Monsters Among Us (Deception Series Book 1)

by Margaret Afseth

  The inner finally dealt with, Loni took Gem again into the shower section, to restore the exterior. First thing he did was attack the hair. All her once beautiful silver-blond curls were so matted, and infested with lice, he felt crawly just touching it. There was no way he could untangle it, or rid her of the moving pests, except to shave her.

  It will grow back again...just a matter of time. My poor, poor Gem.

  He wouldn't touch the mass, simply allowed it to sluice away into the drain. Then he treated the scalp sores; disinfected against the eggs left behind.

  He bathed her, every inch of her bruised, scraped, emaciated body, tenderly, carefully, halting purposely over the undersized swell of the baby bump, to treasure and caress. It brought tears to his eyes, but he swallowed back the emotion, and continued on.

  At last, Loni clothed her in a fresh coverall, then wrapped his bride in a soft blanket.

  Toward the end of his ministrations, Loni became aware of being watched. Back in the steam, by the far wall, crouched Scar. He had followed, like a predator, observing, waiting, as if to take back what he thought belonged to him.

  She isn't yours, Scar. I will not let you hurt her again.

  Watch carefully. Maybe, you will learn how to tend a female; to treat her with dignity and affection?

  Loni carefully hoisted his unconscious loved one into his arms, and stood. He made for the waterfall campsite.

  Let him follow, but...I will fight you for her, if I have to.

  Yet Scar did not follow. The next time the two men were to meet, Scar would be clean, and wearing fresh garments. If he had learned anything from observation, he applied it first to himself.

  Chapter 29

  Da lay beside Lydia, mourning. He was certain, if his girl was not already dead, she soon would be. Long ago, he had given up hope that Loni and Gem would come back to the waterfall nest.

  Movement at the ladder, rising from below, made him lift his head. And there, at long last, came Loni, carrying Gem in his arms.

  She was hurt, Da reasoned. They had done something to her, as they had to Lydia. It made him angry. But he quietly lay back to watch.

  Loni is busy.

  His mentor knelt down on his abandoned mat with his burden, unfurled Gem from the mantle that surrounded her, lay her out flat, and gently covered her with the blanket, again, tucking the edges tenderly about her like a cocoon. Then wearily, Loni lay down behind her.

  It was then Da noticed, how very thin Gem had grown; and she was bald, as if someone had just recently shaved her. He also observed the small, swollen, abdomen, and his heart began to race with anticipation.

  At least they didn't get the baby bump. Loni is going to be a poppa!

  But Loni seemed less excited by the fact; he appeared rather depressed; thoroughly exhausted, almost sick, himself. It was only seconds, and he too was asleep.

  Need to protect them.

  But good intentions are often not easily kept. Da promptly fell fast asleep.

  ****

  Da woke with a start. Loni and Gem were fighting; the sparks litterly flying.

  At some point, Loni must have slipped away for food. He was attempting to feed Gem from a dish of porridge. At his first effort, she had sprung up rapidly from the pallet, batting at the spoon, sending it flying, backing toward the wall, not only giving off red and blue, wavy, static sparks, but hissing like a cornered cat. Startled from sleep, there was no telling what she envisioned; it was, as if she thought the dish held poison.

  It was obvious, she either thought Loni someone else, or she no longer trusted him.

  Da took advantage of the situation; as soon as Loni set the bowl aside, he fetched it for Lydia, crawling covertly after the spoon, and retrieving it, as well. Da found his mate, her eyes open, but filled with listless disinterest.

  Unlike Gem, Lydia did not fight being fed. A spoonful at a time, went down, but he was able to coax her to swallow only two or three, before Lydia closed her eyes again in exhaustion.

  Loni, on the other hand, had changed his tactics; he had offered Gem a small, ripe plum. Da watched, as for a second, Gem stared at the fruit in Loni's hand, as if she was having difficulty seeing it, then she grabbed for it, missed, and almost batted it from Loni's hand.

