Both Logan and R.D. stood next to her, frowning. “He used to beat you, didn’t he?” R.D. asked almost growling, but she ignored him.
“No Mother, he hasn’t contacted me. But he is out of jail last I heard.” She buried her hands under her legs, looking down at her lap and started to rock. Jasmine shook, hearing the Nightmare Man’s voice as a whisper in her head. He was getting stronger or the stress was getting to her and blocking him out wasn’t working. Jasmine had created a wall a long time ago to keep him out, but something wasn’t right.
“Now tell me your story so I can begin my life,” she whispered, digging her nails into the bottom of her thighs.
“You will not take that attitude in this house, Jasmine. Your mother deserves a little more respect than that. She got you away from that man and had him locked up,” Cole stated, giving her a disapproving stare, which he had only ever used a few times on her.
“You’re right, she did, but it wasn’t in time to stop him from sharing his daughter with his best friend,” she snapped back. Cole’s disapproving words had hurt enough to make her say things she shouldn’t have.
“So you see, Cole, I know what it’s like to be lied to, over and over again.” She took a few deep breaths, not even bothering to look at her mother, as the voice only she heard got louder and the pain radiated inside her head.
“Why didn’t you tell me this? My God, you were a baby. I’ll kill him! That son of a bitch!” her mother growled, her eyes seemed to light up as Cole wrapped his arms around her and whispered to her.
She had to get away from them and made her way to her room, but before leaving she glanced over her shoulder. “So how does it feel to have something thrown at you without being told about it, Mother? Now you know what I felt like two days ago.”
With that she turned and made her way up to her room. She shut the door, leaning on it, rubbing her temples, sliding to the soft carpeted floor. The tears rolled down her cheeks as she worked to push the voice out of her head.
The counselor she had seen as a teenager had told her to open up and tell someone what had happened that night, but explaining her story to him had been the hardest thing in her life. One, he never believed what she had said, and two, she had paid for it dearly that night. The bruises from which she had hid well from her mother, until now.
Jasmine wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her head on her knees looking around her room; the room where she had grown up in. “Please stay away,” she whispered to herself hoping against hope the Nightmare Man wouldn’t penetrate her barrier.
Pink walls, a king-size bed with curtains around it acting as a shield, protecting her like a princess. Something Cole had told her on the first day they had moved into his home. “I sure don’t feel like a princess anymore,” she snorted.
“Open the door Jasmine,” R.D. snarled, when he tapped on the door, scaring her for a second.
“Go away. I’m tired and want to rest,” Jasmine said into her arms.
“I don’t want to hurt you, but I will open this door. I’m coming in, now move,” he demanded, always demanding, but she got up and opened the door just in time, then moved to her bed, all of a sudden very tired.
“You had to open that can of worms now? Couldn’t you have waited to speak of this, knowing the stress would delay healing for your mother?” Logan glared at her, pacing back and forth in front of her bed until she had enough.
Jasmine jumped up off of her bed and stepped in front of Logan, pointing her finger into his chest. “First off, how do you think I felt walking into that room and seeing my mother being bit into? Torn apart by that wolf, while Cole stood there? Did he come and explain it to me? No! I was shoved out of the room and the door slammed in my face. No one, not even you came out to explain what was happening. Hours later your grandmother came to me and explained. So don’t you go all bat shit on me, asshole. Plus, she wanted to talk. I talked. Now get the hell out of my room and leave me the fuck alone!” Before she could say another word, sharp stabbing pain hit her. She grabbed her head, her legs shook and tears slipped down.
“No, stay away,” Jasmine cried out, barely making it to the side of her bed before her legs gave out. He was inside of her now and there was nothing she could do. Jasmine wasn’t strong enough to push him back.
“What’s wrong?” Both Logan and R.D. asked at her side as she fell backwards onto the bed. “Who’s here?” They both asked, scanning the room for any threat.
“You have to leave now,” she moaned. The last time she had one of these attacks was when she had been in high school and she’d just spoken to her shrink… “Should have kept my mouth shut and left,” she mumbled.
“Yes, you should have. Never have I been angrier at you then I am right now.” Cole stated, coming into the room staring down at her. In an instant, he knew something was not right. “What’s wrong?”
“What are you doing in here? Go, get out, be with her, and never leave her, Cole. Protect her,” she cried using what strength she had left to run to the bathroom, hopefully protecting them all. She slammed the door shut, locking it, knowing, what was coming.
“You were warned, little girl, to keep your mouth shut,” the Nightmare Man said as she was picked up by
