Three Times Torn

by Felisha Antonette

  “I knew that was coming,” he mutters under his breath.

  “Okay?” I state, moving to sit in front of him. “I want the entire story.”

  Captain of the stallers hesitates, taking a deep breath. He leans up on his elbows and stares at me. I lift my brows impatiently. “Roehl’s our father’s son. But he wasn’t born from my mother. My father and a female Hybrid conceived him a couple of years before me. They had him live with us for a while when his mother couldn’t handle him, thinking if they put us together, we’d help each other with our overcome. But for Roehl, there was no overcome; there was only over. Right before Scott was born, my father had sent Roehl away. He hated anything or anyone not Sephlem; you know that. Roehl was Burdened, but what made him so much worse, his blood was tainted by Hybrid as well. And with your confirming my father was Burdened and Hybrid, I can see why Roehl was affected by it so intensely.” He lies back down, looking at the ceiling. “When I was opposed to my family’s greater good, he and I linked up. We didn’t care about much besides what we were and what we wanted to become. Like he said, we did everything together, and at the time, I did look at him as a brother. Those were my bad days, as my family would say. Ruthless, he and I were. No hostages. No witnesses. Nobody told us no, and no one dared to challenge us. We were so known others joined us. The twins who stood with him, Linden and Lawrence, were with us too. We were just . . . not good people. But we had each other’s backs. He was more family to me than any of these people.”

  “So, what happened?” Half of me wants to know, but the other doesn’t.

  He shrugs. “Later, my family had tried to convince me to leave that life. I, um, wanted to be Burdened, free, without restraints. Fighting, killing, partying, being away from here, away from my father. I didn’t want their convincing. I didn’t care. I complained about them to Roehl, and one day he had got it in his head that he would help me get them off my back. So, one day, my entire family came to where he and I were living. They’d tried to play it like an intervention or something.” Nathan sits up and pulls my legs from being crossed under me to being draped over his. Eyes locked on mine, he informs, “He had tried to kill them, Sparks. All of them. A one-man army. He’d yelled about how he and I were going to rule the world together, and how I didn’t want to go with them. As you can see, I stopped him. I had left that day, and he’d warned me not to. He was like a pissed off girlfriend and said if I didn’t come back he’d come for me. He had a serious obsession problem. Everything I have, he’s wanted. This is going to sound cocky but, he wants to be me, and since he can’t, he wants the next best thing. Everything—anything—I have.”

  “That sounds weird, Nathan.”

  “He was weird, I mean, he was like really crazy about getting me back.”

  I nod, wanting him to continue.

  “Years passed. I’d come home from school one day. Back then, we had a different housekeeper. She was chopped up and spread across our kitchen table. I knew he was the one who had done it. It was his style of killing. I was pissed; I liked her. At this time, I was still trying to manage control and separate the man from the beast. Taylor used to tell it to me like that.” He clears his throat. “I’d walked through the house, smelling for him. He was strong, his scent overpowering everything else. I’d followed it to my mother’s room.” Nathan stops and purses his lips. I can’t tell if he’s thinking or preparing himself for whatever he’s going to say next. “Argh.” He grumbles and rushes, “He’d raped her and brought her to her last breath. She was . . . really bad off. And my father was nowhere to be found—at that moment.”

  I cringe, unable to make my brain process that. How terrible of an experience that had to have been for Natalia. The shock from someone not being your mate touching you and that. . .

  “Before I attacked him,” Nathan continues, “Roehl had warned me I’d need my father to heal my mother, and if I wanted him back then I needed to listen.” He rolls his eyes, and I listen as if the words were said to me. “I’d mastered mind control and possession by now. And as he went over his ‘the importance of my return’ speech, which was no different from why everyone else wanted me, all I could focus on was taking him over and killing him. He had brought out my father. He seemed to come out of nowhere. He was near his end too, but well enough to heal my mom. She was traumatized, Sparks. After that, the world didn’t make sense to her for a long time.” He rubs his hand down his face, crossing his eyes. “But wrapping up this long-ass inconvenience of a history lesson. He and I had fought, throwing the best of what we had at each other. He matched my ability of control, but I was stronger and able to overpower him. Dropping him to his knees, I wrapped my hand around his neck, strangling the life out of him. Through scattered breaths, he’d begged me not to kill him. Roehl begs for nothing from no one, so it had caught me off guard. He’d apologized and told me if I didn’t kill him; he’d stay away. He just wanted me to come back, and he loved me as a brother and friend. I was there for him when he had nothing and when no one was there for him.”

