I'm spiraling quickly, trying to get out and away before I lose hold on myself. "Law.." My voice is high pitched, near frantic. It hurts my ears. I hold my head as if trying to hold back the insanity attempting to burst forth from my brain.
Law stands his ground in front of the door. Stubborn! Why is he so hellaciously STUBBORN? "I'm not moving. If you're going to flip out, do it here. I'm not letting you run off and get yourself killed."
In my head, pseudo laughter fills my ears. I sink to my knees, hugging myself. I hear his voice over Law's. The same voice that's been haunting me for the past fifteen years.
Why run, monster?
I can smell his putrid breath as he hisses madness in my brain.
Let the fool try to stop you. Let him hold my monster back. Put him in his place, show him who you belong to!
I growl under my breath. "I don't belong to you. I've NEVER belonged to you!" Oh, god. Why won't this idiot let me out before it's too late!? My hands curl into claws, the nails digging into my arms as I try to hold myself together.
Law speaks in his calm tenor. "Fight through this, I know you can. Whatever you hear, it isn't real." His concern makes me sick. Too late. It's too late. He takes a courageous step towards me, bending down to my level. "C'mon, look at me, darlin'." His words do nothing to satiate me. If anything it infuriates me. A trick, this is all another one of his tricks. A mind game. He won't fool me this time... When I meet his eyes, it's not my friend I see but some ill perceived threat. An immortal sent from my dead sire to finish the job he failed to. I uncurl from my protected ball and crouch on my toes, hands braced on the ground, ready to pounce. The menace in my vision speaks. "Oh, darlin'. You don't want to do this." I lean forward, baring my teeth. "Stop this. Back off, Maddie." His insolent use of my name makes me see red. I snap, and fly at him in a crazed rage.
He catches my wrists before I can strike him. This false ally tries to placate me. I barely hear his voice over my enraged snarling. My maker laughs maliciously. Instigating. Egging the stranger on to attack me.
Time to teach you your lessons, little monster. Someones got to do it. You made sure I couldn't, didn't you?
I scream incoherently, pulling an arm out of his grasp and landing a hard punch to the side of his jaw. It's like hitting stone, and the pain in my hand sets me off even more. Despite the tension, my attacker laughs. "That's a helluva right hook."
I wrench my other hand free. "You're mocking me? I'll tear you apart!"
He moves towards me again and I step sideways, grabbing a heavy vase from the table. I smash it across it face, eliciting a yelp from him. A trickle of dark blood drips from a wound on his temple. I brandish the jagged neck of the vase at him, grinning wickedly. Faster than I can react he slaps the makeshift weapon out of my hand. Spinning me around, he wraps his arms around me, pinning mine behind my back. I fight tooth and nail like a wild animal, attempting to tear the flesh of his stomach with my restrained hands. When I catch his skin, he growls. Panting with the exertion from trying to hold me still, he gasps in my ear: "Mad..don't...make me...lock you in the damn..closet!" The threat of being detained sends me into another wave of hysteria. I slam my head back into his face and wrestle free from him. His lip split, he spits blood on the floor. "God DAMN it! Fine. Is this how it's gotta be? Come on, woman. Let's tango." He holds his arms out as thick, inch long claws sprout from each finger. His fangs seems sharper, his eyes more feral.
This beast may actually be a worthy opponent. He could very well kill me. Instead of being afraid, I hunger for the battle. I shout at him. "Go ahead, let's see it. Take me down!" Crazed laughter surrounds me.
There's my monster.
Almost catching me off guard, he makes the first move. Slashing low, his claws catch me across my chest. Thin lines of blood seep through my shirt. The sight of it provokes me and I fly at him, grappling and gnashing my teeth. I get my fangs deep in his arm, grinding my jaws down until I taste blood. He snarls angrily, ripping his arm from my mouth and heaving me away. I stumble into the coffee table. Feigning weakness, I whimper, letting false fear cross my face. He approaches cautiously, but not cautious enough. I grab his forearms, pushing him against the table. He falls backward, bringing me with him as we smash into the glass top. Rolling through the blood spattered shards, I fight for control. His claws tear at me, giving him the upper hand. Slippery with blood, I manage to squirm out from under him.
Darting into the kitchen, I grab a large knife from the butcher's block and in one fluid movement duck behind the counter. His blood lust brings him in to the room. He sniffs the air for my scent, and before he can pinpoint my location I fling myself onto his back. Grabbing around his neck with one arm, I sink the knife into his side to the hilt. He shrieks like a wildcat and reaches behind him to throw me off his back. I hit the floor hard enough to shatter the tiles. He pulls the knife from his flesh, tossing it aside with a clatter. I swipe my hair out of my face as he pants animalistically. Simultaneously converging on each other again, we brawl for over an hour, tearing each other and the house apart in the process.
My thoughts are churning darkly. The battle is taking it's toll on me mentally as well as physically. I notice him altering his attacks, seeming to block my attempts, rather than injure me. Desperate and deranged, I shriek at him. "No! Don't stop, fight me back! Giving up...why..why do you always give up?" My voice is hysterical. "Why won't you kill me? How can I stop you if I can't kill you? Why won't you...stop...stop." Bloody tears are falling down my cheeks as I howl in frustration.
He drops his arms, straightening out of his predator's stance. "I'm not doing this anymore. Do your worst, darlin'. Let it out. I won't fight ya anymore."
I wipe the blood from my face angrily and accost him, pummeling every inch of him I can reach. The pity on his face conflicts me more. I scream. "Why are you doing this? WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS TO ME? Just let me go! You've taken everything! Why won't you...he..why won't he..." I look up, finally seeing through the haze of madness. "He won't let me go." My body trembles uncontrollably, my walls threatening to crumble around me. Law puts his hands on my shoulders and when I try to pull away he tightens his arms around me in an embrace. "Please don't...don't...I can't. I'm too dangerous." I'm poison. Don't touch me. Don't touch me. I curl into him and we sink into the carpet. He lets me cry and rave on his shoulder. As my sobs subside, I whisper apologies over and over. To Law. Myself. To the dead. To the people who will never hear it.
He rocks me gently and I hear his voice over my sorrow. "Oh, darlin'. What happened to you?"
I turn my head, unable to handle the sympathetic look on his face. "Please don't ask that. Don't ever ask that."
We stay intertwined in each others arms amongst the wrecked debris of his furnishings until minutes before dawn. He doesn't speak when he lifts me into his arms, carrying me to his light safe bedroom. My face is impassive as he removes my shredded and stained clothing, slipping one of his clean t-shirts over my head. I stand by the bed unconsciously rocking back and forth on my heels as he removes his own clothes for a pair of sweatpants. A hint of weariness crosses his face as he climbs into the bed. Pulling me down next to him, I hesitate for the slightest moment before curling my body around his. He drapes an arm around me protectively when I nuzzle my face into his chest. He falls asleep instantly and after a bit I fight down my racing emotions and drift off.
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