FRACTURED

by Amber Lynn Natusch

  Energytorethroughtheroomlikeacrackoflightninginastormaswe cametogether,bothbreathingraggedly,bodiestensedandwrithing.

  Hecollapsedontopofmegracefully,catchinghisweighttohover lightlyabovemyheavingchest.IthoughtIheardthefaintestoflaughs escapehim.

  “IwishIcouldseeyourightnow,”Isighed,trailingmyfingers aroundhisfaceforconfirmationofmysuspicion.

  “Youwillseemesoon,”hesaidconfidently.

  Alwayssocertain...

  Deepdownthough,Icouldfeelhewasunsure.Hiswordsdidnot matchthedissonancethatrolledoffofhimwhileIlayinhisarms.There wassomethingbelowhisconvictionthattippedhishand.Hethoughtthat somethingominouswasatplay,causingthedisappearanceofScarletas wellasmyvision,andinanequallytuckedawayplace,Isharedthat sentiment.Somethingwasreallyandtrulywrong.Butinthatmoment,I daredtobelievethat,comewhatmay,heandIcouldfaceitandconquer ittogether―atrulyunitedfront,fortheveryfirsttime.

  IfellasleepwithSeancurledaroundme,ourlimbsentangled, fingersintertwined.Havinghimnearmemadeiteasytoforget.Forget thatScarletwasfading.ForgetthatImightneverseehimagain.Forget thattroublewasalmostcertainlyheadedourway,ifhistorywasany indication.

  HewasmybalancingforceandIwashis.Themorewegaveintoit, thestrongeritpulled.Somethinggreaterthanthetwoofuswasatplay, placingusineachother'slives.Itwasadestiny―divineintervention.

  Troubleswouldalwaysplagueus,butnothingcouldseparateus.

  Notanymore.

  32

  “Sothisisthehousetheyfound?”Iaskedincredulously.“Thisiswhere youaregoingtolive?”

  Evenwithmyfailingvisionandthescantlightofdusk,Icouldtell thetwo-storyhomewasdilapidated.Thecloserwegot,themoremy suspicionswereconfirmed.Whatappearedtobeshuttershungaskew—

  wheretherewerestillsomehangingatall.Thefrontporchslopedso violentlythatIquestionedwhetherornotitwasevenstillattachedtothe house.Icouldn'tfathomwhyCooperwastakingmetoseethattenement.

  “Itsuitsmeandthemjustfine,”Cooperreplied,takingmyarmto escortmeacrossthelawn.

  “Isitevenlivable?”Isneered,trippingonsomethingweightyinthe tall,unkemptgrass.“Andwhyarewecheckingitoutnow?It'salmosttoo darktoseeanythingclearly,notthatIcouldifIwantedto.”

  “Whydoyouneverstopaskingquestions?”hegrowled,holdingme uponceagainasIstumbled.“Thisplaceisn'texactlyonthemarket, Ruby.Weweretryingtocheckitoutonthedownlowtoseeifitwas worthtakingover.Whyareyousohighstrungaboutthis?”

  ThetruthwasIdidn'tknow,butsomethingseemedoffinabigway.

  I'dspenttheentiredaywithSeanuntilhehadtoleaveforyetanothertrip tosolvetheLondondebacle.Everythingwasgreat.Butthesecondhe droppedmeoffattheapartment,Ijustdidn'tfeelright,andnothinghad feltrightfromthatmomenton.NotevenCooperresonatedwithmeinthe wayhealwayshad.CombinedwiththeanxietyIfeltasweapproached thehouse,itmademestarttoquestioniftheproblemwasme,giventhat Iwasthesinglecommondenominatorintheequation.Withmyeyesight fadingbacktothedarknessthathadonceconsumeditandScarlet's continuedabsence,Ihadtoentertainthenotionthatmaybe allofmy formerabilitieswerenolongerreliable―empathincluded.

  “I'msorry,Coop.Idon'tknowwhat'swrongwithme.”

  “Justtrytorelaxabit.You'remakingthiswaymorestressfulthan itneedstobe.”

