The Separation Trilogy Box Set: Books 1 -3

by Felisha Antonette

  I divert my path, seeing him through the reflection of the big windows heading the opposite direction, behind me.

  Luke pulls the door of the rec hall open for me. “Hey, where you headed off to?” he asks, breathless.

  “To meet Marc. You’re doing better? Get that rage under control?”

  “I’m fine. I think he went that way.” He points to his right. “What’s going on with you two?”

  “Um, nothing.” I pivot, and he blocks my path, preventing me from going onward.

  “There are limitations to enjoy it while you can, Ky.”

  “Oh, come on, Luke,” I sigh. “Excuse me so I can pass.” He moves.

  “Marc’s cool, Ky, I’m not being serious. Just remember the real reason why we’re here.”

  I punch his shoulder before jogging off down the dirt road to my right.

  “You looking for me?”

  He comes up behind me. His hair flows behind him as he’s running at my side. Scars are on the left side of his neck, matching the ones I saw on his back. I slow to a stop, and Marc follows, eyes gazing into mine. He’s a specimen I’d like to study, dissect his brain, learn his body, and find out what it is about him that makes me want to reveal my true colors.

  “Maybe. Didn’t you want me to be?”

  He nods to our left, out of the line of sight of passersby. “I wanted to talk to you about earlier.”

  Shoving my hands into my pockets as I look away from him, I mumble, “We don’t have to.”

  “Just a couple of things I wanted to address and maybe excuse myself for,” he continues.

  Excuse himself? I was the one who was far too forward. “I should be excusing myself.”

  Marc shakes his head as though to dismiss my response. “What happened, that was too much. Too far. You seemed… uncomfortable when you left and with how you left.”

  “I wasn’t uncomfortable. I mean, I was uncomfortable but,” I look away from him, “not because of you. I mean,” I sigh, “it was because of you but not by you, but what you do to me.” I throw my head back, grumbling. I peer up at the sky, irritated I can’t get my words right. The sun’s sinking beyond the earth, turning the bright blue sky to black. “Hold on. That didn’t come out right.”

  “Or, maybe it did, and you don’t want me to know it.”

  I rub my hands over my hair and smooth my ponytail. “Okay,” I say, coming to terms with my feelings and pushing down the nerves that only seem to be present around him. “I possess a deep interest for you and didn’t know where that moment would take me. I didn’t know there was a line, and I crossed it.” I hold my breath before revealing, “But I liked it and maybe you did too.” I pause to ask, “D-did you? Like it?” The nervous question stutters past my lips.

  The corners of his mouth twitch. He’s looking past my shoulder, seeming otherwise occupied. “Yeah,” he says evenly. “Maybe a little too much.”

  I nod, taking my lips between my teeth to hide the smile. My cheeks are burning, and I couldn’t be happier it’s getting dark. “Too much,” I agree.

  “Excuse me for that.”

  “I started it. I shouldn’t have walked into your room.”

  “Probably not,” he agrees, and that sting of rejection sinks into me again. “But I wasn’t disappointed you did.”

  The rising rejection is quickly replaced by nervous jitters. I wish I could get it together. I bite my lip back, trying to replace my nerves with pain to calm them.

  “Don’t do that,” he says, a rasp heavy in his words.

  “What?”

  “Bite your lip.” His thumb slips from my bottom lip and grabs my chin.

  “You are different, Marcain.”

  His hooded eyebrows rise as he asks, “How?” His hand falls.

  “There is nothing with others. I want nothing with others.”

  “But with me…there’s more than everything.”

  “Somehow…” I say, nodding.

  I chuckle, but only for a split second before his hard exterior is realigned. With a somber expression and sturdy stance, he says, “Not too many girls ask a guy to kiss them in the middle of a Zombie attack.”

  “Not too many boys can kill a Zombie with a direct head shot while still kissing a girl,” I counter.

  He shrugs. “I’m the best at what I do.”

  “How often do you do what you do?” He knew a lot about what we were doing.

  “Not that often, not here. Before you,” he answers, turning to walk. “So, what is it?”

