Monsters & Demons
Rated M
Genre: Drama & Adventure
Summary:
When Tori arrived at Hollywood Arts, she knew things wouldn't be the same. Little did she know that she and her friends would find themselves wound into more than teenage drama. Jade thought all she had to worry about was her status being threatened. Does Trina finally have a true friend? A trio of newcomers shows up, bringing along more than the gang bargained for. Homework and plays don't sound so bad anymore.
A/N:
Chapter 18: Shake on it
The boys were out of breath, their muscles burning and aching from running all night.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
What was supposed to be a night of spooky fun had taken a turn for the worst of the four terrified males.
Currently, they had found themselves together again after, initially, splitting up to evade their pursuers. Sweat coated them like a wet blanket, stinging their eyes and, no doubt leaving a scent for those that sought to claim them. Somehow, their trails all led to Hollywood Arts, more specifically, Lane's office where they remained hidden behind the many different pieces of furniture scattered around the room.
Each remained perfectly still behind their respective hiding spot until the sounds of footsteps faded down the hallway.
Andre was the first to peek out from behind the desk, eyes frantically scanning the dark room; the only form of light coming from the streetlight located near the window. Sensing there was no longer an immediate, at least for the time being, he motioned over to the bookcase.
"You guy, alright?" he huffed, careful to keep his voice low.
Beck gave a thumbs up from the darkness shrouding his body. Seeing this, he turned towards the therapy couch, finding both Liam and Robbie peering around either end.
"You two okay?" he whispered. After seeing them nod repeatedly, he sighed in relief. Waiting a few more moments, the four finally emerge, though stayed near their respective spots. "Man, how the heck did we wind up in this mess?"
"Because someone decided to spike the punch with, Lord only knows, what." Travis cut his eyes at none other than Robbie Shapiro who now held his hands up defensively. The others then turned their glares onto the curly-haired boy.
"Wait a minute, I only spiked the punch because Travis said that we needed to spice up the party!"
"I didn't mean put some random liquid in the bowl..." he hissed viciously, thwarting Robbie's endeavors to pass the blame.
Andre, being the only voice of reason at the moment, stepped between the two.
"Whatever. It doesn't matter who's to blame right now." he calmly stated. "Right now, we have to focus on finding a safer place to hide until the girls calm down." Seeing them all nod in agreement, he scratched his head inquisitively. "By the way, what did you put in the punch, Robbie?"
"Um, it was something called "Yohimbe* Essence" I picked up from some old lady near the dorms." he shrugged. "It smelled pretty good so I thought it would make the punch even sweeter."
While Andre and Beck exchanged looks of confusion, Travis just stared at the boy as if he'd grown a second head.
"Robbie, do you know what Yohimbe is?" As expected, he shook his head slowly. "It's a fruit located in Africa that's been proven to stimulate sexually. Did you at least check for any other ingredients?"
"Of course," he rubbed his neck sheepishly. "It was made with jasmine oil, crushed damiana leaves, and something called ylang-ylang inside of it."
Travis felt his eye twitch, showing his ever-increasing frustration with the boy building faster with each passing second.
"You're an idiot," he muttered.
"Huh?"
"Those are all forms of natural stimuli for women. Individually, they can entice or even cause a heightened level of attraction, but, they've been drinking that punch nearly all evening! Combine with that the fact that the bowl got spilled on us, it also serves as an aphrodisiac that basically marks us as their prey, you moron!"
"I'm sorry," Robbie whined. "I didn't know it would have that kind of effect on them."
Now it was Beck's turn to play mediator.
"Arguing isn't going to help us right now. The best thing we can do is find a better place to hide and hopefully rid ourselves of this scent. Perhaps your dorms will be a good place?" Both boys glared at one another but confirmed his idea. "Okay, so it's agreed. We'll all crash at your dorm until it's safe. We can worry about getting home later on. Deal?"
"Deal." the remaining three held out their fists, proving their dedication to the plan.
"If something goes wrong, try and make it to my RV. It's a much longer way, but it's probably the last place they'd look at this point."
