A Broken Jewel (Jade Book 1)

by Lucy Rains

“Pierce!” he bellowed.

  I was running out of time. I whipped around the stairway and ran down the steps. Hope flickered in me when I saw that the stairs ended in front of the front door, in a small foyer. When I paused at the front door and turned to peer over my shoulder, my heart skipped a beat in panic. Pierce was running towards me, intent on reaching for me. I pulled up both palms, bent my knees and let out a burst towards his ankles to slow him down.

  “Jade!” He yelled, tripping over my energy. I stood and turned back around. My hand reached out, ready to grab the handle. The thought came to me that I didn’t know where I would go, or what I would do once I was out that door, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to get away from being held against my will with these men I didn't know.

  Before my hand could wrap around the door knob, tight muscular arms wrapped around me from behind.

  “No!” I grunted in frustration, struggling against whoever it was. After a few seconds of struggling I caught a glimpse of dark hair and knew it was Kyson. I lifted my feet, and pushed myself off of the front door, hoping to throw him off balance. But it was no use. The strength these guys seemed built with was way above my own. Kyson took a step backwards to maintain his footing but did not loosen his grip.

  Lack of food, repeatedly drugged, dehydrated, I was much too weak. There was no way I could contend with him. With my arms pinned to my sides, unable to get my hands up I couldn't release any more energy anyways. I was screwed. Again.

  Kyson brought me back against his chest and shushed in my ear, trying to calm me down. I was breathing hard from exertion and adrenaline, my chest heaving up and down.

  “Try to relax, Jade.”

  The humming in my chest pulsed, and I gritted my teeth. My hands balled into fists. I went slack against his grip, leaning into his chest. Relenting into his hold defied my desires. I wasn’t ready to surrender.

  He turned me back around and helped me walk over to a living room. Like a fugitive being hauled back to jail.

  Simply furnished with only oversized couches and a coffee table, Pierce was standing in the middle of the room with Alex and Gavin leaning against the wall behind him. The three of them stared at me. Their expressions tense. I expected irritation in their emotions, at my continued stubbornness, but I sensed only anxiety.

  The sight of all of them brought out a deep sense of insecurity. I was out of place, uncomfortable, and tense.

  “Can I let go of you now? Will you behave?” asked Kyson.

  I sniffed, “Yes.”

  “Lie,” said Alex, plopping down in a chair.

  I glared at him, desperately wanting to lift my palm his way.

  “Jade?” Pierce said, calling my attention to him. “Will you calm down?”

  I closed my eyes and swallowed, trying to clear my mind of my intentions. “Yes,” I responded in a firm tone.

  “Still no.” said Alex.

  I groaned angrily. “Fine!” I relented. Then again in a softer tone, “Fine.”

  Everyone looked Alex and he nodded.

  Kyson let go of my arms and I shrugged my shoulders to stretch them out from his tight grip.

  He walked around me and stood beside Pierce. Their masculine bodies tight with tension. They shared a glance and looked back to me.

  “Jade-”

  I held up a hand to silence Pierce, “I want water.”

  The guys looked at each other. Except for Gavin, he continued to stare at me coldly. I returned his gaze with ice in my own eyes.

  Alex hopped up and darted out of the room to what I assumed was the kitchen. He came back a second later carrying several water bottles in his hands. I snatched one out before anything could be said. I knew the liquid would help rejuvenate me mentally enough to have this conversation.

  A clock on the wall said it was 5:37. The darkness outside suggested a.m. It had been almost 24 hours since this fiasco had started.

  After going through three water bottles, I took one more to just hold until I was ready for it. I wiped at my mouth and nodded at Alex. He backed off, set the last one on the coffee table and sat back down.

  “Do you want to sit,” Kyson asked, settling himself into an oversized leather chair.

  I crossed my arms in front of me and shook my head. My feet moved as I shifted my weight, trying to appear relaxed. I pushed down at the fear that crawled in my stomach.

