The Exclusive One

Chapter 13

Day 10.

7:00 a.m.

Ryan:

My phone is blaring waking me up from my deep slumber. I grab it not bothering to check the caller ID as I mutter, “Hello?”

“Ryan.”

I know his twisted chirpy voice from anywhere and I sit up suddenly wide awake as I growl back, “Hunter.”

There’s a pause and I feel alarmed when I hear him say in a grave voice, “I know.”

“You know what?” I ask and the first thing that popped in my head was that he knows Parker now has powers. The line goes dead and I bite the inside of my mouth until I taste blood.

I storm out of my room and knock on Ashton’s door. I’m surprised when he answers honestly expecting that he would’ve been off with Parker. He moans as he rubs his eyes and yawns, “What’s up, Ryan?”

“I got a phone call from Hunter.”

He stares at me as if trying to see if I’m lying or not when he realizes I’m not he groans and says, “Go tell Tom, I need to go talk to Parker.”

I nod in agreement and rush off to Tom’s and Jasper’s rooms to get them together because I’m sure they will want to have a get together with all of us.

 ******

Day 10

7:00 a.m.

Parker:

I meet Ava and Emma in our basement for my very first training for my powers. We all laugh when we find that we all look almost identical. All of us are wearing black yoga pants with a tank top and our hair in a ponytail. My shirt is red, Ava’s is dark green, and Emma’s is dark blue. Emma says, “First things first we need to do some yoga. The boys will always claim this is stupid to do, but don’t listen to them. They will be the ones complaining about sore muscles later while we won’t.”

I laugh at her comment and follow her lead in different yoga positions. Ava comments, “One other reason we do this is it helps to loosen your body and mind making you be able to feel more at ease when you start the more intense training.”

I nod in understanding as I get into the warrior pose. 

A door slams shut as we were transitioning into downward dog and I try hard not to let the noise bother my focus. Ashton’s voice rings out, “We need y’all in the kitchen.”

Ava answers, “We’re training, it can wait.”

“Girls, Tom says.”

Emma responds, “Tell Tom we’re busy. This is important. Parker needs to learn.”

Ashton groans and admits suddenly, “Ryan got a phone call from Hunter.”

I fall down from the surprise and yell, “What?!”

He looks at me with a concerned look and says, “Will y’all please come upstairs now.”

Emma and Ava both answer at the same time, “Yes.”

We all rush up the stairs.

Thomas and Jasper are both pacing in the kitchen while Ryan is sitting on the bar stool with his head in his hands. I sit beside him and set a hand on his arm trying to provide him some kind of comfort. He looks at me and smiles softly.

I look towards Tom and Jasper and both of their wives have stopped their pacing and are attempting to comfort them as well.

Tom looks at me and says, “Parker, I think we should relocate you.”

Before I can even say a word both Ryan and Ashton are screaming their protests. Emma yells, “Shut up boys! Let Parker speak. Honey, what do you think?”

I glance at my boys knowing that what I’m about to say will hurt them. I sigh, “I agree. Hunter has to know that I’m near because of sending out Lorelei and him calling Ryan-”

Before I can keep talking Jasper jumps in, “By the way Ryan you’re changing your number.”

He nods in agreement and I say, “I agree. Where I am is a little too risky.”

Ava says, “But sending you too far away will be too dangerous as well. I recommend just sending her about an hour away from here. And I think Ryan and Ashton should go with her.”

We look to Thomas and Jasper waiting to see if they approve of this idea. They have their arms crossed and are hard to read at the moment. Finally, they both nod and Thomas says, “I’ll start looking for a place for the three of you. But I do want to ask…”

He trails off and we all look at him waiting for him to continue. Blaze runs into the room barking and Ashton picks him up holding him by me so we both can pet him. Tom smirks, “I think I already know the answer though. Parker, Ashton, are you two together now?”

I glance up at Ashton who is looking down at me as if he’s asking for my approval. I smile softly and nod and he surprises me as he pulls me back smashing his lips to mine. He looks up at the others and says, “Does that answer your question?”

I blush deeply as the laughter echoes through the room. Tom shakes his head as he finishes laughing and asks, “Will the two of you be sharing a room?”

I know Ashton is looking to see what my thoughts are so I answer, “Yes, we will.”

Emma squeals, “Aw, you guys are finally together!”

I roll my eyes at her statement as she begins to clap and everyone joins in making me more embarrassed while Ashton looks proud knowing that he finally got me like he’s always wanted.

Ava changes the topic and I feel grateful to her, “When should these three be ready to leave by?”

Tom answers, “I’ll try to have a new place for y’all by tomorrow morning. So spend the day packing please.”

The three of us turn to leave and I call back, “Tom, make sure that we can bring Blaze with us!”

I hear him laugh in response. I head to my room and until I go to close the door behind me I didn’t notice both Ashton and Ryan following me. I look at them skeptically, “Can I help the two of you?”

Ryan grins, “We’re here to help you pack.”

“Don’t you two have your own rooms to pack?” I ask crossing my arms.

Ashton answers as he opens the top drawer of my dresser, “Don’t you think it will be faster if we all work together?”

I slam the drawer shut, “I don’t want the two of you rummaging through my things.”

Ashton comes up behind me wrapping his arms around my waist and putting his head in the crook of my neck as he says, “Come on, Par, we’re about to be living in the same room. I think it’s okay if I help you pack and end up seeing some of your ‘delicates’.”

