‹ Prequel: Storm Brew
Status: TRAILER https://youtu.be/hOYDQm6H6Ns

Final Curtain

Chapter 24

Mel's POV

I opened my eyes and felt myself sink into reality like a stone sunk into water, quickly and deadly. I remembered everything from before I shut my eyes and allowed my head to fall on Nathaniel's shoulder, losing myself in a dreamless sleep. My eyes flickered to the man holding me. He was breathing deeply, heavenly, like he hadn't slept in weeks. Nate's arm was limp across my torso, I didn't need to disentangle myself, only slip from underneath it. His arm landed on the bed and Nate didn't even scrunch his exotic face. I sat on the edge of bed, glaring around the room. The shutters were down, the only light cast around the room came from the forgotten lit bedside lamp. I reached for Nate's cell.

Almost four in the morning.

I put the phone back and cast another glance at Nate, sprawled above the covers. It was the first time I saw him like this—so beautifully unguarded. I caught myself listing all the little details, like the small parting his lips did as he exhaled. Things I had to have noticed before to be able to draw him so accurately. A stray lock was between his eyes. My head didn't think about fighting the impulse. I brushed it into place.

I'd remembered things—not a lot, but enough to decide I wasn't a bad person. I killed that bitch for good reason. Things she'd said about Nathaniel echoed about, like a soccer ball getting kicked left and right, allowing my feelings to be vastly clear on how I felt about Drew being dead and how I felt about Nate. I tilted my head, tracing his relaxed profile with my eyes. Somewhere in a corner of my heart I smiled, but my face remained heavy and closed-off. I got up, praying the floorboards in Aric's house didn't creak. They didn't. When I eased the door open, though, it whined loudly—maybe I should've done it quickly instead of slowly. I looked behind me. A pair of brandy eyes were staring, growing with alertness with each blink and transient second.

Nathaniel licked his lips. He shifted from his side onto his back, propping himself on his elbow.

"Where are you sneaking off to?" His voice was gruff from sleep.

"Kitchen," I said the first thing that popped in. "I'm hungry."

Nate raised an eyebrow.

"Don't insult my intelligence, princess. I know exactly where you want to go."

My fingers slipped from the doorjamb.

"If you know already, why ask?"

"To see if you'd lie." Nate rubbed at his eyes, trying to wipe away sleepiness. "And you did. Which means the situation is worse than I thought."

I gave a half shrug, cocking my head innocently, "What situation?"

He looked me dead in the eye.

"Of you wanting to kill Ashley."

"I'm not going down there to kill her." I gritted through my teeth. "I know we need her." For now.

Nate's squinting at the word 'we' wasn't lost on me, no matter how fleeting.

"If you know that," his words mimicked mine with a hint of sarcasm. "Why do you want to go down there?"

"She murdered Pacey," I stated. "I want to see her bleed." I wanted to hear her beg and ask if Pacey had done the same. I wanted to see her grovel and wonder what came next—would it be her last breath because her body couldn't take more stress? I wanted to see her break. "I want to be there and witness her pain because it's not even a fifth of what I feel."

Nate looked like he was forcing himself to stay still.

"I don't want you to see..."

With a rampant sigh, I whirled, grabbing the doorknob and shutting us inside the bedroom—again. I turned on my heel focusing on Nathaniel who'd gotten up. We studied each other from across the room.

"I'm not a little girl who can't stand the sight of blood anymore. I think I made that clear when I was covered in Pacey's blood and—"

"That's not why." He cut me off vehemently. His eyes lifted and stared intimately at mine. "I don't want you to see me like that. I don't want you to see me do those things." It almost sounded like he was begging.

I could see I was hurting him by asking this. It was a horrible thing to ask, wasn't it? I felt beyond compassion for the bitch. I needed to see her pay on some level. Nate would get over this, he had to, because I wasn't backing down.

"How is this any different from when we met? From the times you had to kill people for me, or all the other people you've killed for money? I overlooked those things. I forgave you for bullying me—why do you think this time will be any different?"

"You weren't okay with any of it—you made me give up being an assassin. You made me an ultimatum! Either I quit being an assassin or we broke up." He heaved dropping his head. "I turned my life around for you and now you're asking me to let you watch me torture someone? No. It's bad enough that I'm doing it. I'm not letting you break your morals because you're out for revenge…"

I gasped a humorless laugh.

"You're one to talk about morals," I advanced on him. "You didn't need me to quit the Hive. If you really wanted out—if you really hated being an assassin so badly—you could've left! Or do you need someone to hold your hand and tell you right from wrong?"

