This Is Where I Want To Be

37. My Father In Law

Juliet

It was much later when Benji’s cage finally opened. I was anxious for him because of Charlene. Every one of the werewolves came at me first. What was it about that glow of mine that made them attack me? All the wolves were disorientated when they couldn’t get a hold of me. By that time, I had gotten used to it, only closing my eyes. Keeping my face downwards and waited for the familiar sound of an opponent calling out the challenging wolf. I couldn’t see the next vamp’s face… He had on a mask or helmet. I was surprised at his size… He wasn’t built large. Mr… I didn’t know what to call him just yet. But he didn’t like his face getting scratched. Had to be a dandy.

I was getting a little bored with the same thing over and over. Not one of the vampires had stood a chance. What was the point if no one could take down a full-moon wolf? And what was this guy going to do… Ben is huge… And the vamp was kind of short and scrawny looking. The fight started like all the others, with a lot of back and forth. That is until Mr. Dandy reached for something behind his back and made sparks fly out the end. He was testing a cattle prod. Benji wasn’t deterred. He lunged at his opponent. I quickly changed his name to Mr. Cheater because the vamp got in a few good shocks, moving swiftly around Ben. His size and speed had its advantages. It only aggravated the dog more. Ben doubled his speed and rapidly grabbed onto the hilt of the prod, flinging it away. There was a smile on the vamp’s face. Long fangs were out. He was ready to attack.

Having a little more invested in that fight, I couldn’t help but root for Ben and was happy he couldn’t get shocked anymore. My man swiped his claws at the vamp, making his opponent step back several times, needing to lean back to miss the nails glistening in the moonlight. I peered up at the moon, which was dead center in the sky—it was already twelve. I had been there for hours. Only three cages remained… Mateo was one of them.

The female werewolves had signed an opt-out of the fight clause. Their meals had been delivered. They were sleeping it off in their cages. It was a voluntary thing, maybe even monetary. How much do they make, and who pays? Bored with the fight, I went to sit on the ground with my legs stretched out in front of me. Mr. Cheater and Ben’s battle wasn’t going anywhere. They were obviously equal in strength and kept going at it. I chose a woman at my back who was snoring loudly rather than a guy snarling at me the whole night.

The vamp wasn’t tiring out… Ben was the first to falter. There was a short burst of clapping noises from the glass on top of the cages, and cheering from a few voices followed. That was new. Onlookers. It seemed the barn was surrounded by an audience behind double-sided glass, tinted and dark on our side, keeping out the harsh lights pointed down onto the red sand on the ground. Benjamin faltered again. I sat up, “No, Ben. What will Mr. Cheater do with you?” After another minute, Ben stopped moving altogether, panting heavily. He changed back to plain old Ben and dropped like a potato. I stood up, “What?” The victory cry from behind the glass woke up all the cages. The noise was deafening… The victor lifted his hands in the air, bowing his head in recognition. Was that what they were doing? I felt terrible saying this, but… “Awesome!” The three vampire runners came out, lifted Benjamin off the ground, and carried him to his cage. The doors locked automatically.

The winner made one victory lap and came to a stop very close to me. The gates opened, and I frowned. They were also fighting for a meal. The loser doesn’t feed. Not bad… I was a little disgusted when a woman came out in a nightdress… A fancy one. It seemed familiar. Where had I seen it before? Weird… But okay… I’ve emptied young women before. She held an arm over her eyes, guarding against the bright lights. The vampire growled as the gates closed behind the woman. She lowered her arm. I had to blink a few times to make sure it was really Charlene I was seeing. Her eyes ran over the cages. The snarling creatures. A thundering roar came from the glass up above. It drowned out her screams… She wiped at her eyes. Her terrified features seemed rather pathetic. What was she doing there? She would be dinner… and hadn’t even seen me manifest yet.

“Well, she’s going to see it now.”