  Ikeptmymouthshuttherestofthewaytothehouseandupthe fivericketystepsonthewoodenporch.Coopercontinuedtousherme, eventhoughIcouldmakethingsoutbetteroncewewereinside.The moonlightpouredthroughthevastwindows,illuminatingagrand staircase―wewereinanoldVictorian.

  “They'rehere,”Alicalledfromsomewheretoodeepinthedarkness formetomakeout,butIcouldfeelhim.Icouldfeel alloftheboys.

  EventheonesIdidn'tknow.

  “Excellent.Iassumeeverythingwentaccordingtoplan,Cooper?”

  Iknowthatvoice...

  “Noissueswhatsoever,Tobias.She'sallyours.”

  “Welldone,”thealphareplied.“AndwhatofSean?Areyou preparedtodealwiththattoo?”

  “I'lltellhimexactlywhatyousaid―thatIkilledher.”

  “Andwhenhedoesn'tbelieveyou―becauseyouknowhewon't, right?”

  “I'llattackhim,justasplanned.”

  “Andyou'repreparedtodie?”

  “Ofcourse.”

  Icouldn'tbelievemyears.ThingswerehappeningsofastthatI couldn'tprocessthem.IhatedhowmuchIhadcometorelyonmysight, butevenwithoutit,IknewIwasintrouble. Bigtrouble.

  “Cooper?”Iasked,attemptingunsuccessfullytowriggleoutofhis hold.

  “Donotanswerher!”Tobiasshouted.Cooperdidn'tmakeapeep.

  That'swhenIknewtheshitIwasinranfardeeperthanIcouldhaveever imagined.“Isthe‘copterready,Beckett?”

  “Itis.”

  “Beckett?”Icalledoutbeseechingly.Igotnothinginresponse.

  “WhereamIgoing?”Ilookedaroundfranticallytonoavail.Theroom wasfartoodarkformetomakeoutanythingoranyone.

  “WearegoingbacktoLondon,mydear.YouandyourDNAare neededthere.”

  “Janner!Janner,helpme!”Icried,hopingthathewouldhelpme,or atleasttellmeexactlywhatwasgoingon.

  “Theywon'thelpyou,Ruby.Theyanswerto me,”Tobiaspurred.

  “Buttheyaren'tyoursanymore,”Isaidaloud,moreaquestionthan statement.Noneofthemseemedtobemineatthatmoment.Noteven Cooper.

  “They'vealwaysbeenmine,”Tobiascontinued.“Theyjustdidn't knowit.”Icouldhearthesmileinhisvoice,andmystomachturnedin acknowledgment.“DoyouthinktheywouldhavekilledDeacon otherwise?No,Idon'tthinkso,Ruby.Yousee,thetruthisthatthey adoredhim.Everyonedid―exceptme,ofcourse.Hewasthe quintessentialalpha:theonethateveryonewouldkilltohave.ButI preferchaostoorderandneverenjoyedbeingsecondfiddle,sowiththe helpofsomeoutsiders,Idevisedanincrediblyelaborateplantotakehim downandmakeaboatloadofcashwhileIdidso.There'squiteablack marketoutthereforwerewolves.”

  Ishudderedashemovedclosertome,preparedtofurtherexplain himselfbeforedoingwhathecametodo―takemeaway.

  “DeaconcaughtwindofwhatI'ddonetotheothersandwasaboutto makemepayforit,butthankfullyforme,Ihadallthepiecesinplaceto assurethatitwouldn'thappen.”

  Hesteppedintothemoonlight,justenoughformetomakeouthis shortandstockysilhouette.ItwasjustwhatIneeded:analphawitha Napoleoncomplex.

  “I'lltellyouallaboutitontheway,”hecontinued.“Itseemsthat you'reimmunetomylittletricks,soIhavebigplansforyou.I'msure you'llwanttoknowallthosedetails,andifyou'relikealltheothers, you'llwanttoknow why. Why me?Whyareyoudoingthis?Youknow,all ofthoseannoyingquestionsthatvictimsseemtoalwaysasktheircaptors.

  Itreallyiscliché.”

