Betrayal

 This is an idea for a piece that I had ages ago. I had been following asleep when this painful, intense, vivid, violent monologue ran through my head. It was wonderful, but by morning I forgot it and never addressed it. I finally got around to addressing it a week ago and here it stands.

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Trapped frozen broken bleeding pain numbness dying nothing at all. All I can see is the look in his eyes just as the blade ran through me. It should have shown resolve, anger, peace, contentment, but the only thing there was pain. If he was full of regret then why did he leave me here to die? I am dying. That's all there is to it. It's foolish to use the last of my energy wondering why he did it. He did it. No questions. The hole in my chest is clear proof of that.

I hear voices. I can't tell where they're coming from, but I can't move so it doesn't matter. All that matters is that he betrayed me.

Jareth

 Piece to go with the Skull Armor Eternal Sword idea. :)

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Jareth walked hurriedly toward the hospital room, stopping as Aaron came out of it, head low.

"You found her?" Jareth asked, sounding nearly out of breath, he'd had to force himself to speak.

"Yes." Aaron answered gravely, not meeting his leaders' eyes.

Jareth grasped Aaron's shoulder and put their foreheads together, closing his eyes a moment, letting out a held breath.

He opened them, letting their full intensity reach Aaron until he looked back.

"Thank you, brother." He said sincerely.

Aaron nodded, having to look away again.

He watched solemnly as Jareth carefully walked into the room to see the horror he'd brought back for him. This broken corpse of a girl he once knew.

Jareth entered the room, making his way around several bustling nurses and their two best doctors. No one stopped him. He observed several feet away from the hospital bed as the nurses tore Laura's dirtied, bloodied, and ruined clothes from her body revealing a number of disgusting scars and fresh deep gashes along the lengths of her arms and legs. The deepest one ran between her breasts, branching out in several directions over her belly. Jareth knew the wounds were knife made. Through all of this her chest heaved desperately for breath as if each inhale caused her pain.

The doctors barked several orders and several nurses departed, making way for them to come forward. They began checking her vitals, hooking her up to several monitors. Her heart beat sounded through the machine at such a frantic, yet erratic speed. Her head rolled about her shoulders as if she were trying to get her bearings and couldn't manage it.

The main doctor, Chuck, leaned over her, his hair not moving an inch. He gently pried her eyes open and examined them with a small light. They fell into the back of her head, unable to focus, but not before Jareth saw that they were clouded and empty.

The second doctor looked over her carefully, scouring every inch with her eyes. Jareth didn't know her by name, but he had seen her before. Her frown sharpened as she progressed in her assessment. A nurse scurried out of the room after drawing several vials of blood. He did recognize Emily, another nurse, as she inserted an IV into the top of Laura's unmarked hand.

"A few minutes." She mumbled as she passed Jareth.

She was right, it didn't take long for Laura's breathing to finally slow down. She stilled seeming almost peaceful except for her wounds.

Chuck looked up as if finally noticing Jareth in the room.

"Jareth," he sighed. "You shouldn't have to see this."

A small fire flared inside Jareth and he looked to his friend, speaking clearly. "Yes I do."

The stern but kind doctor opened his mouth to speak again, but didn't get the rare chance to argue with Jareth. Laura's eyes had flashed open with a gasp. The heart monitor screamed as she tore the pads off of her body, then fumbling as she grabbed for the IV.

Everyone within ten yards flew in, descending to restrain her. Only Jareth stood straight, frozen by the look in her eyes: Pure, raw terror.

Chuck called to her as she tried to fight the mass of people over her, but she could only squirm pathetically.

"Laura, we aren't drugging you, we're trying to help you." Chuck told her.

His words reached her slowly, like her brain had to take longer to process him, but she finally stopped struggling. Even so, they kept a tight hold on her arms, shoulders, and legs. Her chest moved up and down roughly in between their hands.

Chuck waited until her eyes found him. "You're in a hospital, okay?"

She nodded, but watched him warily.

"Jareth's here." He continued, gesturing toward Jareth with look.

