THE MONSTER INSIDE ME: The Immortal Chronicles: Book One

by Tristin Clark

  “He means it dad. Just put me down. It’ll all be fine. I promise. He isn’t going to hurt me,” I insist.

  “Hell fucking no!” my dad angrily states.

  “Wrong answer,” says blue eyes.

  “Ohh shit…” I sigh.

  Here we go, yet again.

  CHAPTER 32 - RELEASE HER

  Austin’s evil grin is back. I watch his arms spread wide, and his palms face upwards. Suddenly, the entire house begins to shake, the glass windows begin to rattle. I glance around as hanging wall art and picture frames fall and shatter against the floor. The air around us drops to a cold degree, sending a trembling chill over my body.

  “Hide your face,” I hear him tell me within my mind but I’m too curious to listen.

  Instead, I continue watching him. Waiting to see what his next move is. Waiting to see what other magical abilities my mysterious mate holds. His jaw clenches, his face lowers but those eyes, those dark, sinister eyes remain locked on my father and they don’t move.

  “Look. Whatever you’re about to do—” my father begins to say.

  “AHHHHHHHH!” roars my dangerous mate, just as his palms shoot out in front of him. The room is filled with the high-pitched sound of glass shattering. Shards of all sizes goes flying towards my father and me. My dad ducks, throwing me down, and covers me.

  “AUSTIN! NOO!” I scream from underneath my dad.

  Everything around us instantly ceases and calms. I peak my head from under my father and see my mate stepping towards me. With each step he takes, I hear the crackle of glass beneath his feet. I glance up at him in annoyance.

  “You could have killed me! What the Hell is wrong with you!” I yell at him.

  “I knew he’d protect you,” says the giant hovering over us, us… I turn to my dad. “Dad?” His heavy weight is pressed against me. I try to push him off, but he doesn’t budge. “Dad? Daddy?” I say again, but I’m not getting any response in return.

  I gaze up at the blue-eyed boy with wide eyes.

  “He isn’t speaking. Austin. What’s wrong with him?” I can’t see his face as it faces the floor, next to my ear. I try calling him again. “Daddy. Answer me!” I yell.

  Austin leans down, grips his shoulder and flips him off me. My dad rolls onto his back, landing on broken glass. Both our attentions are distracted when the front door goes flying open and my mom comes barging in, stopping between the door frame when she spots us. Her eyes find my dad and she screams.

  “Todd!” She runs towards him, moves around me and then drops to floor. I glance at my dad. His eyes are shut. Blood spots cover his white, now red cotton shirt. “TODD!” my mom screams again. She glances up at my mate with vengeful, teary eyes. “What did you do to him?” she yells.

  Austin holds no expression as he gazes down on my mother, but I feel him. A part of him feels guilt, remorse. He didn’t want to hurt him. He didn’t mean to. His hand reaches towards me, but I just gaze into his eyes as he extends his hand even further.

  “Emilia, come. It’s time to go,” he calmly tells me. I’m hesitant and he can feel it. “Emilia. I said come. Now let’s go,” he orders a little more aggressively and as painful as it is to look away from him, I find the strength to and turn to my dad. I place my palm against his chest and gaze at his closed eyes.

  “Daddy? Can you hear me?” No answer. “Daddy?” My crying mother falls over him, weeping hysterically. I watch her. I see her. I try to put myself in her shoes. I can’t feel her pain, but I know… if it were Austin laying here, I’d burn this whole fucking world down, just to see him open his eyes again.

  I glance to my right, towards the floor. I eye a sharp piece of glass, grab it and without a second thought, I slice my wrist.

  “Nooo!” shouts my giant as he lunges for me but it’s too late, I’m already bleeding. I quickly place my wrist over my fathers closed lips and open his mouth with my fingers.

  “What are you doing?” my mother asks. Austin is kneeled beside me, eyeing me in disbelief. I never take my eyes off my father while I feed him my blood, while I feed him Austin’s blood that courses through my veins.

  “If your blood can save me, it can save my dad. I have enough of it in me. So, I don’t care what you say, blue eyes.”

  “Okay,” is all he says. I see his head turn away from me. He watches my father as I continue to feed him and then suddenly, my dad chokes. He’s coughing, sitting up and trying to catch his breath.

