Fated: The Epic Finale (Talented Saga Book 8)

by Sophie Davis

  I strode back toward him, Brand on my heels. Rage sent my powers into overdrive. Electricity coursed through my veins. It swirled around my arms, legs, and torso in twists of blue and white.

  “Maybe she’s too far away to reach in your super special way.” The man tapped the side of his head with one finger. “How far is too far? A few thousand miles, perhaps?”

  We’d walked into a trap by launching the rescue mission in New Mexico; we already knew that. But how elaborate was Gretchen’s plan? Was this bigger than just capturing our team?

  Apprehending three Talents who were on the list she gave to Nightshade wasn’t trivial. Either she’d gone above and beyond to stage the scene so UNITED would believe the hostages were really at the facility, or Anya wasn’t the only double agent Gretchen employed. Between Nightshade, the Privileged, and advanced warning of our arrival, capturing us should’ve been easy. Well, easy-ish. Easier still without Talia present.

  But where would Talia have gone? There was only one reason she’d have left the mountain facility with her team in trouble.

  Alex.

  The answer was so obvious. Other than me, Donavon’s son was the only person that Talia would do something stupid to protect.

  “Where are they?” I demanded.

  “Are you going to kill me if I don’t tell you?” taunted the Privileged man.

  I smiled. This time, it was the same off-putting smile I’d seen on Talia’s face. Kneeling beside the dying man, I shook my head.

  “You don’t need to tell me,” I said softly. “I have other ways of finding out what I want to know.”

  Something in my expression must’ve finally triggered the man’s fear. Panic flashed in his eyes and made his body quiver.

  “What’re you going do?” the man squeaked.

  I cocked my head to one side. “Gretchen didn’t tell you? Hmmm. Weird. Guess I’m not as predictable as she thinks.”

  Instead of using the fury that clawed for release beneath my skin, I reached for his mind and siphoned the entire cache of memories.

  “You may or may not die here today,” I told him honestly as images flooded my mind. “If you do survive, you’ll be of no use to Gretchen McDonough. Whenever you do pass on, your life won’t flash before your eyes; you won’t remember anything that happened before today.”

  The process was painful for both of us but more so for him. It was also cruel. And dangerous. And sort of unnecessary. Kip knew where Talia was; only a Teleporter could’ve transported her thousands of miles in the span of two minutes. Still, it wasn’t a move that Gretchen—or, more likely, the Visionary she had on retainer—would’ve anticipated. Probably. Hopefully.

  It was Brand’s voice that brought me out of my thoughts and the Privileged man’s memories.

  “Where’s Talia?” he asked me.

  Legs like rubber, I stood and faced Brand.

  “Kip, Janelle, can you guys hear me?” Talia was usually the apex of the multi-person conversations. I wasn’t sure I could pull it off without help. Brand nodded and two voices I recognized echoed inside my head, so I knew it was working. Temporarily, at least. Making the connection and holding the connection were very different.

  I projected an image to the group, one I’d stolen from the man’s head.

  “Will that work? Can you get him?” I asked Kip.

  “Yeah. I can do that,” he sent back.

  “Go. Now. Then come get Brand and me.”

  I heard their boots only seconds before agents converged from both ends of the corridor. Brand’s gun was still in my hand, so I opened fire without fully appreciating the narrow space. Bullets ricocheted off the stone walls, both mine and those of our attackers.

  Brand dove low to avoid an errant shell. The power tether still connected us, and I was yanked off balance. The tether, I thought, relieved.

  One of the assailants aimed for Brand. I summoned my energy and turned us both invisible. I leapt toward my friend, landing on top of him and rolling us out of the bullet’s path. We crashed straight into a wall.

  My shoulder slammed into the rock and I swallowed a groan. Climbing to my feet, I felt a tug on the tether from Brand doing the same.

  “Where’d they go?” someone shouted. Bullets whizzed around us.

  “Go left. Keep low,” Brand sent.

  “Got it.”

