I'm feeling a little under the weather so this chapter is shorter but I hope you guys like it, nonetheless.

Athena-Spenser: I literally cackled at this reply.

RaeRaeJean: I'm so glad that you like it. You made my day when I saw your long review. Right now Eric and Runa are honestly my favorite to write for.

13teen: Aw, thanks!

StarklyRamie: Thank you so much for letting me know that that was what was up with my reviews. I was kind of freaking out when I saw that I had only gotten a few reviews for last chapter.


Chapter 31: Waiting

The woman in front of me wanted to die. I tipped my head to the side as the wet, meaty sound of her tearing into the belly of the hog broke through the roar of the night. The orgy had gone on through the night, drifting into the morning and afternoon - half the town either fucking themselves to an early grave or eating themselves to it. Bored. I was bored. Maryann had promised that we would have fun but all of these humans - I stuck out my tongue, disgusted.

"Not havin' fun, lil missy?" Calloused fingers scraped up my thigh, hiking up my shorts. I liked calloused fingers, I realized, contemplating. I liked fingers that were long and sure and had the kind of roughness that could only come from a life of hardship and toil and death. "Wanna call me daddy for the night?"

My hand snapped out, fingernails digging and breaking the tender skin running just beside the thick column of the muscles of his throat. I didn't like him though. Even though his hands were calloused, I didn't like him. A low hiss slithered from my lips as I saw his dark eyes widen, his mouth gaping open and shut like a clown trying to mime laughter. Even with their last breathes they still had that stupid expression on their faces - like they could get enough.

I hated it. I hated every moment of it.

And maybe that's why I kept squeezing, something inside of me going white with feral rage. Beneath my fingertips, I could feel his heart splutter, pounding erratically as I forced him down to his knees. He should be afraid - I shouldn't have to force this on him. I let out a soundless scream, my nails breaking skin.

Or maybe I was just a monster.

Dark, glossy eyes stared up at me, wider and wider, that mouth gulping and gulping for air but his whole body lax, crumbling to the gravel like a wave. He wanted to fight - I could feel it inside of the back of his mind. Fight, I begged and a deeper part of me clawed her way up. Please God, don't let me kill you.

"Fight," I bit out, the muscles in my forearms burning as his body gave a little bit more. He wanted to fight - I could see it inside of him… But the vast majority wanted… an end.

A scream ripped from me, expanding my chest until I thought I would burst and then roaring out with a vengeance. I wanted to die. Tears blurred my vision, making the twitching form of the man below me seem almost like an intricate dance that was just behind a curtain. My fingers tightened, ripping a little bit further into his throat. I hated myself. I hated it all. I hated that I felt incomplete and alone. I hated that I felt like someone was missing - something was supposed to be here. I hated that none of them felt fear - that none of them understood that their lives were delicate, fragile things meant to be cherished and loved. I hated that it felt like every single one of them had had everything ripped from them - their pasts, presents and futures. It was better if they all died than having to be slowly emptied like this.

"Darling." Everything came rushing back, the house and yard, the cluster of people just around the side of the porch, the flicker of the bonfire dancing along the grotesque lines of the meat tree. It all fell into place like rain slowly descending. I glanced down, taking in the fact that I was straddling a dead body, my fingers buried in his throat. The willowy figure of Maryann sighed, crossing her arms as she stepped a bit closer to the scene. "What have I told you about killing?"

"Do it when you tell me to," I intoned, the sound of flesh sucking at my fingers decorating my words as I pulled them free from the man's throat. For a moment, I felt something rip inside of me as I stared down at his face, eyes a watery, white now as they stared unseeing up into the burning evening sky. Something was breaking inside of me, I realized, gently closing his lids.

But then I was dragging myself to my feet, stepping toward where Maryann waited, her mouth tipped downward in admonishment. Her fingers grasped my chin, tipping my face this way and that. "I honestly don't even know why I keep you around. All you do is make more of a mess." Her eyes flicked to where the girl who was eating the hog was slumped, her mouth still stuffed full of hog intestines. A low, scornful sound sawed from Maryann. "You even killed her."

I didn't blink. "She wanted to die."

A line of irritation marred the maenad's face, the first that I had seen her show any emotion besides delight. Slowly, her jaw flexed, the hand that was at my chin tightening until a zing of pain flashed across my jaw. Anger and fear were usually sisters, each heightening each other into a frenzy. My fingers sparked, an electric purple lighting her features as her eyes widened in amazement. My powers burned, responding to the aggression. I didn't speak, our gaze locked in a silent battle of wills.

I was hers but if I wanted to, she could be mine.

I smiled, letting my energy subside into a good-natured grin. It was a good thing I didn't want that. I wanted to stay with her. Even though it felt like I was dying inside, it also felt like I deserved this. This was my punishment. I closed my eyes, giving her a toothy flash of teeth. "I'm sorry, Maryann. Forgive me?"

