Spurn

by Jaymin Eve

  “Josian!” I dodged around the two to bang on his door. “Dad, get up.”

  The door flew open, and he was framed in the massive doorway, wearing just a pair of long pants.

  “Baby girl?” He didn’t look as if he’d just woken.

  He was calm and alert. Almost seven foot of towering muscles and fiery red hair. Walkers were too much; I swear they were carved from stone or something.

  “Que is in my room. Brace was kind of holding him there. Why did no one feel him enter the house?” I was just shy of shrieking.

  He left me hanging, of course, disappearing from the door. He was back and dressed in about thirty seconds.

  “A question I’ll be asking, with persuasion. Stay here with your mother.” He took off then, followed by the other reds.

  I hesitated outside the door. I knew I should follow his advice. I’d be a distraction neither of them needed. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t stay here and not know what was happening to my father and Brace. I ran without pause through the hallways and down one set of stairs, jumping every second step.

  Reaching the children’s wing of the house, I dashed past Samuel, Lucy and Talina’s rooms. I finally slowed outside my own door. I couldn’t hear anything inside. I ordered my door to open slowly. My room was particularly connected to me, so I had no problem with control. I stepped through, my eyes darting everywhere. The room was empty.

  Brace ... where the hell are you?

  I tried to connect with his mind. It was difficult as panic started to consume me. I had a really bad feeling about Que, and his reasons for invading a house full of Walkers. I could hear a faint sound. It took me a moment to realize it was coming from outside. I flung open my balcony doors before moving into the shadow of my eaves, eyes straining to see.

  And my bad feeling was starting to make sense.

  It was the reds versus the blacks. Walkers were gathered in large masses in our front yard. Moonstale light flooded the early-morning darkness. Que had not arrived here alone. Behind him stood at least thirty Walkers, covered in the black marks of Abernath. Josian, with the reds at his back, stood his ground.

  “I only wanted the Doreen half, but since you have forced my hand like this, Bracelional, I want both halflings now. Send them to me, and I will not harm anyone.” Que’s voice rang out in the darkness.

  “It’s not going to happen,” Josian said, sounding calm.

  “Geez, is it non-stop drama in your house or what?” Lucy skidded to a stop beside me on the balcony. “Now we’re having a break-dance Walker-style.”

  I grimaced. “More like a gun-shoot-out-at-dawn style.”

  “If you can hear me, half-Walkers, come to my side now or I will remove from existence every person you love. And if you think I am not capable of killing Walkers, think again.”

  “So either he knows about the dead Walkers, and is claiming credit to scare people –” Lucy started.

  “Or he was the one who killed them.” I finished her sentence.

  She gripped my arm tightly. “Don’t even think about going to him, Abby. If he’s telling the truth then he’s going to kill them anyway; you know he can’t leave witnesses, especially not ones as powerful as other Walkers.”

  She knew me well and, while I saw the sense in her words, I wasn’t sure I could just stand here and do nothing.

  “If you take one step off that balcony, Red, I am going to kick your ass.” Brace, who was standing between the two groups, almost in the center of the battle, turned in my direction.

  We were about a hundred feet apart but I could see his expression clearly. And he was furious. His jaw was doing that tick-tick-tick thing that meant he was about to lose it.

  “Do not in any circumstances listen to him. He coined the original saying of a forked tongue. His lies are legendary.”

  “Yes, my son, I may bend the truth to fit my plans, but whilst my lies are legendary so are my promises. Any punishment I have promised is always meted out ... ten-fold.”

  “I remember, Que,” Brace said darkly.

  Could this be reference to all those ridges I often felt along Brace’s skin? What the hell could mark a Walker like that and not heal clean?

  All of a sudden I was furious. Que was going down. No one threatened my family and hurt my Brace.

  My balcony got a little more crowded then as Samuel stepped up to my other side, followed by Lallielle. Talina, who usually wouldn’t have bothered leaving her room, had also made her way to the other side of Lucy. I did take a moment to glance in confusion between Lucy and Samuel. They never stood apart from each other. What was happening here?

  “So I hear someone else wants a piece of rare half-Walker,” Talina said with a sliver of her gentle humor.

  I laughed, the words breaking some of the tension. “Yep, we’re a hot commodity in this battle-for-the-end-of-the-world.”

  “I’ll say it again.” Lucy linked her arms through ours. “Quite happy to be a little old Earthling.”

  I was about to reply when the Walkers moved, distracting me.

  “Issue an official challenge for Aribella, or leave now, Que. You have no power to demand anything.” Josian’s bored tone focused my attention again.

  “You Doreens are always in a rush. I was simply enjoying this little visit, but if you insist, I call for a team challenge. The winners will take control of both half-Walkers.”

  “Two First-World weeks from now, in a to-be-disclosed location.” Josian stepped forward to meet Que.

  They grasped hands in that unique Walker handshake that I’d seen on the beach. Then the Abernath Walkers left through a doorway.

  “I don’t understand.”I looked at Lallielle. “Why is Josian so calm, and why aren’t they fighting now?”

