Page 140 of Beneath the Blue Moon
My vision clears, and I look to her helplessly.
“You knew… and you didn’t tell me?”
“Dear God, no!There was no way I was going to let that…abominationbe born.”
My dad quickly steps in front of her, trying to shield herfrom me.I vaguely hear my brothers’ voices, but their words don’t register.They push me against the wall, trying to keep me away from her.
“Abomination?Those were my children!”
“They were half-breeds!They would have been nograndchildren of mine.”
My babies… my poor, innocent babies.The hurt of the losscourses through me, and I slide down the wall, falling to a sitting position onthe floor.
“Helena, what did you do?”
She looks up at my dad indignantly and squares hershoulders.
“That’s when I contacted Stone.”
Stone?Why would she contact Stone?
“He didn’t know it was me, of course.I have a little errandboy I turned a few months ago to handle situations such as this.”
“You turned someone?”my father asks in disbelief, takingover the questioning.
“Don’t look so surprised, Victor.He wasn’t the first.”
Dad grits his teeth and continues, “Why did you contactStone?”
“I had to get rid of her.I did my part.I kept Ethan awayfrom her that night by throwing the party.He, however, didn’t deliver.He wassupposed to kill her.My only regret is that Luke was a casualty.But at leasthe got rid of thethingsshe was carrying.”
This time, my brothers don’t even try to hold me back.Before my father can react, my hand is on her throat.
“Do you know how many times I’ve vowed to kill the personwho did this?”
Dad grabs my arm, desperately begging me to let her go.I’mnot squeezing… yet.But she needs to know how serious I am.
“And today?”I ask.
“You have her living with you, Ethan!In her fragile stateof mind, all it took was a few well-placed words to send her over the edge.”
Her eyes widen as my fingers begin to curl.Right now, I’mnot seeing my mother; I’m seeing the person who schemed and lied and hurt me inthe worst possible way.
“I guess Stone didn’t tell you about his little plan.Hewanted her for himself.Because of you, she’s lying in bed right now with thefever… byhishand.”
It takes all seven men to pry me away from her.I lash out,throwing Michael against a wall, Andrew against another.I’ve been trying tohold him back, but I can’t do it anymore.My chest heaves and my fangs begin todescend.Charlie grabs my hand and pulls me to the backyard.I fall to myknees, listening to the rip of my clothes as my body changes.
The physical pain of the change is nothing compared to thepain in my heart.Betrayed by my mother.My claws dig into the earth, and Iarch my back, looking to the night sky.I let out a soul-shattering wail of ahowl and take off into the woods.I can’t be near her right now.I don’t knowwhere I’m going, but I have to get as far away from her as possible.I passthrough the woods at top speed, leaping over fallen trees.I just need to getaway.Most importantly, I need to think.
***Casey***
“Mmm….”
“Casey… sweetheart?”
Ethan.What’s with the pounding in my head and thedesert in my throat?
“Wa…ter.”
