Jonah & Aubrey's Story (Uoria Mates IV Book 8) Read online

  Jonah’s face seemed to melt with relief and he reached out to take her by the shoulders.

  “Thank you so much,” he said.

  “I still don’t think that they should stay here,” she said. “This place isn’t going to get them healthy or protect them for much longer. They need somewhere better, and I know the perfect place.”

  In her mind, she could see her grandmother’s sprawling home, the number of rooms inside the centuries-old mansion far exceeding the number of guests or visiting family members that she would ever have. She knew that the home itself would be ideal for providing shelter and comfort for these people and for Jonah, but it was more than that that made her confident that the home where she had spent her summers when she was growing up would be the perfect choice. Though she didn’t yet fully understand why, seeing the people inside that room made her feel as though she might have just put herself on the path of solving a long-standing family secret.

  Chapter Seven

  “I don’t think that moving them is a good idea,” Jonah said. “Where could we possibly bring them that they wouldn’t be detected?”

  “Leave that to me,” Aubrey said. “Just make sure that they are ready at midnight and I will come back for you. Moving in the dark is going to make it much easier to get them there without anyone noticing.” She tilted her head to catch his downcast eyes. “Alright?” she said.

  Jonah let out a sigh. As hesitant as he was to put the group through any more stress or anxiety than they had already faced, he knew that what Aubrey had said was right. He did everything that he could to make sure that they were eating enough, were comfortable, and were getting the treatments that Ciyrs and Elianna had prepared for them, but there was only so much that he could do in the basement. This environment wasn’t good for their bodies, and knowing that they were so close to the facility where they had been kept and tormented wasn’t good for their minds. They needed to be somewhere else where they could be safe and really get the type of care and support that would help them to recover and prepare for the new chapter ahead of them.

  “Alright,” he said.

  He saw Aubrey straighten and give a single nod.

  “Good. I have to go now, but make sure that they are ready when I get here. Meet me at the closet.” She pushed up the sleeve of the light green summer-weight sweater that she was wearing and unlatched the watch from her wrist so that she could hold it out to him. “Take this,” she said.

  Jonah took the narrow black leather band and tucked it into his palm, closing his fingers over it so that he couldn’t see the face. If he had, he might have just stood there staring into it. She would never be able to understand the meaning behind that simple gesture. To Aubrey, she was offering him a way to make sure that he was in place and ready to meet her when she arrived to help move them out of the basement. To Jonah, however, it was so much more. She had given him back his connection to his world. Though there was something relaxing and even freeing about being on Uoria where there was no concept of structured time, it also sometimes made him feel like he was spiraling out of control. In his life on Earth, time and precision were everything. Suddenly being in a place where he wasn’t able to keep track of the time made the years that he was losing to the foreign planet seem to go by more quickly, slipping past like water through his fingertips. They were there only for a moment, but he couldn’t hold onto them as they past, leaving their lingering mark on him. The crew only knew how long that they had been on Uoria before the Covra came because some had counted the nights that went by and were able to mark the passing of the years. This watch grounded him again.

  For the rest of the day Jonah did as much preparation as possible. He gathered all of the tools and supplies that he could fit into his bag and the bags left in the chambers, and talked the wounded and the women through the idea of leaving. Just as he had been, they were reluctant and nervous about leaving. Though he understood exactly what they were thinking, he couldn’t let them see the questions in his eyes. He needed to stay strong for them and make them feel confident so that they would be able to take these first few steps. By the time that he left to climb the stairs to meet Aubrey, Jonah had almost convinced himself as well.

  Aubrey arrived just as Jonah opened the closet door. She was carrying two large bags over her shoulders and had a determined expression on her face.

  “Do you have everything ready?” she asked.

  “Yes,” Jonah answered. She stepped toward the door, but he didn’t move out of the way. Instead, he met her eyes. “Thank you for doing this,” he said. “I really appreciate it.” He paused and drew in a breath. “All of us do.”