  “You guys have a lot of nerve.,” I started, looking around the room. “You show up, seem to be following me, smash into my car,” Alex started to interrupt but I held up a hand to stop him. “Don't even try to do deny it,” I glared.

  He clamped his lips together and leaned back against the sofa, avoiding my eyes.

  I continued, “You drug me, take me against my will.” I paused, trying to slow my breathing, trying to remain calm. “Why?! Why am I here?”

  As I expected, Pierce spoke first. “I promise we don’t mean you any harm, Jade. But we couldn’t leave you there. There are people out there that know about you.”

  I swallowed, wanting to debate this. But I stayed quiet, waiting for more information.

  “These people were preparing to take you. We had to get to you before they did.”

  My eyebrow lifted, “Take me? Why?”

  Pierce shifted and looked to Kyson. Tense silence hung in the room.

  Kyson cleared his throat. “Tests. They were preparing to do tests.”

  I looked between the two of them. “Tests?” My voice skeptical. “What kind of tests?”

  Kyson swallowed and wiped a hand over his face, “Tests, research.” He glanced at Pierce and back to me. “Reproduce.”

  My eyebrow lowered and I repeated the word softly. “Reproduce?”

  Alex sighed in exasperation at my confusion. He leaned forward and looked me in the eyes. “Jade.” He said my name firmly, demanding my complete attention. “They wanted to impregnate you.”

  CHAPTER 8

  I blanched, taking a step back. My mind went blank for a second, then repeated Alex’s words.

  Impregnate.

  Impregnate.

  Questions fired off in my mind in a million different directions. How? Why? Who is they? But the biggest confusion came out first. It was impossible.

  “They…” I stammered softly. “They can’t.”

  How can you impregnate a girl that hadn’t started menstruating? I tried to find my voice but was still in shock.

  “The pills you were taking daily? What did your mother tell you they were? Vitamins? Supplements?” Kyson asked.

  I tried to find my voice but was still in shock, thinking of the pills I had been ordered to take every morning. Mother had indeed said they were vitamins. That they would help me in my performance of both school and track.

  “Prenatals,” he said softly. “And a couple others to help bolster your female hormones.”

  ‘It’s not possible,” I muttered without thinking. I lifted my eyes to them. “It's not...It wouldn’t work,” I gestured awkwardly to my myself.

  Kyson looked confused for a moment, but his expression cleared. “They have ways to make anything possible.”

  “But why? Why me?”

  Pierce looked around the room at the guys and then back to me. “There are others like us, well, sort of like us. The ones they have tried to create have not been as strong, or fast. There are people out there that want to create more. But as far as we know, you are the only female.”

  My jaw dropped, disbelief filling my mind. “How many others?”

  “Four,”Alex answered. “They are younger than us, by several years.”

  “Where are they?”

  Nobody spoke right away. A dog barked somewhere outside, and thunder rumbled low.

  “It's complicated,” Pierce said.

  I raised an eyebrow, showing I wasn’t impressed by his answer. But he didn't offer anymore information.

  “Who are the people that wanted to take me?”

  “Scientists, biomedical researchers,” Pi
erce answered again.

  “But who are they,” I pressed. “What company? Who do they work for?”

  Pierce looked to Kyson, Kyson shook his head. “That too, is complicated.”

  I huffed a sigh and dropped my arms. I turned and looked longingly at the front door. My glance didn’t go unnoticed.

  “Jade.” Pierce spoke my name with a tone of warning.

  I turned my head back and glared at him, contemplating my next move. But before I could say anything Gavin spoke up for the first time.

  “Tell her,” he said. His voice rough as he looked at Pierce and then me. Those two words gave me pause. Gavin spoke so little, the fact that he felt it important enough to say this peaked my interest.

  I looked at Pierce, waiting.

  The room went still as no one spoke or moved. The hairs on my neck raised as I realized they were leaving out something important. Something I wouldn't like.

  “What?” I demanded, my arms crossed again, as if protecting myself from what was to come.

  Pierce studied his hands, “Did you look into your college classes? Registration?”

