Deception

By Merilyn Dignum

The crew leave the destruction of their old home, and the death of their friends, behind them and focus on the future. Trent has arranged a new permanent home, and this time a legitimate business as cover, hoping it will keep them all safe, including Mia.

When Eric disappears, Nate, Ryan, and Aiden cross over to find him. Mia stays behind to remain hidden from the ‘Others’ but is ready to follow if Nate needs her, regardless of the consequences. After all, she can’t stay hidden forever. When Nate sends a note back, she crosses over, but becomes a reluctant participant in someone else’s plan.

She can’t refuse to do what they want without risking the life of one of her closest friends, something she is not prepared to do, and as she’s drawn further into that world the lives of more of her friends will be at risk.

Will her abilities be enough to succeed at the task she’s been given? Will she be able to save herself and her friends? And when she sees an opportunity to take on the Others, will she fight, run, or finally find herself in their hands?

** This series contains feisty characters, and some coarse language and violence. **

• Language: English
• Publisher: Merilyn Dignum
• Release date: May 31, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311982971

Merilyn Dignum

I was born and raised in Adelaide, a city I love, where I still live with my husband and two Great Danes. I've done a bit of travelling but there's no place like home.I do read a wide variety of genres but my first loves are Fantasy and Science Fiction which is probably why ‘Ties That Bond’ doesn’t quite fit comfortably into either genre yet happily sits in the grey area in between.

Book preview

I’d grown up believing my biological parents were dead. I don’t know if I overheard someone say that when I was little, or whether I created that story in my head after they disappeared, because that’s what must’ve happened, right? Either way, it’s what I believed. Now, that’s only half true.

Eleanor, my so-called mother, gave me no choice but to end her miserable life. During the events started by her that led to our fateful meeting, I lost three friends—Jim, Mike, and Tom.

My father Eric, on the other hand, is very much alive, and as I found out, is the same Eric that rescued Nate from the foster care system, and raised him.

Just thinking about that makes me angry. I was in that same system, but he didn’t rescue me, he left me there. I don’t know if I can ever forgive him for that, but then I doubt I’ll ever forgive him for abandoning me in the first place.

There’s one good thing that’s come out of all the bad that’s happened recently, and I try to focus only on that. I no longer feel like a freak because I’ve found other people like me, and I now know my abilities are genetic, a side-effect of mixed DNA from two universes.

I’m still not sure how I feel about having blood ties to another universe, but I am sure that even though it’s a universe I’ve never seen, I never want to, I don’t need to.

This is my universe.

Chapter 1

Lying on my side, I watch Nate sleeping. At times I still have trouble believing he’s really here. I gently run my hand down the side of his face, onto his chest, and then snuggle into him. He’s been my rock, my centre, and my calm, over the last couple of weeks. I feel so lucky, and closing my eyes, smile.

His arm moves and pulls me closer. Good morning. He brushes a few stray strands of hair off my face, sending shivers down my spine, before lifting my head to kiss me.

Changing his position, so we’re face to face, he kisses me again, running his hand through my hair, and down my back. Another shiver slips through me, and my skin erupts with goose bumps at his touch.

Whether that was an invitation or not has become irrelevant as I wrap myself around him. If there’s one thing I can’t get enough of, it’s him, and as his body surrenders to the inevitable, I know from his touch he feels exactly the same.

At first I wondered if I was just chasing the high of that first time. Being able to feel someone else’s emotions when you’re in the middle of… let’s call it an intimate moment, can be intoxicating. Whether something’s good or bad for you, if you have a mind blowing experience, you want another.

Before I knew anyone like me, or even knew why my touch enabled my emotions to flow into another person, any hook-up I had was always a one way connection. I gave someone else an experience they’d never forget, but it was just a release for me, a way to take the edge off, and calm my emotions for a while. I’d never known what it was like to have someone else’s emotions intensify my own. Not until that first time.

