My Boyfriend is a Monster (41 page)

“Hello!”
Todd exclaimed loudly that sounded like – Heh-Ro.

Lily could not stop laughing at the tablet as the carrot dangled from her fingers ready to drop. Wishing she was there to put Martin’s mind at rest she also wanted to give them, especially Todd, all the juicy details.

“Just. . .”
Martin paused for a moment
. “Ser una buena chica,”
he said with the sadness of a father. This time she could hear Todd in the background yelling at Lily to not be a good girl, but to be a very bad girl.
“Anyways, I’ll be home a little later, we love you,”
Martin said. She was sure Martin held the phone out to Todd because she could hear him yell he loved her too,
“Wuv-Woo.”
Taking another bite of her carrot she saved the message and turned off the tablet.

A voice came from the dark corner of the living room. “So that’s what you do now?” it asked in a low disappointed tone.

Lily jumped back and screamed bringing her hand under her lip instinctively catching chunks of half chewed carrot. She stood at the breakfast bar silently and frozen in fear. Slowly taking her hand away from her mouth and disconnecting some spit from the carrot her eyes searched the living room. But she could only see darkness. Finally she could make out an image in the far back corner. “Who’s there?” she yelled still partly frozen.

“You whoring now Lily?” the voice asked as the figure slowly moved closer.

Lily knew the voice but something was off. “Rick?” she called out.

The figure made its way close enough so she could confirm it was Rick but like his voice,
his face seemed to be off. He made his way closer and Lily thought now was no time to be still. She quickly reached out and turned on the tablet as Rick raced for her. She knew it was one or the other and she would not be given the time to dial, even if it was only three digits. Letting him get to the table she backed up and opened the drawer grabbing the longest knife she could quickly reach. He stood on one side of the breakfast bar holding the tablet while she stood holding the knife.

“I just want to talk
Lily,” he said turning the tablet off.

“I don’t,” Lily said raising the knife.

“You won’t hurt me,” Rick said confidently laying the tablet on the bar, slowly.

“Oh I wouldn’t be so sure,” Lily said with a nervous smile. She could feel the apprehension inside her grow, causing her to lean from left to right over and over. Then she noticed his face and realized why he looked so different and his voice was off. He looked as if he was in a fight, and lost spectacularly. The man she was terrified of stood in front of her beaten and battered. He was not the unstoppable monster she feared all this time. He was just as capable of being every much the victim as she was. It made him look weak and pathetic. And although he was bigger and stronger than her, she did not seem to be as scared as she was a second ago. Smiling she nodded at his bruised and lumpy face. “Did you get yourself in an ab
usive relationship too?” she asked almost regretting it. Her new feeling of empowerment was a roller coaster.

Rick chuckled mockingly. “That’s funny Lily, no. This is the result of your new boyfriend blind siding me.”

“Like you blindsided Todd,” Lily countered. Lily knew Nathan interrupted the assault but she just assumed they ran away.

“That faggot embarrassed me,” Rick said staring at the knife in Lily’s hand
, then at her.

“The cops are looking for you Rick, why are you here?”

“For you Lily . . . for us, I have to get you away from him,” he said trying to be genuine, making his way slowly around the breakfast bar.

Lily bit her lip and shook her head trying to hold back the tears. “You beat the shit out of me Rick,” she reminded him.

“I didn’t mean it,” he said ashamed.

“What time, the first or the fiftieth?” she asked as if reminding herself.

“You know I have a problem. . .”

“That doesn’t make it okay,” she cried.

“I’m getting better.”

“How Rick, by almost beating my friend to death,” she said in disbelief.

“I had a setback, I -“

“I can’t!” Lily yelled as she watched Rick’s face turn from ashamed to rage in a blink of an eye.

“Hey!” he yelled back while pointing his finger at her. “I said I was getting better. I had a setback.” He was pointing his finger at himself now.

“And what happens when you have another setback Rick? You put someone else in the hospital? You kill them? You kill me?”

He lowered his arm. “I just want another chance.”

“Then turn yourself in and get help,” Lily pleaded.

“I need you Lily, I have to leave. We have to leave,” Rick pleaded back, taking another step around the bar.

“I will go with you and I will help you, whatever way I can,” she said wiping away the tears.

“And we can be together?” he asked in more of a statement then a question. Then before she could answer he offered her a solution. “Then let’s just go.”

“Go where?” Lily asked starting to laugh as she cried.

“Anywhere, away from him, he’s not human,” he said.

“
You’re not human, you’re a monster.”

“I’m not the monster Lily,” he tried to explain.

“That’s how we ended up here,” she reminded him. He was quiet for a moment then went to say something. Lily interrupted him. “You’re not listening Rick,” she said taking a deep breath and looking for the courage. It was slight but it was there in a whisper when she exhaled. “Were over.”

“Because of that thing
you’re fucking?”

“That’s none of your business,” she said starting to get angry.

Rick took the tablet and began slamming it across the edge of the breakfast bar repeatedly and harder each time. Suddenly fragments of it splintered off in different directions as it began breaking into pieces. His face displayed only confusion and anger as he turned red with rage as he brought the tablet down once more and finally breaking it.

Lily decided it was time to go and ran towards the hall. Suddenly she felt sleepy as the door at the end of the hall went up and out of sight. All of a sudden it felt like she was suspended in midair looking down at the floor. Then it went dark.

Dazed she opened her eyes wondering why she was lying on the ground. This was way too familiar as the events quickly rushed into her head. Rick must have put her here, because it felt like he hit her. Seeing pieces of technology scattered around her she realized he must have thrown what was left of the tablet and caught her right in the back of the head. Hearing him getting closer she frantically searched for the knife.

