Fighting Secrets: Unbreakable Series, Book 2

by D. R. Bohannon

  “Come on, Kentucky.” Tyler nudges me towards a tree. I sigh and follow his lead. He enters the code on the keypad and the portal door opens. We step through together, ending up in his room at headquarters. “Sorry, we couldn’t stay any longer.”

  I shrug my shoulders. “I knew it would only be for a short time.” I force a smile on my face even though I still feel like I’m going to fall apart. I promised Sarah I wouldn’t let this destroy me. If I have to put on an act, it will be best if I start it now.

  Tyler hugs me, and I feel myself pull away from him a little too soon. It’s not that I don’t want his affection, I just don’t want to be pushed back into tears. “I’m going to go check on Alex.”

  Tyler nods but looks worried. I smile and head out the door. I search for Alex and end up finding him in the library thumbing through a book. The rest of the room is empty, like usual. I sit next to him and watch as he continues to search through the pages. I’m not sure if he’s avoiding eye contact with me because he blames me for this or if it’s keeping his own emotions under control. The silence between us is deafening.

  “Will you talk to me?” I put my palms down over the pages. “Please.”

  “Kris, I don’t know what to say.” Alex’s voice is bitter. A twinge of pain flares up in my stomach. Slowly his eyes meet mine, they are watery but he holds the tears back.

  “Do you blame me for this?” I swallow hard, afraid of what his answer will be.

  “No. I don’t blame you.” Alex shakes his head. “You didn’t kill him.” He stares down at my hands. I should tell him about the dream I had, about Sam falling, but I can’t bring myself to do it. Instead, we sit there in silence. I remove my hands from his book and he gets back to pretending to read.

  “I love you, Alex.” I lean down and hug him tight but do it quickly. I release him and head straight for the door. I push it open.

  “I love you too, sis.” His words stop me for a moment. A faint smile crosses my cheeks.

  Alex and I didn’t talk much, but I feel better seeing him, knowing he is physically okay. Mentally, he’s about as good as I am. I walk down the stairs, slower than usual. Laughter from the dining area fills the halls and the stairwell. I hate the sound of it. It makes me angry listening to others being so happy while my brother is dead. Gone too early. A strong, brave man is gone. Before I lose control, I tighten my fists and pick up my pace to get down the stairs and past the dining hall, hoping no one notices me.

  I find myself in front of the tattoo room and head in. The guy who did my tattoo spots me and waves me over. “I have a free spot. What do you want?” He slips on a pair of white latex gloves.

  “The headquarter symbol here.” I point to my right shoulder blade. “The initials S.G. in the middle feather of my dreamcatcher.” He nods and pats the chair for me to sit down. I remove my t-shirt and slide the strap of my tank top off my shoulder. He begins and I feel the outline of the sun being formed. It doesn’t hurt much worse than my first tattoo, but it could be because I’ve numbed myself from pain. I lean forward, my elbows on my knees with my head resting on my hand.

  I should’ve told Tyler what I was doing. He may get worried. I’ve been gone longer than I thought I would be. I missed dinner, but I wouldn’t have been very talkative, anyway. The bell on the door rings, I don’t look up. I keep my stare at my feet. I feel someone standing over me. Whoever it is can’t be too threatening. The tattoo artist at his work.

  “Izzy.” Kyle touches my free shoulder with his hand.

  “Yes.”

  “Are you going to look at me?”

  “No.”

  “I want to apologize.” He sounds upset, but I don’t want to see him. “I’m sorry for what I said today. I should’ve let you deal with this before throwing more on you.”

  “It doesn’t matter. It still would’ve hurt either way.” I shut my eyes tightly. Kyle kneels down in front of me. The clicking of the needle still rings in my ears. He places a hand on my knee.

  “Kris, look at me, please.” I move my eyes to his. I don’t want to look at him, but I can’t stay mad at him forever. A tear escapes my eye. I blink twice to keep more from following. He brushes it away with his thumb. “You’ll be okay.”

  I nod.

  “Done with the first one.” the tattoo artist interrupts, Kyle stands and smiles at me before he leaves the room. It only takes a minute for the artist to do the initials on my arm. I stare down at my brothers’ initials, forever printed on my arm. It brings me comfort. It warms my heart. I will carry Sam with me forever and nobody can change that. Not even Angela.

  ◆◆◆

  I still feel the sting of the needle after I get back to Tyler’s room. He isn’t there, he must be with the guys. Or he could be training, I guess. It’s hard to say. I look at my tattoos in the mirror. My skin is still red from the irritating needle. Angela may have taken my brother from this world, but he will continue to be with me. I smile. “I love you, Sam.” I whisper.

  I sit on the bed and wait for Tyler to come back. I look up at the stars on the ceiling and try to remember what the real ones look like. I picture tonight’s sunset as if I could see it setting over the trees at home. The sound of the creek running in the woods, the sound of crickets chirping. I close my eyes and I feel like I’m there again.

