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

A/N: LONG TIME NO SEE.

Thank you to those who left me kind words on my wall post. As some of you may know, RSV snuck into my household. My youngest got sick enough for hospitalization. So that was a whole ordeal. After all that, too many rounds of antibiotics... we got the Influenza. 4 days of fever for my oldest two, EIGHT for my youngest (which I was told is *normal* these days).

The flu was not kind to me either. So, it’s been a rough couple of weeks/months. I am praying for a one day break from the viruses. To parents out there, I feel your pain. To people without kids getting sick, I also send you good vibes.

So, after such a long wait...

Here you go!

Thank you xoxo.

****

Oh god, please stop. Please stop.

Amelia clutched her stomach as she rocked back and forth, her knees digging into the cold floor. She was on all four, emptying the non-existent content of her stomach over and over again.

She had woken up mere moments ago and it had been a violent awakening. The urge to vomit had overcome her, and she had launched herself on the ground, eyes still closed, so that she could puke her life out.

The last time they had used that drug on her, her awakening had not been this painful. What the fuck.

The bile burned as she dry-heaved, nothing coming past her lips. Was it over? God, she needed it to be over. She leaned back, sitting on her feet, as her hand came up to wipe the sweat off her forehead. Fuck. She was a thousand degrees.

As she tried to take a deep breath, ignoring the pain in her guts, she finally allowed herself to glance around. Wait a damn minute. Where the fuck was she? This was not the house they had gifted her - and it wasn’t Noah’s either.

A new house?

No…

They said they were going back.

Amelia stumbled to her feet, looking at the room around her. No windows. One door. What was this sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach? Last time she woke up next to Noah - this… this was not the same.

She was alone.

The anxiety spreading through her was enough to make her stomach churn again, but she swallowed it back down. No. She rushed around the room, opening every drawer. The ones from the dresser only had clothes and although she tossed all the clothes on the floor, she found nothing else.

The ones from the nightstand were empty.

The bed had nothing but sheets.

Amelia patted herself down, hoping she might feel the cell phone they had gifted to her - but nothing. They had taken it. But who would take her? She was already sketchily here. They already had her trapped…

And how could they have been so stupid, so foolish?

She never thought anyone would be able to locate them. Wasn’t that why they had sent them to such a remote location? To give them peace and privacy? So… did Genecorp not care that someone took her away, or did someone pay the right amount?

Either… or… they had to know about this. There was no other explanation.

Why did she think a contract would get her out? Why did she think there was a way out of this? She was stuck forever from the moment she agreed to this insane trial. No contract, no deal was ever going to save her.

They were money oriented, and they would never be anything else. She was a pain in their ass, a thorn they wanted to pluck. So they let her be captured.

And Noah? What had they done to Noah? He had freedom here… he had put his neck on the line to protect her…

And now?

Amelia rushed to her feet and launched herself at the door. She lifted her hands, pounding at the door as hard as she could. She ignored the throbbing of her hands, the heaviness of her stomach, and the way everything spun around her.

“Let me out! WHOEVER THE FUCK YOU ARE, LET ME OUT!”

She screamed, over and over again until her voice felt raw and began cracking. Her hands were burning, the wood of the door chipping at her skin. It didn’t stop her. She kept going until she could no longer make a sound.

Amelia’s hands dragged down, and she fell to her knees, her chest heaving with each breath she took. Son of a bitch. If she had the energy, she would laugh at herself. She should know better than to think anyone in this place would listen to her or help her.

One scam after the other. Everything was a damn lie.

“Amelia?”

The voice was faint, but there was no mistake about it. Amelia felt like her heart was about to leap out of her chest. It couldn’t be but it was. It had to be.

She rose, her wobbly legs nearly giving up on her and she threw her body against the door. “Noah?”

There were many things wrong with the environment surrounding her, but her heart raced at the glimmer of hope he offered. Something was hella wrong with whatever was happening here, but if at least she wasn’t alone…

“Noah,” she croaked out, almost fearing she had hallucinated his voice.

Instead of getting a verbal answer, the door began to shake, and then, faster than she could move away, it cracked open. Relief flooded her as she got a peak of Noah, despite her tumble backward.

