Unnaturals (35 page)

`It's not only the rich and famous that do it. I had a friend once whose parents were alternative. It's not exactly something new you know.'

`Oh,' he muttered, surprised again.

`Who is Lilly, then?'

Wilson realised the high-pitched wheeze was coming from him and managed to stop it while Sally continued to ignore him. Throat tight, he managed to swallow.

`Ah, yes,' Ruth said. `Mason's grandfather had a love child and Lilly is her daughter. We're all the family she has now.'

Wilson felt himself pulled into the lie as his mother's voice dropped lower. `I won't lie to you, Sally. Lilly is close to Wilson. She's been through something similar, something a little like what we went through last year.'

`Oh, that bad?' Sally was rubbing her thumb against his leg, a habit of hers and one he liked. His fear began to fade. This wasn't going to be so bad. Maybe.

Ruth put her arm around Sally. `Wilson is funny about this but I think you need to understand. I love you like a daughter, Sally, and you are welcome in our home, but Lilly is — different. She needs our understanding. And yours. She sleeps with Wil sometimes. Oh, no sex, but just to be with someone who understands what she has been through.'

`Jesus, Mum,' he muttered, shocked rather than embarrassed. `She told you that?'

Ruth looked up. `She wanted to. Being alone isn't easy.'

`This is a lot to take in,' Sally whispered. `He's my Wil.'

Ruth sat back a little. `I know.'

Wilson's muscles ached from tension.

`But we don't want to hide this from you any more. You need to know what you're getting yourself into.'

Sally leant against him. `Any more secrets I need to know?'

Wilson caught his mother's glance, her eyes dark. He shook his head.

Ruth grinned at her. `Heaps of secrets, Sally, but this'll do for one day.'

`Okay. That wasn't so bad.' Sally took a deep breath. `Can you tell me what happened on the island?'

`An accident. Mason got some smoke inhalation and with what had happened in Sydney, we were simply rushed off the island. You shouldn't have been left behind, Sally, but Mason was out cold and I was sick. They dragged Wil off the island as well. It happens when it seems we're all at risk.'

`What happened in Sydney?'

`No. Not that,' Wilson stood up, shaking his head. `Sally, like I said, some things you just don't want to know about. Please? We're here now. You're here. Let's just try and start again with our holiday.'

Ruth stood up. `If you want to leave at any time just say so.'

`Hell, no,' Sally said, standing as well. `I'm here with Wil. The rest is, well, just part of who you are, I guess.'

`Good.' Ruth stretched and Wilson felt his hunger grow. `And like we talked about before, you and Wil are old enough to make your own decisions. If you want your own room, we have one. Otherwise…' Ruth winked.

`I can stay with him?' Sally's grip tightened.

`You might have to move some crap off the floor to get in there—'

`Very funny.' He tried to not glare at his mother. The room wasn't that bad.

`Safe to come down?' Renee called from the top of the steps, a half-grin on her face. `Wilson's calmed down?'

`All safe.' Ruth waved to her.

Wilson breathed deeply again as he waited for Lilly. Renee almost skipped down the steps but Nikki followed much more slowly. How would Sally react? Lilly was attractive. She even smelt attractive. He shook his head, pushing the thought away.

Nikki had reached Sally, though Wilson hardly noticed. Where was Lilly?

`You're gorgeous,' Sally said, as she took Nikki's hand. `I'm sorry, that just came out.'

`Thanks, Wilson never said how sweet you were, or how tall.'

`He's like that.' Sally leant against him. `He struggles with the fine details, but is easy on the eye.'

`Hey, I am right here, you know,' he said, attention drawn from the stairway. He liked the casual tone of their conversation. Sally seemed to be more relaxed. Good. He wasn't yet.

Ruth looked up the stairs. `Hi Lilly.'

He turned, trying to make it look casual. `Hey Lilly—'

It wasn't the Lilly he knew. Her hair was pulled back tight, revealing eyes red and puffy from crying. One of his old T-shirts hung off her and her skin was so pale she looked sick. He spoke without thinking. `Jesus, you look terrible.'

`Wilson Mason Douglas.' Sally dropped his hand, her voice tinged with disbelief. `That's a terrible thing to say!'

`But, I, um,' he stuttered, shocked. Lilly winked, so fast he barely saw it, and he understood. She'd heard Ruth talking. Of course. Keeping the lie alive. `That came out wrong.'