  I quickly catch up with him. “What?”

  He shrugs. “Is this all accidental, or were you just curious, or are you going beyond your intentions for me, or what?”

  “That’s a loaded question.” I am curious, none of it was accidental at all, and I wanted it all, every second. But going beyond my intentions? I’m still working on figuring out what my new purpose is. Everything has changed for us. Here, we are meant to train and fight in Separation, but still have our first priority be our twin—as if we were still dedicated to the Vojin’s plan. My real purpose is Luke. “Nothing and no one will come before my brother,” I tell Marc.

  “Mine either.” Marc slips me a curious glance from the corner of his eye.

  I check my hair is in place and lick my lips. “What?”

  “Will you tell me about the feelings you have?”

  I flick my gaze away from him and quickly correct, “Not feelings. Just an interest in you and I’d like to know why I wanted to kiss you.” Creations should lack emotions and feelings, especially the ones that make us weak: fear, regret, affection, I receipt. They’re supposed to be dormant. Is there something wrong with me? Could the residue of my implant be revealing itself by these sudden emotions emerging? Or is this normal?

  Marc scoffs and draws his arms behind his back. “If you say so, Ky.” He nudges my arm. “Your brother would probably try to kill me if he knew about us.”

  “Luke knows this, and you have his approval, which blows my mind because my brother likes no one.”

  “Marc,” Sean calls from the opening to a path we’re passing by the rows of houses.

  I take a step away from Marc, throwing off our intimate stroll. Marc pulls me back to him, wrapping his arm around my back. “What are you doing?” I ask before Sean makes it to us.

  “You’re ashamed?” His arm falls as he takes a single step away from me. “You were cool when we were in Chicago, and it’s only my brother.”

  “No, no.” I grab his arm and wrap it back around my waist. “I’m cool now, I didn’t want things to seem weird.”

  “You are making things weird.”

  With my hands behind my back, I step in front of him. And where we stand, I lean over and offer a little kiss.

  His eyes widen a bit, and a small smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. He grabs my arms and lifts me higher, kissing me before biting my bottom lip. “You made that look like it tasted good,” he says. I lean back, smiling. “But don’t do anything you think I’ll want you to do. If it’s something you don’t want, you can tell me, and I’m okay with that,” he says near my ear.

  “What’s going on here?” Sean asks.

  “Nothing. Kissing Ky.”

  My cheeks flush.

  “I see that.” Sean crosses his arms and glares at Marc. “What happened to you not breaking the rules?”

  “She might be worth breaking them for.”

  Those nerves again, they jitter faster through me, and I begin to feel uncomfortable. “I’ll let you and Sean talk,” I say. “I’ll see you later.”

  “Everyone’s staying up in the rec hall tonight. A little teen loudness if you know what I mean,” Sean remarks with a devilish grin.

  I pop up my eyebrows then run off.

  “Where are you going so fast, Kylie?” Jord’s exiting his office, a small shack-like structure on the other side of the rec hall, far from the houses.

  I slide to a stop, and joke, “I’m scared of the dark, sir. Trying t
o make it to the rec hall before it gets me.”

  He laughs. “I thought you didn’t know fear.”

  “I don’t. I was joking, sir,” I say, smiling.

  “I heard your group did well today.”

  I sober. “Yes, sir. That was good news.”

  Jord crosses his arms. His smooth, chocolate skin causes the purple of his eyes to explode with color. “Would you like to know their time?”

  “Of course, sir,” I answer too quickly.

  “Less than five minutes. Would you like to know their stand-in leader?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “No one.”

  My jaw nearly hits the ground. “Really?”

  “That is accurate.” He nods for me to walk with him. “That is a splendid improvement. Whatever you said to them prior to your departure made a change. You should express that you are proud of them but make it clear they need to keep it up.” He opens the door to the rec hall.

  “I will, sir. Thank you, sir.”

  I enter, searching for Luke, finding him sitting with Aden and Collins—sitting too close. Aden sits across from them on the other side of the table. Everyone relaxes, bulletproof vests, pistols and automatics forgotten, at least for now. I discard mine, laying them on the table, and squeeze between Luke and Collins.

