Pieces (Patchwork #1)

by T. Aleo

  As I do him.

  This is all so crazy. I’d thought that before, but what would happen if the Kelleys really did take me? Find out that I’m not immortal, that I know nothing about the formula because it doesn’t work on me? Then what? They’d kill me. It’s all so stupid. And all for immortality? Is this world really that special to need to live forever? I say not, but maybe if my world were centered on Ryland, it could be. Either way, it’s just all so futile.

  Without thinking, I say, “It would be pointless.”

  His brow furrows. “Pointless? What do you mean? My family taking you would be with purpose. And since I’m not there, I can’t protect you. That’s a problem.”

  Shaking my head, I look up at him. “I mean it would be pointless to take me.” His furrow deepens more, and I can’t believe I’m about to utter the words I’ve been sworn to secrecy about, but I trust him.

  I care for him.

  And at one point, I know I loved him, not only as my best friend but as more.

  He wouldn’t hurt me.

  So just as easily as I think the words, I say, “Because I’m not immortal.”

  Ryland is just staring at me.

  His eyes are bugging out of his head as it falls slowly to the side. “I’m sorry,” he says quietly, his eyes narrowing. “What did you say?”

  Clearing my throat, I’m afraid to say the words once more. “I’m not immortal.”

  He only blinks at me. “How? Surely, you did the ceremony of the Patchwork?”

  “It didn’t work.”

  His eyes widen even more as he slowly shakes his head. “How? I thought it always worked.”

  “As did we,” I say, looking down at my hands. “I don’t know, that’s why I’m so put together, ’cause my father is trying to keep me alive until he figures out the formula. But, honestly, I think the formula is killing me.”

  “So this hasn’t happened before?”

  “No. Father has never had this happen. Which is why I’m on lockdown.”

  “With good reason,” he murmurs. “And he can’t fix it?”

  “No, he’s trying. But my body keeps rejecting the formula.”

  Looking away, Ryland swallows hard as he shakes his head. “Damn it,” he mutters, and my heart speeds up. I’m sure if it beats any faster, it’ll come right out of my chest. He looks so frightened, almost as if he’s about to have a panic attack.

  “So, see why I think it’s pointless? Your family would be taking me for no reason at all,” I say, trying to reassure him. But when he looks up, I wish I hadn’t said anything.

  He looks stricken.

  “So you can be killed? Like dead, dead?”

  His eyes are so dark, so full of worry as I nod my head. “Uh, yeah?”

  He reaches out to me, and I take his hands and stand, the warmth of him running up my arms. Before I know it, he pulls me against the bars, his hands gripping my shoulders, his body lining up with mine as I look up at him, and his eyes burn into mine.

  “Run.”

  Taken aback, I scrunch up my face. “What?”

  His eyes plead with me. “Run. Hide. I don’t care, make yourself disappear and don’t come out, not till I come for ya.”

  “Ryland—”

  “Ya don’t understand,” he begs. “Christiana will find out I’m missing, and she’ll come for me. If she can’t get to me, she’ll take you. And when she finds out you can’t give her what she needs, she’ll off ya. I can’t protect you, Rebekah. I need you to run. Please.”

  I shake my head, trying to pull out of his grip, but it’s ironclad. “I can care for myself.”

  He shakes me a bit, his eyes frantic. “Not against her. Promise me you’ll run.”

  “No,” I say automatically. “I’m stronger than you realize, Ryland. I’ve had to train to protect myself.”

  He pauses, but then shakes his head. “I don’t doubt your skill, but I’m not there to protect you.”

  “And you haven’t been for the last three years. I’ve got this. I train every day.” Letting me go, he whips around, throwing his hands up in the air and sucking in a deep breath. “We need to worry about you.”

  Turning back around, he strikes his hips. “Do you know how much it pains me to know I haven’t been here for you for the last three years?”

  A little surprised, since I thought we were talking about getting him out, I shrug. “I can understand that, and it’s awful. I’ve missed you. I thought you were dead, so yeah, I get your pain.”

