His eyes open wide, but he fires back, “What was I supposed to do, Runa? Let you run around the Helix without supervision. Do you gotta death wish? The Labots are everywhere and could be here in a blink of one of your different colored eyes,” he flickers his fingers mockingly in their direction, “You don’t even know what what they look like—or what they’re capable of, need I remind you?”
My jaw drops open and my blood burns, flushing my face.
Supervision!
“I didn’t ask for your supervision. You chose to come along—in fact, you pretty much demanded to. I thought you were going to be helpful. Instead, you do nothing but insult me— ”
My fingernails dig into my palms and tears are stinging in the corner of my eyes. I struggle with the overwhelming urge to run from him and crumple into a ball on the floor. I can’t let him see me like that—it would add to this notion I need his protection.
“I’m not insulting you. You’re just so—gah— ” he says, stumbling over his words as he walks away, “Why can’t you be … normal?”
“Ooooh … Of course, I nearly forgot—I’m not normal,” I say, frowning at him. “I suppose you’re right— Yeah, okay … Take your pick. Which is worse? Runa, the-freak-with-the-white-hair? Or how about the crazy eyes?” My fingers dance in the air near my head, to prove my point, “No? Not enough? What about, Runa-you-shouldn’t-be-hearing-things? Oh, I know … it’s Runa, you’re-not-already-a-big-enough-abnormality, so why not make stuff up for fun?”
It feels good to allow my frustration with him to manifest into words.
His eyes darken and he wets his lower lip before saying, “That’s not what I meant.”
“Oh, really?” I say, making a face and chuckling maniacally.
He sweeps across the room and clutches my shoulders. His fingertips dig in and I suck in a quick breath from the shock. Those dark brown eyes burn into mine with such intensity—it’s all I can do not to look away.
“There’s this—there’s a—No, you really don’t understand,” he growls, “You don’t—you’re not in my head.”
His jaw clenches, and his lips press into a tight line.
I’ve never seen him so angry—but I refuse to give him the satisfaction of intimidating me. I jut my chin out and stare him straight in the eye. Besides, I do understand. I’m nothing more than a girl he has to protect. A stand-in for his sister because he wasn’t able to protect her. I can even see and hear things that aren’t possible—like she did, right?
“You’re just—so…” his jaw clenches and unclenches, “Dammit—”
“Crazy?” I offer, making a face.
Before I can jump to any more conclusions, the warmth of his hands radiate on the sides of my face, and his lips crush down on mine. He pulls me into him with such force—his earthy scent surrounds me, permeating everything. My lips tingle, and my mind swims in a sea of red and orange.
I push against his chest, trying to gain space between us, but he pulls me in tighter. Suddenly, I’m kissing him back, my body connecting to something so intense, so primal, I surprise even myself. I don’t tell it what to do; wisdom beyond my years lights the way. Lingering on the salty taste of his lips, I allow my hands to roam free. They slide up his broad shoulders and rest on his neck as I tug at the back of his blue hair.
This stupid, beautiful blue hair!
All the ice frozen in my veins melts into a puddle at my feet, and I’m absorbed in a flame so powerful I’m afraid I’ll consume us both.
A rumble erupts from somewhere inside Trae’s chest, adding fuel to the fire. He lifts me up and I wrap my legs around his waist. In response, he surges forward, pressing our bodies to the wall as we continue our exploration of each other. We can’t get close enough and we desperately need to find a way to get closer somehow.
I break our kiss to tilt my head to he side and he takes my offering—electrical impulses scatter throughout my whole body as he places kisses along my neck and shoulder. Then, he traces my jawline with his mouth, just as he had in my dream— until he returns his lips to mine. Sparks fly behind my eyelids, but he pulls away from me.
“I—I can’t. We need to stop, Runa. Stop,” his voice is gruff and his lips quiver, “The Labots— we need to— ”
I try to return to our kiss, try to ignore his words. I’m not ready. Not yet. Taking his head in my hands, I kiss his jawline below his left ear, then switch to the other side, kissing his dimples and he shivers under my touch. He doesn’t make a move—he stands perfectly still, waiting.
