Page 15

Chapter Fifteen

Amelia carried Andie through their modest cabin in the direction of the bedroom that had been Amelia’s when she was her sister’s age. The cabin’s interior wasn’t painted in the same white and beiges that coated nearly everything in the compound. No. Their mother had gotten paint from Jeanie and the two women had painted the two bedrooms and main living area themselves. The bedroom that was now Andie’s was painted in yellow, as that had been Amelia’s favorite color when she was younger. Andie seemed to like it, so she made no attempt to change it.

She squeezed her sister more as she entered the room, thinking about what Gram had said.

When he’d told her Andie had spoken to him, she’d felt so betrayed. As if it was the greatest slight she’d suffered in her life. It wasn’t, by far, but that didn’t take from the feeling any. It was as if she was holding Gram to a higher standard than she did others in her life, and she barely knew the man.

It was grossly unfair, and she recognized as much now.

Still, the idea of him plotting with Cal turned her stomach. She hated her father. She didn’t want to hate Gram. The idea actually sickened her, but she couldn’t understand why.

Maybe she was wrong. Maybe he wasn’t in league with Cal and the others.

But why had he lied to her?

Andie didn’t speak.

She hadn’t talked since the night she’d screamed in horror at the sight of their mother being eaten by a group of monsters. It was forever etched in Amelia’s brain, and she knew it was in her sister’s as well. At the time, Amelia hadn’t understood what the things were that had been brought in to punish her mother for her transgression—for daring to want to keep her daughters safe from a madman and his followers. It wasn’t until Helmuth had come to stay at the resort that Amelia had finally figured out what the monsters were.

Hybrids.

She’d heard Taggert and Brian talking about it once. They hadn’t known she was close, hiding behind a tree, listening as they laughed about Cal’s orders to have it done and how fast the hybrids had devoured Amelia’s mother. They joked about having Helmuth send more to make disposing of the bodies of the runaways and fodder Flock members much easier.

Bile rose just thinking about it all.

Hate burned deep in her for her father, for Taggert, for Brian, for every one of them who stood side by side with evil. She could only hope they one day got their due, but she doubted it would ever come to pass. Cal was too powerful. Too connected. He’d made bedfellows of powerful people who were as twisted as he was. Maybe more.

No.

Amelia would have to settle for gaining freedom from him. From the Flock.

She’d take Andie and they’d find a new country to settle in, with new names and a new, brighter future. They wouldn’t be pawns in a power struggle. And they wouldn’t be fed to monsters.

Never.

Amelia glanced at the lonely shelf of a few toys in her sister’s room. On it were three dolls their mother had made for Amelia when she was little. They were handsewn and made from leftover material Jeanie had been kind enough to give them. They’d been prized possessions to Amelia when she was little. Much like Andie’s red ball was to her. She’d been given the ball by the dragon-shifter who had passed through the resort. He’d made an impression on Andie as well. Unlike Cal, who tried to gift Andie with expensive dolls, custom made for her that had to cost a fortune. The type of things the rest of the Flock didn’t have. He’d tried the same thing when Amelia was younger, but her mother had refused to allow her to have them.

That had been fine by Amelia. She hadn’t wanted them anyway. Even from a young age she could sense the bad on her father. The truth behind his false smile.

Andie refused to play with the expensive gifts or even accept them from Cal directly. It was Amelia who took them from their father to keep his wrath far from Andie. The bedroom closet was full of them. It was actually kind of creepy. They kept the door to it closed tight.

“Oh no,” whispered Amelia, as she realized she’d left her sister’s ball at Gram’s cabin. She entertained going back for it while carrying her sister, but the twin who had pointed out Andie was heavy was right. She was. Amelia would have to retrieve it later in the day because she’d need it with her when she ran. Andie wouldn’t want to be without it for long.

Placing Andie in the bed with great care and ease, Amelia kissed her forehead and went for a blanket at the foot of the bed. Staring down at her sister, she choked up slightly as she thought of how much the little girl meant to her. She was Amelia’s world. All she had left, and she’d die to protect her.

Amelia made a move to back away, wanting her to rest.

Andie’s eyes shot open and she gasped. While she’d managed to sleep through all the talking and being moved from one location to another, putting her in her own bed did the trick to wake her. It also scared her, which broke Amelia’s heart.

Amelia touched her sister’s forehead gently and sat on the edge of the bed.

“I’m right here, sweetie,” she soothed as Andie looked around her room and appeared confused. “I carried you home.”

Andie stared up at her, looking so innocent, so sweet.

“Did you go into Mr. Campbell’s cabin willingly? Do you know who I’m talking about? You were resting in his cabin.”

Nodding, Andie sat up and put her hand over Amelia’s.

Amelia tipped her head. “He didn’t make you go in, did he?”

Andie shook her head.

“Was he nice to you?”

Nodding, Andie gave Amelia’s hand a tiny squeeze.

Amelia let out a strained laugh that wanted to be a sob. “Sweetie, he said something I didn’t believe. He said you told him I needed help. That you talked to him. Did you?”