His cheeks were flushed, redder than usual, his hair tousled as he stepped inside, his whole body rigid. “Amelia? Oh thank god,” he said, his head dipping forward. “I- I woke up in a room - didn’t they say they were taking us home? I thought - I thought they meant. Anywhere but this? Then you weren’t there, and it took everything to open that door…”

She launched herself forward, gripping his forearms. He was real. He was real and he was here. Was this another way Genecorp was trying to get them together? Maybe it hadn’t gone fast enough for them.

Maybe - maybe they were tightening the screws a little more, backing them in a corner.

“I thought - I thought they were taking us back too… but this doesn’t look like it…” She exhaled, blowing out the air from her lungs. “Do you think they ran… some tests…” she added, lowering her tone of voice.

This was Genecorp, and they had eyes and ears everywhere. Noah appeared to be as confused as she was - he probably didn’t think about covering up their conversation.

“We have to assume,” he answered, taking a step forward. “I haven’t… I heard you. I didn’t know it was you… I’ve only been in my - room, and the hallway. Do you think this is like the other house?”

Did they realize they hadn’t done it? Or had they simply concluded that this cycle was a waste? No… there was no possible way to tell if she was pregnant or not. Even if they had done it, this would be too soon following a fertile period.

She wasn’t a fertility expert but… it didn’t make sense. Then again, up until recently, supernatural creatures weren’t a thing… so what the hell did she know…

They could figure this out, they could explore and talk about it.

“Maybe we should check out the rest of this place… see what we’re dealing with here.”

“Yeah.”

There was more she wanted to tell him, but nothing she could risk saying in the open. “We can bubble our way out of this.” That should act as a subtle reminder that they needed to get some privacy.

Noah tilted his head to the side, his eyebrows drawing in closer as he frowned. She searched his eyes for understanding, but she found nothing. No subtle cue, no hidden communication… nothing.

Why did that send alarms blaring in her head?

“Bubble?”

Oh no.

Her stomach dropped, her guts clenching and she willed all of her control to not let her mouth twitch. She wanted to think it was the confusion, that she wasn’t clear enough but - her throat went dry.

“Burst - I meant burst. Bubble bursting. I-“ she chuckled. “My head is pounding and I puked my guts out. I need ten years of rest and a couple of cups of coffee.”

He smirked at her. “Yeah - me too. Let’s get out of here and do that.”

Noah stretched out his arm, offering her his hand and she took it, her smile never faltering. She even managed to hide the shaking of her hand. Noah would have understood. Noah would have known. She could excuse him for not doing it right away, but this…

No.

An ache formed in the back of her throat while chills ran through her body. Her fingers were cold, begging to crisp into fists as a defense mechanism, but she couldn’t allow it to happen. She couldn’t betray herself.

This could only be one person. One thing.

It was the skinwalker.

Amelia wanted to run - her feet were ready to leap off the floor, but she knew she couldn’t. This - keeping up this charade was her only option. Touching his hand while it wore Noah’s face was enough to make her skin crawl, but she hid it.

Fine, she’d let him play his stupid game. Until she knew more.

Then - then she would escape.

***

“Amelia?”

It still felt wrong. Every time he looked at her, every time he spoke. She had seen it be strangers before but this was different. She knew who Noah was. She knew his mannerism, the way the pitch of his voice would change…

It made her sick to her stomach.

“Sorry - I… You know how I feel about Genecorp.”

This was the only temporary solution she had come up with for now. She answered in a way that cut the conversations short. He didn’t want to risk saying the wrong thing, so she kept referring to opinions, facts, and other things he should know. If he were Noah.

So far it had worked.

They had looked around the place, trying to find an exit, but they were all shut. She had to pretend she believed how shocked and upset he was. The problem was, she wasn’t that good of an actress. For now, the stress, shock, and recovery from the medicine made it believable.

But how long until he saw through her charade and realized she had made him?

How nice would he be then?

Already, Amelia could see the bigger picture.

He grabbed her hand a lot, touching her, lingering fingers. At first, she wondered, why Noah? Then she put it together. After all, he wasn’t in love with her. It was like all the others. He wanted her for what she was.

And he wanted his incubator.

Didn’t matter if she didn’t love him.

Didn’t matter if she didn’t want him.

