The S-Gene (Book 1: Amelia) - COMPLETE

A/N: Welcome new readers! I am guessing this is due to the book being the Book of the Week for the Book Club :)

Little surprise this week... Noah's POV!

***

Knock! Knock!

That took… a lot longer than he expected.

If he were to be honest, Noah thought someone would come barging in the second that little text message hit his phone. They hadn’t. They let them have their date as they called it. They let him make a stupid-stupid-stupid offer… and then he was given a full night of sleep.

Now the sun was peaking through the horizon, and here they were.

Or there he was.

Noah walked to the door, yanking it open. On the other side, he found a smiling Dr. Harper. If you could call that smiling. His thin lips were stretched, the corners of his mouth twitching as he kept his expression still.

“Good morning Noach.” He tilted his head to the side. “My apologies. It’s Noah nowadays, am I right?”

No one had referred to him as Noach in centuries. Which he knew. “Good morning, Luke.”

He could also play the smiling disrespectful part.

“May I come in?”

“I wasn’t aware you needed my permission.”

“Well then.”

He pushed past Noah, his shoulder grazing his chest, and walked inside the house. Noah closed the door with a flick of the wrist and turned around, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

The visit, he had expected. What he could not foresee however was if this would be a positive or negative conversation. He knew what Amelia represented. He knew what he was… he simply didn’t know how they might feel about it.

Was it their plan all along?

Did it backfire?

Dr. Harper clapped his hands behind his back, taking a few steps away from Noah. “It has been… quite a few years since you’ve had a… match.”

He had been a thorn in their sides for a long time. Always staying, draining their resources, but never leaving. Never providing them with new little Djinns who would one day come to this place and repeat the vicious cycle.

Because that was something else. His chances of conceiving were low, there was no doubt. Except - if it worked, what would their choices be? Hopefully, they would be human. If not, they would have to pick between a life of hiding, or maybe servitude… or hiding out here.

There were no good answers.

Maybe there was more hope, more positivity, but he could no longer see it. The centuries had darkened his heart. Humans had.

“It has.” He paused. “Maybe a new neighbor was what I needed.”

“Yes, Miss Parks seems to be quite skilled when it comes to provoking unusual behavior.”

Unusual behavior. That was the description he chose for all the psychos and their stalking? He would call it something else.

“But I suppose, universal carriers have a knack for bringing the interest out of people. Even those we had long given up on.”

“Less than ten percent is never an attractive number.”

“Neither is being poor.”

He could make someone the richest person on this planet - give them everything they ever desired and more… but he could never do it for himself. Some people paid him to get more. More wishes, more ownership - or even to trade him, to own him.

Except, how could he keep the money? Where? And what happened to it when he would eventually change owner? He couldn’t keep anything, he couldn’t own anything - not even himself.

“Can I help you with something?”

He was sick of the whole dancing around the issue. He didn’t like having him here. This place, despite its flaws, despite everything he hated about it, was everything he had. This was him allowed to own something. Even if he didn’t truly own it.

The thought of losing it?

It made his stomach churn and his insides quiver. He couldn’t lose it.

“How was your date with Miss Parks?”

“Good.”

“It is nice to see that even you are not immune to the power of universal carriers.”

He tried. He did.

He failed.

Hence why he had so fucking stupidly suggested his little plan. His ego might have felt better if she had proposed it and he had caved in. The pull was hard to ignore, hard to fight. It got worse every day she was near, every interaction that they had.

He’d walk away from so much since he got here, but her? He couldn’t.

“I have to admit - I was very - very surprised when Miss Parks told me she had a date with you.”

There it was. The little speech he had been waiting for since Dr. Harper walked in. He knew he couldn’t put it off for too long.

“Your file hadn’t ended up in her hands and…” He chuckled. “We never received a bid from you.” Dr. Harper smoothened his left eyebrow with his index finger, tilting his head forward. “Now, we’ve had… organic situations in the past, but never with a universal carrier.”

“I guess I was lucky she ended up being my neighbor.”

Even if he refused to believe it was luck. Especially now that he stood in front of him. It couldn’t be luck.

“You understand that universal carriers are… valuable.”

Cash cow. The word he was looking for was a cash cow. They got a lot of bribes, money being thrown at them. The highest bidder often won… because the carriers usually wanted money and nothing else.

Except for Amelia.

They had tried and that did not work on her. Now they were stuck. They had to somewhat protect her, but try to get her matched. The longer she was here, the longer she was unattached, and the worse it would get.

They would lose their minds, there would be more ambushes. It left them all on edge. The faster they could have her at least in a contract, the more they could put a damper on things. He had seen their devices; they had ways to lessen the effect she had on the different beings here.

But they couldn’t justify using it until she was taken.

This worked for them because Amelia was becoming a problem.

“I know. She’s…” He was going to make him say it. “She might be my only shot at this. I am being serious about this.”