It took a little while for me to realise what Nate was sharing with me was real. He couldn’t hide his true emotions from me, any more than I could hide mine from him. All walls are down, and all emotions flow.

When we lay back, still wrapped in each other’s arms, he’s grinning.

What’s so amusing? And it’d better have nothing to do with what we just did, or your next breath might just be your last. I poke him in the ribs.

Ouch, of course it doesn’t, he laughs, but you have to admit that wouldn’t be a bad last memory.

Smiling I poke him a little harder. Well, it might yours if you don’t spit it out.

Today’s the day, or should I say E day. I drop my head as he laughs at his joke. You’ve been avoiding Eric, but you agreed last night it was time you dealt with him. Besides, we don’t know how much longer he’ll hang around here.

Rolling onto my back I groan. I know.

It’s true, I have to deal with him. The whole disappearing thing when I was little, and leaving me to discover my abilities on my own, the hard way, left me with questions, a lot of questions.

For starters—why? There’s a lot of why’s. Although to be honest, Eleanor answered some of them in her rant, but not all. Why abandon me? Why not look for me before now? Why save Nate, and the boys, from the system, and not me? Why leave me unprotected, and untrained? Why keep me from a life where I’d feel normal instead of like a freak? A life where abilities are as natural as walking, or breathing.

There are plenty of questions, and it’s not that I don’t want the answers, it’s just the reality of finally having those answers scares me a little. I mean, having those questions, but no answers, is part of what made me who I am. I know speaking to him won’t change that, but can I handle even a glimpse of what might’ve been, who I might’ve become? And if his answers are even slightly reasonable can I let go of the anger I feel towards him? Anger I’ve carried with me for so long.

I roll back into Nate, and his arm wraps around me. Maybe I can leave it for just one more day.

I thought you had questions.

I do, I just don’t know if I wanna hear the answers.

He throws the quilt off me. Come on, up.

Fine, but I’m having a shower first.

Throwing clothes on, I head for the door, but pause as my eyes settle on the amber necklace hanging from the doorknob. I’ve refused to wear it since all the shit went down. I wanted to chuck it, but Nate thought I should wait until I’d cooled down to decide its fate. Glad I did because it’s obvious now what I need to do with it.

Slipping it off, and into my pocket, I head down to the bathroom. As I walk into the kitchen, I ignore the fact Eric’s sitting at the table like he has been every morning for the last few days. I walk straight into the bathroom and lock the door. Stripping off, I climb into the shower, turn the water on, soap up, and wash my hair. It’s still hard to believe this little luxury’s here, and no longer a dream.

Our new place is so different to our last one, and it’s permanent. We finally have a permanent home. We’re just one of many warehouses in a medium-sized industrial area. The area’s bordered on two sides by main roads, and the other two by housing, but as we no longer need to hide, being close to people no longer matters. The truth is we’re hiding in plain sight.

It’s only taken Trent a couple of weeks to create our new reality. He’s started a courier business as a cover for what we really do, and this place has everything we need.

The business is run from the downstairs section of the building where there’s a small kitchen and toilet, for the staff just behind the reception area. None of them have any reason to come upstairs to our private space. There’s also a large warehouse for the legitimate packages and items. our couriers deliver.

At the top of the stairs there’s a fancy office, and meeting room. The rest of the area up here is only accessible through a security access system and a metal plated door. It’s our private space. It’s where we live.

There’s eight offices, four each side of a corridor that opens into a large kitchen at the back. The bathroom’s down there too. The right four offices, and first two on the left, we use as bedrooms. The guys removed the dividing wall between the last two offices on the left, to create one large systems room. There’s another security door in the kitchen, but it’s always propped open for easy access to the landing and stairs that go down into a separate smaller warehouse. That one’s for our personal use, and where the boys and I train, away from prying eyes. I love this place.

Letting the water run over my head I consider hiding in here all day, but a bang on the door, and Taylor’s voice, kills that idea.

For fuck’s sake Mia, hurry up, I need a piss, he yells.

