Predator

36.

A few months passed since all of the new information came to the Soptic family. Everyone was, to say the least, happy with life. The boys got along well, Neela was healthy, they successfully stayed in isolation as well. However, it was time. Time for them all to rekindle with their family, that included Gigi and Gerald. Damien wanted to go by himself to see Gerald, he wanted to know if he could trust him about his boys.

The boys and Neela all went to their aunt Rose's house. She was a single, free-spirited woman whom barely used her powers unless defending herself from danger or helping heal someone. The boys didn't like spending a lot of time with her, honestly. She lived away from the rest of the world, she had no connections to the outside world, and she would always talk about the stars and planets being in retrograde. But they still loved her, and she was only immediate family member who could be trusted with the boys and Neela.

As soon as Rose welcomed her nephews inside her home, she stopped Neela and with a smile on her face she spoke, "Libra, yes?" Neela's eyes shifted to Ryan and he nodded with with wide eyes and pursed lips. "That's correct," Neela beamed at Rose as she was welcomed inside.

"What brings you lot here? Where's Damien?" Rose didn't believe in sending letters as well. If you wanted to reach her, you would have to visit her. "Father is meeting with Gerald and Gigi," Landon wanted to keep everything vague but Rose kept pestering. "Gerald turned Ryan in for abusing Neela, which wasn't the case, and we all had to go into hiding for almost a year."

Rose gasped, "my god, has it all been resolved? You know how much I loathe trouble." Rose also never left the 1920s. The attire, accent, and lingo has all followed her into recent times. "Yes, it's all resolved. We met with Egin and I was found innocent."

"What is your father about to do to Gerald?" Rose looked at all the faces around her in worry. Honestly? No one knew what was going to happen. It could all end good and the whole family can become whole again, or it could end badly where Damien and his bunch just goes rogue again. "It's hard to decipher what's going to happen," Landon's eyes weren't able to meet Rose's. He was in too deep thinking about possible outcomes of this meeting—he even tried to imagine it ended really badly where someone gets hurt. Of course that thought didn't stay too long. Landon believed that Damien and Gerald both were level-headed men whom aren't quick to anger.

~~

Neela turned in early for the night. There wasn't really much to do at Rose's house but talk. Neela enjoyed the warmth and kindness of Rose, yes, but she felt like she needed to be stimulated with some other type of entertainment.

The beds were all very comfortable. There were only three beds for single people in the guesthouse that was in the back part of Rose's property. Everyone agreed to let the three youngest have the beds, while the rest of the boys resided on the floor or on different furniture pieces inside Rose's home.

~~

When Neela awoke, she was at the residence of Gigi and Gerald. After leaving the guest room, she was welcomed in by cold arms wrapped around her. "It's so great to see you back," she quickly calmed down once she realized it was only Gigi welcoming her in the home. "It feels great to be back," Neela smiled up at Gigi after being released from her grasp.

Without speaking another word, Gigi led Neela downstairs, which she was able to hear yelling before descending down. She froze at the bottom, "I thought everything was okay. Where's Ryan?"

Gigi wasn't able to answer Neela's question before the yells grew louder. "I was doing it for the good of the human! Your son is scum for what he did to her!"

Next, Damien's voice boomed back, "you think Ryan wanted to do the things he's done?! They're destined, for Christ's sake! My disgusting, delusional  brother was the one who made Ryan do it!"

"You let the girl be kidnapped and wander alone in confusion as to why she was kidnapped, yet treated mostly well, yet drug through the mud! I hope that eats you and Ryan alive for the rest of your existence!"

Before Neela could turn to get away from the situation, or even squeak out another syllable, the most intense, searing pain she ever felt had suddenly hit her. Mouth and eyes wide open, she fell to her knees. The torturous pain was mind-numbing, making her unable to pinpoint the type of pain, or just think straight.

The air quickly turned thick after her eyes became water sighted. The ringing in her ears were not from confusion, but only from screams of anguish from Gigi. After hearing this, Neela knew what had happened.

She just wanted to see it for herself, she had to know that what she felt was actually true. Her world, the universe, none of it was listening to her pleas to let her become okay again. The voice in her head was speaking clear, but her actual voice just came out as staggered groans that wouldn't make sense to anyone, even if they were paying her mind.

Mustering up all the energy Neela had, she yelled, which gathered the attention of everyone. "Make it stop!"

~~

Neela flinched upright into Ryan's arms, head butting his chin in the process. "Calm down," he quietly soothed down Neela's frizzy hair. "Quickly, you must tell me. What did you see? Who got hurt?"

"It's all burning!" Neela ignored all the questions being thrown to her and almost literally threw Ryan off her as her skin began to show a red tint. "Neela, tell us, please!" Caleb yelled over her cries of pain and sadness.

She knew it was all a dream but why did it affect her so badly? Nightmares always impaired her emotionally, but it was never a physical pain.

(Hella cliffhanger)