Turned

Chapter Ninety Four

Matt walked back inside with Nick's encouragement and Caleb's unusually watchful eye. I didn't question him, I just let it go and kept watching Matt while in my head, I plotted my next move. I needed Sapphire out the way, otherwise I'd never get to Leo. Sapphire was dangerous, a lethal weapon, standing in between myself and Leo, in the way of my revenge. It was frightening to think about how dangerous things could be, if I wasn't careful but I had only a few steps to take, before Sapphire started to take her own steps, steps towards me, dangerous ones.

I had to plan carefully, I had to be careful and take it one step at a time. If I wasn't ready, prepared, I'd have to watch myself and my moves. I was still looking at the next move, Leo and Sapphire were probably thinking ten moves ahead of me. Every move I made was dangerous, they knew what I'd do, Leo knew me well enough to know what I'd do. He knew my moves, but I was hoping he didn't realise that thanks to knowing him, I knew some of his and I was prepared to use that to my advantage, to kill him.

I wanted to end his life, end the suffering he caused at his own hands. He was a monster, not me, I wasn't the monster, just him, only him. He knew, all along, made me wonder just how long he'd been plotting that for, plotting my death, one way or another. He was either going to take my humanity or take my life. A messed-up family, a monstrous one that I wouldn't be part of, not now, not ever, not even if it meant I'd live... it wouldn't be right, it wouldn't be living, it would be a façade, a lie, one I couldn't keep up with.

"Jack, what is it?" Nick asked as he took me aside.

"Nothing" I lied.

"Please don't shut me out of this, I've decided to be a part of this"

"You don't have to be" I commented softly.

"I chose to be, to help... you don't need to shut me out, whatever it is, I can take it" Nick promised.

"Nothing like that, I just... I want to find him, I want hunt him down... for what he did, the monster, he deserves it!"

"I agree but there are steps you need to take, things you must think about before you begin" Nick warned.

"Do you think I'm not aware of that? I need to... I need to do something, he's out there, probably killing people while I'm in here, avoiding the fight he's bringing to our door!"

I took a breath to calm down. A part of me wanted to react rashly, to storm out there and hunt them down but the rational part of me screamed at me not to, screamed that it could be a trap, I'd be walking into, taking my friends and family with me if I was careless. I knew what I wanted, where I wanted to be, where I wanted to go but... I didn't, I listened to my rational mind and tried to take a needed step back before I hurt someone, got my friends killed.

"I'm sorry" I whispered.

"Shouting at me won't help you, I'm on your side, believe me, I am but I can see it for what it is, Leo drawing you out, Leo trying to divide us. He wants you to go mad, he wants you to become a monster like him... or to die, if you go in there, guns blazing, without a plan, you might not come out at all... or you won't be the man I love anymore"

"I know that and that's the last thing I want, believe me... I love you, Nick, with all my heart... the last thing I want is that, is to die before I can get revenge"

"You're letting vengeance rot your head, that's what he wants, what he needs"

"You're mistaken, Nick, he doesn't know what I can be like" I argued.

"But Sapphire is your creator, who knows what she can do if she put her mind to it?" Nick argued.

"Besides, I'm not getting Matt or Lena involved" I whispered.

"What?!" Lena snapped, storming over.

"You're not getting involved, either of you" I repeated.

"Like hell I'm not, I'm not letting him get away with it!"

"Don't you see? Lena, this isn't a game, do you know what kind of life this would be, where this would lead? It isn't a game, it isn't a dream, it's your life!"

"Exactly, my life, decided by me! You're treating me like I'm a young child, I'm not. It was easier to accept that from you when I was younger, when I sweet and foolish but I'm not a weak young thing that needs help, someone young, obedient and docile, I'm not the sweet little girl in Barbie pink dresses anymore, I'm just younger than you and I want to help so don't you dare determine my fate for me, Jack, just don't! You've kept your secrets, all of you in here have kept secrets, well I've had enough, I want to help, I want the chance to help, to do something!"

Matt shook his head at me in disgust. "I won't sit this out. Leo made me into this, he didn't realise that he's made a team, coven... whatever. If we pull together, each use our skills, we can win, we can kill the bitch and her toy boy but I'm not sitting on the side, waiting for something to happen, while you get yourself killed, barging in there, like a bull. If we work together, very few things will have the power to stop us"

"Where do you stand in this?" I asked, looking at Caleb as he smoked a cigarette.

"Sapphire and I have some unfinished business, if I am to be free, I'll need to stop her but... I need her alive, to present to the council. If you agree, I'll help you, in whatever way I can"

I nodded at everyone, when they nodded back I said, "agreed"

"Then we have a deal" Caleb promised as he smoked.