  As we headed for the gap, agents ran toward us from both sides. Hindered by their inability to see us, the soldiers fired blindly. One bullet hit my boot and lodged in the sole. A second struck me in the side, piercing the suit and lodging between two ribs. It stung but didn’t really hurt. Still, I felt the energy leaking out of me immediately.

  Head spinning, I fired one wave of telekinetic power in each direction. My eyes began to water, and my legs felt weak.

  No, this isn’t right, I thought frantically. The damage is minimal.

  Another wave of Nightshade and Privileged fighters flooded the corridor. They trampled their companions to get to Brand and me.

  Brand? I blinked several times. I could see his outline. He was becoming more corporeal by the heartbeat.

  Shit. Then, another form materialized out of nowhere. The attackers were closing in on us.

  “Aim for the young boy!” a woman shouted. “He’s their only way out!”

  My powers might’ve been waning, but I wasn’t about to let Gretchen’s people capture us or kill Kip. Even if he was only a few years younger than me, he was just a kid. Using the last of my power, I launched myself toward Kip and shielded him with my body. A barrage of projectiles hit my back. One landed right below my ear.

  I bit my lip to keep from screaming out in pain. When Brand collided with us, I didn’t hold back.

  “Kip! Now!”

  Then, we were gone.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Talia

  The scene inside the living room of the McDonough house was odd. No, it was more than odd. It was unsettling and creepy. I wanted to snatch Alex and run. Yet, my boots were glued to the floor. I couldn’t have moved if my life depended on it, which it probably did.

  It’s not him. It’s not. It can’t be. Donavon is dead.

  “Hello, Natalia, darling,” Gretchen said. She gestured to the only open seat in the living room. “Would you care for sugar and cream?”

  I barely heard her invite me to the world’s most bizarre tea party. All I could do was stare at the boy on the arm of the couch. Just as Gracia was my identical down to every freckle, this boy was a physical twin for Gretchen’s son. Donavon’s cheekbones. The exact shade of blond hair. Eyes the same color as the sky. A part of me knew that his mind would show me this was not the guy I’d loved if I dropped my mental defenses.

  It was too great a risk, though. With Gretchen so close, I couldn’t leave my mind vulnerable. She’d been the one who taught me to use my talents, the one who’d trained me. No one knew me and my talents as well as Gretchen McDonough.

  Small, warm fingers slid against my palm. Alex wrapped his other arm around my leg.

  “That’s not my father,” he whispered.

  I closed my eyes, and tears spilled down my cheeks. “No, baby. He’s not.”

  Anger flashed in Gretchen’s blue eyes. She recovered quickly, and her expression was terrifyingly pleasant once again. “Sit, please.”

  I didn’t move. My brain quickly considered and rejected the idea of taking Gretchen out, or even blowing up the house entirely. I had no idea what would happen to Alex and me if I killed their leader on the spot, but I doubted the group of Privileged would just let us walk out. And I couldn’t take out an entire houseful of people—some of whom might not deserve to die—while ensuring Alex remained safe. I’d never forgive myself if he was hurt or killed in a skirmish, particularly one I started.

  “Now, Natalia,” Gretchen began sweetly, “where are your manners? Did I not teach you better than that? I would like to introduce you to my friends. I do believe they will be your friends soon, too.”

/>   “You’re troubled. Like in the head,” I replied. Eyes wide, I took in the entire scene and studied the people in the room. Most were familiar. Their blank, practiced stares were meant to appease and conceal. I’d once mastered that look, but it felt like a lifetime since I’d last used it.

  “You, of course, know Donavon,” Gretchen continued as though I hadn’t spoken. Alex gripped my leg tighter. I squeezed his hand reassuringly. “I do hope you can put your differences aside finally. All the unpleasantness with that harlot can be forgotten, if not forgiven.”

  “She wasn’t a harlot,” I growled. “You have no right to speak about her.”

  Kandice had been a lot of things, and I’d certainly called her worse than harlot. Still, I wasn’t letting Gretchen McDonough disparage the memory of a woman who’d died for her small child. Especially when he was standing beside me.

  “My son has always had a weakness for pretty girls.” Gretchen laughed as she gazed at Donavon’s clone adoringly.

