“Austin…” I cry out.
“I’ll see you soon, my sweet. Be strong,” he encourages.
“Okay… I will,” I tell him, while whimpering, and wiping my eyes.
“I love you,” he says, but before I can say it back, we vanish, within a blink of an eye, leaving my beautiful mate behind.
CHAPTER 31 - YOU ARE MY BRIDE
Austin’s mom and I emerge within my bedroom, standing at the end of my bed. She releases me from her hold and takes a few steps back. Her eyes glance over my body before looking away quickly. I wipe away the snot and tears, from my bloody face, reach for the towel on the corner of my bed and cover myself up.
Her eyes meet mine again and she sighs.
“Sweet girl. I’ve already seen you naked and— yeah… umm. You should probably take a shower before your parents come home and see you,” she gently states.
“They’re not home?” my weak, broken voice asks. I’m sniffling and trying my best to hold back from releasing the flood gates again. I already miss him so much. “I miss you too,” I hear him whisper within and it’s just the thing to put my mind and body at ease. I sigh in peace and grow calmer.
“Not yet. They’re out looking for you, but they will be home soon,” she tells me. “I should get going though. I need to help my son clean up his mess. I swear a mother’s job is never done. You’ll understand one day.” She begins to back away until I take a step forward and reach for her.
“Wait! Don’t leave yet. There’s something I need to ask you.”
“What is it child?” she asks.
“Why… why did you make me believe Cole did those awful things to me? Why would you do that to me? To him? Austin or Augustine killed him because he thought Cole hurt me, but he didn’t. Why?” I can no longer feel the remorse I had once felt for my dear friend, but the curiosity is still here. I still wanted to know.
“It was not my intention to get your friend killed. I can admit that I acted a little too extreme with that lie, but I had good intentions, I swear.” She pauses before she continues. “You see… I have visions. They come to me at random times. I saw you and your friend in one of those visions. I saw you two together. He took your virginity. I also saw the outcome of that vision and trust me when I say, my son would have committed a Hell of a lot worse if that scenario had played out. I had to make you believe that Cole was bad, so that you showed no signs of feeling towards him. When my Auggy was a tiny thing, he had this favorite wooden dragon, carved out of marble and this little demon boy took it away from him and Augustine got so upset, he burned the kid’s soul, ending his existence before I could stop him. He’s quite possessive of his things…” I picture that little demon boy burning. My overactive imagination begins to run wild with different scenarios of how Austin could have hurt Cole. Some of those thoughts being far too gruesome to even consider.
“He wouldn’t have hurt me, though. Right?” I can feel Austin. His internal presence is with me and he is listening to my every thought. I can also feel him shudder at the mention of Cole and I together. “I would never hurt you,” he speaks within my mind and I now feel guilty for even thinking that thought.
“My son? No! Of course not, but your relationship would not have been as pleasant starting out, as it had during this current scenario.”
“Okay… so, what would Austin have done, that would have been worse than taking Cole’s head off?” I wonder. Her eyes widen and she frowns in disgust. She puckers her lips and blows a long breath out, before she carries on,
“Let’s just say that my son has a flare for the dramatic. Your friend’s death would have been far more painful than it was. Not only that, but his death would have greatly affected yours and my boy’s relationship in the most negative of ways, resulting in an unpleasant and forced relationship.” She huffs and shakes her head, while looking down. Her voice turns solemn. “Trust me. No one wants to start a relationship off like that,” she woefully states.
She sighs before she looks back at me.
“I couldn’t let that happen, Emilia. I’m sorry things turned out the way they did, but it was for the best. You have to understand that. There’s something someone important once told me in my beginning and something you need to realize now, is that, there are always casualties during war and your friend was just one of those casualties. Understand that now. It will save you so much grief in the end,” she states.
She walks towards my bedside end table and picks up a frame of my parents and me. She turns around, still gazing at it.
