Kaleana fully smiled for the first time, her face softening around the creases next to her eyes. “Malcolm.”
2
Two
Will poked his head out of the bedroom door. He hadn’t heard a sound since he’d arrived. The house felt particularly cool with his damp hair. There had barely been time for him to shower and dress for dinner. It was just as well. He didn’t want to think too much about his new situation until after he’d met the others.
His green cotton T-shirt and brown linen pants were baggy on his slender frame, but he barely noticed. Fit didn’t concern him as much as the fact that he hadn’t seen a single synthetic fiber in his closet. Judging by appearances, his bedroom should belong to an Alpha. At the moment, Will couldn’t decide whether he was lucky as Kaleana had said, or if he had just been sold to the most disturbed, sadistic Alpha in New Cali. What a fun little game it must be to get a poor Zed used to a luxurious new life just to snatch it away. It made a fucking lot more sense than Will being lucky, and he wasn’t going to play into Malcolm’s hands.
Will closed the door behind him and looked down the hallway. Finding his way to dinner was obviously the first test. Only one real rule in the house, and he was bound to disobey it. Maniacal sadist was looking more and more likely. Doors similar to his lined each side of the hallway. It didn’t seem wise to go randomly knocking on them until he had an idea of who or what dwelt behind them. He went right, the opposite direction from which Kaleana had brought him, and hoped he’d find his way.
Two doors down, a stocky man a little taller than Will emerged from one of the rooms. The metal of his collar glinted in the light. “Excuse me!” Will walked as quickly as he could to catch up with the older man.
Before Will reached him, the other Zed turned. Will struggled to contain his reaction. The left half of the man’s body was badly burned. As soon as he saw Will, his face broke into a grin that made him less scary.
“Ah, so you’re the new kid. I’m Carson.” He stuck his hand out toward Will. His warm demeanor took Will off guard almost as much as his face. Will shook his hand in silence, trying to understand an Alpha who’d bought a nearly crippled Zed to match his burned one.
Carson started walking as soon as Will let go of his hand. “Don’t talk much, do ya? Well, I suppose you’re lookin’ for the dinin’ room. I keep tellin’ Kaleana she needs to start handin’ out maps to the new arrivals. Don’t worry. I’ll get you to dinner on time. Follow me.”
As the shock wore off, Will struggled to catch up. “I talk. I just don’t know you.”
“What’s your name?”
“Will.”
“Well, Will, now you know me. Hey, does that leg of yours hurt?” Carson pointed at Will’s leg as if Will might not know what he referred to.
“No.”
“What happened to it?”
“My previous Alpha thought it’d be a regular riot if I learned how to ride his horses and do tricks. One of the stupid beasts fell while I was riding and crushed my leg.” The rest didn’t need to be said. It was illegal for Zeds to receive medical treatment. No use wasting the resources when society would really rather they died anyway.
Carson winced. “Shame. You’re lucky you ended up here. Malcolm is about the best you’ll ever find. Life’s pretty easy belongin’ to him.”
“About that. No one has really told me what my duties are.” The staircase they descended was easier than the one Kaleana had taken. It at least had a railing to hold to, and the steps were wider and shallower.
Carson laughed, a rich sound that made Will feel included rather than excluded for his obvious lack of knowledge. “Your duties are to keep yourself and your room clean, stay out of the way of the Betas, and do whatever Malcolm says. Most of us spend our time on different hobbies. Can you read and write?”
“Of course.” Truthfully, he didn’t read very well, but that was only because he hadn’t had much opportunity.
“Malcolm has a great library, and it’s open to us. There’s also a pool and basketball court you can use. Oops, sorry. I forgot about your leg.”
“I could swim if I wanted.”
“I’m sure you could. Let’s see, besides the rec center, there’s the theater room, but Stuart usually hogs it. Even though Malcolm wouldn’t say anythin’ about it, he’d prefer we didn’t waste our time in there. He’d rather we were doin’ somethin’ more productive.”
“He does realize we’re Zeds, right?”
