A/N: This story is graphic and contains sex and gore. Please read only if you're old enough.
Chapter One
Manhattan, New York 2006
"Ginger!" Peter shouted as he walked down the hallway and pounded his fist on the dressing room door. The door opened when Ginger looked at him and brushed some hair out of her eyes. Dressed only in a white, silk dressing gown, she held onto the doorframe while he glanced up and down her body and she snapped her fingers to get his attention.
"What?" she asked as he stormed into the dressing room and headed for the couch. Sitting down, he placed his arms on the back of the couch while Ginger closed the door and looked at him, folding her arms under her breasts. "Well, what's your damage this time?"
"He did it again!" Peter shout as he stood up and started pacing back and forth.
"Are you talking about….?"
"Yeah, I went to watch his rehearsal and he was doing my act!" Peter said while throwing his hands into the air and she walked to him, stood in front of him and slid her arms around his waist. Looking down at her, Peter smiled as he felt his anger fading and held her head in his hands. Her lips felt warm and soft as they kissed then he moved back and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" Ginger asked and he turned, smiling at her.
"He might think he got away with it, but I planned ahead. Just sit tight and prepare for the screaming!" he said then left the room and Ginger frowned, blinking her eyes a few times.
Manhattan, New York 2011
MAGICAL DEATH AT THE GARDEN was the headline of the old newspaper clipping taped to the wall and Peter glared in the photograph. Several darts were pinned to the photograph and red ink horns and tail were drawn on the photograph. More photographs of Peter were taped to the wall while the dark eyes glared at them and a fist pounded against the wall, making some of the photographs fall the floor. The figure walked out of the room then down the hallway as the figure's shadow moved along the wall and the figure growled. The figure opened the door to the room at the end of the hallway and the figure walked into room, closing the door. The light from the windows lit up the room as the figure walked toward the statue sitting at the center of the room and the figure ran long fingers over the statue's muscular arm. The statue stood ten feet in height and the inhuman face was frozen in a snarl.
On the sides of the head of the statue were two ridged ears that came to a point at the top and the ear on the right had a nick taken out of it. Several boney lumps went from the top to the bottom of the statue's head and boney ridges covered the two, bulging eyes. The nose was pushed up and the mouth was open, showing three rows of sharp teeth. A thick neck rested on a muscular torso and a stub of a tail sat above the perfectly shaped bottom. Four, muscular arms stuck out of the torso and the large hands had four fingers and a thumb with long talons curved toward the palm of each hand and the hands were bent almost into fists. Two muscular legs held up the statue and the statue was standing on the balls of its two feet. Sharp talons bent in on the four toes on each foot and what appeared to be bone covered the statue's genitals.
Around the statue was a silver circle bolted to the floor and the figure lit the candles sitting on the points of the pentagram. Looking back at the statue, the figure smiled and walked out of the circle then walked to the wooden table. On the wooden table was a long, silver blade knife and the figure took the handle of the long, silver blade knife and picked the long, silver blade knife off the table. Walking to the silver circle, the figure looked at the statue and held the handle of the long, silver blade knife tightly. Walking into the silver circle, the figure stood in front of the statue, held the silver blade knife high in the air and the moonlight shimmered on the silver blade. With a swift motion, the figure lowered the silver blade and drops of blood dripped onto the floor.
Las Vegas, Nevada 2011
The soft sound of her lover's heartbeat woke Cassandra as her mind slowly drifted out of dreaming and she felt the soft, thick hairs on his chest under her fingers. Moving her fingers along his chest, she stroked the side of his left nipple and heard his breath catch in his chest. If someone had told her a week ago that she would find her soul mate, she would have laughed and told them to fuck off. She never believed in soul mates, but that was before she met Peter Vincent. Who knew that one audition would turn her world upside down and she would end up fighting to save not only her life, but the life of the man that was lying next to her,
Sure, she had heard that Peter was a drunk and an asshole, but she had found that it was all a lie. The true Peter Vincent was a sad, slightly broken and disillusioned man, whose life had been turned upside down when someone killed his parents, and that he had walled off his feeling and heart so he could never be hurt again. It took a teenage boy named Charlie to knock down a few of the bricks he had set up around his heart, but she was the one that knocked down the fucking walls. True, he still drank and acted like a first class jerk, but even the young women that worked with him had noticed the change.