“Yes.”

Air swooshed out of Amelia’s lungs as shock hit her full on. It was the first word she’d heard her sister speak in two years.

She’d given up hope that Andie would ever talk again, thinking for sure that trauma would leave her forever silent.

Emotions welled, and the next Amelia knew she had Andie yanked to her, hugging her tight, rocking her as she did. They’d been through so much together and Amelia had sworn to always protect her, to always keep her safe, but had felt as if she was failing.

She cupped Andie’s face, still crying. “Sweetie, we’re going to do it tomorrow. We’re going to run far from here, just like I promised. We’ll go and we’ll never look back.”

Another thought hit Amelia. Gram had been telling the truth.

Amelia had thought the worst of Gram, and he’d been honest with her. She owed him an apology.

“Amelia,” whispered Andie, her eyes moist as well. “We can’t go without him.”

“Sure we can,” said Amelia, though the thought of never seeing Gram again made her chest ache and feel as if something heavy was sitting upon it. “We have to, sweetie. Everything will be ready for us to go tomorrow. We have to leave then, or we’ll miss our window.”

Andie took a deep breath and moved to her knees on the bed. A serious expression came over her. She reached out and wiped Amelia’s cheeks dry. “We gotta be with him. He’s our family now. We all need to stay together. We’re stronger together.”

Puzzled, Amelia shook her head. “He’s not related to us. It’ll be just you and me. And I’ll take you far from here and from Cal. Like Mom wanted.”

Andie sighed. “ No . We have to be with Gram.”

Amelia fixed her sister’s hair. It was slightly tussled from her nap. “He’s Gram to you already? And you talked to him after not talking to anyone for a very long time? I take it that means you trust him and like him.”

“Yes. I trust him,” said Andie in a very grown-up voice. “So do you.”

It was on the tip of Amelia’s tongue to correct Andie—until she realized her sister was right. On a deeper level, she did trust the man, even having only just met him.

“Gus told me Gram was coming. And he said Gram would be nice and good to us. He’s right. Cal is wrong,” said Andie.

She shook her tiny head. “Gus talks in my head and I talk in his. We can both do it because we’re both special. He said so. He said you can hear Gram too in your head if you listen hard, and Gram can hear you. Gus talked in my head before he came here. He said he was coming and bringing us help. That they would all make sure we were safe.”

Amelia fought to keep from crying harder. She’d been so excited to hear Andie talk that she’d thought her sister was cured. That she’d be fine so long as they got far away from their insane father. If Andie was hearing voices, things were far from fine.

“You don’t gotta be scared,” said Andie, inching forward on the bed. “Gus is our friend. So is Bill. And so are Car and Mac. We gots lots of friends now, Amelia. A big family now. It will be even bigger soon when your babies come.”

Amelia stood so fast that she stumbled backward, her eyes wide.

Babies? She wasn’t having any babies.

Giggling, Andie slid off the bed and came right for Amelia. She took her sister’s hand in hers. “First Gram is gonna make you his wife. Then I’m gonna be a big sister.”

Amelia bent and put her hands on Andie’s shoulders. “You’re not making any sense, sweetie. I’m so excited to hear you talk, but what you’re saying is silly. Gram just met me. He’s not going to make me his wife. I’m not having any babies. Unless you mean Cal is going to father more children with someone. Do you?”

“Cal will never have any more kids,” she said softly. “He’s been very bad. Bad men get punished.”

“Don’t talk like him, Andie.”

“But it’s true. He will be punished for what he’s done. He’s been very bad, Amelia,” she said in a hushed tone. “He had the monsters hurt Mommy. And he’s done other mean and bad things. Gus says he’s gonna get his.”

Amelia touched her sister’s cheek. “Sweetie, I love you so much. And we are going to leave here tomorrow. And we are not taking Gram with us. We can’t. We don’t really know him.”

Andie giggled. “You know him.”

“Barely.”

Andie touched Amelia’s upper chest. “Your soul knows him, and his knows yours. Gus said so. Said it’s meant to be.”

Andie couldn’t possibly mean Gram was Amelia’s mate, could she? For one, she was little and there was no way she could understand mating. For two, mates were very rare. Amelia knew as much. The odds Gram was hers were slim.

“Gram is gonna make you his wife. He’s gonna love you and me a lot,” said Andie, smiling. “He’s gonna be my new daddy. A better daddy. A good daddy. Not like the bad one I have now. The bad one I have now is gonna be punished.”

Amelia shook her head. “Sweetie, no one is going to marry anyone or be anyone’s daddy. We’re leaving here tomorrow and we’re never looking back.”

“There you are,” said Susan from the hallway, startling Amelia.

She’d never heard the woman enter the cabin.

Dread filled her as she wondered how much Susan had overheard. Did she know of Amelia’s plan now? If so, she’d go straight to Cal. Amelia would be next to be eaten by monsters.

Amelia took Andie’s hand and eased her sister behind her, wanting to keep her safe from the woman.

Susan glanced down at Andie and curled her lip. “You’re to stay here for the rest of the day. Your sister is needed at the resort.”