  “And you didn’t kill him,” I cut in, voice quieter than I intend for it to be.

  “Like an idiot, I let him go, banning him from our family. He left willingly, no hassle, no fight.” Nathan rubs his hands over my knees, keeping himself at ease. “I’d heard rumors of him getting worse and that he’s frequently asked about me and requested I visit him. I refused, unable to forgive him for what he’d done to my mom.” Gesturing with his hand, he beckons me closer to him. “And eight years later, he’s invited to come back.”

  “Did Taylor know about what happened?”

  “Yes. Everyone knows.” He kisses my cheek, easing the remainder of his discomfort. “And that’s why I don’t understand why she’d go to him. Sparks, they busted their asses trying to get me to come home, trying to bring me down, showing me this life is better than that one. It took years for me to change. And Taylor, she put the most effort into it, and then Scott. She’s seen me spaz out, she’s seen me lose all control, and she’d often have to lose control just to control me. But ever since I let Roehl go, I’ve never let anyone who’s crossed me or my family live, always thinking they’d come back and do something worse all because I let my guard down and let my feelings get the best of me. And my mother wants to make me obligated to help her.”

  “You think she’d do it?” I ask with her words of banning him echoing in my head.

  “Yeah. It wouldn’t last, but she’d do it.”

  “And your being banned will hurt us how?”

  “We’d be separated from the family, giving us no place to live, having that ache in our backs that there’s a clan of Newcombs we belong to but won’t accept us do to the unwelcoming effect of being rejected by our family.”

  “Then you’re going to help Taylor?”

  “You think I should?”

  “Yes,” I answer honestly. “But not because you don’t want your mother to ban you, but because she’s your sister and Taylor has always been there for you.”

  “Really?” he asks, surprised.

  “You don’t want your sister to die, nor do you want to kill her. She messed up, yeah. We’ve all done some things that have resulted in us hating ourselves. But we need to take care of Roehl anyway. She will be our way to do that.”

  “And how would that be?”

  I shrug. “You’ll come up with something.” Smirking, I smoothly avert the topic. “But what I do know is we have this room and the entire basement to ourselves.” I push him to lie back on the bed. “And I’ve been waiting to get you alone for a long time.”

  His warm hands slip under my shirt, grabbing my hips. “Is that right?”

  “Um-hum,” I hum, kissing him once.

  He pushes me back. “You do know it’s supposed to be my job to coerce you into having sex with me.”

  “Oh? Well, we’ve switched shifts.”

  He flips me backward and kisses my chin. “Nah,” he objects, grabbing my waist. I reach for his hands, ma
king sure they’re his real hands and not some illusion. “They’re real, Sparky.”

  I lean up, kissing him. The crave intensifies, causing my hands to shake. “Nate, I need you.” The words burn my tongue as I let them slip. It drives me nuts needing another person; him being my ultimate everything, but I have to wait it out. It’s supposed to ease off its intensity any day now. . .

  “Okay,” Nathan grants, grabbing at the button of my jeans. His love-spelled lips whisk across my neck and up to the sensitive skin behind my earlobe. A shudder arches my back, pressing my chest against his.

  “Hey, Nathan, Tracey?”

  I sink back against the mattress, grumbling. We straighten before Nicholas can walk in.

  “Why are you two down here in all this rubble? Come up, we’re having a meeting,” Nick says from the doorway, gesturing for us to follow. He’s so cute, looking like a younger version of Roseland.

  “It’s like a family meeting every other day,” I utter under my breath as we follow Nick out of the basement.