  My mind flashed back to that night in the craft store, when he tried to warn me. Then to yesterday morning. Sick dread filled me. I had tried to convince myself otherwise, but now it was impossible to deny. My mother had lied to me.

  I nodded silently.

  “The community college was just a front. She knew what was coming, and was preparing you for it.”

  I stood silently, my grip tightened around the water bottle as my hands trembled.

  “Who do you think bought you the prenatals?” Kyson asked gently. Trying to help me piece it together. Gavin looked at me accusingly, almost as if I should have known.

  My mind began spinning with pieces of information flying at me She lied to me about college, made me take these supposed ‘vitamins’. My mother was involved with infertility research. Her demand to take me to a doctor to see if I was still a virgin. My stomach dropped lower with each realization of her deception.

  “So you’re saying...my mother…”

  “She’s one of them,” Gavin filled in, not to kindly. His eyes were dark, his jaw tight.

  “But… that means she knows? About me? What I can do? That I’m different?” All this time I was hiding myself from my mother and she really knew about my abilities and strengths.

  Gavin gave a low laugh and Pierce sent a look to silence him. Gavin stopped laughing, but didn’t stop glaring at me. I was too upset to glare back.

  I wanted to deny it, wanted to yell that they were wrong. But I couldn’t. The most I could manage was, “How do I know you’re not lying?”

  Alex scoffed in irritation. “Why would we? What would we have to gain?”

  I raised an eyebrow in suspicion.. “What does a guy have to gain when kidnapping a girl?”

  His face cleared at my accusation and he had the decency to look humbled.

  “You guys could have created this elaborate story to convince me your actions were justified.”

  “Don’t think too highly of yourself, sweetheart.” Gavin taunted.

  My brow wrinkled at his comment, feeling reprimanded I wanted to snap back at him. But was distracted by the issues at hand. What if they were right? My mother, in the middle of this deception?

  “Are you hungry?” Kyson asked, breaking my stupor.

  I looked at him like he had grown two heads. Who cared about food right now? “No,” I said in a tone that told him I thought he was an imbecile for asking.

  “Liar,” Alex smirked.

  “You need to eat,” Kyson spoke quickly. His eyes scanned over my body quickly. Not in a seductive way, more in an educational observation way. “Your liver is producing a high amount of glucose and your blood pressure is elevated.”

  I focused my eyes on Kyson, searching his eyes. “How do you know that just from looking at me?”

  Kyson met my eyes and responded calmly. “I know what is going on inside anyone’s body. I can sense their vitals, see their organs, bones, blood flow, know their injuries,” he shrugged, “just by looking at them.”

  I glanced around the room at the four guys. I pointed at Pierce, “Danger sensor,” moved to Alex, “Lie Sensor.” I turned to Kyson, “Health sensor,” and finally to Gavin, “And a persuader.”

  I considered their abilities for a moment. They were more defensive, rather than offensive like my own. I felt powerful in that moment, despite being out of my element in a new situation. My ability gave me an advantage.

  Alex stood and walked out of the room first. Pierce and Kyson waited for me to move. Gavin surprised me by pushing off the wall and following Alex.

  I cursed under my breath, giving up my stubborn stance, and followed the two of them towards what I figured was the kitchen.

  Their home was simple, modern. No wall art, no flowers, but all the necessities of comfortable furniture. Their kitchen had seen better days. The amount of dried food caked on all forms of dishware filling the sink, and lining the counter, was enough to keep one busy scrubbing for a couple hours. I stopped at the edge of the kitchen, not wanting to go all the way in. I tucked my hands under my arms and rested my tired body on the wide door frame.

  Gavin reached into the fridge and pulled out an energy drink. Alex was underneath him, buried in the fridge. He emerged with an apple and sliced deli meat. The realization that my stomach was hollow made the simple food look amazing.

  Alex jerked his head to motion to follow him out of the kitchen. I obeyed silently as he led me to a separate, small, windowless dining room that held a large rustic wooden table. Alex pulled a couple napkins out and set the food on top of it. I eyed him warily and took a step forward, taking a piece of meat.