One by one, they filed out of the room. Tension rested on their shoulders as one or the other scanned the silent and, hopefully, empty hallways. All the while, Travis' mind tried to process all that happened at the party. That was several days before their arrival for the school's Halloween function. While his friends were concerned about being targeted by love-crazed girls, Travis knew that something else was looming...
Where's Ahrya?
While the boys struggled with their issues, a certain duo had chosen to continue their temporary exile. Thankfully, there weren't any incidences for Jade and Liam to have to contend with involving the siblings. Avoiding Tori's party brought a few eyes on them but neither cared as they learned about This allowed them both to focus on the impending date:
October 31st.
The night was supposed to be a casual spooky sleepover for the students to unwind and enjoy themselves.
Even with his initial uneasiness, Liam found himself enjoying the festivities. From dancing to playing one of the various games, he could honestly say that he was having fun. At the moment, he and Jade, dressed as Red Hood and Harley Quinn respectively, had snuck off to the rafters where the latter rested her head.
Hearing about some challenges that Sikowitz had cooked up to keep them in the spirit. It was safe to say that neither was interested in taking part was an understatement. All they cared about was enjoying some quiet time together.
"I can't believe I let you talk me into coming here!" the jester girl flicked the shoulders.
"If I recall correctly, you were the one who wanted to show off your costume."
They both shared a laugh before Jade drove a playful elbow into his ribs.
"What are you complaining about? You know I look good!"
"No complaints here," Liam noted, thankful that she couldn't see him biting his lip. "You're undoubtedly the perfect Harley!"
Unbeknownst to him, Jade could feel his stare as it traveled down her jumpsuit-clad body, sparking a deep urge from within her stomach. She too thanked whoever was watching over them that Liam couldn't see her reactions as her raven pigtails hid her features from her makeshift pillow.
"Well... Thank you, Puddin'!" she rubbed her thumb over his hands, silently enjoying the peace that surrounded them. But, Jade being Jade, she couldn't resist the need to shake things up. "Liam?"
"Hmm?"
"Are we together?"
"Of course, Jade" he smirked from behind his mask. "Two people nearby wouldn't be considered alone."
This earned him a true jab to his side, followed by a furious Jade West staring at him with irritation sans venom.
"Ass..."
"Sorry! I was just keeping things light..."
Jade still finds Liam's comment amusing as she harshly removed his helmet to reveal worrying pools of green surrounded by thick brown vines. His fight or flight response shut down under her indistinct eye. Despite his fear, his face never shifted until he felt something soft press against his nose. Only when she pulled away did he finally react, nothing more than indecipherable babbling.
"You're an idiot..."
"Wha...? I... I..."
"But, you're my idiot, tiger" she lightly poked his chest. "Nobody but me gets you. I am yours. Nobody else. Agreed?"
Sapphires glowing brilliantly at the mounted boy, Liam could see the vulnerability. Their hearts grew rapidly as the two felt drawn to one another, some unseen force bringing the pair closer despite their nervousness. They wanted this. Fears were meant to be overcome.
Traitor!
Liam suddenly halted, and the voice of his rival shrieked in his ear.
Little did he know, Jade had done the same, turning her attention to the auditorium below. Seeing nothing, their attention was quickly drawn to the rapid footsteps of Cat Valentine, terror flowing with her tears. She wasn't paying attention and ended up crashing into an approaching Liam.
"Cat?"
"Please don't take me..." she mewled.
"Relax Cat," Jade strode in slowly. "Nobody's going to hurt you. What are you running from?"
"Jadey! You're here!" The redhead eagerly jumped into the arms of her friend, completely forgetting her earlier outburst. "Come with me!"
The girl took Jade's hand and led the pair to a hidden room near their earlier spot.
Shutting the door behind them, the trio sat in the barely comfortable room. It was good to see a friendly face after what had been going on. She then explained the situation involving Tori's search for the boys and the state of the student body. From talks related to trances and lustful desires, Liam began to put the pieces together.
Black Magic...