“And same as for all the other victims Austin murdered? Were they just casualties too?” I ask. She glances up and then answers,
“Ahhh. He gets that possessive and protectiveness from his father.” Her eyes shift back to the picture she holds. “The mate bond is no joke. It makes you do crazy things. Especially for us and other supernatural beings. We tend to feel its effects more intensely than you humans,” she adds.
“Oh,” is all I say.
“Yeah…” She pauses, and gazes towards the window. She’s quite for a moment, as if she is lost in her own world, remembering some sad memory of her own. She turns to me, smiling brightly. “You’ll see!” she states, popping her brows and winking.
“I do have one more question,” I tell her.
“Yes?” she asks, now leaning back against the windowsill, and still staring at that picture.
“What is your name?” She glances up and her whole mood changes. Her bright blue eyes light up and she straightens, standing tall and proud.
“Oh. How rude of me. I’m Katherine. Katherine Morningstar. Queen of the damned. Goddess of fire and my favorite role yet, mother of the one true prince of darkness.” My mouth drops. My eyes go wide. Did she just say—
“Morningstar? But that’s— isn’t that—” A wide smirk begins to pull at the corner of her lips.
“You’re a smart girl, Emilia. The Gods chose well for my boy. He’s lucky to have you.”
“I’m lucky to have him,” I manage to say, within my shocked state. She smiles brightly before she speaks,
“I’m so proud of my son. He gave up everything for you and I see it was all worth it. I never once doubted his determinacy. That boy’s got courage and strength like no other. I never doubted his heart. He wanted you and he got you and whether he believes it or not. I know his father is looking up at him with a sense of pride. My Auggy is my everything and I’ll support that boy until the end of days. He’s a solid kid. His father and I raised him well.”
“So, does that mean his sentencing is lifted? Can he finally return to Hell?” I anxiously ask. She glances down at that damn picture again before answering.
“I’m afraid his lesson is not yet complete. There’s one more obstacle he needs to face before he returns,” she says.
“What obstacle?” I ask. Her eyes meet mine again.
“That I can’t say, sweet girl. You both must go through it together. I’ve already intervened too much. I have to go now but I’m taking this,” she says, holding up the picture. “It makes me happy and I know you’ll want it later. I’ll keep it safe for you in the meantime. Shower quickly. Your parents will be home in ten minutes and Emilia…”
“Yeah?”
“Be strong sweetie.”
“Okay…” I say under a strange suspicion.
“Goodbye my daughter in law. I will see you soon,” she mentions, while eyeing me intently and then she up and vanishes before my eyes.
I release a huge sigh and remain where I am. A weird feeling stirs within me. I don’t know what to make of it and it bugs me.
“Austin? You there?” I ask within.
“I’m here. I’ll always be here. I’ll always be in you,” he states. I sigh and smile warmly.
“Good. Did you catch any of that by chance?” I ask him.
“Yes. Apparently, I have one more obstacle before we can return,” he states annoyingly.
“What do you think it is?” I wonder.
“Okay. Go erase people’s memories or whatever it is you do,” I tell him.
“On it,” he says, and I can hear a slight, subtle humor to his tone. I smile and shake my head as I walk towards the bathroom.
It’s weird returning home after knowing that I probably would have never stepped foot back in here, after tonight. It’s crazy to think that, by now, I would have been immortal if everything had gone to plan. I turn the shower water on, set the temperature just right and step in the tub. I close my eyes and lean my head back as warm water, cascades down my body. I relax under the soothing liquid and allow it to cleanse my oily and dirty hair. I sigh in peace and step out from under the stream of water, to reach for the shampoo but I stop when I notice the red streams that runs down my legs and flows towards the shower drain. I glance at my body. Red. My body is caked with red. Blood covers me. Now I understand Katherines look. I must appear like a damsel from horror scene straight out of— well, I guess straight out of Hell. I mean, I was close enough, right?
I continue bathing, washing my hair several times and scrubbing my skin deeply. I try to work the blood red stains from my skin yet with all the scrubbing, my skin is now red with rawness. I guess red is just my new color. As soon as I finish showering, I turn the water off, reach for a towel, dry off and step out of the tub. That’s when I hear a loud, slam from downstairs.
