I rush to her. Not wanting to scare her, I grab her hand, knowing she can tell the difference in my touch from her family’s. She squeezes my hand, and I pull her toward the wall.
I wish I could talk to Taylor in my head, but I haven’t made it official that I would be a part of their family. I don’t want to if it means living with this dad of theirs who’s hell-bent on killing us.
If I make it to Nathan and he is not. . . I wipe away the thought but settle on Nathan Sr. being the one who won’t make it out of here tonight. No longer will he torture our family. No longer will any of us fear him.
My legs tremble as the desperation fills me. As softly as I can, I whisper, “What now?” near Taylor’s ear.
She puts up one finger, moving it in a follow me motion. I do, following her toward Rose. In her human figure, Rose is going back and forth with their dad about the failure of a foolproof plan, and how they can’t allow me to get to Nathan. How, if they knew more about me, they would’ve been more prepared. I understand why Nathan was so secretive now.
Before we get too close, Taylor says, “You’ll use her as a step to get to my brother. Move around him so you’re facing him, wrap yourself around him, and hang there with him until his heart beats,” she begs desperately. “Just hold him. Everything will be okay. You can do this. Please, do this?”
“What about Justin?”
“I’ll worry about him.”
“Dad, they’re over here! I hear them!” Rose shouts.
Their dad carefully makes his way in our direction with small steps as he holds his hands out in front of him.
“Now, Tracey!” Taylor shouts.
With help from Taylor, I jump onto Rose’s shoulders, and the push Rose gives to get me off her is just enough for me to reach Nathan.
I grab hold, wrapping around his stiffened body. He’s cold as ice. I try not to think the worst and, instead, focus on getting myself turned around without falling.
Taylor and her family tussle below me. She needs help. Mr. Newcomb has Taylor by the neck, as Rose jabs her anywhere her fists will land.
“Tra-cey!” she gurgles.
Justin jerks next to me and something bubbles on him. At least this means he is still alive, I hope.
My hands heat, and I tell my snake of fire to help Taylor. It comes from its hiding spot, quickly snaking around Rose and sending her stumbling back.
With Rose’s retreat, Taylor loses it, glows full red, and kicks their dad backward. He flies into the wall behind them, but he’s back on his feet in no time.
“Tracey! Help Nathan. Now!” Taylor yells, looking around the room, not knowing which direction one of them will come. I can see them, but I can’t do gymnastics with Nathan and look out for her at the same time. “Tracey, get Nathan!” she yells again.
Okay.
I need to get my body in the same position as his. I climb up to the chains, using Nathan’s legs. I wrap my arms and legs around the cold, wet metal. With my legs gripping the chains tighter, I lean forward, grabbing hold of Nathan’s legs, and I cautiously walk my body down his. His pants are wet, making it hard to grip him. Once my legs reach his, I tightly wrap them around him, continuing to lower myself carefully. I make it to his waist, then his stomach. His body is freezing to the touch and slimy. Even with him ice cold; he’s infused with a fiery red, as if he’s full of heat.
I take a moment, praying he’s okay and not dead. I can’t go too far up his body because once my legs make it to his wet stomach, I’ll slide off. I can reach his shoulders, but I can’t make it to his face.
He has no breath, no heartbeat.
Tears burn my eyes as I hug his middle, wishing something would happen.
Nathan, please, I beg. Come back. My breaths catch, causing a sob to escape against my will.
I kiss over his chest as far as my neck will stretch. I touch every part of him I can, hoping to bring a beat to his heart, bring breath to his lungs.
But nothing. Nothing happens. Nothing changes. He just hangs stiff, no movement, no warmth.
I scream out from the pain and irritation. I hold him tighter, burying my face in his moistened chest. “Come on, Nathan,” I mutter. “Please.”
Nathan’s dad is going to pay for this!
I hang here, holding onto my mate a while longer. The want for vengeance fills me as I hold on to his corpse. Animosity musters within me and a rambunctious desire to kill roars to life.
My body shakes with rushing adrenaline.