He could take on many faces. She assumed he could have whatever form he wished to impregnate her. He wanted to abuse the proximity between her and Noah so that she would have sex with him.

Panicked, filled with fear, stuck somewhere all alone. What easy prey right? Especially since there was no way to deny that he had inside help. Meaning, he knew that Noah and she had ‘consummated’ their relationship. It wouldn’t be crazy to think they would do it again.

Except they hadn’t.

Amelia had thought about using whatever it was that had worked on him before when she had him do her bidding. Except she didn’t know about it enough. If she played the wrong card and he found out the truth before she had a proper plan in place….

She was fucked.

He already kidnapped her.

Though the thought alone sent shivers down her spine, she knew the truth. Rape would not be beneath him. This was easier. Her collaboration made it easier. She had no doubts he thought he could play as Noah forever if it let him have his way.

The other way was more temporary. A one-time thing to get his goal.

She was far more valuable and enjoyable long term.

Fucking monster.

“Hey.”

She felt his hand on her cheek and she stopped herself from stiffening.

“You were sick from the medicine, you haven’t eaten… we’ve been walking around this place for a while… At least we saw there was food. How about I make you something? We might think better on a full stomach.”

No, I wanna get the fuck away from you.

“Sure. You-you’re right. It’s not like we’re getting out this second anyway. Who knows what’s ahead of us? Might as well face it on a full stomach,” she managed with a half-smile.

Please believe me.

“Exactly my thought,” he replied with a grin.

He was so obsessed, so filled with ego that it did not cross his mind that she might have realized the truth.

“Noah?”

“Yes?”

“I’m glad you’re here. I don’t know if I could handle…” she pointed to their surroundings. “All this… by myself.”

“Me too.”

He leaned into her and before she could breathe, he pressed his lips to her forehead. Fucking bastard. So craved for her touch, for her. She wanted to vomit what was left of her bile in his face. She wanted to dig her nails in his face and peel away the lie.

Noah led her to the kitchen and she followed.

How could she get rid of him?

How could she fix this?

Did she truly have to wait until she found a way out? She doubted it would be easy and he would make sure she could never find it. He would search everything with her - maybe he didn’t need sleep.

She didn’t have that kind of time. She needed something quick.

Something that would stop him forever. He was relentless. And he had Genecorp in his back pocket. Was he rich? Was it because of his power? She assumed someone who could be anyone was a great asset. Were they rare?

“There are a lot of options. Anything you fancy?”

“Same thing you made me every morning.”

She said it to shut him up. To cut the conversation short, like she had many times already. She didn’t think. There was no way for him to know, was there? Plus it wasn’t true. They never ate the same thing. Was he supposed to believe her if she didn’t notice?

Amelia you fucking idiot.

Her strategy was biting her in the ass. She kept her back to him, facing the counter. There was no way she could maintain a poker face.

“I never made you the same thing. You know that.”

Fuck. Fuck. He had made her.

Think think.

She heard the footsteps behind her. Like a reminder of her upcoming doom. There was a way out of this, she could lie. She could say something. THINK FOR THE LOVE OF FUCKING GOD. One slip-up.

And she was fucked.

He was closing in. His presence was suffocating. Did he still look like Noah? Would he use that to torture her? Could she run? Where? There was nowhere to run, nowhere to go. If running had been an option, she would have done that a long time ago.

But - but…

He had a weakness.

She knew that.

Silver.

She needed it.

Amelia had a second, maybe less. She yanked the drawer open, her eyes glancing at her options. There were knives. A lot of them.

It could be steel, she could be wasting her one chance. She knew that. It appeared old enough, as was everything else in this place. It could be silver cutlery. She could be lucky once.

Please.

Amelia wrapped her fingers around the knife and took a deep breath before turning around. Her eyes were shut as she jammed it hard into something. Someone… She heard an airless gasp before she dared to crack her eyes open.

There it was. Staring back at her.

Noah’s face but not Noah - in pain. The eyes were too widely open. Hands that should be familiar but weren’t, were lifting, reaching for the knife. She watched as he wrapped his hands over hers.

She was frozen. She couldn’t untangle herself from him. She couldn’t back away. She could only do one thing; make sure he couldn’t touch her again. Amelia ignored the way her body was wrecked by a trembling she could not control and instead, she used their combined grip to push the knife deeper into him.

