Chapter 69
We pulled into my driveway. Chloe had already beaten us there.
"Dude, was she raised in a barn?" Monroe asked as we walked toward the open front door.
Monroe sniffed the air as he let out a growl. The first thing my eyes fixed on were the piles of books scattered all over the floor, but then the rest of the house came into view. The whole place was trashed.
"Holy crap! Chloe where are you?" I called out as we walked inside.
Jack emerged from the kitchen, holding Chloe tightly around the neck with his arm. In his other hand was a large knife. Holy Crap! Chloe was whimpering and trying to catch her breath. He walked her into the living room as his eyes narrowed, giving me a bold and direct stare.
"Renée, you're gonna tell me what all of this is… Is he really a werewolf? Are you all monsters? Is Chloe a monster, too?" He was completely off his rocker. His green eyes were as soulless as the Blutbad at the mall.
"Whoa, dude. Now just slow down a minute." Monroe had his hands out, and we both had eyes on Jack. Monroe seized a fist of my shirt, pulling me behind him.
"I don't want to hear from you, asshole." Jack held his ground. "I wanna hear from Renée. Tell me!"
"Jack, I really can't talk to you when you have my friend hostage, and you have a knife in your hands. Can you please just sit down and we can talk all night if you want to, okay?" I was pleading with him with my eyes again. It hadn't worked before, but hopefully it would now.
Jack wavered a moment, looking like he was trying to take in my words. He shook it off and held the knife up to Chloe's throat. She gasped and had a woge. Oh, please let it be the kind only we could see.
"Man, just put the knife down before someone gets hurt already," Monroe growled.
"You'd like that, wouldn't you? You want me unarmed, so you can kill me with all your lycanthropy," Jack snapped back. "Well, guess what, this knife is sterling silver, you fucking werewolf, so think twice before you try anything."
"Is he serious?" Monroe whispered to me.
"Sadly, he is," I softly replied.
"Renée, tell me I'm not crazy!" he demanded.
I'd be lying if I did. He was sure acting crazy to me.
Monroe let out a low, rumbling growl. He was obviously getting tense and didn't want to just stand there. He also hadn't had his workout today, so he was ready to pounce, no doubt.
"Jack, there are many things out there that can't be explained," I began.
"He is a monster then!" Jack tightened his grip on Chloe as he spoke.
"Not exactly, Jack. Can you let Chloe go so we can show you?" I was grabbing at straws now.
"No! You show me now!" Jack yelled.
Chloe was in tears and she looked at me, begging me with her eyes to do something to stop him.
"Renée, I can't hold back any longer," Monroe whispered to me. "He's going to do something stupid here in a moment. Well, stupider than this." He was starting to get a low growl in his throat again and wasn't going let me talk much longer.
I nodded slowly. If Monroe let loose on him, then Jack might hurt Chloe. But if Monroe didn't do anything, then Jack might hurt all of us. Oh, this was too much!
"Jack, this isn't you. You'd never hurt anyone. Please stop!" I urged.
Jack locked eyes with me. He removed the knife from Chloe, but still had a firm grip on the handle.
Monroe saw his chance and leapt out at Jack, taking him off guard. Jack let go of Chloe as he cursed loudly and tried to hold Monroe off of him. They both slammed into my bookshelf before hitting the ground. Chloe ran toward me, and I held her as both men struggled to gain control. It was déjà vu all over again as the night in my backyard now played out in my living room. Monroe had him down pretty easily, pressing his shoulders into my carpet. Without warning, Jack jerked his right hand up, taking the knife to Monroe. I screamed out, but it was too late and the blade pierced his side. Monroe howled loudly in pain. His howl changed to a roar and he punched Jack hard in the face, which knocked him out cold as Monroe slumped backward.
"Monroe! Oh, my God!" I cried as I ran to him. I fell by his side, cradling his head. He looked up into my eyes and tried to grin.
"I'm getting really tired of your ex," he lightly chuckled, but then the coughing began. Blood was seeping out from his mouth. His head sank back into my arms.
"Stay with me, Honey!" I begged, reaching for Monroe's hand. "Chloe, grab some towels quick and the first aid kit from the bathroom!" I ordered. Chloe ran off to find what I'd asked for.
I pulled Monroe's vest and shirt back to inspect the damage. His clothes were covered in blood where the knife had hit him. The wound was deep and he was bleeding out all over.
"Monroe, you're going to be okay," I assured him, but it was as much for my sake as it was for his.
"I'm not sure, Renée. I think he got me pretty good, man." He was struggling to talk.
"Conserve your energy," I said, stroking his face and brushing his wild, curly hair away from his forehead.
"Chloe!" I screamed out and her footsteps pounded behind me.
"Here are towels and the kit," she panted.
What the fuck was I going to do? I forced the calm to enter me, so I could do something. I poured peroxide over the wound and held the towel firmly in place, but the towel was getting soaked in blood. Monroe was losing consciousness.
"I'm calling 911," Chloe told me as she got up and searched for her phone.
"Renée… Man, if I don't make it, just know that I…" and he passed out. He passed out, that's what happened. He's not…
"MONROE!" I screamed!
I put my hands on him and closed my eyes tight. My uncle had healed my scar by touching me; maybe I could do the same thing? I had no choice but to try. I thought of healing, and I pulled everything within me that I could muster to fix what Jack had destroyed.
"Renée, what on Earth is going on?!" Chloe said, but I didn't open my eyes. I just kept thinking about fixing Monroe.
"Renée!" Chloe screamed out! That was all that was said as everything went dark.
A/N: Whoa, right? So this fight with Jack didn't go as planned, huh? Will Monroe be okay? Read the next chapter to find out... dun, dun, dun...