CHAPTER 39 – The Prince of the House

It didn't take long for all the ladies to adore the little prince of the house, that was his nickname.

As soon as Autumn came, each of them came home with scarves and coats for Six to wear in the upcoming Winter. They were always dressing him up in nice hats, caps, new shoes, boots. Once, Amy even bought him some expensive cologne.

"He's five years old, you nit !", Esme scolded her.

But Six loved the smell of it. He didn't wear it…but he liked to open it and smell it sometimes. Also, there were toys always being brought into the house…and puzzles, games…balls, building blocks, cup and ball, slates to do his schoolwork on, paints, pencils, canvases, paintbrushes, you name it, he had it. He should've been the most spoiled child in town. But he wasn't. He was sweet and kind for the most part and always thanked everyone for whatever he received. He took care of his things like they were priceless and he most loved things that he could play with someone else.

He never seemed to ask about where his Mama had gone. Maybe he was afraid to. Maybe he knew already.

Sabrina even got him some dolls once and he thanked her for them, too. Then Edward made a comment about "Why are there dolls in this boy's bed ?"

Esme stopped him before he said more and she was glad. Six loved playing with the dolls. He made up little plays with them and performed them in front of the girls and Edward in the parlor in the late afternoon after dinner. Edward really enjoyed those. He would clap the loudest as Six made the dolls take their bows.

When he was eight, Molly took him to town. There were some boys having a snowball fight outside the store. Molly was distracted for a minute and Six wandered out there to join in the game.

The other boys WERE playing with him for a minute…and they were having fun…and then one of their mothers came running over and snatched her son away from Six, yelling, "Stay away from MY BOY, BASTARD !"

Then the witch alerted the other mothers that a whore's son was playing with their precious boys…and they started yelling at Six, telling him to go away and stay away.

When Molly got there, the other women were yelling at HER, calling her a nasty whore and telling her to keep her mistake at home from now on. But Molly was tough enough that this didn't hurt her…only the damage they did to Six stabbed her in the chest.

Molly did talk to Six as they walked home…he was crying a bit. She explained that they were small minded idiots who didn't understand how great of a boy Six was. She told him that the people in town didn't like THEM, the ladies, and that's why they treated him that way.

"But, why ?", Six asked, confused, "Why wouldn't they like you ? You're all so nice!"

"People are afraid of what they don't understand.", Molly told him, "They don't know us. And I feel sorry for THEM. That they won't get to know YOU. Because you're the best person I've ever known. And we all love you…so much."

"I love you, too.", Six said, right away, meaning it wholeheartedly.

Molly hugged him and he threw his arms around her, too. The rest of the walk home was lighter…but that always stayed with Six. He often asked Esme why he couldn't play with the other children…why they couldn't come over to see him, why he couldn't go to their houses, why didn't the people in town like them ?

Esme would give him answers that didn't reveal what they did in their house at night…but someday, he would get older…and he would figure it out. Esme prayed that he wouldn't hate them when he found out what they were.

It's a sad thing for a boy not to be able to make friends, not know how to keep a friend, how to treat one…it's important and it looked like, for now, he would miss out on that lesson. All the girls could do was keep loving him as much as they could to make up for it.

Six DID learn everything the ladies taught him, but music was his favorite. He was playing the piano in the saloon by the time he was 10, and he was excellent at it. He would get tips in his glass on top of the piano and he lit up every time.

But Six wasn't always perfect, like any boy, he had his faults. With five mothers, he sometimes was a little self centered, being an only child. He liked everything a certain way, and was moody when it wasn't that way…he had a temper, and hated being laughed at or teased; he was impatient, too. Hated waiting for things.

But usually a talking to would put him back straight and he would apologize.

He did grow stronger and stronger…his appetite helped him there. He was always outside, helping Edward with whatever chores he was doing. But he was still a big help in the kitchen, too, and loved helping Esme and the other ladies bake and cook. Edward grumbled a bit about that but in the end he let the boy do as he pleased. He, too, was too fond of the lad to deny him much. He was a son to him, in every sense of the word. Edward had lost his wife and son in childbirth decades before and it was always a deep scar in his heart. But when Six was around him, it almost seemed healed somehow.

