A/N: The glitched text is on purpose. Your electronic isn't broken.
DAY FIVE
"Look at me, my sweet," A sugary sweet voice coos. "Come back."
My head hurts. I feel as though I was hit over the head with a frying pan.
What happened?
And then, like a freight train, it all came back.
I open my eyes to see Nico's face looking down at me with... concern?
It was void of the usual sneer or feral grin.
"My lovely, I have brought you a present," Nico smirks, not quite the grin but smiling once more. He snaps his fingers and my eyes fall onto Tucker.
"Tucker has been bad," Nico tells me. "He hurt you and he had no right to do so. I need you to help me punish him."
I was surprised. What did he want me to do?
"Do you remember this?" Nico questioned as he held up the switchblade that I had tried to stab Rowan with. "I want you to hurt him. Hurt him like he hurt you."
What on earth was he playing at? Surely this was a test.
"I have coated the knife in a special substance. Take care to not touch the blade," Nico tells me, flicking it open. "My venom will burn if you manage to piece his skin."
He frowns when I don't take the knife. "Go on, my dear."
A shaky hand comes up to clasp the knife. It's heavy in my hand. I don't know if it's the anxiety or because my muscles are sore from fighting.
Nico notices that I'm not moving and lets out a huff, grabbing both of my shoulders and pushing me forward towards Tucker.
I don't understand what he wants me to do.
"I'm sorry, man," Tucker pleads at Nico. "I didn't mean anything by it."
"Ah, it's too late for apologies," Nico tisks. "In fact, I don't think I can forgive you until bruises no longer mar her skin."
"Shit man, please," Tucker pleads some more. "I'm sorry."
"Not as sorry as you're going to be when I bring Chase and Lomar," Nico's grin is back.
"Please! Leave them out! They had nothing to do with this! It was all me!" Tucker pleads.
Nico looks at me before coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around me. His right hand reaches out to cup mine before pushing me forward and guiding my hand to Tucker's shoulder.
"Push," Nico's low breathy tone whispers in my ear. "Make him feel the pain you did."
I don't like this. Make it stop. I wiggle a little in his hold but he's got me tight.
Nico's hand grips mine uncomfortably and starts to push.
The blade bends a little at first before Nico pulls my hand back. "Stab it as hard as you can."
I don't know why I did it.
The next thing I know, the knife is sailing through the air and then careening into Tucker's shoulder.
It breaks through his skin, causing web like cracks as Tucker flings his head back and screams in pain.
It felt...
good.
It felt good to hurt him. I felt powerful.
These thoughts scare me. I shouldn't enjoy making other people hurt.
I just want to go home.
My birthday is next month. Will I live to see it?
Will I turn nineteen?
Or will the Cullen's find me, frozen at eighteen, a life taken too young by forces much too cruel.
I stab again.
Did the twins make it out? Were they caught?
Stab.
What about my sister? Is she okay? Was it an elaborate set up to capture me?
Stab.
Will I ever see Rosalie again? I can't imagine how she's feeling right now. I'm so, so, sorry Rosalie.
Sta--
A hand is clasped over mine, keeping it still. "I think that's enough, my dear."
Everything comes into focus as I exit my head. Tucker is sobbing, multiple wounds fracture like fine china and leak clear venom.
"You did perfect, luv," Nico purrs. "Are you up for round two?"
"R--round two?" I repeat.
"Chase and Lomar need a turn," Nico grins, pulling his arms around my waist to tug me to his chest in a hug.
I don't understand why he's so touchy.
He's acting like
...like...
He's acting like Rosalie.
He's acting like Rosalie when she feels a need to proclaim me as hers. Whether it's boys at school get too close or she gets jealous of the others and their mates.
I don't understand.
I don't want to do that again. I don't like hurting people. Don't make me do it with 'Chase' and 'Lomar'.
-elastic heart-
As it turns out, Chase and Lomar are Tucker's coven. They're not gifted and therefore useless to Nico. If Nico was happy with Tucker then Chase and Lomar were safe.
Chase is Tucker's biological brother. He was with Tucker when he was bitten and was changed too.
I don't remember seeing him.
Lomar is Chase's mate, a human that Nico permitted Chase to bite after finding him. I had never heard of a newborn vampire finding their mate within a few months.
Chase is sixteen or so, obviously the younger brother to Tucker. His wide red eyes are fearful when he's brought in.
