“Let’s get one thing straight right now — touch me again and die, old man, I swear to all that’s holy I will kick your scrawny ass to hell and back.”
Percy snickered, spitting a stream of brown tobacco juice into a red Solo cup. “Maven and Callie warned me about that attitude of yours. They gave me the low down on what to expect from you.”
“That’s it! You’re freaking insane!” Halen screamed, waving her arms in the air for effect. “In face, the whole lot of you are nuts, including my sister!”
Percy laughed, finding her sudden outburst amusing. “Now, you might just be right about that. I bet you didn’t know that Maven showed me your mama’s will. Saw it with my own two eyes, I did. You’re a real troublemaker, pure and simple. But for some mysterious reason none of us can understand, you’ve been chosen. You, of all people. Imagine that.”
Halen cringed, running her fingers through her halo of curls. “Okay, seriously, this can’t be happening. You said I was chosen. Chosen for what?”
Percy’s expression suggested she’d suddenly sprouted a second head. “Why, to be queen of course.”
“Queen? Queen of what? The flippin’ loons? You people are out of your minds.”
“No, foolish child. You are destined to be the newly crowned Queen of the Breeders.”
This had to be a crazy nightmare brought on by the drugs Maven had slipped into her coffee. Admittedly, her sister’s behavior was over the top even for her, but this Percy dude was off the charts crazy. How could her sister leave her at the mercy of this twisted bastard? Halen fumed.
Percy wrapped his gnarled fingers around her arm and gave her a rough shake. “You’re gonna do exactly as I say or I’ll be forced to inflict my own special type of punishment on you. Do you understand me?”
She nodded her head in agreement. “Sure. Whatever.”
“I’m gonna give you a little piece of advice. You ain’t home no more. Don’t be nodding your head when someone speaks to you. I demand respect and so will the others. Halen swallowed hard. “Uh, sure thing. Won’t happen again.”
Satisfied with her response, Percy relaxed his grip. “That’s what I want to hear.” He jumped down from the truck’s cap, piercing her with a menacing glare. “Get on out, and don’t you dare make a move while I tend to business.” He smiled, patting the pistol resting against his bony hip. “Don’t force me to kill you before we even make it to the compound.”
Refusing to respond to his threats, Halen climbed out of the truck and flopped down on the dew covered grass. She pulled her legs up and crossed her arms on her raised knees, creating the perfect spot to rest her throbbing head. This entire situation was just too weird. But whether she wanted to believe it or not, it was happening and sitting around feeling sorry for herself wouldn’t get her back home where she belonged.
With her sanity hanging by a thread, she took a moment to weigh her options. She could make a break for it, and if successful, find her way back to the hotel where she would be able to contact the authorities, or she could stay put and face an uncertain future. She definitely needed to get away from Percy, but how?
Her heart sank and fresh tears threatened to spill from her olive-green eyes as she watched Percy dole out stale bread and beef jerky to his terrified captives. Were these poor souls the same people she was destined to rule? she wondered.
Percy reached Halen, stopping abruptly in front of her. “You hungry?”
“What do you think?” Halen’s eyes widened, fixated on the partially buried rock at his feet.
“You really want to know what I think?” Percy said, massaging his crotch. “I think you’re a right pretty little piece of meat. A tad rough around the edges for my taste, but all in all, not too bad on the eyes.” He licked his parched gray lips suggestively before continuing. “Wanna know a little secret? Your sister let me watch while she got you ready for the trip.”
Halen found the situation unbelievable. Maven had actually allowed this pervert to see her in her underwear, or even more disgusting — naked! She shuddered with revulsion just thinking about it. “God, I’m gonna puke. For real.”
Percy threw back his head and laughed, his greasy brown hair falling against his shoulders. “There ain’t no reason for you to be embarrassed. You ain’t nothing special — just another pawn in the old man’s sick twisted game.” His scratchy voice carried across the evening air. The others, listening, stopped eating their meager rations to watch the heated exchange.
