Someone Who Loves You: SKULL Book Two

To Basic Training

    That did it. Jace was past caring if he wanted to temper it. He wanted to use that anger. Wanted to kill that man. Wanted to feel the kill. Wanted to enjoy it.  “Don’t  talk about Riley that way!” he snarled.

    “Or?” 

    Jace felt the hammer in his hand. He stalked forward, hefting the hammer in an iron grip.  It connected with Lazarus’ face the moment he was in front of Jace, blood spurting from his mouth. The older man did manage to graze Jace with the knife, but the teenager just jumped back. Besides, anything inside of Jace that was peaceful was buried… or gone. That white-hot rage had temporarily taken him, twisted him. Several shades of red hooded Jace’s eyes when he raised the hammer again.  

    For a split-second, something akin to fear shone in Lazarus’ eyes at the awful look on his son’s face. Jace saw that fear and liked it, used it. A nasty grin played on his lips, causing Lazarus to pause. To stumble.

    Whether it was fear or madness – Jace couldn’t be sure -- Lazarus raised his blade once more. He tried to stab Jace in the neck, but the teenager dodged the attack, side-stepping enough to bring the peen of the hammer down on Lazarus’ head.  A loud, juicy crunch sounded when the hammer’s head connected with the skull, blood splattering everywhere.

    Lazarus, however, either didn’t realize he’d been hit or refused to stay down. In a very strange, wobbly stagger, he charged Jace again.  But, this time, the claw of the hammer sank into Lazarus’ brain. Jace ripped it out, brain matter flying, and, finally, Lazarus was no more.

30th July 2001

Two months later:

    JACE AND Jordan stood in the Albuquerque International Sunport, waiting for their flight to San Diego. On their way to boot camp.

    Jordan had healed, but was quiet. Jace, on the other hand, was still so very angry.

    Both had been to see a psychiatrist following the “incident” – as the lawyer called it – involving Lazarus Corvino. The twins had been cleared to continue on to boot camp. There had been no lengthy trial, no arrests, nothing in the way of formal legalities. Because, it was discovered, Lazarus Corvino was a serial killer.

    He’d led a double life. One as a rapist/murderer, the other as a family man. But in time, his mind had deteriorated, became convinced his wife was one of the women he “punished”. Convinced his wife knew what he did. Convinced his sons knew. Convinced everyone knew.  Whether his wife actually knew, no one would ever know. His twin sons certainly had not. All they knew was that their father had become increasingly unstable.

    What was known was that Jace killed Lazarus to protect his brother from further harm.  To protect himself.

    Self-defense.

    Jace stood there, frowning. He knew, rationally, it had been self-defense. But, deep in his soul, he knew it really wasn’t. He had wanted to kill Lazarus, and when he did, he liked the rush it gave him.

    Master Sergeant Robert Mains inspected them as they waited for their flight. There were two others with the twins, a fresh-out-of-high school seventeen year old, and an eighteen year old girl from Grants, NM.

    The flight was announced, and the Master Sergeant nodded at them “Okay, recruits,” he eyed them carefully. “Make me proud, Marines!”

    All four snapped to attention when the Master Sergeant gave them a salute. After pleasantries, Jace looked at his brother. “Here we go,” he said quietly.

    “Yeah” Jordan replied.  He eyed Jace. “Are you sure you want to do this to her?”

    Jace averted his eyes. “I’m sure.” He glanced back at Jordan “Besides I didn’t see you telling Gemma.”

    Jordan snorted, a grin on his face. The first grin in a while. “Gemma very bluntly told me she didn’t want to see me get on that plane, let alone say good-bye.” He touched Jace’s shoulder. “No one blames you. You did what you had to do. Riley doesn’t blame you.”

    Jace’s eyes squeezed shut.

    Riley Jae Lewis.

    His girlfriend since freshman year of high school. The one who held him as he cried at his murdered mother’s funeral, cried at Jordan’s bedside at the hospital.

    Riley. Who would wait for him forever, she’d said.

    “I know she doesn’t blame me,” he said softly.

    “Then call her,” Jordan stressed “Tell her that you are leaving and that you love her.”

    “She knows.” Jace turned tortured eyes to his brother. “But I can’t be with her. Not after what I did. I’m not… good for her now.” He loved her but…

    Jordan snorted again. "Please! You are the best man I know.  You are nothing like that prick who claimed to be our father. Me, on the other hand..."

    Jace eyed his twin. Jordan may have been quiet and moody lately, but he was drowning in the anger of the whole situation.  Jordan's anger oozed out of him, whereas Jace's was quiet. But while Jace was sure he'd work through his anger, he wasn't so sure about his brother.

    His thoughts went back to Riley.

    Riley, I’m doing this to prove I am good enough for you. I’m man enough for you. I’m doing it for you, baby.

And to prove, above all, he wasn’t like his father. To rid himself of Lazarus Corvino.