Her head turned, the effort making her dizzy even though she was moving slower than a snail. She met his gaze, confused, pleading, no trace of relief.

Jared. She mouthed.

Jareth nodded in acknowledgement or consent, he wasn't sure. Both were true.

She looked away from him and to the ceiling. The light in her eyes dimming, she wasn't in this room anymore. Jareth wished she wouldn't leave, more that she didn't go back to where she had been.

"We need to clean out your system and get you some nutrients." The female doctor pressed with clear impatience.

"Yes." Chuck said slowly, throwing his co-worker a look that said 'Be quiet.' "We need you to trust us."

Laura had acknowledged the two of them, but didn't respond, the room didn't breathe.

The question that was obvious, that no one wanted to ask was finally voiced by Chuck. "Are you in pain?"

Laura merely glanced in his direction, but didn't see him. Her eyes shut, the strain transparent. She opened them again and water was shimmering in their depths, though not quite spilling down her clenched face.

"Okay." Chuck almost whispered. "Then we're going to leave that in your hand…is that alright?"

She nodded; just the slightest tilt of her head and Jareth noticed her fisted hand shaking almost violently next to her still leg.

The nurses reacted to the consent immediately as if someone had un-paused the movie.

As the number of people in the room thinned, Jareth went over and sat slowly next to the bed, scooting the chair close, but not moving to touch her. She made what was now an even greater effort to look at him. Her expression didn't say much other than that it didn't bother her that he was there. He remained expressionless.

Then finally, gratefully, her eyes began to close. Jareth prayed that her sleep was dreamless. There was no telling what her nightmares could contain. Those nightmares were his.

With that thought stinging in his mind Jareth spoke:

"What did they do to her?"

Chuck hesitated, his mouth tight wanting to say 'You don't want to know.'

Instead, he clutched his clipboard and turned from the room. "We'll know soon." He answered, then promptly left, giving Jareth his near loneliness.

Jareth's hands, blindfolds over his eyes, clenched and unclenched as he tried to fight the image in front of him. When he opened them her hand was still there, a thin line ending just before her wrist that led to the wider one along the purpled vein on her arm.

He stood suddenly and wanted to run out of the room, but walked as a nurse passed him arms full of bandages. He stormed down the nearest set of stairs.

Derek and Aaron were waiting at the bottom for him. He ignored them nearly shoving his way in between the two like a stampeding bull. His blood was boiling through his body.

The called after him, he didn't turn and didn't respond for several steps.

"Everyone to the training hall now." He ordered, barely hissing through his teeth.

The disappeared in a hurry without protest.

Jareth needed a weapon in his hands. He needed to do something with them to get rid of the feeling that he had carved her body himself.

Mortality

 The first piece I've done for the third installment of The Blessed and Forsaken, Legacy. This will be VERY confusing, which is why I haven't posted it until now. You will not really understand what's going on and why, but I wanted it there. 

If this seems odd to you, sorry. I'm still a little iffy with the piece itself and have to work with the rest of the book, but it's what I've got. Hope it satisfies something!

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"Gabe?" I called, trying to open the door, but it wasn't moving at all, my hand slipping on the handle.
 
I heard Gabe scream inside the room and then there was the sound of wind. I rammed harder into the door with all my might. "GABE!" I screamed.
 
I wished Jacob was there to help me, but I didn't know where he was.
 
Thirty seconds couldn't have passed, when everything was suddenly still.

Panicking, I fumbled with the door, and it opened with a foreboding creak.
 

Gabe was on his knees and over him stood two men, though they weren't men at all.

The angel closest to Gabe appeared to be middle aged, having the same, but older, blond hair as Gabe did. 
He held a strong grim expression and as soon as his fiery green eyes met mine he vanished.
 
The second watched Gabe a moment sorrowfully and I couldn't move. He looked up to me and nodded, "Evony." He acknowledged, then was gone as well.

I took a few deep breaths, just realizing how much their presences had affected me. It settled that I had just met the two elder Gabriels.
 