  “Todd!” my mom happily exclaims and then pulls my dad in for a big hug. I watch him hold her while the boy next to me lifts my wrist to his mouth and seals the wound with a lick of his tongue. I turn and smile up at him.

  “Don’t you ever do that again,” he orders.

  “Can’t make that promise,” I tell him. He snorts, shaking his head at my defiance. As much as he hates to admit it, I know he likes it.

  I turn towards my parents when I hear the sound of glass crackle beneath them. Mom is helping my father stand while Austin grips my arm and pulls me up with him.

  My mom and dad gaze deeply into each other eyes. Dad holds her face between his palms and leans in to give her one, long deep kiss. Watching them makes me crave my own mate’s lips. I feel Austin’s arms wrap around my waist and pull me back against him. He leans in, hiding his face in the crook of my neck and kisses my skin.

  “I promise I’m going to kiss you as much as you want, my sweet. Be patient with me,” he tells me. I wrap my arms around his arms and rest my head back against him as he continues trailing kisses down my neck.

  My mom, dad, Austin and I quickly turn our heads, just as our eyes catch a sudden, dark, dramatic entrance.

  “Katherine!” I cheer.

  “Hello, my favorite daughter in law,” she greets happily. She turns, smiling warmly at Austin. “Auggy,”

  “Mother. Seeing you quite a lot tonight,” he points out.

  “Not as much as I’ve seen of you. Too much in fact. I’m still scarred. Ughh,” she trembles in disgust.

  “Daughter in law?” my confused mother asks, while staring at me, then Katherine.

  “Yep! Our kiddos got married! Yay!” Katherine excitingly cheers.

  “What?” my mom asks. I turn towards her.

  “Mom. It’s a long story. You really don’t want to hear it,” I tell her. I see my father whisper into my mother’s ear. She gazes up at him with wide eyes and then quickly eyes a hallway table. It raises my suspicion and I watch my mother curiously.

  “Mother. Didn’t you have a job to do?” I hear my mate ask his mom, meanwhile, I’ve never taken my eyes off of my own mom. I watch her back away slowly from my dad, towards that table.

  While conversation goes on within the room, I remove Austin’s arms from around my waist. He lets me go and I make my way towards my mother. Her wide eyes find mine as she continues backing away slowly.

  “Whatcha doing mommy?” I ask.

  “Uhh. Nothing,” she nervously states. She bumps into the table, knocking over a lamp. It falls, landing on the wooden floor, shattering. The sound of glass breaking steals my attention for only a moment but it’s one moment too long. I glance back up at my mom and see that she now holds a gun and is pointing it directly at my mate.

  My eyes dart to him and I see him grinning at her. I turn back to my mom.

  “Mom. Put down the gun. Guns can’t kill him. You’re only going to piss him off if you shoot him,” I inform her.

  “They can’t kill him. What? How is that even possible?” she asks. Her brows squinting in complete confusion.

  Katherine takes one step towards her. My mom’s aim then swings towards her. I watch Katherine shake her head, and smirk as she slowly approaches my mom.

  “Tsk tsk tsk. You really don’t want to do that. You’ll piss me off too and then my mate will feel my anger and then you’ll piss him off and trust me, you do not want to piss him off. He already burned one reality of earth down to the ground for me. You don’t want him burning this reality do
wn too,” she mentions.

  I turn to her, with pursed brows, and a tilted head. She glances at me and mouths, “long story,” before returning her gaze towards my mom. I make a mental note to ask her about that later.

  While my mom’s attention is on Katherine, I reach my hand out, towards the gun to retrieve it but then she pulls away, and accidentally fires a shot, shooting my leg. I fall to the ground instantly.

  “SON OF A FUCKING BITCH!” I scream, while holding my wound. Austin is next to me within a blink of an eye. He pulls me back towards him, holding me against his chest, and between his legs. He leans over, eyeing my wound as it begins to slowly heal.

  “Tonight, is just not your night, sweetness,” he teases but I am in no mood for his sass.

  “Shut up! Ughhh! It fucking hurts! Damnit mom! Learn how to shoot a fucking gun!” I yell at her.

