Aporia (Young Adult Paranormal Romance) (Wisteria Series)

by Leyton, Bisi

  At Franklin, the people living here were from the company that had abducted him and killed his mother. He was not here to avenge her and did not need any more answers about what had happened to her. The humans killed her. End of story. He could not allow any of that to distract him. He was here to find Lluc and the child. After that, he was going to leave.

  “Maybe I should stay aboard and look after the Nieves,” Radala quietly suggested, as they started to leave the boat. “I know how much the boat means to you.”

  Bach shook his head. “It would be impossible to explain that to the humans. They would definitely think we are up to something.”

  “Unless you are scared,” Enric quipped.

  Bach ignored Enric’s jibe; he had turned off the piron net when they entered the lagoon and pretended to anchor the Nieves. Now with the piron net on, it would make it nearly impossible for the humans to commandeer his boat. Without the anchor down, the Nieves would drift off, but since it was self-navigating, he could use his far-eye to summon the boat when he needed it.

  *****

  The RZC speed boats took Wisteria and the rest of the group into a small cave.

  They were met by armed guards and led through a series of damp stairwells and passageways. Finally, they emerged from an underground tunnel into a small town.

  Wisteria took a few moments to adjust to what she was seeing. In contrast to the dank and dingy look of Smythe with its dilapidated buildings, damaged roads, and depressed residents, this place seemed like heaven. The houses were freshly painted, the streets perfectly paved, flowers neatly trimmed. Electric cars and scooters zoomed by along the busy street.

  People were strolling about. They were not marching head down to get from their work assignment to home and back, but actually enjoying the sunshine. Here, they were jogging for exercise, some walked dogs, and she spotted a couple under a tree kissing.

  She knew it was dumb, but the sun seemed to shine a bit brighter here.

  “Nice, huh? We should do that before we find your brother,” Radala whispered to Bach and pointed to the pair kissing.

  Radala’s comment irked Wisteria, but she kept going. There was no point dwelling on what she couldn’t change. Besides, she had more important things on her mind than the two of them flirting. She was excited to finally see her father.

  “This is a great place to live,” Christopher explained. “From what we’ve heard, we’ve more or less avoided the entire outbreak. We’re fully self-sufficient, plus we’ve got fifty more years’ worth of food, medicine, and fuel. We even have cable. Granted, it’s all the stuff we downloaded, but it helps pass the time.”

  “You downloaded TV? That’s kind of a waste. There's got to be more important things to have here? ” Wisteria asked.

  “Like what--books? Our digital library is bigger than the Library of Congress, and as for our physical library, bigger than Harvard’s. It wasn’t even the plan to have cable. Apparently, they were collecting lots of historical and cultural information. They found it was easier to download all of it, rather than spending time sorting through what was worth keeping.”

  “You mean—every channel?”

  “Well, a lot of it. It was impossible to download all the television in the world.” Christopher laughed and nudged Wisteria. “Man, you’ve really grown up. You’re a woman now.” Stopping, he examined her body.

  “Let’s go Christopher, and don’t look at me like that.” Wrapping her arm through his, she dragged him on.

  “I mean it. You haven’t grown that much taller, but you’ve matured, and nicely, too.” Deep dimples appeared in his cheeks as Christopher smiled at her.

  Bach clenched his fists at his sides, his expression livid.

  “You know once you’re settled, there are some pretty cool trails in the east mountains, great for walks. If you’re still into that?” He pointed up at the snow-topped mountains. “Remember when we used to take those long walks on Omega Beach? The weather here is nowhere as hot, but it’ll be fun.”

  “I forgot we used to do that! We’d trek for hours, right by the water.” Wisteria gaped up at the seemingly endless mountains. “And it’s safe here?”

  “We have these ultrasonic emitters all around the mountains. The emitters generate a high frequency sound that causes the biters pain.”

  “You mean like with dogs?” she asked.

  “Yeah, but the pitch won’t hurt our animals.”

