He exhaled and nodded, turning his vision back to the ceiling fan. "The good. Right," he whispered. "Growing up, we used to have the biggest backyard. We had a pool for the summers, and my father used to invite everyone in the neighborhood over to grill and soak in the sun."
"That sounds wonderful right about now," I said, taking another syringe to his arm. "Tell me more."
"Our father was a good person. A nice person. He was boisterous. You understand? He would tell loud stories and make everyone in the room laugh. He would look at our mother like he had just won the lottery. Those were our golden years." His eyes seemed to light up the room. "Lucian and I would play soldier for hours. We would run through the citrus trees with our toy guns, blasting at the enemy. It would always end with a round of mortar explosions. We would jump in the pool, and duck under as imaginary flames covered our heads. We used to laugh so loud, and the smell of the grill would cause us to disband our weapons.”
I choked up and looked away for a moment. It was hard seeing him like his, and even harder hearing him speak about the past. There was so much that we’d lost out on. I could hardly remember living in a real house, but they had the chance to make some real solid memories together. I wished I had the same. "I'm sorry for what happened," I whispered.
"It was an accident," he said. "No one can be blamed."
I heard Lucian's footsteps behind me, so I turned. He looked hurt and sorry, and I knew that he just needed time to process everything. "Maybe we can fix it all," he said, walking toward his brother. "Maybe we can right the wrongs of the past. We are brothers, after all."
Kahn reached out and took his brother's hand. "I don't know how long I'll live, but I need to tell you something."
"Spare it. You're going to be fine, dammit," Lucian said.
Kahn swallowed. His eyes were glossy and medicated. "Look, I know how hurt I am. You don't have to hide that truth from me," he said. "So let's just call it what it is. You need to leave me behind. Go to that wall, brother. Get her to safety. It's the only way you'll survive. Leave me here for Father."
Lucian nodded and gripped his hand harder. "I'll come back for you," he said.
Kahn ignored that last part. Instead, he turned his head to face me. "Your father is near the bottom of the landscape, right where the green turns to mud."
"The wetlands?" Lucian asked.
Kahn softly nodded his head and closed his eyes. "Just a few miles from the wall. He's safe for now, but that might not last forever. Father wants him gone for what happened. I think he's ready to give up anything for his chance at ending this."
"Then he will have to answer for his sins," Lucian said.
I grabbed Lucian's arm. "We're not leaving him," I said. "Lucian, we can't. It's wrong."
Kahn shook his head in defiance. "Don't argue with me. This one time, listen to what I say."
Letting go of Kahn's hand, Lucian turned and reached into the bag my father gave him. He pulled out a 9 mm and checked the magazine to make sure it was loaded. "When you're all healed up, you take this gun and find us at the wall. You hear me?"
"If we leave, there won't be any healing," I said. "We can't just pray this thing away, Lucian."
He placed the gun on the surgical table beside him. "And we can't leave your father behind either. We gave him a weapon. We'll leave the necessary medication, sedatives, and whatever food we have in your dad’s bag. It's all we can do."
"In life, we make difficult choices," Kahn said. "I'll be fine."
I looked at both of them with worry, but they weren't budging on this.
"Your father needs your help," Kahn said. "Find him and head to the wall."
I tossed the towel aside and closed my eyes. "Okay, you're right. I'll do what you ask."
"Good. And one more thing," Kahn said.
"Yes?" I asked.
"You make sure he treats you right. He can be a cranky son of a bitch sometimes."
I laughed as tears fell from my eyes. "I will."
Lucian stepped away from the bed and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for everything, brother. You didn't deserve this life."
"Neither did you. It was what Father designed for us, eternal conflict between family members. All of that's over now," Kahn said. "Goodbye, brother. And, sister… farewell."
"This isn't the end, Kahn. We’ll find you again. I promise," I said.
He nodded, wistfully. "I believe it."
I took Lucian's hand and, together, we walked down the stairs and out of the building. We were silent, but I knew what he was thinking.
