Edge of Desperation
Page 11
“Keep applying the medicine.” Juanita Llewellyn's voice lowered, as if to spare him the news. “I'm sorry the skin's growing back wrong. I hoped—but it's never been able to be removed so easily before. After all your brother went though, too bad there couldn't have been some windfall.”
The clock read 5:27 in big bold numbers. He'd hoped too, but the skin under the scabs had a definite lizard quality. Thick and patterned. Corruption was not so easily cured. He bet that plastic surgery worked for some, but not for Reggie.
And it had spread. A peninsula of thick skin had spread over one shoulder. All of that paralyzing had sped its growth. He had to be careful. He couldn't Wield that power again.
The house door closed and then his sister came back into his room. “Well, you're on the road to recovery. You'll be able to go back to teaching in no time.”
Another week off from teaching.
“Help me dress,” he said, pushing himself up. He could feel the scabs on his back crinkle. He tried to move as little as possible.
“You sure?” Bethany asked.
He looked at her, the worried expression, the cell phone within reach, her constant agitation. “Yeah, help me get that shirt on, and then go back to the office, or whatever it is you need to do. I don't need a babysitter.”
She gave him an apologetic smile and grabbed a long sleeved button-down out of his closet. One that was too big for him that he liked to wear while gardening. She slid the shirt over one arm. “Well, that info you got, about Scrub Ranch, was really helpful. Nothing is registered as Scrub Ranch, but we think it's in Wheeler County, near Fossil, maybe. And this Dead Hand. We've been asking people specifically about him and have learned new details. He gets around, but most folks say he's out of Alaska.”
“Sounds like you'll be busy.”
That light lit in her eyes. He never did ask where she'd been for Melanie's recital. Didn't even bring it up. “Oh yeah, and August Whalen asked about you yesterday.”
“Kyle's friend?”
“He was our plant, didn't you know?”
Reggie shook his head. “He works for the BWS?” No male Wielder actually worked for the BWS, because men were never legally supposed to Wield. Too dangerous.
“Oh oh oh, no,” she said with a mock scandalized laugh. “We couldn't have that. Half-cocked gun, those male Wielders.” Then her laughter faded and she began buttoning up his shirt. “He's one of my … contacts.”
“A snitch?”
She shook her head so hard, her hair bounced around her face. “God no. He holds his lips as tight as a duck holds its ass. I blackmailed him into it, really.”
“Bethany!” he scolded, but really, he was no better.
“What! I had to stop that cult. It harbored drug deals and murderers. It put people in danger, like Kyle.”
Reggie nodded. It was probably worth it, no matter what steps she took, such as abandoning her daughter and husband. He always felt a little bit special, that she hadn't abandoned him yet.
His shirt all done, he told her to leave. “Thank you, though. I needed your help, and you gave it.”
“Anything for you, brother. Is Kyle coming by later to look after you?”
“After his group meeting.” He tried to keep his tone level, but the bitterness still seeped out.
Bethany stiffened, then released a long held breath. “All right, well call me if you need me.” She left him alone.
Reggie sat in front of a mirror. His eyesight was back to normal. Juanita had cleaned out his eyes thoroughly, unsure what that goopy crap was. Bethany had insisted they keep some as a sample. He had bruises on his face, and on his chest and arms. His back was a ruined mess.
He never wanted to go through anything like that again. Ever.
At least his sister was able to keep his name out of it, though her squad knew the truth of it. She babbled something about him helping out Kyle, that he was just a concerned teacher. Kyle, however, got put on the Male Wielder List and had to attend meetings on why he was an evil twisted defect and couldn't use his power because it only corrupted him.
It was sick how the world treated male Wielders. Something was going to change.
A few hours later a knock tapped against his door, and before Reggie could say anything, Kyle entered.
“How was it?” Reggie asked his student.
“Oh, a bunch of, 'It's for your own good,' and 'Men were never meant to Wield,' and 'You could lose yourself,' and 'The BWS is here to help you.' Ugh!” He flopped into a chair. “I am so tired of it. Their brainwashing is so good, I almost feel like a bad person... for being who I was born being! Fucked up.”
