Hey guys! Finals is over for me so here's the next chapter! Enjoy!
As always, thank you demonbarber14 for being my beta!
Chapter 4
Sitting on the toilet, I take off my boots while the apron gets rinsed in the sink. I plan to take a shower but, I'm going 'merrghahahaha, freedom' once my boots are off. I wiggle my piggies in abundant joy. Knock, knock, knock, Georgette's at the door. I roll my head back. "What did I say about calling you when I'm done or did you forget that, Georgette?"
"I need to come in, it's important," she says. "And you can call me Rachael, we're not filming."
"Did R tell you about the next assignment already?" I ask. Hand over my eyes, I inhale and let it out. Death has become a tiring business lately. I remember a time when spilling blood was a forbidden art, a shocking spectacle. Now it's all mindless and emotionless. If I were to kill someone in public everyone would clap and cheer. I should be happy about it, but I'm not.
"Not yet….I just wanted to talk to you in private," she says. Hand off of my eyes, I get off the toilet and cover myself with a towel. Don't want Georgette (oh sorry, Rachael) to blush.
"Come in, Rachael," I say. She comes in with my clothes nicely folded in one clean hand while the bloody one hangs free on her side. Her face turns slightly pink at the sight of me. I stand up and come forward to get my things. "This privacy better be important because I-" Right when I was about to get my clothes, Rachael pulled me in and kissed me and it wasn't the chaste peck on the lips either. I tried fighting her off but, she kept probing her spearmint tongue in my mouth. After an eternity of liplocking she lets me go. I'm flustered while Rachael looks relieved. She can't comprehend what she's done to both of us.
Wiping my mouth, I say, "Why did you do that?"
"I needed to do it," she says. "It was eating me alive. You have no idea what you do to me." Her eyes look lower down my body. My towel half fell off while her tongue invaded my mouth. I cover myself before her hands plan to invade Boobtown.
"Rachael, as much as I like you, we can't like each other in that way. SERTV and R made it clear when we sighed up for this. Remember what happened to 'Pink Razor Ladies' a year ago?" Rachael looks down, nodding her head. Before getting into the snuff business all of us signed a contract. No member of the group would start a relationship within the gang unless it was with a different gang which very rare and dangerous. The leader of the PRL got the hots for one of her co-workers. They ended up being 'laid off' or privately executed. Eventually the PRL got 'cancelled'.
"I know," she says in a soft whisper. "It had to be done though or else I would have ended up like Billi Jean one day." The name sends freezing ice through my blood. Billi Jean was Petra before Jazz took the part. Rachael was the one that found her overdosed in a tub. I can still see her pale body under water at this moment. I always thought the snuff business got to her but, now I think it might be worse. Not daring to think of the worst I snatched the clothes from Rachael and commanded, "Get out." I turn away from her with the image of her disappointment. My body stiffens as Rachael slams the door once she leaves.
Skipping the shower, I wash as much blood off my hands and knees and getting back into my clothes. Dead Billi Jean and Rachael keep popping in my head. Lacing my boots, I imagine pale Billi Jean sitting in the tub beckoning Rachael to come join the suicide party. I hurriedly wash the blood off the apron. I don't know why Billi Jean died but, I don't want to be the blame for Rachael offing herself. Once the apron is dried and folded, I open the door but I don't leave. It's the murder I committed that stops me. Everything just looks so sloppy.
Personally, I wish we killed the woman in another room. The red room and the blood almost blend as if it wants to hide the gruesomeness of the scene. The only things it can't hide are the butchered bodies. Being an artist of death, I would clean them up and put them in a different room depending on what room got my attention the most. Even before the murder I would get to know them first. Art can't be good if you don't know the subject. Either way, I can't do my signature kills for 'protection reasons', another pointless rule to my well being.
At least I can do one thing, make sure the other two are dead. Walking over to Mrs. Rubick I check her pulse. There's no heartbeat but, the eyes look too alive for my comfort. Knowing I need more work done I tie the apron back on. Taking the dagger from the foot of the bed, I dig out the eyes and scramble her brain. When I'm making her deader I spot the Black dust on top of the books I selected on the floor near the bed. I add the dust to her missing eyes and now I'm confident that she's positively dead. I take the books and head down stairs with a little more ease. There's still the Renesmee lover to deal with.
Downstairs I find Diva on the couch. She looks pleased with a black E-stick in her mouth while Royce laid on the ground whining, bruised, and very alive. "Why is he still alive, Diva?" I ask. Diva puts away the E-stick and stands up straight like a solider.
