No Real Monsters Ch. 02

Jonathan walked into the Starbucks his eyes more on the woman as she crossed the parking lot to her car. She was such a petite thing; her blonde head had only come to mid-chest on him. Shaking his head he noted that she got into the older Toyota Corolla, coaxing it to life. He watched her drive away before he finally realized he was standing in front of the barista and they had been patiently waiting for him to order his drink. Considering the line now forming behind him, he had the decency to look abashed before he ordered his usual black coffee and hurried on his way.

His day at work was slow. Oh, he was busy enough, but the day seemed to drag by. He couldn't get that girl out of his head. Her deep green eyes, her pert little nose covered with freckles, and those hips! Even in the scrubs with her long hair pulled back into the ponytail she'd been a beauty. Gazing out his window overlooking the city below he pondered what she'd actually look like dressed up.

"Earth to Jon... Jonathan!"

It was the snapping fingers in front of his face that finally brought him back to the present. Swinging the chair around so that he was facing back toward his desk he looked at his brother. From the expression on his older brother's face he could guess that Dave had been trying to get his attention for a while and had not been succeeding. Running a hand through his black hair he offered a sigh.

"Sorry, my thoughts were elsewhere."

"Yeah, I gathered that. But do you think you could get back to the problem at hand here?"

Shaking his head, David crossed his arms over his broad chest. The brothers looked much alike though they were five years apart. Dave was the oldest and never let Jon forget that. Jon was the taller of the two, though, by about two inches. They both had brown eyes, black hair and an almost linebacker's build. The two of them were partners at the law firm Shepard, Leggart and Fox, LLC. It had been named when their father had held a seat at the firm years ago and the name had never been changed.

"Right, so, you were saying...?"

Dave let out a heavy sigh as he realized that Jon hadn't been listening to a word he said. He stood up from the chair he was in and began pacing the room. A moment ago he'd been explaining the problems the clans were facing and his brother, his beta, was sitting, staring out the window daydreaming!

With an exasperated sound he began again, "I was saying that we have evidence that vampires are impinging on our territory and we need to do something about it. Now, I gave a little more detail and I did mention that some of our scouts had brought back evidence and again went into detail but you...apparently have something on your mind?" He was obviously not pleased as his voice was tinged with anger as he said it.

Rolling his eyes, Jonathan stood from his desk and walked to the windows looking out over the city. Once again his thoughts strayed to the girl from earlier. He was going to have to see her again or there was no getting her out of his head. Turning to his brother finally, he nodded to Dave.

"Yes. So, I'll talk to the scouts and find out what's up. Okay? We'll set some extra watches. Put some extra guards out. If we catch these vamps in the act, we are within our rights to kill them, you know. They don't stand a chance against us."

"Fine. Do that. And will you please pay attention? I don't know what's gotten into you today. You have never been this inattentive to things about the clan and right now with Marcia having a little one on the way soon..."

Jon reached out and squeezed Dave's shoulder in reassurance. "I know. Your mate will be fine. I swear! We'll see to it, okay? If I have to stand guard duty myself, we'll see to it."

He added that grin he knew would make Dave snap out of his fuss and of course it did. Soon David was grinning right back at him. Cuffing him lightly on the shoulder Dave laughed and shook his head.

"Alright. I know you always keep the den secure. I'm just a worry wart right now. Can you blame me? One day you'll understand."

Jonathan laughed right along with Dave and put his arm around his brother as they headed out of the office together. Even as the two of them left, Jonathan knew he would need to work on something else before he could truly concentrate as his brother asked him to. His attention was divided and he had to know why. Maybe Sasha, the old soothsayer back at the den could help him with his dilemma.

**************

Terri sighed as she finally left work for the day. It had been a long day at the hospital and all she wanted was to go home and soak in the tub or at least take a hot shower. As she coaxed her old Corolla to life she doubted she would be able to have that. She had a feeling that when she got home it would be more of the same. Laying her head on the steering wheel she debated, not for the first time, not going home.

She didn't stay like that for long. The last time she had laid her head on the wheel like that and had been there more than five minutes someone walking by had asked if she was okay. Learning her lesson, she now would only lay her head on the steering wheel a few moments before she went about her business. Looking behind her, she pulled out of her parking space and headed home out of habit.

Once she was at home, she walked into the small house she shared with her husband. The futility of her life weighed down on her. She loved her job as a nurse. It was hard work, but she felt like she made a difference in the lives of her patients. But here, at home...things were different.

"About time you came home..." came the accusing words, "I was about to go looking for you. I was sure you were out whoring with another man. You know you're mine!"

The smack across her face was not startling. It didn't even phase her now. She took it in stride as she simply looked at him. No tears, she knew he would only beat her worse if she cried. Or he might beat her worse if she didn't. It always depended on his mood.

"Don't just stand there! Get my dinner, bitch!"

Another blow was delivered, this one to her stomach, and yes, it would probably bruise. A wince accompanied this hit, but he didn't see it because she was already moving to obey his order. Ah, how she wished she could just leave. But the last time she tried, he had found her and brought her back. She didn't even want to remember that time. The pain had lasted for nearly a month after he had finished with her.

She fixed dinner quietly, trying to hurry and trying to be careful at the same time. He was a perfectionist, demanding a certain level of care be taken with his food. As happened many times when she made dinner, he came in before she was finished and began demanding it, saying she was taking too long. She didn't protest, simply hurried as he tried to deliver his usual torture, a kick here, a punch to the ribs there while she finished. Finally the dinner was done and on the table.

He ate his supper leaving barely any for her though tonight it didn't matter. In one of his rare moods where he didn't care if she ate or not, once dinner was done, he immediately dragged her up the stairs. She protested this time. She knew what was to come and now she wanted no part of it.

"No. Can't you just let me be? I made dinner...didn't you like it? I came straight home. Please! "

Tears streamed down her face as she begged and pleaded with him to leave her alone, to let her go. He just laughed. With his head shaking, a leering grin he looked down at her.

"I told you, you're mine. It's time to remind you of that!"

Throwing her to the bed, he ripped off her scrubs. Another pair she lost to him. Now the bruises he always gave her showed. He was careful never to put any on her face, but they were everywhere else. And after tonight, there would be many more.

He loved to watch her beg him, plead and cry. It excited him when she was at his mercy. And now, here she was on the bed cowering. But her tears were stopping. Another smack brought them back quickly enough. His eyes shown with cruel glee as he towered over her, his hand bruising an arm, gripping it too hard as he forced her to lay beneath him.

"Who do you belong to, slut?"

She shook her head, the tears coming faster as she denied this. Still she begged him to stop, pleaded with him to let her go even as the rest of her clothes were ripped from her body. It was too late she knew when he pinned her to the bed with his own frame and leaned down against her. His hands let go of her arms long enough to pull his clothes off, but she knew better than to run. The moment he had finished this, he pinned her beneath him again, his eyes still shining with that cruelty.

"I asked you a question!"

He slapped her face this time, the sting making her cry out.

"You..."

The words were barely whispered, but it was all he needed as his cock stabbed into her in triumph. The scream she uttered then was pure agony. He never made sure she was ready and he did this to cause her pain, to prove a point...because he could. This was not love. It was hell. She passed out before he finished...