Blood Moon [a Twilight Saga FanFiction]

Kill the Duke - Johann's POV

MONDAY MORNING CAME AND FOR THE STRANGEST REASON, I felt excited.
     Verity had finally told me that she believed Natalia had a crush on me, which I couldn't believe. And yet, when I thought of seeing her again... It made me excited.
     Was I crushing on a human?
     This was bad. I knew I shouldn't have felt as excited to see her as I was. Shouldn't be thinking of how she'd turn around the corner into the school as Verity closed her locker as she always did.
    Except for this time, there was something wrong.
     Verity and I looked at her as she walked. head low, hair down, sleeves too long for the humid day, sunglasses with no sun.
     Something was wrong.
     Verity rushed ahead without any warning, straight to Natalia.
     "Natalia!" Verity called.
     What?
     Natalia stopped and looked at Verity. Lifting her head I could see it, a human probably wouldn't not well anyway, but there was yellowing of his tanned skin hiding under her sunglasses.
     Duke would get it today.
     Then I saw the split lip and I saw red.
     "We're coming tonight," Verity said.
     Wait, what? We had agreed during the weekend we weren't.
     "It's not on tonight, it's not on ever again," she muttered.
     "Why not?"
     Actually, the bruise and the split lip explained Verity's sudden want to go to the club. She must have noticed before I did.
     "It's just... not."
     Natalia walked away before I reached them, her head down again and Verity... Verity had never looked so angry.
     Duke got out of his car and Verity's eyes shrunk to slits at him. I had never been more terrified of her.
     "You," she growled. Ah oh. "You did that to her! Didn't you? You hurt her! You destroyed her!"
     "I don't know what the hell you're on about!" Duke yelled back.
     "Verity," I put a warning hand on her shoulder.
     Duke looked at me only for a moment. I made him afraid but I wasn't a danger to him now and he could see that.
     "Don't you ever lay a hand on her again! Do you understand!"
     I was too busy watching Verity. I didn't see. I should have, but I was trying to make sure our little half-breed didn't turn into the monster she was starting to sound like.
     Duke Dustin's hand cracked into Verity's cheek. Her head spun on impact but I was sure Duke's hand was now broken.
     Not that he'd let it show.
     Seeing Verity holding her cheek, the red was back. The monster roaring to defend her, protect her, avenge her.
     I pulled Verity behind me and went straight for Duke's throat. I held him there, about a foot off the ground.
     I practically heard Igor's voice in my head, human. So I pretended to shake my arm as if holding Duke up was difficult.
     But this jerk had hurt women, had hurt Verity.
     "Johann!"
     "Dad?" Verity gasped behind me.
     "Put him down, now."
     My leader... my father's orders. He sounded so angry, so disappointed. I dropped the flea and he flopped pathetically to his knees, gasping for air.
     "How are you feeling?" Igor asked, crouching beside him. "Lightheaded?"
     "Get away from me!" Duke yelled in panic. "Fucking Germans."
     We all watched Duke run and Igor turned on me.
     "Johann," Igor growled. The disappointment in his eyes was excruciatingly painful. If I had ever hoped he'd understand my anger for him hurting a woman... "There better be a good-"
     "He hit me," Verity said quickly. "That's Duke. He hit me."
      Igor looked over his shoulder to the retreating figure of Duke and slowly returned to us, his eyes still angry though now I wasn't sure at who.
     "I egged him on. It's my fault-"
    "Your fault?" I said, interrupting Verity. "No, it's not! He bashed Natalia until she was nothing but cuts and bruises! You were just defending another woman and hot hit for it!"
     "He hurt Natalia as well?" Igor asked.
     "Look, I'm okay," Verity said quickly. "Didn't hurt. I'm sure his hand hurts more than my face."
     "I'm sorry, Igor," I said and he looked at me. There was still a terrifying rage in his eyes. "I know what I've done."
     "Doctor Farkas, I'm glad your here. I don't have to call you," Mr Williams, our school principal said as he approached. "Please take your son home. I'm suspending him-"
     "He was defending me," Verity argued. "Duke Dustin hit me."
     "I'm sure he didn't mean it, it must have been in an explosion of teenage emotion."
     "Didn't mean to?" I asked.
     "He beat up Natalia!"
     "Well, Miss Farkas. Maybe you and Miss Rossi should go home then? There are some of still think women don't belong in the workforce or the schoolyard."
     "Careful, Mr Williams," Igor said. He sounded rather soft considering the daggers in his eyes. "I shouldn't have to remind you who's looking after your six-year-old. I'm sure she'd love to hear that you think she shouldn't be doing her job."
     I could see Mr Williams back-peddling right in front of us. He outspoke.
     "Fine. Take Johann home for the rest of the day. He can return tomorrow. Miss Farkas? Do try to stay out of the boy's way."
     He walked away and I turned to Verity, she was looking at me with a smile.
     Igor kissed her forehead.
     "You'll be okay?" he asked her.
     "I'll be fine. I'm a big girl."