"I was about to finish him off before you came down," she says. Her eyes get a little bigger as I come closer to her. I take the E-stick from her hand and drag. I exhale spearmint smoke in her face. I wish Diva got another flavor. I put the E-stick in my pocket for later.
"What did I say about leaving suspects alive?"
She looks away from me, "No survivors. Period."
"Exactly, Diva," I say. Giving the books to Diva, I take out a thin string of silver wire from my pocket and sat on top of Royce's chest. "There's a reason why I'm a better leader then Alex DeLarge, Diva." I wrap the string twice around his neck and start sawing his head off, making a zipping wet sound. He struggled wildly under me. "In the movie, he made the mistake of letting them live. Sure the wife is six feet under but the husband still lived and eventually figures out little Alex in the end. Now if he was like me, he wouldn't have just killed them, he'd make sure they were absolutely and positively dead." The head finally severs off with a gush and clank and blood everywhere, including myself. I'm glad I didn't shower.
Once I wipe the blood off the steel wire on dead Royce's shirt, I stand up and take the books from Diva. "As for you, Diva, you ever cross me like Dim did to Alex; you'll be watching your back because to mess with me is to mess with the Devil. You understand?" Diva nods frantically and runs out the door. I look at Royce's body for a moment then leave the house of mindless slaughter.
We drove back to Vegas not saying a word to each other. I'm riding shot gun concentrating on the road while the B and A wears off. The flashing lights of Vegas keeps me awake and alert as if the city knows I'm tired. When I park the car in our hotel I lay my head down on the wheel. I've so very tempted to just sleep in this car.
"Tired already, Zoya?" asks Rubick. I sit up straight in my chair with my eyes still closed. I've only shut my eyes for a few seconds and he sounds unbearably loud.
"Nope…nope I was not sleeping," I say then yawned, "What's the next target?"
"The last target for tonight is a cancelation. Society wants the Shore People off the air."
"Oh finally, Society done something right for once. Nothing but reality TV garbage," I say. This might be hard to believe but, there are regular 'reality' shows on television or garbage TV. The Shore People are basically Jersey/ Detroit trash that fuck, fight, and yackity yack yack. Ever since New America overthrew the old USA and its constitution, SERTV has been taking out the trash.
"We all agree," he says. "You should let your sisters take care of it. A leader needs to rest sometimes." This is the first time in two years he's told me to take it easy. Something's up and I don't like it.
"Since when did you give breaks, R?"
"This will be a first, Zoya. You are my star after all." His flattery doesn't convince me. Something's defiantly up but, I don't argue. I need a break.
"You heard the man, the shore must die without me," I say. My sisters moan in protest, Diva doing the most groaning.
"But why do you get a break? We worked just as hard as you do," says Diva.
"Yeah," says Petra. "What do we do with these books?"
"Now guys," says Georgette. "I'm sure there's a real reason why Alexis is having a break." Oh Georgette, you're such a sweetheart. If only we didn't work with each other I'd actually kiss her back.
Once again, Petra asks, "What do we do with these books?" For a moment I thought about taking the books up to my suite. It's been a while since I read a book that's actually a book. That's when I realize how tired I am. I'm either going straight to bed or take some Bliss and have some fun with Bright Eyes. Now that my mind's on Bright Eyes, I need to talk to him.
"Leave them in the car, we'll get them tomorrow," I say. I bring up the car roof and roll up all the windows. I'm not worried about books being stolen or the car. This car will kill anyone that isn't us. Yeah, even our cars are lethal.
While my sisters get off the eleventh floor to cancel the Shore, the elevator takes me up to the next floor to my suite. This gives me enough time to think about what Petra said earlier tonight. I ask myself as I walk down the silver gold hallway, "Why don't you talk, Bright Eyes?" Once I've reached my suite 1212, I finally came to the decision to have a little Bliss and a chat.
Room 1212 is like any other five star hotel I've lived before, all fancy for a day or two then hit the road again when the show's over. Of course, there's always something different in each one. For instance, there's a pool in the middle of the room while a strange plain jane sips on champagne. She drops the glass and covers herself up and stands when she sees me. This reminds me so much of earlier. "I'm sorry," she says. She hasn't done anything yet and I'm already annoyed with her. I close the door behind me with a loud slam.
"Who are you?" I ask.
"I'm a Steele and I'm at your service." Oh this is an icing on the cake. Rubick knows how much I hate Steeles. Being a former Mormon and Belle my fellow church leaders tried to make me a Steele when I turned eighteen because I wasn't 'marriage worthy'. The right of passage to become a Steele is to be beaten by a chosen Master. Turns out I'm not very good at being submissive. I ended up beating him thirty times with a riding crop after he hit me once across the ass. This day's just bringing back memories.