Nate groaned grabbing his head in both hands. He turned his back on me. His shoulders lifted as he took a long, shuddering breath.

"Sometimes I wish your parents hadn't asked me to be your bodyguard." My mouth fell open. Something inside me hurt—like I'd taken a jackhammer to the chest. I drew my arms around myself, feeling myself waver. "It's like you're a magnet for trouble. Of all the women in the world I had to be in love with you—"

"Go out and find someone else!" I yelled in a fit, gesturing angrily at the bedroom door.

"I can't!" Nate hollered, whirling on me. My heart beat twice as hard. I dropped my arm and my chest emptied itself in a long-suffering breath. "I can't go anywhere now. I don't have money. I don't have a house—I don't even have a car! Nolan's blackmailing me because of you. Ever since your parents were killed my life has been about you. I've had to break rules for you. I've had to betray people for you. I got the shit beat out of me because of you. I've been shot for you. I've changed for you." I stared at Nathaniel without twitching. Baffled. His chest was heaving quickly. "You… you. It's been all for you." He whispered, "And now you're asking me to be that guy again. The guy you refused to be with."

"Nate," I managed hoarsely. "Being an assassin is part of you are—it shaped you. It'll never go away, no matter how much you love me. I had to know that when I decided to commit to you. I didn't like it, but I knew I needed to accept it."

"No. You made it very clear that if I kept working as an assassin we wouldn't…"

"Maybe the problem was the money."

Nate rubbed his face, tiredly.

"What are you getting at?"

"Killing innocent people for a paycheck is wrong. But killing bad people isn't." I paused, stunned at my own words until… "I killed Drew, but I'm not a bad person because of it. She was crazy and a sadist. She got what she deserved."

"Melissa."

"It's true."

"Probably," he said frustrated.

"Then there's no problem with me wanting Ashley to suffer. She killed Pacey. She deserves it." I ventured on. My arms fell at my sides and I stopped mere inches from his chest, like in the bathroom when I got naked. "You don't own me, Nathaniel. You need to get information out of her and I'm going to be there watching. Whether you agree or not. It's not your choice."

Nate pinched the bridge of his nose. It felt like I had a stone where my heart used to be. I was ripping into a person who loved me and the more he broke, the more I clawed. That's how I felt, though. Like I was a broken doll, bleeding through the cracks.

I jerked back when Nathaniel chuckled. It was a slightly maddened sound, but… sad. Nate shook his head sporting a mirthless grin.

"Do you even feel anything for me?"

"What, you think I'm being heartless?" his silence was the answer. "Ashley was the one who killed my best friend. This is her fault…"

"I know that!" He smacked a hand on the vanity. "Do you think I don't want to kill her? I do. I'm down there torturing her because we need her—and because she's done this to you. Isn't that enough?"

"No." The word dropped like a monolith, cracking the floor underneath us. "Still think I'm not damaged?"

Soundlessly, I stepped away from him. Nate let me go. Until he didn't. I was dragged around. Nathaniel's strength was worse than I remembered. I winced when he shoved me back—but the fall didn't hurt. Nate put a hand beside my head just as I tried to scramble away. He braced his left knee on the mattress, it dipped under his weight. His other hand cut off my last escape route. Nathaniel hovered my body. I tried to plaster myself as close as possible to the bed, before I placed my hands on his chest to try and push him off. He didn't budge an inch.

My body tensed. His head lowered and I felt annoyed at myself for being so powerless—again. Like when we first met or when Ashley had me and I couldn't break free from the Zip-ties.

His breath washed over my face. Cool and soothing, baiting me to forget the cesspool of rotten thoughts stirring my mind or the negative emotions threatening to bury the last shred of sanity I had.

"You keep saying you're broken, sweetheart. Why's that?" Nate whispered in that deep voice of his and something inside me roused at the sexiness of it. One hand left the mattress and cupped my chin. "You're acting cold and casual about killing and torturing people. I know why. You're angry. You want the world to feel how you're feeling, not just her." Nate pressed his forehead against mine. "You feel powerless and you hate it. You feel dead inside and you don't know if it will ever stop. I get it, princess."

I almost asked how he knew those things, but after a minute the answer was staring me in the face. He'd felt like that for God knew how long. He'd felt broken, too. Felt—but not anymore, not whenever I saw him looking at me. Which meant I'd been the one to fix him…

"You won't feel that way forever." My eyes focused on his and his nose met mine. "I'll prove it."

He kissed me.

