Splintered Energy by Arlene Webb

Author:Arlene Webb [Webb, Arlene]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-11-10T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

The taser fell. Dead white, Malcolm followed it to the floor. His eyes had closed, face frozen in a peaceful expression, lovelier than any marble statue.

Unbelievable. Aaron stepped closer. The facial lacerations were gone. Bite wounds remained on one arm, and the other still looked broken, but Malcolm’s chest only had traces of bruising, and his ribs appeared healed. Evan dropped by Malcolm’s side, and gathered up the taser.

“Don’t you dare,” Aaron snapped. “Give me that.”

Evan’s expression flooded with fear. “No. And you can’t shoot him.”

A kid was no match—Evan touched the homemade gun to Malcolm’s arm, and the body convulsed.

Fine. One false blink, Aaron wouldn’t leave 455-492 dead by electricity. Brains would decorate the wall. There’d be no faltering this time.

Malcolm’s skin flickered pastel blue. Laser eyes opened—steady, solid sapphire and inhumanly beautiful. He jerked back from Aaron and Evan, and transferred his gaze to Jade. Face hidden by her hair, she huddled on the edge of the bed, sobbing.

The weapon cocked, trigger moving back…

In one fluid motion, Malcolm stood and stepped backward. Brilliant, cold eyes faced the revolver pointed at him. “Aaron Kinston. Jade said she trusted you.” Malcolm spoke in a compelling voice, no longer ragged, apparently no longer confused. “I’d hold her, comfort her, but I’ll further frighten her. Would you? Please? Thank you.”

The first reasonable thing the man said. Aaron could hold, shelter, and keep a weapon aimed. He scooped up Jade and sat. She buried her face in his chest. He jerked his chin at David, and his son scrambled beside him.

Malcolm cringed at the sight of the apprehensive boy clutching Aaron’s shoulder and turned to Evan. The teen stared, tears on his face. Malcolm sank down, and lowered those brilliant eyes. He clasped his head in his hands and began retching.

“Oh no, don’t start that now.” Evan’s voice broke as he inched closer to Malcolm. “I’m really, really sorry. If I’d gone home like you told me—and Malcolm? She knew I didn’t have the taser, because I was so stupid, and I said you had it before I left for ice. It’s my fault she attacked me, and you died.” Evan patted Malcolm’s shoulder. “Jade’s not like the yellow one. You scared her. Aaron almost shot you. He still might. Jesus, Malcolm, you were—what happened?”

Malcolm groaned. He stood, knocking Evan’s hand from him. “If you’d cease touching me, I’d postpone retaking that revolver and eating it. What happened? You allowed Aaron to use the taser set for Jane Doe. Do I even remotely look like her?” He shuddered. “I just acted like her. I apologize. Neither you nor Aaron understood or thought. Off-frequency with so much power, I couldn’t control myself.”

Malcolm took in Jade trying to merge with Aaron’s chest. Grief flashed across his face, and then he lost all expression. “I knew I could take from you, Jade, so I did. I made you pull most of the poison that’s 526 terahertz from me.” He paced, careful to keep his distance.

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