Gabe had a sudden intake of breath like he hadn't been breathing previously, then began to cough and choke, nearly curling in on himself on the floor. I rushed over to him, trying to help him, soothe him, but I didn't know what was wrong. He was covered in sweat and shaking almost violently. I kept him from falling into the floor and his breathing began to steady when he settled his head onto my chest. It was hard not to fall back with his weight on me. The fact that he was heavy at all was something to be worried about.

His voice was hoarse and stretched when he tried to speak, it took a few times before I could understand him, "Anna, Anna." He whispered over and over.
 
"I'm here Gabe." I assured him.
 
I stroked his face and smelled his hair and it scared me how human he seemed.
 
He slowly quieted and we stayed on the cold floor.
 
Then he did something he never had before. He fell asleep.
 
My wonder just barely overcame my worry and I stared at his features. His face seemed so much softer and vulnerable like this.
 
I was just going to let him sleep when I suddenly remembered Jacob. If they had left Gabe like this…what had they done to Jake?

I brought my lips to Gabe's forehead. "Gabe." I whispered, stroking him until he stirred. "Come on, we need to go."

He understood enough to help me get him to stand. We staggered out of the warehouse very slowly, nearly falling a number of times. Finally, we got him into the passenger seat and his head slouched, he remained drowsy, languid.
 
I got in quickly and started the car, getting the heater going. Gabe shuttered.
 
"Where's Jacob?" I tried to ask.
 
He turned half opened eyes to me and shook his head slightly. "He's fine."
 
"Okay." I drove and Gabe slept again.
 
I concentrated on driving instead of all the nagging questions in my brain. I was on the longest strip of country road leading back to the house when Gabe flew up in his seat.
 
I gasped and swerved. "What?!" I hollered, straightening the car again.

"Where are you going?" Gabe asked, panicked, confused.
 
"Home!"
 
"Pull over."
 
"Why? Are you going to tell me what happened back there?"

"Yes, Anna, pull over." Gabe was serious, grave even.

I pulled farther off the road nearly in between the trees in the dark shadows.
 
I had a feeling this talk would be a bit lengthy, so I turned off the car, killing the headlights.

Before I could say anything, Gabriel got out of the car and rubbed his arms. I followed after him stubbornly, my breath showing my frustration, coming out in thick hissing clouds.
 
"I'm cold, Anna." Gabe said with his back to me.
 
"So, get back in the car." I grumbled, the cold finding its way through my clothes.
 
He looked up at the sky and chuckled darkly. "I've never been cold before."

"What do you-"
 
"They made me mortal, Anna, human." He finally turned to me and the look in his eyes made all of my frustration disappear. "I've been stripped of my powers, demoted, and cast down."
 
"Why?" I nearly whispered.

He looked down a moment as if embarrassed. "They felt that I have been impaired and am unable to perform 
my duties."
 
"Impaired by what?" Somehow I was almost afraid to ask.
 
Gabriel walked over to me at the speed of a careful human being, put a hand on my face, and looking me in the eyes said, "By the feelings I've gained…for you."
 
The second the words left his mouth it was like I had always known and I was glad that he'd finally said it aloud. I'd wanted his hand to feel like this in mine, the penetrable power in his arms, his lips. His scent was more concrete than ever, and I wanted more of it than I was sure I could handle.

"Evony." Gabe whispered pleadingly. It was that name again, and I didn't mind, it seemed right.

I wasn't sure when, but at some point, we ended up in the back of the car, fumbling for each others' skin and somehow it felt like I knew we would end up here. If the only place I could be with Gabe like this was on earth, then I didn't want heaven.

Fayre

 Another piece I used for my class from Beast. There is a flashback directly from the original part. It might be a little scattered, but I want to have this up, then put up my revision as a bit of a show of process.

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I wondered to myself how I ended up here, backed into an ally up against a wall, rain running down the back of my neck and along my spine like ice. I was scared, but I wasn't terrified even though I was covered in goose bumps, fighting for breath. Clawed hands were bruising my shoulders, a low growl escaping through fanged teeth, and as a figure towered over me, casting me into darkness, I still wasn't worried about dying.



