by B. N. Toler
“He hid it in the barn, above Bruno’s stall door.” I eye her surprised. It’s my subconscious I’m speaking with in Lucy’s form, which means my subconscious has always known where the key was. It’s not like Rhett could have taken it with him, of course it’s here.
“Lucy, I don’t want to—”
“You can do this. You have to do this before it’s too late.”
“Too late for what?”
She grabs me by the shoulders. “You will do this.”
“I will.” I take the silver rectangle and clench it in my fist. “I’ll find the answers,” I assure her.
“Remember, no matter what, we are family.” She squeezes my hand still gripping the rectangle.
Her words feel like they have a deeper meaning, but before I can respond, I’m interrupted.
“It’s been five minutes.” Rhett’s voice interrupts our conversation.
I quickly shove the necklace under my shirt and smile, trying to act as if nothing is off.
His face twists slightly as he watches me hide the necklace, but I ignore it.
“I love you Lucy.” I hug her tightly. Her scent of mothballs and bounce dryer sheets hit me, and I hug her tighter.
“Make me proud.” She smiles. “Goodbye Rhett.” She waves at him and vanishes.
Rhett looks at me suspiciously. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” I smile, trying to hide any indication of being deceitful.
He watches me as I walk towards him. His body is tense, his lips pressed together in a flat line, and I know he is curious about what just transpired between Lucy and I, but I ignore it.
I kiss him softly on the cheek. “I think it was information I never sorted before resurfacing.” I shrug. “I’m ready.”
“You have a lot of good things coming,” he says and I realize I do. He grabs my hand and squeezes it.
A shiver of guilt runs through me. This happiness is only temporary. The plans I am contemplating will set in motion many things, including the possible and likely demise of Rhett’s trust and affection for me. It’s a horrific thought. But it’s in the name of his mother, his sister, my mother, my aunt and any other healer who has suffered as a result of the vile acts of this nest.
“Don’t be scared. I won’t let anything happen to you,” he whispers before kissing my hand gently.
I nod taking a deep breath, and we walk through the door that will lead me back to consciousness.
END
Don’t miss out on what happens when Aldo wakes up.
HYBRID
Coming 2014
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My Aunt Lucy used to say, “If you cannot find peace within yourself, you will never find it anywhere else.” She said many wise things I never heeded when she was alive. I want to be the woman that’s okay with hiding from what she fears and letting her big, strong man protect her. But that’s not me. I hate to be scared. I hate the feeling that there is an evil out there that could hurt me if it finds me. But mostly, I hate that so many before me lived in fear and died at the hands of evil. That is why I cannot find peace within. There is no peace for me while Healers suffer the atrocities of others.
I know Rhett would protect me at all costs. He loves me. And that is why I must leave him behind. It’s impossible to justify hurting someone you love—or many you love—to do what you truly believe is right. Lucy also used to say, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” I get what she was trying to tell me now. Hindsight is twenty/twenty. Sometimes we choose a path we think will lead us toward a noble cause, full of ambition and altruism, only to look back and see we’ve run over and crushed the ones we love most along the way. I can only pray that one day those I love will forgive me.
I woke up and I left. I left Rhett, the man who saved me from myself. The man I love. I left my brothers—my best friends.
I left.
But leaving led me to more. I found answers. I found others like me—who want what I want.
But most importantly, I found myself.
My name is Aldo Lawson.
I’m awake.
And I’m a Hybrid.
.
acknowledgements
First and foremost, I would like to thank a few ladies who made me believe that this might actually be a book people would want to read.
Alice, (a.k.a, Sugar Bush) years and years ago you were the only one I would let read what I wrote, you know, those stories I wrote when I should have been trying to sell houses. Because of your encouragement I pressed on. Thanks for that. You have no idea what it has meant to me.
K8te- thank you for your encouragement and letting me bounce ideas off of you. Mostly, thanks for the laughs. You are the best.
Ashley, thanks for the first edit and encouragement, I needed it.
Leah, thank you for your support, love, and encouragement.
Suzanne Hartman, thank you for your editing and advice. You really held my hand, and I’m grateful.
Ellen C. Sallas, thank you for all of your hard work formatting and answering my bazillion questions.
Amy Jo, thanks for being the best sister ever and making my cover and taking my photos. You are a truly talented soul, and I am grateful for your love, support, and help.
Finally, my husband. Toler, your love and support through this has humbled me. You let me dream, you believed in me, and you will never know what that means to me. I love you to the moon and back.
B N Toler is a happily married, mother of three who lives in Virginia. She enjoys reading and lives for a good book she can’t put down. HEALER is her first self-published novel, and she is currently working on part two of the HEALER series, HYBRID, available in 2014.
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