Carson burst into another boisterous laugh. “He is an odd one. Treats us all better than we deserve and doesn’t ask for anythin’ in return, other than our obedience. You’ll get used to it. Ah, here we are. Are you ready to face the freaks?”
“Freaks?”
“Yeah, that’s what we call each other. Just don’t ever let Malcolm hear you say it. He hates it.”
Will wondered why they said it then. Seemed like a dangerous game. Carson opened one of the double doors to the dining room, and Will followed. The talking around the large mahogany table immediately stopped, giving Will the unsettling feeling that he had been the topic of conversation.
“Take a seat here, Will.” Carson pulled a chair out next to his. As soon as Will was seated, Carson clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Everyone, this is Will. Will, this is everyone.” Carson chuckled and thanked the Beta woman who placed a plate in front of him.
The other Zeds bobbed their heads in his direction and went back to talking and eating. Will was so distracted by the smell of the fried chicken and mashed potatoes that he didn’t even thank the woman who served it to him.
“I’m confused.” This didn’t make sense. Zeds didn’t eat in such fancy dining rooms or have their meals served to them by Betas.
“You’ll get used to it.”
Will looked at the man across from him who had spoken. Cloudy, vacant eyes met his gaze.
“My name’s Syrus. You sound young. How old are you, Will?”
“Twenty-three.”
“A young’un. I’d say you’re lucky to be here so early, before life had a chance to ruin you, but then we all know if you’re here, you’ve already been ruined somehow. What makes you one of us freaks?” Syrus’s smile removed any sting his words might have carried. His voice was scratchy, and his graying light brown hair framed a face creased with wrinkles. He was the oldest Zed Will had ever seen. It appeared the term “boy” was used loosely here.
“My left leg is twisted, crushed by a horse.”
“Are you able to walk, lad?”
“Oh yes. I’m no cripple.”
“That’s fortunate. I daresay you’ll soon be saying it was the best thing that ever happened to you.”
“Stop your gabbin’ and let the boy eat, Syrus. He didn’t have a nice lunch like you did.” Carson nudged Will’s plate toward him. “It’s better hot. You ever had food like this?”
“Yes.” Will saw the skepticism and pity in Carson’s face. He didn’t know why he was being so defensive. “Only when it amused my previous Alphas.” It’d never been easy to enjoy the real food when he’d had to debase himself so much first. Natural food was reserved for Alphas. Only the best for those tasked with advancing the genetic code. Except for the incredibly wealthy, even Betas had to make do with processed food.
Carson nodded. “I figured. A face as pretty as yours, I bet that was plenty.”
Will had heard often enough he was pretty, but he never believed it. His cheekbones were too sharp, especially when he hadn’t been eating well, and his lips were too thin. For some reason, Alphas liked to tell him he was pretty before they fucked him. He hadn’t minded the lie. It was the Alphas who told him he was an ugly piece of shit he was wary of. “Is it always like this?”
“The food or the chatter? Doesn’t matter. It’s yes to both. You’ll get used to it, but I’m afraid you’d be wise to start slow. Drinkin’ that glass of milk is likely to fill you up. It’s quite a difference from those stupid Vitabars they like to feed Zeds.”
/> Will took a bite of the fried chicken and nearly melted at the taste of the crispy skin. He’d had chicken before but never fried, or at least the skin had been gone by the time he’d gotten it. The mashed potatoes were heavenly: fluffy and creamy. There was real butter in them. The only time Will had ever tasted real butter was when he was fed from an Alpha’s plate. Even when he was given a reward for his regular meal, he hadn’t gotten butter.
It only took a few bites and some milk for Will to feel full. The ache in his stomach told him to stop. It about broke his heart to leave food on his plate. “Carson?” The older man turned from where he had been talking to the boy beside him. “Is it really like this at every meal?” Will didn’t even try to hide the hope in his voice. He kept his eyes firmly on Carson’s, hoping he could figure out if the man lied. If breakfast or even just dinner the next day would be the same, he might be able to stop eating. If not, he felt sure he’d keep going until he’d consumed every morsel of food.