Axel was baring his fangs with his eyes again. And again, they were directed at me from across the circle of chairs. They glistened in the stage lighting, a strange effect considering the darkness of his more blue hazel eyes. It had been over a week. How many times did I have to say I would keep his secret?

Our secret. He would say. You're just as deep in this now as I am.

Maybe, but only because he forced me into it.

It's not like he wasn't watching me practically twenty-four seven anyway. He had even had the guts to try and follow me into the bathroom. I had to talk him out of that one.

I knew that mocking him would drive him crazy. Most didn't dare, not with the threat of his pissy temper, which I had to admit got nasty at times, but I'd had enough of him trying to rule me with fear.

I glared back, throwing all my skills of exaggeration into it, even moving forward in my peeling metal chair not caring when it screeched in reply.

The muscle in Axel's jaw jumped, the large vein on the side of his neck throbbing. His teeth appeared for a moment, but weren't the canines he wanted them to be. I knew his instinct was to snarl, and he would start yelling at me if we weren't in the middle of a class discussion.

Beauty and the Beast. Though most who were alive in the 90's know this basic tale, the theatre director, Professor Ashman, wanted to go deeper than the magical surface of songs and dancing candlesticks for The Art of Performing 304 class' production. It was a pretty big deal for the school. It was the easiest way for it to get any kind of funding and with a big and well known title as this we had to make it perfect. But funding wasn't all that was on the line, for me anyways. If this production goes well, if I make an impression as the star, as Belle, then this could be the ground under my feet as far as my career was concerned.

That was the guillotine over my head and Axel knew it and you could bet he was keeping his hand on the lever. He had been doing everything he could so far as my co-star to ruin this for me. It began with him throwing a tantrum when they changed the release date, then he refused to show up for practice for days claiming he was sick. Ashman had sent me to his place to try and work with him since Belle and the Beast couldn't really do their parts separately.

It's all about the chemistry!

Yes, Ashman, I knew the right chemistry makes the show. I didn't think the hate part would be an issue for us.

I'd tried to ignore his "everything revolves around me" attitude, but he made it very difficult, especially after I showed up at his…house. Actually "house" is morbidly inaccurate.



I'd parked my car across the street from the address the professor had given me and I couldn't believe my eyes. There was no way he lived here.

In front of me were at least ten foot tall iron gates that opened to a path that seemed to go on forever to a mansion. No, this wasn't a mansion, no way. The only way I could describe this place was a castle. It was colossal with more windows than I dared to count scattered across all of its surface signifying who knew how many floors. I was about to turn back when I noticed his car parked in front of the place.

I came up to the gates not sure if I would be shot if I touched it. I tapped it with the tip of my finger and I didn't fall to the ground so I pushed it open. It was surprisingly lighter than I had expected it to be, but it still took some effort.

I closed it behind me and began to walk down the barren path towards the house. As I walked I came up with a million and a half reasons why I should go back to my car and leave, but I just kept going, watching the castle loom taller and taller over me. I had two scripts in my bag in case his was too destroyed from last time for him to continue to use.

It seemed ages later that I finally reached the door after also climbing some steps. It was dusk and no lights had been turned on.

I rang the door bell and heard its tones echo through the place. So it sounded as though it was as large as I had guessed. I waited, but no one came to the door. I rang it once more and then it swung open harshly.

I took a step back as Axel faced me in the doorway, his breathing strained, sweat running down his bare, defined, chest. The kind you only saw on movie stars, but that you thought were CGI anyway.

He glared at me. His mouth set in a deep frown.

"What are you doing here?" he snarled.

It took me half a second to be able to respond. "Tinley asked me to check if you were sick since you never called and if you were, to rehearse with you anyway."

One corner of his mouth turned up into a wicked grin as he turned away from me. He snickered. "Like I need to rehearse."