  “Of course,” Aubrey said.

  Jonah turned and led her down the steps and into the basement. Those who had remained behind were grouped in the middle of the chamber, the supplies that they were going to carry sitting around them. Aubrey stepped toward them and set the two bags on the floor.

  “I brought fresh clothes for you,” she said. “You’ll be more comfortable and if someone does see us, you will stand out less.”

  Some of them looked hesitant, even unsure of what she meant, but one of the hybrid men came toward her, his jaw set and his eyes clear and strong.

  “Thank you,” he said simply to Aubrey.

  It was the first time that Jonah had heard this man speak and his voice was like a low, driving wind. Aubrey nodded and reached down to pick up one of the bags.

  “This is men’s clothes,” he said. She gestured toward the other bag. “This is women’s.”

  The hybrid man rested the bag on a table and began to pull out articles of clothing. He looked at them with a hint of awe in his eyes, as if he had never imagined something as simple as being able to choose the clothing that he was going to wear. Finally, he selected a pair of pants and shirt, and left the chamber for one of the smaller rooms so that he could dress. Empowered by watching one of his own, the other man approached the table and chose clothing. Jonah followed the last one out of the emergency chamber to allow Aubrey to help the women dress. A few minutes later, she opened the door again. The women looked more assured and secure now that they were out of the thin, gauzy white shifts that they all had been wearing since they found them in the breeding facility.

  “Is everyone ready?” Aubrey asked when they had gathered their bags.

  “I think so,” Jonah said.

  “Then let’s go.”

  They started up the stairs and Jonah could feel the bodies of the hybrid men tense as they approached the main hallway. He knew that they were feeling much the same reaction that he had had to it, but from a different perspective. Recognizing this only made their suffering more of a reality for him, and Jonah reached out to rest his hand on the back of the man who was walking closest to him. The man tensed and pulled away from him slightly at first, but then seemed to realize that he was offering him comfort and not trying to hurt him. Jonah felt the man’s shoulders relax and he turned to look at him with appreciation in his eyes.

  “What do you want to be called?” Jonah asked.

  He had remembered what the hybrid woman who had called out to Eden said about them not having names, and knew that that was no longer acceptable. When they walked out of the laboratory, it was final. They were leaving behind the tortured existence that they had always lived and what it represented, and he didn’t want them to take even one step outside under the weight of being nameless.

  The hybrid man looked at him strangely, as if he didn’t fully understand why Jonah was asking him, and shook his head.

  “What do you mean?” he asked.

  Jonah paused in the hallway and the rest of the group slowed and stopped around him so that they were distributed along the corridor. Aubrey looked impatient as she glanced between them and the front door, but Jonah didn’t relent. He looked toward the second man.

  “How about you?” he asked. “What name do you want?”

  The man lifted his chin, showing that a grisly scar t
hat began on his cheekbone wove its way down his cheek, over his jaw, and onto his neck. Jonah could see worn, prematurely-aged hands clench at his sides and then stretch.

  “Mordecai,” he said.

  The name sounded rich and rumbling in his deep voice, perfectly fitting this powerful-looking man.

  “Hello, Mordecai,” he said. “I’m Jonah.”

  He reached his hand toward the hybrid man, but Mordecai didn’t move. Jonah realized that he had likely never seen anyone shake hands and didn’t understand the greeting. He reached forward and took Mordecai’s other hand. He lifted it and placed it against his hand, wrapping his fingers around it. Mordecai looked up at him and his lips curved in a small smile. He wrapped his own fingers around Jonah’s hand and Jonah shook it.

  “Hello,” Mordecai said. “Hello, Jonah.”

  Jonah turned to look at the other hybrid man again.

  “And you?” he said. “Have you chosen? What do you want people to call you from now on?”

  He waited for several long seconds and then the man spoke.

  “Gannon,” he said.

  Jonah repeated the greeting the same greeting that he had with Mordecai.

