Tara The Great [Nuworld 2] (4 page)

“What can I do for you?”

“We’ve got a problem here.”

“Why are you telling me?”

“Sir, uh…it’s Tara…and um…Tasha.”

A brief silence followed, and Balbo thought he heard muffled curses.

“Where are they?”

“They just left the trailers, heading north.”

The communication went dead. Balbo pulled the comm from his ear and stuffed it

in his pocket. He looked at the point where his two sisters had disappeared from sight,

then turned and walked away from the concerned group of women. He considered

going after the two women, but knew Darius could handle the situation. The two

women had fought before, and although from the stories around the fire, it seemed this

dispute wouldn’t be solved with a few punches, Balbo knew nothing he could do

would change what had been done. He decided to visit his daughter.

* * * * *

Tara
gained speed on her sister as the two came upon open prairie north of the clan

site.

“You have no right to parade that child around as if he were some trophy,” Tara

screamed at her sister.

Tasha turned back to see Tara gaining on her. “You have no idea the horrors Darius

put me through when he got me pregnant,” she screamed through the wind and

increased her speed. “He raped me, Tara. Haven’t you heard? That damn Gothman of

yours took me, just because he thought you were dead, and he raped me again and

again.”

Tara
’s fury soared to the point of drowning all rational thinking. She accelerated,

then lunged her bike toward Tasha.

In return, Tasha jerked her bike to the right causing it to slide on the rocks hidden

by the prairie grass. She slowed down drastically to prevent her bike from falling.

Tara
decreased as well and lunged again. “If there is any truth in your words, I’m

sure it was you who threw yourself at him,” Tara screamed. With all her force, Tara

pushed herself off her bike and flew through the air toward Tasha. She grabbed her

sister, yanking her from the bike.

The screams of the two women violated the peaceful countryside as they rolled

across the rocky terrain. Their Runner clothing withstood the abuse and prevented

major lacerations. The protruding rocks, however, bruised and bashed their bodies.

Tara
’s exposed face received several excruciating scrapes and cuts.

The wind knocked out of them, moments passed before either rose to her feet. Tara

wiped dirt and blood from her face and stood up slowly, not completely coherent.

Everything about her was spinning. She struggled to focus and approach her sister. A

severe cut on her forehead caused blood to continually drip into her left eye. If it hadn’t

been for the rage she felt, the pain would have overwhelmed her. With what energy she

had, she kicked Tasha in the side of the head.

Tasha fell back and wailed, grabbing her face.

Tara
staggered, then stood over her sister.

Tasha remained on her knees as she straightened her headscarf. “I’ll not die today,”

Tasha spit blood as she spoke. “You can’t reverse what’s happened. No one can.”

“Maybe I can’t change the past, but I can prevent this from continuing,” Tara’s

voice sounded garbled from the blood.

Tasha stood and slowly pulled a dagger from a pocket in the leg of her pants. She

aimed the sharp point toward her sister. “You have no idea what happened,” Tasha

hissed. “Darius beat, tortured and raped me. He left me, almost dead, in the middle of

the wilderness. I could hardly birth Tigo because of it.”

Tara
’s heart hardened. She gritted her teeth at the thought of her sister engaging in

any type of act with Darius. “The only regret I have is that he didn’t kill you.” Blood

filled her mouth as she spoke.

The pair heard the sounds of approaching motorcycles and a jeep.

Tasha turned and braced herself.

As her sister’s head turned, Tara jumped at her like a cat attacking its prey. She

kicked the hand holding the knife.

Tasha maintained a solid grip on its handle though, and fought to bring it hard into

Tara
’s back. The two of them fell to the uneven ground.

Patha, Darius, and two Runner guards in a jeep pulled up next to the sisters.

Tasha jumped up and stepped back, stumbling as she moved. “I’m not the one to

attack,” she screamed. “I’ve already been beaten once. Attack him!” She pointed her

finger at Darius.

Patha got off his bike and approached the bloody sight of his two daughters

cautiously. “You two have had enough.”

Tara
didn’t respond to his words. She charged at her sister, headfirst, and threw her

to the ground.

Tasha scooted away, crablike. She took the knife and thrust it at Tara.

The knife dug deep into her arm and Tara screamed. She leaned over and spewed

bloody spit at her sister’s face.

Instantly, the two guards were on the women, separating them.