The fight wasn't over, yet. With his father still roaming those woods, the conflict could not end. Only, this time, he was the one being hunted, not us.
We would find my father, tell him about the discovery of the wall, and then we would gear up and fight this thing out.
"Do you have a plan?" I asked Lucian.
"I sure as shit do not," he said. "Don’t worry, critter. Soon, my dad will be dead and buried. We'll find your father and get the hell out of here for good."
"And then what?" I asked.
He spanked my ass and swung me in his arms. "Then, I'm going to devour that sweet pussy for a third time."
Lucian
I went through the fire and returned unscathed.
My destiny was absolute. My love was strong. But there was no putting back together my family. I thought I had come to terms with our leaving, but there were still some heavy feelings there.
Nothing could have prepared me to say goodbye like that. My brother was a good man. Despite his flaws, he still had that heart pumping inside of him. He was just too young when it happened. He couldn't cope, and I had failed him.
I sucked up my bitter emotions and found my brother's ATV. It was right where he said it would be, cloaked in camouflage. I looked around for any sign of my father, but it didn't look like anyone was near.
I grabbed the handlebars and stepped onto the seat. "I can't believe I doubted him," I said.
Lilly swung her legs around the back end and squeezed my shoulders. "Let's just hurry and find my dad. Then, we can come back and pick him up."
I nodded and looked back at the narrow entrance to the grounds of Onyx Laboratories. From the view out here, you would have never thought it was there.
My brother was in bad shape. We'd see if he could last.
I slammed my leg down and throttled the engine. Her hands smoothed around my abdomen. "Hold on tight," I said.
My eyes were dead focused as we whipped through the trees. I jumped a small hill and found a small carved out path. Lilly leaned against my back and pointed. "There!" she yelled.
As we climbed the mountain, the number of trees dwindled. I steered to the left and drove down the side of the landscape. The wind whipped my face, and a smile graced my lips. With the sun rising in the distance, I felt on top of the fucking world.
"Lilly," I shouted. "I'm sorry for last night. I was acting like a complete idiot."
I felt her lean her head against my shoulder. "Well, you were kind of an ass," she said. "But you've been going through a lot. We both have."
"I love you."
"Forever…"
The landscape was so foreign. As we drove past the mountainous region, we entered a new section of trees and thick mud. Soon, the entire area was filled with ash and elm trees. The wetlands were near.
I followed the tread in the mud until the tracks disappeared into deep water. I slowed down the ATV and put my finger to my lips. I had never seen these swamps before, but I knew it wasn't a place to play around.
"We don't know who's out here," I whispered. "Let's take it slow."
She nodded and gave me the okay. I jumped off the vehicle and stepped inside the water, slowly wading through the area for any clues that stuck out. Finally, I found something. There was a small string tied in between two trees, close enough to the water to miss. I glanced above and saw a bed of wooden spikes pointing directly at the center of our heads.
&nb
sp; I pointed and exhaled sharply. "This look familiar to you?"
Lilly sank back. "Shit. That's definitely my dad's work. He's close," she said.
I sucked in a breath and ducked under the trap. Lilly soon followed. When we were back up, she pointed to the various snares surrounding the premises. There was a hidden bear trap set on a marsh, a cleverly hidden swing with a set of sharpened stakes at the bottom, and at the very end of the path, a trip wire connected to a lighter and a spray bottle.
I looked to her and groaned. "He's a mad man."
"Well, he's prepared, at least," she said.
We avoided the intricate traps and carried on until we found him. The RV was sunk into the water and completely trashed. Standing on a small patch of land was Aiden. He leaned against a rifle and waved. "Critter, you've known me all your life. Am I ever not prepared?"
"Dad!" Lilly jumped out of the water and ran into her father's arms, face aglow with relief. She sunk into his hug. "I thought I had lost you."
He set her down with a heaving sigh. "I'm not that old, critter. I can handle a fight."
She laughed. "Well, you sure as hell know how to hide. Looks like the homestead is a little wet, though."