I jolted against him. He kept kissing me and… and… I was kissing back. Pressing my mouth against his softly. Nate's fingers released my chin, trailing down my neck. I shivered. His fingers went underneath, curling behind my head. He pressed our lips harder. The contact was sizzling, and it made me want more—my hands curled on his shoulders. This felt accelerating and painstakingly familiar. I ached for more. My hands rode across his back, going up, until they dove into his hair. I curled my fingers deep. I was shaking, kissing him and feeling unsteady as hell. Like his touch was the glue holding me together.

Nathaniel panted against my cheek.

"You don't need to kill or torture to feel strong." He whispered. "You taught me that," he pressed a quick kiss on my lips once I lifted my head hoping to reach his mouth. "Your kindness is your strength, that's what makes you better than everyone I ever met. So, you can stop with the stupid arguments, Mel." I felt his lower body pressing on mine, but right now that didn't matter, Nate's eyes were utterly captivating, and I understood just how I'd fallen for him. "It's my job to protect you, remember? Even if it's from yourself."

I looked away—with shame? "He was my best friend…" my voice quivered.

"I know that." Nate wasn't moving his weight and I enjoyed having him so close. My personal life-line.

"I want her dead, Nate." I croaked. I meant it. It made me so angry—that someone like her made me turn on my principles. "I hate her so much. She tricked him… he died thinking I killed Parker—he died hating me." Nathaniel's personal sweet scent engulfed me as he rolled off and scooped me into his arms. I couldn't break his hold even if I wanted to. "I hate her…!" the cry came out muffled against his shoulder. Nate ran his fingers along my hair. When I looked up, his eyes were gazing down with mute understanding. "I'm sorry I don't remember…"

"That's not your fault." He snapped—probably thinking of Nolan.

"I should remember." I insisted touching a hand on his neck, where a faint scar was.

He made no move to stop my curious finger as it traced the thin scar.

"You already remembered things, don't put pressure on yourself."

"What if I don't remember anymore?"

"We're already making new memories." Nate pressed a finger under my chin, tilting my head higher. "We'll keep making them… if you want?"

I pursed my lips. At the rate my heart was going, yeah, I wanted to make way more memories—if they were anything like that kiss. Pacey was gone. I wouldn't get more time with him. All the time we could have had… I had quit college and dodged calls, texts—whatever—just so I wouldn't have to lie about Parker and worry about six months of my life that got locked away somewhere in my stupid traumatized brain. Now, I wanted those memories back. How ironic was that?

Time was precious and I'd wasted it on being selfish and a coward.

"I do have feelings for you, you know." I muttered watching a know-it-all smile play on his lips.

"I can tell. Your pupils dilated when we were dancing last night." Last night. It felt like a dream—I scowled. My pupils had what? Nate sighed mockingly. "Pupil dilation can happen when you're afraid, when you're working out, when you're sexually attracted to someone… Want me to go on?"

Ah. Hmm. Well, I was sexually attracted to him. And obviously his own attraction to me hadn't gone unfelt in our little impromptu in the bathroom. Something hard had pressed against my thigh, and I was pretty sure Nathaniel didn't keep his gun tucked at the front of his jeans

"There are more important things."

"Not to me, princess. You're the reason why I'm doing all of it." It's all been for you. His words washed over me and this time I felt a stab at my less-stonier heart. "I get what you mean, though."

"You said our relationship distracted you before—when we were on the road." Nate nodded pissed at himself. "I don't want to distract you. Nothing can…" Nothing can happen to you. Or Anna. Or Aric. I wouldn't be able to stay sane. I would… lose it. For good.

"Nothing will happen to me, Mel." Was he a mind reader?

"You can't promise that."

"No, but I'm too good looking to die so young."

"Your ego is very big." I deadpanned.

"That's not the only thing," he smirked, enjoying the blush spreading from my cheeks to my neck. "Whatever happens will happen." He husked, tickling my right earlobe, stealing my breath. My stomach made a huge grumbling noise breaking the moment. "Let's go downstairs. I'm starving, too."

Nate stopped when I grabbed his hand, stopping him from opening the door. He glanced over a broad shoulder.

"I'm not forgiving her for Pacey. I'm not forgetting how it felt—I can't."

"I don't expect that."

"Good. Because I want to learn how to fight." I blinked. "Again, I guess."

"Aric was the one who showed you the ropes before. You should ask him, not me." Nate's cool fingers locked mine in his hold. "I didn't like the idea the first time. You were a quick study, though. As much as I hate to admit it, I can't always be with you. Going over the last months, you knowing how to fight? Might be a good move."

