Our Cause (Let the Monsters Live in Fear Book 1)

by Jennifer Jane Jennings

  Trina grabbed two girls and a guy who were sitting by themselves and took them to a group of three who hadn’t taken their seats yet. “Kat, this is Ariel, Zeek, Ashley, Mia, Brady and Georgina. Ariel and Georgina are doing the aerobics test with you. You’ll take a third of a class each. We’ll have our aerobic prac after our theory. I’ll put you three together so you can practice and decide who wants to teach what. You’re all going to do so well.”

  Ariel had red hair that looked a little too straight. “My parents had a thing for Disney Princesses. I’ve got two sisters, Aurora and Belle. Aurora’s blonde. Belle’s a redhead like me, but she keeps it curly. You can call me Ariel, the Little Mermaid or Splash; I’ve heard it all.”

  “What would you like to be called?” Kat asked.

  Ariel’s eyes sparkled, “Boss. Just joking. Ariel or Splash are both good. The Little Mermaid’s a real mouthful. I do like being called Splash though, especially at squad and work. I’m a swimming teacher as well as doing a traineeship as a PT. Are you a swimmer?”

  Kat smiled. “Splash it is. I can swim. I finished all the lessons but didn’t want to do squad.” She pointed at Knightly Karate on her jacket. “I do karate.”

  “That’s so cool! Can you do backflips?” Splash asked.

  Kat chuckled. “They’re not actually part of karate,” she remembered doing a backflip and kicking Adam in the stomach, “but yeah. I did gymnastics from three to fourteen.”

  “I did gymnastics, and I still do Tae Kwon Do. I just got my black belt before Christmas,” Georgina shared. She had dark hair halfway down her back and a Mediterranean complexion.

  “That’s awesome! Well done. I’m going for mine next month. I passed my grading assessment on Sunday.”

  “That’s fantastic! How long have you done karate?” Georgina asked.

  “It’s nine o’clock. Please take your seats, and let’s get started,” Trina called from the front of the lecture room, stopping Kat from answering.

  Kat smiled at Georgina and Splash, “Sit together?”

  They both smiled and sat at a four-seater table with a spare seat next to Georgina. Kat sat in the middle. Brady, the guy who had been sitting by himself, but had lost his spot, smiled at the girls. “Can I sit here?”

  Georgina smiled and pushed her hair behind her ear. “Sure.”

  Trina smiled at the room, encouraging them to be quiet and pay attention. “I know some of you love aerobics, and others just like looking at the hotties in tight clothes. Regardless of your personal preference, let’s make our classes fun and safe for everyone. How can we make them safe?”

  Hands went up. Every question was brainstormed, and the hour was up before they realised.

  “Let’s get in groups of three and make fun, safe classes for all abilities. You will all teach a third of a class to the other two people in your group. At eleven o’clock, Ariel, Georgina and Kat will take us all through a class.”

  Kat went to a corner with Splash and Georgina.

  “You’d both be super flexible. Who wants to do the stretching at the end?” Splash asked.

  Georgina smiled shyly. “I’d like to either go second or last. I don’t want to go first, if that’s okay.”

  “I’m happy to go first. I’m confident but not overly flexible. What would you like to do, Kat?”

  Kat smiled at Georgina. “I can go last, so you can go in the middle if you like.”

  Georgina beamed. “Thanks. I hate tests. Teaching’s different.”

  “I was thinking something like this for the warmup,” Splash took them through a fun, fast-paced warmup with low and high impact variations.

  Georgina seemed nervous before she started, but once she did, Kat could see the black belt within. She had a quiet confidence and seemed to put you at ease while she taught. After Kat’s turn, they gave each other feedback and suggestions and did it again two more times. Kat’s Spidey-sense went off as she was going into front splits. She looked at the door, “Oh, fuck.”

  “Are you okay? What is it?” Georgina asked.

  Splash looked at the man walking towards them with Evan. “Looks like your dad’s even more protective than mine.”

  “That’s not my dad.”

  Evan looked at Kat’s face and body language. “I’m guessing you weren’t expecting a spectator?”

  “No. I told you this was something I had to do on my own. Not even my parents or Sensei Damon are here.”

