Anxiety kicks in and adrenaline pumps through my veins. My head is spinning, how can this all happen, an hour ago everything was fine and normal. Now Tom is dead. He’s gone, another person dying on me, and this time it’s all my fault.
The back door opens, and I slide as far away as the seat will allow, my back hitting the door. Tobias gets in next to me. Theo jumps in the driver’s seat and tears out of the car park, the car bottoms out on the driveway. Tobias reaches for me and I kick him in the shoulder. He grunts and grabs my legs, pinning them to the seat.
“You killed him, you fucking killed him! Get away from me! You fucking monster!” I scream.
Theo slams on the brakes, and I’m thrown into the footwell. Tobias reaches down and grabs the front of my blouse and rips me back up and onto the seat. We are in heavy traffic. He reaches over and tries to clip my belt in, but I scratch his face, trying to get away from him.
“Fucking stop, Imogen.” He pins my back on the seat. Tobias leans over me and I start screaming, hoping that since we are stopped in traffic someone could hear me. Tobias growls and puts his hand over my mouth. I bite him hard enough to draw blood. He rips his hand away and I can see it bleeding.
“Do something, Theo. I’m about to fucking lose it with her.” He isn’t lying when he says he’s losing control. Fur is growing on his arms, and his claws extend, digging into my arms. His canines protrude right in front of me, his teeth look sharp next to my face.
“Swap places with me,” Theo says, letting go of the wheel and putting the handbrake on before jumping in the back. Tobias jumps over into the front seat. Cars are honking their horns behind us because traffic is moving and the car is stopped. I try to sit up but am shoved back down by Theo. He leans in, trying to calm me with the fog, but I lash out and slap him across the face and kick him back with my feet. Theo snarls before pouncing on me, pinning me with all his weight, his face barely an inch off mine. “Stop fighting.”
“You killed him. I fucking hate you!” His eyes blaze blood red, burning brightly.
“He isn’t dead yet, now stop or I will make you watch when I do kill him.” His voice is cold as ice and a shiver runs up my spine. My heart rate picks up as panic kicks in again and I start trembling.
Hot tears form in my eyes and run down my cheeks. Theo’s eyes soften before he loosens his grip slightly. I feel the fog washing over me, calming every muscle in my body. I don’t fight it, I relax into the feeling. I can’t cope right now; I just want it to go away.
Tobias continues driving, and when we hit the dirt road, I know we are out of the city. Theo allows me to sit up and I scoot over, pressing myself against the door to stay as far away from him as possible. When I see the bend leading onto the side road before our turn off, I grip the door handle, waiting for the car to slow down enough. Just as the car slows down, I throw the door open and throw myself out.
Theo screams, I notice him trying to grab me, but he isn’t expecting me to throw myself out and is too slow. I fall from the car, skidding and rolling across the dirt. The idea seemed good at the time, until I feel like I’m being skinned alive. I feel the air leave my lungs on impact. Feel the palms of my hands being ripped to shreds, and my wrist snaps, making a sickening noise on impact.
The car screeches to a stop, dirt and dust flying everywhere. I pull myself up onto my hands and knees, screaming at the pressure on my wrist that’s sending shooting pain up my arm. Coughing on dirt and trying to get air in my lungs, I hear the door open, adrenaline shoots through me and I manage to stand, stumbling forward before finding my feet.
I take off running straight for the tree line, only I don’t make it. I collapse onto my hands and knees, and before I know it, feet appear in my line of vision.
I clutch onto his pants legs, trying to pull myself up. What a stupid idea that was. Fear makes me do some stupid shit sometimes, but this definitely takes the cake. I should have realized I can’t outrun them. I’m now paying dearly for that stupid decision.
Tobias leans down and picks me up from under my arms and places me on his hip.
“That was the most irrational thing I have ever seen you do,” he growls out. I nod, resting my head on his shoulder. My entire body aches, my face feels like it has a gravel rash on it, and my skin burns. Tobias places his hands under my ass to support and hold my legs around him before walking back to the car.
He places me on the passenger seat before buckling in my seat belt. When he climbs in, he locks the doors before taking off again. I groan in pain.
“Why would you do that? You could have died, Imogen,” Theo spits out with a growl. My whole body is trembling in shock. Five minutes later, we pull up out the front of the house and Tobias unlocks the doors. Theo gets out, slamming the door so hard the windows shake. I see in the mirror him walking around to the trunk.
I realize Tom is still in the trunk. Now that we stopped, I can hear him banging around, very much still alive. I push the door open, forcing my legs out of the car. I use the door to help me stand, my legs feel like play dough. I lean on the car, walking to the back end when Tobias grabs me around the waist. I see Theo help Tom out of the trunk, Theo grabs him by the front of his shirt, and I start screaming, trying to get out of Tobias’ grip. Theo throws him on the ground and Tom lands on his back. Turning my head, I bite Tobias’ bicep, his grip loosens immediately, and I run to Tom, throwing my body over his.
“It’s ok, Imogen, I’m fine,” Tom whispers under me. I don’t know if he’s trying to reassure himself or me, maybe both. Tobias grips my waist, trying to pull me off him, but I hold onto his clothes, refusing to let go and ignoring the pain in my wrist.
“Don’t hurt him please, please.” Hot tears stream down my face. I hear Theo growl before he pries my fingers off Tom’s shirt. I start kicking and screaming as Tobias lifts me up, pulling me against his chest. I manage to kick Theo as Tobias pulls me away, which only angers him more.
Theo grabs my shoulders and shakes me. “Enough, Imogen, that’s enough. Fucking stop,” he screams, clutching my face. His grip squishes my face in his hands. I can feel his hands shaking before Tobias shoves him away from me with one hand.
I look up at Tobias, tears spill from my eyes as I start sobbing uncontrollably. “Please, Tobias, tell him to stop.” Tobias' eyes soften slightly before he looks over to Theo. Theo pulls Tom to his feet, holding him by one arm.
“Stop Theo, we kill him, we are only hurting her.”
Theo’s head snaps in my direction; the look he gives me sends chills down my spine. I push myself closer to Tobias, frightened. Theo’s eyes look demonic, and I can tell he wants to kill Tom. I can also tell if he does, he will enjoy killing him, like he craves it. This isn’t my happy go lucky Theo, this is the monster he kept at bay and hidden from me.
Theo walks towards me, pulling Tom with him by one arm as he approaches. I flinch, not liking his red-hot anger directed at me. He stops, realizing he is indeed scaring me. I can feel my heart rate thump loudly in my chest. Hear it my ears, my entire head pounding to the same beat as a migraine starts to form.
“Mom will pitch a fit if we kill him. Think Theo, we don’t have to do this.” I watch him think for a second, practically see the wheels turning in his head as he thinks long and hard about what it is he wants to do. I know he wants to kill Tom, I can feel the rage that consumes him, I fear it. What if he loses his temper like that with me? Will he kill me too?