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  Canvas Skies

  S. L. Wallace

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or, if real, are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Copyright 2012 by Sarah Yoho

  First electronic edition: March 2012

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or stored in a database or retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, taping and recording, without prior written permission from the publisher.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Cover art created by Extended Imagery

  www.ExtendedImagery.com

  Published by Sarah Yoho at Smashwords

  ISBN: 9781301413263

  This book is also available in print.

  For Jim and Alyssa

  Thank you to R.K. Ryals, Rhodora Fitzgerald, Butch Fitzgerald, Kerstin Broockmann, Sharissa Sherwood, T.S. Gwilliam, Andrew Augustine and Edward Foster for providing honest and insightful critiques.

  Table of Contents

  April - Cauchemars

  Guy - The Dry Martini

  Keira - Brody Delaney

  Brody - Secrets and Lies

  Guy - Moving Ahead

  Keira - The Proposal

  Aimee - Nadine

  Keira - New London, New Decisions

  Aimee - Leaving Parisio

  Keira - Reunion

  Aimee - Getting to Know You, Again

  Brody - Asking for Help

  Keira - Assassin in the Night

  Guy - What Is She?

  Keira - Bullets Should Kill

  Keira - Canvas Skies

  Guy - Abductions

  Keira - Cole’s Dilemma

  Brody - Back at CalTech

  Aimee - The Grand Opening

  Keira - The Justice Center

  Aimee - Lunch with Hisoka

  Guy - Forever Strong and Fit

  Keira - Tony’s

  Aimee - Artist’s Special

  Keira - Redemption for Orphans

  Aimee - A Wolf on the Prowl

  Brody - Freelancers for Hire

  Aimee - Broken Trust

  Guy - Together Again

  Aimee - Chocolat Chaud

  Keira - A Grand Estate

  Keira - CalTech Security

  Guy - The In-Laws

  Keira - Alliance

  Aimee - Secrets Revealed

  Brody - Revelations

  Hisoka - Trial

  Keira - On the Run

  Guy - Rebellion

  Keira - One Down

  Scott - A Coup?

  Aimee - Harlow

  Brody - The Only One

  Guy - Healing

  Aimee - Truth

  Guy - No Dictator

  Heart of Humanity

  About the Author

  Other Books

  -April-

  Cauchemars

  I sit up, startled into sudden awareness as my blankets tumble to my waist. I reach out, feeling for the chain. A soft light sets the pink lampshade aglow, illuminating my room.

  Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I wait and listen.

  “April!”

  What could he possibly want at this time of night? Footsteps pound on the stairs above me. No! I glance toward the door and catch my reflection in the full length mirror. My uniform? When did I get dressed?

  Bang! The bedroom door slams against the wall, and there he is. Lance Beckett’s silhouette fills my doorway, black leather belt in hand. As he turns to close and lock the door, I see it – the handle of a steak knife sticking out of his back.

  His focus returns to me, and he strides forward. A red, flower petal formation blossoms on his white business shirt. I push back, skimming across the sheets. Metal bars from the headboard press painfully against my spine. I can retreat no further.

  My breath is knocked from me suddenly as I feel a sharp kick in my stomach. What? I look down at my bulging belly in shock and realize it’s true. I’m carrying his child.

  I raise my head and peer into his cold grey eyes.

  ***

  A scream in the distance pierced the night. From nearby I heard a familiar voice call.

  “April! April, wake up!”

  Who’s screaming? Fingers dug painfully into my shoulders and pulled me upward, away from the past. My eyelids fluttered open, and my brother’s emerald green eyes stared back at me. Rumpled black hair framed his face.

  “Scott!” I looked around in confusion, and then let out a rush of air. Mr. Beckett was nowhere in sight. I took a deep breath and held it, trying to still the tremors that continued to course through my veins. He’s dead. He can’t hurt you anymore. Yet I knew that wasn’t true.

  He continued to hurt me every single night. I shuddered one final time, and my breathing returned to normal.

  Convinced that I was fully awake, Scott let go and sank to the foot of my bed. I reached for my belly. Through my thin pink cotton pajamas, I could tell that it was still flat and firm, but I also knew it wouldn’t be long before…I pulled my knees up to my chest and buried my face in my arms. My long blond hair tumbled over my shoulders. Scott waited patiently until I was ready.

  Finally, I looked up. “You shouldn’t use that name. What time is it?”

  “Just after two. Do you want to talk about it?”

  I shook my head as Danielle and Noah appeared in the doorway. Noah held tight to his mother’s hand. Danielle looked refined, as always. Her deep blue satin nightgown could almost pass for a dress. Long black hair flowed down her back, and her deep brown eyes mirrored Scott’s concern.

  Noah wore his favorite green pajamas printed with giraffes, elephants and lions. Proceeds from purchasing those pajamas, as well as the stuffed animals that now lived in Noah’s bedroom, went to support a large animal sanctuary in Afrik. Their natural habitat had been devastated by human actions long ago. Now that sanctuary was the only place in the world those animals still lived. Afrik, like Terene, was in rough shape, a truth I had only learned about when I’d moved to Mediterra. Back home, citizens were told we’d won the last war and that Terene had fared better than all of the other realms, especially better than Mediterra. I wished there was a way to show people the truth.