Preparing to slide off, I let myself down. Lowering, I grip around Nathan’s stomach with all the leg strength I have. I pull his limp, stiff arms around me and kiss his sticky, cold lips for the last time. “Bye, Nathan,” I whisper against his stiff mouth.
I swing my body around and drop to the floor. Landing on my hands and feet, a shock from the fall jolts up my legs and fuels my anger.
My hands burn with a raging warp of fire and seeming to know what to do with it, they rise. Two blazing orbs bolt to the chains holding up their bodies. Commotion ceases as the chains melt and the men drop. I avert my gaze as they hit the ground.
The snake of fire comes to my side. I desire the lights on, and it darts away. Bright white lights cut through the darkness.
Taylor’s pinned against a wall by a desk I never heard move. Nathan Sr. is smiling, and Rose is standing in front of the desk with her arms crossed, staring at me.
The father will be the first to go.
I muster up a look of revulsion, and an edge of threat sticks in my deathly tone. “You have no idea what you’ve done, Dad.” His proud smile fades. “You’ve fucked with the wrong woman’s mate!” I sprint toward him, making it quicker than I expect. My hands heat as I jump and take him by the neck.
He cringes under the heat of my grip and burning flesh taints the air.
Rose’s petite hands grab me around my waist, snatching me away from her father, and she throws me across the room. I hit the floor, landing next to Nathan’s stiff body.
Refusing to look at him, I jump to my feet and charge at Rose. She’s the least of my concern, but I need to get her out of the way. With her dad standing here, smiling as if he’s watching his first fireworks on New Year’s Eve, I’m dying to wipe the smirk off his face.
I flip Rose behind me and sic the snake of fire on her. It catches her around the neck and invites itself into her mouth, slithering down her throat. Seeing Rose scratch and claw at her body, I turn away from her.
I’ve never had to kill someone, and I never thought I would. A life isn’t ours to take, and I know it’s wrong. But staring at Mr. Newcomb as the need to kill revels within me . . . it’s not wrong. Life gave me someone who, in just a short time, made me feel infinite. Someone I fell in love with and brought home. And in a shorter time, he snatched that love away from me before we felt infinity. So if only for right now . . . to kill . . . I’m making it right.
“Very nice, Tracey,” Nathan Sr. deceitfully praises with a magnanimous applause. “I’ve seen nothing like it.” He exhales a soft chuckle, then adds, “But there is no defeating me.”
“I will destroy you. Tonight!” I promise.
He laughs a manly snicker. “There’s no way, Tracey. I am Burdened and Hybrid. There is no defeat.”
Impossible! Why would he want his Burdened children dead? He’s supposed to be only Full-Blooded Sephlem.
I hold a blank face, saying, “I don’t care if you were the devil himself. I’ll live defeating you or I’ll die defeating you. But you will fall.”
He leers at me, expression morphing into a nefarious scowl. “Just take note. I’ve tried and, it looks like, succeeded in killing my own children. Do not think I will take it easy on you.”
I straighten my spine and square my shoulders, preparing my threat. “There’s a difference between me and your children.”
His thick eyebrows rise to his hairline. “And what’s that?”
“They loved you. I don’t.” I shoot forward. Instead of grabbin
g him, I slide between his legs. Twisting around, I rise on one knee and desire a warp of fire to come from my hand. It blasts against his back. But to my dismay, it does not affect his body. It only burns his shirt away.
He turns around, laughing at me, angering me more. “Aww, Tracey. Nice efforts,” he taunts.
I hesitate. He snatches me up by my neck, grip tightening as he lifts me in the air. My feet dangle as I gasp for the oxygen being denied. The room darkens, and another film covers my eyes.
Nathan Sr.’s eyes widen, and his grip loosens enough for me to kick him and get loose. My hard kick sends him to the floor, and he drops me. I buckle over, panting, hands clutched around my sore throat.
Instantly on his feet, I’m left with no time to recuperate.
I climb to my feet and prepare myself for another attack. I don’t know how I will defeat him, but it will happen.
“Dad!” Rose screams. Her lean body is lit up, like the glow on the inside of a candle. Every inch of her brightens. Her eyes turn cold with worry and fear, and within the next second, she explodes. Her black blood and body chunks spurt everywhere, and her remains rest in a pile where she stood.