No one else would look at him, no one would want this or him. Maybe the wishes. Except, this place, despite its fucked up rules, wouldn’t let that happen. Someone couldn’t come in and demand wishes. They praised themselves for the fake safety they claimed to offer.

Sure, someone could try a contract and get the wishes but - not many Djinn would offer wishes in a contract. After all, they had already been used their whole lives. Why come here for the same thing? Like him, if they were here, it was because they initially believed they could be like anyone else.

That they could trust and love someone wholly.

What a load of bullshit.

“I - I wanted to talk to her soon. See how she felt about… us being more.”

It was why he was here. It was what they all wanted to hear. He was feeding them the bullshit that they sought.

“Wonderful! Let’s give her a moment to think it through. So that she may realize what she was winning… or rather losing. Time is of the essence, however.”

He wouldn’t give him long. A day at most.

“Great.”

“Great. I shall be on my way then. I do believe you have a second date to plan. Or who knows? Maybe if you’re lucky, a contract.”

Dr. Harper smiled at him before walking himself out, confidence oozing from his stride as he loudly slammed the door shut behind him.

Noah had hoped to let the dust settle and give Amelia a moment to process the ridiculous offer he had given her. She had much more to win than he did. She wanted to leave this place - hence why he had offered it.

She trusted him.

She trusted no one but him.

That thought alone made his heart swell in his chest, even if it should not. When he said it, unprompted, without thinking it through, he saw it as a way for them to both get what they wanted. He would cumulate failures, she would fulfill her contract and they would be on their way.

Her back to the real word.

Him, here, in his fantasy land.

It had seemed simple.

He would let his obsession, the pull of a universal, carry him through a few months of misery. Then, she would return to the normal world, and be whoever she wished to be. He had tried to tempt her with the world, advantages - the money.

She didn’t want any of it.

Even if clearly, the sole reason she was here was that she needed that money.

It had been perfect. Or it had seemed perfect in his confused mind. A passing thought, that shouldn’t have left his lips but did.

Now? Not so much.

It did not appear that Dr. Harper would let him have his cake and eat it too. No one expected much to come out of this match but - Noah had a feeling he wouldn’t be allowed the same kind of life of freedom following Amelia’s departure.

It was a choice; trade her freedom for his.

Could he do it?

***

“Noah?”

As soon as Amelia opened the door, he felt his resolve melt away. He had spent the night tossing and turning, praying she would be the one to put him out of his misery. If she said no, they would turn the page. If she said yes…

She would seal their fate.

He wanted to say he could take it back, tell her it was an insane idea, but he couldn’t. He knew the cost. He had thought about it. It didn’t change anything. Every time he looked at her, every time he saw her…

He had to help her.

Anything that might be a disappointment was soul-crushing. It wasn’t fair. He wasn’t fighting a fair fight. He never had a chance.

“Hey, can - can I come in?”

She was clutching the door, dark circles beneath her eyes - she hadn’t slept much either. Because of his offer? Because she feared someone might come in and attack her? He couldn’t ask - not when there were ears everywhere.

Amelia swallowed hard, nodding, before moving out of the way. He saw her throw a few glances outside - so maybe it was the paranoia getting to her and not the idea of having to pretend with him.

Why did that thought make his heart squeeze in pain?

“Wanna try some silver on me?” he teased as he turned around to face her.

“I know it’s you.”

“I-I wanted to talk to you. About - look.” He sighed. “It was one date, and it sounds crazy. I know that. I know. But we - I think we… connected the moment you came here.”

His own words were making him cringe. He didn’t want to be saying this. If he had the freedom to speak, he would be saying something else entirely. It felt like he was losing his one chance at wooing her which was completely insane.

He shouldn’t be doing any wooing.

“I know you have a lot of offers. Good offers. I - I’m- I do think I’m the better choice. Safer choice. We shared - and… you don’t love everything about this place. You don’t wanna be here… but I think… we’re both out of place. We could make this work. It’s the first time that I feel like this is worth it.”

The small truth behind the words stung like daggers in his chest. It was harder to take breaths, his mouth felt like cotton and he didn’t like everything he was saying. It was the first time he was risking his freedom. The first time he was putting it on the line.

He wished she knew that was true.

But she couldn’t.

Because to her, this was all fake. All of it.

It was better if she kept thinking that way. He knew that.

“It’s not the way people court. Babies aren’t the first - it’s not at the top of the list. It’s unusual but I feel like we could both make the best out of it.”

Please understand.

Her face became pale and he knew she was trying to separate what he was saying and what he had told her that night. She had asked for a moment to think about it, and when he agreed to that, he meant to give her more time.

Now it looked like he was pressuring her but - someone else was pressuring him. He had no choice.

“We have to go through this… to… try to see if there is more to this. I think there is.”

Her hand came up, covering her mouth, and for a mere moment, he could have sworn he could hear her heart beating. Once the legal stuff was out of the way, they would have more privacy, he would be able to talk to her more.