Mom and dad are home.
“Ohhh fuck… here we go.”
I run out of the bathroom and get dressed quickly. I can hear my parents shouting downstairs. I can hear my crying mother scream at my dad. Glass shatters and I hurry, slipping on my last shoe before I bolt to my bedroom door. I swing it open and rush out, flying downstairs.
My mom comes running out of the kitchen, stops, and covers her mouth, when she sees me standing at the bottom of the staircase. Dad approaches from behind and follows her gaze. His eyes widen when he sees me and his mouth drops.
“Emilia!” my mom screams. She sprints towards me, yanks me against her, and holds me dearly. Dad tackles me from behind and wraps his arms around me. They’re both squeezing me, holding me tightly and I don’t see them ever letting me go.
Both my parents are crying against me and I want to feel for them. I know I should feel terrible, but I don’t. I’m empty. What love I have, is for my mate but I know I still care for them. I know I still love them. They’re my family. I will always love them. In my own way at least.
“Mom. Dad. I’m okay. I’m fine. I promise,” I try to assure them.
“We thought we lost you,” my dad cries against my back.
“No. I’m fine dad. I promise. I’m good. I’m alive. I’m fine,” I tell him.
“Em… what happened?” my mother looks up at me and asks, Heavy tears cloud her eyes and pour down her cheeks.
“What do you remember?” I ask, knowing Austin and Katherine are out there erasing everyone’s memories. I have no idea if they got to my own parents yet.
“What do you mean, what do we remember? We remember everything,” she states. She’s searching my eyes as if I’m crazy for even asking such a question. I guess that answers my own question though. I sigh heavily. Shit…
“Austin. Someone needs to swipe my parent’s memories. They’re home and I’m afraid things are about to get ugly,” I tell him internally.
“My mother said she had them. I’ll remind her,” he says.
My dad places his hand on my shoulder and turns me.
“Emilia. What happened? Where did you go, after you disappeared from here? Where did he take you? How did he—” I stop his rambling.
“Dad. It’s fine. It’s all fine. I’m fine. You see?” I ask, pointing to my body, displaying it for him and my mom to see. I take a couple steps back from them and go on,
“As you both can see. I am unharmed and well. Austin didn’t hurt me. He would never hurt me. He loves me and—”
“He’s a monster Em!” my mother shouts. My encouraging smile drops. Her accusation just makes me roll my eyes and sigh annoyingly.
“Didn’t he save you?” I shake my head, smiling. “No. Don’t answer that. He did save you, yet you call him a monster?” I take one step towards my mother, staring her seriously in the eyes, and continue on,
“Austin may be a monster, but he’s my monster and despite his unorthodox methods, his reasons for killing all serve a purpose,” I tell her.
“Those boys were going to rape me, but Austin stopped them. He tore their heads completely off within seconds, as if it were nothing. The last guy… he ripped his head off with his teeth. I watched the blood squirt and drain from their bodies. I watched him lick the blood off his hand, off each finger. Emilia… he’s still a monster, but despite it all, you’re right. He did save me. He told me that I was too important to die and for that, I shall live.”
“You see? He’s not such a bad guy,” I point out, while smiling. “Look, yeah he killed some people for me, but they had it coming. Two of them used to bully me pretty badly in high school. One of them almost ran me over in the street. One called me a bitch and shoved me for accidentally running into her in the hall, but Cole—”
“Cole? What happened to Cole?” my mom worriedly asks. I glance at both my parents curiously.
“Uhhh. Nothing,” I say.
“Did something happen to Cole?” my dad asks in concern.
“Umm. I don’t know. Did something happen to Cole?”
“Austin… Where is your mother? I can use some memory swiping back up right about now,” I tell my blue-eyed boy.
“I don’t know where she is. She’s not answering me right now. I’ll try her again,” he says.
“What. Happened. To Cole?” my mom shouts.
“Did Austin kill him too?” my dad asks.