I nodded, leaving out the last part of what I wanted to learn.

***

Nate hadn't come back upstairs after we ate some omelets and potato chips. He'd disappeared outside. Guessing where he'd gone wasn't a guess at all, it was an understatement. Back to torturing the bleached blond bitch. I stayed in Nate's bedroom thinking about everything—from Pacey's body, his blood, my innate desire to kill Ashley to Nathaniel's refusal of me going dark-side. I almost laughed. Pacey would've liked the Star Wars reference. Every time he'd roped me into watching those movies, I pretended to fall asleep. My eyes snapped shut—I didn't want to laugh anymore. Forcing myself to ignore the pit in my chest, my thoughts shifted to Nolan. My blood burned just as hot—the same as with Ashley. Would I remember more if I saw him? I had blocked my memories after suffering through...

I raised both wrists in the air, watching the scars peek out. They were pink, marring my skin in thick circles. Little indents... they looked like chain links. At the warehouse I'd gotten flashes. Now, nothing. I dropped my arms, sighing, eyes fixed on ceiling. That's how I stayed until I heard someone roam the hall outside. It wasn't Nate. A door squeaked—it could only be Anna or Aric. Whoever it was, I didn't hear a single footstep. It was like they were ninja-cats.

I went out into the hall and went to what I assumed was Aric's bedroom. The door squeaked when I pushed it—Aric needed to oil these hinges. Aric was sleeping on his back. His dark hair was messy and his chest moved a little too fast. Was he having a bad dream? I reached out to touch his shoulder, then hesitated. Something within me told me not to touch him. Like I knew he would react badly if I did. Muscle memory?

I settled for calling him, "Aric?"

He stirred. Three seconds later, his luminescent green eyes slid open.

"You want me to see the presents Santa left you?" Hahah. So funny.

"This is important," I wanted to shove him out of bed. Aric gave his head a shake before sitting up, leaning against the headboard. "I want you to teach me how to fight."

"Melissa, really? This couldn't wait until I woke up?"

"I woke up hours ago—"

"I know. We heard you fighting, luv." I opened my mouth without knowing what would come out until Aric beat me to it. "You woke up and you couldn't go back to sleep." He deduced. "Where's Nathaniel? Ran away after your spat?"

"No," it sounded like Nate and I had fought before—which didn't surprise me. "He went down to your shady basement." Aric sobered up at that piece of info. Because Ashley was down there and she wanted revenge on him? Or... "Why are you looking like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you're worried."

"I'm not," he said sounding completely blasé. "I just hope Nathaniel is competent enough to get Ashley to do what we need her to." Ouch.

"Hey," I whispered only just putting two and two together. "She kept saying I was the only sibling you cared about. Why? I mean—I get why you don't like Nolan and..." There'd been another girl—a sister. I couldn't remember her name. "Our... sister? I'm sure there's a good reason for not liking her, too. What about Nate?"

"Our half-sister. Her name was Riley." Aric supplied, throwing the covers off him when it became obvious he wouldn't be getting anymore rest. "You'll need to build up your muscle mass, little sister. Otherwise, knowing how to fight won't do you much good. Did Anna tell you we've done this dance before?"

"Yeah," I watched him move around in his boxers, reaching for a pair of jeans. "Why are you dodging the question?" My half-brother grabbed a shirt next, slipping it on. "Fine. I'll just ask Nate..."

"Don't," Aric looped his belt. "He doesn't like talking about family matters. It'll just be another fight between you blokes." I thought about Nate's selfless motivation to torture Ashley and to play Nolan's game. I thought about his gentle touch and... breathtaking kiss. I thought about the promise of truth he'd made to me. I didn't think he'd lash out half as badly as Aric thought... "Since you woke me up, I'm driving Anna to college. You can tag along and we'll swing by your place afterwards."

"We're de-bugging it?" he nodded. I looked down at myself. "I could use some clothes, too." I muttered. Dressing in Nate's baggy clothes was cozy, but I couldn't go anywhere like this—which reminded me... "I don't have shoes..."

Aric finished lacing his boots. He cast me a sympathetic glance for like five seconds, until it became a little-sisters-are-so-annoying glare.

Aric sighed, "I'll stop somewhere and buy you some." He tilted his head and his neck made a popping sound. "We're going to snoop around Ashley's apartment. Anna gave me her spare key."

"So... I'm going to be your sidekick?"

"Sure," his sexy mouth tipped into a grin—I should stop thinking of his mouth as sexy. He was my brother. Still... it was sexy.