  Patiently, carefully, Loni took her fist in his empty hand, opened it, and placed the tempting morsel in her palm. Hungrily, almost instantly, she was eating, greedily, juice dripping down her cheeks and chin.

  What is wrong with her? It's like...she can't see!

  Gem ate like a creature starving. Loni had to hold her back at times, or she would eat too quickly, or too much. At last, satisfied she'd had sufficient, Loni made her lay down again; sleep overcame her almost instantly.

  With the women fed and asleep, the men filled their empty bellies, as well, and once more returned to slumber, also. Da was a simple fellow; now that Loni had returned, he expected that life would go on as usual.

  And so the days followed, one after another, until Gem grew stronger.

  But...Lydia did not.

  ****

  Loni felt a tugging at his shirt. He had just brought back the gatherings of another meal, but Gem was still dozing. He turned about, to gazing into the pleading eyes of Da. The younger man's anguish was almost palpable. Da wanted him to follow him over to his mat.

  Gem is resting still. Guess I can safely go see what is bothering him.

  As Loni neared Lydia, he was bombarded, near overwhelmed, by the suffering he read in her mind, not to mention her physical condition.

  How has this happened? When did this happen? How could I be so unaware?

  Anger shot through Loni as he realized what had been perpetrated against the younger couple in his absence. Abruptly, guilt replaced that hot feeling, when he admitted, he might have prevented some of it, had he been there.

  "You fix?" queried Da, pleadingly, by thought.

  Loni stooped, knelt beside the despondent woman; skimmed his hand across the bloody towel covering Lydia's private area. He had been so in attentive to the other couple; driven by his own needs and worries; only vaguely wondering, what Da was doing with the many towels. Da's back had always been toward them, as the younger man was cleaning his mate.

  She's been bleeding a long time...and no longer has the will to live...near death. What can I tell him?

  Loni sighed.

  "I can't fix her, Da," he thought projected. "A male of my kind can only heal his own mate...only help another female, and...Lydia is beyond...my help."

  As the impact of what Loni had revealed hit home to Da, he began to moan in anguish, groaning as if it were he with the death sentence. He began carrying on so loudly, sobbing unrestrained, brokenly, inconsolable; Loni felt the very depth of his grief.

  When Loni tried to comfort, Da drew away almost angrily, pushing his arms away, rejecting the offered comfort. There was no consoling him.

  ****

  Gradually, Gem's abilities had been returning. She could now see her surroundings quite clearly, hear the sounds around her, the waterfall, the birds in the trees. She could even, once again, read Loni's thoughts. At last, she was beginning to feel comfortable around him again, safe.

  But, what was that god awful racket that had awakened her?

  Sleepily, she had been remotely aware, when Loni had moved away with Da; she had lazily, slowly, eased back from slumber to reality. With full wakefulness came clarity.

  That's Da! Why is he so upset?

  Gem sat up. Vaguely, she could make them out across the trampled dirt of the camp, under the spreading spruce tree, standing there, near Da and Lydia's bed. Still unsteady, she got to her feet; over balanced by the weight of her baby, she nearly went down again, but managed to right herself quickly. She moved quietly over to the pair, unnoticed.

  Before she got to the struggling men, Gem noticed Lydia. For a moment, the woman's condition brought her to a shocked standstill beside her friend.

  From the simple, unshielded mi
nd of Da, Gem instantly read all that had happened. He had never been able to cloak his thoughts, or his memories, against her probes.

  And Loni also was easy, being so preoccupied with quieting Da, and not realizing the necessity to close his mind to her. Gem immediately found, and knew, what needed to be done.

  Before Loni was even aware of her presence, Gem had knelt beside the dying girl, taken Lydia's hand, and traded damaged female organs, for better health and vitality. The Healer only stopped short at replacing her own baby for that which had been lost...

  As Gem slumped to the ground beside the pad, Loni turned, finally noticing her.

  Chapter 30

  Loni let out a howl of despair, when he realized what Gem had done. All he had accomplished in his days of gentle care had now been undone...almost.