  Istaredinhisgeneraldirectionwhileheapproachedme.Idefinitely hadquestions,butmostofthemdidn'trevolvearoundwhy.ThatIcould grasp,andithadbecomepartofthecursethatwasbeinganRB.WhatI reallywantedtoknow―neededtoknow―was how? Howwashemaking themdowhattheyweredoing,manipulatingthemtodothingstheydidn't wanttodo?

  OratleastIassumedtheydidn'twantto.

  Regardlessofwhatwasorwasn'tinitfortheUKtrio,Iknew withoutashadowofadoubtthatCooperwouldneverharmme.Thefact thathewasalltoowillingtohandmeovertoanefariouslowlifelike Tobiaswasonlycauseforgreaterconcern,notonlyformyselfbutfor Coopertoo.

  Isteeledmyself,awaitingthetransfertoTobias'c
ustody.Itseemed todragonforever,asthougheverythingaroundmewasmovinginslow motion.Shadowsmilledaroundinthebackground―manyofthem.More thanjusttheboysIhadgrowntoknowandcareabout. Moreofhispack...

  Cooperstoodbesideme,motionless.Icouldn'tdecideifitwas becausehewasawaitingfurthercommands,orif,somewheredeepdown insidehim,heknewthatsomethingwaswrong―thatsomethingwas abouttohappentome,andhecouldn'tletthathappen.Nottome.

  “How?”IblurtedoutasTobiasstoodbeforeme,comingintoas muchclarityashewasevergoingto.“Idon'twanttoknowwhy.Iwant toknow howyoumadethemdothis.”

  Hecockedhisheadtotheside,whichinmycopiousexperience withunstablepeoplemeanthefoundmeeitheramusingorcurious.Iwas gladIcouldn'tseeeitherexpressiononhisface.Mybloodboiledatthe thought.

  “Fairenough,”hesaid,gettingrightupinmyface.Cooperwasstill holdingmyarm,thoughatthatpointitwasmoreofarestraintthanan aid.“I'mgoingtokeepthisassimpleaspossiblebecauseIdon'tcareto wastetime;I'mcontrollingthem.”

  “Icanseethat,”Ispat,“butagain,whatIwanttoknowishow. How areyoucontrollingthem?”

  “It'sallverycomplicated,Ruby.I'mnotsurethatwehavetimeto gointoallthesciencebehindit,buttheshortofitisthatafrequency―an energyofsorts―wasdiscovered.Itseemstoaffectcognitivefunction, allowingthepowerofsuggestiontoreignsupreme.We'vebeentestingit forawhilenowonsomeoftheotherpackmembers.Ittookalongtime toworkoutallthekinks,andofcoursewelostmostofthemalongthe way,butwe'veperfecteditnow.Don'tworry,Ruby.Ifyou'reasruggedas yourreputationleadsmetobelieveyouare,you'llendurethe experimentsjustfine.”

  “Afrequency?”Iasked,utterlyconfused.

  “Exactly,”hereplied.“I'msureyou'veheardhowdogscanhear certainlevelsofsoundthathumanscannot.Thinkofitlikethat,though forsomereason,youseemtobecompletelyimmunetoit.Itdidn'taffect youintheleastwhenIspoketoyouonthephone.Myguessisthat whatevermakesyouspecialisblockingit.Wejustneedtofindaway aroundthat.”

  Ormaybemymissinghalfiswhyitdoesn'twork, Ithoughtto myself,notlikingtheimplicationsatall.MaybeScarlet'sabsencewas helpfultoavoidbeingcontrolled,butitwasalsolikelytogetmekilled.I neededdetailsaboutwhatwasinstoreformeandIneededthemfast.

  “Thenwhatisyourgrandplan?”Ibadgered,wantinganswers.Iwas sotiredofbeingusedthat,foronce,Ijustwantedtobefullyintheknow.

  “I'mnotsurejustyet,”hereplied,soundinggenuinelyuncertain.

  “Butkeepingyouwouldgivemeanincredibleboostinpower.I'dbe virtuallyunstoppable.EventothePC.”

  “NottoSean,”Iwhispered,wishingIhadsaidgoodbyeintheway thatI'dwantedtothelasttimeIsawhim.