Without a word, Liam rushed out of the cramped space, leaving Jade to ponder what'd gotten into her crush. Little did she know, this would be the least of their worries for the night.
A pair of glowing amethyst eyes would see to that.
On the other side of Hollywood Arts, the boys found themselves creeping cautiously through the halls. Sweat clung to their faces as they stayed close to the shadows as a few 'zombified' students passed by. They each kept their head on a swivel so that they could avoid being spotted by their peers while making their way to their next hiding spot.
Beck pulled off his hood to give himself access to his peripheral vision as he was the one leading the charge to freedom. By this point, they had managed to make it through the school. Unfortunately, it was being watched by two of the girls dressed as Starfire and Sally.
Travis resisted the urge to facepalm. With only one known way in and out of the building, the boys retreated to the depths of the hallways, desperate to find another means of escape. Their journey took them near the quad, only to find that the door leading out was, as expected, chained shut.
"Dammit..." Robbie mocked. "Can this get any worse?"
Before anyone could chastise him for asking such a cliche, the sounds of boots clicking against the hard floor froze them dead in their tracks.
It was Travis that gathered the courage, or foolishness (you decide), to turn around. What he saw nearly made him shit his pants.
Standing before them, Tori had her hands on her hips and a cocky smirk on her lips, but what worried them all were her eyes. While normally a shade of brown, the boys could see that her iris' were glowing a deep shade of violet, matching her dress.
"Going somewhere boys?" she tilted her head slightly to the right, feigning hurt; duel voices resonating from the lone girl's mouth.
The four exchanged uneasy glances when an idea popped into one of their heads. Unawares, a distracted Travis felt six hands giving him a light shove, causing him to stumble. After regaining his footing, he smiled awkwardly at the haunting girl. "Hey, umm... Tori?" he half waved. "I am talking to Tori, right?"
"Of course, Travis!" her smile grew to ear-splitting proportions. "Don't you recognize me?"
He nodded frantically, trying miserably to hide his discomfort.
"Of course I do! I just um, forgot how purple your eyes were?"
Sensing where the conversation was heading, Tori closed her eyes only to open them once more, revealing her everyday terra orbs completely devoid of any supernatural glow.
"Is this more to your satisfaction, cutie?" Her normal voice returned, and the reservation seemed to slowly wane, as he stood frozen. That was no cliche, Travis couldn't move any of his limbs.
Whatever was going on, he couldn't shake it off as the olive-skinned girl approached him.
Brown locks flowed upward, a clear indicator of something being amiss, and her eyes began to glow once more. That familiar sensation of terror rising up his spine, Travis felt a chilly sweat dripping down his forehead as his mind screamed for his body to run. Tori, savoring his fear, stopped mere centimeters from his own.
"You're mine," she whispered, insatiable lust dripping from her lips. "Just give in and be mine."
Whether he wanted to believe it or not, he was entranced by her very essence.
As she leaned in, he felt his self-control leaving him. Everything around him faded into obscurity. All he heard, all he saw was her. He'd seen enough to know that his fate would be sealed once she kissed him. His eyes gradually grew heavier as Tori's lips inched closer to his own. He had to think of something fast.
"What about Trina?"
She froze, brows furrowed in bewilderment.
"What? What does my sister have to do with-!"
The entity within Tori never finished her objection when she was knocked off of her feet by Beck. Tori's face twisted in outrage, prepared to inflict retribution on those who wronged her.
Adding fuel to her fury, the boys were no longer around, leaving only a few hazy students wandering about.
"Wretched curs!" Her roar bounced off of the lockers. "I will rip out every one of your hearts and...!"
"That's enough, Tori."
The girl turned around, finding herself greeted by a phantom entity. Its glowing purple optics narrowed with disapproval, daring her to challenge its command. A brief but ferocious stand-off ensued for a few moments before Tori relented.
"My apologies, Mistress..."
"Never you mind! The real prize should be near. Leave the boys to their game of hide-and-seek while we focus on the real goal. Come along."
"And what of them?"
