CHAPTER 1

As the sun rose in the Bayou Lafourche, Leilah drove down a road singing along to "Infamous Butcher" by Amigo the Devil when she heard an ominous thump followed by the sound of her flat tire flopping as she came to a stop.

"Shit!" She put the car into park and looked at her cell phone to see that she didn't have a signal. "Great, no bars…in the middle of nowhere." She got out of the car to look at the damage, feeling helpless as she remembered she used her spare and planned to replace it when she got to Thibodaux, Louisiana. She was starting a new job in a law office there and she was in such a hurry to get there that she just threw her clothes in the car and left her hometown.

After getting back in the car to think of a plan, she noticed an old, rusty tow truck coming down the road. Fighting the fear that this was how most horror movies started, she hopped out of her car to flag the truck down. The driver pulled up behind her blinding her with their headlights. Although the sun was coming up, there was still a bit of darkness enveloping her in nervousness. A husky man wearing a dirty t shirt under a Hawaiian shirt and black pants jumped out of the truck and slowly walked towards her.

"Great…I'm dead." Leilah tried to look calm and confident, but a knowing smile spread across the man's face letting her know he could sense her fear and it seemed to please him.

"Looks like you need some help." His faint Louisiana accent made him seem pleasant, but his appearance was menacing to say the least.

"Umm…yes. I got a flat tire."

"Oh well, that's nothing I can't handle…" He removed one of the dirty gloves from his hand and extended his hand to her. "I'm Bray…and you are?"

"My name is Leilah. It's nice to meet you, Bray." She shook his hand and his eyes seemed to gloss over as they went up and down her body.

"Now, you don't know that yet…" He winked as he walked around her car to see the flat. "Leilah…that's an interesting name…it means dark beauty."

"I…I know…" Her nervousness was mixed with some strange type of intrigue as he continued to check out her body and her car.

"I don't have a spare tire in my truck, but I can tow you back to my garage and get one." He leaned on her car as he stared down her blouse.

"Well…thank you. I'd really appreciate it."

"You're welcome. What kind of southern gentleman would I be to leave an elegant, dark beauty such as yourself stranded here without any help?" He placed his hand over his heart to show sincerity, but there was a coldness in his eyes that made her uneasy.

Once he got her into the truck, he drove in front of her car and hitched it to his tow before taking off down the foggy road. The ride was silent except for him humming along to an old blues song that was playing on the radio. The trip only took about 10 minutes and before she knew it, they were pulling up to an old shack with a garage attached to it. The yard was filled with abandoned cars and tires. The whole scene made her even more uneasy. Feeling her apprehensiveness, Bray turned off the engine and placed his hand on hers.

"Let's get you taken care of, shall we?" He jumped out of the truck and walked around to open the door for Leilah. "Follow me, darling." He led her into his shack and Leilah tensed up even more. "You can relax in here while I tend to your car. Help yourself to anything in the fridge…I'll be out front if you need me." Bray caressed her arm, trying to make it look like an accident. He chuckled to himself before returning to the yard, leaving Leilah to take in his humble abode.

"What the hell have I gotten myself into?!" Leilah walked around and took in all the bizarre sights. He had an extensive collection of beer cans, and hubcaps scattered around the living room. She was surprised to see that even though he had a lot of "stuff", the house was very clean. No dust or dirty dishes. It was almost as if he was expecting company. She let her curiosity get the best of her as she wandered into his bathroom. There was a broken piece of mirrored glass hanging above the pristine white, porcelain sink. The small room was illuminated by a flickering neon light. Leilah laughed to herself as she realized her shock that this shack had indoor plumbing. Her journey led her to his bedroom next. It was modest with a full size bed and one dresser. His hubcap collection continued along the wall into his bedroom. "What is with this dude and hubcaps?" She was startled as she heard the screen door open. She stammered back into the living room to find Bray standing there smiling.

"I see you've had the tour."

"I'm sorry…I needed to go to the bathroom."