  “You thought I was dead, Rebekah. At least you thought I was at peace. I knew you were alive, and I couldn’t see you or call you because I couldn’t risk something happening to you if I tried. I had to go on, constantly thinking about how much pain you could be in. Who got to see your smile? Who got to touch you? It’s been hell, and now that I know you can be killed… I’m sorry, you can call me crazy, overprotective, whatever, but I can’t let anything happen to you,” he says, shaking his head before looking up at me, his breathing erratic. “I won’t.”

  “I’m not the one behind bars,” I remind him, and his brows pull together.

  “I won’t be for long.”

  “They’re indestructible.”

  “I don’t care. I’ll get out.” His words are a promise, and I don’t doubt him, but he’ll need my help.

  “With my help.”

  He glares. “You’re not going to hide, are you?”

  “Nope.”

  “That is the best idea, though.”

  “I don’t think so at all,” I say and he glares. “I think getting you out, so we don’t have to worry what my family will do to you, is a better one.”

  “Or,” he says, holding up a hand. “You can stay in your room, and I’ll figure it out.”

  “That won’t work ’cause my family is going to kill you,” I say and he looks away.

  “I’m not scared. They don’t scare me. I’ll get out before that happens.”

  “Not without me,” I urge, and he shakes his head.

  “I refuse to put you in any more harm. Your da finds out you’re trying to free me, he’ll kill me on principle.”

  “They all told me you were dead already, so how would they know?” I ask, my gaze locking with his.

  “They told you I was dead? Killian, I mean?”

  “Yeah, I guess they thought that would keep me out of here.”

  He smirks. “How silly of them.”

  “Exactly.” We share a smile. I love when he smiles; it takes up his whole face, his bright white teeth gleaming as his eyes close almost completely. He always had a great laugh, too. I’ve missed that about him. All of it. And because of that, I have to get him out of here. I can’t let him rot in here until my father comes to let him out—or kill him. No, I have to save him, like he’s always been saving me.

  Looking down at his chest, I draw in a deep breath. “Remember that one time, when we were, what, fourteen? And Deleon Atresia told everyone he had sex with me in the broom closet? I was horrified, cried for hours, and you lost your mind?”

  Ryland scoffs. “I remember beating his face in and then telling all the girls his dick was the size of a peanut. Douche.”

  I smile as I slowly gaze back up at him. “You’ve always looked out for me, always cared. I can figure out how to get you out. I just have to find the keys.”

  “Beating someone up because he said he had sex with you and breaking me out of jail are two way different things.”

  I shake my head. “I don’t think so. It’s us looking out for each other.”

  He doesn’t say anything for a moment, his eyes gazing into mine, his lips curving a bit. “You’re going to give me anxiety,” he admits, and I smile as his thumb pauses at the side of my mouth. Right along a scar I got when Oceanus punched me in the mouth. “I’m not going to encourage you to get me out, though. I won’t ask that of you, even though I know you’ll do it anyway. If I had my way, I’d trap ya in here with me.”

  I grin sugges
tively. “I bet you would.”

  He laughs, his forehead coming against mine. As he closes his eyes, his laugh trails off and his nose presses into mine. “I would. So fast, you wouldn’t even know it’s happening. Then I’d hold you. No bars between us, not as anyone else, just me and you. Us. Alone. Together.”

  Each word that leaves his lips is a promise, hitting me straight in my heart and leaving me breathless. Closing my eyes, I run my hands along his arms, up onto his shoulders and then to his neck. “I’ve missed you, Ryland.”

  His shoulders fall, almost defeated as he nods, his nose sliding along mine. “I’ve missed you, my princess, so damn much.”

  And then his lips are on mine.

  Softly at first.

  My toes curl, my body goes hot as his lips move along mine, the kiss becoming more urgent as each moment passes. When his fingers thread into my hair, I move closer, wanting more, but the bars stop me. They dig into my skin as he kisses me, obviously wanting more too.

  Pulling away, he kisses my nose before briefly pressing his against the spot between my eyes. Against my forehead, he whispers, “You owe me a kiss when I get out of here.”