The spirit paused for only a moment before continuing forward. It knew of the girl's attraction to one of her friends, a point that was sure to be a powerful motivator very soon.
"Let's just say that a certain pet will tend to the mice. In the meantime, we have a show to put on."
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
What was supposed to be a night of spooky fun had taken a turn for the worst for Liam and his friends. He'd been wandering around the school only to find a few of his peers aimlessly roaming about in a stupor. This was the work of forbidden magic, and he was certain of the culprit.
"I'm going to kill that asshole..." he growled, passing another group of absent-minded students.
The sounds of his boots echoed throughout the otherwise silent corridor as he followed the unmarked path. Each step drew him closer to where he figured his friend would be. His suspicions would be confirmed when he noticed what appeared to be a giant cobweb with many of the eight-legged critters walking all over.
It was blocking the pathway; a cliched gaming trope.
Liam cared little about the suspiciously obvious bait, ripping down the thin substance. Only when he was certain did he step passed the obstacle, his eyes flashing with retribution. His muscles throbbed. His pulse pounded like the beat of drums. The warrior spirit stirred with each step forward; a sinister combatant with wicked volitions.
All that could be heard was the sporadic sounds of multiple legs shifting around him. The followers of his enemy were, no doubt, monitoring him.
"Tell me, young one, are you afraid of the dark?"
Liam simply stared into the abyss that blanketed his entire form.
"Why would I be afraid of a place I once called home?"
"I see..." another chimed in. "Our master patiently awaits your arrival. May Olorun protect you..."
"You have some nerve mentioning the Divine Ruler."
The arachnoid servants remained silent, leaving Liam alone.
I'm prepared for the worst.
A soft groan echoed in the small and damp room.
Teal eyes fluttered open to see the blurred images of what looked like the old theater; a familiar scene indeed. A thundering rhythm pounded inside their skull as the vision of their surroundings steadily became clearer over time. In an attempt to clutch her aching head, a realization hit when she found that to be impossible.
"Hm?"
Looking around, Jade West found herself bound to a chair with a viscous web-like substance. How did this happen? The last thing she remembered was protecting Cat before something hard hit her in the head. After that, things went dark and now, she was an unwilling captive.
It was a fucking setup!
"You're finally awake."
Jade sharply turned to face the owner of the voice.
It was clear by the duality in their tone that it was no doubt a demon, but such notions were dissolved when the figure revealed themselves. What she saw however was not a subjugated human. Instead, from the shadows appeared a thick spider's leg, followed by seven more as her captor's identity was shed in the lone cone of the spotlight.
Such imagery would've been fascinating to Jade had it not been for her plight.
Soon, the multiple legs merged into a pair as the facial feature became more and more recognizable. Jade couldn't believe her eyes as she leaned into her bonds to ensure that she wasn't dreaming. Light tan skin and a slender frame were shrouded by chestnut brown hair with intimidating amethyst and a cocky grin detailing the woman's identity.
"You?!"
"You sound surprised, Jade!" the young girl giggled. "By the way, it's rude to address someone as 'you' instead of their name."
"Fuck you, bitch! Let me go and I'll show you rude!"
"Perhaps Cat did knock out what little decency you had left?"
"When I get free, I am going to skin you alive with my scissors!" Jade bared her fangs at the girl, futilely attempting to return the intimidation factor.
"It's good to see you still have that fire burning within you. But, I wonder if you could handle the flames of my venom coursing through your veins. How long would flames burn before they dissipate to nothing but dying embers?"
Almost in an instant, her captor moved so quickly that Jade's eyes couldn't keep up until she felt two sharp fangs press lightly against her neck. Immediately, she seized up, gasping as the feminine arachnid grazed her jugular, threatening to puncture her tender flesh.
This was the moment Jade felt pure fear rushing through her veins.
She was not one to scare easily.
If anything, she was the one inciting fear in the hearts of others yet, it seemed the tables had turned. That moment in time would remain etched in Jade's memory indefinitely, even after the sharp fangs lifted from her shivering skin.