Back to reality. Drying off and dressing, I throw the door open, and step out. You could use the loo downstairs, or a bottle if it’s an emergency you know.

Downstairs is occupied, and the last time I used a bottle you yelled at me. He slams the door behind him.

I laugh, that’s true. Fighting for bathroom access is only a small thing, but it’s something normal, and I’m beginning to love normal.

Eric still sitting at the table. Taking a deep breath, and letting it out slowly, I walk over to the coffee machine, and pour a coffee. You want one? I make the offer more from habit than good manners, with him anyway.

Never touch the stuff, and you shouldn’t either, it’s not good for you.

Yeah, well a lot of things aren’t good for me, but I’m not giving any of it up, and I’m definitely not gonna swap coffee for water. I gesture to the mug of water in front of him as I pull out a chair opposite and sit. Time for show and tell, Eric.

He stares at me with sad eyes. You know you look just like her, in the face I mean. You have my colouring. It’s Jade that’s the spitting image of her.

Why mention Jade? I no longer know where she is. Nate had been right. As soon as he could Eric moved her, and Aunt Sarah. He gave them new identities, and pasts. It seems they now believe they’re mother, and daughter.

I don’t wanna talk about Eleanor, or Jade. Neither of them are a part of my life. Eleanor never was, but Jade never will be again. I wanna hear what happened. Why my life turned to shit. I know that sounds selfish, but no one can erase my memories, and fill my head with puppies and rainbows, so I want answers.

He looks around the room. Doesn’t look like shit, and the guys look after you.

You’re an arsehole. You know what I mean. I lived through twelve years of hell before finding these guys, and I wanna know why. I’m having trouble controlling the anger I feel towards him. When something’s personal the control I’ve mastered seems to slip. I still have a lot to learn.

He sits in silence staring at me, not even looking like he’s going to speak.

My anger increases. Not a good scenario. You have exactly five seconds to start talking, or you can fuck off out of here, and get away from me, and my friends.

You like, his eyes lower to his mug, love him? Nate?

What the fuck does Nate have to do with this? Stop avoiding my question.

He sighs. I made sure Eleanor crossed alone, and then ran with you two looking for a safe place, and settled here. I hoped she wouldn’t even consider it, but knew it would be the last place she’d look if she did. You were what she’d wanted all along, and I was too blind to see it. If I’d only realised the truth, he slowly shakes his head, not been so madly in love with her, so blinded by her act, not played into her hands…

That’s bullshit. I know from experience that emotions get shared, there’s no holding back. How could you not know?

The shock on his face when he looks at me is real. You experienced a full connection? You didn’t hold back or you couldn’t? What about Nate?

I’m not sure I should be talking about this with him. It feels far too weird, but he asked. Not that it’s any of your business, but no, I couldn’t, and I could feel it was the same for him. So what?

I thought I had that with her, but there’s drugs the Others have developed that give the user a positive high, and stop negative emotions from flowing. It stops you from holding back, but masks how you really feel. She was taking them the whole time she was with me, but I didn’t find that out until I discovered what she’d planned. It seems she was using the Others, as much as she was using me, otherwise they would’ve come for her the moment she fell pregnant with you. She had plans of her own that didn’t include them, not back then, anyway.

It’s obvious from his face Eleanor really did a job on him. Guess she did a job on all of us.

What’s that got to do with me or Nate?

He shakes his head. Nothing, just be careful. Then his face turns sad. That woman at the warehouse, that wasn’t the Eleanor I fell in love with, wasn’t the woman who gave birth to you. I know she was only acting with me, but when she realised what I was going to do to her, her reaction showed me she did have a good side. She was calculating, and manipulative, but she wasn’t dangerous, and she was never that twisted, or that cruel. I guess our disappearance did something to her. Something I never could’ve predicted. Maybe I…

As his voice trails off his eyes get that faraway look in them, the look that tells you he’s gone somewhere else.