“Umm… yes but it was an accident,” I quickly blurt. “Well… not really an accident. Austin knew what he was doing, when he killed him, but he thought Cole hurt me, so in his mind, he thought he was doing right by killing him. It was such a confusing mess, but anyways, Cole didn’t hurt me. Austin’s mom messed with mine and Cole’s memories and made me believe
that Cole hurt me and—” I stop my rambling. “You know what? It’s all irrelevant anyway, because in just a short minute, Austin’s mom will be here to swipe your memories and then we won’t need to have this long, boring conversation,” I finish with a smile.
My dad clenches his jaw and glares me down before he speaks to my mother.
“Hailey. Go start the car,” he orders her. Mom opens her mouth to say something but freezes. “Now!” my dad shouts. She jumps then turns and runs out the front door, grabbing her purse on the way out. I glance towards my dad with a deviant smile.
“Daddy. What are you up to?” I ask. His eyes are bulged, his nostrils flared. He is breathing heavily out of his nose. He says nothing and that makes me wonder. “Dad?”
“You will never see him again,” he growls behind closed teeth. My smirk drops. Ohhh. Fuck.
My dad reaches for me, grips my waist and throws me over his shoulder, sprinting for the door.
“Dad! No! Put me down!” I yell, while banging my fists against his back.
“No! We’re leaving! You will never see him again!” he yells.
“Fucking put me down! What is with people throwing me over their shoulder! Ughhh! Put me down now!” I scream.
“PUT HER DOWN!” roars an all too familiar voice. I smile and glance around my dad’s back to see my blue-eyed giant, blocking the front door. I smile even brighter and wave.
“Hi honey. I missed you,” I happily tell him. His burning eyes never leave my father.
“Get out of my way!” my dad threatens him.
“Put her down and I will,” the boy seethes.
“No. Emilia is coming with us. She’s our daughter. We’re her parents. She comes with us. Now get out o
f my fucking way!” he yells in rage.
I watch my mate take slow, calculated steps towards my father. My heart rate begins to race, with each close step he takes. I can feel myself grow excited. Anxious. The need to be closer to him is strong. It’s all I can think about. I try to wiggle out of my dad’s hold, but he only squeezes me tighter.
“You may be her father, but I am her soul. I believe that takes precedence in the hierarchy of claim, so if I were you, I’d put Emilia down and walk away,” he warns my father.
“You will never get my daughter. You’d have to go through me first before you lay a hand on a single hair of hers,” my father fumes.
A malevolent grin begins to pull on my mate’s face, indicating malicious intent towards my father. I should fear for my dad’s safety. I should be begging the boy to have mercy on his soul, but I don’t. I simply just wait this whole ordeal out, while thrown over my father’s shoulder, because I know my mate. I’ll be in his arms in no time and that thought excited me more than ever.
“Daddy. You should listen to him. Just let me go and we’ll be out of here. No one needs to get hurt,” I calmly say, as if him and I were having but a normal, everyday conversation.
“You think I’m just going to hand you over to that monster? I will never hand you over to him,” he says in disgust.
“First off, that monster you say, is my mate and technically my husband now. Right Auggy?” Austin rolls his eyes at my use of his mother’s nick name for him, but then eyes me with a half, warm smile.
“You are my bride, so yes,” he confirms. I become all giddy and smile so bright.
“See! I’m a married woman daddy! Congratulations to me and Austin! Yay! Now let me go so I can be with my hubby,” I tell him.
“What? You two ran off and got married?” my dad asks in utter shock. I glance up at my mate before I answer,
“Errr. Uhhh. Yes. That is exactly what happened,” I state, not wanting to go into any more detail than that. Austin sighs in annoyance and then speaks,
“I’m getting bored of this. Put Emilia down now or you leave me no choice but to make you, and I really rather not hurt my mate’s own father, if I don’t have to,” he tells my dad. I pat my dad on the back a few times.
THE MONSTER INSIDE ME: The Immortal Chronicles: Book One Page 27