When I stop to question him with my eyes, he gently places his forehead against mine and lets out a soft sigh. I weave my fingers in circles in his hair, desperate not to return to the people we were moments ago.
I can’t go back to that. Not after this. Not now.
“Please ...” I murmur, bending his face upward. I kiss at the outer corner of his eye— his long eyelashes tickling my lips. I inhale the smell of his skin, kissing the rough stubble along his cheekbone. He groans, his head tilting back and he closes his eyes.
An easy chuckle escapes his inviting lips and he whispers, “You have no idea … how much I wish. But we need to get out of here. We’ve stayed to long already.”
“I know …”
“What have you done to me?” he says, contentment hidden in his voice.
My heart sings and I can’t help but laugh.
“The same thing you’ve done to me,” I say.
His eyes open, a hint of curiosity playing at their creases. I stare into them, admiring their depths. They aren’t just brown—they’re unfathomably complex, like he is. In the center is a star of green, which fades out into a rich, dark brown. But other colors are in there as well. Colors I have, as of yet, no words for.
I know we need to hurry—we need to find the crystal or leave, but I bend in for one last kiss. Electricity sparks between us as our lips barely come into contact.
Beside us, someone gasps in the doorway. I immediately drop to my feet, scrambling back as Trae shifts in front of me, once again my protector. We turn to face our intruder as she stands in the doorway, gripping onto the edge with shock clear across her pale face. The RationCap Chemist badge on her arm is blinking furiously— a holographic alarm.
Oh, no. This is worse than Labots.
It’s my mother.
19
Traeton
WITH RUNA SAFELY BEHIND ME, I step toward the intruder. A woman with remarkable resemblance to Runa clutches at the edges of the doorway, gaping at us. Clearly older, her dark hair and eyes stand out in stark contrast with her daughter. It’s been so long since I’ve had any parental attachment—the idea Absala Cophem would be the first notified never crossed my mind.
I shoot a tense glance over my shoulder and wide eyes blink back at me. One amber, one blue—both incredible. I haven’t even begun to process the last few moments—everything’s still vibrating, humming. A slow rumble moves through my body as I try to regain a semblance of control. The sensations still flooding through me are unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. All I could think about during our kiss was what I wanted from her. What I needed from her.
What I hoped she needed from me.
The shock across Absala’s face flits from horror, to concern, to deep consternation as she fixes her dark, piercing gaze on the places our bodies touch.
“How dare you,” Runa’s mother says. Her smooth, fluent voice is damn near perfect as her eyes turn into horrifying slits, “Either of you.”
You can see it in Absala’s eyes—she knows things—
“You remember how to speak?” Runa says, confusion clear across her face as she steps around me.
“Runa, we need to get moving,” I warn.
“I know. I’ll make this fast,” she says, reaching for my hand and squeezing, “I just need a minute with her. She might know where the crystal is.”
I nod, but lean against the wall, watching the body language Absala puts off. She continues to watch me; her lips pursed
and her glare intense.
“I always knew this day would come,” Absala says, turning around and walking away from her daughter.
“What does that mean?” Runa asks, following her mother into the main room.
I kick off the wall, following the two women. Runa’s mother paces silently in front of the large table in the middle of the room.
When she finally turns to her daughter, she says, “Runa, you’ve always been different, but now … Now look at you. Your face— ”
Runa lifts her hand to her eye, running her finger tips along the healing wound.
“I was … attacked,” she whispers.
“Of course you were. From the time you were a child, you’ve always been too curious for your own good. You always wanted to do the things no one else wanted to do— You always cared more than you should.”
“More than I should?” Runa says, indignantly.
Absala sneers over her shoulder, but continues, “Yes. More than you should. I knew from the moment you infected me with your presence that you would be the demise of everything I held dear. I should have gotten rid of you then.”
“Whoa— Hang on there,” I say, taking a step between the two of them, “What the hell’s wrong with you?”