Lomar is in his twenties, a large but gentle man.
Nico wants me to use fire to hurt them.
They cower in each others arms as I approach with a lighter. Tucker is forced to compel them to stay put. He's pleading for me to go easy on them. To spare them. He's telling them that it'll be okay.
I flick the flint wheel, an orange glow bursting from the tip.
My bare feet take me to the two boys curled in the corner, crying in each others arms.
Tucker hurt me and my family. I can make him pay.
What am I thinking? Is he using compulsion on me?
I don't really remember what happens after that. It's a blur when fire meets their skin and they s̵̞̍c̷̖̣̥̚r̸̲̒e̸̲̻͖͆a̸̯̓̒̚m̷͖̈
A̸̺̿̔n̵̬̄̕d̶̘̳̕ ̶̻̄̈s̴̼̺̘͂͑c̶̠̥̦̀ṙ̴̡̦̹̎ȩ̷̈͑̉a̴͔̯̐m̷͈̽
F̸l̶a̴m̶e̸s̵ ̶l̸i̵c̶k̴ ̷a̵t̶ ̸t̶h̴e̴i̸r̸ ̶s̷k̸i̴n̴ ̶a̵n̵d̶ ̶I̷ ̷j̷u̸s̵t̷ ̷w̶a̷t̷c̵h̵.̷
DAY SIX
I can't remember what happened yesterday. I remember hurting Tucker. I remember burning Chase and Lomar.
Then...
nothing.
DAY SEVEN
Mirabelle and Seamus come to visit. She lets me hold him again.
My head is a constant pounding headache but I grit my teeth and bear it.
I find myself having missing spots in my memory. I can't remember when I last ate or when I slept or if I got my daily PB&J sandwich.
Mirabelle asks me if anything is wrong.
I lie.
DAY EIGHT
It's so cold.
My fingers feel numb.
I can't feel my toes.
I'm hot.
I'm sweating.
I feel sick.
Something wet drips from my nose.
I can't control my trembling limbs.
The last time I felt like this I had my overdose.
I think I'm screaming.
It hurts so bad.
The door opens and Mirabelle's head pokes in.
"Oh shit!"
I watch through half lidded eyes as she places Seamus onto his tummy on the ground before hurrying over to me.
"Jolene?" She questioned, tugging at the thin sheet over my body.
There's blood on it.
She sits me up and cold fingers pinch my nose.
Then I realize that my nose is gushing like a fountain.
"What the fuck is this?"
Cold fingers poke at something on my neck. Like a bandage, something is peeled off.
I recognize what it is. Fear courses through my veins.
I want to tell her what it is but my mouth won't work.
"Nico!" Mirabelle yells for him. "Caleb! Gianna! Rowan!"
My head feels heavy. Ragged breathing escapes my lips at the last name.
I know that he did this to me.
Rowan pokes his head into the room and I can't control my body as my limbs tremble.
"She's having a seizure!" Mirabelle snaps at him. "Get help!"
Rowan's eyes just stare at me.
"Rowan!" Mirabelle barks. "Go!"
My eyes then focus on the little tufts of blond hair on the top of Seamus' head.
The little baby looks up at me with blood red eyes and smiles a gummy grin.
I don't know how long I watch the baby but the next thing I know, cold hands are cupping my flushed cheeks and Nico's face is hovering above me.
"What happened?" He demands.
"It was my fault, sir," Rowan weakly pipes up.
Eyes flicker to look at him and he shuffles in his spot. "You said how much you liked the taste of nicotine in her body. She said she quit and I put a nicotine patch on her. It was a high dose and I accidentally overdosed her."
"This is a nicotine overdose?" Nico's voice was dangerously calm. Face devoid of his usual grin.
"I'm sorry, I just thought--" Rowan panics.
Nico is across the room in an instant, hands wrapping around Rowan's neck. "You almost killed her."
When did he even come into my room? How did he get the patch onto my neck?
"I thought you knew best," Nico shakes his head dejectedly. "You know about her. About her past and issue with drugs. And then you go and drug her against her will."
My eyes go back to watching Seamus, finding it much easier to look at the ground than up at the two.
So I was drugged. That explains everything. The missing memory, the nosebleed, the shaking limbs and cold sweats.
Then I'm fucking crying.
Mirabelle thinks I'm choking or something and turns me on my side.
I just want to go home.