"Relax, Jade," the girl licked her lips, tasting the tiniest drop of blood. "Whether you believe me or not, I'm not here for you. The one I want is tied to you; you're merely the bait."
Jade's eyes shot open upon hearing this.
Whatever this freak's goal was, she was merely the lure for a much bigger prize; Liam.
"If you or Travis hurt him, Ahrya...!"
"You've got it all figured out, do you? That mangy mutt Aganju... or Liam to you, is my target! Unfortunately, you're only half right." Jade was about to demand an answer but found herself unable when Ahrya planted her palm over her mouth, leaving a sticky material upon her removal. "As I was saying, Liam is my prey and mine alone. Travis has no idea what's going on and he won't once I finish here."
The only thing Jade could do was sit silently as her mind raced, mainly for her safety and that of Liam.
Ahrya had gone too far with this rivalry and she feared the outcome was going to be far worse than she could imagine.
"It seems our guest of honor has arrived."
As the door before her began to creak open, dimmed green eyes tore through the dark void. Jade discerned an acquainted presence, one of hostility, reeking of bloodlust. Unlike his family, the one responsible had perverted the sanctity of the arts to be used as their personal playground. This was not her best friend, but a corrupted shell of the boy she grew up with; vengeance shrouding his form.
"Welcome, Aganju. Make yourself comfortable."
"I'm here for Jade and nothing else, Ahrya," he replied curtly. "Let her go and drop this piss-poor excuse for magic and I won't have to have to break you and your brother."
Sensing his guarded demeanor, Ahrya calmly sat on Jade's lap, crossing a leg for good measure.
"You can relax. My brother has no idea that we're here. He and the other boys are busy with Tori and Cat."
"Then he won't stop me from ripping your legs off, witch!"
Despite the seriousness of his tone, Ahrya giggled mockingly at the threat.
"Such a morbid idea... But, I'm merely here to offer you a counteroffer...!"
"Pass."
"Awwww. I'm sure you'll like this one."
"Just give Jade back, Ahrya!" he snarled, barely able to contain his anger at this point. "I won't ask again!"
Still, this did little to shake the girl's cocky attitude as she coolly conjured the dazed students that he witnessed before. Each one wore hooded robes now, but Liam didn't need to see their faces to know who they were.
Eyes, blank and devoid of autonomy stared at the ground, almost bowing their heads out of respect for the one who conquered them.
Andre. Tori. Cat. Beck. Even Travis was caught up in this twisted game, confusing the boy even more.
"As you can see, I'm holding all of the cards. If you don't want to chat like civilized beings, then I can always have your friends and classmates line up to offer me their souls... and I'll make you watch as I devour the girl's soul last."
"You wouldn't..."
"Care to test that assumption, Aganju?"
Liam studied the possessed forms of his classmates concealed under cloaks and let out a sigh of defeat.
"Talk..." his glare blackened to new levels of monstrous.
Ahrya chuckled at the unwilling display of submission. As a reward, she snapped her fingers, conjuring the object of his affection.
Jade was enveloped in the sorceress' webs, unable to move or speak as she looked on at her friend helplessly. His demonic gaze wasn't like anything she'd witnessed before as his eyes burned with an orange ring that became synonymous with his ancestors.
"Excellent. Now, shall we begin negotiations?"
"For what?"
"Why, it's for your going away party, of course!"
"You're testing my patience, witch! If this is about our warring clans, then-!"
"I couldn't care less about some petty rivalry between you and Travis' bloodline," For the first time, Liam stood dumbfounded. If this wasn't about their tribes, then what was it all about? On top of this revelation, his mind pondered why she would refer to things outside of herself; almost as if she wasn't a part of this. "If you've figured things out, then I won't have to explain it all to you. Travis and I are not related by blood but by a contract between our predecessors. It's all the same as we both want you gone."
"Then why not capture me and take my soul with the others?"