Mr. Cheater, next to me, advanced on Charlene. I surfaced quickly, holding out my leg, tripping him. I burst out laughing as his face planted into the ground, skidding through the sand. Jumping up, he turned towards where he came from... There was nothing there. He didn’t understand. Confused, his gaze drifted until I was standing right in his face, fully manifested. His reaction was not what I expected, smiling so brightly behind the mask. What was that? I thought cocking my head. Not letting the distraction stop me from punching him in the gut as hard as I could. He grunted while another kick hit the side of his knee.

“Am I that pretty?” I said sarcastically.

He came up fast, smirking. Not that I could really see, but his eyes told me what I needed to know. Was I as pathetic as Charlene? Maybe he was happy that he not only had lunch but a treat after.

“Not tonight, buddy,” another genuine smile reached his eyes. Where had I seen those eyes? I made my next move. The smile fell as he dogged, reciprocating my strikes. Mr. Cheater came at me. “You’re underestimating me, Sir.” It seemed that my defensive moves were connected to situations. When his fist came at my face, my hand sprung out and stopped his from landing. He seemed impressed and surprised. So was I because my eyes were closed, waiting for the punch to land. I opened one eye to look at the scene. I laughed back at Charlene, “Did you see that?”

“Can you focus?”

“Oh, yes!” My feet moved, ready for his attack.

He eyed my footwork with skepticism. His arm dropped to hang by his side, shoulders shaking, “Are you laughing at me? I dodged that fair and square. Mr. Cheater.” No one is allowed to laugh at me. I punched him straight on the chin. It was difficult with the mask on. “You coward, take that off!” He shook his head, grabbing my wrist. I stepped forward, rotated my hand, and got out of that quickly. He was making a fool of me… playing with his desert. He quickly got hold of my other wrist and pulled me close to his chest. As I struggled with his tight grip, he smelled my hair rubbing against me. “Oh no, you didn’t,” I leaned forward and gave him an elbow strike on his chin. That at least got another grunt from him.

“You sound like a pig when you do that,” I mocked him. He winked and held me even tighter. I turned into him… Our bodies pressed against each other. Mr. Cheater moaned deeply, “F—” he whispered in a deep voice, holding me even tighter… Not caring about the blow he knew would come. The uppercut sent him back a step or two, “Tsk, tsk,” I admonished. “You’re getting distracted.” He sighed and nodded, licking his lips and biting his bottom lip between his teeth. His eyes ran up and down me. “Come on. We don’t have all night.” He came at me with two hands. I took both in mine and pulled him closer. He used this momentum to grab the back of my head, raking his hand through my hair before he fisted a chunk. Not deterred, I turned outwards and hit him on the side of the head with my elbow. “E-hem,” he coughed, holding his head. Finally… I did something.

The mask was making all my efforts in vain. I needed to get rid of it. The next time, I waited, not moving. I was too tired anyway. He noticed, jabbing at my face and following up with a roundhouse kick. It was predictable. I slapped away his fist as hard as I could, stepped on the offending leg, and jumped over him, pulling off the mask standing behind him. I was breathing hard from the exercise. Mr. Cheater wouldn’t face me.

I pulled him by the shoulder, “This one is not going to be your dinner! And I’m not going to be dessert.”

The guy decided to yield to my touch… Marcus’s human face came into view, holding his chin, rubbing it, “You’re rather good at this,” he whispered. Our eyes locked. I swore loudly, stepping back from him at the same time, letting go of my manifestation. He didn’t miss the gesture nor liked it. My eyes were dark pools of fear, and he was wounded, biting the inside of his cheek, thinking about what to say, “Why do you keep doing that?” he asked genuinely.

“What?” I asked stupidly.

“Holding it in. Stepping away?”

“Why do you keep running us dry?” The words came from somewhere… deep inside me.

His wounded eyes turned lustrous like that night in the car when I knew Marcus loved me—wanted me. My first taste of sex. The simple thought of having a chance with me made him come undone. The word ‘us’ might have been a mistake, giving him an ounce of hope. He moved, quickly closing the distance between us, ravenous like he would take me right there. I knew the feeling when you were starved for blood. Charlene’s hand came from behind, pulling him towards her and slapping him through the face, “That wasn’t an invitation!” she yelled.