  “How many do you have up there?”

  “About a hundred, but we only need a dozen and they’re solar powered,” Christopher continued.

  “Still, a wall has to be safer?” She looked around with an expression of unease. She’d never felt safe without brick walls and high fences. “I think we should get inside.”

  “We’ve not had a problem yet. I mean they’re checked, serviced, and replaced all the time.” He put his arm around her shoulders.

  “She said go!” Bach growled from behind him.

  “Your friend needs to calm down,” Christopher noted with a dry tone.

  “Yes, he does,” Enric commented coldly, staring at Bach.

  They were escorted toward a big white house, and standing outside were two armed guards.

  “You have plenty of guns for such a marvelous place,” Bach observed sarcastically.

  “It is standard protocol for newcomers,” Christopher said.

  “You are afraid Wisteria will attack you?” Bach jeered.

  “No.” The boy peered back at Bach with a strange smirk. “We don’t know who you are.”

  “Leave him alone, Christopher. He doesn’t play well with others.” Beaming, Wisteria grasped Christopher’s arm.

  Soon, they reached the front door of the white house.

  “Wisteria should go in first,” Christopher announced, after speaking with one of the guards.

  “We came together, so we will enter together.” Bach strode up and took her forearm. “No discussions.”

  “Relax.” Heaving her arm back, she took Christopher's hand. “Don’t worry, I’ll be okay. Let’s go.” Leaving the rest outside, she followed Christopher through the ivory-colored hallway and into the house’s dining room.

  “Modupe?” Standing at the window was her father, Deji Kuti. He was the only one who called her by her middle name.

  “Daddy?” Wisteria paused, examining him, wanting to be sure.

  Bewildered, the man frowned. “I thought it was Da—?” Then, he smiled and opened his arms to her. “Yes, it’s me.”

  “Thank God!” Racing across the room, she dove into his arms.

  “I never thought I’d see you again.” He kissed her hair.

  Wisteria had forgotten the way he smiled, and the way he always made her feel safe.

  “What happened to David?” he asked.

  “Doc,” Christopher came in. “Something you need to know, sir.”

  Reluctantly, her father strode over to the boy. They exchanged words and Christopher left.

  Seconds later, Bach entered, followed by Radala and Enric.

  “You brought people with you?” her father asked.

  Biting her lip, she explained, “This is my friend Bach and his friends, Radala and Enric.”

  “I see. You’re from The Family, right?” her father noted as he spoke to Bach. “Don’t be surprised. I’ve dealt with your people before. I am Dr. Deji Kuti, but everyone calls me Doc. I’d offer to shake your hand, but I know how you feel about touching humans.”

  Initially, she was taken aback, but recalled her mother saying her father had overseen the experiments RZC did on her and Bach. Then again, her mother was probably lying, as she often did, leaving Wisteria unsure what to believe.

  “Don’t worry though, you’re among friends here,” her father assured him.

  “You trust us?” Bach sounded skeptical.

  “Young man, you brought my daughter back to me. How can any father not trust you? We all know how dangerous the world is now and I’m certain she’d be dea
d if not for you.”

  Why did her father assume she needed protecting? He had no clue what they’d gone through or the number of times she’d helped Bach. “Actually, I’ve saved him more than once,” Wisteria interjected.

  “I can never repay you for what you’ve given back to me,” her father continued.

  Bach stared at her father blankly.

  “Can I ask you one thing? Not everyone will react well to knowing members of The Family are here. Not everyone is used to dealing with Supernaturals.”

  “You want us to hide who we are?” Bach remarked indignantly.

  “I want you to feel comfortable here and I don’t think you will if you have all the children in town, running up and asking you questions, like if you can fly. But if you prefer to share it with the community, I think it would be great.”

  “No, that will be okay,” Bach stated, as he suddenly seemed to agree.

  “Doc, we’ve arranged housing for our guests.” A middle-aged woman stepped in. “I think we should let them settle in.”