  I’m tired from all the emotions of the day. I lay down on the bed and know I’ll fall asleep. I feel myself drifting and give in. My dreams quickly find me. I see Sam in the woods, playing paintball with me. Wrestling in the front yard with me. He’s smiling and laughing as he picks on me. I’m not completely asleep and I know I’ve been crying. My cheeks are wet. The door opens and I hear footsteps near.

  A rough, calloused hand dries my cheeks. I know his hands. Tyler lays next to me. He puts his arm around me and brings me closer. He doesn’t pressure me to talk, instead, he just holds me. “I got you. It’s okay.” Tyler puts his hand on mine. I pull it up to my lips and kiss his fingers softly, then place his hand over my heart. I half hug, half hold on to him. I know he isn’t going anywhere, but it makes me feel better. Tyler moves my hand over his heart.

  It is our way of connecting. I’ve never been able to understand how we can do it, but I don’t have to know. I close my eyes and let Tyler’s memories melt my worries away. The way he looks at me with such amazement and love warms my mind. I stay in the place Tyler has created in memory. The clear, blue sky above us, the green, plush grass under our feet, the birds chirping in the trees. It is all exactly as I remember it from home. I want this to last, but like anything else, I know it won’t. I slide my hand away from his heart and sigh. Tyler rubs my arm. My mind is settled, at least for now.

  Chapter 22

  I dream of Louisa. We are sitting on the porch of the cabin at home. She speaks, her voice calm and sweet. “Kristina, my dear girl, you’ve endured a significant loss. As your grandmother, I wish I could help heal your broken heart, but as your teacher and a Gypsy Queen, I need you to listen to what I have to say.” She places her hand on mine. “You must turn the darkness into light, pain into hope, and weakness to strength.”

  Louisa stands and leads me to the creek. We stand on the bank, she extends her arms palm side down. The once flowing waters still. I see myself from childhood, the same as in my previous dreams, gathering stones and flowers. “You possessed the gift, even then. Your mother refused to give in and teach you the way.” My mother now stands over me, rolling the stone she always kept in her hands. “Because of her unwillingness, you are now very confused.” Louisa waves her hands over the water in a circular motion. The image is erased, and another appears.

  Tyler and I are under the willow tree. “Fate has brought you together for a greater purpose than just love. You must embrace what is and let go of what was.” Louisa places her hand on my shoulder. “Don’t ignore your dreams, for they tell of the future. You have a magnificent gift, one that was passed on through me to your mom and then on to you. Use your power for good.”
I smile at her. I don’t know what to do or say. Why was I chosen for this journey?

  ◆◆◆

  I awake to find Tyler dreaming again. “Kris! Kris! Where are you?” Sweat drips from him; his chest heaves as he searches frantically for me. I start to wake him but decide to try something else. We’ve never tried this with the other unconscious. I don’t know if it will work. I place his hand over my heart and place my hand over his. I close my eyes and breathe calmly. I enter in and see it being played out before me. Tyler is running through broken and destroyed buildings, debris from the fire raging around him. My skin stings from the intense heat. I have to remind myself it is a dream. “Kris!” he yells. His body shakes and I can see the anxious and frantic state his mind is in. I try to call out to him, but my voice is silent. I can’t reach him that way.

  A big flash of blue-green light comes from behind us. I shield my eyes and try to figure out what it is. When the light reaches us, it throws us backwards into the debris field. A loud BOOM sounds and shakes the earth beneath us. Then there is nothing.

  Tyler wakes alarmed and jumps up from bed in a fighting stance. I stare at him as he takes in the room, noticing there isn’t a threat. He turns and faces me. “What’s wrong?” His muscles relax, his arms fall to his side. I think about talking to him about the dream but, he doesn’t know I was there. He doesn’t know what I saw. I decide to keep it to myself for now, but to share with him what I have learned about Louisa.

  I crawl over to the side of the bed and extend my hand to his chest. He places his hand on mine. I don’t know if I can do this; I’ve never tried. He’s usually the one showing me.

  “I want to try something.” Tyler nods and closes his eyes. I shut mine. There is only darkness. I concentrate harder. I want to communicate with him in a way Angela won’t know. I know she’s listening. I feel myself getting frustrated.

  “Breathe, Kris. Calm your mind. You can do this.” I listen to Tyler’s words and take a deep breath in. With the exhale, I push my frustration away. A small light appears, growing bigger by the second. I show him the last part of Louisa’s conversation with me. “A gift passed on through me to your mom, then to you.” I cut the image off after that, releasing my hand from Tyler’s chest. He looks wide-eyed at me. I know he understands, just as I do. My mother is a Gypsy Queen and me, a Gypsy Princess.

  My parents know my secret, but it’s not only mine, but it’s also theirs. Janet knows because she’s my mother’s best friend. I have powers. I just don’t know how to use them. I want to pry more into Tyler’s mind. Ask him what he thinks. I can’t. Not here. Tyler kisses my neck and the top of my shoulder. I believe him to be stalling so Angela won’t be suspicious. I allow myself to feel his warm touch. I don’t pull away. Instead, I pull him closer to me.