"Get out and get dressed," I say. She hesitates with the towel for a moment as if she wants to say something then leaves to the bathroom. Once Steele closes the door, I go into the kitchen and search for some Bliss. There are four Blisses in the shelf with four different flavors: Original White, Chocolate, Strawberry, and Mango. The Mango gives me an idea.
"What punishment would you like to inflict on me, Mistress?" asks Steele. She surely doesn't waste any time. I take the Mango and Strawberry out of the cooler, baring my teeth. The Steele lies on my bed made of silk. She's looks so uncomfortable in that skimpy red outfit.
"Before we do any of that, Miss Steele, I want you to drink this Mango," I say. I open the bottle and give it to her. She sips and grimaces.
"It tastes funny."
"They all taste funny but, it's good for you. Filled with so much vitamins it'll blow your mind to insanity. You'll feel amazingly good once you drink the whole thing," I say. I open my Strawberry and put it to my lips but I don't drink it. I want Steele to feel confident drinking her poison. Steele nods hesitantly and drinks the whole thing down. She's defiantly going to experience a bad Lynching, especially if she's drinking it down that fast. When every last drop of the Mango is gone, I ask, "So where's the dungeon?" Steele takes my hand eagerly and takes me to the edge of the pool. She unlocks the trap door with a golden key and reveals what's down below. I don't see the tools of torture but, in the corner of my eye I can see a chair with straps on it.
Steele is about to go down the latter when I say, "Give me the keys, darling. I'm the Mistress after all." Without question she gives me the keys. She goes down a few steps when I close the trap door and lock it. Her panic echoes as I throw the keys on the bed. The Steele's distress makes everything almost feel better. I take off my Derby hat and take a slow sweet sip of my Bliss. Once the salty copper after taste passes I feel the Lynch tingle my whole body and close my eyes. It didn't take long for my desires to kick in. His lips were pressed gently against mine. I take off my mask to get a better look at Alex. Steele began screaming in the dungeon below.
"Hello there, Bright Eyes," I say. He smiles and attempts to kiss me again but stop him in mid motion. He's just as pained as I am. I personally want to jump him right now but I need to get this out of the way. Bright Eyes might be something the Lynch pulls out of my sub conscience, he's very important to me. Sad as this sounds, he's the closest thing to a meaningful relationship I can get. Steele starts making pleas as we sit up on the bed. "Help me, please. Help me!"
"There's something bugging me about you, Bright Eyes. Why don't you talk?" I say. Being Alex, I expected him to be agitated with me yet he looks so nervous it's making me nervous a little. Still I went on interrogating him. If he starts cussing me out I'll be fine. At least he'll prove Petra wrong and start talking.
"I mean, aren't you tired of hearing me doing all the talking? Just because I'm from Kansas doesn't mean I always like the sound of my voice. I know you must have something to say to me like 'when are we going to have a threesome?' or 'you're boring me to death.' Maybe you want to say something while we do it, probably something dirty or something sweet."
Bright Eyes isn't looking at me at this point. It's as if he's ashamed of something. Maybe he's too ashamed to talk to me. He grabs my wrist as I try to stand up. This gesture ends up making me explode. I hate being stopped.
"You know what, Alex or whatever the fuck you are, I think you're a selfish cunt! I'm not even calling you a dick because you look like a girl. It's no wonder you get your ass beat all the time!" Bright Eyes lets me go but, he's not angry. He actually looks mortified by my outburst. Scared or angry, I don't give a shit. I walk way from the bed with heels clicking on the floor and take out the spearmint E-stick. It's still not calming me down because of the kiss earlier and I keep ranting. "In fact, I can imagine other fictional characters kicking your ass harder then you can stand. Norman Bateman will hack you with an ax. Kakihara will pierce and slice you to bits. Tyler Durden will punch the smirk from your face after his abs murder your ego and-"
"I get the point, Zoya," he says. Suddenly everything froze once he spoke. Even the Steele girl was quiet. His voice sounded old yet it wasn't harsh. Why on earth did it sound so ancient? Turning around to Bright Eyes, I got my answer. Bright Eyes wasn't Alex anymore but, Dr. Loomis from the Halloween remake. I'm sure I could have chosen better words for a sudden new change but I ended up with this:
"Damn, you're old Bright Eyes." Knowing old people I haven't met they usually get offended at their state. Hell, I think the real Malcolm McDowell might get offended by my comment. Not in the case of Bright Eyes! He starts laughing then I start laughing and I think the Steele girl starts laughing but no body cares. Full of the giggles, I sit next to the bed with him. The click of my heels aren't as loud as before. Once the laughter goes out of my system I go all serious.