The blade had long vanished past the fabric of his shirt and all that was left poking out was the brown wooden handle. As she dove the weapon deeper into him, she watched his lips part, blood spilling out of his mouth.

Amelia retained a hint of doubt that it might not be silver.

A knife could hurt it… anyway, right?

But Noah had stressed that silver was its weakness.

It walked backward, his grip loosening. She was able to slip her hands away and the sudden release sent him flying on his back. He landed on the ground, gasping through the blood, unable to remove the knife from his heart.

She wouldn’t let him.

Amelia threw herself on the ground, saddling him. She gathered her strength and pulled the knife out before plunging it again. And again. She didn’t stop. She inflicted wound after wound, blood splashing everywhere.

“YOU FUCKER.”

The rage throbbing through her blood was leading her motions. Her adrenaline spiked and she felt weightless. He came after her. He kept coming after her. Tears burned her eyes as she felt her blade cut through him.

She did a fucking contract to get out of this nightmare. She was doing everything they were telling her to do and it was never enough. She was never at peace, she was never safe.

She didn’t know how long it was before she stopped. But he was not moving.

The coldness and dampness of the air rattled her bones as she scrambled to her feet. Her heartbeat was deafening as she stared down at what she had done.

She hadn’t stopped.

Amelia opened her fingers, extending up her palm, as she stared at the bloody knife. Drops of red dripped onto the ground, breaking the eerie silence each time one landed on the wooden planks. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ Find ɴøᴠel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

He was dead.

She lifted her glance, staring at his limp body on the floor. He was dead, right? A puddle of blood was forming beneath him, leaking from under his assumed corpse. She was terrified to move, terrified to breathe.

She had killed someone.

She had stabbed him. It.

Amelia knew she should make sure he was down - for good. He had no shame, no morals. If he was alive he would come after her again, there was no doubt. He could be anything - anyone.

Bile build up in her throat, but it wasn’t because of the body or the blood. It was because of what she had become. She was rationalizing murdering him. Was she wrong? Wasn’t his death the only way to free herself?

He would never stop coming after her, he had proven that on multiple occasions. And she would never be safe because she never knew what or who he was. She would have to spend her entire life doubting everyone.

As if she wasn’t going to do that already…

Amelia stretched her hand opened, even more, forcing the bloody knife to slide off and cling to the floor. Blood splattered on her leg; it was still warm.

Then it happened.

The body changed.

It was no longer Noah.

He became a bit shorter, the clothes fitting loosely now, as a mane of blond hair grew from its head. Softer features - younger. Much younger. An adult, but barely. Was this… was this his true face?

The now pale skin did not remain that way for long. Underneath the gaze, the blue veins popped, overtaking his beige complexion.

She dragged her footsteps, her body hunched as she dared to take a closer peek. As every visible inch of his flesh turned blue, it also… melted? The urge to vomit overcame her as she watched him liquefy where he lay.

He turned into a puddle, a puddle of blue flesh mixed with the clothes he had on. There was nothing left to recognize, nothing left to identify. No form to know, no form to give her the impression that he had been something other than a monster.

She didn’t dare touch it, she didn’t dare get closer.

He was dead.

He was dead.

The relief mixed with guilt was too much for her and her knees buckled. They hit the ground - hard with a thud. She didn’t even wince from the pain. She was fighting for her breath, fighting to force her brain to make sense of this.

What would happen now? What was she supposed to do?

How did she get out of there?

Here - as in this house prison.

Here - as in the hellhole that was Genecorp.

Fuck.

“I wish Noah was here,” she whispered through the tears. She didn’t know what to do.

What was she supposed to do?

“Amelia?”

A sense of deja-vu washed over her, a chill quivering through her bones. Her bottom lip trembled as she turned her head to the side. It was Noah. But was it Noah… She snapped her head to the right, forced to admit that the remains of the skinwalker were there.

Was it a trick? Could it be a trick?

No… she saw him dissolve in front of her eyes…

Amelia turned her head back in direction of Noah who appeared utterly confused. And in sweatpants? He was there, bare chest, wide-eyed.

…Had she… wished him here?

“Amelia, how did I get here? W-what… what is all this?”

What. The. Fuck.

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