I keep my mouth shut and wait for him to come back. If I say anything I’ll more than likely end up losing it with him, and then I’ll never get any answers. At least I’m getting a little of his side of the story which might give me a few more answers, although what he’s said so far isn’t news worthy.

A few seconds later he refocuses. Anyway, I met Sarah, she became a friend. I knew Eleanor had people looking for me, I’d been warned. It was her only way of finding you. They didn’t know why she wanted me they just knew she did, and you’ve seen yourself she can… could be very persuasive. So, when I thought they were getting too close, I made the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make, and left you and Jade with Sarah. I changed her memories and made her believe you both were her orphaned nieces. I was sure you’d be safe as long as no one could connect me to her, and I was confident that anyone your mother sent wouldn’t know about you. She wouldn’t want anyone to know she’d had a baby hidden from her over here in case they betrayed her, and when they found you, took you for themselves.

So, I was right about Aunt Sarah. She’s not our Aunt, not related to us at all. That doesn’t surprise me, and even though it answers a little question I had, it doesn’t answer the bigger ones. Eleanor already told me some of that, you were there, although I don’t know how conscious you were through most of her ranting, and I overheard you talking to the guys a few times. I know you knew I could hear, and I’m clever enough to piece the fragments together. I wanna know the rest.

Anger appears in his eyes as they lock on me. The rest, what rest? I fell in love with a lie. I brought her here to this universe to have a family, a real family, and live in safety. She was right. I never caught on, never saw the way she reacted to Jade. I knew she was a little distant, but the doctors told me it was just post-natal depression, the baby blues, and assured me everything would get better, would be okay as she bonded with Jade. Once she was pregnant with you I questioned what I was seeing, but put it down to my imagination, because of what the doctors had said. She often rubbed her stomach talking to you, telling you what a wonderful life you would have ahead of you, and the whole time she was ignoring the baby she already had.

How the hell could you’ve thought that was normal?

Like I said, the doctors told me it would be okay. I didn’t know any better, but maybe I didn’t want to. When I overheard a few strange late-night phone calls, and then found a list of times, and co-ordinates, that I knew were shifts in the veil between the universes, everything fell into place, become crystal clear. That was the moment I knew she’d played me all along because of who I was. I also knew I had to stop her from taking you over. I stranded her here until your birth, and then forced her over without you, just as a shift was closing. Once I’d done that I fled with both of you.

Like it or not his version of the story, or his way of telling it, melts the wall I’ve built up over the years between us, just a little. I lower my voice. If you did all that to protect us, protect me, why leave us with Sarah unprotected?

I left because I knew I was a target, and would draw them to us. For fuck’s sake, I left to protect you.

That solidifies the wall again for me. To protect me, wow, that has to be the lamest excuse I’ve ever heard. But it didn’t protect me did it? Instead, your actions ripped our family apart and took my sister from me when I was five. As a kid I only knew one thing for sure, every person I’d come into contact with would also abandon me. First you, then Sarah because she couldn’t stand to touch me, and then every family I was sent to didn’t take long to throw me back into the system. Where was their protection? Why didn’t you protect them from me?

Fuck it. I swear I didn’t know your abilities would start to develop when you were so young. You should’ve been closer to nine or ten before that happened. He thumps the table. Damn it Amber–

Don’t call me that, I yell. Amber’s dead. She died when I let Jade go. The moment Amber stopped existing for Jade she stopped for anyone. Never call me that again. Reaching into my pocket I take out the necklace and shoot it across the table to him. This is yours. I don’t want it.

The anger that was in his eyes dissolves into sorrow. Picking it up, he turns it over in his hand, and then pockets it, before looking down at his now empty mug. Will you consider, one day at least, using your real last name?

Mia Zaphire, no I don’t think so, sounds a little too flash. Mia Jones suits me just fine, and you’ll just have to get use to calling me that.

He nods slowly. You know I came back for you on your sixth birthday, but you’d been gone for months, and I had no way of finding out where they’d sent you.

