Unkillable (Monsters Series #1) (Wattys2014)

Chapter 12: Butt Out!

My mother was pretty, with gunmetal blue eyes and platinum blonde hair. Her skin was as orange as the fruit, though, due to her addiction to spray tan. She was wearing a long, white maxi dress under the black cloak.

“What are you doing here?” I asked coldly.

“Deacon has seen the error of his ways, and wishes for you to come back to the Holy Land.” she said excitedly.

“And if I refuse?”

“Why would you?”

I heard the covers on the bed fall to the floor and footsteps from behind me.

“Who is it, ma vie?” Angel asked, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind me.

My mother, Adelaide Salvatier, just stared wide-eyed at Angel. It wasn’t a stare of disapproval, anger, or even annoyance. It was fear. My mother was actually afraid of my Angel.

Sweet.

“Jesse,” she whispered urgently, as if Angel wasn’t even there, “please explain that...monstrosity to me.”

I was angry now. The anger of not just calling my soul mate a “monstrosity,” but everything that she had put me through my entire life, rose from the depths of my heart and soul and came out my mouth like vomit.

“Angel is no monstrosity!” I snapped at her, “He’s the man that love! He’s one of the only people in the world that loves me for who I am, and nothing’s going to change that!”

Mother was practically bawling.

“What did these monsters do to you?” Mother cried, “They must’ve brainwashed you! Oh, my poor baby!”

“Let go of me!” I yelled, pushing her away from me, “I love Angel and Beth and everyone here. They are the only people I’ve ever met that actually care about me! None of you couldn’t care less about me!”

“You don’t mean that.” Mother lulled, stroking my arm, “You love me, I mean, us.”

“I. Mean. Every. Word.” I shot back, each word like a stab through her chest that she rightfully deserved.

Suddenly, as if sent by God himself, Beth came up the hall tapping her cane as cute, sweet and dependent as ever.

“Jesse, who’s at the door?” Beth trilled, “She doesn’t feel familiar.”

“Sweetheart, stay back.” I ordered without taking my eyes off my appalled mother.

“It’s her, isn’t it, Jesse? You’re mother?” she replied in a knowing tone, “Or, should I say, Papa?”

Beth came up to me and hugged my leg while I stroked her long blonde locks, shocking my mother, who thinks I hate kids just because I like boys instead of girls.

“What is that?” Mother sneered, glaring at Beth, who’s still embracing my leg.

“I am Angel’s daughter, miss.” Beth replied, unphased by my mother’s obvious dislike towards her, “Actually, I am both Angel and Jesse’s daughter, in a way. It’s going to happen eventually, so you might as well get used to it.”

“I don’t need to be lectured by a blind retard, missy!” Mother screeched, slapping Beth across the face.

Angel grabbed my mother by her neck, choking her. She strained to breath.

“If you lay another hand on my daughter, I’ll kill you myself!” Angel growled menacingly.

“Angel.” I soothed, stroking his hair, “Angel!”

He reluctantly let go after some more soothing words in a language I never knew I had learned. His obsidian eyes were still hard as stone, filled with fire and ice and rage.

I grabbed my mother’s arm, purposefully making sure my fingernails dug into her skin, and led her out the door.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart.” Mom said, as I dragged her out, “We’ll rescue you.”

I glared at her, my newly black eyes as cold as ice.

“Look into my eyes, Mother.” I whispered.

She could only stare at the floor.

“Look at me!” I screamed, shaking her by the shoulders until she looked up, “I don’t need rescuing, and I’m not your sweetheart anymore. Angel and Beth are the most important people in my life, and if you have a problem with that, just butt out!”

I slammed the door in her face; I knew that did the trick.