  “Oh,Ithinkyou'dstandagoodchance.Myboystellmehefancies you.Thatyou're mated.Isn'tthatreallyjustanotherwayIcancontrolthe PC?Throughyourbond?Hewon'tharmyouinretaliation,orletanyone elseforthatmatter,soreallyIwon'thaveanyinterferencefromthemat all.”Hesoundedasthoughsomeofwhathewassayingwasarevelation tohim―likeithadjustdawnedonhim,andtheaweinhisvoicewas chilling.HewouldbeunstoppableorI'dbedead.Thoseweretheoptions, andIknewSeanwasn'tabouttotakemedown,soitwaslookinggoodfor CaptainShortandStocky.

  “Thehelicopterwillbehereinaminute,sir,”Jannercalledout fromanotherroom.“Weshouldbeoutsidewaiting.”

  “Icouldn'tagreemore,”Tobiasreplied,wrappinghissmall,chubby handaroundmywrist.“Timetoleavenow,love.”

  Ashepulledmetowardhim,Ifelttheslightestsqueezeonmyother armfromCooper,likehewastryingtoholdontometighterortellmeit wasgoingtobeokay.Itdidn'tmattereitherway.Iwasquicklyrippedout ofhisgrasp.

  “Let'sgetyouhomenow.Ihavebigplansforyouandme.”

  “AndIhaveevenbiggerplans,”afamiliarandwelcomevoice calledfromjustoutsidethehouse,“butthey're allforyou.”Heavy footfallstreadacrosstheporchandinthroughthefrontdoor―morethan onepair.“LethergoandI'llmakethispainless,”Seangrowled threateningly.Everythingabouthisvoicepromisedthathewould not makegoodonhisword.

  “AndifIdon't?”Tobiasquipped,feelingfartooconfidentinhis situation.Heclearlyhadn'tpissedSeanoffbefore.Ihad,andtheenergy comingfromhisdirectionhadamoremenacingfeelthanevenI'dbeen privyto.

  “Iwon't.”

  “Well,that'sallfineanddandy,butareyouwillingtoletyourlittle ladyheregetcaughtinthecrossfire?”heaskedrhetorically.“No,Idon't thinkyouare.Yousee,whatIthinkyou'regoingtoletusdoisleaveso thatnothinghappenstoher.Well,nothing yet,anyway.”

  IheardthestartofSean'salltoofamiliarbattlecryandcringed, fearingwhatwouldhappentoeveryonepresentifheunleashedthetrue dark-eyedmonsterthatIbothlovedandfeared.Bodieswoulddropuntil hewassatisfied,andIwasn'tentirelycertainthatallpartieswereas guiltyastheylooked.IfearedmostforCooper,whostoodjustfarenough awayfrommetonotlookguilty,butsurelySeanwouldquestionwhyhe wasdoingnothing.

  “Sean!”Icriedout.“He'scontrollingthem.It'snot―”

  Ahandclampeddownovermymouth,keepingtherestofthesecret hiddenaway.IheardSeanmove,butstopalmostinstantaneously.The bladethatIsuddenlyfeltpressedtomythroatwastheclearreasonwhy.

  “Iwouldn'tpressmeonthis,”Tobiasthreatened.“Icankeepyou plentyoccupiedwiththeotherstogethertothe'copterandtakeoff.And ifnot,well,I'mnotaboverackingupabodycountofmyownonmyway down.”

  ThefloorcreakedwhenSean'sshadowyformrolledbackonhis heelseversoslightly.

  “That'sbetter.NowCooper,docomehereforamomentandhold this.”InaninstantCooperwasbehindme,holdingthatsamebladetomy throat.“Ifhemoves,Iwantyoutokillher,doyouunderstandme?”

  “Absolutely,”Coopergrowled.Itwasoddlycomfortinghavinghim holdingmeratherthanTobias,butitdidn'tchangethefactthathewould killmejustaseasily.Itriedtothrustmycalmingenergyhiswayand havetheeffectthatIusedtohaveonhimforhealing,butitfeltblocked, likeIcouldn'treachhim.Instead,Iwasmetwiththatsameguarded energythattheboyshadhadonoccasion.