The day James had come to the saloon, Six was there, wiping tables and playing piano. Six looked at James and felt a chill inside him but ignored it. Lots of the men here in the saloon weren't very nice but Six had almost gotten used to that. Edward was tending bar and was always watching over him so Six felt very safe.

James went to the bar and was talking to Edward that night…and Edward smiled at him but said, "No, thanks, lad, I would never sell this place to anyone."

Six didn't think much of it at the time, and soon after that he had to go to bed.

The next morning, Six got up early and went to find Mr. Edward out in the barn. He loved helping feed the animals and milking the cows. He could do it by himself now.

With a cheerful yell, Six shouted, "Don't feed the animals without ME, MR. EDWARD !"

And when he took a step inside, there was a very big purple faced man wearing Mr. Edward's clothes, dangling there with a rope around his neck, swinging just a bit…his eyes bugged out in an inhuman way.

It didn't look like Mr. Edward…but it was.

"AAAAAAAAAA !", Six shrieked out…

A day later, Six was standing next to Esme, holding her hand, dressed in his black suit, as she read from a bible over the spot they were laying him to rest in. His face and body were hidden as they wrapped him in white linens, pennies over his eyes inside. And the ladies had covered the linen with flowers of all kinds, from head to toe.

No priest would come and speak over Edward's body, as he was the owner of a brothel, and a pimp. Six did not like that and he decided he hated priests…and God for that matter. God let this happen. God didn't save Mr. Edward. He should have.

Esme was reading from her bible now as the ladies and a few others, friends of Mr. Edward's, stood around the hole with flowers over it. Six liked it that she was reading the words from the book for Mr. Edward…he would've loved that…and Six decided if he were dead in there, that he would love that better than a priest, too.

"For I was hungry…and you fed me…" she read with her soft but strong voice, "I was thirsty…and you gave me drink. I was homeless…and you gave me a room. I was shivering…and you gave me clothes. I was sick…and you visited me. I was in prison…and you came to me. You may ask, when did we do any of these things for you, Oh Lord ? And He answered, I say unto you, if you have done any of these things, even for the least of my brethren, you have done it for ME."

Esme closed the book and took a breath.

"Edward Moore was the kindest man on the face of this earth.", she stated, her eyes staring at the flowers below her, "He did all these things for me…and for every one of us. He shared everything he had with anyone who was in need. Always there, always with a smile, even to people who didn't return his love. He was kind, honest…and true. And in this world, that is a rare thing to find. You saved my life, Edward Moore…Da. You WERE my father…and you always will be. Forever."

"Amen.", the ladies all said at the same time…and Six repeated it, quietly, to himself, peeking up at Esme, hating it that she looked so sad. All the ladies did. And he was sad, too. He was just now realizing that…Mr. Edward was gone forever. He would never feed the animals with him again, or have coffee with him as they'd planned, he would never get to talk to him again…or laugh at something funny he said…he was always making Six laugh. And that was all over now. His father was dead.

The house was strange, too, since Mr. Edward died. The mirrors had to be covered with black cloths, the clocks stopped to ward off evil spirits, the strange people who came to the house for the funeral, who Six had never seen before, calling themselves his friends. It made him more angry than hurt seeing all this, seeing how unfair it was…to be a good person one moment…and destroyed the next. And they were saying it was suicide. Six wanted to scream out and say NO ! That's a lie ! But the sheriff didn't care about Edward. No one in town seemed to.

And now each of the ladies stepped forward and placed a rose on top of the other flowers. Six had a rose in his hand, too, given to him by Hannah. He was considered a son to Edward, too, as they all were his daughters, in their hearts. When it was Esme's turn to put her rose down, she did it slowly and whispered, "Goodnight, Da. I love you."

With tears in her eyes, she looked down at Six and smiled, nodding her head.

He placed his red rose next to Esme's and wanted to say so many things…that he loved him, and he would miss him, and thank you for everything he taught him, everything he gave to him…a home…a family…a father. He wanted to be sweet and say all that…but something deeper was growing inside him…anger.