  Evan frowned. “He’s not your dad?”

  “I’m a very good friend of Kat’s here to support her. We mean a lot to each other.”

  Kat glared at Adam. “You need to back off! I am not your girlfriend. I will never be your girlfriend. You are way too old for me. Please leave me alone!”

  Adam put his hands up and took a step towards Kat. “You need to calm down, Kat. We both know we are important to each other. Let’s go and talk about this.”

  “I have an exam in about ten minutes! I don’t need this crap. Go home, Adam. I don’t want to see you again.”

  Everyone had stopped in their groups and had started milling around. Trina was running over as Evan put his foot in between Kat and Adam. “You need to leave, mate. I’m twenty, and I thought she was too young for me. You’re old enough to be my Dad, let alone hers. You’re just sick.”

  Adam looked at everybody glaring at him, then turned to Kat. “I honestly thought you were more mature.” He walked out with the room in silence.

  Trina grabbed Kat by the shoulders the minute the door shut. “Are you okay?”

  Kat nodded. “Embarrassed, but yeah.”

  “That was that creep you were talking about? I’m hoping,” Trina smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

  Kat smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I’m glad there aren’t two of them.”

  “We can do the test at the end of the day if you like?” Trina offered.

  Kat shook her head. “No thanks. I’ll just go to the bathroom and wash my face. He’s not taking it from me.” Kat looked at Splash and Georgina, “We prepared well. We should do it soon.”

  Kat walked into the bathroom. She looked at the mirror and saw the little coma victim the country pitied. Tears filled her eyes. She turned on the tap, put her head down and kept splashing water on her face until the tears stopped. A sudden strike on the back of her head forced her face into the tap. Kat was sure her nose was broken. Her head was pulled up by the hair and then pushed under the water. Kat closed her eyes as the water poured over her eyes, nose and mouth. She couldn’t breathe. Kat tried to pull the hand off her head with one hand and reach the leg or groin of her attacker with the other. She felt him step back to avoid her hand.

  Adam yanked her up by the hair. “How dare you humiliate me like that!” He punched her hard in the nose. If it hadn’t been broken, it definitely was now. He slammed his lips against hers and kissed her with her blood dripping down her face, one hand still holding her hair.

  Kat could still barely breathe. Her nose was broken, and his lips were against hers with his tongue pushing its way into her mouth. She was about to tremble, but she saw an image of Brandon Underhill’s face, calm, not excited like the others, as he raped her. The image changed to Brandon stabbing Courtney in the chest, the same expression on his face. Kat became as calm as the murderer had been. Kat slammed her teeth shut on Adam’s tongue as she pushed her hand in between them and grabbed hard onto his genitals. She twisted her hand like a corkscrew and pulled back as though she were trying to rip them off. She pulled her chin back and smacked the top of her head into his face as his grip on her hair loosened.

  He pulled his head back but couldn’t step back as she had hold of his groin. “Let go!”

  “You let go!” Kat screamed.

  Adam and Kat both let go as the bathroom door flung open, and Evan and Trina bolted in. Evan sprinted to Adam and tried to hit him. Adam ducked and was about to counter, but Kat swept him from the side, taking his legs out and making him fall on the side of his head.

/>   Evan slammed his foot into Adam’s face and held it there. “Don’t you dare move, you filthy paedophile.”

  “Oh my God, Kat! Are you okay? Your manager Connor called and said you pocket dialled him and were being attacked. Thank God you accidentally called him. We need to get you looked after and that scumbag in jail.” Trina grabbed a roll of toilet paper and gently approached Kat. “Your nose is gushing. How sore is it? It looks broken.”

  Kat took a big breath through her mouth. “It is. It’s sore. I may have to postpone my test, but I don’t want to let Laura or Sensei Damon down.”

  Trina shook her head. “Don’t worry about your test. I’ll come to you as soon as you’re better. I’ll do one of your classes. You just need to worry about getting…”

  A loud knock on the bathroom door interrupted Trina. “This is the police. Kitty Kat, if you’re in there, we are Constables Gareth Payne and Kevin Matthews. Do you remember us? Can we come in?”

  “Yes and yes. Please come in,” Kat answered.