"Its fine, darling. I have nothing to hide." He sat down on the arm of his sofa and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I have some bad news. It looks like the lug nuts on your tire are stripped. It's gonna take me a little longer than I expected to get you up and running again."

"Oh…is it bad?"

"No, but I was just about to go do some fishing…that's what pays for all of this." He waved his hand around and laughed at his meager surroundings. "I realize you're dressed to kill, but you're more than welcome to join me." He removed his hat dramatically as if he were inviting her to dance at a grand ball.

"Well…I don't have anything else to do!" Leilah was starting to loosen up with Bray, but she was still cautious because he was still a stranger and they were in the middle of nowhere.

After being out in his boat on the Bayou for what seemed like the whole day, they came back with a net full of crawfish from the trap he set the night before, and some catfish. Leilah's pants were dirty, but she had to admit she had a good time.

"I'm a mess! I think I should get changed." Leilah went to her car to get one of her bags to throw on some bayou appropriate clothes. As she closed the car door, she noticed something white protruding from the ground. Once again, letting her curiosity take over, she went to have a closer look. Looking closer, she could see what appeared to be a trail of thin white protrusions. She followed the trail to a huge piece of wood. It was clearly covering something and her intrigue wouldn't let her rest until she knew what it was. Moving the wooden cover with her foot, she was able to peek inside and see a pile of bones and skulls. She fell back onto the ground and crawled back to her car showing no regard for her pantsuit. "What the fuck?!" She whispered to herself through trembling hands, as she tried to keep herself quiet. "That can't be what I think it is!" She took a few minutes to compose herself before walking back into the shack with her bag.

"How about you go get all cleaned up while I make up some crawfish jambalaya?" Bray had a smile on his face as he thrust a knife in between the head and thorax of one of the crawfish before tossing it into a pot of boiling water.

"Umm…sure…I'll just go into the bathroom." Leilah frantically searched her brain for a plan as she changed into pair of sweat pants and a t shirt. "Think, Lei….you gotta get out of this!" As she hyped herself up, she left the bathroom and joined Bray in the front of the shack. She heard him singing along to "Hell and You". Her urgency turned to genuine interest as she heard him croon out the deliciously dark lyrics. "You like Amigo the Devil?" She startled him as he added the last crawfish to the boiling pot.

"He's the only thing worth listening to…" Bray put down his knife and grabbed two beers before walking over to Leilah.

"That's one of my favorite artists…I was actually listening to Amigo when my tire blew."

"Ahh…maybe that was the devil trying to bring us together." He handed her a beer that she was reluctant to take. "Not your brand?" He chuckled as he took a liberal swig from his can.

"Beer really isn't my thing…" Leilah looked around at the various cans he had on shelves around the living room. "But I can see that you're an aficionado."

"Nah.." He laughed heartily. "Each of these cans is special to me…they mean something." He waved his arm around the room before turning his attention back to Leilah. "Drink, my dark beauty…it goes so well with jambalaya." A smile spread across his face as she popped the tab and took a sip. "There you go!" Leilah actually liked the beer. It was light with a crisp finish.

"Not so bad…" She took a bigger sip as she sat down on the couch and Bray joined her after turning off the burner under the boiling pot.

"I feel drawn to you…there was something about you standing on the side of the road today that I haven't experienced in a while." He put his arm on the back of the couch behind her as "Perfect Wife" began to play. "And something tells me you were drawn to me too." Leilah's hands started to tremble as he got closer to her. "Don't be scared…this is all a part of his plan…" Leilah felt herself getting very sleep as her vision began to blur until she blacked out.

When Leilah started to come to, she noticed she was in his bedroom with her hands and feet tied. He had lit candles all around and was standing there watching her when she woke up.

"Please don't hurt me!" Leilah was frantic at the sight of Bray watching over her.

"Hurt you? I'd never hurt you, my dark beauty! You're different! Nothing like the others…" He took a pair of scissors from the dresser and cut her shirt and pants off. "You're even more beautiful than I hoped!" Leilah looked around the room in confusion, noticing the sun had set and she was surrounded by darkness, except the candles.