"Why are you old and being Dr. Loomis, Bright Eyes?"
"I have a little more freedom when I'm old then when I'm young," he says. "There's more to it of course but, will come later eventually. As for being Dr. Loomis, you need someone to talk to that's close to a professional help."
"OK," I say. It's weird seeing him old. I'm so use to seeing him be Alex that seeing him play a different McDowell character is like watching the seasons change rapidly. Old or young, he's still pretty to look at. Might as well humor the good doctor and lay down on the bed with no sexual intentions. Might as well talk it out before I end up like Billi Jean. "I'll take your 'professional help' but I want to say something before we continue."
"What's that?"
"I know why Michael Myers isn't talking and wants to kill you. He caught you fucking his mom." Letting that sink in we burst into laughter. We were about to go into 'therapy' when Rubick's voice filled my ear.
"Are you awake, Zoya?"
"I'm awake now," I say. I stare at Bright Eyes. He looks very annoyed by the interruption. Now that I think about it, there's never been a time when Bright Eyes wasn't annoyed by Rubick. I can kind of share the sympathy with him. "Where's the next place to go?" Instead of giving me the news, he gives me this weird question.
"What were you dreaming about?" I look back at Bright Eyes his unease matched with mine. Asking about someone's dreams is more for lovers and shrinks not governmental bosses. Doubting myself that I heard it right I ask him.
"Did you just ask me what I was dreaming about?"
"Yes, what were you dreaming about?" Creepy as this whole thing is I decide to tell him my made up dream just to rock his socks off.
"I was dreaming of you, sugar. Now tell me where the next place is?" For a minute or two it's quiet on the other end with the exception of a low hiss of the ear mic. After what felt like a long pause he finally gives me a response.
"The next place is in your hometown." I sit straight up with all the emotions mixing hot and cold into my skin.
"You mean…Wichita?"
"Yes, sugar." Damn smartass. "We're going back to Kansas. Now….what was I doing in you-"
"I'm tired, can we talk about the dream later?" Or better yet never, you creeper. I hear him sigh on the other end and click off. I'm disappointing everyone today, am I? I put my hands over my eyes.
"Do you still want to talk, Zoya?" says Bright Eyes. I pull my hands away from my face. There's so much going on with me that I have no words for it now. I had no idea I was crying until he wiped the tears from my eyes. He's so strange. His hair is white and thinning. His face is marked with wrinkles just like I'm marked with scars yet somehow he's gorgeous. It must be the crystal eyes that make him look desirable. Yeah, the eyes of an immortal. I drag him down from a kiss, his white beard tickles my face a little. Rolling on top of him, I take of my crop top while he peels away the synthetic make-up from my face. The pull of the mask makes small sticking sounds. My skin, my eyes, and my hair actually feel like they can breathe. He traces the scars on my face.
"It's a sin that he covers you up like this," he says. "A Goddess like you should never be covered in latex." His words fill me with warm joy. From now on he's going to be old more often. I take the loose fake skin hanging from my neck and lifted it up like a freshly killed animal.
"Help my peel this sin off and worship me," I say. That's were we really got at it. His hands caressed under the fake skin, slowly peeling it off. Once I'm truly naked we became animals. We did it on the bed, the pool, the bathroom, the kitchen, not even the floor is safe from our lustful savagery. While we were screaming in passion, Steele was screaming with fear. The sex got better every time he spoke. It didn't matter he talked dirty or sweet nothings his voice is damn sexy. Eventually good things must come to an end. It's almost three in the morning and I'm fighting sleep. Every time I close my eyes Bright Eyes is gone the morning. I know it's the Bliss wearing off but, I don't want to wake up alone.
"Stay with me," I say. At this point I'm willing to sacrifice sleep. My eyelids want to betray me with rest. Bright Eyes is Alex again. His thumb stokes the scar on my lip, mouthing the words, 'I can't.' The silent words make me cry.
"I'm not asking you to live with me forever. I just want to kiss you in the morning and make breakfast in bed. I want to go out on a date holding hands. I want to drink coffee together. I want to watch a movie together. I want…..I want…."
I want so many things that saying them all will hurt. Bright Eyes holds me close while I make a baby out of myself. Knowing that I won't get what I want I closed my eyes but, sleep hasn't taken me yet. The feel of his skin against mine was comfort enough to let sleep almost take over. Before the Sandman came, Bright Eyes whispered in my ear. His young voice sounded painful when he spoke.
"Dream….of us."