Arabella Read online

  Leaving Bilson Corporations knowing that society now knew that we existed made things a bit more difficult, as they viewed us as mutants. But I was sure that I had made the proper choice.

  Freedom always came with a price, and fear amongst the general public had been mine.

  I was a Super, an unknown specimen as far as they’d been concerned. But I wasn’t only a Super. I was still human. I was still alive.

  I replayed Cole’s words from the night on the rooftop shortly after Gwen had died. I had been so obsessed with the idea that because I was a Super, I couldn’t also be human.

  “You can’t allow this thing to consume you. It’s not all that you are, Bell. It’s only a part of who you are, you need to remember that,” he’d said.

  And it wasn’t until I peered down on the streets below, my fingers clenching the edge of the building that I realized just how true his words had been.

  I had made terrible choices in my past, choices that had resulted in horrific consequences. I’d been so consumed with the idea of being something more than a superhuman, that I ended up losing things that I held dear to me.

  “I thought I’d find you up here,” Cole’s voice sounded from behind me as he exited the rooftop door.

  “I see you’re still making it a habit of following me,” I joked.

  “Hey, now that the Bilson Corporation is under investigation, I don’t exactly have anything better to do.”

  “Boy, you sure know how to wow a girl.”

  He lowered himself down on the roof’s edge beside me. “It’s strange how different everything is now. It’s like an entirely different world out here.”

  “In a way, it is, though. They’ve just discovered that we exist, and we’re just now learning to adjust to their way of living. It’s an entirely new world for both of us,” I stated. A fact that was both fascinating and terrifying at the same time.

  Cole nudged me with his shoulder, a grin spread wide upon his face. “I’m going to head back downstairs. Try and stay out of trouble, will you?”

  “You do realize who you’re talking to, correct?”

  He gave me a quick hug before leaving through the rooftop door.

  It took us taking down my father and Bilson Corporations in order to get the guy to understand personal space, go figure.

  I glanced back down at the street beneath me, checking to make sure there was no one around – a force of habit that I wasn’t sure I’d ever get over – before leaping off of the edge of the building.

  I pulled my cowl and gloves off and stuffed them in my utility belt. I probably shouldn’t have gone out in public in my leather jumpsuit, as I was still getting used to the feel of curious stares from the general public, but there was still a part of me that clung to my former identity because that was still who I saw myself as.

  As a twenty-something year old, I couldn’t help but to feel that I should have known who I was and what I wanted out of my life. But having been forced to live within closed confines for most of my life, I was an outcast among society; someone without an identity.

  The only thing for sure was that I had control over who I became.

  My name is Arabella Bilson, and I’m more than a weapon.

  THE END

  Note from the Author:

  Arabella was a spur of the moment project, one that I wrote out of my love of comics and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. For those wondering why the novella is told in mostly flashbacks, it’s because I drew inspiration for the format from comics.

  This was a very difficult story to write as I needed to tie everything up within approximately fifty pages. But the fabulous cover created by Christa of Paper & Sage Design helped me to focus on perfecting the story to the best of my ability.

  I originally planned on releasing Arabella in July, but as most of you are aware, July was not a good month for my family. This resulted in the delay of not only Arabella, but also Stouthearted (which will be out next month). So, for those of you that have been patient with me, I want to say thank you. I hope you enjoy Arabella. It’s something a bit different for me, but it was a welcome change.

  Also by Nicole Sobon

  Outbreak

  Submerged (Outbreak, 1)

  Survival Instinct

  The Yearning (Survival Instinct, 0.5)

  The Emile Reed Chronicles

  Program 13 (The Emile Reed Chronicles, 1)

  Deprogrammed (The Emile Reed Chronicles, 2)

  Rebooted (The Emile Reed Chronicles, 3)

  Allegiance (The Emile Reed Chronicles, 1.5)

  Program 12 (The Emile Reed Chronicles, 0.5)

  Standby (The Emile Reed Chronicles, 2.5)

  New Beginnings (The Emile Reed Chronicles, 3.5)

  The Emile Reed Chronicles: The Complete Series

  The Lunica City Duet

  Capture (The Lunica City Duet, Book One)

  Standalone

  Rare Talents

  Arabella

  Watch for more at Nicole Sobon’s site.