"Please. These weak-minded fools are of no consequence to me. Even my dear 'brother' has weakened mentally due to his insatiable desire for a noble battle with you. Such archaic ways have no place in this world. Warriors are only good for being used for others' gain. Anyway, my demands are simple. I want you to transfer out of Hollywood Arts and never return. If you agree, then I'll release my hold on the minds of these plebians and release your beloved whore, safe and sound."
"And should I refuse?" Liam crossed his arms, tapping his finger along his forearm; his glare saying more than he was willing to reveal.
Ahrya was not one to be fooled.
"Would you care to wager how long Jade would survive after a poisonous bite?"
Running out of options, the two knew that Liam wasn't going to call her bluff. He was too noble to try something that risky, even despite his bubbling fury. Too many lives were at stake and Ahrya figured that he would try to play hero, much to her expectations. It was just the way things worked and she was willing to exploit every loophole necessary to get her way.
"Answer me this: What do you get out of this?"
"Excuse me?"
"What's so important about me leaving? What do you get out of my absence?"
"I have plans for the remainder of my time here. Your presence threatens the security of my goals. With you gone, things will go back to normal. Travis doesn't get hurt and you're guaranteed not to interfere with my personal plans. That's all you need to know," she announce circling around the imprisoned Jade. "Now, I need your answer."
"You know Jade is going to kill you when this is all over with, right?"
"Quit stalling..."
"What's stopping you from attacking her or the others once I'm out of the picture?"
Sensing that there was more to this, Ahrya rolled her eyes.
"What do you want?"
"I want you to swear that you won't harm Jade or the others. Whatever your plans are, you must promise that our group is left out of it. If you swear to do that, I promise to leave."
Jade could only whimper a 'no' but it was clear that Liam's mind was made up, whether voluntarily or not. She struggled within her bonds but there was no breaking them without assistance.
The pain steadily crept into her heart the longer she stared at the boy. His rage was now concealed by despair that ate away at him. Once again, they were being ripped apart and Jade wanted nothing more than to object to this. Her muffled cries for him to fight fell on deaf ears while Liam stepped toward her captor.
She could make out a spark of defiance behind his gaze, but it vanished as swiftly as it appeared, solidifying his decision. Glancing at the wicked girl, he silently requested a final word with Jade, one that was granted though not without a fixed time limit. Ahrya made her departure to the other side of the theater, affording the pair some privacy.
Liam carefully ripped off the sticky substance, only to be berated for his actions.
"Don't do it, Liam! Don't let her win!" she growled, tears stinging her eyes. "You're stronger than her and..."
"I can't, Jade. Your safety comes first. Please understand..."
"Understand what?! You're giving up and letting that bitch win! What's not to understand?"
It was then that Liam, uncertain of what else to say, leaned in and kissed Jade. Time stood still as they finally shared their first kiss since Yerba and the feelings they had then returned in full force. This was his declaration to the girl of how he truly felt and Jade could feel it all in this one moment. Joy. Relief. Pain. Guilt. Determination.
That last sensation took Jade by surprise as Liam finally tore himself away from her. It was then that the spark returned.
"I'm not giving up, Ayaba," he whispered with a soft grin. "It's not goodbye, but see you later."
"Promise?"
"I swear an oath to you."
A ghost of a smile began to surface, sharply morphing into a horrified shriek when Liam howled from a sharp pain that came from his shoulder. Ahrya, having had enough of the display, slipped behind the boy and bit into him, injecting venom into his bloodstream.
"YOU BITCH!"
"Calm down, whore!" she watched as Liam clutched at his wound while she wiped off her crimson-soaked lips casually. His struggling would succumb to a sudden stillness as he slipped out of consciousness on the theater floor. "Time was running out and he gave his answer."
"What did you do to him? You lied!"
"I merely pumped him with a curse that will lock his memories of this night along with his time at Hollywood Arts. As far as he knows, everything will be a painful haze when he wakes up. No one will remember anything and it'll be as it should've been from the start."
Before Jade could respond, a wave of Ahrya's hand was all it took to lull the goth into respite. Checking her phone, the time read 11:59 pm, much to the girl's delight.
"Still a minute to spare."