The tension snapped, breaking like a cracker, her fingers loosening on my skin, a slow, relieved smile tilting her lips. "Oh, what am I going to do with you?" She released me, sighing as she patted my cheek. "You're so much stronger than the others that I've met… It's almost… Well." Her arm looped around my shoulder, moving us around the edge of the house until we were in the chaos of the front yard. She held up four fingers as she talked to me, walking nonchalantly past huffing, sweaty masses of people, saliva dripping from their lips as they had sex. "Four people you've massacred and for what reason? Hm? You can't just go around killing good, innocent people."

"They wanted to die," I mumbled, barely paying attention as my eyes wandered to a screaming woman, her legs wrapped around the hips or a young man. It was hard for me to comprehend that being pleasurable. For some reason, even though they were yelling, their heads thrown back, it all felt so bland - just short of an abysmal experience.

"And at that, you haven't partaken in a single male or female since you got here," she chided, frowning across the larn at a few young men who were going at it. "You know a good release could really relieve some built up-"

"I'm waiting for someone," I murmured, frowning up at the setting sun. Now that night was coming, I felt a bit more relaxed. Everything was better once the sun went down.

Maryann's eyes narrowed on me. "What?"

I blinked. "I don't know."

A low frustrated sigh burst from her lips as she stopped next to the meat tree, a pair of wild children clawing at the carcass of a dead sparrow. "I saved you for a reason, mare. And you need to stop making me regret it."

I blinked, confused on how to take that. I suppose it should have offended me. Instead, I grinned. "You'll fight me?"

"No," the maenad snapped. Her brow furrowed as she turned away with an angry mutter. "Violence and more violence - I've never met a mare so consumed with it - absolutely ludicrous behavior." With a deep sigh, she turned back to me. Her eyes briefing flicked over my shoulder before a sly smile curled her lips. "You know," she murmured, reaching into the pockets in her dress and pulling out a phone. Her eyes briefly narrowed as it gave a low buzz and I belatedly realized that it had been mine. Frowning, she turned it to silent before putting it back in her pocket. "I've heard some disturbing news."

I tipped my head to the side, intrigued.

"There's been some pesky humans that have been scurrying around my property." Her lips pursed. "I haven't been able to catch them yet but your gift might help…"

I grinned, following after her happily. " I can definitely help. Will I get to fight them?"

Her tongue clicked an irritated exclamation. "We'll see. First, you'll have to find them though and I don't know if you can even do that much…"

"I can do it!" I exclaimed excitedly. "I can definitely do it!"

Grinning, she whirled back to me, giving me a pat on the head. "Good. I'm so happy with you."

Nodding excitedly, I shifted, closing my eyes. This was a chance for excitement a chance to get away from this rickety old house that smelled like piss and bile and death. Focusing down, I went to that quiet place in the back of my mind, feeling Maryann slither through my thoughts. Her hand danced along my shoulder, clutching at the nape of my neck and squeezing.

Sighing, I felt a tug in my navel, something concrete and familiar drawing me back to that little room I always kept locked shut. It was easy when I visualized it like this - a room that was nothing more than four walls and the world beyond that sealed door. Quaint, Maryann's voice whispered to me and I frowned. She wasn't supposed to be here.

"I don't like you crawling around in my head," I whispered, that room dissolving in a fit of rage. My hands snapped a purple warning, my eyes rolling open as Maryann jerked, letting me go.

Her eyes narrowed, taking in the charge of energy with barely concealed annoyance. "You and I don't have secrets, darling."

"I've never been anyone's darling," I hissed, rage crawling up my nape and setting my breath on fire. My fingers crackled, roping around my arms in a purple flash. My teeth gnashed. "And if you want to control me you're going to need to put a little more effort into it-"

"Be careful what you wish for, you ungrateful tramp-"

Both of our heads jerked to the side at the same time, the overwhelming scent of fear and decay making my nose sting. It was coming from so many directions I could barely focus. But there was one-

"Sookie-" she breathed.

"Mare-" I hissed at the same time. My gaze connected with her, a knowing smile curling her lips. A mare had just entered the perimeter of the house, my blood singing as like called to like.

"Here's your treat, darling," she breathed, squeezing my shoulder. My fingers crackled excitedly. Enemy, my mind supplied. Her eyes glittered in the evening glow. "Bring me her heart."


So I've been feeling hella sick today and so that's why this chapter is so short so please don't hate me. Anyway, I know that taking out that chapter kind of messed up my reviews so I hope it's better now. So as always give me some love and please, please please REVIEW.

I'm not saying that you'll cure my urge to jump off the nearest building in the hopes that my body won't feel like it's being continuously battered by tiny hammers but it would make me cry when I come out of my drug-induced coma.