  I looked at Danielle and Noah. “I woke you too? I’m so sorry.”

  Danielle shook her head. “You have nothing to apologize for. We’re here to help you.”

  Noah looked up at her briefly, then dropped her hand and walked over to place his small warm hand in mine. He looked at me with such a somber expression, although nothing could diminish his brilliant green eyes.

  “Let’s go get chocolat chaud, Aunt Aimee.”

  “What? Do you mean hot chocolate?”

  “Maman says hot chocolate can help.” Noah emphasized the end of Mama, giving it a Mediterran flair. He smiled at Danielle. “And it tastes tres bon!” Although they’d only known each other a short time, Noah had come to adore Danielle and she him. As for Scott, well the two of them shared a bond all the way down to their genes. They were lucky to have each other, all three of them, and I realized I was lucky to have them too.

  I leaned down and hugged Noah. “Merci. Thank you. I think that sounds like a wonderful idea!”

  As we followed Danielle an
d Noah downstairs to the kitchen, I leaned toward Scott and spoke quietly. “How are you coping? You have even more reason than me for nightmares.”

  It had been less than three months since the Ramsey Corps doctors had cut him up for their own experiments. Granted, one of the cuts had been to remove his kidney for Noah, the only clone to have survived the transplant.

  “Yes, I have them too.” Scott placed his hands lightly on my shoulders and directed me to one of the kitchen chairs. “We all do.”

  “Maman calls them cauchemars,” Noah said. He joined Danielle at the stove. She got out a small pot and pointed toward the refrigerator. He retrieved the milk for her.

  Scott and I sat at the dark mahogany table. While we waited for the milk to simmer, I looked down and began to pick at the tabletop. I could feel Scott’s gaze, but I refused to meet his eyes.

  “You should talk about it. It can help.”

  “Maybe later.” I looked at Noah, now seated across the table. He didn’t need to hear about my demons. “What about you, kiddo? What are your cauchemars about?”

  “The doctors wake me up. I just want to play with my toys, but they say I’ll have time for that later. They take me into a really big room with machines and boxes of babies, and I can see Daddy lying on a bed. And…” his voice was low, barely above a whisper, “they’re hurting Daddy.” Noah hopped off his chair and hurried over to Scott. He buried his face in his father’s lap.

  With his index finger, Scott traced circles on Noah’s back. “And then you wake up, and you’re safe and so am I.”

  Noah nodded as Scott gathered him up in his arms.

  Danielle walked over and gently kissed the top of Noah’s head before she returned to the stove to add chocolate to the warm milk. We remained quiet, lost in our own thoughts about Ramsey Corps. A few minutes later, Danielle placed the first cup of hot chocolate in front of Noah. As she set the second mug in front of me, I studied her face.

  “You too?”

  She nodded. “My dreams start out peaceful. I’m in a familiar place with Scott.” She glanced at him, and he held her gaze. “But then he’s gone. I look all around, searching, but I can’t find him anywhere. It’s the feeling of loss that turns my dreams into cauchemars.”

  Noah looked at her and repeated Scott’s words. “And then you wake up, and Daddy is there, and you’re safe.”

  Danielle ruffled his hair and smiled down at him. “Yes, I wake up and you’re both here, and we’re all safe.” She returned to the stove for the last two mugs of hot chocolate.

  “What about you?” I turned my attention to Scott.

  “Oh, I’ve had a great many nightmares. They’re all different, but I talk about each of them with Dani when I wake, and they’ve begun to fade.”

  “What do you mean, fade?”

  Scott shrugged. “They’re either not coming as frequently, or they’re not waking me up.

  Either way, I’ve been sleeping through the night more often than not.”

  He looked me right in the eye, and I knew. I didn’t know how he was keeping it from Danielle, but I could tell. Scott was lying, probably to protect her. Does she prefer lies to the truth?

  While we continued to talk, Danielle placed a steaming mug in front of Scott. She didn’t sit, but remained quiet, leaning against the counter, sipping her own hot chocolate.

  Noah finished his and started to doze in his father’s arms. Scott looked from Noah to me. “Your turn,” he whispered.

  “In a minute.” I caught Danielle’s eye and nodded at Noah. She set down her mug, walked over and leaned down. Noah’s small arms wound around her neck. After his family left, Scott turned to me.

  I shook my head. “I’ll share when Danielle returns. What have your nightmares been about?”

  He sighed. “Sometimes people in white lab coats are hacking off my fingers and toes without anesthesia. Other times, they’re removing my internal organs in order to keep hundreds of clones alive.”

  “Hundreds?” Despite the hot chocolate, a chill passed through me.

  Scott nodded. “And sometimes, there’s no one in the lab but me. I search in the adjoin-ing rooms but can’t find who I’m looking for.”

  “And that would be?”

  “Noah.”