I felt my temper rise as he walked away from me, but he didn't close the door in my face. I swung the door shut and stomped after him.

"Well maybe you can consider gracing us with your abilities, so that the rest of us can actually get something done." As much as I hated to admit it, even if it was only to myself, he was good and we needed him.

He turned and smiled at me like he knew it and I wanted to punch him.

"They don't need me to get anything done. You do."

"What?!" How could he say something like that?

He snickered again. "They can get plenty done without me, at least for the next few weeks, but you can't."

"That's not true! I-"

He continued like I hadn't spoken. "And I'm too ill to go to class."

"You are not sick!"

He still spoke over me.

"That's why you are going to stay here, take care of me, and rehearse until you get it right."

"Until I-?!"

"Starting today."

"I will not-!" I started as he grabbed my arm, dragging me farther into the dark crypt.

I tried to fight against him, but it did little on his grip, let alone his stride.

After a moment, a light flipped on and I had to squint for a second.

Axel sat me on a chair. I noticed we were in a kitchen as he tossed a cook book in front of me.

"Now you can cook some dinner while I get ready."

"Excuse me!" I stood from the chair. I'd had enough. "I am not making you dinner. And I will not stay here and rehearse with the likes-of-you!"

I started to walk pass Axel and was in the doorway of the kitchen when I was swung back. Axel crashed me against the wall, pinning me there with his legs.

He didn't speak, only seethed through his teeth while staring me in the eyes. I was back on the stage, unable to move, to speak, tearing from the inside out as fear consumed me. The animal in his eyes was so tangible I felt it as though he was stripping my soul with them.

I became light headed and could no longer stand though I didn't go anywhere.

I could hardly tell, but it felt like Axel had picked me up.

We passed dark rooms through dark halls, unopened doors and bare china cabinets.

Something soft was under me. A bed? Then I heard a door shut.

My vision was back and I flew off the bed at the closed door. It was locked.

"You can stay in here until you calm down." Axel panted from the other side of the door. I could practically see him leaning against it in that cocky way like he owned everything. "Now I'm going to call for dinner."

I heard his footsteps fade down the hall. I pounded my fists on the door. "YOU BASTARD!" I hollered.

I fumbled with my bag trying to find my phone, realizing with horror that I'd left it in my car. There weren't any windows in this room only a small lamp on the night stand next to the bed. My hands had already hurt from pounding on the door and I knew it was no use continuing to, so I sat on the bed.

I was frustrated, angry, horrified, scared.

Why is he keeping me here? He's insane, that's why. I had to get out of here.

I didn't know how long I had sat there, but I had the lamp in my hand at the ready. I didn't care if I was in the dark, the second he opened that door I was leaving.

"Are you civil yet?" I jumped at the sound of his voice, calmer than the last time I'd heard it, but thick with pride.

He opened the door and I threw the lamp. I had no idea if it met its mark, but I barreled my way out of what I thought was the door. I found myself in Axel's arms instead. I didn't give up. I hit, kicked, and screamed at him, but he didn't seem to budge. I still managed to push through him and start down the hall when the light turned on, blinding me again and I stumbled to a halt.

I opened my eyes to see Axel in front of me. How had he gotten there? He grabbed my arms and held me against him.

"Finished?" he snarled.

"I'm not staying here." I stuttered weakly.

"Oh yes you are." He whispered evilly into my ear. "Or this production doesn't happen, and we both know what that would do to your career."

For once, I was absolutely speechless.

Then, without warning, Axel fell with a sickening thud to the floor, a thick stream of blood running down the side of his head.

I sank to the floor next to him, pulling his head into my lap, watching his chest rise and fall quickly, sweat breaking out on his forehead.

No, I couldn't leave, not now, the risk to my career being the only reason I'd admit.



I was able to drag him into the bed and wrap the cut on his head. An hour later he still hadn't woken up.

Panicked, I wandered through the house trying to find a phone, having to switch on lights as I went. I was almost shocked by how unkempt the place was. It was obvious he lived alone and that he didn't bother to take care of much except his immediate needs.