Too little, too late. Does he really think that’ll make any difference? That statement just increases the anger already building in the pit of my stomach. So what, because you couldn’t find me you adopted a son instead, and raised, and trained him? Not to mention create yourself a little family with the other four as well, who look at you as if you’re a wonderful big brother. Girls not good enough for you?

He looks at me shocked. He told you about that?

Of course he fuckin’ told me about that. He told me about this wonderful guy called Eric, who I had to meet, the guy who saved him from the system, saved them all. The person who was like a father to him. I’m starting to lose it. I can feel my control slipping.

Yes, I saved him, and the boys. The foster system is used to hide our kind because the kids often move from family to family. It’s just the way the system is and makes it harder to find them. They’re not moved around because they’re showing signs of their abilities, they’re often found just as that’s happening. I only found them because I was looking for you. I never stopped looking for you, and I had no way of knowing you’d slipped through the cracks, and disappeared when you were twelve.

Well you couldn’t have looked too fuckin’ hard. I was in that system for almost seven years.

He glares at me. I never fuckin’ stopped looking, and when I first found you, I did everything I could to make sure you stayed hidden to anyone who might be looking for you. When I thought I could lead Eleanor away, I sent Nate in to protect you.

You really wanna go there? Okay. I glare back at him. Why didn’t you come yourself? Why send someone else? And why not warn us, or at least Nate, that the only one of these Others I keep hearing about that was after me, was that psycho bitch? Why let me find out the fuckin’ hard way?

I thought if I sent in someone young, Trent wouldn’t turn him away, and Nate has skills I knew he’d find useful. And at that point I couldn’t face you, I’d already let you down, and I didn’t want to end up in a fight with any of the guys. They’ve looked after you, I wasn’t about to repay them by hurting any of them. Anyway, you wouldn’t have believed who I was, and nobody would’ve believed me about her. That’s why I tried to trick Eleanor into concentrating on me and lead the people working for her away from you.

You couldn’t face me? You gutless prick, you should’ve come yourself. I’d have had no idea who you really were, and you’re right, I never would’ve believed you at first, but as the shit hit, I might’ve started believing, we all might’ve, and Jim, the friend I lost might still be here, and so might Mike and Tom. You do know they died, don’t you?

His eyes moisten as he closes them, and his head drops towards his mug, but he doesn’t answer me. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned them, maybe that was going too far, but they didn’t know what was really going on either.

I’m angry, so angry about all of it. You didn’t tell Mike, Tom, Ryan, and Aiden, the truth. Hell, you didn’t even come clean to Nate. He didn’t know you’re my father, or what it was all about. You’d told him nothing. You put him in a dangerous situation, without all the facts. And, as you didn’t have the guts to come yourself you’ve no right to get shitty about the way everything turned out with your handpicked replacement either. Sending someone like Nate in, well, you have no one but yourself to blame. It was you who sent in someone I found myself attracted to.

When he looks up, his face looks so sad and full of pain. You have to end that, it can’t go on, it’s a mistake. I know from bitter experience.

Any thought of feeling sorry for what I’ve said disappears. So, what are you saying? Do you think Jade’s a mistake? Do you think I’m a mistake?

None of this shit would’ve happened if I hadn’t–

I jump up causing my chair to flip backwards, crashing to the floor, and lean across the table. Are you saying you don’t trust him now? You raised him? You think he’s trying to set me up like she set you up? Don’t you ever compare us, with you and her. Fuck off.

I have to get out, and cool down, before I lose it. My emotions are barely under control. Things around us are vibrating, and I know I’m close to hurting Eric, and damaging stuff in here.

Storming out, I pass everyone who’s gathered in the corridor, run downstairs, and out the front door.

Chapter 2

Wandering the neighbourhood, I start calming down, but it’s taking me longer than it should as far as I’m concerned. I hate feeling like I’m about to lose it, but the stronger my abilities get, the harder it is for me to keep my emotions under control. I take a few deep breaths.