Ryan laughs and says, “I agree, Parker, besides we’ve been best friends long enough that you know I’ve seen that stuff already.”

I hear Ashton grumble his disapproval at Ryan seeing me in just my underwear. I play with Ashton’s hair as I shush him. I moan, “Fine, I guess the two of you can help me. So, what we’re gonna go through this room by room?”

They both nod in agreement and we all get to work.

******

Day 11.

3:00 a.m.

Parker:

I jump up gasping for air and immediately feel cold, but hot at the same time. My body is sticky with sweat, but I’m shivering from the chill passing over me. I look around my room and try to see if anything is in here; though it is hard to see in the dark. I pat beside me and feel that Ashton is still asleep beside me.

I have an uneasy feeling, so I walk out of my room and head towards our kitchen to get a glass of water hoping that maybe it will settle me down. When I turn on the light I immediately scream.

I hear doors slamming shut and feet pounding down the stairs. I don’t know who it was who grabbed me, but they turn me around and pull me tightly against their chest as I shake uncontrollably and wail loudly. I feel their hands running through my hair and up and down my back in an attempt to sooth me as I hear them say, “Shh, it’s going to be ok. I promise you it will be ok. Shush, Parker.”

I cry as the scene keeps flashing back in my head. The blood that was everywhere; the head that wasn’t attached to the body, and the body that was so horribly distorted that if I hadn’t seen the head, I wouldn’t have known it was a body.

I feel myself get picked up and I know that they carried me outside because of the cold air. They set me down on the ground and I immediately hold my knees against my chest and rock slightly back and forth and try to calm my shaking.

I feel a blanket get wrapped around my shoulder and I look up to see Ryan; his eyes look glossy and empty and I pull on his hand for him to sit next to me. He sits down beside me and I leave my hand in his as he grips it tightly neither one of us say a word. There is nothing that can fix what we just saw.

I look up into the night sky and tears still roll down my cheeks and I mutter, “I promise; I will find you and you will regret ever doing this to us.”

Ryan nods his agreement and says with his voice soft and cracking, “I’ll be right there with you.”

I turn towards him and he pulls me to his chest and I hold onto him as if he was my life support and I feel his body trembling as he starts to cry along with me. I rub my hand up and down his back as I mutter with tears slowly going down my cheeks, “We’ll get through this.”

I feel him move his head, but I don’t know if he was agreeing or disagreeing with me.

 ******

Day 11

3:00 a.m.

Ryan:

I gasp as I wake up in a cold sweat. I had another nightmare and I can’t fall asleep after that dream. I am starting to get worried as these dreams seem to be occurring more and more often, I can’t help, but feel like something or someone may be entering my head. I’ve been trying to get in touch with Bella the past few days, but I haven’t been able to make a connection.

I groan as I grab my laptop to turn on Netflix, but as I am searching for something to watch I hear a piercing scream that makes me freeze and wonder if I really awake or am I still asleep?

I have to find out as I push my computer back on my bed and rush down the stairs. I make it to the bottom of the stairs and the screams are more muffled now. I see Ashton with Parker in his arms and I know something’s wrong. I walk past them and all I see is red everywhere and in the center of the room is a body.

I have the urge to throw up.

I gulp the urge down and walk into the kitchen to where the body is. It’s tied by the waist and suspended from the ceiling, the whole body is sickly white, blood spots stain different spots of it, and its head has been cut from the neck and is hanging on by a small piece of skin. The eyes are still open where I see the hallow shell of what used to be my girlfriends’ eyes. Her hair is matted and oily and her mouth is slightly open. She’s only wearing a bra and panties and I want to punch something.

I want to cry, scream, curse, and kill all at the same time. My knees give out and I feel the wetness of her blood on them. A sob bubbles out of my mouth and everything goes downhill from there.

She’s dead.

She’s dead.

She’s dead.

It keeps repeating over and over in my head.

This isn’t real. It can’t be real.

She’s dead.

He murdered her.

He f*****g slaughtered her like she was an animal.

I feel a hand tug my shoulder back a little and I get up and almost fall apart in Tom’s arms. Tom pats my back and mutters, “I’m so sorry, bub. This never should’ve happened; I’m so sorry.”

I let go of him and push myself past Ashton and I walk outside slamming the door shut behind me- it’s cold I should probably grab a blanket. I slip back into the house and grab a blanket and a jacket quietly so that the others wouldn’t know I came back inside.

I walk outside and see Parker on the concrete with her knees pressed against her chest and she’s rocking back and forth.

This is so screwed up.

He’s getting to her.

Nobody has ever been able to get to Parker, but Hunter being as sick and twisted as he is…he’s starting to break her.

That must’ve been what his whole goal is. He wants to break her.

If she’s broken, she’ll be easier to defeat.

I put the blanket around her shoulders, and she looks up at me and pulls on my hand for me to sit down next to her. I get down on the ground and clutch Parker’s hand tightly.

I hear her softly say, “I promise; I will find you and you will regret ever doing this to us.”

I nod in agreement and say, “I’ll be right there with you.”

She turns towards me and I pull her into my chest. Both of us clinging to one another. We’re both crying. More like sobbing. I can’t help the jerks of my body from how hard I am sobbing.

I hear her say in my ear, “We’ll get through this.”

I shake my head. I don’t see how I will ever be able to get through this and move on with my life.