Amelia tensed, praying that Andie wouldn’t speak in front of Susan. If they’d gotten lucky enough that Susan hadn’t overheard their conversation, she didn’t want Cal to know Andie was talking again. They didn’t need the added attention that would bring. Not with their escape so close at hand. All she wanted to do was go and take her sister far from the Flock.

Andie tugged on her hand.

Amelia glanced down at her sister.

We gotta be with Gram.

Gasping, Amelia blinked. Had she just heard her sister in her mind?

Go with Susan. Do what she wants. I’ll be safe here. Gus and Bill are gonna come sit with me. They won’t let anything happen to me. Trust me. Trust them.

For a split second, Amelia worried she’d pass out. Somehow, she managed to stay upright.

“Are you coming?” snapped Susan.

Nodding, Amelia released her sister’s hand and bent, kissing the top of Andie’s head. “I love you.”

“Hurry up. You have somewhere special to be,” said Susan snidely.

It took everything Amelia had to refrain from calling the woman a bitch. Instead, she left Andie in her room and followed Susan out into the main portion of the cabin. Just then, one of the older women in the Flock entered and offered a warm smile.

The woman was one Amelia trusted.

Relief washed over her.

Susan hurried past the woman and out of the cabin with Amelia following close behind. The last thing Amelia wanted to do was separate from her sister, but she knew if she gave the rest of the Flock any reason to suspect they were set to run, they’d never make it out alive.

Susan centered her attention on Amelia. There was no mistaking the lecherous smile that covered her face. “Your presence is required in the spa area.”

Tina appeared on the path and offered a soft smile behind Susan’s back. She winked.

Amelia exhaled and followed Susan as she stormed down a path that opened to one of the smaller roads. Brian was there on an all-terrain four-seater vehicle that looked a lot like a miniature Jeep. He laughed when he saw Amelia.

“I figured you’d have to drag the little virgin by the hair,” said Brian with a snort. “Was I wrong? Is she eager to wrap her mouth around the Bringer’s cock? Can’t wait to tell Taggert she didn’t put up a fight.”

Cringing, Amelia avoided looking at the man as she climbed into the backseat of the vehicle. Tina sat next to her as Susan went to the front passenger side.

Susan was positively beaming. “Tina was on the books for the Bringer’s massage before Cal informed us the VIP coming was actually the Bringer, but obviously that has changed. I just hope the little bitch remembers what we taught her. If she fails to snare the Bringer, she’s going to have to deal with Father. When we get there, I’ll be sure Amelia changes into something else. Something better suited for the event.”

Tina reached out quickly, taking hold of Amelia’s hand, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. “You can do this, Amelia. Just like we’ve shown you before. Okay?”

Unable to keep hold of her emotions, Amelia began to cry softly. She didn’t want to be whored out to anyone. It was especially bitter to swallow knowing her own father was the man orchestrating it all. That he’d set the plan in motion years ago, unconcerned with the fact he was forcing his own daughter to trade sexual favors to win over some man.

Not just some man.

Gram.

Before long, they were at the main resort area and parking behind the spa. Brian turned to face her and licked his lower lip. “Wonder if, after you’re done fucking the Bringer, we’ll all get a piece of you. The rest of the women in the Flock are fair game.”

Tina held Amelia’s hand tighter.

Once before, Amelia had listened as Tina confessed that Brian had perverse sexual tastes. That he was cruel in the bedroom and got off on pain just as much, if not more than Taggert. Tina had firsthand experience, having been forced to be with the men more than once.

Tina was part succubus and required sex and sexual energy to survive, but there were plenty of men in the Flock for her to pick from. Being forced to be with Taggert and Brian was a form of punishment. One that had been handed down by Susan.

Amelia knew Susan was jealous of Tina. She had a natural allure that appealed greatly to the opposite sex. It had a lot to do with the succubus in her.

Susan also disliked Tina because of how much Cal called upon Tina’s services. Cal bedded the succubus often, infuriating Susan. Tina had also gotten stuck dealing with Helmuth during his stay at the resort. The man had a thing for succubi. He also had a strange habit of turning to stone.

That had been something Amelia had never seen before.

Helmuth was as into pain as Taggert and Brian, from what Tina had told her.

Amelia hated that her friend was left in such a situation. She’d tried more than once to convince Tina to go on the run with her and Andie. Tina refused but she never gave a reason why.

Susan exited the vehicle and cast Amelia a hard look. “Come on. We need to get you changed into something more fitting. You better make the Bringer happy. If you fuck this up, there will be hell to pay.”

Tina released her hand but gave an encouraging nod as she stepped out of the vehicle. “I can get the room all set up and see to the Bringer to start with. I’ll just have him get ready for Amelia. Nothing more.”

“Do so now,” said Susan.

Brian motioned to Amelia. “Suz, call for me if she starts screaming. I want to listen, too.”

“Of course,” said Susan.

Amelia wiped her cheeks, knowing if she kept crying, it would only serve to make the two sociopaths happy.