  He knew, now, she really needed a physician's intimate care, but...he couldn't bring himself to subject her to that. He dare not take her to them; he knew what they would do to her. She would never be safe in their hands.

  The races under the domes had always had things backward. The real Healing gene was in the white skinned race; the dark males envied the ability, and tried desperately to usurp it. Instead of venerating the competent female talent, they did their best to eliminate the genuine Healers. It had never been because they were female; not about man verses woman; only the white skin, supposedly inferior, and the brown skin superiority, but no matter how hard they tried, all they had done was demonize the craft with their horrific experiments, and imitations.

  The dark ones had the dense gene.

  No, Loni couldn't take Gem to them!

  He knelt, grieving that she had healed too soon, yet knowing, the life of the other was important, also. He lifted Gem to his arms, and quietly moved back to his own pad.

  So, once again, Loni began his gentle ministrations. She was hemorrhaging; bad for the baby. It must be stopped quickly.

  He sent Da for more towels. Life took on the constant ritual of the sickroom.

  ****

  Lydia was not her cheerful self. The loss of her second child weighed heavily still, even though Gem had healed her body. If they let her, Lydia would stare off into space the whole day long. So every chance he got, Loni used her and Da to fetch and carry. Sometimes, he sent the two together, or most often, he split them up, leaving Da to guard Gem, and taking Lydia with him.

  Today was such a time. Loni and Lydia were getting the day's rations.

  Loni had just loaded Lydia, and was about to send her ahead. They had developed a system, using the backpacks, and all four plates, and cups, so they could take more at a time, and would not have to return every meal.

  He hadn't yet sent her on her way; Loni was grabbing the last fruits, stuffing his pack full, when he was seized rudely from behind, and spun around to face the burly guard.

  "What you think you are doing, Flaw?" the man yelled in Loni's face.

  Instead of showing attention immediately, Loni quickly, mentally projected an order to Lydia: "Run! Get out of here, before he notices you."

  And for once, whether from past memory of abuse, or what, Lydia came out of her lethargic inattention, and obeyed promptly. She quickly slipped among the trees, and was gone.

  At least the others will get fed.

  Loni played the mute, humbly standing by submissively, as the enforcer pawed through what he had in his backpack. It wasn't much, only fruit; Lydia had the rest.

  "Fruit?" the man muttered disdainfully. Then, after thinking on it for a minute, he challenged. "Where is your mate, Flaw? You get her back? Is she hidden, so you can keep her?"

  The man laughed, making certain Loni saw his face, and his lips move.

  Loni nodded vigorously.

  "Where you staying, now?" the guard asked. "I checked your lodgings. It's been wrecked by water; you haven't been there in months. Can't say I blame you," he added. "For not staying in there. It smells of mildew, and the walls are growing mold, but...where the heck ARE you living?"

  Loni raised both hands above his head, in a gesture meant to signify lack of knowledge, shrugged his shoulders for emphases, and pointed around at the trees.

  The guard laughed. "You living free and easy, camping under the trees, like a nomad? Well, I'll be. How convenient. But, you listen here. You're lucky I'm alone right now...another guard wouldn't be this easy on you. You can't just take food without doing your share...yeah, I noticed you haven't been to work in some time. I'll let you go today, but you can't goof off any more. You better all be at work tomorrow, you understand? Make sure you bring No Name, too. You hear?"

  Loni nodded energetically.

  His pack was handed back to him; yet Loni still waited until the overseer had turned his back, and strode away. When he was out of sight, Loni quickly blended into the surrounding trees, where there were no cameras, so he would not be seen, or followed.

  ****

  His worst fears had been realized; the dreaded day had come.

  Loni and Da had helped their two women to the work site, but they had little energy to be of any use. Lydia could dig, and lug things; she and Da worked well together, but the woman had little desire for life, and simply sat there, if you didn't prod her.

  Gem sat down to weed; her level of energy depleting quickly.

  Their work patch had become so over grown, the weeds were taller than the infant seedlings. At least, before all had been abandoned, Da had done a replanting.

