Chapter 58 #2
“Avi did always seem quiet and distant with the family. Creed was always excusing her for her shyness, but something always rubbed me the wrong way about her. She was nice, but it always seemed so fictitious. As if she was constantly trying to cover something up and always using the excuse that she was busy taking care of her sickly mother,” Jax said, twirling his iced amber whiskey, seemingly unphased by the revelation.
“That fucking rotten bitch!” Rocky’s eyes were as black as onyx. “I never liked that girl. I should have followed my damn gut!” she spat in putrid disdain.
The air thickened around me. “I’ve known Avi for a long time.
Yeah, she’s always been odd, but that’s why I took to her.
She was always kind to me. There’s no way she would do this,” I said, refusing to believe my friend would do this to me, to Birdie and Ma.
“I’ve had enough pain for today, I can’t take this anymore. ”
Jax helped me sit down. “Just breathe, baby. She’s safe. We know who it is now.” He handed me water. “I know we can’t bring back Stefani, but we will make her fucking pay.”
“It’s who it is that is breaking my heart, Jax. Avi is my friend. A good friend. Why would she put them in danger?”
Suddenly, a plate of cookies fell crashing to the wood floor before us. Creed’s face was fierce with anger, and there was sadness in his eyes. “What did you just say?” he shook with adrenaline, gazing at the paused screens.
“Brother, calm down.” Jaxon was trying not to detonate Creed any further.
“What the fuck did you just accuse my fiancée of?” he shouted, pounding his large fists on the table while his monstrous dark shadows made their appearance from the depths of hell. “I demand answers, now!” His Reaper face appeared in the shadows.
“Bjorn, can you please take Birdie to make another batch of cookies?” I begged him, not knowing what would happen next.
“Tio Creed!” Birdie cried out for him.
“It’s okay, he will be back, little one, he just needs to cool off.
” Rocky reassured Birdie, attempting to nurture her in the best way she knew how.
She was always out of touch with her empathetic instincts, given her mother was absent all her life, but I admired that she tried for Birdie. I’d like to think she learned from Ma.
“Someone better tell me what the fuck is going on, and right now,” Creed shouted, irate, his shadows slithering like rampaged snakes.
“Better yet, brother, why don’t we show you,” Ryker replied, giving Creed his laptop.
Creed watched in disbelief as his shadows pulsed in fury, looking like onyx flames. His face went gloomy and pale. “No, she wouldn’t do this, not to Birdie or Ma, not to Faye!” Creed cried out in denial.
“Well she did! Your skinwalker fiancée nearly kidnapped my niece and murdered my tia, and she will fucking pay for what she’s done!”
Creed rushed Rocky at the threat, and they snarled at each other.
I was still stuck on the skinwalker part.
“There has to be an explanation, and we will find it, I promise you this,” Jax said stoically before grabbing his brother’s broad shoulder.
Creed was now in his full Reaper form, trying to mask his pain.
I stepped up to Creed, trying to comfort him. I couldn’t imagine what he was feeling at that instant. “We only know what we see, but we don’t know the reasoning behind her involvement, but we will find it,” I reassured him, and possibly even myself.
Avi, she knew where the border of the protection bind was.
She knew this, then killed my mother. The grief and betrayal made for a dangerous concoction.
My anger and sadness were mixed up into a tornado swarming inside me, overwhelmed by too many emotions at once it was consuming me.
My fingertips, yet again, buzzed with a scorching heat.
“I can’t do this anymore, Jax, it hurts so much.
” The grief and betrayal were a fatal storm inside me.
Jax pulled me into his broad chest. “You can, and you will.” His words flowed just like Ma’s did.
My tears painted the floor in remembrance.
“I’m so sorry, brother, but we cannot deny what we see!” Ryker shut his laptop.
“Liar!” Creed grabbed Ryker’s collar.
“I would never deceive you, brother.” Ryker stated.
Creed began attacking and beating Ryker to a bloody pulp. Creed was lost in madness in pain visible to us all.
“Enough!” Jax said, throwing Creed across the other room. “We are not your enemy, brother. I know you are in pain, but this isn’t the way!”
Creed looked down at Ryker's bruised and swollen face, the shame and guilt becoming him, his pain an anchor to his madness.
“It’s fine, big brother, he is suffering. I shall take this for him.” Ryker bled from his unrecognizable face, his flesh beginning to heal, layer by layer, as he began wiping the blood off his chiseled chin.
Creed screamed in agonizing fury, vanishing into his thick shadows, the pain too much for him to grasp.
Both of us were grieving in one way or another, lost in a storm of loss and understanding that both of us would need time. It was a pain I wish I didn’t share with Creed.
“Give him time, he will be back.” I was confused by Rocky’s comment, as she walked out of the barndominium with unease.
The questions were aching at my tired bones. Would he be back? And how on earth would she know?
Jax helped Ryker up as he patted his brother on the back. Ryker was already healed from the wounds inflicted on him. I was no longer able to be shocked after this hellish day. Too much happened all at once, and there was no time to process. I wanted to make the pain stop, make it disappear.