  “Done.”

  “Rebekah.”

  “Ryland,” I whisper back, my fingers dancing along the back of his neck.

  “Don’t tell anyone I’m down here, okay? Please? I can’t let anything happen to you.”

  Slowly, I nod. “I promise.”

  “And I mean, anyone. Christiana, Oceanus, your da, Samuel, anyone, no one can know it’s me.”

  “I know.”

  “They’ll kill me,” he reminds me, and I nod once more.

  “I promise.”

  “Good, and please don’t go out of your way to get me out. I’ll figure it out.”

  I smile against his chin, my fingers going up into his hair, the musky smell of him making me dizzy with want. “I won’t promise that.”

  He chuckles against my forehead. “Figured ya wouldn’t.” Letting out a long breath, he kisses me and asks, “But you’ll be careful? Stay safe?”

  “Yes.”

  He kisses me once more, his lips ever so soft against my forehead as he inhales deeply, rubbing his nose against me. I let out a heavy sigh, and I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. As much as I believe I can get him out, it won’t be easy. I want to be honest, to ask my father to let him go, but I know my family can’t ever know Ryland is alive. He may already be a dead man in their eyes, but if they knew the truth, he’d really be dead. Plus, I promised him. I won’t betray him, but I won’t let him die.

  I will save him.

  It’s easy to say I’m dragging ass the following night at the Clandestine.

  I didn’t leave the bastille until I knew I had to. Then I stayed up, trying to figure out how to get Ryland out. Everything I could come up with I knew wouldn’t work. I couldn’t be honest; I couldn’t tell anyone about Ryland. And I knew if I asked for the keys to the bastille, my father would laugh in my face. No, I would have to steal them. The problem is, I think he keeps them on him.

  Running my hands down my face, I hear Cyrus clear his throat, so I peek at him through my fingers. “What?”

  “You look like roadkill,” he says and I nod.

  I’m wearing sweats; he could be on to something.

  “I don’t care. I’m tired.”

  “Then go to bed,” Alena says then, and I roll my eyes.

  “I can’t leave you hanging,” I say before taking an order and handing it to the vampire. O Positive. Yum. Rolling my eyes, I look back at her. “I’m fine.”

  She doesn’t look convinced as we both go back to work. It’s busy, and I should have expected that. We had two parties come in tonight. A group of vampires and a group of witches, not that I care one bit about anyone. I’m too worried about Ryland.

  Another problem is I don’t know what the keys look like. Why would I? I figure they have to be old, but what if they’re not? I’ve decided to go check out the lab anyway in the hopes that I’ll see them and know them on sight. But if I go to the lab, I worry I won’t make it down to the bastille tonight. Not only because I don’t know what Cyrus is doing, but because I’m dead tired.

  But that won’t keep me from trying.

  When a free moment comes, I walk to where my brother is sitting and lean against the bar. “So things went well last night?” I ask, and he looks up at me, his brow rising. “Will Mabel be by for round two?”

  He scoffs. “Go back to work, Rebekah.”

  I smile. “So that’s a yes?”

  He gives me a look. “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”

  I stick my tongue out at him, and he laughs as I go to clean the bar. If Mabel isn’t back over tonight, I’m going to have to do some ninja shit to get down to see Ryland. I have no problem doing that, but I really want Cyrus distracted so I can search the lab. Or maybe Father’s office. The possibilities are endless, and I’m on my own. It isn’t like I can ask anyone to help me.

  “Oh, Rebekah, your lover boy is here.”

  When I glance up at the sound of Alena’s singing voice, I find Colin coming toward me.

  Alone.

  Crap.

  “My love,” he croons as he comes to the bar, taking my face between his hands and pressing his lips to mine quickly. As much as I do care for Colin, I can’t right now. I just can’t. Not only am I trying to figure out how I’m going to save Ryland, there’s the new fact that Colin is now actually Ryland’s half brother, and I’m still irritated with the way he acted the last time I saw him.

  I pull back, and he pouts as I shake my head. “Hey.”

  “Shit, ya mad?”

