Beautiful Bruises ~ Camilo Madrigal x Reader

Anything

"At last."

You spun around, heart racing, to reveal your mama standing on the steps of your porch. Your heart sank when you saw who she had trapped in her arms.

Lucía squirmed, her voice muffled by the dirty cloth stuffed in her mouth. A sharp dagger was pressed against her neck.

"Mama," you said slowly. "I told you I'd give it to you. Now let her go." 

Your mother laughed, tossing her head back. Sharp hatred stung your eyes, drawing angry tears. How dare she! You had no choice now. But still... if you managed to touch her with the candle.

"I'm not letting your precious friend go until you give me that candle, girl. Bring it here. Now."

You closed your eyes, wrapping your gloved fingers tighter around the candle and taking a deep breath. Gathering your courage, you opened your eyes and stepped forward.

I'm going to kill my mama.

She smiled as you drew closer, reaching out her hand. Her bare hand. 

You snatched the candle back, and her grin turned into a sneer. The knife drew close enough to Lucía's neck to draw blood, and she whimpered.

Good, you thought. Delores will hear, and she'll come help.

"Why don't you have a glove on?" you demanded. You saw a glint of realization in your mama's eyes, and then she quickly laughed.

"Oh, my mistake, daughter." She quickly slid a leather glove similar to yours out of her pocket and put it on one hand, the other still holding the dagger. "Now give it to me."

Your mind whirred. Your mama wasn't a stupid woman - she had to have known it would kill you. But why would she not want you to touch the candle?

You decided to take a risk. You slid your glove off.

"No!" your mama shouted, dropping Lucía and lunging for you. You dove away, tripping on the gravel and reaching your hands out to protect the candle. Your cheek skidded against the rough ground, but you hardly felt it. As your bare hand made contact with the candle, everything exploded.

At least, it felt like it did.

A bright light blinded you, and you had to close your eyes - but it even plagued you then. Only the sound of your mama following could force you to scramble to your feet. You started to run, but when your vision returned, you nearly fell to the ground with relief.

Isabela, Jude, and Camilo were racing towards you. You could tell by the regretful look in Camilo's eyes that Antonio had told him what you had said. Delores must have sent them the second she heard Lucía cry - you would have to thank her later.

If there was a later.

Your mama grabbed you from behind, reaching for the candle you still gripped desperately. You held it out, locking eyes with Isabela, and she nodded. She threw her hand out, and a vine wrapped itself around the candle, placing it in her hands. Your eyes widened - your mama could simply control Isabela, and force her to return it. 

"Give it to Jude!" you screamed, even as your mother clamped her gloved hand over your mouth. Isabela looked torn, like she was unsure of what to do, but Jude trusted you. He quickly took it from her, and just in time. Your mother held out a hand, closing her eyes in concentration. The now empty vine shot forward, making your mama shout in frustration, breaking her hold on Isabela. The young woman gasped, falling to her knees. Jude looked at you and the candle, his expression pained. If he didn't protect the miracle, the village would die.

You nodded at him, and he left.

Camilo didn't bother to worry about Isabela or your brother. He lunged forward, ripping you from your furious mother's grasp and holding you against his chest. He was breathing hard, his heart racing against your hand. You quickly pulled away to look him in the eye.

"Get away from here!"

You turned to see your mother's smirk, and you tried to shove him, sure she would hurt him. But instead, he shoved you backwards, his eyes turning cold and dark - the same color your papa's had always been.

He's under her control.

"Camilo," you said desperately, your voice cracking. Your mama was still holding Isabela back, but she looked too shocked to be of help anyway. The shape-shifter pushed you again, closer to your house, and you started to run. You couldn't convince him to stop - not while your mama had her grip on him.

Before you could get very far, he was holding your wrist with a vise-like grip. He shoved you against the wall of your house, holding you there even as you tried to break free.

"Camilo!" you shouted, trying to kick him away without hurting him. "Camilo, stop it!"

Over his shoulder, you could see more people arriving, and your mama's concentration wavered as she attempted to hold them all back. Her hold on Camilo's emotions broke while his body still remained under her control. His eyes widened, and his head jerked back, but he didn't draw away. Instead, his hands made their way to your neck, pushing you against the wall and cutting off your airway. You could see your mother smiling through her pain as she watched.

She wanted you to die.

Camilo shouted in agony, his eyes overflowing with tears. 

"(Y/N)!" he cried, his eyes desperate as he looked at his hands. "(Y/N), help... I can't stop!"

You struggled to breathe, reaching your hands out and tugging at his uselessly. His expression grew tortured as he was forced to watch himself kill you.

"Make it stop!" he yelled as black pinpricks swum around in your vision. A muscle in his jaw ticked as he fought with everything in him. "I'm so sorry," he sobbed, unable to tear his eyes away from your face as your eyelids drooped. "I can't... don't die. Please don't die. I love you so much. I'll... I'll..." His hair fell in his face as he lowered his head. "I'll do anything."

Your mama hesitated, loosening her grip on him for a moment. You sucked in a desperate breath, and Camilo sobbed, pressing his forehead to yours.

"Anything?"

When he paused, wondering what she would ask for, she forced him to tighten his hands again, almost causing you to pass out.

"Get me the candle or she dies."

"All right! All right!" Camilo cried, his hands shaking against your aching neck. "I will!"

Your mama let him drop you, and you slumped against the gravel, unable to do anything but lie there. Camilo bent over you, quickly trying to check your face - and your pulse.

But before he could, your mama took control of him once more and forced him to walk away.

"(Y/N)!" he shouted, but you couldn't react.

And then you heard a scream.