Reggie handed Kyle a bowl of soup. “Yeah, it is.”
“Hey,” Kyle said, brightening a bit, “You're up. And moving. And you made soup.”
“From a can. I can't lay there anymore.”
“How's your back?”
“Horrible... and,” Reggie sighed, “my Corruption's returning.”
Kyle frowned, but didn't say anything. Reggie appreciated that.
“You know, Kyle. Some of what the BWS says is true.”
“Ah, screw that.”
“No, really. You can't keep putting your sanity at risk. You saw what those men were like. That... that doctor. Until we figure out a cure, or some way to unknot the Nerve in men, you have to protect yourself.”
“But, you can untangle me.”
He gave Kyle a stiff look. Kyle deflated.
“I can still help, but you have to learn,” Reggie said. “I've taught others. We've already laid the groundwork to teach you to do it. So, you want to go back to learning to untangle yourself?”
Kyle nodded. “I will try.” He looked at Reggie, held eye contact with a determination that sent a chill down Reggie's spine. “I will do it. You can teach me, and I'll teach others. And they can teach others.”
Reggie smiled at the young man's optimism. He wished everything he said was true. Male Wielders were pushed to the edge, and when you had a mad animal trapped, it lashed out. His sister understood this, and other Agents, but too many were desperate to keep the status quo, to hold men down with fear as their reasoning.
Fear was a powerful fuel. But so was desperation. And desperate people would tear down the world to recreate it, burning everything to start anew. Reggie did not want to see the world, and everything within it that he loved, burn.
“Okay, finish your soup and let's get to this.” Reggie stood and watched as Kyle slurped down the last of his soup. When the younger man stood, he caught Reggie watching him, his own look curious.
“You'll be okay,” Kyle said.
Reggie laughed. Who had he turned into when his student was trying to console him?
“Yeah. I will. Okay. Let's go wear you out.”
“I have a suggestion—” Kyle began, a toying tease to his lips.
“I do too. Running, with me driving!” Reggie grabbed his jacket and left his home, Kyle griping behind him. The first breath of December struggled to hold onto dry weather, but Reggie knew the rain was coming. The skin of his back pulled, his shoulder still ached too, but he would not stop living, would not stop helping this young man who had somehow become a fixture in his life.
“Honestly. Trust me. I have other, better ideas, teach,” Kyle said, popping out the door behind Reggie.
“You always do.”
The End
Sneak Peek
Now Available on Amazon: Center of Deception
https://goo.gl/0Oc86v
The exciting next installment to the Wielder World, Center of Deception, follows August Whalen—the charming, roguish owner of the Black Castle whose side import/export business falls a little shy of completely legal—and his dangerous roller-coaster ride that occurs during the events of Edge of Desperation.
* * *
August Whalen—force Wielder, proprietor of the Black Castle, and smuggler of rare and fine goods—is torn from his sleek and cushy lifestyle by an unwanted discovery in
the back alley of his bar: a body. Now, trapped between a male Wielder cult and the Bureau of Wielder Services, August must play a dangerous game with an end goal that shifts from finding a killer to staying alive.
Center of Deception is the next thrilling novella of the Wielder World series—gay romantic urban fantasy full of danger, desperation, and dedication born of trial and blood.
Acknowledgments
The Wielder World has been a long time in the making and started with a short story about a world where the gender power structure was switched because men were somehow broken. A little bit inspired by Dune, I thought, why not create some magical skill that women could wield freely but couldn't look into 'the dark places' and evolve like men could. Thus the world was born.
I must thank my first readers, Briana, Jessica Adams and Cassandra Larsen, who helped my plot holes, and beat this story into the fine piece it is. Thanks to Deranged Doctor Design book covers for working with me on bringing Reggie to life on the cover. And to everyone who stood behind this book. You know who you are. I raise my glass to you.