  “She doesn’t need to learn because I know how,” says my dad. I glance up as he aims the gun at Austin’s head.

  “Dad. You really going to shoot my mate with me sitting right beside him? You’ll kill me!” I shout.

  “Mother? Any assistance right about now would be very much appreciated.” Austin tells his mother.

  “Ughhh! God getting shot sucks!” I shout.

  “Tell me about it. I got shot three times tonight,” the boy behind me teases. I turn to him and give him a fake smile. I notice that the wound on my leg is not as painful as it once was.

  “You have enough of my blood in you to heal you. You should be fine now, my sweet,” he tells me and he’s right. The pain is gone. I feel completely healed.

  My nostrils flare and I take a few sniffs.

  “Why does it smell of smoke? Is that from fire?” I answer my own question when I glance up and see Katherine’s palms raised and blazing with fire.

  She snaps her fingers and then all of a sudden, the room around us goes up in flames. Austin jumps to his feet, pulling me up with him. My mom screams,

  “Nooo! The house!”

  “Really mother?” Austin yells.

  “You said you wanted assistance!” she shouts.

  My home is now blazing. Flames surround us, devouring everything and burning all. Smoke clouds and fills the room. I’m coughing, my parents are coughing. I can’t see a thing.

  “I’ll get you out of here,” my mate tells me.

  “My parents. Help them too,” I tell him, while coughing non-stop.

  “Mother. Get Emilia outside. I’ll grab her parents,” he says to her.

  “Okay!” I hear her shout from somewhere behind the thick smoke.

  She’s now next to me, pulling me along with her through the heavy cloud of darkness. I glance back and lose sight of my mate.

  “Where’s Austin? Where’s my parents?” I worriedly ask.

  (BANG, BANG, BANG)

  “AUSTIN!” I scream.

  Suddenly, I am now outside, on the road, gazing up at my fully engulfed home.

  “AUSTIN!” I scream again. I sprint towards my home, just as my parents come running out. My father grips my arm and pulls me along with him as they run away. I stop and yank back, attempting to break free of his grip and run into the blazing house to find my mate.

  A sudden loud, massive explosion stops me. My family and I go flying back from the impact, landing against the grass. I gaze up at the flames.

  “AUSTIN!” I scream.

  My dad picks me up and drags me away.

  “NOOO! STOP! LET GO OF ME!” I yell, but he doesn’t.

  I’m thrown in yet another back seat. I’m on my back and flip on my hands and knees. I crawl to the door but before I can reach the door handle, the car goes reversing fast. I lose my balance and fall against the back seat. I glance up through the front windshield at our blazing home.

  “AUSTIN!” I scream again. “AUSTIN!”

  The car backs up to the street, slowing just enough for my mom to turn and straighten. I scoot to the edge, reach for the door handle and pull.

  “NOO!” I scream, when dad yanks me back, making me pull the door closed.

  I glance up right at the moment I see my mate come limping out of the burning house, with his mom right behind him. I smile.

  “Austin,” I happily whisper. He’s alright. He’s fine. The fire didn’t even touch them.

  The squealing of wheels steals my attention. Mom hauls ass out of here and takes off. I break my gaze from the boy and turn to my mom.

  “NO! MOM NO! STOP THE CAR!” I yell.

  “No! Keep driving! Do not stop this car for anything!” my dad yells at her. I turn my gaze back to my mate, who is now sprinting across the front yard.

  “AUSTIN!” I scream. I turn, staring out the back window, and watch my mate run after us. “STOP THE FUCKING CAR!” I demand, never taking my eyes off the boy.

  “Keep driving Hailey!” my dad yells.

  “He’s going to kill us!” my mom yells back. “He just wants Emilia! He won’t hurt her—”

  “NO! WE’RE NOT GIVING HER TO HIM!” he rages.

  Austin is still chasing us, growing closer and closer as we speed away.

  “I’m coming, my sweet,” I hear him whisper within and I instantly smile at his voice. I turn back to my parents.

  “He already caused one wreck when Cole and Van kidnapped me. He was able to get me then and he will get me now. You guys don’t know who you’re up against. Just stop the car now. Please! I don’t want ya’ll getting hurt. Please! Mom, dad!” I plead.