And when he put his rose down upon some daisies and sunflowers, his voice simply said, "I will find who killed you. And I will kill HIM."

Esme gave a little gasp at this…but then in her own heart she felt the same thing. She knew Edward didn't hang himself. But at the same time, she didn't want Six to grow up with hate in his heart…she would talk to him tonight…at home when they were alone. In time, he would see…revenge was no way to live.

Squeezing Six's hand, she gave him a look that said she understood…and Six stared down at the five roses laying in a row before them…his eyes hard.

"He's with his wife and son now.", Esme said, trying to comfort Six in some way, to take that look out of his face, "He's happy. Really."

Six's expression did not change as Esme began to lead him back towards the house, the other girls following close behind them.

And as they approached the house, James was there, standing in front of the door, his long blonde locks curled and flowing in the breeze behind him. He was dressed in a nice suit, a new purchase it seemed. And he was smiling. Six recognized him but didn't speak as Esme approached him.

"Mr. Byrne," Esme greeted him with a civil but uncaring tone, "I thought you were arriving tomorrow."

He gave her a smile that made the hairs on the back of Six's neck stand up. Instinctively, he got in front of Esme and stood in front of her, his eyes just as unforgiving as they were at Edward's grave.

Esme took Six by his shoulders, holding him still as James responded.

"I stayed away during the funeral.", he said, "Out of respect, of course. But the funeral is over now, isn't it ?"

Six almost showed his teeth, as guard dog would when confronted by a burglar.

"Yes, it is.", Esme said, her body tensing a bit.

"No business will be conducted tonight.", James smirked, glancing back at the house, "But…it would be nice if we could all sit down and get to know each other."

The other girls were standing at Esme's side now, not looking very pleased with this new visitor, either.

"Leave my mother alone.", Six's small voice was low and deep.

James turned his gaze to the boy now and Esme yanked him away, handing him off to Molly behind her.

"Forgive my boy.", Esme made herself say, showing her kind eyes to James, "He's upset by the loss our Edward. They were very close. He won't be a bother to you, I promise."

"He better not be.", James said with a grin, "I am a firm believer in whippings in the barn."

Esme kept her submissive face on, for Six's sake.

"He is very obedient.", Esme glanced back at him as he frowned at James, "And he will NOT…disturb you again. Isn't that right, Six ?"

There was a pause. Molly pinched Six's ear.

Wincing, Six finally spoke.

"Yes.", he agreed, rubbing his ear.

"Excellent.", James gave the boy a nod, "Come on inside…I'll let you all know the new rules of the house."

Esme led the other women and her son inside, and the door closed with a bit of a slam, Hannah, the last one to pass through it.

Edward's POV :

Days later, I was still writing in the black journal, I was now writing from my own point of view - - -

My first time was with Emma, one of the girls who lived in the house with us, when I was 14 years old. She was 16, an older woman, in my eyes, at least.

We had become friends very quickly when she came to live with us. She loved to watch me play the piano and loved the songs I played. She liked to sing as she sat next to me. That's what broke the ice between us.

She didn't know how to read…so I offered to teach her. She liked that. After she could read, then I taught her to write next. It felt good doing something for someone else, as it had been done for me. Not to mention, Emma was very beautiful…and brunette.

When I was a little boy, I remember being very attracted to Sabrina's golden hair, as it was a new sight to me. But, in time, as I saw Sabrina's personality unfold, I was much more attracted to brunettes, like Hannah. Sabrina was spoiled and vain…Hannah was more down to earth and tough…I liked that.

Sabrina, Hannah, Molly, and Amy had all left the house, one by one over the years. They didn't enjoy James' new rules. At first, they tolerated him, maybe because of me or because we had all become a family when Edward was here…but eventually, it got to be too much for them. It was so hard, saying goodbye to each of them. They did care about me…and Esme. But they had to do what was best for them.

New girls came in, as if the others could be replaced. It infuriated me and a couple times I DID shout at James for making them leave…but Esme always held me back and protected me from him. I was only a child and no match for a twenty five year old man.

