Chapter 4- Speechless

"Please don't kill him! I'll do anything please!"

Blood. So much blood. It was dripping down Jaime's neck. He was ripping Jaime apart. Jaime screamed and tried to attack him. The monster caught his hand and ripped the flesh from his bone. Jaime shrieked so loud I covered my ears.

"Jaime!"

I lunged forward to try to save him. His eyes were open but there was no expression.

"You'll never be able to save him."

"Jaime please wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"

"Joanna wake up!"

I was instantly met by a pair of crystal blue eyes looking down at me. I twisted my head around. Where was I? Where was Jaime? It all flooded back. The monster. Jaime was gone. I could feel my breath vibrate and something got caught in my throat. I couldn't speak. I couldn't move.

"Look at me."

For some reason I obeyed and looked into his eyes.

"It's ok, you're going to be ok." I suddenly noticed he was lightly stroking my shoulders. I pulled away and sat up.

"Who are you?"

"I don't know if you're ready for that sweetness."

His voice was thick with sarcasm and I scoffed at his righteousness.

"Believe me I think I can handle whatever you're about to tell me."

"Alright well I'm Damon and it just so happens we are to be married in mid January. The 16th I believe it was, or was it the 17th, I can't quite remember"

He struck me with a look of pure arrogance. I was speechless. I had no idea what to say. I was being rude to my husband, I was talking back. What was I to say? Then the previous night flooded into my mind. How do I explain that I wasn't a virgin. Do I apologize?

"We're obviously NOT going to do that because that would be ridiculous. What we ARE going to do is get the fuck out of Monterey."

I flinched at his language but tried to stay focused on the conversation at hand.

"I don't understand how did you find me. Why don't you want-"

"To marry you? Well the truth is Jo, may I call you Jo."

I shook my head up and down.

"I quite frankly don't believe in the institution of marriage. I mean, you don't even know me. I have no idea who you are. I'm not going to put a rock on your finger so I can watch you cook me soup. We may even hate each other? Or maybe love each other a little to much."

He winked at me with his last statement. I knew what he was insinuating and I couldn't help but be uncomfortable. His presence was intimidating. In ways even more than the man from last night. he had an intensity in his eyes and voice I had never experienced. I was hyper sensitive to everything he did. If he shifted his body on the bed I inhaled as to prepare myself for…

"Jo are you ok?"

He changed. His tone, his eyes, everything. He looked at me so sincerely with a hint of regret in his face.

"Jo?"

"I'm sorry yes I'm fine continue what you were saying."

"Well, I have to something to explain to you."

He had switched so fast. He looked like a different person than a moment ago. His sincerity and kindness made me feel light headed.

"May I explain something to you Jo?"

I shook my head unable to speak.

"The man that killed your brother, the one I found you with, he's not a monster. I want you to know that. It's very important that you know that. I know it's a lot to take in and the last thing I want to do is overwhelm you but very soon he's going to travel to the ends of the earth to find you and apologize. He'll risk his life he'll harm others just to get to you. And I know the last think you need is to see him. So is going to nurse you back to health and we're leaving tomorrow."

I was speechless. How could I think he was sincere and kind. He thought the man wasn't a monster? After everything that happened. I began to shake with anger.

"Not a monster! You didn't see what he did to my brother to to me… I… I…. How can you defend him. Do you know him? Was this all a set up? Did you ask to marry me so he could get to me? How… Why…"

My voice was so foreign I didn't even recognize it. In my entire life I had never raised my voice. I was blind with rage. I made my small hand into a fist a plunged it into his chest. When I looked up for a reaction he didn't even move. The impact had not affected him in any way. He placed his hand over mine and set it down on the bed. The realization of what I had just done crashed on me.

"I'm I'm so sorry you rescued me I shouldn't be trying to harm you I'm so sorry…. I can't believe… I shouldn't have…"

"Oh honey I've had worse."

I began to weep again. For some reason I expected him to hug my body to his or scoop me up like he had done before but I didn't feel his touch only the coolness of my tears on my cheeks.

"Jo look at me."

When I looked up he had a small ring in his hand. My eyes grew wide and I searched my brain for the right thing to say at this moment.

"You don't have to say anything. We are not going to be married. But you're going to wear this ring so I can protect you and no man can lay a finger on you. This will keep you safe."

He took my hand and placed the ring on my finger. My head was reeling. There were so many thoughts. Until the events of last night nothing had caused me more discomfort than the idea of marriage. But for some reason looking into his eyes I had hoped he would ask me. Ironically I pictured me making him soup and us walking into town like I had done with Jaime. I shook my head realizing how ridiculous my fantasy was. No man would want me. I was nothing special. And after last night I wasn't even pure. And he was anything but ordinary. He could have any woman he wanted no wonder he didn't want to marry me. And above all else he was right, we didn't know each other but I felt something for him I couldn't explain. I wanted to be near him. I know I didn't deserve his kindness and protection but I didn't want him to leave. I was so lost in my own thought process I hadn't realized he was talking to me.

"I'm sorry what did you say."

he laughed and began to rise from the bed.

"Maybe I was saying how pretty you are. I guess you'll never know."

Before I could respond his presence was gone as quickly as it came.