Beautiful Death (Bella Morté Trilogy Book 1) Read Free Page A

painfully. It was on the seat, the window, the roof, the floor, the steering wheel, and the rearview mirror. It was during her inspection when she noticed something on the other side that looked like a foot.
    Rushing over, she wondered if someone was hurt and needed help. Even though she was a mechanic, it shouldn’t be that much harder to fix a human body, not that she could. That was before she saw her lying on the ground. Dropping the bat, the sound echoed. Quickly rushing towards her, she stopped short after two steps. It was apparent, she was beyond help: deader than dead could get. There wasn’t any mistaking death’s shroud, covering her eyes like the final curtain during a play. However, that wasn’t what stopped Dani in her tracks, staring at her best friend in disbelief. It was how she died.
    Her body was propped up against the front driver’s tire with a gigantic hole ripped out of her stomach. Her intestines littered the ground, eyes wide open staring down. Someone - or something - ripped her arm out of the socket leaving strings of meat hung in its place. Her leg, still attached, was broken and bent in a grotesque, painful looking position. It was a brutal attack.
    She felt a scream well up in her throat. It was like the beginning of a cold: thick with chest congestion that lodged there and froze. Putting her hand over her mouth, she calmed that urge. She had to think. Run, her mind told her. She wasn't worried anymore about what happened as she was about getting out of there before she found what did that kind of damage. However, she had to get her family to safety first, but where was safe?
    Back home.
    Tired of waiting, Alice rolled down the window. Leaning out, she glanced around. “Dani, what’s goin’ on?”
    Not sure, she motioned for her mother to be quiet. “Sh. Stop talkin’!”
    “Well, what is it? What do ya see? Ya look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”
    She was too loud. Turning, Dani looked around for any sign of movement. What could do that? It took a lot to literally bust through someone’s stomach. Hell, she didn’t think it was possible, but after looking at Becky, something could and it was still out there.
    She looked around, cautiously, spying under the cars as she backed towards the truck. “Ma, stop drawin’ attention to us.”
    Alice arched a brow. “Why?”
    “I’ll tell ya when I get back there.” She rushed around the car, back in the direction of the truck. “We have to get the fuck outta here.”
    “Dani, what’s wrong? You act like--” someone dragging her through the window by her hair, silenced her words. “Dani, help!”
    A man appeared quietly from out of thin air like a Ninja sneaking around. Alice screamed; kicking and punching, as he dragged her away from the truck like some cave dweller claiming his woman.
    Hearing the yell, Dani rushed over. Grabbing her bat off the ground in mid-stride, she raced towards the man. She didn’t have time to be worried about herself. She had one thought in her head; save her mother. “G-ma, stay in the fuckin’ truck!”
    The man looked at Dani as he picked up the struggling woman with one hand. Keeping his eyes on her, he had his way with Alice; clamping his teeth down on her fleshy throat before ripping out a chunk, chewing the stringy meat. Blood dripped down his chin, further dying his blue shirt red. Crimson gushed from the wound, but he threw her away as if she was nothing more than a ragdoll. Then he turned to Dani. Growling, he rushed at her.
    Alice bounced, rolling away before writhing and trembling. Bleeding from the deep gash, she looked in horror as her blood spilled like a leaking garden hose. Shock settled in, wrapping her in a quiet cocoon of sweet comfort, telling her everything was going to be fine: pacifying her into its comforting sense of tenderness. The great liar.
    From out of nowhere they came. Grabbing Alice, hoisting her in the air, like a winner’s trophy at a sporting event. They tugged