But life went on and I still had Esme. She was my mother now in every way. James may have owned the saloon and house now, but Esme was still in charge as far as the ladies were concerned. Most of the time, James was in the saloon, drinking, dancing with the girls, playing cards, gambling. Once in awhile, he would find his way to the house to seek out the lady he wanted that night. This, I never saw, as I was a boy sleeping in my bed on the far side of the house, away from the action.

But I wasn't a stupid boy. I easily snuck down towards the parlor…and I hid…and watched. It didn't bother me at all until I saw Esme sitting in the lap of some man, kissing him, letting him touch her breasts. I ran away and didn't need to see any more after that.

I could never hate Esme, no matter what she did. It was actually one of the other girls, Kitty, who talked to me about it and explained it all. She helped me accept it and understand it from her point of view, and the other ladies' too. When we were done talking, I felt at peace with the way things were. The only thing I would change is James being here.

But he wasn't really HERE…much. Well, at least, for ME. I'm sure the girls had to put up with his sexual appetites and the beatings he inflicted. But they never let me see any of that. Until years later.

One afternoon, I was with Emma and she just came out and asked if I was a virgin. I was embarrassed but I said yes. She smiled and said she wanted to be my first. She said it would be fun and I would love it. I didn't need much convincing to go to her room with her, sneaking behind Esme's back.

Emma was so wonderful to me and I found myself really enjoying her even though I was terrified. She behaved like a teacher, (as I often do in class) instructing me as we went.

"First…", she said, sitting on her bed, her long brown hair straight and silky, "Don't rush taking off your clothes…"

I was sitting on the bed across from her and I gulped just thinking of removing them in front of her. It was afternoon and the sun was clearly shining in. She would see everything ! What if she laughs ? Is it proper doing this in the daylight ?

"It's much more sensual this way….", she leaned in and kissed me, holding my face and opening her lips. They tasted like strawberries and I tried to move my mouth just as she was…I liked this.

Then as we kissed, she began gently unbuttoning my shirt, placing a kiss on my chest after each button came apart. I smiled and she smiled up at me.

"Slowly…see ?", she asked, "Undress her very slowly, while you kiss and stroke her…isn't that nicer ?"

"Yes.", I trembled, smiling a little as she came back for more kissing…and I could feel her warm hands moving my shirt off my shoulders, her hands exploring my bare arms.

"Oooh, you ARE handsome everywhere.", she seemed pleased with my chest as the shirt remained down around my wrists as she kept touching her mouth to my torso. It felt so amazing as her lips touched my body…so warm…like fire kissing me…and at the same time like I was doing something forbidden. I nearly jerked away when she went to lick my nipple.

"What are you DOING?", I almost yelled at her, scared to death.

She gave me a very sweet smile and shushed me, gliding her fingers over my lips.

"It's alright, sweetheart.", she kissed my lips again, "Relax. Everything I want to do to you is going to feel good, I swear."

I let her kisses ease me and I made myself relax and trust her. I put myself in her hands and did everything she said. And she was right. She made me feel things that I didn't know existed. It was the first time I FELT desire and lust and orgasm.

She was the first one to be caught and killed by James that night.

I remember when Esme did find out that I was no longer a virgin, and that I was having time with the girls of the house, she didn't get angry at me, or forbid me to do it again.

She put her hands on her hips, shook her head, smirked at me, and said, "I knew the girls wouldn't be able to hold back much longer. You're too damn handsome. Oh well, did you enjoy it ?"

"Uhhh….", I stammered, wanting to tell her the truth, "Yes…yea…I…did."

"Well, good for you.", she gave a nod of approval, "I'm glad. You're a man now."

I felt a warmth inside me…pride ? relief ? surprise ? Yes, all those.

"Yea.", I looked down at my tall, grown body, it was no longer the skinny little waif I was when I came here. Working hard over the years, and doing the chores a man should do had strengthened me. My voice had even already changed and it was deeper now.

"Well, good.", Esme gave me a hug, then shoved me away, wiping a tear from her eye, "Go do a man's work, then, like you always do. And I don't want to find you in those rooms all the time, either, now that you've discovered it !"

"Yes, Ma'am.", I teased, rushing off to do my chores, thrilled that I wasn't in trouble.

