I nod and finally, for the first time since Charlie died, allow myself to feel something other than remorse and an overwhelming drive to avenge her death. I needed something more to keep myself grounded, and as his lips meet mine halfway, I am most definitely grounded. His lips send my heart into a frenzy and cause my toes to curl and uncurl, not able to get enough of him.
Hayden’s arms wrap around my back and pull me closer, close enough to feel whole again. One hand wanders aimlessly, tangling itself in my hair and moving around my cheek and to the side of my throat before stopping. His lips devour mine, and I am lost in bliss, beyond content. “I thought she didn’t like being touched?” I hear Alex’s voice from behind us. I immediately freeze, not pulling back.
“I’m sorry, but we need to decide our next move,” Lee says, sitting on the chair nearest to us and crossing his legs impatiently.
“There is no us. We aren’t conjoining our groups—especially after the stunt you pulled,” Abdul chastises, shutting down his idea immediately. “You almost got all of us killed. Not just you, but your other mate pair, who seemed to disappear when everything went down. We could have used another Nectorian’s energy, but he went to hide. Where is he?” Abdul shouts.
“I sent him and his mate to hide. They couldn’t have done anything but get themselves killed,” Lee explains as if what he did was the right thing to do. I find myself laughing humorlessly at his ignorance and selfishness.
“That’s really funny,” I begin. “Because I am a teenage girl with a gun, facing a dozen metal creatures who are bullet resistant, and I didn’t once think about leaving you and Hayden to do all the fighting. Jebadyah and Abdul are common Nectorian who stand no chance against a Szorian, yet they joined me on the battlegrounds and gave their life forces to Hayden so he could fight. If they had used your philosophy, everyone would be dead,” I shout. Each of my words grows increasingly loud and vicious.
“We will not assist your family, so we are leaving. I don’t know what is wrong with each of you, but something is clearly off. We will be leaving,” Hayden says, lifting me from his lap and setting me on the ground in front of him. I wonder how he is so much stronger than he was only minutes before, but know not to question it right now.
“We are weaker than we have ever been. None of us have the strength to fight nearly as much as we used to and you plan on leaving us? You won’t stand a chance,” Lee says, standing as if he would dare block our exit. I know simply by feeling the tension in the room that such an action would not end well. Hayden may not have as much energy, but he has a mate who he cares for deeply and would go to any lengths to protect. Lee cannot say the same.
“We are leaving,” Hayden says. I follow behind Hayden and catch a glimpse of Alex’s sulking shoulders and hopeless demeanor. We may have been the kid’s only hope at a life aside from Lee, and leaving will ruin any chance of that.
“And we are taking Alex,” I add. Hayden doesn’t so much as flinch at my declaration, but Lee seems to become far more anxious. I watch as Alex’s posture tightens and then his shoulders straighten. I can’t decide whether or not he is willing to leave alongside us.
“The boy is my property, not yours. You may leave, but he has no other choice. He will stay loyal by my side,” Lee shouts, pulling Alex by his arm to stand beside him. Alex didn't look faithful nor convinced that he should stay, but if he doesn't fight for himself while he still has a chance, I will not force him to do so. This is ultimately Alex’s choice.
“I’m leaving,” Alex states, staring intimidatingly at Lee. This statement, while it shocks Lee immensely, doesn’t cause me to bat an eyelash.
“Fine,” Lee chastises. I can sense the guilt that he is attempting to use against Alex. “If you wish to disappoint your soul mate so significantly, leave with these buffoons. They won’t last long on the road and nor will you. Just know, once you are gone, I will kill you if you ever come back,” Lee says.
“Then it’s a good thing I don’t plan on ever coming back.”
And without a second thought, we leave Lee and the bizarre family behind. It doesn’t take long to fill in Hayden on my plan of finding warriors and royals to fight for our cause. In fact, Hayden makes it easier by contributing some names and locations of his own. We are set on our journey, and Hayden’s presence only makes it so much better. In fact, with him here, I am thoroughly convinced that my methods will be much more humane and self-destructive. I may have lost my sister, but at least I still have the love of my life.