  Between them, they had managed two days of constant maintenance, bringing the patch to near normal, again. Then the overseers came around to check on them; and...they also noticed Gem's condition. Of course, they had to report it.

  A short time later, using their usual method of communication, Loni was accosted, rudely grabbed from behind, and spun around to face the messenger.

  "Flaw! Listen! Bring your females to the Physicians. They haven't had a check up in a while. You understand?"

  Loni nodded.

  What else could he do? If he didn't comply, they would forcefully take the women, whether he liked it or not.

  Now, quaking with dread of what might happen, Loni stood with the other three, waiting in line to be seen.

  ****

  With Da on the other side of the examining table on which she sat, a Physician stood over Lydia. He had just finished the full body scan. Uncomfortable and rebellious, Lydia sat up as soon as he was finished.

  Da didn't need to be told how much she hated the Physicians now. Gem and Loni could also sense the anger in both of them.

  Lydia's doctor turned to the Physician still examining Gem; spoke with satisfaction in his voice, as he addressed his companion.

  "This one has recovered quite nicely. Think we should separate the pair...try another male?"

  The other shook his head. "Naw. They mate well. Give No Name another chance to father a male. The last one they had may have been female, but it's still healthy."

  The first nodded in agreement.

  "How is Flaw's partner?"

  The second man, stepped away from Gem, huffing in disgust. "I can't figure how she got this bad off...needs a better diet, and more rest. She is so close to term...it's a little late now. And, this stupid monitor won't show me the sex...faulty again!"

  Both Loni and Gem knew what was wrong with the instrument, but neither would ever tell. Gem had willed the screen to go fuzzy. Loni heaved a sigh of relief when she was successful.

  He knew his offspring was a female, also, and if they ever found out, they'd do to Gem what they had done to Lydia...only they would kill his child. It would come out white.

  From the conversation between the two Physicians, Loni realized, they were still keeping Da and Lydia's baby alive; experimenting... Something needed to be done about that!

  "Should we keep the pregnant one here, maybe?"

  Loni cringed.

  "Naw. No need for that. I think she's better off active. Send her back with Flaw...see that she's given a protein supplement."
>
  Over my dead body! They use human meat to make that!

  Loni resolved to throw those away, as soon as they were given the capsules.

  ****

  With relief, Loni lead the way out of the med center, but at the door, was abruptly brought up short by a large door guardian. He was gripped by the shoulders, and pulled up close to the face of the bearded giant.

  "Hold up, Flaw! The Review overseer wants a word with you. He needs a few questions answered. Bring the other three along."

  The four followed obediently, to stand before a desk in another room. As they waited for the director to look up, and deal with their case, Loni gazed about apprehensively.

  What was it all about?

  It was then, Loni noticed Scar, standing off to the side. His two hearts began knocking together in panic; fear became the taste in his mouth.

  The Director stood up, rounded the desk, so he was next to Loni. He was irate; meant to get right up and personal. When Loni backed away, the hulking beast seized him by the shoulders. Stooping a bit, the Director made certain they were eye to eye. He shouted to make sure Loni would not mistake his attitude.

  "Do you understand me, Flaw?"

  Shivering, Loni nodded.

  "Good! Now...WHERE...IS...GALAR?"

  Loni swallowed with difficulty; chose to pretend innocence. Shrugged.

  "Did you kill him?"

  That one Loni could answer honestly.

  Loni's eyes went wide, an excellent imitation of shocked innocence.

  "Don't you con me!" growled the Director.

  Suddenly, threateningly, a huge guard, twice her size, forced Gem up next to them. At his first touch, she let out a startled, terrified squeak, and stood trembling.

  The Director turned to address her.

  "Did your she kill him?"

  The large guard shook Gem violently for emphasis. Loni watched as her eyes filled with uncertainty, then guilt, and finally confusion.

  The Director turned back to Loni.

  "Did she?"

  There was no pretending he didn't understand. No time for that. Loni shook his head, emphatically, terrified at what they might do to Gem.