  She grumbles irritably.

  “Is there a problem?” I ask her.

  “Yes,” she states, rolling her eyes. “You’re blocking.”

  I turn to Luke. “I don’t get it. Blocking what?”

  “Cock blocking,” he informs, not in the same low toned I asked. “She wants me,” he says, with everyone hearing.

  She reaches around me to punch him. I push her.

  Luke laughs. “It’s not like you’re subtle about it, Collins.” Everyone sitting around us laughs, and she punches Luke again before stomping away.

  “Cock blocking?” I question him. “Like cock? Cock, cock?” I ask, getting a laugh from everyone.

  Luke rolls his eyes. “Yes, Ky, like, she wants my cock, and you are blocking it from her.”

  That’s disgusting. I don’t want to think about Luke’s private areas. “Yuck.”

  “Why are you guys over here discussing genitals?” Sean asks, taking a seat across from us.

  Marc drops down next to me.

  “Doesn’t matter,” Gia says, sitting on Marc’s other side. “It’s not like anyone wants yours.” Gia, taller than me and a kick ass in archery, pushes her curly brown hair behind her ears and eyes Sean.

  “Is that right?” Sean responds.

  “Yeah, that’s right,” she returns with a smile.

  “That’s not what you say when you’re sitting on it,” Sean says with a quick tip of his head. “Or…” He makes a weird face, causing his right cheek to protrude out and back in with his tongue. Everyone laughs.

  I don’t get it, but it’s not good because Gia rams her fist in his chest. He buckles over, communicating his pain with a grunt.

  Luke whispers in my ear, explaining the action. My mouth falls open. I’d want to punch him too. That wasn’t nice of him to say. That’s equally, if not more disgusting than Collins wanting Luke.

  Others join us, including Cory and his sister. I avoid Cory’s never-swerving gawk at Marc’s arm wrapped around my waist. Luke noticed when it happened, but he said nothing. He either really likes Marc or really hates Cory. Either way, I’m happy he’s shut up for once and stopped being so damn overprotective.

  “I’m gonna put on the stereo,” Sean says. “Get some tunes blasting.” He jumps to his feet, grabbing Gia up with him. She shoves him away from her but continues at his side as they amble to the music.

  “You’re going to start trouble,” Luke says in my ear after the music is turned on.

  “In what way?” I ask.

  “Even though you cut Cory off, he’s going to get jealous about seeing you with Marc.”

  I frown. “But what if I like Marc and not Cory.”

  Luke laughs. “That’s too bad. This is why you shouldn’t go around kissing people.” He pokes me in the throat, and I smack his hand away.

  “Stop dweeb.”

  Collins comes back and squeezes between Marc and me. I glare at her. “Is there a problem?” she asks with an attitude poorly hidden by a smile and kind tone. Her hair color is beginning to fade, and her roots are far darker than her ends.

  A swell of anger burns my neck. “That’s childish.”

  She smiles mischievously. “I’ll trade seats with you.”

  Ooohh, she’s good.

  I stand to move around her, and my arm is pulled backward, making me stumble over Zeke. “Sorry,” I tell him, trying to turn around to see who’s pulling me. The tables are pushed so closely together, it makes it hard to maneuver between them.

  Zeke pushes me over. “Watch out, Ky, move your butt from my face.”

  “I said sorry.” Fully turned around, Cory tugs my arm toward him, requesting I join him sitting on top of the table. To prevent myself from falling forward, I place my knee on the bench of the table he’s sitting on top of. “Just let me go.” I try to pull my arms from him in a way no one will see my discomfort.

  Luke sits beside me in the tiny space and thumps Cory’s arm so hard he jerks away, resulting in his release of my arm. “Back off,” Luke warns quietly. “I told you that.”

  He pushes me between Marc and Collins and sits next to her.

  “I feel like a baby doll with everyone pulling me around,” I tell Marc.