He knelt down in front of her and ran a thin dirt-encrusted finger down the length of her cheek. “Fighting me is useless. Do us both a favor — just relax and enjoy the journey.”
Halen drew her hand, slapping him great force. “I said never touch me again, you filthy pig! Do not make me say it again,” she snarled through gritted teeth.
“Now you look here,” Percy said. Rubbing his stinging cheek. “You ain’t got no right to be telling me what I can or can’t do. You’ll do what the family orders you to do. Nothing more. Nothing less. Sooner you realize that, the better off you’ll be.”
Halen’s anger burned hot, surging through every fiber of her being. She would drop dead on the spot before she would be touched by such a vile little man one more time. Standing, she lunged to the side, darting around him, determined to make a break for the surrounding woods. Before she could escape, Percy’s hand seemed to appear out of no where, grabbing her by the ankle, causing her foot to slip on the wet grass. She stumbled, losing her balance. She fell hard, hitting the ground with a loud thud, her head connecting with the exposed rock. Stars swam before her eyes as she sank into an endless void of darkness.
Fearing she might be dead, Percy rushed to her side. If any harm came to the girl he’d be forced to face Lucien’s wrath. His wrinkled hands trembled with fear as she gently lifted her head, shocked to see the oozing crimson blood covering his hands. It was then he noticed the large gash running down the length of Halen’s right temple. Dammit, if the girl died Lucien would sacrifice him along with the rest of his unsuspecting victims.
“Wake up!” he screamed. “Dammit, girl. You gotta wake up. Don’t you dare up and die on me.”
The faint sound of an approaching car in the distance pulled Percy’s attention away from Halen. He watched with suspicious eyes as the car pulled up next to his truck and stopped. Two young men emerged from the candle apple red ‘69 Camaro and began running in their direction. A boy with silky straight chestnut-brown hair pointed toward Halen’s motionless body.
“Dude, what happened here? Were you guys in an accident?”
“Oh no. No, nothing like that,” Percy mumbled. “It’s nothing really. She was running…the grass was wet…she fell and bumped her head.”
The boy with the long shaggy hair bent down and tilted Halen’s head to the side, running his fingers across her temple to examine her injuries. “I don’t know — that looks pretty serious to me. She’s definitely going to need stitches to stop the bleeding.” He turned to face Percy. Something about the man’s story didn’t ring true. “How did you say fell again?”
Percy stammered, definitely ignoring the question.
“You need to get this girl to a clinic, or better yet, a hospital — and soon.”
“That won’t be necessary. We ain’t traveling too far. Besides, this here ain’t none of your business. I reckon I’ve got this situation under control. So you can be on your way. Although I do appreciate your concern for the girl’s well-being.”
“You do realize she could easily die from her injuries if she doesn’t receive medical care.”
Percy frowned. Telling the young man the truth was not a viable option. On the other hand, he couldn’t afford to make a foolish mistake and allow Halen to die in the process. First he would need to find a safe place to hide the others.
“Hey boys, hold up there a minute. Would you mind giving me a hand here after all. I’m sure you fellas can get her to a doctor way quicker than I can in that beat-up old clunker of
mine.” Percy smiled to himself. How could they possibly refuse to help an injured girl. “I’d appreciate the help, Mr.…”
The boy with the shaggy hair stepped forward and extended his hand. “Bourdon. Kieran Bourdon.”
Bourdon. Rattled, Percy paused before continuing. “Nice to meet ya. The name’s Percy Nickelson. Can I count on your assistance?”
Kieran gazed down at Halen. Her sun-streaked halo of curls was matted to her head with dried blood. Her breathing seemed shallow, but even and steady. Definitely a good sign, he thought. Without thinking, he reached out and stroked her fevered cheek. Was it possible this innocent looking girl was as cold and calculating as her traveling companion appeared to be? He shook his head, already knowing the answer to his own question — all he had to do was take a good hard look at his own family.