*****
Chapter 16
Mary
Mary leads them to where she entered the town and allows them to take over the tracking. Isabelle looks like she knows what she’s doing and has tracked people many times before and Elijah stays behind with Mary. She is not sure if he was instructed to keep an eye on her, but he rarely allows her to leave his peripheral vision.
And neither of them says a word, which gets incredibly awkward.
Mary contemplates warning them of Ross’s Szorian status but decides against it. If Hayden traveled alongside them for that long without realizing that he was a Szorian, Mary is sure that Isabelle won’t notice either—or she hopes.
They move quickly, and Mary finds it difficult to keep up with Isabelle and Elijah at times. She realizes now why they were meant for each other. They match one another’s speed without an issue, and Mary lags behind, hoping that they will slow down enough for her to keep up. She knew she wasn’t savvy when it came to nature, but she underestimated her abilities. As long as Ross is traveling at the speed they were before, she has no doubt she will catch up relatively quickly.
“How long were you looking for supplies?” Isabelle asks.
Mary shrugs her shoulders, taking Isabelle’s momentary distraction to catch up to her and Elijah, though Elijah is much closer than Isabelle, who remains a good distance ahead of us. Once she is close enough to Isabelle, she replies. “I was only down there for about twenty minutes,” Mary says breathlessly. Hiking up mountains, even ones that are manageable and not too steep, is an arduous task made for people who have food and energy in their systems. Mary has neither, so she is fortunate to have made it this far. “But when you guys came through, I lost track of time.”
Isabelle nods as if her information is assisting her, but Mary doesn’t understand how. “This is where two tracks become one, so I am under the assumption that your partner is most definitely catchable. His tracks have not been tarnished and they are recent. If we pick up our pace, we may even catch him by nightfall,” Isabelle explains.
Mary gawks at her suggestion, but doesn’t comment. She will do her best to keep up until it becomes nearly impossible. The base of the mountain is cleared and their journey is no longer fully uphill. That seems to be the most difficult part, so Mary may be able to pick up her pace. She hopes that it will be a possibility. She needs it to be possible.
They continue on for what feels like hours and Mary is drained mentally and physically. She is tired of walking and ready to stop when Isabelle stops instead. “A Szorian,” Isabelle snarls, looking in the direction that she is leading Mary.
“No, don’t attack,” Mary says, her accelerated heart rate thumping more heavily. She can’t understand how Isabelle could possibly know that without witnessing Ross transitioning into his metal form. Unfortunately, Mary’s words are lost to Isabelle’s ears and the woman charges in the direction of the Szorian, ready to start a fight that won’t end well for anybody. “Stop her,” Mary begs Elijah. He nods and they chase after Isabelle.
Mary’s vision goes blurry for a moment, but she pushes on, knowing there is no other choice. She will not allow Red to be lost in the crossfire of a Nectorian and Szorian. If that happens, she is afraid that she will turn into Jo—a monster hungry for nothing more than revenge.
“Isabelle, stop,” Elijah shouts, pulling ahead of Mary and nearing her. Finally, Mary sees Ross and Red, Bosco following them behind obediently. She takes a second glance, unsure ho
w Ross had gotten Bosco to follow him so willingly. She was sure that the dog would die by Charlie’s gravesite.
Red stares at Isabelle with wonder in her brown eyes and Ross looks in her direction curiously. “You’re in alliance with one of them,” Isabelle growls. Mary jumps in between the two enemy forces and Elijah follows. Mary grabs Red from Ross’s arms, knowing that if something happens, she will not allow the baby to be caught in the crossfire.
“You don’t understand,” Mary begins, not knowing how to explain the entirety of the situation. “He isn’t like the rest. He is kind and loyal to our cause, not the Szorians’,” Mary says.
“How do you know that? They are deceptive and lie on command. He could be following you with the intent to kill you and your child. What makes you think any one of them can change?” Isabelle shouts, throwing accusations at Ross like sharp daggers.