“And you—you think you can walk in here, as strange looking as she is—and speak to me?” she spits, pointing to my hair.
“This is ridiculous. Runa, your mother doesn’t know anything about the crystal. Forget it— let’s go,” I say, turning on my heel, “We’ll find another way.”
Runa’s face is ashen, and tears brim her eyes, but she doesn’t say anything. Instead she stands there, like she was pierced through the heart by her mother’s words.
“Yes, that’s right. Get going. There’s nothing for you here. There never was,” Absala jeers, “Especially not a little blue crystal.”
I round on Absala and peer down at her tiny frame. She stands firm, jutting out her chin, and her face red with anger.
“If you have the crystal, you better hand it over now,” I say, my nostrils flaring.
“Even if I had it, I wouldn’t give it to you,” Absala says, the corner of her lip peeling upward. She maneuvers her body slightly, blocking the door behind her and it becomes clear to me she knows exactly where the crystal is.
“Runa, check the room behind your mother,” I say, tipping my head to the closed door. “I’ll make sure she stays put.”
Runa looks confused, but starts walking.
“Don’t you dare go into my space, Runa. You know you’re not allowed. I don’t want the stench of you lingering in my only place of solace from you,” Absala says.
“I thought people in the Helix aren’t meant to reveal their emotions, Absala. You seem to care an awful lot to me, even if it’s only disgust,” I say through gritted teeth. My fingers clench tightly into fists and Absala shrinks back, ever so slightly.
“Who could abide such an—abnormality?” she says in rebuttal.
“Abnormality?” Runa says, stepping toward her mother, “Who are you to say I’m abnormal? You live, locked up in your own bubble of a world. You’re supposed to be knowledgeable, esteemed, but you don’t even know what humanity is meant to be like— You don’t even know how to really live.”
“Oh, believe me, I know better than you think,” Runa’s mother says, giving me another dirty look, “You think fornicating with him is living?”
“Ah— Is that why Runa’s father has no genetic match?” I fire back, “You spent your time away and decided it wasn’t worth the effort?”
Absala’s eyes widen and for the first time, her resolve falters.
“What are you talking about?” Runa asks, confusion and hurt mixing in her expression.
“Do you want to tell her? Or should I?” I ask, turning to Absala.
Pressing her lips in a tight line, Absala crosses her arms over her body and sneers.
“Have it your way,” I say, returning my gaze to Runa, “When you ran, Fenton was hacking into your hProfile looking for more information on you and your brother. Runa, the Helix has no genetic match registered for your father. Your mother’s been lying to you all these years.”
“Is this true?” Runa says, stepping forward and getting tight in Absala’s personal space.
Her mother looks away, her gaze dropping to the floor.
“Never should have been …” Absala mutters.
“I don’t understand …” Runa says, gripping at Absala’s shoulders, “What does that mean?”
“It means your mother has spent time outside the Helix, too,” I say.
I take a step back, chuckling to myself. This makes things so much clearer.
Absala’s lips tighten, but she says, “If you think I’m going to tell you anything— ”
The sound of Runa’s palm as it makes contact with her mother’s face surprises all of us. Rubbing at her hand, Runa blinks feverishly while Absala holds her face in shock.
“You disgust me,” Runa spits, staring her mother in the eye.
Without another word, Runa pushes past her mother and marches straight into the room behind us. Absala makes a tiny gesture to follow and I stand directly in her way.
“Don’t think so,” I say.
“Found it,” Runa says, exiting her mother’s space.
Runa holds out her hand. The small blue crystal shimmers in the light and something about it makes Runa’s presence radiate. Closing her hand, she clutches the crystal tightly.
“Excellent. Let’s get outta here,” I say, making a move toward the door.
“You’re out of time,” Absala announces, a menacing grin spreading across her lips. Suddenly, her face twitches, flickering like a holographic screen gone bad. Before our eyes, her features melt away until her face is wiped clean and standing before us is a Labot.
“What the— ” Runa says in shock.
“Phug— We gotta go!” I yell, grabbing hold of Runa’s arm and yanking her out the door.
