The Monsters Who Love Me (On Hold)

Chapter 5

    Aurora raised a brow at him. "And you think I'll be satisfied with that? Don't make me laugh."

     "We found you in the woods," Mikhail told her, eyes sad. "We found you and took you in, Aurora. Please believe that. Believe that we wanted nothing but the best for you."

     "Found me in the woods? Was that before or after you killed my family?"

     "Enough!" Gage roared. "Shut up!"

    "No!" Aurora screamed back, so close to tears. "I want the truth and I want it now!"

    "I'm telling you the truth," Mikhail said. "It is up to you to believe it."

    "Really?" Aurora asked mockingly. "You sure you don't want to erase my memory again?"

    "You're letting your emotions cloud your judgment," Gage said. "Shut up and think. Do you really think Mikhail would do anything to harm you? He's been your father, your brother for 17 fucking years. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

     "I don't know what to think anymore," she answered truthfully.

     "Well think about this," Gage snapped. "Look at Mikhail. Look at him!"

     Aurora swallowed and obeyed, staring straight into Mikhail's eyes.

    "Tell me...do you hate him? Is your love for him dead now that you know the truth?"

    "I don't even know what the truth is," she told him but didn't take her eyes off Mikhail.

    "Answer the question, Aurora. When you look at him, don't look at him as a monster, look at him as the person who raised you and think. Do you love him?"

    Her eyes watered. "Yes."

    "What?"

   "Yes!" She screamed. "I still love him. I still love both of you. God I hate that you lied to me, scared to death what's going to happen between the three of us now but yes, yes I still love you. I love you." She stared at Mikhail, crying now. "I love you."

    Mikhail hesitated before taking a step forward and took her into his arms. She stiffened at first then relaxed, sobbing against his chest. "Hush, little one," Mikhail murmured, "do not weep so."

     "No," Gage said, "let her cry it out. It's better then her keeping it all bottled up."

      Aurora clung to Mikhail and cried her heart out. She wasn't the crying type, she really wasn't but this...crying out all these raging emotions made her feel a little better. Her chest had felt so tight since she had woken up but now it was slowly easing as Mikhail held onto her, brushing his lips against her forehead lovingly, so lovingly that it made he cry even harder.

    She broke away from Mikhail's arms and walked over to Gage. She threw herself on him and hugged him tight. "I thought...I thought you were going to die. I thought...I...I."

    Gage scowled but didn't push her away. "I'm alive. Thanks to you both."

    Mikhail knelt down beside Aurora and placed a gentle hand on her head. "You saved a life tonight, Aurora. Be proud."

    She raised her tear streaked face and looked at him. "I'm sorry."

    He smiled. "I do not blame you for your hysteria. You were confused and hurt."

    But she had hurt him, Aurora thought sadly. She knew she had. She could see it in his eyes. He was blaming himself for her pain.

    "Will you tell me what you are?" She asked him, even though she already guessed. Still, she wanted to hear it right from his mouth.