  Nathan rubs my arms. “Later. Even if we have to go out into the woods,” he says through his teeth.

  Chuckling, I whisper, “Not the woods.”

  “I’m serious.”

  IMPATIENT EYES LOWER AT us as we enter the great room. We take our regular seats; on a couch on the far end of the room sat against a wall beneath a painting that depicts a night at sea with a storm thrashing a ship against angry waves. It’s the length of the couch and a good five feet tall. We’ve been in and out of family meetings since Taylor began quivering and shaking around the house and Nathan had to tell everyone what had happened with her and Roehl.

  Roseland stands, crossing his arms. “Thank you two for finally joining us,” he articulates, irritated by our late arrival. “We have some things we need to discuss,” he starts, as usual. “First, the company.” His gaze shifts to Nathan. “How are things coming along with missing a partner?”

  “Overwhelming,” Nathan answers. “But everything’s on track, moving slower than I’d like, but on track.” Nathan hasn’t been as involved as much as he’d like, just available when they call him. He has someone to do the administrative work but is working on hiring a second person for the management of inventory and shipments. The hiring process is moving slow, though.

  “Good to hear. I’ve been considering taking the vacancy if this is okay with you?”

  Nathan sits forward, rubbing his hand over his beard. His index finger brushes back and forth over his cheek as he thinks over Roseland’s offer. “I don’t see why it’d be a problem. You know the business, and it would be great to have the help and the second eye on things as it was before.” Nathan seriously disliked his dad, but when it came down to his baby, he appreciated the extra help. Now, he’s overbooked and overworked. Roseland’s coming on as his partner will probably relieve him of a lot of stress.

  “Excellent, we’ll discuss this further at the office.” Turning to his left, Roseland asks, “Mother, you wanted to speak?”

  “Yes, I did.” As Natalia stands, Roseland sits.

  And here we go, Nathan irritably vents, leaning back on the couch.

  Natalia’s sobered face matches his but both their eyes read their disappointment in each other. “Today,” she starts, “Nathan was offered the options to either help Taylor in this battle against Roehl or be banned from our family.” Chatter and disputes echo throughout the room, scolding her options. “Enough!” Natalia commands, voice charging through the ruckus like a train.

  Nathan slouches, rubbing his right eye as if it doesn’t bother him. But I know it does when he grabs my hand.

  “Now,” she continues, “what was said has been said. Nathan needs to decide.”

  Without hesitation, Nathan rises, gaze locked on Taylor. She’s gained a twitch, and her eyes shake as they lift to Nathan. “I will help you,” he states evenly and then turns to Natalia’s smiling face. “And after I help her, Mother, Sparks and I are leaving.”

  Huh?! “Nathan?” I grab his arm as he sits. Trying to zone out all the chatter that’s erupted from Nathan’s reveal, I ask him, What are you saying?

  We aren’t dealing with this shit anymore. I refuse to be threatened by doing things I don’t want to. My family puts me through more shit than those I go against out there.

  “Son,” Natalia calls, pulling us from our conversation. “Why?” she asks in a way that makes her voice rise and fall at the same time. The pride that once lifted her cheeks has been washed away and the frown makes her cheeks droop in the shape of teardrops. Her knit brows tremble, but those intense amber eyes stay strong.

  Nathan goes to stand again, but I hold him still, keeping him seated. “Wait, Nate. Think about this for a minute,” I say, not wanting him to say something he’s going to regret.

  “No, Sparks, I’m not.” He rises. “It’ll be safer for the two of us,” he says to Natalia, but addresses everyone’s questions. “I can’t stay here knowing I’ll get pressured into doing things I don’t want to or jeopardize being banned from my family that I’ve saved and protected from our enemies including our family countless times. We won’t stay here knowing my family will give us up because they can’t wait or come to family first.”

  Taylor jumps to her feet. “Nathan, you cannot leave us. I made a mistake, and I am sorry! But we stick together.”

  “Apparently not,” he drawls, looking away from her to his mom. “You have your way, Mother. I’ll help your daughter, but we won’t stay here. I’ll ban myself.”