  The woman looked familiar to Wisteria. Who was she?

  “Mrs. Kuti, the—” Lucky burst in.

  Then Wisteria remembered. This woman was Claire Kuti, or as Wisteria had to call her, Aunt Claire. Aunt Claire was the woman her father had left her, David, and their mother to be with. Wisteria wasn’t surprised she didn’t recognize Aunt Claire, because her mother made sure that she never met the woman. “I am staying with her?”

  If Aunt Claire was there, her father’s new family was here too.

  Sure, this wasn’t what Wisteria imaged, but at least she was with her father again.

  “For now.” Her father rested a hand on Wisteria’s shoulder. “You’ll be staying with a very good friend of mine.”

  “A friend?” she exclaimed.

  “You don’t know them, but they’re good people.” Her father rubbed her back to reassure her.

  “Your wife doesn’t want me in your home, does she?” Wisteria didn’t know when she had started crying.

  “Modupe, it’s just until I’ve settled everything at home,” he explained to her.

  “Fine, I’ll stay with Bach and his friends.” Right now Enric was better than facing the fact that she wasn’t part of her father’s real family—again.

  “Fine,” Bach interposed.

  “No.” Her father scowled.

  “You said you trusted me,” Bach pointed out.

  “Please, can I talk to my daughter alone?” her father requested.

  Silently, Bach left.

  “Father, I’m eighteen; I can take care of myself.”

  “Then do it for me. I know these people will take good care of you, and seeing your extreme emotions, I want you be taken care of,” Doc explained.

  Completely sobbing, she didn’t understand why she was so upset. Perhaps this was the final straw on her already fragile state of mind. She was tired of the blackmail, of Bach hating her, of the lies, of being apart from her family, and once again, she was reminded that her father had moved on.

  “Wisteria, try to calm down. It’s only temporary.”

  “Wait, when I first came in here, you thought David was back. They didn’t tell you it was your daughter. They just said it was your child. That was why you were so confused to see me?”

  “Don’t talk like that.” Taking out a white handkerchief, he offered it to her.

  Not taking the handkerchief, she wiped her eyes on her own sleeve. “I’m just tired.”

  “I know, we’ll talk later,” he said.

  “Okay,” Wisteria replied.

  A silver-haired woman walked into the dining room. “I’m Jenny Raubacher.”

  “She’s—” Doc started to say.

  “I’m staying with her?” Wisteria nodded while composing herself. “Okay.”

  “Yes, but only until I sort everything out. Go get some food and rest. We’ll talk in the morning about how you survived, and about your mother and David.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  “I hope you like it.” Wisteria’s stepmother, Claire, showed Bach, Enric, and Radala around a three-bedroom house.

  Bach stepped into the beige-colored house. He looked around the kitchen. Compared to most of the human houses he had lived in, this was pretty clean and fresh. It still did not compare to any of his dens on Earth, or anything available in his home realm.

  “I’m working on getting some fresh flowers. That’ll brighten up the place.” Claire waved her arms around.

  Bach had more important things to worry about than the house.

  “Can you leave now?” Enric asked her.

  Claire looked a little startled at his rudeness, but then she chuckled and nodded. “Sure, but call me on the intercom if you need anything.”

  After Claire left, Radala rubbed Bach’s back. “You really hate being here. I have never seen you so tense.”

  “It is not that.” Bach was startled at how upset Wisteria had become with her father. The intensity of her outburst shocked him because normally, Wisteria contained her emotions. It was one of the things that had frustrated the hell out of him when they were together. He wanted to be sure she was okay. Even if she hated him, and even if he should hate her, he needed to be certain.

  “What is wrong?” Radala found him a few hours later, about to head out.

  “Radala, I think I will map out the layout of the island.” Bach stopped at the door.

  “Bach—” Enric protested as he joined them. “You cannot think we are that stupid.”

  “Let him go, Enric.” Radala pulled Enric’s hand away. “He has not meditated in days, and he needs the time alone. You know that.”