`Damn right it did,' Sally said, meeting Lilly as she came down the stairs. `I'm Sally.'

`Hi.' Lilly's voice was soft and hurt. `Don't give him too hard a time. I tried to have a sleep while he was out.' She stopped short of Sally, looking down.

Wilson bit his lip. Damn she was good.

`Another nightmare?' Ruth asked, touching her on the arm.

Lilly seemed to shrink at the touch. Was that part of the act?

`Yeah,' Lilly muttered, fidgeting with her hands. `I always feel shattered after one.'

`Come on. I'll make you a cup of tea,' Ruth took her by the hand. `Then, later, we might go into town and buy you some clothes. Sorry we didn't have time to bring some of your own.'

`Thanks, Ruth,' Lilly said with a small smile, making her pale face crease. `Wil's T-shirts are a bit too big on me.'

`I've got a sundress that might fit you,' Sally said, sounding very businesslike. `You can wear it until we go shopping.'

`That would be nice, thanks.' Lilly tilted her head at Sally, looking relieved. `Can we buy shoes as well? Ruth offered me some but my feet are a few sizes bigger than hers.'

Sally stepped up to Lilly. `I can show you the good places if you like. Wil is hopeless at shopping.'

`That, would be nice.'

`I'll get that sundress,' Sally said, powering off up the stairs.

Wilson knew that tone. Sally had taken a liking to Lilly. So far. He bit his tongue until Sally went out of earshot.

`So? Is this okay with you'? Lilly's skin and eyes had cleared up. The Lilly he knew stared back at him.

`Jesus Christ!' he hissed, making sure Sally wouldn't hear. `You're all in on this?'

`Until you're ready to tell her all the truth,' Ruth said. `Lilly agreed to play her part, so don't act so shocked. We're all working to keep the truth from Sally.'

`But it will work for only so long.' Renee reappeared at the kitchen entry. `It's not that easy to maintain such a façade when we're all usually so open. It's not fair on any of us, but especially Lilly.'

Since when had Renee started taking Lilly's side? He didn't know how to react.

`We've been doing this a lot longer than any of you.' Renee stepped towards him. `It doesn't work for long, this hiding the truth from a loved one. In the end they find out. Whether you tell them or they discover it themselves usually dictates how they take learning the truth. Right, Nikki?'

The room seemed to shrink a little as Nikki nodded. `Renee is right. We can maintain the façade but it gets harder with those close to you. Sally will see through it eventually.'

`Found it!' Sally yelled from the top of the stairs. Wilson stared as Lilly once more became a sad, pale girl with red eyes.

`Hope she has good taste in clothes,' Lilly said with a sniffle. `Otherwise shopping will be painful.'

`She has very good taste.' Ruth waved her away. `She's coming now, Sally!'

Lilly winked at him and wandered back up the stairs.

`This is going to be harder than I thought,' he muttered.

Ruth smiled knowingly and went into the kitchen with Nikki.

`You just wait until Mason wakes up,' Renee said, leaning against a wall. `I don't think he'll play this game for very long either.'

`No.' Wilson sighed. `Dad will be all,
Let's be a family. No more secrets
. That I know.'

`So why bring her here, then? If you don't want her to know, why risk it?'

He rubbed at his nose. `I do, but—'

`At the same time, you don't.' Renee moved off the wall, her face softening. `She loves you, Wilson. We can all see it. Tell her or you will lose her.'

`I might either way,' he said with a slight shudder. `What if she freaks out, knowing what we are?'

`Then it will be up to you to step up and show her how much you love her, regardless of what your family are.'

He sagged, accepting the truth. Laughter came from upstairs.

`Sounds like Lilly is making headway with her.' Renee shrugged as she turned to go into the kitchen. `Go be yourself. Don't live the lie with her.' She left him alone in the room.

`Damn it, why does this have to be so complicated?' he muttered, making his way upstairs. He wanted Sally to be part of his life and a part of him knew Lilly would be as well. He loved Sally, he knew that. But to reveal their secret to her, to show her what his family had become?

That he wasn't sure of. Or even if he could tell her. He couldn't bear the thought of her looking at him like he was some kind of monster. Wilson shook himself, pushing the fear aside. Now, things were great.

One day at a time
,
he thought.

Let's take it one day at a time.

 

Ruth put the tomatoes on the kitchen bench, listening to the chatter upstairs.

