Pit nodded and Calvin started explaining. “I was born into a family of the original elementals. Each member has some sort of elemental gift. My great-great-grandfather was a multiplex elemental, and my grandfather was born a multiplex elemental, but my father and all my brothers and sisters were not… then I came along and Iwasborn a multiplex elemental. Although my grandfathers were all good men, my father was not. He was angry he had not been born, as Taco said earlier, ‘Special’. My father can only control weather, which is a great gift to have and can come in handy if you’re a rancher like all my grandfathers before me. It brought them millions. However, my father was rather spoiled and grew up hating ranching. He didn’t want to be a rancher, he wanted more. He started hanging with some really bad guys and getting into a lot of trouble. My grandfather threatened to disown him if he didn’t settle down and take his rightful place on the ranch. It wasn’t long after that that my dad married my mom.”
“Married? They weren’t mates?” Pit asked.
Shaking his head, Calvin replied, “No. My father doesn’t believe in mates.”
“Damn.” Jude whispered.
Calvin continued, ignoring Jude, “Father used my mother as a breeder, not a wife. He got her pregnant one after the other until I was born… or at least that’s what my oldest brother told me.”
“I don’t understand. You didn’t see her for yourself to know what was happening, or were you shielded from that fact?” Cobra asked.
Calvin turned away, his pain evident for all to see. “I never met my mother. I wasn’t permitted. I don’t really know why, but Gunther did sneak me a picture of her once...” Sniffling, he then said, “...but father found it and cut it to pieces.”
“But he allowed you to see and know your siblings?” Pit softly asked.
Calvin scoffed, “He needed them to make me do what he wanted.”
“He was after a multiplex elemental he could control.” Cobra stated.
Nodding, Calvin continued. “He ignored all eight of my brothers as well as my three sisters. His focus was on me and developing my powers. Gods, I hated those trainings. If I messed up he would knock me around, and if I said I wasn’t going to go to training, he would beat one of my sisters or brothers until I did as he ordered. When my grandfathers discovered what he was doing to me, they disowned him.”
“But didn’t take you out of the situation? That makes no sense.” Pit stated angrily.
“I refused to go.” Calvin whispered.
“Why?” Pit asked.
“He had one of my sisters hidden and threatened to kill her if I left.” Calvin explained.
“I’d have killed the fucker.” Cobra snarled.
“I wish I had it in me to do that, Cobra, but I don’t, and neither did my grandfathers. Not just because he’s my father and their son or grandson, but because elementals are peaceful. We have to be in order to maintain control of our powers, and therefore it isn’t in us to hurt anyone. That’s what makes how my father is so dangerous. He has no control. It’s what almost got me killed instead.” Calvin said, grimacing once more. “Can I have some more water?” Calvin asked, needing to get the lump out of his throat.
Calvin stopped speaking for a minute. He hated talking about his father. Each word made all his scars flare with remembered pain.
“You need to take your pain medicine and rest.” Jude insisted as he held the straw to Calvin’s lips once more.
Taking a couple of sips, Calvin released the straw, saying, “Let me finish this first, and then I’ll take you up on that offer.”
“It goes against my better judgement, but I’ll allow you just a few minutes more, and then I don’t care how much you want to continue, it will have to wait.” Jude stated firmly.
Nodding, Calvin continued, “Father started taking me out on some of his business deals which my grandfather didn’t know about. I didn’t want to do what he ordered me to do, but when I didn’t, he would hurt Teagan.”
“Teagan?” Pit asked.
Tears gathered in Calvin’s eyes, as he whispered, “My brother before me. He has the gift of water. He is what some would call a gentle soul and my father’s favorite whipping boy. Whenever I refused to do as father asked, he would beat Teagan until he was bloody and unconscious. Teagan begged me not to help father, but I was scared that one day Teagan would be beaten to death, so I started doing as he asked. At first it wasn’t so bad. It was just some warning tremors, sometimes a flood to take out crops of a fellow rancher, or causing a drought to force him to sell. I guess Agent Clem saw a pattern of sorts and he started investigating. He showed up at our home and spoke with my father. When he left, my father ordered me to kill him.”
“Son of a bitch.” Pit softly exclaimed.
Sniffling, Calvin whispered, “I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t kill a man just because he talked to my dad. I… I…”
Cobra leaned down, kissing the top of Calvin’s head, whispering. “Breathe, baby doll. Taco and I are here for you.”
Calvin’s tears fell down his cheeks as he hiccupped, stammering, “He… he was so mad, Cobra. I… I’ve se-seen my fa-father mad be… before, but no… not li-like this. He at-attacked Tea-Teagan wi… with a… ven-vengeance. My bro… brothers and I tri… tried to st-stop him. Whe… When Ky… Kyle and Ham-Hammond got father off… off of Teagan… he was bar… barely breathing. Kyle told me to-to get Teagan he-help. I di… didn’t know wha… what to do. I rode my li… lightning and went to Clem... Teagan was barely breathing. I told Clem everything. He promised to get Teagan help. I was scared for my brothers and s-sisters, so I went back. My father found me and beat me almost to death, demanding to know where Teagan was. I refused to tell him.”
Taking a deep breath and calming himself down a bit, Calvin rasped, “I woke up chained to my bed. Father would come in and at first he tried using his powers on me, but they didn’t do anything. It’s part of being a multiplex elemental. We can absorb the powers of single to triple power elementals. So, my father started to use other methods. His favorite was the hot fire poker. He would stab me with that thing until I passed out, then he got a hunter’s knife and started stripping my flesh from my body.”
“Jesus.” Cobra rasped.
