I sped home as fast as I could without breaking any serious laws. My stomach turned as I pulled in behind Bryce's SUV. Taking a deep breath, I mentally prepared myself for the onslaught of shit I was sure to face.

The Moment I stepped out of the car I could hear Bryce's raised voice from inside. I knew that as I opened the door it wasn't going to be pretty.

"YOU STUPID BITCH!" I heard Bryce scream.

"WHY THE FUCK WAS MY FOOD COLD?! I DON'T GIVE TWO SHITS IF YOUR DAMN DAUGHTER IS HOME OR NOT! IF I'M HUNGRY I WILL EAT! YOU GOT THAT?! NOW LOOK AT THIS SLOP YOU CALL DINNER! NOT ONLY IS IT NOT EDIBLE BUT ON TOP OF THAT IT'S FUCKING COLD!"

There was the sound of a plate breaking and my Mom whimpered.

"Now pick it up you dumb whore." Bryce said in a scathing voice.

I couldn't take this anymore. I had spent most of my life here listening to him scream at and belittle my Mother and I. I was leaving in a few weeks and I wasn't going to go quietly. Things were going to change. Now.

"DON'T TALK TO MY Mother LIKE THAT YOU PATHETIC PIECE OF SHIT!" I screamed stepping into the dining room.

Bryce looked up from where he was supervising my Mother picking up the piece of broken china. His eyes locked on me and his face turned a violent shade of puce.

"What did you just say to me you fucking brat?" he growled.

"I said leave my Mother alone! I'm done with your shit Bryce! You're not going boss me or my Mother around anymore! Go to hell and burn!" I spat.

"You little shit!" Bryce yelled and started for me.

"Bryce! Please! Stop!" my Mother said and hurried over jumping between the two of us.

"Keep your pathetic ass out of this Cleo!" Bryce snapped and grabbed hold of Mom throwing her across the room.

She crashed violently into the china cabinet that sat in the corner, shattering the glass of the doors and sending it tumbling down on top of her.

"MOM!" I screamed.

Bryce stood back shocked as I ran over and shoved the cabinet off of her as much as I could. Her eyes were closed and she wasn't moving. Sticking out of her chest was a shard of glass, blood pouring from the sides of the wound. So much blood.

"Oh god! Mom! Hold on!" I said falling to my knees beside her, ignoring the sharp glass piercing my knees through my jeans. My hand went around the glass trying to stop the bleeding.

Mom opened her eyes and took a long ragged breath, "Charlotte…"

Her hand reached up and touched my cheek gently. Her blue eyes pierced mine and I saw her smile. I don't know how long we stayed like that but what seemed like seconds later I watched as the light in her eyes slowly faded before disappearing completely, her hand falling from my cheek.

The tears that had began to run down my face as I sat beside my Mom suddenly came to a stop. I carefully reached up and closed my Mother's eyes before standing up. My hands, jeans and t-shirt were stained with her blood

My eyes turned to Bryce. He was looking between my Mother's body and I, silent for once. He looked horrified and something in the back of my mind said, "He should be." .

The smell of smoke filled my nose and a sudden breeze began to blow around me. I didn't know where it came from but at that point I couldn't care less.

"I-It was an accident!" he stuttered as I began to walk towards him.

The closer I drew to him the bigger his eyes got. The only thing I could think was that I wanted him dead. Dead just like my Mother was.

Suddenly Bryce's eyes went even wider. His hand shot up and clutched at his chest. His face turned red then purple.

"He's dying." I thought to myself.

"Good." Another voice from earlier echoed once again.

I watched as his breaths came in shorter and shorter gasps. I didn't take my eyes off of him the entire time. Not until he dropped to the floor and didn't move again.

All at once everything stopped. The smell of smoke disappeared as did the inexplicable wind. They were replaced with the smell of my Mother's blood and a heavy feeling of guilt. My mother was dead and so was Bryce.

Bryce was dead.

He had been killed.

By me.

I wasn't sure how but I was certain that without laying a single hand on him I had killed him.

A blanket of sorrow, guilt and sadness suddenly draped itself around me. I began to shake and a moment later I collapsed into the corner that was the furthest from the bodies. As I sat there, staring at the bodies on the other side of the room something sparked in my mind.

It was a fleeting thing, a reflection I'd caught in the dining room window as I walked towards Bryce. A creature…bright fuchsia eyes…sharp teeth…black feathers. I had been too preoccupied to pay it any mind but now I realized something…that creature…the terrifying thing it was…me.

Pulling my knees up to my chest I buried my face in them. Questions were screaming at me.

What had I done?

How had I done it?

And most importantly…what was I?