Mary knows firsthand how evil and cruel the Szorian can be, and Ross is not one of them—not anymore. “Being a lying murderer is a choice just as much as being a truthful healer. Ross chose to help us and throwing hurtful accusations toward a man who hasn’t said a single word to you seems much eviler that what he is currently doing,” Mary shouts back. She doesn’t notice Elijah move out of the way. Mary wonders if the battle will occur between Isabelle and Ross or Isabelle and herself.
“You cannot believe for even a moment that he is not a terrible creature,” Isabelle persuades, taking a step forward. Mary mimics her step and sets Red on the ground, pushing her backward. Red runs back to Ross, and he pushes the child behind his legs. Oddly enough, Red doesn’t look even a little bit scared.
“He loved his soul mate very much, and she died before his eyes, and there was nothing he or anyone else could do for her. Her sister tried to have a fellow Nectorian heal her, but she was too far gone. This dog,” Mary points at Bosco who stands defensively beside Ross. “Will not go near anyone but Ross because he was so close to Charlie. He wants nothing more than to help his soul mate’s sister because that is all he can do. That is all either of us can do. So don’t you dare say that he is a terrible person.”
Finally, after Mary’s monolog, Isabelle steps back. “I will not work alongside the creature which spread the blight that killed most of your planet,” Isabelle states. “I brought you back to him, but we will now be on our way.”
“I’m not asking you to work alongside a monster. I’m asking you to accept that you may have met the only Szorian who isn’t a monster. Does he look like a monster to you?” Mary asks, pointing at Ross. A little girl wraps herself around his long leg, and a dog stands leaning against him. He stands tall and mighty, ready to protect the few things left in his life. But even with a look of sheer determination, he does not look evil in the least.
Elijah steps between Mary and Isabelle once again. “The girl has a point,” he states. “None of them look like how you described the Szorians. They have a child.”
“They have a Nectorian child,” Isabelle corrects, staring at the little girl in wonder.
Mary looks at Elijah. “If she described the Szorians as horrible, gruesome creatures who would kill you without mercy, she was correct. A few Szorians are the reason Ross’s mate died along with an entire camp of people,” Mary states. “Have you never come across one?”
Isabelle shakes her head and Mary looks in her direction. “I can sense Nectorians and Szorians, so we clear their path without a problem. Humans, on the other hand, I am unable to sense. We have almost had a few fatal run-ins with people who eat the flesh of other humans.”
Mary tenses and nods. Something pulls at her heartstrings, but she attempts to suppress the terrible memories. “Cannibals. I have had some encounters, as well,” Mary says. In her opinion, cannibals are one of the most dangerous creatures that roam the world today. They wear the faces and bodies of humans but are stronger and more brutal than even Szorians. If they were more intelligent and worked well together, they could have the entire world beneath their thumbs.
Isabelle walks toward Ross and he holds his ground. “What is your goal?” she asks him, likely trying to get a read on his intentions.
“I have to deliver vital information to my soul mate’s sister. She is looking for revenge and I want her to find it,” he says.
“What vital information are you looking to deliver?”
“The Szorians are dangerous, but have you ever been faced with their beasts?” Ross asks. Isabelle noticeably pales. “Just as large as a human, with canines as long as my hand, they will rip someone to shreds without batting an eye and feast upon them. I have never been faced with one before. I thought that they were rumored, but they are here, and they are heading straight for my mate’s sister.
Isabelle nods and reaches a hand between her and Ross. Mary knows it is a huge step for her to accept the word of a Szorian, but Ross shakes her hand, nevertheless. “Consider us allies,” she says with a sincere nod and a deep breath.
*****
Chapter 17
Jo Leigh
A month of unusual alliance come about, and I am more surprised than anyone. The alien males seem to be dominant and bossy toward one another just as much as they are toward their mates, but somehow, we manage to gain new warriors, all willing to fight for our cause. Of course, with warriors come their soul mates, some more badass than others. It becomes apparent the surviving humans each have something to offer.