  I knew I should say thank you, something to acknowledge his help, but I kept quiet.

  I felt the other guys come closer and then join us in the dining room. Gavin sat down in a chair, not looking at me. Kyson sat across from him. Pierce stayed standing and Alex went back to the kitchen.

  I chewed on my meat, and asked, “How did you find out about me? About these tests? About my mother?”

  Pierce spoke, drawing my attention towards him. “Long story short, we are very familiar with the facility and what goes on there. We stay connected to their database and network, without them knowing. Thanks to Alex’s computer skills, we can find out anything we want. Be it on the internet, the dark web, information behind locked firewalls, anything really.”

  I took a moment to digest his information. A facility. What kind of facility was this? A place they do experiments on people like us?

  “But my mother? Why would she want these tests done on me?”

  Gavin huffed, “She has no concern for anything but her work. And because she isn’t even your mother.”

  My mouth froze mid-chew. I gawked like I didn’t hear him right. Maybe I didn’t hear him right?

  “Gavin!” Pierce barked.

  “What?!” I hissed.

  Kyson began to stand, “Jade, wait.”

  “Dumb ass,” Alex mumbled.

  Gavin looked at his sports drink, unrepentance on his face.

  “What are you saying? I’m adopted?” I shook my head, refusing to believe it.

  Pierce stared daggers at Gavin, “A little early, don’t you think?”

  Gavin didn’t add to his comments. His jaw clenched tight and he kept silent.

  Pierce sighed and stepped closer to me. “What has your mother told you about your father?”.

  I looked at him, trying to remember. “Not much. He died when I was a baby.”

  “No pictures, I bet.” Gavin said, still not looking at me.

  I scowled at him. “It doesn’t mean she’s not my mother!” I turned “Why would he say that,” I demanded, looking at Pierce, then turning back to Gavin.

  Pierce sighed, rubbing his hand over his chin. “Maybe we should take a break from talking.”

  My chest seized in panic. “Wait!” I look
ed back to Gavin and then Pierce. “No.”

  Kyson shook his head, and said softly. “You’re not ready for this.”

  Pierce laid a hand on my back “Jade.” I pushed him off.

  “Don’t feel bad Jade,” Alex offered. “None of us know who our parents are.”

  My face softened as I looked at Alex. “Really? None of you?”

  Alex shook his head. He had sliced the apple in quarters and handed me one. I looked at it for a few seconds before taking it from him and biting into it. I chewed, letting my mind quiet from its prior frustration. Three of them watched me. Gavin took an apple slice and bit into it.

  Tears threatened to explode from my eyes and I swallowed hard. I would not lose it here in front of all of them. My chest ached from the pain for Gavin’s statement and the desire to deny it kept pushing forward.

  “How do you know she’s not my mother?”

  Alex shifted in his seat, “The DNA comparison the facility has on file for you. As well as all of your medical records and documentation.”

  Blood rushed to my cheeks and the room suddenly felt scalding hot. My head shook hard, “You have to understand this is hard for me to believe,” I said, working hard to maintain a steady voice. “This is my mother, I've grown up with her.”

  “And so did we,” said Alex, “In our own way.”

  “Wait, you know my mother? Personally?”

  “Not now,” Pierce commanded, shooting a look at Alex to silence any more comments. Alex nodded in consent and went back to studying his empty plate.

  “And how did you all end up together?”

  A tense silence filled the room. Everyone was looking down, and I felt their emotions shift darkly.

  “We don’t know exactly,” Kyson finally said.

  “What does he mean?” I asked.

  “That's not a discussion any of us want to go into right now,” said Pierce. His tone suggested finality.

  Gavin leaned back and yawned, stretching his arms up. “Are we done?”

  I studied him, in his charcoal grey T shirt. His skin was tanned, his brown hair tousled back. He looked like he didn’t give a single care to his appearance. He didn’t have to. He was naturally beautiful in a confident masculine way. His sharp jawline gave way to perfectly portioned lips. A mouth I had never seen smile.