He grinned. "I guess I made a wrong turn."
"We've made a few of those ourselves," she said.
"I've missed you," he said. "I've been thinking a lot about family, and I want you to know that I'm proud of you, critter."
The waterworks kept coming. "Dad, you're making me cry," Lilly said.
He walked over to her and knelt to her level. Wiping the tears away from her eyes, he said, "Your mother would have been so proud of you."
Lilly broke down. "I just want her back."
I felt my heart twist inside my chest. I wanted to run and take her in my arms, but this was their much-needed moment.
"We can't turn back time," her father said.
"Time has been ripped from our hearts," she said. "It is the source of our darkness. I want to break the spell."
Aiden stood and set his rifle down. "Then we must leave the woods forever. We must find a way out."
"They'll come after us. There's a wall that surrounds this entire forest. We'll have to cross the swamps to get there," Lilly said.
"The barrier," he said. "That's our destination."
"What happens if they come after us?" she asked.
"I'm more than ready for a fight," he said.
Then, he saw me standing in the water. His smile faded slowly. "And you? Can you handle the fight?"
Against my family. My father, the man who’d caged me. Was he really asking me if I could handle taking him out?
I stepped out of the swamp and walked forward, saluting. "I'm always up to the challenge, sir."
"Sir?" He chuckled and met me halfway with his palm extended. "I don't remember you calling me sir near the Great Divide."
I shook his hand and inhaled confidently. "With all due respect, you had a gun pointed at my head."
"That I did." He grinned. Suddenly, I held him in high esteem.
"I probably should offer you the proper respect," I said. "If I'm going to ask for your daughter's hand, I need to get your approval."
He glanced back at Lilly and observed her reaction. She instantly turned red, and her smile was uncontrollable. A pang of electricity shot through my heart, and I waited anxiously for her father's response.
"I was under the impression that a marriage was out of the question. There are no churches for hundreds of miles. It is the apocalypse, after all," he said.
"Then, I guess I'll have to make one," I said, standing tall.
"Truthfully, it's not up to me. That's my daughter's decision to make," Aiden said, turning around to face her. "I've been too hard on her. Haven't given her the chance to make too many choices. It's only fair to ask her what she wants from this, right?"
Tears of joy fell from her eyes. She nodded faster than the speed of light. "Yes," she said.
Her father curled his lower lip into his mouth and stared at me like a man. "Well, champ. I think you have your answer."
Aiden pushed me in her direction. At that moment, the sun was shining right above her head. She was vulnerable yet invincible. Unadorned and honest. We were totally dirty from hiding out, but she had truly never looked more beautiful than she did standing in front of me.
I knelt and raised my chin. "Lilly. Will you do me this honor of marrying me? I know I'm not perfect. I know that we still have a ways to go until we find safety. But I want you, and I won't settle until I have you. Forever."
Lilly extended her hand. "Take me," she said. "I'm yours."
Her father laughed. "First thing we do on the other side is find you two some rings."
I felt my face turn hot with embarrassment. I took her hand and kissed her ring finger. It wasn't an empty gesture. I stood and gazed into her wondrous eyes and felt the chips of stone that guarded my heart fall away. I stood and traced my thumb across her cheek.
"I don't need a stupid ring," she said. "I just need you."
I took her waist and brought her near to me. I placed my palm against her stomach. "We are a family. You are my cure. Both of you."
She closed her eyes. "Kiss me."
My tongue slipped inside her mouth, and our lips crushed together. First, soft. Then, hard.
I caressed the back of her head, fingers woven through her silky, dense hair. She sunk back, and I tasted her.
We breathed the same air. We searched for the same truth. She was my fucking soul mate.
Aiden coughed and dug his heel back against the dirt. "Okay, guys. Maybe it's about time we go over a plan."
I pulled away and cleared my throat, wiping the excess saliva off of my lip. Lilly and I both laughed and shared glances. "He's right. We need to gear up. The next few miles are going to be treacherous."