Later, upon thinking it over, Esme knew that I couldn't court any girls in town. No father would allow me to even smile at their daughter. And that meant I couldn't marry, either. And Esme was a lady of the evening. She didn't look at sex as something dirty or wrong. It was a need that every man had, from her viewpoint, and she would not deny me that pleasure just because I was a bastard and the son of a prostitute.

For me to marry anyone, I would have to leave this town, move away and lie about my past and my mothers, both of them. Esme would let me go, if that would make me happy.

But I would NOT do that. To me, I was happy with my girls…Emma, Rebecca, Kitty, Amy (a different Amy from the first one I knew as a kid), and Joanna.

When I was a child, the ladies were mostly in their twenties, only Hannah was 19. Now, with James running the house, the girls were all teenagers, Emma being the youngest at 16, and Joanna being the eldest at 19. James preferred younger girls. They were easier to control. They listened to him, they obeyed him, afraid of the punishment if they didn't.

I can remember good times during those years, but I was lucky to be isolated from James and his abuse. The girls were not so fortunate. I'm sure now that Esme was the one who shielded me from it.

My days were filled with chores, time with the girls in the afternoons, and Esme. I was not part of the goings on in the house at night. I worked in the saloon, away from the house. And mostly the nights there were fun and exciting. I played piano…I bartended, I worked. I saw very happy men…and I saw very evil men. It was never boring, watching people and trying to read what they were thinking…if they were good or bad…I liked doing that. And I was pretty good at it, too.

That last afternoon I can still see like it's yesterday. I was kissing Kitty goodbye…I was late for work that night in the saloon. She kept kissing me, giggling, not letting me go. We had shared a lot of fun together that day.

"You're gonna get me in trouble, girl.", I chuckled as I gave her one more kiss, "I'm LATE !"

"I don't care.", she pulled the sheet down and exposed her perky little breasts again, tempting me.

"Uhhhh", I growled, at her mercy and leaned in very quickly to take one last taste of the right one…my tongue gave a thick circle around the pink nipple as she tried to grab my hair.

"No, no.", I grinned at her, kissing her glossy lips one more time, "I have to go now. Be good."

She was laughing as I left, closing the door behind me and trying to get into my shirt as I ran down the stairs. These girls are going to put me in the hospital. But who was complaining ?

Esme was in the kitchen, and the smells were amazing !

"Do I smell cookies ?", I asked as I crept in there, trying to button my shirt before Esme could see me.

"You do.", she said before she turned and saw me. She had heard me coming, my elephant feet, she called them, barreling down the stairs, but now her eyes were upon me.

"JESUS BOY !", she started to scold me as I playfully winced, holding my shirt closed with my hand, my other hand reaching behind her and stealing two cookies off the plate she had there on the table.

I already had one of them in my mouth when she spun around to see that I had stolen from her again, and she was louder now.

"You've had NO DINNER, get that cookie out of your mouth !", she talked to me like I was seven again and I liked it.

"I'm late, Esme !", I said with a mouthful of cookie, chewing, "I'll come get something later."

"You're LATE AGAIN because you're making the rounds !", she pointed to the rooms over her head, "You're gonna give yourself an attack if you don't let it REST once in awhile !"

This was all playful banter…I always did my chores first and then worked at night. I was no lazy lush doing the girls all day long, she knew that. I equate it with a mother of today scolding her kid for playing too many video games.

"I rest at night.", I kissed her cheek, getting chocolate cookie on her white skin, "Oooh, sorry."

Wiping it off with my pinky, I got a smile from her now.

"You rest at night…HA !", she smirked, stirring something in a pot, "I see the girls sneaking down the hall to your room at night, too, while they're supposed to be working."

"First, that's only when they're on a break.", I peeked into another pot on the stove as she swatted my fingers with her wooden spoon, "Second, they come to MY ROOM ! I'm innocently asleep and they sneak in…that's not MY fault ! What can I do ?"

"Jesus Mary and Joseph !", she shook her head again, "Please save this boy from himself !"

I grinned, "It's not just myself anymore."

"Ukk !", she chased me with her spoon now, "Get out ! Get out of my kitchen, you evil little monkey boy !"