Aric opened a drawer and pulled out something that chinked—keys—and stuffed them into a pocket, same as his leather wallet. When he went for the door, I followed.

"You're worried about Nate being down there." I chanced. "You know he's claustrophobic, right? That's why you want Ashley to break down fast."

Aric turned around so quickly I nearly rammed into his chest. I scrambled back. He leveled our gazes.

"Sometimes you're too perceptive." It didn't sound like a compliment. "Despite what everyone and their mother seem to think, I don't hate Nathaniel."

"He thinks you do." I was sure Aric was aware of it. Anna told me about their relationship, or lack of one. How Aric had known for years they were brothers, where Nate was, and he'd never contacted him. "You should be nicer to him."

"Oh?" Aric intoned amused.

"You're nice to me."

"Am I?" still amused. I didn't understand why. I rolled my eyes.

"I swear to God, if you say you're nicer to me because I'm a girl, I'll kick you."

He chuckled, "Nothing so pigheaded, luv. It's because you remind me of someone." Ah. Mmm, well. I didn't have an answer to that. Before I got to ask who, Aric kept going. "You're advocating on my little brother's behalf. I wonder what happened after your spat..." he mused slyly. He crossed his arms with a smug face. "It got awfully quiet after a while."

Focusing on not going beet-red, I made for a beeline around him. His arm snagged me around the waist. What was it with guys and tugging me from behind? Aric turned me around enough so that I saw his face. His humor had dropped. I saw a tiny spark of angst amid the calm mask he wore all the time.

"I was a rubbish brother for a very long time, darling. I could've gotten him out of the Hive, away from Drew. But I left him there—with her. I regret that now. I paid her for updates on him—she did about anything for money—but I didn't know what she did to him." He whispered stonily. "You asked me that once before, I never answered. But no, Melissa, I had no idea what she was putting him through. I found out about Nate through our mum. After Vincent killed her and I ran away, I never once thought about him. When I was about eighteen? Yeah, about it," he mused to himself. "I found out he'd been adopted by the Armstrong's and that they belonged to the Hive. I never reached out to him, I was young, selfish and... didn't have the best experience with brothers." He was talking about Nolan, wasn't he? Had this been after Nolan killed Violet?

"I'm sorry, Aric."

"You don't exist, luv. I just told you how I abandoned him and you're..."

I frowned, "No. About Violet." Aric sucked in a sharp breath. "Nolan killed her, right?"

"He did," I felt his arm slide away. "To finish up, luv, I'm trying to mend things with Nathaniel. But he doesn't like making things easy."

Ignoring his deflection of Violet's death, I gave him a look of approval. We walked into the hall just as Anna was walking downstairs. She looked surprised at Aric, but then, I caught the ghost of a smile sent his way. We ended up in the kitchen, with Anna eating cereal and Aric eating pop-tarts. Now that we were down here, so close to the old bomb shelter, I felt the itch to go and see...

"You'll need a new phone." Anna said. "I smashed your phone—sorry. We're just taking precautions because…"

"Pacey and I texted. I get it. Did Reed say anything about… the clean up?" Anna nodded, glaring at the cereal bowl like it was Ashley's skull and her spoon was a driller. I wanted to reach for her hand and say something comforting. I didn't find anything of the sort. "What if someone knew he was meeting me?"

"Unlikely," Aric chirped, taking a seat beside Anna. His arm grazed hers. I watched her lean closer to his side, saying nothing. "Pacey may have been fooled into betraying you, but I'm sure he knew what Ashley planned on doing to you or at least he knew it wouldn't be a good thing. If he was clever about it, he didn't breathe a word about where he was going or what he was doing."

There were a million what-ifs running through my mind. I decided it wasn't worth worrying about them now. I couldn't help but wonder if Pacey's parents would ever find out the truth. The Hive's clean-up team was very thorough, was Nate told me… So, maybe his parents would never know what happened to their only son. And neither would Ginger. Thinking about those things won't help you, a sharp voice hissed, you need to focus on going forward—stop something like this from happening again.

I turned my hands palms-up. I could still feel the stickiness of Pacey's blood on them. I would always remember how it dried away, like red paint on a wall.

I never wanted to have someone's blood on my hands again—unless it was Ashley's or Nolan's.
♠ ♠ ♠
"When the night has come

And the land is dark

And the moon is the only light we'll see

No, I won't be afraid

Oh, I won't be afraid

Just as long as you stand

Stand by me

So darlin', darlin'

Stand by me, oh, stand by me

Oh, stand, stand by me

Stand by me..." - Stand by Me Sadness by Ben E. King


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