I gave a sigh of relief when I found a cell phone on the kitchen counter. I dialed 911 and held it to my ear. It rang twice and someone picked up.

"This is 9-1-1. What's your emergency?"

I opened my mouth to speak when the phone disappeared from my hand.

As I turned, Axel spoke into the mouthpiece.

"Oh, sorry. I pushed the wrong number on speed dial. Sorry to bother you." His voice was so convincing, I almost believed him. I would have felt the need to give him credit if I hadn't been terrified when I heard the beep as he hung up the phone. I meet his eyes and he glared at me, the color back in his face and redder than ever, the bandage gone, the only evidence of the wound being a bit of dried blood in his hair.

"That was really stupid." He seethed through clenched teeth.

"I was only trying to help." My voice was so weak it made me cringe.

"You've helped enough!" he spat.

"Well maybe I wouldn't have thrown anything at you if you weren't trying to keep me here!" I yelled back.

A pure wild roar erupted from his throat and I backed into the counter as he advanced on me. He stood less than a foot in front of me and the air seemed to swirl around him as he fell to one knee. He was changing.

His hair that was normally short grew at least two inches longer, hiding his eyes. His clean, shaven face, now visibly covered in a somewhat thick stubble. His mouth twitched and went from being slightly open to having fangs bared. And lastly, like I had expected, his fingers curved, the nails growing into thick, sharp claws.

Axel took three, deep, ragged breaths and then looked up at me with fierce, piercing yellow eyes. I gripped the counter as my knees went weak, but it didn't manage to hold me up. His eyes followed me as I sank to the floor.

My heart pounded in my chest with what I was sure was fear. When Axel finally spoke, his voice was rough, harsher than I could have imagined possible, but maybe it was just the words he said.

"Now you can never leave."



"Director, Axel looks like Fayre bit him in the ass and he's about to eat her again."

Joyce. She was really bored of everyone's issues but her own, yet she still felt the need to point them out. She flipped her fading dyed black hair over her shoulder, pursed her black lips and stared at her peeling nail polish. At least her black tank and jean skirt weren't faded, but her combat boots were getting close.

Axel probably could. I was small enough at a height of five-five and one hundred and twenty pounds for him to easily eat me, poop me out, bury me in the backyard, and piss on my grave just to show me he could.

A sinister smile crept up his face, like the Cheshire Cat, but with not quite as many teeth, for now. It was like he knew what I was thinking and was considering it.

"Someone needs to get princess here a Midol." I muttered. "On second thought, somebody run to the store and give him the whole box. He's too big for double the normal dose."

Big was another understatement. At six-four, and at least two hundred pounds, he was colossal, a monster.

Axel sat back in his chair, crossing his legs and folding his arms after brushing back his hair, the smile tamed to a thin line of lips. I felt like this look let me read his mind.

You'll pay for that later.

If I cringed I didn't realize it, but I must have done something to get Axel to start shaking with laughter, which turned into a near 'buahaha.'

"Okay okay." Ashman chimed in, cutting Axel off, but the sneer remained.

Ashman looked at his script avoiding our eyes, but it was clear he was amused.

Did he want us to hate each other?

I was rethinking wanting him as a reference when Chelsea stood up.

"Oh my God! Their compatibility is killing me! PLEASE can we have the angry sex scene?!"

A unanimous 'No' rang through the theatre and Chelsea sat down, trying not to let her lip quiver.

"Are we actually going to rehearse today?" Axel hissed through his teeth. He sat strangely still, a wall over his eyes.

"No." Ashman answered with disregard, continuing to flip through more papers that appeared out of nowhere.

Axel flew out of his chair, grabbing his coat from the back in one swift circular motion and strode off of the stage.

I rolled my eyes as I grabbed my bag. This was both of our last class for the day and if I didn't go with him now, he'd leave me here the rest of the night then yell at me tomorrow for not being fast enough.