Percy stood off to the side nervously eying the teen. Something about him seemed oddly familiar. He found the boy to be a magnificent specimen with his flawless cinnamon-brown skin and narrow up-turned nose. His beach-blond hair revealed his true heritage. He came from the Hive.
Kieran lowered his gaze to meet his friend’s blank stare. “Yeah, sure. I guess we can take her. There’s a small clinic not too far from here.”
Percy wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. “Thank you kindly. I appreciate the help.”
Kieran bent down and lifted Halen into his arms as if she weighed no more than a small child. “By the way, I don’t recall you ever telling us exactly what happened here. I’m pretty sure the doctor will demand to know what led up to her being so seriously injured — and I’m not taking the rap for you or anyone else.”
“S-sure I did,” Percy stammered. “She was chasing a bug…butterfly, I believe it was. She slipped and hit her head on a rock.”
His statement seemed close enough to his first story, giving Kieran no reason to doubt the man’s sincerity. After all, what could he possibly gain by lying? “The urgent care clinic is right up this road. You can’t miss it. We’ll tell the doctor on call to expect you within the hour.”
Percy nodded his head in agreement, knowing he wouldn’t be arriving at the designated time. He still needed to deal with the others before he could focus all of his attention on the girl.
Kieran turned, smiling at his friend. “I didn’t plan to spend my afternoon rescuing beautiful damsels in distress.”
For a brief moment Halen’s eyes fluttered open, locking on the boy’s beautiful face before drifting back into a blanket of darkness. She smiled involuntarily. The face of her savior would remain etched in her heart and mind for all of eternity.
Four
The sun dipped low in the sky casting a pinkish glow over the horizon as the two friends drove down the narrow dirt-packed road. Camden, growing increasingly frustrated with Kieran’s moodiness, attempted to break the awkward silence between them. “So what gives, Kieran? You haven’t said one word since we left the doctor’s office.”
“Sorry, man. I can’t seem to stop thinking about that creepy dude and his girlfriend, or whatever the hell she was.”
“Man, why?”
“I can’t put my finger on it. Look, I just hope the chick will be okay. That was one nasty bump on her head.”
Camden frowned. “I bet if you got to know her…I mean, really got to know her…she wouldn’t seem so attractive. My gamma says, if you’re ugly on the inside, you’re ugly on the outside. Words to live by, my friend. Words to live by. Considering Percy’s uptight attitude, she’s probably just as bad, if not worse.”
Kieran laughed. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. But I can’t help thinking we made a mistake not staying with the girl until he arrived.”
“Come on, I doubt the man expected you to stick around and hold her hand. We’ve done our good deed for the day. The girl is no longer our problem — leave it at that.”
“Something about those two gets under my skin. I feel like we need to turn around and rescue her.”
Camden shook his head, grinning. He knew his friend all too well and his mind was definitely not on the beautiful girl’s well-being. “Admit it, you’re a straight-up sucker for a pretty face. You’re hot for the girl.”
“Whatever man. You’re crazy,” Kieran said. “I think there’s a motel not too far up the road. I don’t know about you, but I am wiped out, not to mention starving.”
Camden readily agreed. It had been a long drive from the coast. He still didn’t feel comfortable returning to Lucien’s territory, but the trip was a necessary evil. His family remained captive at the Blue Willow Compound and he was determined to free the people he loved — or die trying.
Camden put his own thoughts aside and turned to Kieran. “How do you feel about seeing your father again? I’m sure Lucien is going to be thrilled to have the protocol son back under his watchful eye.”
“How do you think I feel? I hate being back here. Seriously.”
The last thing Kieran wanted to do was spend time with his father. He resented his family and everything they represented. For as long as he could remember they had made his life a living hell. He knew his father had high expectations for his future, assuming he would eventually rule the Bourdon family empire, including the plantation and all of its secrets.
