Louder (Jessica Stanley X Edward Cullen)

10. Monster

It took me only five minutes to realize the blood didn't belong to Dad. Grandma had made him sit at the kitchen table and was cleaning him up only to reveal no wounds.
"What is my Kid doing here, ma?" He had a very dangerous tone now.
"I came on my own." I told him, my tone just as dangerous.
He flinched. "Why?"
"Dad, whose blood is that?" I dodged his question.
"Mine."
"You're not bleeding Dad, whose is it!?" I demanded.
"That stupid kid! Mike Newton! I saw him with that girl!" He spat. "So I followed him home and I broke in. Gave him a taste of what you went through." I could tell Dad was no longer hiding this dark side.
I was horrified. I moved to get my shoes on and go find Mike. I doubted I knew where to find him, but I had to try. Dad grabbed my arm and yanked me back very harshly. "He is already at the hospital." He laughed. "Why are you here?" He became very serious now.
I yanked my arm away from him and glared. "You know why." I spat.
He turned his glare on Grandma who had gone through his bag. She held up a golden stake and a wooden one. The wooden one had a wet, Golden color on it. My blood ran cold. Whose blood was it? Images of my vampires ran through my mind instantly.
"Which Vampire did you harm?" Grandma whispered.
Dad laughed. "Ma you should have seen it. I followed them to the reservation. She let her guard down for just a minute— I got her good. Her stupid boyfriend didn't even have time to shift!"
Rosalie. Dad had staked Rosalie Hale. I immediately moved to leave again, but the doors slammed shut in front of me.
"You thought I would just let you run to them!?" He snarled.
I spun to see that his hand was extended. He was the one who made the doors slam shut. I was horrified. I could feel tears stinging my eyes.
"You think they care for you? You think that self absorbed little Succubus would come running to your aid?"
Rosalie Hale had already proven that she would help me if I needed it. We weren't necessarily best friends yet, but she was willing to help. I didn't say any of that though. I doubted he would even hear me.
"And Mike? You wanted to run to him too. After he left you alone. Hurt you?" He was incredulous and offended by all of this. Maybe because he knew his questions were rhetorical. Because the answer was clear on my face.
Mike Newton had hurt me, but he was my first love. I would always sort of have a care for him. Especially enough to want to go to him after something like this. And I would run to the Cullens in a heartbeat. They were working hard to save me. Each one had tried to befriend me. Even Jasper who was always kind of wanting to murder me.
Each one had seen past my curse. I felt dad grab my arm again, a little too hard. "Jessie, you could be a great hunter. You can use this to fix your leg." He dragged my to the table and held the blood to my face. It was drying now, but I imagined it's healing properties may still remain.
"Don't you dare." Grandma yanked the stake from my father and threw it in the garbage. Dad got angry and he extended his hand again, throwing grandma backwards. I screamed and he let go, dropping my hand. Grandma hit the ground harshly, but she got up almost immediately. He cried out and tried raising his hand again. "No." I said. He cried out and I heard a snapping sound. He cradled his arm and then ran out of the house, grabbing his Golden stake on the way out. I ran over to grandma. She was okay. "I still have my hunter's strength. I will be okay. I will check on Mike. You get back to your vampires." Grandma insisted.
I was torn. I wanted to make sure Mike was okay too, but I knew grandma was right. I limped out of the house and out to my car. I called out for Bella, but figured she had gone home to check on Rose, not thinking I was in any danger. I wasn't sure I was in danger of anything more than myself. I was the monster grandma warned me against.

When I got to the Cullen home, I practically ran despite the pain in my knee. I yanked the door open and ran to where I heard many voices. I yanked the door open and got stared at with horror.

I moved over to see Rosalie Hale was laying on the couch. She was breathing very slowly. I felt a pain tug at me.

"Short stack, you alright?" I felt both Bree and Emmett on either side of my as I collapsed. They moved me to a couch across from where Rosalie was.

They all looked at me with concern now, even Rosalie. Alice was the only one not facing me. She was in the corner Rubbing her temples as if she had a headache.
"Jessica." I glanced over at Edward who was sitting close by me now. I tried telling him everything my head, but he just cried out, flinched, and covered his ears. He backed away from me almost immediately which just about killed me.
I swallowed a thick lump that had formed at the back of my throat and I spoke quietly. "My dad is... he is insane." I whispered.

"He attacked Rosalie and then went to Seattle and hurt Mike. He attacked my grandma too, I—"

"Rosalie is alright. Jacob stopped him in time." Bree whispered, somehow more soothing. Perhaps she really was the calm in the storm. I nodded, eyeing Rosalie who sent me a weakened smile. "We chose red velvet." She told Me.
I smiled at her a bit. After a few minutes I calmed down enough that Edward got the full story from my mind and relayed it to the others.
I got a series of mixed reactions to it. Emmett actually said cool, which might have been less annoying if I hadn't just broken my father's arm somehow. Carlisle was fascinated by it, which again was a bit annoying.
"Let's not forget it's a curse." I snapped without meaning to.
"I don't believe in curses." Carlisle told her gently.
She wanted to protest, but she saw Alice stand. "My visions are all over the place." She said miserably. "I didn't see any of what happened today."
"Could it be because of us? I know you can't see around us..." Jacob Black murmured.
she shook her head very gently at him. "I have gotten used to you guys by now." She looked worriedly at me and then disappeared downstairs for the rest of the night.