"What do you want from me?!"

"You still don't get it, do you?" Bray put the scissors down and sat at the foot of the bed. "Do you remember the woman who conducted your interview at the law firm in Thibodaux?" Leilah searched her brain for the woman's name.

"Yes…it was Abigail…what does she have to do with this?!"

"Well, she is somewhat of a sister to me. She sensed something in you at that interview and knew you'd be the perfect woman for me."

"This is crazy!" Leilah squirmed as she tried to get free.

"She's never wrong about these things, Leilah. Everything from your name to your taste in music has shown me that you belong with me." Leilah squirmed some more to get free, making Bray feel sorry for her. "I think you still need some convincing…" Bray picked up the scissors and cut Leilah's bra, freeing her breasts. He took one of her nipples in his mouth and sucked it while twisting the other one between his fingers. Leilah hated that she was aroused by him and fought back a moan as he bit her nipple making her whole body jerk with delight. "I don't want to hurt you. I just want to please you."

"What about the bones?" Leilah tried to clear her head and scald herself for wanting him to touch her again.

"Oh you mean my personal graveyard?" Bray took the scissors and snipped at her panties until she was fully naked on his bed. "Those were my victims…some sad, entitled assholes stranded on the side of the road after a night of drinking and driving…I'd lure them back here with the promise of beer and I'd end their miserable existence before they had the opportunity to kill someone by trying to drive home drunk. I know you left your hometown because of what a drunk driver did to your boyfriend! Some people have no regard for human life! " His voice raised as he turned his attention to the hubcaps and beer cans on the wall of his bedroom. "Each beer represents the last drink they ever had!" He chuckled maniacally. "The hubcaps are another souvenir from their cars. I kept these things as a reminder of the good I'm doing that will last beyond their decaying bodies in my personal graveyard." Leilah laid there taking in his twisted tale as she cried to think about how her boyfriend's life was cut short by some asshole who made the decision to drive after overindulging at a bar. "But your beer can…this isn't some trophy!" He picked up her beer can and waved it in front of her face. "This was a catalyst for us. I needed a way to show you that you're my missing piece and I'm yours." He put it down on the dresser and walked over to the bed, brushing his hand along her folds, that were already wet and giving him confirmation that she wanted him as bad as he wanted her. "There's no pleasure like being with your kindred soul, Leilah…let me show you." He stood over her and kissed her passionately as she felt her head swirling from the residual drug he had given her. He breathed something into her that freed her from her inhibitions and made her eager to taste him. As she kissed him back, she longed to feel him in her arms, but he made her wait. He licked her lips as he pulled away from her to kiss his way down her body. Licking and sucking down her neck, he felt her body crying out for him as she let out a soft whimper. He took a moment to smile at her when he reached her stomach. He laid his head on her stomach and his eyes rolled back in his head before standing up to untie her feet and positioning himself between her legs. Without warning, he gave her delicate folds a long and endearing lick making her eyes roll back this time. Using his fingers to spread her open, he forced his tongue inside of her and slowly licked up until his lips were wrapped around her clit. Watching her squirm with pleasure was like a drug for him.

"Yes…." She shivered and used her newly freed legs to lift her body up as he devoured her like an animal. He slurped at her and drank her juices down as if they were the cure for all of his ailments. Bringing her to multiple orgasms, he finally rose from her and unbuttoned his pants, letting them slide to the floor.

"My dark beauty…your nectar has brought me back to life!" He slid on top of her making sure to brush against her sensitive clit as he came eye to eye with her, and seeing that the fear had completely left her body. Feeling her willingness to touch him, he untied her hands and she grabbed him as their naked bodies consorted in a strange ache that she'd never felt before. He once again took one of her nipples in his mouth, moaning with desire while she held his head as he bit down.

"Ahh…fuck!" Her body gyrated as she yearned to feel him inside of her. Picking up on her vibrations, he licked his way back up to her ear.