Carson patted Will’s knee under the table. “It is. I promise. Don’t worry about not finishin’. You’ll make yourself sick, and there’s no need. Before you know it, you’ll be down here for breakfast, eatin’ pancakes, fruit, eggs, sausages, or whatever else Marcy cooks up for us.”
Will held Carson’s gaze for a moment longer. The fact that the man let him told him all he needed to know. He nodded and pushed back his plate. “Does the Alpha ever eat with us?” Will was grateful for the absence. He had no doubt it wasn’t for his benefit, but it had been nice enjoying his first meal with the others without the pressure of Malcolm’s intimidating presence. Even recalling the coolness of his eyes was enough to send shivers down Will’s spine—and stoke his curiosity.
“’Tis odd he didn’t join us.” Carson glanced at the chair at the head of the table and the empty one to the right of it.
“Yeah, I don’t think he’s ever missed a newbie’s first dinner.” The boy on Carson’s right spoke.
“He wa-wa-was here f-f-f-for mine.”
“Yeah, Stu, you were the newest until today. Maybe you scared him off it.” The boy reached across with his left hand and tousled Stu’s hair. Will noticed he was missing his right hand.
“S-s-stop. He eats with us p-p-plenty.”
“Nick, leave him alone. Malcolm’s busy.” The man from the garage spoke, and Will realized that he must be deaf. He pointedly watched whoever was speaking, and his voice sounded as if he had a severe cold.
“Rufus.” The man next to him—Will thought he’d heard him referred to as Tony—set down his fork and waved his hand in front of Rufus’s face to make sure he had his attention. “You’re the only one who’s seen him since he came home. How was he?”
“He didn’t even look at me. Seemed distracted and in a hurry.”
“There you have it.” Tony nodded. “He’s preoccupied with work.”
“What does he do, anyway?” Will interjected.
The table fell silent. “We don’t talk about the business dealings of Alphas, dear.” Tony’s eyes were a warm, likeable brown. The right side of his face sagged downward. From the way he ate, it seemed his right arm had some level of paralysis as well.
“Malcolm never talks about it, and he’s none too pleased when one of us asks.” Carson’s eyes told him it wouldn’t be wise to get Malcolm “none too pleased.”
The same Beta woman who had served him before took his plate and replaced it with a small bowl of chocolate pudding. Will shook his head. “This isn’t right.”
“What?” Carson turned to him.
“Betas serving Zeds? Without any Alphas around?”
“Malcolm takes his duty to employ Betas seriously.”
“Sure, but why are they serving us? It’d at least be understandable if he was here ’cause they’d be serving him.”
“It’s what they were hired for.”
Will tried to keep the exasperation from his voice. This place felt more and more like a mad house he’d gone to as a child when he was a companion to a young Alpha named Lewis. “But why?”
“Because he’s an odd one. You’ll find your life here much more enjoyable if you accept that as the reason for most things.” Syrus’s blank eyes were fixed on Will. He was right. The whole situation was odd, from the Alpha right on down.
“That doesn’t explain why they don’t resent serving us.”
“No, it doesn’t. Perhaps when it comes to the feelings of the Betas in this house, you should ask them.”
Will digested Syrus’s words and took them as an indication that his questioning would be tolerated. He really preferred to speak as little as possible to Betas, but he didn’t think Syrus would encourage him unless it would be all right. He mulled over exactly how he would go about asking such a question while everyone else ate their dessert. The pudding was delicious, but he could only tolerate a couple of bites before his stomach protested. It’d be a shame to waste such a lovely meal by vomiting.
“Well, lads, I don’t know about you, but I’m stuffed to me gills. How about we move to the lounge?” Carson rose, and everyone else followed.