I was at the doorway when I stopped and said, "I love you, a mháthair ."

That was an Irish word for mother. She loved it when I called her this.

She couldn't stay mad at me when I gave her my smile…the nice one she always fell for. Her stern lips curled up in response.

"You used to only have me tucking you in at night.", she said, a bit jealously, "Now you have five more."

I came back over to her, and tipped her chin up so she could see my eyes.

"NO one…", I said clearly, "Tucks me in like YOU do. You were the first…and you are the BEST. Always."

Her eyes became a little shiny as she gave me her best smile. It made me feel complete when she smiled at me this way…so proud of me, so loving.

"I love you, too, you little devil.", she answered, slapping her wooden spoon across my backside, "Crack on, you're late !"

I ran to the saloon, thinking, I should've checked Esme closer. Every so often she would have a bruise, a mark on her face, a swollen lip. She would cover it up with makeup but I noticed it. This was from James. I would care for her as she once cared for me…but it didn't heal the mark…or erase the pain. I wanted to remove this cancer from our lives – James. I was sixteen now and I could do it…make him leave. But she absolutely forbid it. I obeyed what she told me…but the time was soon coming when she would not be able to hold me back any longer.

I never had to fight with another boy, another person before. Edward never taught me to fight, as I was only five and would not have a need to, not going to school with other boys. I didn't know anything about it. I hated that. I felt weak. I wanted to protect Esme, like she protected me from my birth mother. She deserves that. I'm her son now, I should be the one to stand up for her. And it's because I'm so weak and unthreatening that James hurts Esme and all the others. It's my fault.

In the saloon that night, I thought maybe a man there could teach me some moves. When they got drunk, I could try to ask one of them to show me how to fight. It's better than nothing.

But, before midnight even came, Joanna came running into the saloon, screaming my name.

"SIX !", she shrieked, "James has your mother ! He's hurting her real bad ! We can't get in to help her !"

That's all I needed to hear. I grabbed the baton we kept under the bar to hit troublemakers with. It's all I had at the moment but it would do.

I raced back to the house, even passing Joanna, I was always a very fast runner…and I got to the door of the house, bursting inside.

"YOU BITCH, DON'T LIE TO ME !", James' voice was shouting as I flew up the steps to Esme's room.

I could hear Esme gagging and choking as I got there… the other girls by the door, trying to get in.

"MOVE !", I screamed at them and they parted immediately as I threw myself into the door, smashing the door jam and stumbling into the room.

James was straddled on top of Esme, his hands around her neck. She was naked from the waist up, kicking her legs, her fingernails digging into James' hands, not doing much damage.

"GET OFF MY MOTHER !", I roared as I leapt on his back, smashing the baton over the back of his head once, twice, three times.

This seemed to piss him off more and he was off Esme now and fighting with me.

"NO !", I heard Esme's raspy voice in the air behind me but I was too involved in the fight with James now.

I had no idea what I was doing but the rage I felt at seeing my mother's deep red face while he was strangling her was fueling me now. I wasn't afraid.

James was trying to hold my wrist that held the baton and he threw me into Esme's bureau, I could hear glass breaking, probably her perfume bottles that she kept there. I could hear the other girls, yelling at James, screaming as we fought.

I still had the baton but then James pulled a huge buck knife out of his belt. This was his little weapon that he always carried around but never used. He thought it made him look dangerous or something, I guess.

"NO, JAMES !", Esme was still in the room as I stood my ground, not about to run now.

"I'll TELL YOU !", she screamed to James, "Don't TOUCH my son !"

She threw herself onto James' back and he hurled her off him, into the wall behind. The other girls went to her, trying to keep her out of the fight.

"Get her out of here !", I shouted to the girls.

"Looks like you have a little problem, SIX.", he hissed my name as if mocking me, and he touched a hand to the back of his head, seeing a little blood on his hand, frowning deeper at me now.

He played with his knife, smiling at me, letting me think about it…coming closer to me.

Esme was still there, and so were the other girls. They weren't about to leave me.

"I'm not afraid of you, James.", I gritted through my teeth, "Come on."

