Deeper Than the Knife

Chapter 22- Everyone Has A Secret

I knew something was wrong when I woke up at one in the morning.

It was May 20th-well 21st technically-and Yarah, Yukino, Amber, Alejandro, and I just celebrated Yukino's 22nd birthday a few hours before. My gift was a kiss, not that anyone asked.

Yukino and I had gotten into the habit of cuddling every night, expect that night-Yarah had climbed into bed with us. So that's how I woke up, to my wife and child in my bed sound asleep. But there was something wrong, very wrong.

I carefully got out of bed, being sure not to wake the other two sleeping residents that were in my bed, and grabbed my weapon off the dresser. 

I could tell someone was in my apartment, there was a chance it was Alejandro stealing snacks again, but something told me it wasn't him. It was someone else, someone dangerous.

I opened the door and was greeted by a blast of immense heat. A wave of panic crashed onto me, I was terrified it was Jack who had found us. Or my mom. 

Good news: it wasn't Jack.

Bad news: it was still someone from my family, my cousin Jake.

"Where's the wife and child?" He asked as emotionless as ever.

"Non of your business." I told him. He didn't seem to be angry-to be fair he was one of those people who are silently angry and just releases their rage in one go-at me for the death of his twin sister. Granted, she was a bitch.

He sighed, I couldn't tell what he was feeling at all, he gave no hints. "Make this easier for me, Charlotte." He grabbed his twin knives and went into an offensive stance. "I don't exactly want to do this." 

I went into a defensive stance, swallowing a lump in my throat. I didn't want to fight him either, I'd already fought enough family members, both on my side and Yukino's side, and I didn't want to keep on fueling the violence.

"I don't want to fight either, but I'm never going back." I said.

He took a step closer, I took a step back.

"Please Jake," I pleaded, "don't do this."

I still couldn't read his face, his intense fire-red eyes fixated on me. He came at me, slicing upwards from my hip to my shoulder. Luckily I held up my chain and stepped backwards before the knife could come into contact with my skin. When the knife connected with the chain, I wrapped the chain around it, holding it in place. Now I only had to worry about one knife, not two. 

"Stop it Jake, please."

He let go of the knife that was trapped in the chains, letting it fall to the floor, and jabbed at my head with his other knife. I blocked with the sickle, I stepped on the knife that was now on the floor and kicked it away from us.

Jake balled his fist and punched, aiming at my stomach. I had two choices, move or get hit. The problem with moving was I risked getting cut with his knife. But I really didn't feel like getting punched, so I moved backwards.

"Holy hell Jake, would you just listen to me?" I hated that he was ignoring me, I thought that maybe if we could talk things out we could come to an agreement or understanding. Also, talking would give Yukino more time to get away with Yarah.

"You left, you broke the law of our clan and ran away with the enemy." Jake said. "There's nothing left to talk about."

"The hell there isn't! When I left, I was able to do what I thought was right." I explained. "I found love, I started a family I would have never been able to have if I stayed. You and I both know far too well how our family treats people who don't fit their stupid mold."

His expression turned to one of anger, he narrowed his eyes and said, "don't lump me together with you." But there wasn't any disgust in his voice like his sister. 

I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes and slap him. Of course he would deny it, but he couldn't deny it forever. "We both know that's not true, Jake."

"Shut up and surrender, Charlotte."

"No," I said stubbornly, I was going to get through to this stupid genius even if it killed me. "What do you think they would've done to you if they saw what I did?"

"Charlotte." His body tensed, and his hands started to shake ever so slightly.

"They would've disowned you." I answered my own question. "Do you even know how lucky you are that it was me who saw you?"

"Of course I do!" Jake yelled.

"I kept your secret, Jake!" I yelled back. "I protected you, because they surely would've thrown you away like trash if they knew." It was sad but true, if his family saw what he did in that darkly lit room all those years ago-well, he'd be doing what I was doing, running for my life.

Jake lowered his knife, he looked at the ground and trembled. "Go." He whispered.

I can admit it, that caught me off guard, I was prepared to fight. "What?"

"Jack's on his way, I'll tell him you, your wife, and your child were already gone by the time I got here." There was no trace of disgust in his voice when he mentioned my wife and daughter, totally different from when Jane mentioned them. 

"Jake. . ." I didn't know what to say. I wanted to thank him, and ask him what he was doing and why. But my voice didn't feel like working.

"Just go, Char," he said, "take your family and run as far away as possible."

I could only nod in response, and ran to my bedroom and basically ripped the door open. I found Yukino opening the hidden exit with the suitcases laid on the floor around her and Yarah. She got it opened before noticing me. She ran over to me and pulled me into a death-like hug. Yarah cried and latched onto my leg.

"Are you alright? I heard fighting and yelling." Yukino said. I could tell she was holding back her tears, even if I couldn't see her face.

I nodded, though she couldn't see that. "I'm fine, but we need to leave. Now."

Yukino let go and nodded, her eyes were brimmed with tears and it broke my heart. I hated seeing her cry. "Alright, Yarah lets go sweetheart." She tugged Yarah off my leg with great difficulty. 

"No!" Yarah protested.

"Yarah, I'll follow you and mommy with the suitcases." I told her.

"Promise?" She had tears falling down her face like a waterfall, and my already broken heart broke more.

"I promise." Yukino kissed my cheek-which caused a mini major gay panic moment-and dragged Yarah down the hidden staircase. I quickly grabbed the suitcases that were by the entrance but stopped in front of the hidden entrance. I walked back to where Jake was, he was standing with his head down low right where I left him.

"Thank you," I said.

He looked at me, his face was totally emotionless. "I should be thanking you. You saved me, I'm just repaying you."

"Could you tell uncle-"

"I will, I'll tell him you're safe. . . and happy." He gave me the faintest of smiles for a quick second, than it was gone.

"Thank you." I turned around and started to walk away, but stopped. "Hopefully you'll be able to be yourself one day soon."

"wishful thinking like that is pointless, Charlotte."

"And yet, you've always been a wishful thinker."

He said nothing, but I could tell I hit the nail on the head. I ran back to the secret entrance, grabbed the suitcases, and headed into the dark stairwell.