"Sorry." I mumbled at the class. I felt bad when it came out sarcastic and snippy. They didn't deserve my reactions to how he tortured me.

The side door had just swung closed, a small sucking sound as it settled in the frame, the latch clicking into place in sync with the long horizontal bar handle retracting from the door. I pushed it open and was met with a wind chilling my face and ankles, the setting sun blinding me. I hurried out and scanned the back parking lot just as Axel's car pulled up at the sidewalk.

Just like everything else in his life, his new, red, sleek, silver rimed Corvette was absolutely ridiculous. He honked, his frowning clashing with his vehicle, the top was down despite the cold. I pulled my coat tighter around me trying to get my hair to warm my ears so there'd be less of a chance of having to cut them off later and hurried down the steps.

Axel was jumping the car forward impatiently every few seconds and only stopped long enough for me to put one leg in the door before he sped off, throwing me into the stiff leather seat.

"Door!" he barked.

I pulled in the door just before it would have collided with the twenty five speed limit sign on the sidewalk.

He shook his head, "If you ruin my car-" he started over the wind.

"If you were just more patient and drove the damn speed limit then there wouldn't be a problem!" I snapped, slamming on my seatbelt.

"You have serious anger issues." He chuckled, eying me carefully.

My jaw nearly hit the floor, I couldn't help it. I was the one with the anger issues?! If that son of a bitch thought I needed anger management, he was going to see just how managed my anger was.

Axel pulled out of the parking lot as I was about to open my mouth and not bothering to slow down, as always, he turned right when I expected him to go left.

"Where are we going?" Did he not realize he went the wrong way?

"Downtown." He answered, like it was such a bother to have to explain everything to me.

"Why?" I whined purposely.

He sighed quickly not bothering to look over his shoulder as he pulled too fast into the left lane to pass the car already going well over the speed limit in front of him, "Because cleaners are coming to my place today."

"So?" I twisted my hair behind my head in hopes the knots would be less severe. What did that have to do with anything?

"So, I make it a habit of not being there when they are. The less they know the better." He had gone from being annoyed to serious, his arms tense under his jacket, hands red on the steering wheel, his face blank, the only thing moving was his hair being whipped around his head in the wind.

I couldn't really argue with that, so I shut my mouth for the rest of the drive, finally capturing my hair in my hood and wrapping my arms around my chest to keep warm.

Night had fallen when he finally came to a stop in front of a small grocery store. It was wedged next to a gas station and an old warehouse with only a small alley way separating them. Axel was parked horizontally over top two parking spaces, though I don't think anyone would have given him a ticket considering the lines were hardly there and the pavement was so cracked and full of pot holes most would have to park diagonally to avoid the holes.

Axel unlocked the doors holding in front of me a fifty dollar bill and a slip of paper between his two of fingers.

"What?" I asked without taking them.

"Go in there and get the things on the list." He hunkered down in the seat. If he was meaning to relax or hide, I couldn't tell.

With a sigh I took the money and list, stepping out of the car on the lookout for holes, but still managing to nearly trip over the parking curb.

I looked at my suede boot that had scrapped on the cement and found a nice gash in the material.

"Great." I mumbled.

"Don't take too long." Axel chimed from the car his seat now laid back. One arm was over his forehead, his sunglasses still on his face despite the inherent lack of sun. "But don't rush either. They won't be out of there until seven."

"Okay." My voice had raised a few octaves. I wasn't sure how much more of him I could take. I mean, asking me to keep a secret and even threatening me a little is one thing, but keeping me pretty much captive in your house and making me do errands for you is another!

I nearly stomped into the store, the bell tinkling softly over my head, but was ripped out of my thoughts by the strange silence that only low service, low customer flow, and low…yuck, maintenance stores could have.

Hot dogs covered in a thick film of shiny grease were rolling in an automatic case, the machine making small whirring sounds as it turned, sizzling as hot grease dripped through the cracks. Short isles of chips, candy, and first aid lay out in front of me, closely surrounded by glass-doored refrigerators along the walls full of most kinds of drinks, but mostly liquor.