  I haven’t let him touch me, like this, in days. Now I don’t want him to stop. I block out my mind and just breathe in his smell. He smells of the woods back home and wind. I wrap my arms around his neck, his around my waist. He leans forward, pushing me onto my back. My hands slide down over his chest. I stop there, remembering the pain he suffered because of me. He places his hand on mine, moving it over his heart. I open my eyes to see his worried eyes staring back at me. “We need to get this figured out. If we don’t, it’ll continue to be a problem.” We sit up, facing each other, our legs crossed in front of us. Tyler guides my fingers down over the first scar, the one just below his heart. I feel the jagged, healed skin. I tuck my knees up to my chest and place my forehead against them. I don’t want to do this. “Kris. I’m not hurt. Look at me.” I refuse. Tyler uses his free hand and touches my arm that’s wrapped around my legs. “You’re not hurting me.” He moves my fingertips over the next scar. I know he won’t let it go until I look at him. I force myself to look into his eyes.

  “It hurts me,” I mutter.

  “I want it to stop hurting you. Until you can touch my scars without feeling like it’s your fault, we won’t be able to move past this. It has bothered you long enough.” Tyler wipes the tears off my checks. He guides my fingers over to the next scar and slips his hand away from mine. My hand is frozen in the air. “On your own.” He insists. I keep my eyes on his and slide my fingers over it. He grins at my minor accomplishment and nods, encouraging me to go on. I trace over every scar. It gets easier. I look at his beautiful body now. His well-defined chest and ab muscles beckon me to come closer. My fingers not only trace over his scars but find themselves wandering over his outlined muscles.

  A loud, blaring horn echoes in the hall and fills the room. I cover my ears. Every time I get close to actually connecting with Tyler, something seems to happen. Tyler pulls on a shirt, jumps up from bed, and slips on his boots. He brings mine to me. I slip them on and return my hands to my ears. He holds onto my arm and pulls me through the crowd down to the gym. We enter and the room is filled with other members. Angela and her deputies stand in front. This is odd. The deafening horn ends as abruptly as it started. I put my arms by my side; Tyler takes hold of my hand.

  “We woke you all to inform you of the beginning of the invasion.” Gasps fill the room. My stomach feels uneasy. “The secret agency has injected society with a toxin that will induce violence. Above all else, the toxin will freeze the subjects’ brains, making them susceptible to mind control. Instead, they will be a zombie-like creature who will have no mercy for anyone.” My eyes shift from Angela to her guards. They don’t blink, nor do they move unless Angela commands. “We must plan our attack. Be ready within the next four days.”

  “Kris,” Tyler whispers. I realize my grasp on his hand is tight. I soften it. Angela is staring at me. I choose to hold her gaze. She’s not going to back me down. I’m not scared of her.

  “Your job is to prepare. Make sure you are ready.” She waves her hand to her deputies, “You’re dismissed.”

  Tyler leads me over to the Martial Arts area. Training is in full swing. Some of the other members stay behind to train. Other’s go back to their rooms. I focus only on Tyler and ignore what everyone else is doing. The time has come for me to be the warrior they have defined me as.

  “Use your elbows and knees when possible. They are your strongest points of impact. Since you’re small, you’ll have to allow your opponent to get close to you. Guys will underestimate you because of your size and they will grab for your arms first. Look for their weakness,” Tyler tightly wraps his hand around my wrist. “Right here,” he points to the area where his fingertips and thumb meet. “This is the point of weakness. Pull your arm straight down out of that point.”

  I do, and I’m freed from his grasp. “That’s amazing!”

  “Always look for that point and you will getaway. However, if it doesn’t work that way, put your free hand on top of the other hand and pull away through the weak point. You may have to use that method on men, only because their grip is stronger.”

  I smile. “What else?”

  “If someone grabs you from behind like this,” he wraps his arm around my neck in a fake chokehold, “stomp on your opponent’s foot and elbow them in the stomach, followed by a strike to the groin. Male or female, they will release you.” Tyler remains with his arm around my neck. “Try it, Kris.”

  “What?”

  “Don’t do the groin thing hard. I would like to have kids one day,” Tyler says.

  As instructed, I stomp on his foot, elbow him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him and strike him semi-gently in the groin with a closed fist. He’s right, they’ll let go. I laugh a little, seeing him roll around on the ground holding himself. “Sorry, I tried to be gentle.”

  Tyler gives me a thumbs up.

  Neiamiah enters the arena, laughing at Tyler. “What’s the matter Tyler, can’t take a little hit.”

  Tyler gives him the finger.

  “Want me to tag in?” Neiamiah asks.

  Tyler nods.

  “Okay, since Tyler seems to be defenseless. Another good pointer is if your attacker comes at you and pushe
s you up against a wall, with their hand around your throat like this.” Neiamiah puts my back against the wall and with his hand around my neck. Not tight, just for show. “Tuck your chin. Lift your shoulders up to help relieve pressure on your windpipe. Step to the side, turning your body away from me. Now, I’m going to let you get out of this easy, but your next opponent might not be so generous. If you are ever unsure of how to get away, remember to apply force to your opponent’s nose, groin, feet, or windpipe. If you hit them in those areas, they will let you go.”