  Adam groaned on the floor from under Evan’s Nike. “Oh no. Not you. You’re not going to be impartial. I need another cop.”

  Gareth sniggered. “I’m another cop. I’ll arrest you, or I can hand you to the special ops karate instructor who’s flying at the speed of light to get here.”

  “You’re not allowed to do that,” Adam growled.

  “We need to get Kitty Kat to a first aid room. If the gym shoe guy hands you to the military, I’ll have to deal with them. It could take months to get you out.” Gareth turned to Evan, “I really hope your feet stink. Please tell me you’ve got Athlete’s Foot.”

  “Na, but I did wear them for a half-mara yesterday.”

  Gareth nodded. “Good enough.” He turned to Kat, his eyes and voice both gentle. “He did a right number on you. I’m so glad running boy beat him up.”

  Evan smiled. “I wish I did. All I did was step on him after Kat took him down. He hurt her, but she saved herself. We just stopped the fight from continuing. She even put him on the floor for me.”

  “Oh, well done, Kitty Kat. I’m so proud of you. Let’s fix you up. Kev and, Running Boy, what’s your name?”

  “Evan.”

  “Oh, classic. Kev and Ev can stay with him.” He leant down so Adam could see him. “If you don’t want Constable Matthews, I’m sure Special Agent Damon Knightly would be happy to arrest you.”

  “Um, Constable Matthews is fine, but I want my lawyer,” Adam said, realising Gareth despised him as much as Kevin did.

  “You can call them at the station. I’m looking after your…” Gareth was about to say victim, but he looked at Kat; blood on her nose, mouth and chin, messed up hair and tear-stained face. She wasn’t cowering and crying the way Amy had been when they met her. She wasn’t happy, but she was victorious. She had beaten him. “Victor. How does it feel to be beaten by a sixteen-year-old girl, Adam?”

  “Fuck you.”

  The door flung open. “Don’t you swear in front of her! Kat, I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I came as soon as I could. The paramedics are behind me. If you can pinch your nose without it hurting, please do.”

  Kat pinched her nose and flinched in pain.

  “Let it go, sweetie. We’ll fix it another way.” Damon picked Kat up and cradled her in his arms, not caring if he got blood on his uniform. “I’ll take you to the paramedics. We’ll make it all better.” He turned to the others. “Thank you all for your help,” and carried her out of the bathroom.

  “Is he her big brother?” Evan asked.

  Gareth nodded, “Not by blood, but yeah.”

  16

  Dominique bit the inside of her lower lip to stop herself from crying. “Do you want to sleep in our bed tonight, baby?”

  “I’ll be alright, Mum. I’m sure it looks worse than it is.” She hugged her mum. “I won. It’s over, and I’m safe. I’ll be okay.”

  “It’s over until the next bad man who wants to hurt you. I know you need this. It’s just hard. I felt safer when I thought that Sensei Damon…” Dominique stared at her daughter. She had bruises under both eyes. Her nose had gauze and tape over it, but hadn’t needed surgery as it still looked like Kat’s cute nose. She stood straight and tall with her chin held high, so unlike how she was before she went back to karate. “You seem more confident now than before he attacked you. I’m a quivering mess but you’re…”

  “I beat him, Mum! I protected myself. Sensei Damon wasn’t there to take over if I couldn’t handle it. I fought for my life, and I won. Don’t get me wrong, I still need loads more training, and backup would be nice, but it’s great to know that if I get attacked while I’m on my own, I can do this. I’m enough.”

  Tears flowed down Dominique’s cheeks, but not from fear or sadness. “I’m so proud of you, my beautiful Amazon. You are enough.”

  Dominique lay in bed with her eyes wide open, flinching at every sound.

  Eric pulled her onto his chest and wrapped both arms around her. “I feel helpless too. I wanted to rip that mongrel limb from limb. All of them. Adam, Josh, the eight monsters on the beach. Our princess dealt with Adam all by herself. He’s older than I am, a known woman basher and a black belt in martial arts. She beat him. Her nose will heal, but the confidence that gave her, no one can take away. I’m guessing Adam lost as much confidence as Kat gained, probably more. I think he’ll go to jail this time and hope he’ll leave young girls alone when he gets out.”