  “No!” my dad shouts.

  “Dad—” I shut up when I hear a loud thud, on the roof of the car. My smile grows wide.

  “He’s here,” I happily enlighten my parents. Mom glances up before returning her eyes on the road, but my dad’s eyes still remain on the roof.

  “What. The. Fuck,” my dad mouths in shock.

  “Open your window, sweetness and I’ll pull you out,” I hear my mate speak within my mind. I go to reach for the button to lower the window. It begins to lower, slowly, but dad notices.

  “No!” he shouts and then pulls me back.

  “Ughhh!” I grunt when I fall on my back.

  “Move away from the glass,” the boy tells me. I scoot towards the middle seat and hide my head between my thighs, thinking one of the side windows was about to be busted. Nope.

  “Ahhhh!” my mom screams when the glass window behind me shatters. Mom swerves. The car snakes before she consumes control and levels out.

  “Keep driving Hailey!” my dad tells her. I turn around and smile brightly when I see my blue-eyed beauty standing on the trunk of the car. He leans down and extends his hand to me.

  “I told you nothing could ever separate us,” he reminds, smiling just as bright as I. I go to reach for his hand and then am once again, pulled back by my father.

  “RELEASE HER!” my giant roars.

  “ERRGH! LET ME GOOO!” I rage. I need my mate. I need him. I need to be close to him. He’s so close. I need him. I need him. “AUSTIN!” I scream. Something is happening to me. I’m losing control. My body is on fire. I’m hot. Burning. “AHHHHH!” I scream. “AUSTIN!”

  “STOP THE FUCKING CAR! SHE NEEDS ME!” I hear my mate yell.

  I’m suddenly convulsing. My body is shaking violently against the backseat and broken glass.

  “The bond… it’s being triggered. Sweet. I can’t stop—” his voice within my mind cuts off.

  “AHHHHHHHHH!” he roars loudly.

  All remaining glass around us shatters. My body has ceased its convulsing. I’m out of breath and panting but I sit up, completely ignoring the glass that pierces my palms. I glance around and my mate is gone. My eyes widen and I begin to panic.

  “Austin?” I ask within.

  “I’m here,” growls a different voice. A deeper voice… my devil has returned.

  “Where?” I ask.

  “Ahead,” he says. I turn around and there he is. Standing ahead of us, in the middle of the road, in his complete devil form.

  “WH
AT THE FUUUUUCK!” my dad screams.

  “OH MY GOD!” my mom screams.

  My dad grips the wheel and turns it, just barely missing Augustine. My eyes lock on my Devil just as our car passes him. He extends his arm towards me. The side door goes flying back, far behind him. My body is suddenly being sucked out by an invisible force. My ass slides against the broken glass and seat, towards him. My dad reaches for me but misses.

  I’m just about to reach the door and then the magical pull ceases. I fall back.

  “NOOOOOOOO!” my Devil roars.

  I watch him sprint towards me and then abruptly stop when he runs into something. He goes falling back on his ass. He gets up again, runs towards me and is thrown back once more. I’m moving further away from him. He is disappearing. Growing smaller.

  “He can’t leave…” I realize.

  I glance up and notice that we have crossed the town border. I turn back to my mate.

  He’s gone. My mate is gone. I left him.

  I left him…

  He’s gone.

  CHAPTER 33 - SHE NEEDS ME

  Austin’s POV

  “NOOOOOOO!” I roar.

  I fall to my knees, kneeling behind the perimeter, watching my mate disappear before my eyes. I am broken, kneeling, defeated, hopeless, knowing that I can go no further, knowing that I have failed.

  I’ve lost her.

  She’s escaping me, leaving me. I can’t go after her. I can’t leave this town.

  I feel her. Her pain, her torment, her panic and hysteria. She’s losing it. She’s losing herself. The bond is consuming her, devouring her alive. I hear her screams. I hear her cries. I hear her pleas and it kills me. It kills me… the bond is killing her. It’s tearing our soul. Ripping it apart. Stretching it to the point of agonizing pain. Mother appears beside me, but I don’t dare gaze away from the direction of my soul.

  “Tell me you did not see this coming, because if you did and neglected to mention—” I begin to say.