  “Hello, Jonah,” Gannon said.

  Jonah turned and gestured at Aubrey, whose face had softened and who had turned to face them fully.

  “This is Aubrey,” he said, wanting to introduce her again now that these me had names to offer her in return.

  “Hello, Aubrey,” both men said.

  “Hello,” she said.

  “I’m Maeve,” one of the women said, sounding as though she had just found her voice.

  “Linnea,” another said.

  “Sable.”

  The others began to speak and the rest greeted them until their names fell around them like snow, cleansing and refreshing against the darkness. They started toward the front door again, but Jonah stopped after only a few steps. He could feel the tingling on the back of his neck like someone was watching them. He turned toward the feeling and saw the corner of a dark cape disappear around the edge of a doorway behind him. He took a step toward him, but behind him heard the crash of a door slamming and a scream pierce through the stillness of the hallway.

  Jonah spun around and saw Aubrey struggling against one of the Valdicians who held her around her waist as he dragged her toward the office. He ran toward her and immediately another three of the cloaked creatures swarmed out into the corridor and rushed toward the two hybrid men, one breaking away from the other two to move toward the nearest woman. Without hesitation, Mordecai took a long stride to Jonah and reached for the weapon at his hip. In one motion, he pulled the weapon from its sheath and spun around to bring it into the throat of the figure behind him. The Valdician stumbled back and lifted his hands to the blade. Galvanized by Mordecai’s action, Gannon dug his elbow back into the stomach of the creature who held him, knocking him to the ground. Jonah slammed the heel of his hand into the face of the Valdician who was dragging Aubrey, causing him to drop her to the floor. She scrambled away and climbed to her feet.

  “Get the women out!” Jonah shouted at her as the Valdician stood again and came toward him.

  Aubrey reached out and took Sable’s hand, pulling her across the hall toward her.

  “Get out,” she said. “Go through the door and run. Go to the parking lot.” Jonah heard a clinking sound that he assumed was Aubrey handing the woman the keys to the car. “Get the rest of the women in the silver van and lock the doors. Don’t unlock them until you see us.”

  Jonah continued his fight with the Valdician, soon rendering him unconscious on the floor. He kicked the cloaked figure aside and rushed toward where two were pulling Mordecai’s arms. He was nearly to him when Gannon grabbed Jonah’s blade up from where Mordecai had dropped it and ran directly at one of the Valdicians, planting his foot in the man’s stomach. As he fell, Gannon dropped down onto him so that one knee burrowed into his belly and he flattened his palm against the man’s forehead. He forced the man’s head back and looked down into his face.

  “Never again,” he growled.

  Jonah kicked away another of the Valdicians and tugged Mordecai away as Gannon drove the blade into the prone creature’s chest. He looked around to make sure that all of the women had made it out before running toward the door. He burst out and looked over his shoulder to see both hybrid men run out into the warm, star-filled night.

  Aubrey drove like they had run, pushing them along the nearly empty streets with the city at their back. Soon their surroundings began to change and thick trees built up around them until it seemed that they were driving directly through a forest. The van was filled with an electric energy, but none of them spoke. Each was lost in their own thoughts, trying to process what had just happened and what was to come. It seemed that they had been driving most of the night when Aubrey finally turned off of the main road onto a long, meandering driveway. Jonah watched through the windshield as the trees ahead of them opened and he saw an imposing, sprawling home rise up from the horizon. Candles were glowing in the windows and on the front porch, and as they approached, he saw the door open and the silhouette of a small figure appear against the backdrop of yellow light from inside.

  The van stopped and Aubrey ushered all of them quickly out and up the stairs to the porch. The silhouette stepped forward and Jonah saw that it was an elderly woman wearing a long dress that reminded him of the clothing that his mother wore when he was still on Earth. The thought brought a pang to his heart and he pushed it away.

  “Come here,” the woman said, her voice heavy with concern and urgency as she reached her arms out for Linnea.

