Spurn (24 page)

We pulled apart.

Brace pushed me back behind him as he moved forward in the bed. I leaned around him, expecting to see Josian standing there, energy ball or baseball bat in hand. But it wasn’t him. Another Walker was at the end of our bed.

“Shit
,” was all Brace said before he threw up a shimmery barrier between us and the dark-haired man, who looked strangely familiar.

“Who is that?” I said
, trying to move around to see better, but he wouldn’t let me shift.

“Don’t move, Red.
It’s Que.” His tone was flat.

Shit
,
I mentally restated.

Brace’s
dad was one big bad-looking dude, and now I knew why he looked familiar. He looked like his beautiful son, only harder, more harshly put together, where Brace was all long lines and perfect features. Que had cruel craggy planes and a long scar running down one cheek. He wasn’t as tall as Brace, nor as broad, but his energy felt strong.

“Well, it seems as if my little spy was
right; my son is bedding the enemy.” His cold eyes were blue, nothing like the melting warmth of Brace’s dark brown.

H
e had the exact same hair, but Que’s was military short. Brace liked to leave a little length on top to fall across his forehead.

“Leave now
, Que, and nothing more will come of this. I owe you that much, but not anymore. And if you harm Abby, I will figure out a way to kill you.”

Brace appeared calm, but I was close enough to feel the vibrations running through him. I
mentally shouted for Josian. Where was the red brigade when you needed them? Any other day they were a damn recurring virus.

I really hoped
Que had not hurt them.

“
Bracelional, I hope this is some type of undercover game you are playing. I really don’t want to kill you and the half. I have grown reasonably fond of you over the years.”

Br
ace smiled – more of a grimace really. “You have such a way with words, Que.”

“Bracelional
.” I couldn’t contain my small spring of humor.

Brace glanced back at me and shook his head.
“Not great timing, Red.”

I
still had to chuckle a few times.

“Get Josian
,” Brace murmured back to me.

How the hell was I supposed to do that? Brace had me trapped between him and the headboard of my bed.

Trace,
he reminded my slow brain.

Right.

I closed my eyes and pictured the doorway to my parents’ room. The same as before, I could see tethers floating off in different sections. Some were long, others very short. I reached out and grasped one of the major ones. It was thicker and longer than any other on the door. I pulled hard. The only awareness I had that anything had occurred was a slight dipping in my stomach. A gasp had my eyes flying open. Reds six and nine were stationed in this hallway, and when I appeared from nowhere I think I almost eliminated another two Walkers via heart attack.

“Josian
!” I dodged around the two to bang on his door. “Dad, get up.”

The door flew open
, and he was framed in the massive doorway, wearing just a pair of long pants.

“Baby girl?” He didn’t look as if he’d just woke
n.

He was calm and alert. Almost seven foot of towering muscles and fiery red hair.
Walkers were too much; I swear they were carved from stone or something.

“Que is in my room. Brace was kind of holding him there. Why did no one feel him enter the house?”
I was just shy of shrieking.

He
left me hanging, of course, disappearing from the door. He was back and dressed in about thirty seconds.

“A
question I’ll be asking, with persuasion. Stay here with your mother.” He took off then, followed by the other reds.

I hesitated outside the door. I knew I should follow his advice
. I’d be a distraction neither of them needed. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t stay here and not know what was happening to my father and Brace. I ran without pause through the hallways and down one set of stairs, jumping every second step.

Reaching the
children’s wing of the house, I dashed past Samuel, Lucy and Talina’s rooms. I finally slowed outside my own door. I couldn’t hear anything inside. I ordered my door to open slowly. My room was particularly connected to me, so I had no problem with control. I stepped through, my eyes darting everywhere. The room was empty.

Brace
... where the hell are you?

I
tried to connect with his mind. It was difficult as panic started to consume me. I had a really bad feeling about Que, and his reasons for invading a house full of Walkers. I could hear a faint sound. It took me a moment to realize it was coming from outside. I flung open my balcony doors before moving into the shadow of my eaves, eyes straining to see.

And my bad feeling
was starting to make sense.

It was the reds v
ersus the blacks. Walkers were gathered in large masses in our front yard. Moonstale light flooded the early-morning darkness. Que had not arrived here alone. Behind him stood at least thirty Walkers, covered in the black marks of Abernath. Josian, with the reds at his back, stood his ground.

“I only wanted the Doreen half
, but since you have forced my hand like this, Bracelional, I want both halflings now. Send them to me, and I will not harm anyone.” Que’s voice rang out in the darkness.

“It
’s not going to happen,” Josian said, sounding calm.

“Geez, is it non-stop drama in your house or what?” Lucy skidded to a stop beside me on the balcony. “Now we
’re having a break-dance Walker-style.”

I grimaced. “More like a gun-shoot-out-at-dawn style.”

“If you can hear me, half-Walkers, come to my side now or I will remove from existence every person you love. And if you think I am not capable of killing Walkers, think again.”

“
So either he knows about the dead Walkers, and is claiming credit to scare people –” Lucy started.

“Or he was the one who killed them
.” I finished her sentence.

Sh
e gripped my arm tightly. “Don’t even think about going to him, Abby. If he’s telling the truth then he’s going to kill them anyway; you know he can’t leave witnesses, especially not ones as powerful as other Walkers.”