  “I hope you’re right about Adam. Kat does seem more confident. The attack must have reminded her of the first one, though. I’m just waiting for the nightmares.”

  “We can get a better view from up there on the dunes.” Tommy took Kat’s hand. “It’ll be so romantic.”

  Kat looked at Courtney who had Michael’s arm around her.

  Courtney smiled and nodded, “Okay.”

  She started walking towards the dunes with Michael.

  Tommy pulled Kat to him. “We’ll catch up with them. You are so gorgeous.” He leant down and kissed her.

  Kat kissed him back and pulled away. Something didn’t feel right. Tommy’s heart was racing. Is it like this with all boys? “We better catch up with Courtney and Michael.”

  “One more kiss.” Tommy kissed her again, took her hand and started running until they were just in front of Courtney and Michael. His grip tightened as they started walking between the sand dunes.

  Kat heard something that sounded like a twig breaking. “What was that?”

  “I didn’t hear anything.” Tommy led Kat into an opening and tightened his grip as he moved behind her.

  Kat kicked her heel into Tommy’s shin and went down into sumo stance, a strong, low stance. The sudden change in Kat’s position unbalanced Tommy, but Kat’s stance wasn’t as strong as it was in the dojo. The sand moved beneath her feet.

  “The sand is a game-changer.” The man who spoke didn’t look much older than twenty, except he did. He was different. Kat stared at him as she felt others pushing her to the ground, hands all over her. Courtney screamed…

  Brandon straddled Kat as Tommy and Tyler held her arms. She could feel hands on her legs, holding them down. Brandon’s hand moved like a tiger’s claw and ripped the front of her dress open, revealing her blue bra.

  Brandon thrust his hand into his pocket and pulled out a knife. “Stay still, and I won’t cut you. We just want to see those pretty titties.”

  Kat turned her head to face Tommy. “Please don’t do this. You were my first kiss, that had to mean something.”

  “It did. Brandon will be your first fuck, but don’t worry, I’ll get a turn.”

  The betrayal she felt the first time it happened was gone. Instead of flinching away and getting cut in the process, she turned her head back and kept her body still. Brandon cut open her bra without cutting her this time.

  “There’s nothing I can say to talk you out of this, is there?” Kat asked, now as calm as Brandon.

  “Clever girl. You now
accept your fate.” Brandon pushed her panties to the side and undid his fly. He leant forward on top of her as he was about to enter her.”

  Kat head butted him hard on the bridge of his nose. “I accept nothing!”

  Dominique and Eric flew out of bed and raced into Kat’s room.

  Kat was sitting bolt upright with her fists in the guard position, she looked at her parents panting at the end of her bed. “I’m okay, but I need to learn how to fight in sand.”

  Kat’s phone beeped with Damon’s message tone. “I’ll pick you up at 6am Saturday. We’re going to the beach. Your nose should be up to training by then.”

  17

  Kat looked at her eyes in the mirror. There’s no way they’ll let me work today. She walked out to her parents, “It looks worse than it feels.” She expected her dad to make a witty comeback.

  “That’s great, princess. You’ve got a big day today, so we need you with it.”

  Kat furrowed her brow, “Ow. Damn, I can’t even be confused without it hurting. What’s on today? I didn’t think I was allowed to go to work.”

  “We’re not allowed to push your body today. No one said anything about pushing your brain. Brent’s coming over. Between the two of us…”

  “Thank you!” Kat beamed and crinkled her nose without meaning to. “Ow. I’m never letting anyone sneak up on me at a hand basin again. This hurts too much. I hope Adam’s in at least as much pain as I am.”

  “We can hack into the system and see if his injuries are listed.” Eric’s green eyes glinted mischievously.

  “I don’t think I broke his nose, but I bit his tongue and…” Kat demonstrated the strike, grab, twist, pull action she had done to Adam and giggled at the look on her father’s face.

  “Yeah, I think he’s in more pain than you are, princess. Well done.” Eric looked at Dominique flipping the last pancake. “They smell so good. After brekkie, get dressed and then we can start snooping around while we wait for Brent.”