  “It’s just that the right person isn’t pulling you,” he says, tugging me closer to him. I blush, stifling my giggle. He’s right.

  “Cool it,” Luke says around Collins. I stick my tongue out at him.

  Affection in couples is against the rules, and we are not allowed to be together. No one but me seems to think of it as a big deal. From the talk earlier, everyone’s accustomed to it. This entire time, I thought everyone felt the same way I did. There’s no breaking the rules; it’s against the laws to kiss or anything more. We are only here for one purpose, and it’s not boys, or girls, or engaging in relations. Especially with everything Luke used to say to me. Now to get here and find out he has been way more advanced than me. Everyone else is also doing more than kissing, and I thought that alone was too far. I hate being laughed at because I don’t get their banter, and I feel foolish finding out so late that all these actions are social norms for Creations too.

  Jumping on the bandwagon, I lean against Marc. Others sit with their partner of choice, doing the same. “Separation is next week. Anyone not ready?” Grant asks with May in his lap.

  Others who weren’t granted leadership, but hold a high enough ranking from their hometown sit among us too.

  “Not ready?” Floyd asks, staggered.

  Grant smiles. “Right, you know, we start training to go against whatever unknown out there they refuse to tell us about.”

  “No matter what’s out there,” Floyd begins. “There’s nothing I’m not ready for.”

  Feiney throws her fist into his stomach, and he falls off the table. “You weren’t ready for that, nerd,” she says, laughing.

  “Ha ha,” Floyd grumbles, picking himself off the floor. “I don’t find that funny.”

  Jord clears his throat, coming up behind us. We all straighten our spines, remaining seated but moving away from our buddies.

  “At ease,” he orders, approaching an open spot. “If I didn’t have the best and such focused captains and chiefs as yourselves, I would feel otherwise. However, because I do, it’s ignored.”

  Even with his blessing, we still don’t relax. It doesn’t feel right in front of him.

  “Training will be extensive and quite exhausting over the next couple of days. Make sure you and your units are ready. Don’t stay up too late.” He looks us over. “Luke and Marc, I’d like to speak with you.”

  They stand and follow him out of the rec hall. The rest of us chatter and speculate about why they we
re so special to be called out, and why they need to speak away from us. The conversation takes a turn when Collins asks, “What do you think is out there they aren’t telling us about yet?”

  Floyd responds, “Another alien invasion.”

  How ironic.

  Marshal sits. “It probably is. Anything else, we would know of it. It’s not an early war. That we could handle. People coming to attack our country, that’s nothing for us.”

  “Or what if it is people but more than in the past. They have been doing average training,” Collins says. “Nothing that’s teaching us anything different than before.”

  “Like Grant said though,” I cut in, “they haven’t started training us for that yet. They won’t start until Separation starts next week.”

  “Like I said,” Marshal cuts in. “It’s an alien invasion, and they’re going to teach us how to turn those aliens into green goo.”

  “What makes you think aliens turn into goo?” I ask, taking offense to his statement. We do not turn into goo. I’ve never seen it. Maybe there’s a little runoff. Bleeding out like humans before the being falls over and dies or bursts. But there’s no goo, I’m sure. That would be vile.

  “What else would they turn into after they explode?” he asks quizzically.

  I twist my lips as I think of a Creation way to answer his question. “I’m not sure, maybe they die like everyone else.”

  “Do you have a thing for aliens?” Collins teases.

  I eye her. “No.” But you do.

  Those of us who tended to Chicago stay quiet about what the threat actually is. I doubt they know aliens are behind said threat, but they do know there are Zombies, and we’re already prepared.

  “What if it’s something supernatural, like werewolves?” Gia asks excitedly, smiling brighter than the moonlight.

  “Werewolves don’t exist, you weirdo,” Zeke blurts, waving his hand as if to wipe her suggestion from the air.

  “But aliens do,” she states with a nod.

  “Duh. That’s been established for years. They live out there in space because they can’t take the oxygen on Earth,” Zeke convincingly explains as he moves from the bench to the tabletop. His hands move about as he points to the ceiling then to the floor.