  “The one to whom the challenge is issued gets to decide the time and location. It is designed as a balance since they cannot really turn down the challenge.” Her green eyes were wide; she clearly didn’t feel any of the confidence Josian displayed.

  And I knew why: Walkers could die.

  I wanted the next two weeks to go slowly. I dreaded this stupid battle, and my mood was borderline psychotic as I stomped around the house. But the days were moving in fast-forward. I barely saw my dad or Brace. They were holed up talking strategy and something this and power that. The mood was tense in the Frayre household, to put it mildly. Talina and I had no chance of escaping our Walker guards, since we were under house arrest.

  It took lots of badgering and maybe a threat or two, but Josian did explain some of the battle situation to me in a terse, distracted tone.

  “Three Walkers are on each team. I will announce my choice on the day.”

  “What if they don’t want to fight?”

  He shook his head. “If you’re present at the challenge, you can’t refuse. The only exception is for women and children. Besides, none would shame their clan like that.”

  I asked a few more questions, but that was as much information as I was getting.

  I fell into bed very late that night, exhaustion shadowing every thought and action. I had a bone-deep weariness that came from days of worry and nervous pacing. Josian and Brace were confident that I could trace away if they lost, so for them there was no real concern. Plus, they were arrogant enough to assume Que would play fair, and in a fair fight he wouldn’t stand a chance, especially not with Brace on our side.

  But I knew Que had something devious planned. I couldn’t shake the sneaky premonition. And speaking of premonitions, Francesca had disappeared again, right when we could have used her foresight.

  Despite my weariness, I jumped out of bed. The moment I actually laid my head on the pillow my mind went crazy. Brace hadn’t stayed with me all week, and my head was starting to ache. I knew I could lose him in this battle, and he was so busy trying to keep me safe he was wasting these last moments we had together.

  “You know it drives me insane when you bite your lip like that, Red.” I spun around from where I was pacing in front
of my windows.

  The object of my thoughts was standing at the foot of my bed.

  “God-damn insane,” he said in a low deep rumble.

  My poor abused lips had copped it the last few stressful weeks, along with my nails. A low rumble emanated from his chest, a sound that sent shivers down my spine and had my legs moving toward him. That was the sound of arousal, and I wanted him right then more than I ever thought I could want anyone. I hit his rock-hard body, and anticipating the move he caught me and spun around until we landed on my bed.

  “Missed me?” His tone was teasing as I inhaled his scent and allowed my body to relax for the first time in what felt like forever.

  “Nope,” I said.

  “Liar.” He kissed me gently. Before pulling back and threading both hands into my free red curls. “I’ve missed you.”

  I snuggled into his chest, trying to get as close as I could. Sometimes I freaked myself out with this need I had for Brace.

  “I can’t lose you, Brace. Please don’t fight. It’s bad enough that Dad has no choice.”

  “I know my father, Red. And if I don’t participate then there’s no telling which way the fight will go. I definitely tip the scales in our direction.”

  “Yeah, but don’t you think Que has anticipated this, and will counteract with something you haven’t planned for?”

  I was probably pointing out the obvious, but their over-confidence was very annoying. At least if they showed a little more worry and concern I would think they were taking it seriously.

  “I have anticipated everything. He won’t take us by surprise. He thinks he knows my weaknesses. But he’s never paid close enough attention to me. He doesn’t know me at all.”

  I couldn’t help it; I’d been trying to keep them at bay all night, that burning in my throat, but my despair was not to be denied any longer. Thankfully my head was still buried in his shirt so he didn’t notice the silent tears that tracked down my cheeks. Or so I thought.

  “Sweetheart ... no ... please, you’re killing me.” His voice was strained as he attempted to lift my face. His hands moved from my hair to my cheeks. “I have to keep you safe. It’s inbuilt in who I am.”

  I resisted, wanting to hide until I had these tears under control. But he was stronger than I was. Finally I faced his stricken features.

  “Don’t cry,” he caught a tear, wiping it off my cheek, “I hate it when you cry, and if I’m the cause and can’t kill the person who has upset you, well, that’s unacceptable.”

  “I’ve missed you,” I finally said softly.

  “I knew it.” His cocky smile was back as he stared into my face. “Wanna make out?”

  I laughed. Lucy was certainly adding a new dimension to his language skills.

  Brace dried the last of my tears, before kissing me gently on each cheek.

  “Can I ask you something?” I’d been thinking a lot these last few days, and I didn’t want to wait any longer.

  “Anything.” He pulled me closer.

  “You’ve had sex, right?” I didn’t hesitate.

  I would never get the words out if I thought too hard about the questions.

  He stilled beside me. I almost wanted to laugh at the comical freaking out his features were doing. The bond was shut down, but I didn’t need it to know what he was feeling.

  Finally he spoke. “I’m not sure if that was a question or statement.”

  I nudged him. “You know what I mean. Have you had sex?”

  “Yes.”

  I waited for an elaboration, but there was none forthcoming.

  “Okay, so a lot? With many different women?” My voice rose slightly.

  I’d been preparing myself for these answers. I knew Brace was old, and that he was male and there must have been girls before we found each other. But that didn’t prevent a dark jealousy coursing through me. I wanted to find every female who knew him intimately, knew him in a way I didn’t, and ... I took a deep breath.