  “Radala, he will not—”

  “Enric, drop it.” Radala turned to Bach. “Go and unwind. We will be here when you return.”

  Bach stepped out of the house and into the twilight. Nothing about this town felt right, but he could not place what it might be. He would deal with that once he checked on Wisteria. Walking through Franklin, he sought her out. He could still sense her and he realized that had not changed. Trudging through the streets, he headed toward her. For some reason, he was sluggish tonight. Eventually, he came up to a massive house behind a high gate, about five miles away from the Marble House.

  Looking through the gate, he contemplated what he was going to say to her. No doubt Wisteria was going to fight him. That was going to be hard to go through again, so once he confirmed she was okay, he would leave before her nastiness started.

  He leapt up over the gate and landed on the other side. Under the cover of darkness, he ran down the curved driveway and over the manicured lawn, in the direction of the room at the back of the house. That was where Wisteria was. He was just going to check to see if she was all right and leave, he reminded himself. No talking and none of her insults—in and out.

  Getting behind the house, he looked up at the windows, trying to determine which room was hers.

  “What are you doing here?” Wisteria said quietly.

  Turning around, he saw her standing in the garden, partially hidden behind some trees.

  Checking to make sure he was still unseen, he hurried toward her. Taking her hand, he led her back deeper into the shadows. “I wanted to see you because you seemed upset earlier.”

  “That?” She forced a laugh, but her dark eyes were bloodshot and her thick eyelashes were clumped together. They glistened, wet, like she had been crying. “That was nothing.”

  “It does not look like nothing.”

  “I overreacted to what my father said. I am sorry you had to see it.” Grinning, she moved in the direction of the house.

  “Wisteria.” He blocked her path.

  “Bach, I tried to be nice, clearly you don’t understand that, but go before you make me say something I will regret.” Her voice deepened.

  “Why do you keep on doing this? I get that you do not want me around, but I gave you the option to return to Smythe and not come here. You wanted to be here and you
are going to see me, so deal with it and stop being such a—” Bach seethed as he maneuvered her between himself and a tree.

  *****

  “If you get out of my face right now then I won’t have to worry about hurting your feelings.” Wisteria clenched the white nightdress Jenny had lent her.

  Furious, Bach leaned over. “You are not worried about how I feel? You just say whatever madness comes to your mind.”

  “It’s not madness. You’re not smart enough to understand.” She moved aside.

  He backed her against the tree. “Now you are going to listen to what I have to say, and you are going to answer my questions.” He placed his hands on either side of her, effectively trapping her in. “And when we are done, I will never talk to you again. Is that fair?” He seemed so desperate.

  Seeing him like this tore her up inside. She was supposed to have gotten past this need for him. Glaring at him, she forced herself to look angry. “Just don’t waste my time.”

  “Why do you hate me?”

  I don’t hate you, she wanted to say. “I’m in love with someone else.”

  He put his hand over her chest and her heart rate shot up.

  “Liar--your body is telling me differently.”

  Good job, Wisteria. She bit at her lip.

  He traced his finger up the side of her shoulder and up to her chin, pulling out her bottom lip. Tilting her face even lower, he kissed her chin and each cheek, but not her lips. “You are going to open up for me.”

  Shaking her head, she defied him. “I’m in love with Steven Hindle.”

  His eye darkened. “Are you sure?”

  She nodded.

  “You are still lying.” He licked her bottom lip.

  Shuddering, she wanted him to kiss and hold her. She wanted to let him in.

  Entangling the tips of her hair with his fingers, he planted soft kisses down her neck. “Wisteria, are you sure?”

  “I love Steven.” Fighting to keep her voice steady, she hoped he couldn’t tell how much wanted him. Okay, now push him away.

  “You are so beautiful--too beautiful for someone like Steven Hindle.” Suddenly, he moved away, snapping her out of her hazy trance. “I hope he makes you happy. Goodnight.”