"Ballsy little bitch, aren't you ?", he said to me then glanced behind him at Esme, who was being held by Joanna and Rebecca.

"NO, James DON'T !", she pleaded, "I'll kill you, I swear to GOD ! Don't you hurt my son !"

"First, I'm gonna gut your little PRINCE like a deer !", he informed, "Then…I'll fuck you until you bleed."

"RRRR !", I attacked then, my emotions getting the best of me…that's what James wanted.

In one swift move, he sliced my palm open with his knife and knocked the baton out of my other hand. I have no idea how he did it…I didn't see it at all. I just knew that my hand was gushing blood and I was in fucking agony.

"NO !", Esme growled like a Mama bear, seeing red and hearing me scream…

Then, I instinctively put my free hand up in the air to defend myself…and he slashed that hand open as well.

The pain was such that I felt like I would pass out…there was blood everywhere…and I fell, defeated easily. The girls were crying and Esme was making monstrous sounds in the corner.

I felt dizzy as James stood over me, laughing as I suffered.

"Didn't even take one minute.", James celebrated his victory already, "How pathetic and sad."

"NO !", Esme sounded like she was on fire.

James was standing over me now…holding his bloody knife, "Let this be a lesson to all of you. Don't DARE fight me. Cause you will die just like this little bitch."

Something happened inside me then…I got some kind of strength…like a fury that made me disconnect from the intense pain in my hands…something in me was screaming GET UP ! DEFEND YOUR MOTHER, DEFEND THE GIRLS ! RIGHT NOW !

And next to me was the broken things from Esme's bureau…pieces of glass, perfume all over the floor, and Esme's powder that she used on her face and body at night. I used my bloody hand and grabbed it, throwing it up into James' ugly face. The powder went in his eyes and kicked him as hard as I could in the balls. That's one move I knew that the girls had taught me.

Then I got to my feet and punched his face as hard as I could…my voice screamed out from the pain in my cut hand but James DID go falling backwards, landing on his back, the knife falling out of his hand.

I didn't go after the knife to use it on James. It was out of his reach and that was good enough for me. I was just using my fists now, as painful as it was...and I kept hitting him…in the chest, in the face…even once in the throat ! I slammed him into a wall and he shouted out in pain. I thought I was doing well.

But then he kicked me in the stomach, sending me back…and that gave him a moment to grab the knife off the floor. Before I could move again, he was on me, straddling my waist now. He had the knife up right above my face.

"Goodbye.", he sneered, about to plunge the knife down.

And he did. And like an idiot, I felt my hands grab the blade, my voice growling in pain as Esme screamed and James struggled to get the knife out of my bloody hands. I would not let it go…COULD NOT…the more it hurt, the less it hurt…my hands seemed to go numb. I would have that knife. It would not stab me. For Esme, I could not let it get me. I owed her everything. I owed her my life. If I died now, I would do it, for her, gladly.

"Six, no !", Esme was hollering as we kept the battle going. I wasn't even screaming, I just wanted that knife.

"JAMES, STOP !", Emma was yelling.

Don't get in this, girls. Stay back. Keep my mother away.

I felt my hands slowly turning the knife to the right…trying to turn it so it would come out of his fucking hand. I was using two hands, he was using one.

Finally, I twisted it just right and it came out of James' hand. I turned it around, the point facing James now…and before I could do anything, James came lurching forward towards me, and the jagged blade disappeared in James' lower stomach.

Esme had broken free of the other girls and had pushed James' back, sending him right into it.

That's my Mother.

James coughed and spit up blood…right on my shirt.

"Grab him !", Esme shouted and then he was being pulled off me. He was still alive but he was wounded and he wasn't fighting anymore.

As James was pulled off me, I kept hold of the knife…and it was now in my hand, covered with blood.

It was then that I came back to my senses…and my hand was gripping the handle of the knife…and it was shaking furiously…no…I was. I could see my birth mother, her pink blouse all red as Esme picked me up. And in my mind, I could see myself, as I was now, stabbing her…over and over again…gritting my teeth, wanting to hurt her in some deeper way than this. I had always known what Esme did to my mother…but it was never spoken. Even then, I knew that she saved me. And I was glad. Glad to be free of Elizabeth. Glad to be Esme's son now. I never looked back…until now.