  Scott and Danielle had taken the task of naming Noah to heart. He couldn’t remain Clone #24 forever. They had decided on Noah because of its meaning, peaceful and long-lived, traits they hoped for in the boy. He was the first of his kind to survive past the age of four, so there was no way to know for sure whether or not he would make it to adulthood.

  Would his other organs fail as his kidneys had? Thanks to Scott, his body had accepted the transplant, so there was a chance.

  “I thought you said talking about them would help,” I said, referring to Scott’s nightmares, “so why have you stopped talking to Danielle?”

  His eyes clouded over. “Talking about them was helping, but it was hurting Dani. She won’t admit it, but I noticed an increase in her nightmares when I began telling her about mine.”

  I reached over and squeezed his hand. “You can talk to me then. Anytime.”

  “Alright, but you need to return the favor.”

  I nodded and began to describe my most recent nightmare just as Danielle returned to the kitchen. They both listened intently as I related Lance Beckett’s most recent attack on me while I slept.

  Toward the end of the telling, I’d closed my eyes. When I was done, the room was eerily silent. I opened my eyes and looked at Scott. He looked really mad, just as a brother should. I believed what he’d said after my rescue, if Keira hadn’t killed Mr. Beckett, he would have.

  Danielle spoke first. “I don’t think talking about it will be enough for you, April. Have you made a decision yet?”

  I hung my head and avoided her eyes. It was the obvious next question. And she had used my real name. Danielle hardly ever did that. She knew how important it was for me to get used to my new name. After weeks of feeling trapped, I finally wept for myself. And I wept even more for the baby.

  “I don’t know what to do.” I sobbed. “Every night I relive what he did to me in one way or another or what we did to him. Sometimes both. I just don’t think that’s going to stop once the baby is born. Seeing him or her every day. What if it looks like him? This child deserves a clean start and lots of love, but what if I just can’t provide that?” I finally raised my eyes to meet theirs.

  “You could leave the child in Mediterra when you return home,” Scott suggested. “Do you think the distance might help you move on?”

  “Maybe. But I can’t do that.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because of what they did to me! Dr. Ross gave me the injection too. This baby will be able to heal and regenerate, just like you…just like me.”

  “April.”

  “Aimee,” I insisted.

  He nodded and then continued, “Aimee, you don’t know that for sure.”

  “Yes, I do.” I watched as realization of what I’d done spread across his face.

  “You didn’t. Not to the baby!”

  Okay, maybe he hadn’t understood exactly. I shook my head. “No, not that. But I have checked. I can regenerate the same as you, and this baby is sharing my blood right now.

  Chances are good that he or she is like me, aren’t they? I can’t just give the baby up for adoption to some unsuspecting couple. What will happen to their child when they realize?

  The tests, the studies. I can’t let that happen.”

  “There is another option.”

  I looked at Danielle. There it was. It hung in the air between us. My hand went to my belly. “No, I could never.”

  “Not that,” Scott interrupted.

  I shook my head. What were they talking about?

  Scott reached for Danielle’s hand. “We’ve already discussed it. We’d be happy to welcome your baby into our strange little family.”

  “Really?”

  They both
nodded. Tears streamed down my face, only this time they weren’t tears of fear or sadness. I reached across the table. They each took one of my hands in theirs, and we formed a circle: a circle of protection, a circle of love. It was exactly what I wanted for my baby and what I feared I couldn’t provide.

  “When would you need to know?”

  Danielle responded first. “Whenever. You can even wait until after the birth if you’d prefer.”

  I nodded. She was absolutely right. There was no reason to rush.

  -Guy-

  The Dry Martini

  The Dry Martini was the place to be. A lively melody emanated from the grand piano in the middle of the room, encouraging dancers to mingle on the polished parquet dance floor.

  I leaned back against the smooth ebony bar and reached into my inner suit pocket to remove the gold pendant. I rubbed it thoughtfully between my thumb and index finger and then held it up, letting it dangle on its chain. Around and around it spun, a serpent in the shape of an S striking at a coin with a G imprinted on it. I’d given this very necklace to Keira over a year ago when I’d finally shared our secret. Even now, I questioned Scott’s reluctance to tell her earlier.

  The metaphor was fitting. The serpent represented the Working Class. It struck at a coin that represented the Elite. Disliked and mistrusted by many, serpents will strike back with full force when cornered. So why hadn’t they? I pocketed the pendant. What would it take for the general populace to strike back? My thoughts drifted to last year’s Palamara report.

  Surely that had been the time. Cloning had been outlawed ages ago throughout the world, and Ramsey Corps’s transgressions had certainly caused an uproar for a short time. Then it seemed as if everyone just forgot about it and moved on. What was wrong with people? If that wasn’t enough, then what would it take?

  Keira’s black dress kissed her ankles as Brody Delaney, head of CalTech, spun her away and pulled her back in time to the music. They made a handsome couple on the dance floor.

  People watched them. Only I knew that she would look even better at home. The short red-haired curly wig would come off. She’d let down her wavy black hair. I’d run my fingers through it, look into those amazing emerald green eyes and…the pianist ended the song with a trill, breaking into my reverie.