`They're fine,' Renee said as she opened the freezer. `Looks like Lilly is very skilled at acting.'

`It's not all an act,' Ruth said, slicing the tomatoes. `How much do you know about her?'

`Not a lot,' Nikki said from her place at the kitchen table. `Ivy found her in the fifties, wandering the streets of London, and managed to get her home. She has no memories of her past but we know she has been abused by the Bloodells. Her body bears the scars of it.

`We've not had much to do with her — until the island.' Renee put packets of frozen steak on the sink beside Ruth. `She's been a real surprise.'

Ruth grabbed the lettuce and started tearing off leaves. Wilson had never shown interest in any girl other than Sally. And how had Lilly managed to change her appearance so much?

`How's Mason?' Renee was looking for the starter on the big gas grill.

`Same.' Ruth focused on the knife in her hand.

`He's not hurt, but still asleep. Like he's being held.'

Nikki moved in her chair. The baby was growing fast and Ruth knew it was becoming hard for her to hide the discomfort it caused. And the growing baby bump.

`Well, I hope it's not for much longer.' Renee tossed steaks on the hot grill. `The Bloodells found us in Sydney and attacked in broad daylight. They'll find us here.'

`What? Bloodells?' Ruth dropped the knife. Nikki had gone pale. `When?'

`At my unit. Six of them armed with modern crossbows and poisoned bolts. They were able to surprise us. Mason healed me afterwards'

Ruth sat down. Bloodells in Sydney? Nikki didn't move.

`He healed you? Why, what happened?' Nikki whispered as Renee stopped fussing over the steak.

`Yeah, I got hit in the chest before we knew they were there.' Renee revealed sharp teeth in a grin. `They paid for that. Ralph and Mason worked well together.'

`The Wolves were involved?' Nikki glanced at her, questioning.

`Sure.' Renee clicked her neck.

Ruth recognised the movement. Just like Mason.

`Bloodells are so arrogant they didn't expect us to fight together.' Renee smiled, eyes half-closed. `Mason is spectacular as Hunter, and Ralph and his boys are now much more focused. They have a place in Bondi where Mason wants them to live and train. Ralph nearly choked when he was offered that — a place to live and money to be a Wolf.'

`Ralph accepted that?' Nikki winced and Ruth stood up, drawing Renee's attention.

`Eventually. Ricco and the boys didn't blink at it.'

`Well, they're not here,' Ruth rubbed the back of her hand across her brow. `And you're right — if Bloodells found you in Sydney they will probably come here. We might have some time since they probably don't know where we are yet.'

`Possibly,' Renee said, focusing on the steaks again. `It's not like we're defenceless.'

Ruth stopped. Renee didn't seem to understand.

`Look,' she said, moving across to Renee. `Mason is out of action, who knows for how long. Nikki is still recovering from the teleport, Wil and Lilly have minimal experience in combat and Sally, well,' Ruth threw her hands up, `Sally is not even remotely capable of dealing with Bloodells. That leaves you and me, Renee.'

She paused, waiting for Renee to put her tongs down and give her full eye contact. `As for me, I can fight, or at least use a firearm, but I've never been in a full-scale attack. I'm not even sure if I can control my gift enough to use it to defend myself. That leaves you, Renee.'

`I can fight,' she said nodding, her eyes darkening. `As Huntress, no Bloodells is a match.'

`You're right,' Ruth said not breaking the eye contact with her, hoping she would understand. `How many could you fight at once and still protect the children? What if there were too many? Up here they could bring an army. If they weren't shy about revealing themselves in Sydney they probably
would
bring an army here.'

`Mmm,' Renee growled, her eyes fading to her natural colours. `You sound like Mason when you do that.'

`I've learnt a lot in the last year. I've had to survive and think differently. Mason is far better at it than I am, but I know we're vulnerable right now.'

Renee nodded, finally understanding. `I was—' her face creased. `Arrogance is a weakness. It gets you killed, maybe all of us killed, if we don't think and act as a family.' Her face lightened. `I have been so used to being by myself.'

`But now we're not,' Nikki said from her seat. `We are here, drawn together, and if any one of us didn't want this—'

`We would have left.' Ruth felt relief as Renee nodded.

`True, true indeed.' She picked up a steak and tore a chunk off. `I will activate Syrus to scan for Bloodells and then I will do a quick patrol.'