His decision not to follow in his father’s footsteps disappointed Lucien, sending shock waves rippling through the Breeder community. The day Kieran discovered that his family needed him home, Camden chose to tag along, confident he could convince the Hive to release his family.
Kieran didn’t have the heart to tell his best friend that the people he loved were no longer the loving family he remembered from his childhood.
**
The motel’s exterior appeared run down and in desperate need of repair. Pieces of aluminum siding peeled away by the wind lay scattered across the dying grass, and hurriedly discarded underwear and used condoms floated, abandoned on top of the algae covered pool. Entering the building, they found the interior to be in the same dilapidated condition.
A grossly obese man, his tee-shirt stained with dried food greeted them at the door. “How ya doing, young fella? Come on inside and take a load off.” The man motioned towards the dust covered counter overflowing with yellowed invoices fast food wrappers. “I suppose you’ll be wanting a room for the night.”
Kieran momentarily debated on whether or nor they should keep driving in hopes of finding a cleaner place to stay. But before he could change his mind the man returned with his room key.
“Alright there, young man. I just need to get your name.”
“Kieran. Kieran Bourdon.”
“You related to the Magnolia Grove Bourdons?”
“Unfortunately,” Kieran remarked. It was obvious the man was impressed — or was that fear he saw in the man’s eyes?
“I’ve heard some wild stories about the goings on at the Grove,” The man said with a chuckle.
Here we go again, Kieran thought. “No kidding?”
“Pleasure to have you staying with us. The diner is open until midnight. Best pie in the county. Feel free to make yourself at home.”
“Sounds good, thanks.”
“Your total comes to fifty-five dollars for the night.”
“Sorry, man,” Kieran said. “I’ll need to rooms instead of one.”
The motel manager swept his glassy eyes over Camden’s impressive frame. He frowned, becoming aware of the ebony rings circling Camden’s deep-set blue eyes. He pointed a pudgy finger in Camden’s face. “He carries the mark. I don’t allow his kind in my establishment.”
Camden cringed at the man’s words. How could he have been so stupid? Some things would never change. People still treated him as less than human.
Rage coursed through Kieran’s veins, but the man appeared to be too interested in Camden to notice. “I’d wager your family would love to get their hands on this one — if the rumors are true,” the man said with a sneer.
With lightening speed, Kieran reached
across the counter grabbing the man by his filthy shirt collar. “You lousy excuse for a human being. You’re willing to take my cash, give me a room for the night, but you refuse to do the same for my friend? News flash, buddy. Take a good, hard look — I’m a product of my family’s sick little games. My carries the mark, but I carry the blood — the blood of a Breeder. Am I still welcome in your fine establishment?”
Camden, worried for the man’s safety, jumped to his feet and struggled to break Kieran’s hold on the obese man. “He’s not worth it. If you get your ass tossed in jail word will get out that you’re back in town.”
“Dammit,” Kieran said, pounding is fist on the counter. “I should have expected this type of narrow-minded reaction from people.”
“We’re in Bourdon territory, after all. We’d both be smart to remember that.”
Kieran tried to act cool as they left the motel and walked back outside to the car, but he couldn’t hide his concern. He’d tried his best to talk his friend out of coming on this trip, but Camden insisted on joining him despite the dangers, and now he ran the risk of his foolish choices coming back to bite him in the ass.
Five
Dr. Abrams pushed his wire-rimmed glasses high on his nose before leading Percy to his office. He dreaded giving the man Halen’s prognosis. He prayed he would take it well.
“What do you mean she can’t remember anything?” Percy demanded.
“Halen has suffered a major concussion, thus the memory loss. But, with that being said, I wouldn’t be too concerned at this juncture. In the majority of these cases the memory loss is only temporary.”
“There’s been problems with her behavior in her past — you sure she ain’t fakin’?”
The question seemed to take the doctor by surprise. “Her condition is quite real, I assure you. Why would she attempt to fake such a serious condition?”
Entangled Souls Page 2