James was laying on the floor and Esme was rushing over to me.

"Oh my God ! SIX !", Esme was crying at the sight of me with the knife…and all the blood on me.

"Give it to me, Six.", Esme tried to get me to let the knife go, and her voice turned gentle now.

"Baby, please.", she pleaded with me, "Let go. Give it to Mother."

Finally, I wasn't frozen anymore…and I did let the knife go. Now, Esme was taking my hands into hers, trying to examine them. But that wasn't important now. James was still laying over there, and he was alive. I wanted to handle that before he tried to get up and attack again.

"Oh my God, Six !", she was touching my shirt, thinking that was my blood, that I had been stabbed in the chest.

"That's not my blood, it's not my blood !", I assured her and she eased a bit but not much.

Emma and Rebecca were in my view now, watching me, wanting to help me.

"Look out.", I made myself stand up, and I said to Esme, "Give me the knife."

She handed it to me and I walked up to James' still body. He was still grunting and holding his stomach.

Stomach wounds took hours before they killed you. And right now, I wanted to fulfil a vow I once made.

I grabbed James' mangy hair and brought him up to his knees while the girls stood back and watched.

I put the red blade to his throat, making it very tight.

"Before I kill you," I heard my own voice and it didn't sound like me…it sounded…EVIL.

"You're going to tell me something.", I finished, "What did you do to Edward ? I KNOW he didn't leave this place to YOU. So talk…right now. Or I'll make it nice and slow."

"I didn't DO SHIT !", he denied.

I kept hold of his hair and began to let the blade slowly cut into his throat.

"Alright, alright !", he shouted, panting, "I killed him. I killed him. You happy now ?!"

"Very.", I scowled, "Goodbye, bitch."

But just as I was about to slice his throat open, Esme screamed to me.

"No, Six, don't !", she put her hands up, "If you kill him, you're no better than HE is ! And you'll go to Hell ! You'll be damned forever ! Please don't !"

"I don't care.", I sneered, about to do it now.

I was already in a place where I didn't believe in God, after Edward died. I would not follow his rules while he allowed my loved ones to suffer and die. If avenging Edward means I will burn in Hell…then I'll burn. But this fucker will burn beside me.

"PLEASE !", Esme clutched her fists in the air, "Please Six ! I'm your mother ! I'm ordering you…don't do it !"

This was not fair. How could I do this now ? I frowned at her, feeling some anger there…not seeing the love she was showing to me right now, trying to save me, wanting me to be good. How could I do it now, and destroy all the work she had put into me ? She had put so much good into me…all these years…how could I in one moment smash it all down ?

"Remember who you are !", she said, staring into my eyes, not recognizing who she was seeing now.

It took me a long minute or two to come to my decision.

I closed my eyes and heard my voice deeply growling in James' ear.

"You will take your sorry fucking ass and get out of here…right now. Don't pack a thing ! Get your fucking horse and go. Bleed out somewhere else, die, I don't give a fuck. But don't EVER…come back here. If you do, I'll kill you. You understand me ?"

"Fine.", James coughed a little more, and he tried to crawl out of the room. I couldn't even wait for him to do that and I grabbed him by the arm and started dragging him down the hallway…down the stairs…outside. I quickly went and got his horse and brought it to him as he laid there, breathing a little heavier now. Maybe he was dying. Good.

I ignored my bleeding hands and cringed as I threw James up onto his horse, half his body hanging over the side of it. I slapped the horses' ass with my red hand and shook it, the pain coming back now, as it dripped with my blood. The horse took off and James was bouncing on him as they left. I stood there and waited until they vanished in the black night. And even then I stood there, waiting…wishing he would come back so I could finish him off.

If ever there was a good candidate for a first kill, it was James. I had promised Edward that I would kill him. And I just let him go. For Esme. Maybe she was right. Edward wouldn't want me to kill that bastard, either, even if he DID deserve it. This was probably the best way to have handled it. And who knows, maybe James would die. I hoped so.

END OF CHAPTER 39

One more chapter of Edward's past…