“Let go of me this instant,” Tara breathed and the guard released her.

Tasha fell several times as the other guard slowly helped her to her feet.

Tara
’s eyes overflowed with hatred and she glared at the guard, causing him to

back up several feet. Then she turned her hatred toward her sister. “If you and

that…that child aren’t out of here by nightfall, I’ll have you killed. You’re banned from

the

The intensity of her voice increased with each word.

The small group remained quiet, and other than the animosity boiling within each

of them for various reasons, the prairie was peaceful and serene.

Tara
held her injured arm, her entire shirtsleeve soaked dark red. Her bruised and

bloody face was swelling quickly. She staggered backward toward her bike.

Darius quickly dismounted his bike and moved to assist her.

“Don’t touch me!” The red glow of rage from her eyes caused him to stop.

“Tara, you’re hurt.” He raised his hand for her to take, but the calm control in his

voice pissed her off further.

“Damn straight I’m hurt.” She spit blood at him as well. “Get her out of here!” she

yelled and the guards jumped to obey. “If anyone does anything to prevent her from

leaving this nation,” she turned her enraged gaze first to Darius, then to Patha, “I’ll

personally see to their execution.” Blood dribbled from her mouth, the salty-copper

taste lingering, further fueling her anger.

Tara
reached her bike and fell onto it. One of the guards helped Tasha into the jeep

while several others lifted her bike to the trailer behind it. The men then turned

hesitantly, as if waiting to see if there were further orders.

“You’re dead to your clan, Tasha. Don’t ever try to return.” Tara smeared blood on

her bike as she struggled to straighten herself. “Get her out of here!”

The guards slowly drove the jeep away from the morbid scene.

Tara
started her bike and awkwardly turned it, almost tipping over. With a useless

arm, she struggled to keep it upright and cringed.

“Tara,” Darius almost pleaded. “You can’t drive, no.”

“Leave me alone.” She managed to make the bike move. She drove north, away

from the clan site.

* * * * *

Patha put his hand on Darius’ arm. “We knew this would happen,” he said quietly.

“I won’t let her take off by herself. I won’t.” Darius stared at the old man.

“I know.” Patha watched as Tara slowly disappeared in the tall prairie grass. “Stay

with her then. She’ll probably pass out from lack of blood soon. Don’t let her know

you’re following her, though. She’ll push herself too hard.” Patha walked toward his

bike and shook his head slowly. “The birth of that bastard of yours is going to continue

to cause problems, I fear.”

Chapter Four

Tall blades of prairie grass felt like knives as they slapped against Tara’s legs. She

maneuvered the bike with her good arm and held the other one close to her body.

Tears, blood, and sweat blurred her vision. Her pride felt more bruised and tattered

than her flesh and clothes.

Ever since her return from the Neurians, Tara had believed Darius dedicated to

their claim. Although the man came from a society of men who used women without

thought to their feelings, Darius had shown Tara he could move beyond that mindset

and view her as an equal. Or at least, she thought he had. In a matter of hours,

everything she had believed about Darius had been shambled.

He had been unfaithful. He had impregnated another woman, and that woman just

happened to be Tara’s half-sister.

Nothing got past Darius; he knew his bastard child existed. Tara felt more tears

burn her eyes when she tried, but could not understand why Darius had allowed this

atrocity to happen.

The prairie grass finally dispersed and tall evergreens appeared. The bike sputtered

with deceleration as she moved through them. The sound of running water distracted

her. Squinting to focus, she noticed a waterfall through the trees.

Her left eye had swelled shut, and a ringing in her ears had grown past annoying.

As Tara drove through the overgrown wooded area, a pointed branch dug at her leg,

the pain wrenching through her. She howled and the bike swerved as she lost control.

Unable to regain balance, she jumped free of the heavy machine. Every muscle in her

body screamed as she tumbled across the uneven terrain. The mossy ground eased her

landing, but not her pain.

Tara
lay next to her bike for a long time. Everything around her seemed dark as she

tried unsuccessfully to focus through her one good eye. She wasn’t sure if it was still

daylight or not. The pounding in her head matched the beat of her heart. With every

thud, new agony seared around the open wound on her forehead. Her arm had blown

up like a balloon. When she tried to raise her hand to wipe her eye, she realized it

would no longer move.

The dirt and moss in her mouth mixed with the not quite coagulated blood, forming