He simply needed to get her there without being able to say anything about it.

Easier said than done.

“So what if - it doesn’t work? They - they told me that… when you make a contract… the person provides protection. If it works or not. I didn’t wanna think that people would come after me, but with all the psychos out here… Kinda scared of what they might do out there.”

He had thought about that too. Her safety was important. He had thought of using it as an argument to help convince her that this was a bad idea after all. Except, his brain had come up with ways he could cover that gap. How he could protect her once she left this place?

Because despite everything he told himself as he walked over here, he was talking to her in the hopes of seeing this through. Not to undo it.

“I can protect you.”

“How?”

“I would - I would rather leave it out. I don’t want them to… know,” he said, whispering the last word. “I’ll tell you. Eventually. But for now, you’d have to trust me.”

Three wishes.

He would give her three wishes. He didn’t want Genecorp to know. If they knew that he would give her three wishes, they might use it - or her against him. He would outline the wishes very carefully. One: Money. Two: Normal - he’d make it so she wouldn’t be a carrier anymore. Three: Erasure - he’d take away all of her memories from the supernatural.

Amelia had already said she would not make any wishes. He knew he couldn’t let her in on it. If he told her now, she would try to find another way, she would tell him not to do it. He would add it in the end - manually.

Then, it would be a sealed contract and she wouldn’t be able to change it - same thing for Genecorp. She would be free. No one would hunt her down because she would be a normal human girl. And she would have the money she needed.

He had helped worse people. People who had tortured him and enslaved him.

If he offered her a normal life now, she wouldn’t accept it.

In the contract… she would have to do it.

Then it would be over. He would stop obsessing over her and she would leave this place. The price he would pay would be steep, he knew this. After all, he would be taking a universal carrier away from the world.

He had survived worse than whatever Genecorp could do to him. He would be fine. Maybe he would have to leave. It was alright. He had centuries in front of him. He could wait for them to forget and then return. He could be someone new. They would never know.

Or was he simply trying to convince himself that it would be alright?

“Trust you?”

“I know it hasn’t been easy. But, that’s why we’re trying this, right? You trust me.”

He couldn’t say as much as he wanted and he hoped she would understand and read through the lines. After Dr. Harper’s little visit, he knew they were being watched a lot. He couldn’t afford to let anything slip.

For now, they were allowing this to happen because they thought it was genuine. Their first friendly interactions helped sell this - that and how distrustful Amelia was when it came to anyone else.

He didn’t want to give them a reason to be suspicious.

He didn’t want them to nip it in the bud before they could get the contract signed. Or after. What if one of them suddenly disappeared? The contracts were meant to be ironclad, but Genecorp didn’t like anyone messing with the process.

“Right.” She nodded, her lips pinched together. “I do,” she added, a slight tremble to her voice. “Plus - who knows,” she babbled on. “If it works- we might… you know. Get positive results.”

He wasn’t sure it was all adding up. But he knew what she meant to do. Maybe they’d have a kid and a happy ending. She was selling the lie - which led him to believe that she did understand what he was trying to tell her. Good.

“Alright, so, I - I could, I can arrange it. I can arrange it with them and we’ll have the contract drafted and signed. Does that work for you?”

He saw the flash of panic in her eyes. It was happening fast, probably faster than she wanted it to happen. He wished he could give her more time, but he feared that the more they delayed this, the less time they would have.

After all, they couldn’t pretend forever.

The faster they did it, the faster it was over.

“Sure-sure. That works for me.”

“Alright.”

Noah leaned inside, wrapping his arms around her body. Initially, she stiffened, but it didn’t stop him from bringing her closer. He snuck his face into the crook of her neck taking one very short subtle breath.

Her scent.

It was calming and unnerving at the same time. His nose twitched and he was tempted to smell her again but he held back. Now was not the time to creep her out. He had to remind himself that she did not feel the pull that he felt.

It was all in his head.

He could be the kind of creep she was running from. He wanted to be the opposite and that meant keeping himself in check. Yes. He was better than them. He was better than to listen to every whim of his body. He was not human, but he refused to be a thoughtless animal.

Surely, he was stronger than his urges.

They might enjoy being reckless and disregarding her, but he wouldn’t do that.

He couldn’t.

“It’ll be over soon,” he whispered in her ear before pulling away from her. Gently, he cupped her cheek, caressing the skin with his thumb. They were in love, right? Love at first sight.

What a joke.

A joke he used to believe in before - but it wasn’t real. None of it was.

She nodded, raising a trembling hand to grip his wrist. “Thank you.”

To them, it might sound like she was thanking him for agreeing to do this contract, to provide her with compensation. But he knew she was thanking him for ending her nightmare on her terms.

She wasn’t doing this to be with him.

She was doing this to save herself.

He would protect her - and then he would let her go.

It was the best outcome for everyone.

Everyone.