"Guess it's true about the love of a good woman," Cassandra thought when she felt long fingers moving up her back and she smiled, rubbing the tip of Peter's nipple between her finger and thumb. His heart sped up a little as he sighed and slid his long fingers under her armpit, tickling her.
"Hey, no fair," she giggled then sat up and looked over at him. His dark brown hair was sticking up slightly on the top of his head and she brushed some of the fringe from his forehead. His eyes were still closed while his long lashes spread across his cheeks and she silently counted his freckles. Peter never thought himself as handsome, but she thought he looked amazing, even the tiny crow's feet at the corners of his eyes were sexy. His nose was a little crooked after being broken, but it still had that Roman look to it and his dimples made tiny dents in his cheeks as he barely smiled.
"Well, you started it," he grumbled and slowly opened his eyes. They were a chocolate brown color and seemed to twinkle in the light. Dark stubble dotted his cheeks, chin and neck and she gently stroked his cheek. Moving her hand along his neck down to his chest, she shook her head and he watched her fingers move down his chest, making little trails through the soft, thick hair on his chest, and slid down to his flat stomach. Dipping her fingers first into his navel then along the dent of his appendix scar, she walked her fingers back up his chest and he smiled at her. "Someone's in a playful move this morning."
"I'm just admiring you," she said with a grin and he rolled his eyes, sighing.
"Yeah, I'm a hunk and a half," he said and she playfully smacked his chest. "Cassy, I'm a skinny drink of nothing!"
"That's not what some of the card girls in the casino tell me. I've noticed them looking at you while you strut through the casino. You, Peter Vincent, are a hottie!" she said then leaned over and kissed his lips. His lips were full and soft and she kissed deeper, feeling his lips parting. His tongue met hers while she climbed on top of him and he held her head in his hands. Her hands moved along his sides when they moved back and both of them were breathless. "I think w-we'd better get up."
Peter glanced at the alarm clock sitting on the night table when he saw that it was eight fifteen and he sighed, remembering that he had an interview on a local television show at ten. Nodding, he watched her move the duvet back then get out of bed and held her hand out. He smiled then took her hand and they walked to the bathroom, closing the door behind them.
Peter had his arms on the back of the couch while the hostess glanced at the bulge in his leather trousers every so often and the host seemed to be glaring at him. Peter had performed two tricks and was now talking about his show and crossed his legs.
"Well, it's been a pleasure talking with you," the host said as he ended the interview and they stood up, shaking hands. The hostess nearly fainted when Peter gently kissed her cheek and she whispered her phone number in his ear. Arching an eyebrow, Peter softly smiled at her then walked off set and looked at Cassandra and the young women, who were trying hard not to laugh.
"Was it that bad?" he asked while Cassandra picked up the cage with her familiar, Cross, inside and they headed for the exit door.
"No, but if she looked at your cock one more time…." Cassandra said as he smiled at her and kissed her cheek.
"I was amazed the toupee that guy was wearing stayed on when he dived onto the floor after Cross flew at him during the card trick," one of the young women said and Peter laughed, nodding his head. Someone called Peter's name when he turned around and saw the balding, black hair man running toward him. Peter noticed that the man's tie was undone and his black suit and white shirt were crumbled. The man was the producer of the show and he stopped, panting and held up a finger. After catching his breath, he looked at Peter and Peter crossed his arms over his chest, titling his head to one side.
"There's something I need to show you," the man finally said then turned and headed down the hallway.
Shrugging, Peter, Cassandra and the young women followed the man down the hallway when they walked into the production booth and headed for the table with the computer on it. They looked at the email on the screen and the email read PETER VINCENT, YOU ARE A LIAR AND A FRAUD. THE NEXT TIME WE MEET, I WILL KILL YOU!
"Is this a joke?" Peter asked.
"I don't know. We were looking through the emails and this was sent a few minutes into your interview. We've sent it to security, but there's no return address," the man said and Peter sighed, scratching the back of his neck.
"Well, it's not the first time someone's threatened me," Peter said then turned and Cassandra and the young women followed out of the room. Cassandra could see that Peter was worried as they walked down the hallway and she slid her hand into his hand, making him smile.