I burst out laughing, “This is Marcus Chars. He’s not going to eat me.” Marcus cocked an eyebrow, smirking. He was… contemplating the idea. I giggled nervously, and… we shared a moment. His shoulders slumped, eyes softening. There was affection, too. Not just sex.

“This is your husband?” Marcus smiled at hearing the words. It was the first time we were in the same room hearing the words aloud. “The one that wanted to kidnap you?” His smile fell, and she turned him back around and slapped him again, covering her mouth with her hand once she did. Marcus had manifested. Right in Charlene’s face.

Marcus was formidable with his dark features. A constant menacing look on his good days. When someone laid a hand on him, manifested—he seemed a hundred times worse. Unfortunately for Charlene, Marcus was not Louis. He slapped her so hard it sent her flying into the sand.

“What the hell, Marcus! I told you not to touch her! She is under my protection. If you understood the term us, she would have been under yours as well.” He was stricken for a moment, gesturing to Charlene, then at his face. “She’s human. You could’ve hurt her. You could’ve handled a few slaps.” I pulled her up and wiped the dirt from her face. Wincing, she lifted her hand from her mouth. There was blood. The cages went mad.

“Juliet, your face... Is this what you look like?” Oh crap, I had manifested, too; I was hungry and not listening to her. Luckily, the fear for my friend was greater than my hunger. Marcus kept staring at Charlene. He needed to feed.

“Not now, Charlene…! How long had you starved yourself for this fight, Marcus?”

He was not responding. I heard an “eeek” from behind me.

“We need help!” I yelled, stepping in front of my friend.

A loud ringing came from one of the cages. Marcus stopped dead in his tracks. His face turned to his previous opponent, throwing his hands in the air. Ben! The three runners came in, covering Charlene with a cloak, hanging a chain around her neck, and escorted her out. Marcus grabbed my upper arm, pushing me out of the ring as another vampire approached us, “Juliet,” he dipped his head at me.

“Kubra?” I wanted to grab onto someone’s hand. Have the safety of a guy who would protect me… Kubra’s face haunted me with Marcus’s. He was there that morning… he had helped.

“You could’ve gotten yourself killed,” Marcus said, pulling me along.

I wasn’t really afraid of Marcus himself… but what he represented. It had been such a long night. It was almost morning. Being tired helped me not to totally freak out being alone with him. The reality was he could take me away at any moment. He drugged us all to catch me the last time. None of that mattered at that moment because I was all alone. He kept pulling me along the narrow halls, up a set of stairs, into a room and closed the door behind us. He walked around the couch, bent down at a bag, took out a jacket, and tossed it at me. He was already not happy with what I was wearing.

I grabbed it, sticking my hands in the too-long sleeves. I wasn’t going to argue against putting on more layers. I went to sit on the couch, nervous hands together between my knees, rubbing each other. Marcus was watching me, pacing up and down in front of me. After a moment, he stopped and sat next to me. Slowly, I lifted my bum to move away from him. He bit his fist like he always did. Like he did that night, holding in feelings, “Can you give me… just a little bit, Julie… just something… please!” The words sunk in but got stuck in my throat. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I had never dealt with Marcus or what happened. His arm resting on the couch stretched out to touch my shoulder. As soon as I felt him, I shrugged him off.

I didn’t feel like wiping the tears away or being strong. “You healed me, Julie. With every touch, you fixed me from living with that man… I know I have issues because of him. I’m indoctrinated, but can you blame me? It stops where you are concerned.” I got up, not caring that the soft tears had turned to a sob with every word. I had never forgiven him and had this image in my head of what Marcus did. But it always stopped. Blocking him out completely. “Why are you still so very mad at me, Julie?”