  For just a moment, I did feel bad for her. She’d loved Donavon, and he’d died tragically and too young. Plus, Gretchen had lost her only child and her husband in very short time span.

  The son she experimented on, I reminded myself. The sympathy dissipated like ashes in the wind.

  “I’m sure you recognize Kevin Leonard,” Gretchen went on. She waved graciously to a boy around my age who was almost too attractive. “Maybe you know him better as Kev Leon? Yes, he’s a world-renowned vid star.”

  The name was only vaguely familiar. Famous or not, I had no interest in sipping tea and making small talk with Kev Leon.

  “Let’s get on with it, Gretchen,” I said. My voice was measured, even though every fiber of my being was screaming for me to run.

  Why did I stay? I couldn’t risk Alex. A part of me believed that she wouldn’t hurt him—he was her grandson and only living blood relation. Still, she’d hurt her own son over and over again for years. After seeing all the family trees and the observational notes on my ancestors, I thought I understood a little better why Gretchen wanted Alex. He had a rare talent and was stronger than any Viewer I’d met, but he was also the child of a created Talent. From scientific and research standpoints, it made him fascinating and valuable.

  “Manners, Natalia,” Gretchen snapped, losing her cool, confident demeanor for only a split second. She smoothed her hair and smiled at the girl sitting beside Kev. The expression was so warm, it made me uncomfortable. “Allow me to introduce Cressa Karmine.”

  You poor girl, I thought.

  I knew that look. Not so long ago, Gretchen looked at me that way. All the while, she’d been manipulating me and plotting ways to use my powers to her advantage. My heart went out to Cressa Karmine; her carefully schooled façade showed cracks.

  Against my better judgment, I lowered my mental barriers enough to allow Cressa’s emotions through. Confusion mixed with unease, and both were chased by…fear. Yet, I didn’t get the impression she was afraid for herself. Not entirely. Was it Alex? Was it me?

  “Hello, Cressa,” I said softly. Though I desperately wanted to read her mind, I was afraid to leave my own vulnerable to Gretchen.

  She knows you too well, I reminded myself. Gretchen knew curiosity was one of my greatest weaknesses. There was no way she wasn’t waiting for me to succumb. Is that why she chose these three as the welcoming committee?

  Gretchen turned her attention to Alex, who snuggled impossibly closer. He bit his lip, yet a soft whimper escaped. Tears pooled in his eyes. I wanted to force him to stop using his talents, to stop him from watching the maniacal farce his grandmother was putting on.

  “Hello, Alexander.” Gretchen extended her hand. To my shock, Alex’s grip loosened. He stirred, like he might really go to her. “Do you know who I am?”

  “What do you want Gretchen?” I snapped, failing to disguise the sudden terror making my heart race.

  Icy blue eyes appraised me. “I already have what I want, Natalia. You came here, to join me. My grandson has, too. Erikson will follow.” Gretchen cocked her head and stared off into space. “Not here, though. He will try, but Erikson will arrive too late. I have seen this future. I know it will come.”

  “You’re not a Visionary,” I said flatly. Alex’s fingers slipped through mine, and he took a step around me. “The only visions you have are the drug-induced kind.”

  Alex took another step toward Gretchen. Fake Donavon, Cressa, and Kev watched with rapt attention. I dropped to one knee.

  “Alex, look at me, baby,” I pleaded softly.

  “Good boy, Alexander,” Gretchen cooed. “Come, have some milk.”

  “Alex, please. Fight her,” I begged.

  She was inside his head, drawing him to her with an invisible string. I worried that adding my own, conflicting compulsion would break him. Not because he was fragile, though. Alex was one of the strongest people I’d ever met. Still, he was a child with a brain not yet fully developed. Contradictory manipulation could easily cause an incurable rift in his mind.

  With every step he took, my anger and hatred for Gretchen became harder to control. I reached for Alex, intending to physically restrain him. His small hands curled into fists, and he punched my face and chest. The blows didn’t hurt physically, but they bruised my soul. His lip curled into a snarl, and his body twisted violently in my arms. My heart shattered into dust.

  I let him go. Alex ran straight into Gretchen’s open arms.