“How many more warriors are on our list?” I ask my group. We have compiled a list of every warrior known, though we have already gained many. Jebadyah and Abdul stand at my side, and Hayden stands behind me, arms wrapped around my waist securely. Alex sits alone, as usual, on the outskirts of our camp. All around us are our newest additions—five warriors, four humans, and one Nectorian non-warrior, not including Hayden and the brothers, of course. Our adventures to get them were nothing less than eventful, but in the long haul, it worked out.
“We only have one warrior left,” Abdul says, pointing to the last blip on the map. Names are not a commodity in the Nectorian community, so only those who have found and bonded with their human counterparts have been given human names. We have one warrior who named himself and one who was given a name upon joining our group. They all have unique personalities and are easy to tell apart.
“And how close is he?” I ask. ‘He’ is a common way to refer to any unknown gender. Aside from me, there is one other female, and she isn’t even human. We have found it easiest to assume that women are not only rare, but extremely unlikely to come across.
“He isn’t far,” Abdul replies, tracing his finger across the map over the imaginary path we will need to take. “In fact, only a few hours’ walk. We planned the route to end with a short walk, and it seems our plans have worked.” There are, of course, many more known warriors across the country, but over the past month, we have covered only West Virginia. It seems that many warriors congregated to the mountains for solace, which is convenient for us.
I wonder how many of the Nectorian have wandered upon the slaughtered camp and were killed because of it. Over half of the locations we searched were abandoned, and this is the last one. We can only hope the last one pans out. “We should gather everyone and let them know,” I tell Hayden. Most of the warriors communicate better with someone of their own kind, though a lot of them are still courteous to humans. I have not yet come across another Nectorian like Lee, and for that I am grateful.
“Listen up,” Hayden shouts, pulling me into the clearing alongside him. Even when addressing a group of this magnitude, he doesn’t allow me to leave his side. In fact, I haven’t left his side since we were reunited. I’m afraid that I have mentally scarred him in an unfixable way. “We have one more place to check out and it is only a few miles south of here. If we hustle, we can make it in a few hours.”
I know everyone is tired and needs a break, but we have one more location before we can hunker down for a while and make a fullproof plan. After this location, we can finally take a break—a
much-needed one.
A few people mumble agreements and start packing their supplies. The supplies vary from tents to bags, all small and easily portable. Everyone here has gotten the memo to pack light, and that is likely how they have survived so long. “Jo,” Josephine says, coming to my side. As expected, she is already completely packed.
“Josie, do you need something?” I ask, looking her up and down to be sure there are no apparent injuries or issues. She has the body of a goddess—tall and slim, but broad in the places that require the most muscle to fight. She is tanned and beautiful, causing the men to drool at the sight of her. The fact that she has more survival skills than most of them put together is an added bonus.
“I just wanted to offer my assistance,” she says. “And if you need a lead, I will gladly volunteer,” she says. As always, I smile at her willingness to contribute. She was the first warrior—aside from the crazy family—that we came across and she set the bar high. Our eagerness to end this war has brought us to be closer to one another than most others. Of course, her bound is the closest person to her just as mine is to me.
“Go help Noah. He’s packing your tent,” I suggest, looking at her mate on the other side of the camp, doing the grueling work for her. They work well together, though they are each daring beyond words and risk their lives often.
“Noah doesn’t need help,” she shrugs. I smile and shake my head, making sure the lids on my water bottles are secure. It’s getting harder and harder to find water, so I have to be sure not to waste it.
“Noah packs your tent every time and you never help him. I’m sure he would appreciate it,” I tell her. Noah is the human in the pair, but he is strong enough to get the tent bundled up extremely quickly. In fact, despite being a human, he commonly rides the front lines alongside Josephine. I am pretty sure they are more than soul mates, and they make the oddest, yet most dangerous, couple I have ever seen.
Final Impact: A Dystopian Trilogy (BOUND Book 3) Page 8