  “Now,Sean,here'swhat'sgoingtohappen.Youandyourboysare goingtoletuswalkoutandheadonourwaywithoutanyobjectionor Rubydies,plainandsimple.”

  Icouldn'tseehim,butIknewSeanwasstrugglingtofindasolution totheproblemandquickly.Whilehedidhostageextractioncalculations inhismind,Ifoundmyselfbeingdraggedbackwardthroughthehouseto whatIpresumedwouldbethebackdoor.Judgingbythethunderoussound andwhippingwindsthatcamecrashinginthroughthebrokenwindows, the'copterwaswaitingoutbackforus.

  “Ruby,”Seangrowled,histonebothaquestionandawarning.

  “Youcan'tletthemtakeme,”Icriedout,butnotbecauseIfeared formyself.Morethanthat,IfearedforwhatwouldhappenwhenTobias succeeded―whatwouldhappenifIwasunderhiscontrol.

  Istartedtopanic.VisionsofdungeonsinUtah―bars,cages―ran fiercelythroughmymind,pepperedwithlabsandwhitecoats,machines andneedles.Itpromisedalongandtortuouspathtoamassgrave somewhere.WithoutScarlet,Iwascertaintodie.Theboyshadnotbeen overlysuccessfultrackingTobiasdown,andIwasundernodelusionthat Iwouldlivelongenoughforthem,orSean,tofindme.

  ButwhatifScarletwasn'tgone?Whatifshewasstillapartofme, somewheredeepwithinlikeIhadbeen,tuckedawayandbarelyliving?

  Whatiftheirtestingwasasuccessandrousedher?Whatifonedayshe'd standtoetotoeagainstSeaninbattle?Myskinprickledatthethought.

  Hewouldnotkillherifhethoughthecou
ldsaveme.Dutyornot,Icould nottakethechancethathislovewouldblindhim.

  Andifitdid,whatamountofcarnagecouldScarletamasswhile SeansearchedforawaytoundowhathadbeendonebyTobias?Would shebecomethatwhichhehadhuntedsomanycenturiesago?The mindlesskillingmachineshewaslabeledtobe?Therewasnoeasyway outofmypredicament.Itwasalose-loseeitherway.

  Therewasonlyonewaytopreventeitherunthinkableoutcome.I wouldnotbecagedanymorethanIwouldletScarletbeusedasaweapon forasociopath.Foronce,Iwoulddeterminemyfate.

  Withnowayofknowingifhecouldstillhearorseeme,Ilookedin thedirectionI'dlastknownSeantobeandgavemymostpleadingfaceas thetearsrolleddownmycheeks.IknewwhatIhadtodo.

  “I'msorry!”Iyelledovertopofthehelicopter'sdeafeningnoise.

  Takingadeepbreathforcourageandclarity,Igrabbedholdof Cooper'shand―theonethatheldtheknifetomyneck―andwithallthe forceIcouldputintomybodyashehauledmeaway,Ipressedmyself againstthatbladeanddraggedmythroatacrossit.Theworldquicklywent darkaroundmeasthebloodrushedfromthegapingwoundIhadso successfullycreated.Tobiaswouldnotgettokeephisprize.

  Thatfinalthoughtbroughtmegreatcomfort.

  33

  Iheardnothing.Ibarelyevenfeltthepain.WhatlittleIcouldremember wasfallingtotheground,unaidedandunhinderedbyCooper.Hedropped melikeasackofpotatoesandjusthoveredaboveme,unmoving.

  Theneverythingwentblack.

  Youwouldthinkthat,withmynumerousnear-deathexperiences,I wouldhaveknownwhattoexpect,butonceagain,theuniversebuttedin andchangedthingsup.Foronce,itwasapleasanttwist.

  BeforeIcouldseeanything,avoice―sweeterthananyI'dever heardinlife―calledtomelikeanangeliclullingmelody.Mysoul beggedtodrifttowardthatvoice,achingmoreandmorethelongerI didn't.

  “Ruby...,”shesang.“Openyoureyes,Ruby.”