The snake of fire forms on the floor and slithers over to me.
Whoa. I smile at it as it reenters my palm. Very good, I mentally praise it.
Nathan Sr. becomes even more enraged. “Don’t be upset, Daddy. I wanted you to go first. Too bad!” I scoff, popping up a taunting brow.
He growls and everything in the room flies at me. I dodge what I can, running at him.
He throws a blow into my stomach. I buckle over, sliding back on my feet. A metal chain hits me in the back of the head, dazing me. My sight fills with flashing spots and hazes. Another chain smacks me on my back, dropping me to my knees.
Nathan Sr. snatches me by the back of my neck and drags me across the floor to where Nathan lays.
I look away.
“Tracey, look at your lifeless mate. Look at him, Tracey! Look at my achievement. I have been trying to kill him for fifty-three years. His sister, Taylor, for longer.” His grip tightens, nails digging into the sides of my neck. “I had to wait for him to fall in love with some human girl in order for him to become vulnerable, to start letting his guard down, to not think so much.” He fists my hair, yanking my head back. “Look at him!” He laughs. “Thank you, Tracey, for choosing my son. You truly don’t know how much it means to me.” His amusement and sarcasm bleed from his voice and drip into my ears like acid.
I finally look at Nathan, realizing how close I am to him. I reach for him, but I’m yanked away.
My eyes stay fixed on him as I’m pulled further, with my heart staying there.
I grab Nathan Sr.’s hand holding me. Burning flesh fills my nose, and I’m released. I race back to Nathan as tears fill my eyes, blurring my vision. I place a kiss on his swollen forehead.
In my last goodbye, I vow to him, “I’ll die killing your father because I can’t live without you. If I don’t see you in heaven, I’ll know where to find you, and I’ll wait for you there.” I touch my hand to his slashed cheek and kiss his swollen lips. “I love you. See you later.”
I lay my forehead against him as tears flow from my eyes onto his beaten face. I place my hand on his motionless chest, wanting there to be a beat, putting all the will I have into this touch.
Turning around at his father’s lagged approach, I can’t help but wonder, either he doesn’t have the ability of speed, or he knows I can’t win. As I gather myself, I let the snake of fire leave me, to help me fight. Nathan Sr. acknowledges it. I’m glad I have a weapon.
I jump to my feet, and he delivers a rib-crushing kick, sending me sliding on my back into Rose’s juices. Sticky black fluid smears all over me, dripping from my hair and face. A few of my ribs are definitely broken, but I stand against the pain. Nothing is left in me but to fight, and I’m ready to blow this guy’s fucking head off.
I race to him, jump on him, and deliver face-burning punches. I don’t stop. I can’t stop.
But, after the seventh punch, I realize they’re doing nothing. He grabs me by my middle, squeezing my cracked ribs, and slams me against the ground with all his might.
My shoulder blade shatters under the pressure, and it’s hard to breathe. It’s difficult to stay conscious.
I can’t move.
My snake of fire creeps up behind him, striking. Nathan Sr. catches it, blowing an ice-like breeze, minimizing any effect my new friend had. My fire snake turns into a thick icicle and hits the ground, shattering into tiny pieces.
Nathan Sr.’s shoes clack as he crosses the concrete ground. “Tracey, Tracey, Tracey,” he sings darkly. “I told you. You―” He grabs his neck, and then his chest caves in. My eyes widen at the sound of his bones cracking.
From my paralyzed state, I lay watching him drop to his knees. They crack under his fall is as if he were smashed against the concrete instead of collapsing. All the sounds are sickening, yet, it’s satisfying to see him crumple.
“I told you. . .” I close my eyes to Nathan’s voice. “If you even try to kill her, there will be no words.”
Nathan Sr. stumbles and stammers over his words, going back and forth between a “broken son” and a “true, Nathan”, as he gasps for air.
Heavy footsteps approach me. I don’t need to see him for confirmation. It’s his voice. His sound. His presence takes over, filling me with hope. He’s alive!