"Turn over." He whispered with a mix of tenderness and respect, but his voice was stern to suggest that he was making a command instead of asking. She locked eyes with him as she turned over and knelt on the bed in front of him. He lightly bit her ass and kissed her lower back before gripping her hair and tugging on it gently.

"Mmm…" Leilah was getting high from his touch and gentle aggression. After worshipping her ass for a few moments, he rubbed his dick along her wetness and pulled away to keep from getting too excited. "Fuck me…" Leilah whispered, getting in on the commands, making Bray laugh to know he had awakened something in her that had lied dormant for a long time.

"As you wish, my queen…" He plummeted into her taking both of their breath away. He gave her slow, methodical thrusts, driving her crazy. Each time he sunk into her he felt her body conforming to his size as he hit every inch of her walls, making her fall onto her elbows in submission. "I need you to feel every inch of me!" He grabbed her hair again pulling her back up, as he pounded into her with a quickened, relentless pace. Leilah screamed out as her back tingled with an intense pain that was balanced by the pleasure he was giving her.

Feeling himself about to cum, he quickly pulled out and turned her over so she was laying on her back. Without any warning, he slid into her as they laid face to face. He controlled the pace and it was driving her insane. Slowly, with force he slid in and out of her, stroking her clit each time. Her moans became almost ritualistic. As her eyes rolled back into her head, he kissed her knowing his orgasm would be coming soon.

"There's a beautiful darkness in you that only I can bring out. Let it out….let it go!" He stroked faster and faster, letting out his own archaic moans in between sweet kisses and gently biting her lip. "Ahh! Let it out, my dark beauty! Fuck…Let it out!" His strokes got faster and more powerful as he came inside of her at the same time that she let out a loud scream signaling she had another orgasm, leaving her body convulsing with pleasure and ultimate surrender to the darkness that had been inside of her all along.

He laid on top of her spent from his own release and she gently kissed him on the forehead, making him chuckle with a sense of achievement.

"That was amazing…" She was out of breath and still trying to wrap her head around what had just happened.

"That was destiny, my queen." Bray sprung up from the bed and put his clothes back on as Leilah slowly sat up and staggered to her feet. "Go get dressed, my love…we have work to do." Leilah didn't question Bray. She just went to her bag that she brought into the house and slipped into a pair of jeans and a black v neck tee. When he saw her resurface from the bathroom, he grabbed her and shoved his tongue her throat before taking her hand and leading her to the front door, and out to his truck.

It was around 1 am according to the clock in his truck and Leilah had no idea where they were going, but she felt completely comfortable with following him wherever he wanted to go. After driving along the same road she blew a tire on, they saw two dark figures among the trees. Upon a closer look, it was two men standing there like statues. They were very tall and one of them had on a dirty wifebeater, and had a rifle slung over his shoulder. The other man stood in mechanic coveralls wearing a sheep mask. Bray nodded at both of the men and then looked at Leilah who had a confused look on her face.

"Don't be afraid…they are our followers." Bray patted Leilah's leg calming her anxiousness. About a mile up the road, there was a BMW stranded with a flat tire. "Looks like our followers found us a live one." There was a man dressed in a suit who was clearly intoxicated waving them down. It was at that moment that Leilah put it together that the "followers" shot out the tires of Bray's victims and hers as well.

Just as they pulled up behind the broken down car, "Dahmer Does Hollywood" started to play in the truck and they shared a sadistic smile. Bray turned to Leilah and put his hand on her stomach before kissing her. He looked as if he was worshipping her as he slipped his tongue in her mouth, tasting his fortune.

"Together, we can rid this world of the scum that doesn't even deserve to live…" He held her face and peered into her eyes filling her heart with promise, just as he had filled her body with his seed. She smiled with tears in her eyes before kissing the palm of his hand. "Are you ready?" He cracked the door and grabbed the knife he kept hidden next to the driver's seat. Leilah nodded her head as she opened her door to join her kindred soul in their journey to cleanse this ungrateful world…one life devaluing asshole at a time.