She knew me well
and, while I saw the sense in her words, I wasn’t sure I could just stand here and do nothing.

“If you take one step off that balcony, Red
, I am going to kick your ass.” Brace, who was standing between the two groups, almost in the center of the battle, turned in my direction.

We were about a hundred feet apart but I could see his expression clearly. And he was furious. His jaw was doing that tick
-tick-tick thing that meant he was about to lose it.

“Do not in any circumstances listen to him
. He coined the original saying of a forked tongue. His lies are legendary.”

“Yes, my son, I may bend the truth to fit my plans, but whilst my lies are legendary so are my promises. Any punishment I have promised is always
meted out ... ten-fold.”

“I remember, Que
,” Brace said darkly.

Could
this be reference to all those ridges I often felt along Brace’s skin? What the hell could mark a Walker like that and not heal clean?

All of a sudden I was
furious. Que was going down. No one threatened my family and hurt my Brace.

My
balcony got a little more crowded then as Samuel stepped up to my other side, followed by Lallielle. Talina, who usually wouldn’t have bothered leaving her room, had also made her way to the other side of Lucy. I did take a moment to glance in confusion between Lucy and Samuel. They never stood apart from each other. What was happening here?

“So I hear someone else wants a piece of rare half
-Walker,” Talina said with a sliver of her gentle humor.

I laughed,
the words breaking some of the tension. “Yep, we’re a hot commodity in this battle-for-the-end-of-the-world.”

“I’ll say it again.” Lucy linked her arm
s through ours. “Quite happy to be a little old Earthling.”

I was about to reply when the Walkers move
d, distracting me.

“Issue an official challenge for Aribella, or leave now, Que. You have no power to demand anything.” Josian’s bored tone focused my attention again.

“You Doreens
are always in a rush. I was simply enjoying this little visit, but if you insist, I call for a team challenge. The winners will take control of both half-Walkers.”

“Two First
-World weeks from now, in a to-be-disclosed location.” Josian stepped forward to meet Que.

They grasped hands in
that unique Walker handshake that I’d seen on the beach. Then the Abernath Walkers left through a doorway.

“I don’t understand.”I looked
at Lallielle. “Why is Josian so calm, and why aren’t they fighting now?”

“The one
to whom the challenge is issued gets to decide the time and location. It is designed as a balance since they cannot really turn down the challenge.” Her green eyes were wide; she clearly didn’t feel any of the confidence Josian displayed.

And I knew why
: Walkers could die.

I wanted the next two weeks to go slowly. I dreaded this stupid battle, and my mood was borderline psychotic as I stomped around the house. But the days were moving in fast-forward. I barely saw my dad or Brace. They were holed up talking strategy and something this and power that. The mood was tense in the Frayre household, to put it mildly. Talina and I had no chance of escaping our Walker guards, since we were under house arrest.

It took lots of badgering and maybe a threat or two
, but Josian did explain some of the battle situation to me in a terse, distracted tone.

“
Three Walkers are on each team. I will announce my choice on the day.”

“What if they don’t want to fight?”

He shook his head. “If you’re present at the challenge, you can’t refuse. The only exception is for women and children. Besides, none would shame their clan like that.”

I asked a few more questions, but that was as much information as I was getting.

I fell into bed very late that night, exhaustion shadowing every thought and action. I had a bone-deep weariness that came from days of worry and nervous pacing. Josian and Brace were confident that I could trace away if they lost, so for them there was no real concern. Plus, they were arrogant enough to assume Que would play fair, and in a fair fight he wouldn’t stand a chance, especially not with Brace on our side.

But I knew Que had something devious planned. I couldn’t shake the sneaky premonition.
And speaking of premonitions, Francesca had disappeared again, right when we could have used her foresight.

Despite my weariness
, I jumped out of bed. The moment I actually laid my head on the pillow my mind went crazy. Brace hadn’t stayed with me all week, and my head was starting to ache. I knew I could lose him in this battle, and he was so busy trying to keep me safe he was wasting these last moments we had together.

“You know it drives me insane when you bite your lip like that, Red.” I spun around from where I was pacing in front of my windows
.

The
object of my thoughts was standing at the foot of my bed.

“God
-damn insane,” he said in a low deep rumble.

My poor abused lips had
copped it the last few stressful weeks, along with my nails. A low rumble emanated from his chest, a sound that sent shivers down my spine and had my legs moving toward him. That was the sound of arousal, and I wanted him right then more than I ever thought I could want anyone. I hit his rock-hard body, and anticipating the move he caught me and spun around until we landed on my bed.

“Missed me?” His tone was teasing as I inhaled his scent and allowed my body to relax for the first time in what felt like forever.

“Nope,” I said.

“Liar.” He kissed me gently. Before pulling back and threading both hands into my free red curls. “I’ve missed you.”

I snuggled into his chest, trying to get as close as I could. Sometimes I freaked myself out with this need I had for Brace.

“I can’t lose you, Brace. Please don’t fight. It’s bad enough that Dad has no choice.”

“I know my father, Red. And if I don’t participate then there’s no telling which way the fight will go. I definitely tip the scales in our direction.”

“Yeah
, but don’t you think Que has anticipated this, and will counteract with something you haven’t planned for?”