“I just want one second that we are not broken or where there is not some issue between us… Marcus… And why?” I sobbed, “Don’t you,” sob, “Hear me,” sob, “When I say,” I pushed through, “It’s not about you… It’s your father. And all you want to do is have me stay there, go back there! Can’t you leave! Why did you not come with us?! Why did you not come for… me!?”

Marcus jumped up, wanting to take me in his arms. There was a voice behind us. “What do you think you’re doing, boy?” it halted Marcus as his head snapped to the door. I scoffed, our eyes meeting in understanding. I tried to hold back my sniffles. I wiped my nose with the sleeve of his jacket. Marcus turned away from me. His face didn’t come back to mine. “I knew it! Nothing has changed!” The door flung open, hitting the wall in a loud crash. It made me jump. Marcus’s features were of a constant threat… His father was a hundred times worse. He always dominated the room. Large, tall, and his voice gruff. I didn’t dare talk to him before he addressed me.

Qadir Ahmed lowered his head, walking over the threshold. A thing I never wanted to see again. The only creature Marcus feared… the only one anyone feared. I felt like disappearing and making a run for it. Charlene's face came to mind, and getting her out of there undrained, uneaten. She was the only reason I couldn’t. My eyes flickered to Marcus. What would happen to him if I just left again?

***

Marcus

I wanted to. I tried to look at her. Reassure her that nothing would happen. Stupid Marcus. Coward. My eyes stayed fixed on my master.

“Not bowing anymore, Juliet?” She fell onto her knees and put her head on the carpet between her arms stretched out in front of her body. “That’s better… Being so long off the compound has corrupted you.”

I couldn’t see her face… I was biting my lip nervously, waiting for whatever his punishment was going to be. There would be one.

His voice rose slightly, “You disgraced our family! That year you left… you made Marcus out to be weak… And even worse! One that couldn’t even control a woman!” He took a breath and spoke even louder, “But… you aren’t just any woman, or Marcus wouldn’t have done what he did.”

My heart kept beating faster and faster as he got angrier and angrier. All I could think about was that a moment ago, Juliet was almost in my arms. Juliet didn’t want to go back. Over and over, she tried to tell me. She would rather kill herself.

I could only watch. She could only hear my breathing. I was scared of what she would have to go through in a minute because I knew I would do nothing.

***

Juliet

Qadir kept pacing, “You made your parents leave the comfort of their own home. They were living there for hundreds of years… and because of your disobedience… you rebelled like a two-year-old.”

Tears pooled in my eyes, and then he stopped moving. The familiar sound of a belt being undone reached me. It flew out of its place around a waist, snapping in the air. I tightly shut my eyes, and the tears dropped. Don’t get up! I scolded myself. Just take it. Don’t make it worse. Just keep your head down. Get out of there. Let Louis brand you as soon as you see him. He is a safe place. The one who is good for you. Why do I keep looking for trouble? Qadir went to stand beside me. From the corner of my eye, I saw his arm rising; it came back down, lashings over my back—quickly and consecutively. He put power into it. The jacket Marcus had given me didn’t help at all. It ripped open, letting the belt slice into my skin.

Marcus grunted with every blow released, sending spikes of pain through me. I groaned and gasped for air to take the pain away. Still crying, feeling embarrassed that I couldn’t take whatever he had in store for me.

The belt went back into place. Bending down, Qadir gripped my hair, pulling me up to be at eye level with him. Feet dangling. Kicking. I refused to hang onto him for support. My skull burned where the hair was tearing out of me. A cry escaped my lips. I didn’t dare look him in the eye. He shook me like a doll, “I would have broken you in a day. Look how pathetic you are. It’s that mouth of yours that’s the problem. You think it can do things.” He scoffed, “You are a useless little thing. Your tongue needs to be cut out.” He dropped me; on my way down, I hit my head on the side table next to the couch. My ears rang, and Marcus wanted to move. Qadir’s hand jumped up; his reactions too quick. The gesture had its desired effect. Marcus halted, clenching his fists. But still… he didn’t do anything.