Nathan’s dad is wide-eyed and barely breathing.
I’m touched; hands placing against my shoulders, sucking up the soreness. Nathan sits me up but doesn’t turn me to face him.
“Go pull that desk from Taylor so she can save Justin. He’s better off than I was.”
I do as he asks, choosing the route that passes his father.
“Tracey, I―” There are no words. I punch him as hard as I can, sending his head whipping left. He turns his head back before I can walk away.
Behind me, there’re low gasps, flesh hitting flesh, shattering bones, all followed by a final breath.
I pull the desk from Taylor. She collapses to the ground, and I catch her, propping her up on my leg. “Taylor, get up.” I shake her shoulders and pat her cheek. “Come on, Taylor.”
Her eyes flutter.
“We did it,” I tell her.
She blinks then darts across the area to Justin, passing a pile of ash resting where Nathan Sr. once kneeled.
Taylor hovers over her mate, breathing from her mouth over Justin’s face. A frost-like fog passes her lips and washes over him, healing him as he inhales. After minutes of this, he opens his eyes and is healed back to his good-looking self.
My shoulders slack, and I sigh. “Thank you,” I whisper to myself.
Warm arms wrap around my waist, and I melt into them. “How about you heal me back to my good-looking self?” I turn around, but Nathan stops me. “Don’t. Just put your hand over my face.” I do as he asks. His face morphs under my hands as he says, “Thank you. You can get to the rest of me later.”
I twist around. He’s covered in the black blood-like fluid and looks to be in the worst pain. But, he’s alive. “You came back!” Racing butterflies live again; my heart’s losing control with a blustering excitement.
He grabs me in his arms, lifting me to him.
I soak him up like a dry sponge in water as he presses his head against my neck, and I rest my chin on his head.
“Tracey, thank you.”
“I got you, Nathan.” He hugs me tighter. “I would also like to be a part of your family.” He lowers me a little and meets my gaze. “I’m sorry about your sister.” He looks at Taylor. I shake my head and look toward the puddle of black fluid and chunks of body on the ground.
His thick brows knit. “You did that?”
I swallow hard. Looking away from him, I awkwardly admit, “You can say that.”
He half-nods.
Pounding, rushing footsteps echo from the halls, coming in our direction.
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“Are we going to fight some more?” I ask.
“No, but we will have to comfort, and hear a lot of crying.” He lets me down as Taylor and Justin come over to us. She hugs her brother long and hard. “Thank you,” he says to her.
“As usual. You save me, I save you,” she quips, lightly punching his damp chest. “Later, you tell your side, and I’ll tell you mine. Then you tell me about you and Tracey being bound, and why in the hell she has night-vision, fire snakes, and match hands.”
Nathan looks down at me with high brows and questioning eyes.
I give him a smug smile. “We have a lot to talk about.”
“Right. How about we talk with our mates first, then we’ll talk as a group,” he tells Taylor.
She nods as people pour into the room, taking in the tragic scene.
I know because two are dead, that means three are, and Nathan’s mother has to be in distress now that her husband is gone. A heavyweight falls on my shoulders knowing what we’ve troubled her with, although no regret builds in me. What’s done is done.
revolution
Nathan’s family floods in, Roseland first, with his wife, Little Nathan, and then their mother. Depression wipes over me seeing her distressed face. Her knowing what happened before any of us can tell the story. The cousins follow, and they all take in the scene: the black liquid staining the concrete ground, the broken, glistening chains hanging from the ceiling, swinging in the windless air, and the pools of mixed-colored liquid below where Nathan and Justin had hung.
Roseland starts forward, and the others follow. They stop three feet away from us when Roseland notices the pile of ash, five feet from where we stand.
He looks at Nathan, and Nathan squares his shoulders, ready to take on the attack. I assume there might be one.
Nathan’s mother pushes through the crowd, stepping before Roseland. She drops to her knees and wails. It’s so loud. Her echoes echo. No one moves and only I watch her shove her hands into Nathan Sr.’s remains.
Plight: A Dark Paranormal Romance (The Sephlem Trials Book 1) Page 30