Runa’s eyes are wide as she continues to look behind us as we take off running down the desolate corridor.
“What just happened?” she cries.
“Your mother’s been taken over. She’s a Labot now—we need to run.”
“Will she be okay? How did that happen? D—Does that means Videus is near?” Runa asks, scanning the halls as we make our escape.
Absala’s faceless form rushes out after us, her arm poised out in front of her as the ear piercing sound of her weapon, the Seize Scanner, fills the narrow hallway of the Helix. She only needs to be within range and we’re done for. The eLink will take over our brains and seize them in an instant. With my ears trained on the danger behind me, I pick up speed, holding Runa’s hand as she keeps up.
“Whatever you do—don’t let your mother get close enough to seize you,” I say, forcing my legs to go faster.
Our footsteps reverberate off the barren walls and doorways along the corridor start opening as curious onlookers poke their heads out.
“Oh, no— Someone’s trying to connect to me, Trae,” Runa says, “It feels like they’re trying reinitiate the eLink.”
“Phug, can you stop it?” I call out.
“I’m trying,” she says. Runa’s footing falters, as she fights off the intruders in her mind. “It’s Videus. He’s somehow talking through my mother’s eLink— he’s saying he won’t stop. That I should turn myself over.”
“Forget that. Don’t you dare stop. We aren’t giving Videus the satisfaction of taking you.”
Runa’s hand flies to her temple and she says, “Videus’ gone. What does that mean?”
“It means be careful—any one of these people could be turned,” I warn.
No sooner do the words tumble out, than a man at the door up ahead begins twitching. His features melt away as he steps out in front of us.
Screeching to a near halt, we scramble around him as he raises his arm and initiates his Seize Scanner embedded in the cuff of his NanoTech jacket.
> “They’re going to just keep coming— How are we going to get out of here?” Runa cries. The footsteps of our pursuers edges closer, running right on our heels.
“Dammit!” I curse, wishing I had something—anything to fend them off.
Wait—I have Jane!
I grabbed it as we left the Haven, but I’ve never used the sonic resonator in a situation like this. I hadn’t given it a second thought. Releasing the small device from my side pocket, I push the button, allowing the sonic resonator to extend open to its full size.
“Keep running, Runa. I’ll try to fend them off,” I say, dropping to my knee and taking aim.
Runa’s footing falters and she slows down when she realizes what I’m doing.
“Trae, we need to go together. Don’t waste your time— ” she says, running back to me.
I take aim for the male Labot closing in. The resonator bursts through the hallway, blasting him back a few steps. His face flickers between human and Labot until it maintains resolution as a Labot. The high-pitched fluttering of his Seize Scanner is temporarily disrupted, but Runa’s mother gains momentum, closing in. Taking aim again, I fire at Absala, then fire again immediately after. Absala is knocked backward, landing hard on the floor.
“Go— That will buy us some— ” I say, turning around to run.
Behind me, Runa stands ramrod straight as a faceless little girl no older than eight-years-old stands behind her. The Labot child’s hand rests gently on Runa’s back. The front of her NanoTech jacket flashes red—a silent warning that she’s been seized in a different manner.
“Trae, I can’t move,” Runa says, her voice trembling.
“I know Runa. Hang tight,” I say, working through the options.
The paralyzer requires contact to work. If I could disengage the child …
Behind me, the other Labots regain operation and the fluttering of the Seize Scanners claw at my ears. If I fire Jane at the Labot, I could risk hurting Runa in the process.
I take a quick step toward the two of them. The child remains motionless, a sentry holding its captive until backup can arrive.
“Sorry, kid,” I say, whipping the butt of the sonic resonator upward in a swift movement. It makes contact across the young Labot’s jaw, making her tumble back into the wall. The contact on Runa’s back is temporarily broken and her body relaxes, once again under her own control.
The Complete Pendomus Chronicles Trilogy: Books 1-3 of the Pendomus Chronicles Dystopian Scifi Boxed Set Series Page 18