Flipping her on her back Rick reached downward.

But she had found the knife.

Lily swung
it wildly across with her on a direct trajectory with his face. He moved quickly enough for it to miss his eye, but not quick enough to avoid it completely. Grabbing his already bloody cheek in pain he lurched backwards in agony.

Scrambling to her feet she turned around staggering towards the hall. Rick lunged forward extending his right leg and catching her on her left butt cheek. She bolted forward tripping into the corner of the wall where the kitchen began.

Rolling over and holding her shoulder, she started pushing herself down the hall with her legs. Rick was on her, grabbing at her hair and lifting her upwards. Lily screamed at the pain of hairs being pulled and ripped out. He struggled to hold her still while bringing her to her feet. Lily thrust her hand forward onto Rick’s face and clamped down as hard as she could. Dragging her finger nails down his skin she scraped at his flesh as her index finger caught his lower eye lid. Forcing it down unwillingly the nail caused the lid split open, letting blood seep out.

Rick howled in pain and used his hand full of Lily’s hair as leverage. Spinning her around towards the living room he let her go crashing into the coffee table. Sliding she flew off the side of it knocking magazines and Martin’s mother’s glass bowl, which held everything but what it was supposed to.

Delicately he dabbed the cut under his eye with his finger, wincing in pain. “Fucking bitch,” Rick yelled wiping the blood seeping out of his cheek with his other hand.

Lily was already on her knees shaking terribly. “What’s the matter?” she asked staling. Spitting the blood that was forming in her mouth she reminded herself giving in was not an option, no matter how badly she wanted too. She did not want to be beat on any more but she was not going to beg him to stop. If he wanted to beat her tonight, she was going to try and fight back. As she stood up she grabbed the glass bowl that was on the floor with her and held it behind her.

“I’m going to kill you bitch,” Rick said calmly. Then swiftly he darted at her with his arms extended and hands aiming for her neck.

Lily thought he could not have made it any easier and swung. The glass bowl soared through the air until it connected directly into the side of his head, making a loud thud that sent Rick wobbling three steps to the side. He caught his balance and swayed back and forth, hesitant to fall over. Lily limped ahead and swung the bowl again. This time, Rick caught her wrist and shot forward with his fist. Catching her in the face Lily wobbled backwards having no problem falling over the coffee table. Landing in between it and the couch she let out a harrowing cry. The pain lit up her back instantly as she tried to straighten herself out to relieve the agonizing discomfort. But she was wedged between the table and the couch and could not get enough leverage to push. Her face started to sting as the pain of being wacked decided to punch the clock and start. Suddenly the table was thrown to the side and she was actually grateful as her back straightened, giving her a bit of relief. It was short lived as Rick
grabbed her legs and pulled her away from the couch. Straddling her he pinned her arms under his knees. The pain was unbearable but she was still forced to endure it as his knees dug into her arms. Each time he repositioned himself, made it worse. Looking up she saw the damage on his face that she personally caused, and she felt proud. It was a small victory but she laughed.

“What’s so fucking funny?” Rick spit furiously.

“You’re pathetic!” she screamed back not even realizing it.

He punched her in the face again and the blood from her nose quickly found its way to her mouth.

“I love you Lily,” he said shaking her head.

Lily started crying then stopped and stared, causing him to slowly let go. Rick smiled at her and she felt the stare of domination on her; like she had so many times before. Unexpectedly she spit the blood pooling in her mouth onto his face. Her mouth was left wide open exposing her stained teeth as she stared almost as surprised as Rick.

Like it had so many times before, something inside snapped. He wrapped his hands around her neck and started to squeeze. His grip tightened and the pain increased. Lily knew she was going to die and she began to panic. Her body thrashed beneath him but his size anchored her steadily to the floor. Feeling the lack of air as his grip tightened she could no longer spasm her body. She arched her back as hard as she could while the redness of her face started to gleam and her vision started to fade. Her back pressed against the floor again as she became pissed that this asshole was the last thing she was going to see. She wanted to see Todd and Martin one last time and tell them how much she loved them. She wanted to tell them how much she appreciated everything they had done for her. She hoped they had a long and wonderful life together. She wished she had a chance with Nathan. She thought she was in love and that was something she felt she earned, deserved even. Lily thought she had found her soul mate, which you only get once in a lifetime. Which now seemed especially cruel since it seemed that hers was about to come to an abrupt end.

She saw in Rick’s face that he was not going to stop and she did not want to die. The only thing she was grateful for was seeing Nathan one last time. Standing behind Rick she could swear he was a little taller than usual. His eyes seemed to be glowing as well. She wanted to wave at him but her arms were pinned.
Are those fangs
? Lily thought. Then it went completely dark.

TWO: You Were Warned

Grabbing Rick by the back of his neck Nathan seized him with such force that he let go of Lily in pure shock. Ripping him off of her Nathan sent Rick flying into the kitchen fridge. Crashing into the top freezer portion he instinctively grabbed at the door trying not fall. Landing hard on his back he immediately cried out an airless yell being winded instantly.

Kneeling down Nathan put his hand on Lily’s neck and found her pulse. Closing his mouth to hide his fangs he kissed her gently on the forehead. He heard Rick moan and stood up in a fiery rage. Marching into the kitchen and around the bar he looked down at Rick who had only made it to his knees.

Rick looked up in fear and saw the same creature that almost took his life in the alley way. “You!” he gasped in horror.

“I warned you,” Nathan said wrapping his claws around Rick’s neck. Yanking him upward he lifted him into the air like he was a weightless stuffed toy. “I told you to leave.”