to change the subject.
    “I can’t schedule many tests until I know more. The MRI is in half an hour. After that, you’re free to go.”
    Ella folded her arms in front of her, not even caring whether she looked like a sulking child. Let them think she was immature. She didn’t care. “Whatever gets me out of here faster.”

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    E lla set out the pesto and pasta on the counter. She refused to consider herself a cook for her captives, but pasta was easy enough to make in big batches. She didn’t want to feed Lucian, but Cade and Dean seemed nice enough.
    No one asked her to cook. Besides, it wasn’t as if she slaved away for hours in the kitchen. She could only survive on frozen burritos and takeout for so long, though.
    Cade walked in behind her, a hand over his heart. “Sweet Jesus, you made dinner.” He fell to the ground at her feet, kneeling on bent knee and grabbing at one of her hands. “Marry me. Right now. We can have a private ceremony. It’ll be beautiful.”
    Ella smiled down at his antics. “Shut up and eat your dinner.”
    Cade stood and piled pasta onto a dinner plate.
    “Feel free to leave nothing for Lucian.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
    “That doesn’t sound good. Was he misbehaving at the hospital?”
    She snorted. “Misbehaving? He wasn’t that bad. The doctor had his head way too far up certain parts of his anatomy though. Lucian was...strange.”
    “Stranger than normal? That’s saying a lot.”
    Ella rubbed the back of her neck, remembering the soft tickle of his breath brushing across her skin. “You’re good friends