  “Why do you want to know these things, Red?”

  “I just think it’s something I need to know before I ask my final question.”

  He shook his head.

  “I have had sex with women, more than one, but there have been none in your lifetime. From the moment you were born, the last eighteen years, I have been searching for my mate. Somehow, I knew your essence was here.”

  My heart stilled, and some of the darkness inside dissipated. That made my decision even easier.

  “How old are you, Brace?”

  He grinned.

  I knew he was old, but he’d never said exactly.

  “I’m five hundred and sixty years old, give or take. You stop counting closely after the first hundred or so years.”

  My mouth fell open. He was old. Older than dirt.

  He laughed into my neck.

  “Well, despite the fact I shouldn’t be mated to such an old man,” I joked to ease my nerves. “I think we should have sex before you go into this final battle.”

  I needed to know him that way. I needed those memories, even if they were all I had.

  Brace groaned. “You drive me insane, Abigail.”

  I wasn’t surprised since I drove myself insane.

  He cupped my cheeks so I couldn’t turn away. His velvety eyes were soft. “We will not have sex. We will make love, because that’s what we are. We are love.”

  We are love.

  What did he mean by that? Was he saying he loved me, or just that true mates represent love? Either way my heart was beating fast, my pulse racing under his shifting fingers.

  “And I don’t want you to rush into this just because you think that this is the end for us. It’s not the end. I will always come back for you. There are a million lifetimes for us to make love.”

  “I’m ready, Brace.”

  He shook his head. “If you were ready, Red, you wouldn’t have asked the question. You would have just taken control. And trust me, I’m lost to you. I wouldn’t have been able to resist.”

  I knew I should have gone with Lucy’s sexy underwear plan. I dropped my head slightly. I tried hard not to let insecurities control me. This was Brace being a gentleman; it wasn’t a rejection. Maybe if I repeated that enough my poor confused heart would believe me.

  “Abigail Swish.” His tone was strangled.

  My head shot up. I’d never heard him say my name that way.

  “How could you even think that?”

  And then he was kissing me, in a way that left no doubt about his feelings and attraction to me. I could feel every hard line of his body as he held me close. Eventually, when we had to breathe, he pulled back. We were both panting heavily.

  “Sometimes, Abigail, I want you so badly I actually have to leave the room because sleeping next to you is the worst torture I’ve felt in five hundred years. You are stunning and sexy and even when you sleep you’re the cutest damn thing. You make these little noises, almost talking, more like a mumble. And you wear these damn little shirts.” He fisted a handful of my white tank top, exposing the higher planes of my breasts. “I swear, mate, you have no worries about my father finishing me off. I think it was you who was sent here to destroy every last semblance of my sanity.”

  He groaned again. “And stop staring at me with those witch eyes.”

  I blinked once then, slowly. I had never thought for a second that I affected him in the same way he affected me. I worried at my lips again before remembering his words and releasing them.

  “I know my lack of experience must be frustrating. And honestly when we’re together my hormones do most of the thinking and talking. But, Brace, your power and beauty stun me. You’re just too gorgeous, tall, perfect. Before I knew you were Walker, I wondered if you could be real.”

  He shook his head, his expression amused. “Abbs, men aren’t beautiful. You are beautiful. And I love your lack of experience; in fact, I’d be obligated to kill any man who’d touched you before, so it’s probably for the best.” He cupped my face
again, pulling me closer. “Don’t ever doubt your gifts.”

  It took me a moment to make sure I wasn’t going to cry again.

  “So you wanna make out?” he said.

  I laughed through my tears.

  “Yes, I definitely do.”

  The next morning when my storming around the house had reached its maximum annoyance level, I found myself in the basement with Brace. Downstairs was set up as a gym and fight-training area. I was pretty excited to work off some of my frustration.

  “Okay, Red, let’s see what you’ve got.” Brace stood before me, relaxed, wearing just a pair of loose-fitting lightweight shorts.

  It wasn’t really fair; he had the advantage of muscles to distract me. Although, as I pulled off my shirt to reveal the black sports bra which matched my long fitted pants, his expression heated, his eyes liquid chocolate.

  “Your distraction techniques are not going to stop me from kicking your butt, Abigail,” he reiterated my initial thoughts.

  “So there are no rules, and no specific technique?” I confirmed. “Just the first to yield?”

  Brace nodded and stepped closer, sinking into the thick mat we stood on. I was never going to yield. I hoped he knew that.

  I started to move then, dancing lightly on my feet. I had to constantly be in motion during a fight; it kept my reflexes sharp. I was waiting for him to give me an opening, let his guard down or something. He didn’t shift as he observed me, the slightest glimmer of humor on his features.

  “I didn’t realize this was dance class, Red. You going to fight or ask me to waltz?”

  I ducked in quickly then, feinting toward his left side, before sending out a kick with my right. With the slightest twist of his body, he shifted just out of my reach, and tapped me hard on the butt. Damn, I’d forgotten how fast and ninja he was. Usually, my speed was my greatest asset, but I’d have to be smart to even have a chance of making contact with Brace.