  Natalia blinks. Her filling eyes overflow with tears dropping on her cheeks and skating to her chin. She’s silent but louder than she knows.

  “You can’t go and leave me here,” Little Nathan objects. He winces; the effects of his inner protective shield still advancing. I hope, one day, his pain lets up. His agony’s written all over him. He’s not Burdened, but they all have a protective shield that grows with them, and because it’s intact with their entire being it’s stretching and strengthening is intensely felt, like bones realigning, so I’ve been told.

  “I won’t, little brother,” Nathan tells him. “You’ll come.” He sits beside me, avoiding meeting my eyes.

  Tracey, you cannot let him—

  “Get out of her head, Taylor!” Nathan barks, tone hard and aggressive.

  I grab his hand. “Nathan, calm down,” I tell him quietly. “You’re too worked up right now.” She was only going to try to convince me to talk to him; he needs to bring it down a notch.

  He grumbles, irritated I’m forcing him to cool off.

  The many eyes of onlookers’ lock on us. They all say words of sadness and disappointment.

  Natalia straightens her spine and asserts, “Son, I’m sorry to hear that. When you get a moment, I’d like to speak with you privately about your decision.” Though her stance is strong, her eyes have become weak. They take the news as though they are losing Nathan instead of him moving out of the house. I make a note to mention, later, this is normal for most families. Red with embarrassment and anger, she pushes herself to continue. “Now that we know Nathan will help Taylor, we have to compile a plan for him, Taylor, and Tracey to defeat Roehl. And whenever we get the time, I’d like someone to explain to me why there is a Hybrid hanging in the let out bathroom.” She sits down, stealing glances at Nathan.

  “I was thinking.” Scott stands. “We let Taylor see what he wants, Nathan too. Once we understand what that is, or see what his intentions are, we’ll know what we need to do to defeat him.” He squats to sit but stops. “Oh, and the guy in the bathroom tried to steal Tracey and kill her parents. We’re still juggling killing him and uh, not killing him.” He sits.

  Natalia nods, easily accepting of the new addition to their home that may or may not be living past tomorrow.

  All the eyes in the room shift between Nathan and Roseland, awaiting their comment. The two exchange looks in a way that implies they’re internally speaking to each other. Our family relies on them for
their input with Roseland having constructive suggestions on Nathan’s deranged, yet, efficacious ideas and plans. Nathan nods, standing. I don’t like the discomforted look on his face. “Thank you, Scott.” He looks down at me from the corner of his eye, adding, “You’ll come with us. Along with Olar. Scott, you’ll sit this one out. But stay available as a plan ‘B’.”

  Scott shakes his head, not liking the idea.

  “We’ll go to Roehl, the four of us,” Nathan continues. “Taylor will turn herself in. I’ll accompany her, considering she’s surrendered me as well. He wants Tracey, so we’ll take her,” he says through his teeth, “to understand his intentions, but also to see what he’s willing to do to get her. Olar’s there for defense.” He looks to his cousin. “You’ll remain ready regardless of what happens.”

  “And I’m not coming for what reason?” Scott interjects.

  “He’ll know something is up if we all show up,” Roseland answers. His we, throws me off because I didn’t hear his name mentioned anywhere.

  “Then let Olar stay here, and I go.”

  “Olar doesn’t have any distractions. If you were to come, your . . . diversion would be sitting at the house calling you the entire time. You wouldn’t focus from trying to pay attention to her,” Nathan says, closing the subject.

  Glen is bad when Scott isn’t around. She calls him constantly on his phone and now, in his head. If he didn’t ignore her and just tell her he’s busy, she might not be so bad. Scott understands and knows Nathan’s right, but the reflection of his annoyance is written in his deep blue swirling eyes and furrowed brows.

  Nathan continues, “Justin will remain here unless something happens to Taylor that calls him to her. We don’t want Roehl to think the entire family knows about Taylor’s betrayal. Does anyone besides Scott disagree?”

  No one objects.

  “When does this happen?” Scott asks with distaste.

  Roseland stands. “Right after you have graduated.”