BEAUTIFUL MONSTER

25 : Wife and Kid

"Sit down, take a seat, doll face."

I looked behind to see Leo pursing his lips, an eyebrow raised and sighing heavily, I did as I asked. I already felt the grasps of regret clinging to me. "Repeat what you said, Doll. I want to hear it again."

I shot him a look and he waited, expectantly, and I gritted my teeth, spitting out my words with anger this time. "I'll do anything you want, Deacon."

"How sweet is it to hear that?" Deacon asked, turning to Leo with excitement plastered on his face.

"Exchange her life for his," Leo let his lips pull upwards into a malicious smirk. "She'll be dearly missed, I'm sure, but ...she wants to play the hero, doesn't she?"

"Before I go I would love to smack you, so freaking hard." I didn't hold back the glare off my face, I was not in the mood for his irritating taunts and snarky comments.

"No," Deacon cut across before Leo could snap out his comeback. "I don't think I'll do that, not yet at least. Hmm, how do I know you'll really do whatever I ask?"

I looked at him, really looked at him, swallowing slightly when I realised I was at the mercy of him. I didn't like it and I knew whatever he wanted I sure as hell would hate it. "I said I'll do it, won't I?" I said quietly, flickering my gaze away from him and staring at the T.V.

Deacon leaned forward, his hands clasped, and a jolly expression taking over his face. "Very well. In order for me to save your friend, Ross's life, you must do something for me first. Once I am satisfied you've done your end of the deal, I will save your friend. Now what I want you to do is..."

Silence bloomed in the room, and I found myself holding my breath, dread sinking me in a dark whirlpool and my mind running in dizzying circles, wondering what he'd want.

"...kill someone."

A mixture of disbelief and shock swirled around with the silence and I couldn't help but blurt out. "What?"

"I want you to kill someone and not just any someone, I want you to kill Ajax's witch friend, Alex."

"No," I shook my head vehemently, standing up the same time Leo did, and feeling my hands shake. "No!"

Deacon gave me a hard look, his eyes narrowing and cold, his face the picture of seriousness. "That's what I want you to do, you have to do it - otherwise I won't save your friend."

"A-anything else, pick anything else but that!" I tried pleading, already knowing it was useless as he shook his head, unwavering from his deal. "I am not going to kill Alex, goddamnit!" I yelled, feeling the touch of anger overcome me.

"Well, then, I guess I'm not going to be helping your friend." Deacon said quietly, leaning back in his seat and turning to the T.V., he had the remote in his hand. "Oh, you should get going; it won't be long before he's dead."

Leo laughed meanly and I looked between the two, before picking up a glass vase, ready to let it go smashing down to vent out my anger.

"Don't you dare," Deacon hissed, standing up quickly, and striding over to me. "Put it down now."

I held his gaze for a long time, letting him see my hatred, my rage, and my disappointment in him before I shoved the vase at his chest, letting him clutch at it. "You make me sick."

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"How is he?"

"He's resting, I think he's just gone to sleep."

"Oh, okay..." I looked away, clenching my jaw, before looking back at Cade. "Can I speak to you outside? Privately?"

Curiosity had him nodding and he stepped out, shutting the front door behind him. "Is this about Orion?"

I waited a moment to gather myself and not explode with profanities bursting from my mouth. Once I was sure I wouldn't go ballistic, I said. "I went to him again. He said he'd help...if I kill Alex."

"If you kill Alex?" Cade repeated, his eyebrows drawing down, and looking displeased.

"He won't have it any other way. Alex dies and Ross lives or Ross dies and Alex lives." I explained dejectedly, feeling depression gnaw at me and hopelessness wash over me like a spoilt tidal wave. "I can't kill someone! And I can't, can't let someone die either!"

"He's sick and twisted," Cade spat, his eyes flashing. "Another one of his stupid games."

"What are we going to do?"

The anger slowly seeped out of him and he looked at me with an almost pitying look. "The boy will have to die."

"Isn't there anything Alex can do?" I felt my chest tighten, feeling lightheaded and the threat of tears.

"He's tried and he's trying right now but we've never found the cure to a sucker's bite." Cade place a hand on my shoulder comfortingly. "Let's go inside; it's best if he has his friends around him."

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It was eight o' clock, and dark. Cold wind thrashed, making the litter skid on the frosting streets outside and having those brave enough to venture outside to shiver in their coats. Kelly and Ali, after being reluctantly persuaded to go home to ease their parents worries, promised to come back as soon as possible. I had gone home briefly, greeted my family, made an excuse about being tired and went to bed. Only I sneaked out ten minutes later and was now seated in front of Ross, holding his hand as his skin colour was very slowly turning into a horrendous shade of sickly grey.

He was asleep, and had been since three hours ago. Cade and Alex were in the kitchen, I could hear them lowly murmuring but I couldn't make out any finer detail. Ajax came into the room, went out and then came back, sitting down on an armchair.

I looked at him and his eyes were on Ross before he moved his gaze on me and he sighed heavily, sadness and sympathy evident on his face. "Did you know Orion murdered my wife and son?"

I looked at him, shaking my head and quickly looking away, not telling him I had an inkling, a suspicion Orion did something cruel to him.

"Her name was Elizabeth and she had this lovely, golden hair and I used to tease her, calling her after that fairytale...Cinderella?" His smile stayed although it slowly merged into sadness and his eyes glazed over ever so slightly. "I suppose it was my fault they died..."

"No. He killed them, how could it have been your fault?"

"But it was. I'm a warrior, only made to fight and protect, not to fall in love and start a family."

"...You were 'made'?"

"I have a feeling you've already figured out we're not humans. I'm from a unique species called the Aryans, we're warriors, created solely for the purpose to help keep a peace or die trying." He paused, making a face. "That sounds very gloomy and dark, but it isn't. We can die, of course, but we're regenerated. Our deaths are temporary, we can always come back which is a good thing as ... Well, I'm not going to be nice about this, but there are too many dicks like Orion out there."

I smiled thinly, my thumb slowly rubbing Ross's hand. "At least I know I can never lose you...What was his name? Your son?"

"Dobais, he was almost three."

"He killed a three year old?!" Rage sizzled into me and I felt explosive. "What kind of sick bastard does that?"

"The worst-"

The doorbell rang, slicing clean through our conversation and I stood up. "That's probably Kelly or Ali, I'll let them in."

As I walked to the door, my mind replayed the brief conversation Ajax and I had like a record and I couldn't help but let anger spin with us, growing louder and louder, buzzing as it ran through my body.

I opened the door, my expectation of who it was disappearing and surprise following.

Leo was leaning against the wall with Deacon standing there, grinning with his hands stuffed in his pockets to stop the cold letting its soft kiss embracing them. "Hey Doll, mind if we come in? We came to pay our respects."