  Linnea allowed the elderly woman to take her into her arms for a brief hug and then place her hand on Linnea’s back to guide her into the house. She then reached for Mordecai, squeezing him to her a little tighter before ushering him into the home. Soon they were all inside and the tremendous wooden door closed securely behind them.

  “Nana,” Aubrey said, stepping into the older woman’s arms and resting her head to her shoulder.

  “Aubrey, my love,” she said, stroking her hair lovingly.

  Aubrey stepped back and looked at the group. One by one she introduced them to Nana, explaining that this slight woman was her grandmother, the woman who had cared for her during the summer when she was out of school and when her parents were traveling, which was frequent. It was obvious that Aubrey adored Nana, and Jonah felt another longing for his family. He realized sadly as he watched Nana greet each of them tenderly that he had felt the absence of his family and missed them more since he had been on Earth than he had even when he was on Uoria. Being back in the same areas where he had once lived and knowing that everyone he had ever known and loved while here had long-since gone was far worse than being on a distant planet where he could pretend that everything was the same back home and had simply gone on exactly as it had before he left.

  “All of you are welcome here,” Nana said. “You will be safe.”

  Jonah felt his body relax and a long exhalation stream from his lungs. His back touched the door behind him and he slid down until he sat on the floor. Drawing his knees up to his chest, Jonah rested his head forward on them. He could feel tears streaming out of his eyes, but he couldn’t put a name to the emotion that he was feeling.

  “I’ll help our new guests settle in,” Nana said. “I’ve already called my personal doctor and he will be here shortly to check on them. He said if any of them are in need of further care than he is able to provide here, he will arrange to bring them to his office.” Her voice changed slightly as she seemed to turn to the group that had been rescued from the laboratory building. “Come with me. I have bedrooms prepared for each of you. Relax in a bath and have something to eat. My home is yours.”

  When their footsteps faded out of the room Jonah felt Aubrey ease down to sit beside him. A moment later her hand was on his back and he felt her head rest on his shoulder. For a moment she just sat there,
breathing with him, and then she turned and touched a gentle kiss to his temple.

  “It’s going to be alright,” she said softly. “They’re here now. No one knows where to find us.”

  “Us?” Jonah asked, tilting his head to look at her.

  “Of course,” she said. “You’re staying here, too. You can’t possibly think that I was going to bring them here and let you go back to the basement by yourself.”

  “I need to be there to continue my work.”

  “You need to be here to stay safe,” she said matter-of-factly. “I can bring you to the University to do whatever you need to do. You already have the access chip. You can do whatever you need to do, except for go into the restricted area of the library, and if you need to do that, you can just tell me and I’ll come with you.”

  “Are you sure?” he asked.

  The question was heavily loaded, and he could see that she recognized it. She nodded.

  “Yes,” she said. “I want you to stay here. I went as soon as I left you this afternoon and bought everything that we could need. There’s plenty of clothes, food, everything. You should go take a shower. Relax. All of this will still be waiting for you in the morning. You can deal with it then. For now, you need to take care of yourself. You have a lot of people who are relying on you.” She paused and swallowed. “I’m relying on you. We need you to be at your best. The fight isn’t over, Jonah. It’s just time to take a break for a little while.”

  She stood and reached down. Jonah took her hands and let Aubrey help him off the floor. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to draw her into his arms and lose himself in her, but he knew that he couldn’t. Instead, he let her lead him up the broad staircase and into a beautiful suite.

  “This is amazing,” he said.

  “This was my room when I lived here,” she told him.

  “Then you should be staying in it,” he protested.

  Aubrey shook her head.

  “No. You need it. There’s a full bathroom through there,” she said, pointing to a door opposite the bed, “and those doors lead out onto a balcony. There’s clothes in the closet and the dresser for you. Everything that you need for a shower is in the bathroom. Enjoy it. I’ll see you in the morning.”