I looked around us. The sun made the wetlands look okay, but the light was starting to wane. I worried what the dark might bring.
Aiden pointed to another section of water. "I've got something to show you. Follow me."
He held his rifle over his head and stepped into the still liquid. Lilly followed next, and then me. The light started to dim. He stopped before a large plank of wood. He pulled himself up and put out his hand for Lilly to follow. "Built this thing myself. We'll take the water all the way to the end," he said.
Surprisingly, the plank was sturdy enough to hold our weight. Resting on the other end was a cloth. Aiden tore it away and revealed a set of precision hunting rifles, as well as some supplies. They looked brand new. "Been saving these for a special occasion," he said.
Everything seemed to hit me at once. I sat staring at the reflection of light on the water. The sun was halfway underneath, casting the most beautiful purple and orange hue. The sound of a duck sawed through the dancing notes of the insects and frogs. Nature was beautiful, but it was also terrifying.
I closed my eyes and thought of my brother. Once more, I had failed him. I had promised to come back to the labs. I swore that I'd bring him to safety.
Lilly sensed my distress. She trickled her fingers across my back and leaned her head against me. She whispered, "We'll get him back, Lucian."
I nodded and sat solemnly. Maybe she was right, but it didn't feel like it. As the sun disappeared into the water, the entire landscape changed. Fog gently formed above the water like the slow web of a spider.
I set aside my old weapon for a new one, complete with a high-powered scope and custom handgrip. I grabbed a shrapnel grenade and pocketed a flare. "We'll get him when this is over, right?"
Lilly kissed my arm, and I turned to hold her. "Whatever happens, good or bad, we will come back for him. He's my family, too."
Aiden stood and grabbed a large stick of wood. He stabbed it into the liquid and pushed us out. "It's time," Aiden said.
As we moved across the water, I held onto my baby, the woman I had fought so hard to keep. We were closer than ever, but so many things still s
tood in our way.
I kissed her head, kissed her neck, expecting to smell her scent. Instead, I got a whiff of gasoline.
I jumped up. "Aiden, do you smell that?"
As we slowly crossed the swamp, I looked to our left and saw a boot floating in the water. I tightened my grip around my rifle and carefully looked up into the trees.
He was there. My father was sitting in the branches, holding a box of matches ready. He grinned like a psychopath, scar tight around his face and eyelid. His leg was bleeding. He was hurt.
I swung my rifle and took aim. My finger hugged the trigger, but my sight wavered. Before I could act, he struck the match and jumped away.
"Shit!" Aiden dug the branch into the water, pushing us to the side, but it didn't offer us any protection.
I watched that matchstick fall in slow motion. Before it hit the water, I felt my adrenaline spike. I grabbed Lilly and her father, and I dove to the opposite side.
Within seconds, the spot where our raft had been was engulfed in flames. It spread up and through the trees, chasing us as we swam. "Hold your breath!" I screamed.
I kicked off of the floor, diving forward and under, carrying them through the dark water. I cocked my head up and squinted. A flaming tree cracked and toppled over us. It just barely missed our heads. The entire marsh seemed to burn with the frenzy of fire and ash.
My breath was running out. I swam until the bright embers disappeared. Slowly, I brought them up.
Lilly choked on the air. "Is he finally gone?" she asked.
I spun around and looked at the devastating flames. "I saw him escape from the trees," I said, finding a piece of land to step up on.
Aiden collapsed onto the soil and breathed. "What are we going to do? Our weapons are gone," he said.
I swung my rifle off of my shoulder. "Still got mine," I said.
Lilly pulled out a 9 mm. "And mine."
"Well, fuck me then," Aiden muttered.
Under any other circumstance, I would have laughed. This wasn't fun and games. This was going to be somebody's night of reckoning. I just hoped it was us doing the judging.
I tossed him the rifle and pulled a blade from my leg. "I know my father's tactics. I don't need a gun."
Temptation: A Dark Sci-Fi Romance (Alpha Unknown Book 3) Page 10