  “Did you forget you embarrassed me—in front of everyone?” I remind him, and he looks away, his face wrinkling with his guilt. “While you just embarrassed me, I know for a fact you hurt your girlfriend’s feelings.”

  He nods ruefully. “I did, and she left me for it.”

  I meet his gaze, and I can tell he is upset about it. “Good. I would have too. You can’t treat people like that.”

  “I know, I would never treat you like that.”

  I eye him suspiciously. That seemed like a very loaded sentence, but why doesn’t it bring me more joy? Only a few weeks ago, I thought I loved this guy or something. I’m not sure. But now, now I’m bothered by him.

  Is this because of Ryland?

  I know it is.

  Why am I even asking myself that?

  “While it sucks, she was sweet, I’m okay with it.”

  My brows touch. “You are?”

  “Maybe it’s meant to be for her to leave me because you and I are meant to be.”

  He seems so hopeful, so convinced that I sort of feel bad for snorting out in laughter. “Colin, be real. We had a fling, screwed around. We can’t be together. You know that.”

  Deflated, he shakes his head, taking my hands. “But if we talk to your dad, maybe so? Don’t you want to try? Don’t you care for me?”

  “Of course, I care for you, you are a good guy. But I don’t want sloppy seconds—”

  “Sloppy seconds? No, you had me first.”

  “And you left.”

  “Because yer father made me,” he argues, but I shake my head.

  “That could be true, and I hate that, I do, ’cause I did care for you. But I will not lose the love of my family for someone I just care for a bit.”

  He pauses, and I can see Cyrus start to stand at the end of the bar. Glancing over at him, I shake my head, hoping he can read that I don’t need him. Thankfully, he lowers himself slowly.

  Clearing his throat, Colin looks back up at me. “So ya don’t love me?”

  I shake my head. “No, I don’t. I’m sorry.”

  He lets out a hollow laugh, his head shaking back and forth as he looks down at the bar. “I thought you did.”

  I shrug, my heart aching. “I don’t want to hurt you, I really don’t, Colin, but I deserve more than what you c
an give me. I’m not sure what that is, but it’s not you.”

  He runs his tongue along his bottom lip as he slowly nods, and I know I’m doing right by him. I let him go a long time ago; we had our good-bye, and with him went my feelings. “I owe it to you to be honest, Colin, and I refuse to lead you on.”

  “And I appreciate it,” he says, his eyes meeting mine. “I should have fought to stay. For you. For us.”

  A grin pulls at my lips before I reach out, lacing my fingers with his. “Then things would have been different.”

  Or would they?

  With Ryland being alive, I really don’t know.

  “I know,” he says, bringing my hand up and kissing the inside of my wrist. “I’ll never love anyone like I love you.”

  With a heavy heart, I move his hair out of his eyes and smile. “Yeah, you will, and she’ll be a spectacular creature.”

  Kissing my wrist once more, he lays my hand down and stands. “Well, if you change yer mind… I mean, I am a catch—”

  “You are,” I say, laughing. “But I won’t, Colin. Don’t hold on to that chance.”

  Shaking his head, he laughs. “My God, woman, just the bearer of bad news left and right.”

  I grin, biting my lip as our gazes stay locked. “Would you rather I lie?”

  “Never,” he answers simply. “I’ll see ya around, Rebekah.”

  “See ya, Colin.”

  He sucks in one last breath, and he turns, walking away. And I wait. I wait to feel something. A loss, a bit of heartbreak, anything. But those feelings never come, only a sense of closure, and I’d take that over any of the other feelings. While I do care for Colin, and he will always be my friend, I can’t feel for him what he feels for me.

  Especially now that Ryland is back.

  Peeking my head out my door, I see no one.

  Cyrus should be in bed, or at least, he said he was going to bed when my shift ended. I really didn’t talk to him much; I went straight to my room and crashed, needing a power nap. Now, after a shower, I’m still dog-tired, but that’s nothing some caffeine can’t fix. Or at least, that’s what I’m going to tell anyone who asks why I’m out exploring the house.