The lounge was a large, open space with a long, curved green sofa that looked like the softest thing Will had ever seen. There were huge cushions on the floor, big enough to fit even Rufus, in an array of colors. A shaggy rug that matched the sofa covered the center of the marble floor. On top of it rested a low white table that could accommodate a card game among the people on the sofa. Everyone settled easily into their spots, and Will fell into a giant orange cushion. The appearance of the lounge was one more surprise in a long list of them.
They all chatted cheerily about the activities of the day. Tony had worked in the garden, taking advantage of the pleasant, overcast weather. He talked with Rufus, who had spent much of his day working on the cars and playing basketball with Nick. Will wondered how Nick could shoot the ball with only one hand. Apparently, Nick had been able to pull Stuart away from the theater room for a game of tennis after Rufus had gone back to the garage. Off to the side, Syrus discussed a new book he had listened to on his Glass Tab with Carson.
They were a regular hodgepodge, and Will was content to sit ensconced in his cushion, silently observing. He felt included, even though he never spoke. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, a complete opposite to the Alpha who owned everything in sight. For the moment, he was willing to push his mysterious owner to the back of his mind. Besides, he was entirely convinced he’d wake up any minute and realize this had all been one crazy dream.
3
Three
“Come on, I’ll show you around.” Carson patted Will on the back and stood from the breakfast table.
When Will had awoken to find everything that had happened in the last day was real, he didn’t know whether to be thrilled or nervous. Breakfast had convinced him that thrilled was the correct answer. He would have never guessed that bread soaked in egg and then fried would taste so good. The slab of butter and pool of syrup probably hadn’t hurt. If he had been born an Alpha, he was sure he’d spend every waking moment eating.
Will followed Carson from the dining room. The conversation around the table had been just as jovial as the previous night, but Will couldn’t help noticing the numerous glances cast at the vacant chairs at the head of the table. The others were polite enough not to comment on it, but Will couldn’t help feeling there was something about him that put their Alpha off. If that were the case, why did he purchase Will in the first place? Questions seemed to be a perpetual part of his life at the moment.
Carson led them down to the massive garage. “I thought I’d take you on a tour of the grounds while the weather’s nice. It’s supposed to rain later.” He led Will to a small two-seater vehicle that was open on all sides, clearly meant for quick little jaunts around the property. They passed Rufus, who was underneath one of the fancier sports cars. “Be careful gettin’ Rufus’s attention while he’s workin’. Tony brushed up against his leg once, and poor Rufus jumped so high he ha
d a bump the size of a grapefruit on his forehead for days.”
“How come he’s the only one who seems to do any work?”
“He loves workin’ on the cars, takin’ ’em apart and puttin’ ’em back together. Malcolm only ever drives the black bullet car except on rare occasions. I’d swear he bought these all for Rufus. When Rufus first came here, Malcolm couldn’t keep him away from the two cars he had at the time. Once Rufus showed an interest in their mechanics, cars started appearin’ left and right.”
Will shook his head. Sometimes Alphas would buy gifts for favored Zeds, but a garage full of cars? “So no one ever drives them?”
“That’d be a waste now, wouldn’t it? We race ’em. I’ll show you where the track is.” Carson climbed into the vehicle, and Will joined him.
Carson pulled out of the garage and drove them around the little residential area surrounding the house. Malcolm had clearly disabled the autopilot on more than just the bullet car. “These are the homes of the Betas who work in the house and on the grounds. They’re all pretty nice people.” All the yards were well tended. The houses were modest two-story homes that looked similar, but each had little touches that made it unique, such as the paint color or garden.
Carson waved to a Beta who was landscaping as they drove around to the other side of the house. “Over here is the recreation center. That’s the race track around the outside.” A tennis and basketball court sat inside a jogging track inside the race track. “That buildin’ over there houses the pool. There’s also another basketball court in there for when the weather’s bad. All the Betas who live in this area are welcome to use it, but they’re usually busy durin’ the day. We try to keep away in the evenings so they can enjoy it. They’re all nice, like I said, but we make them a little uncomfortable. They’d never say nothin’ about it, but we try to be courteous.”
[In Distress 01.0] In Distress Page 2