Guess I have my answers, the only answers Eric’s going to give me anyway, and there’s no need to push for any more, I don’t need them. I need to move on. I need to tell him I’m moving on, and I don’t want to discuss my past ever again, and he sure as hell can forget about me ever thinking of him as a father. He obviously doesn’t have a paternal bone in his body if he can just leave us with a stranger and take off. I don’t care how he tries to justify it. He’s definitely not father material.

Anger builds in the pit of my stomach at that thought, and I take a few more deep breaths, letting each one out slowly, to make sure I don’t lose control out in the open, but then stop when my hands begin to shake. Taking a quick look around and seeing no one, I forget about trying to control it. I need to let it out. Picking up a palm sized rock, and focusing all my anger behind it, I throw it towards a vacant lot.

To my amazement, and horror, it goes over the mesh fence at the back of the lot, and smashes a window at the back of the building behind it. Shit, didn’t know I could do that.

Turning around, I try to walk at a normal speed back the way I came. I’m too far away from that building for anyone over there to think I had anything to do with it, but I’d like to be a lot further. I wait until I’ve turned a corner, before jogging home.

It’s been almost an hour since I took off, and when I walk back in looking for Eric, or even Nate to tell him what I did with the rock, the rooms are empty. I poke my head into the systems room, but Andy’s alone.

Have you seen Nate or Eric? I ask.

He shakes his head. Nope, not for a while.

Hey, how’s that plaster holding up? I point to his leg.

Before we left the old place I had the job of putting Andy’s leg, and Trent’s forearm, in plaster casts. I didn’t do too bad a job, but you can tell it wasn’t done by a pro.

Knocking on it he laughs. Better than a bought one, but I’ll be glad to get rid of it. It’s a pain in the arse trying to have a shower with a bag over it.

Trent said a couple more weeks, and he’s the boss.

I laugh when he grumbles, and walk into the kitchen where I see Brandon, Trent, and Taylor just through the back door, leaning on the rail of the landing, and looking down into the warehouse.

I walk up behind them. Have you guys seen Nate and Eric?

They all jump, and turn to face me.

Ah, Brandon looks from Trent to Taylor, then back at me, they’re downstairs.

What are they doing down there? What I can hear worries me, and I need to see, but they block my way.

Taylor grabs my arms. They’re, um, having a discussion, and wanted a little privacy.

I calmly look him in the eye. They asked for privacy, and you all decided to watch? Let me go. I’d hate to hurt you.

He raises his hands. Okay, I told them I wouldn’t be able to stop you, but I tried. He turns to Trent and Brandon. You both saw that right?

Stop me? What are you talking about?

They need to sort a few things out. You know, clear the air, that’s all. Best to let them do it their way, Trent says.

I send a little burst of emotion between Trent, and Brandon, causing them to move a little, and I push into the gap, and look over the rail. Down below Nate, and Eric, are sparing, and it’s obviously not for fun, or training. Shit.

Running down the stairs, I pass Aiden, and Ryan, at the bottom. You two should’ve stopped this.

They both told us to back off, Aiden calls after me.

And we both know from experience it’s best to do as Eric says, Ryan adds.

Getting in between them I push them apart and keep a hand on each chest. They’re both breathing heavily, fists still up, and glaring at each other.

What the fuck do you two idiots think you’re doing? You’re re-injuring what’s already or almost healed. Is that what you want, or are you planning on killing each other?

Get the fuck out of here, this is between me and him, Eric spits.

What’s between the two of you? What’s so fuckin’ important that you have to beat the shit out of each other? I look from Eric to Nate.

Nate doesn’t take his eyes off Eric. I told you he’d be pissed with me.

Oh for fuck’s sake, are you serious? I turn on Eric. After everything that’s happened you’re what, teaching Nate some sort of sick lesson? I don’t believe this shit. Just back up and walk away. Don’t make me teach you a lesson you’ll regret. When Eric doesn’t move I push him making him take a step back. Give it up old man before I make you, and you know I can.

"He knows the rules,