  “You bitch,” I hissed through clenched teeth, wiping tears from my face.

  Cradling Alex against her chest, Gretchen wiggled a finger in my direction and made a disapproving clucking noise with her tongue. “Have you forgotten all that Danbury and I taught you? Like calls to like, Natalia. Alexander is my blood.”

  Controlling both my temper and my talents proved to be too much. I no longer cared if Gretchen invaded my mind.

  Try it, I silently dared. As soon as I dropped my shields completely, the fear and loathing that engulfed me was all-consuming. It was crippling, and it was coming from behind me. I spun to face Ernest Tate.

  “I told you I would see you soon,” he said softly.

  One gloved hand darted out and closed around my throat. He squeezed, just hard enough for stars to obscure my vision. My skin started to sting, like thousands of bees were targeting my neck.

  “Ernest,” I wheezed his name.

  He lifted me off my feet and threw me to the ground. I landed in a heap, gasping for air that refused to fill my lungs. Then, Gretchen was standing over me. She smiled serenely.

  “You cannot fight fate, Natalia.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Erik

  The compulsion Talia had used on Kip was impossibly strong. Breaking through without damaging him required a lot more skill and finesse than I possessed. Luckily, the Privileged man whose memories I’d stolen was better informed than Gracia, and prying information from Kip wasn’t necessary. Instead, I searched through the memories I stole from the silver-streaked man.

  “Take me to the McDonough School,” I ordered Kip. We were safely inside an escape pod with Janelle, Miles, and Brand, and on our way back to Virginia.

  He stared at me with wide, frightened eyes and shook his head.

  “I…I can’t,” Kip stammered.

  “Take another booster,” I growled, annoyed. “I’m not letting her face Gretchen alone.” Yanking Kip by the vest, I pulled him closer. He had no choice but to look me in the eyes. Then, I snatched one of the boosters from my own pocket and shoved it in his face. “Take it.”

  “Kid, you need to ease up,” Miles barked. “Look at him. He’s a mess. You can’t make him do this. It could kill him.”

  I nearly said I didn’t care but stopped myself at the last minute. In a choice between Talia and anyone, I would always choose Talia. I could’ve forced Kip to transport me to the McDonough School, the risk to his own life be damned.

  “Erik, even if he gets you there, he won’t be able to jump bac
k,” Brand interjected. He was using the patient tone he usually reserved for Penny when he thought she was being unreasonable. “He’d be a liability. Logically, it doesn’t make sense. Let him go.”

  I released my hold on Kip, who scrambled backward as far as he could go in such a small space.

  “Leaving Talia alone with Gretchen makes sense to you?” I shouted, rounding on Brand. “You,” I shoved a finger in his face, “you were the one who said her powers are too dangerous in Gretchen’s hands.”

  “They are,” Brand agreed. “But if you and Kip go after Talia now, Gretchen McDonough will have all three of you. That is the only thing worse than her having Talia.” Inhaling deeply through his nose, Brand sat back and crossed his arms. “If you want to help your girlfriend, the best thing you can do is calm the hell down.”

  He stared at me pointedly, assuming he’d played his trump card. In a way, maybe he had. Still, I would’ve thought all the time he spent with Penny would make him realize that telling me to calm down wasn’t the best idea. I didn’t bite his head off, literally or figuratively, so that was something.

  “We need to get back and talk to Ian. We can make a plan and—”

  “I’m confused about something,” Janelle interrupted Brand midsentence.

  His scoff was audible, and he appeared nearly as annoyed with her as he had been with me. “What?” Brand asked with exaggerated patience.

  “Why did Talia have you take her to the McDonough School?” Janelle’s question was for Kip, but I was the one who answered.

  “Alex,” I said simply.

  No longer in an immediate fight for our lives, I finally realized how strange the whole scenario truly was. I sank back in my seat and closed my eyes, sifting through more of the Privileged man’s memories for answers and understanding. It wasn’t long before I sprang upright and started pressing controls at random on the pod’s dash.

  “What?” Brand demanded.

  I ignored him and focused on the onboard comms system.