A man was standing at the counter laughing with the clerk. He was purchasing a six pack of Budweiser and three boxes of cigarettes even though it was clear that he'd already had enough of those. I could smell the smoke on him and saw the lingering alcohol in his droopy and out of focus eyes. That along with his wind leathered face and peppery grey hair that was more on his face than his head; he looked very much like an old blood hound whose drinking water had been spiked after a good hunt.

They both turned to me when I walked in after their laughter had died down. I nodded and gave them a small smile, then quickly walked into the first isle out of their sight. I felt they would want to watch me so I wandered about pretending to decide between the dozen boxes of bandages. Round or straight? Plain or pink ones with princesses?

When the man left, I concentrated on Axel's list. Oh look, he needed band-aids. I grabbed the princess box then took my time with the rest, using slow steps and concentrating on each item like I had more options to choose from than there were.

The clerk didn't say anything as I paid, his face set in a perfect "I could care less unless you pay me" scowl, but held Axel's fifty up to the light. His expression didn't change as he brought it down and opened the cash register.

I returned to the car, the top still down even though a light drizzle had started. I wasn't sure where the clouds had come from, but they glowed from the lights of the nearby city in a way that made me want to be walking its streets, even in the rain. I threw the bag down in the seat to find that Axel wasn't in the car. I threw a look around the immediate area. Axel wasn't in sight. No one was in sight. There was hardly any light around except for three dim, scattered street lamps.

I debated waiting in the car, but sitting in an expensive vehicle alone and completely exposed seemed like a very bad idea. There wasn't anywhere Axel could have gone anyway, not without his car. If he was trying to teach me some sort of "lesson" for mouthing off at him today, there was no way he could accomplish that by leaving his car behind.

I sauntered over to the alley trying not to make too much noise in case there was something, and by something I mean a fury Axel, to startle.

"Axel." I called softly, hoping I didn't have to be very loud for him to hear me.

The alley looked deserted and still, the only things in it being a big green garbage can that needed to be emptied (there are always big garbage cans in alleys) and a door to the back of the store. There were no monsters back there. I wasn't sure where to look next, but I was going to at least try. I turned around when a distinct slumping sound made me spin back into the alley. Did I think about running from the scary noise like a normal girl? No. I was looking for the beast.

"Axel?" I said again a little louder as I peeked around the garbage can.

Axel stood over a heaped body at his feet, blood soaking his coat sleeve. I couldn't see much, an arm, a foot, and the blood hound's face contorted, his neck bent at an angle I was sure wasn't physically possible if the neck was still connected to the spine. A high pitched, blood curdling scream would have been appropriate at this point, but all I did was gasp. That was all it took for Axel to turn on me. I could hardly see him, he was no more than just a dark blur surrounding me, grabbing me and throwing me against a wall. There was instant pain in my head and back, but I could ignore that with the throbbing ache that was quickly building in my shoulders. Axel's beastly clawed hands were tourniquets on my body.

His eyes, they were probably the worst part, yellow, fierce and animalistic. There wasn't a trace of human left in those eyes. Death, instinct, that was all they knew. A near purring sound rolled its way through his fangs as he parted his mouth around my throat. It was here that my mind bothered to notice that the drizzle had turned into a rain and was running down my back and dripping off of Alex's hair onto my neck making me shiver. Icy prickles were concerning me more than the creature with its daggers poised to strike my nearest vein.

"It's me Axel." I whispered, locking eyes with him, maybe I could find something in there. "It's okay."

I couldn't say what really happened next. Everything was eerily still and I could suddenly hear the rain over our breathing, falling soft, constant. It was like a piece of music that you could never remember the words to and I found myself calm, peaceful. Nothing mattered in that moment until abruptly, painfully I found myself alone.

Panic set in like a hot poker in my stomach. Where had Axel gone? What had he done?

I scrambled upright and ran out of the alley, water soaking my legs as I didn't bother to watch for puddles. I didn't care. The car was still there, filling with water, but again I couldn't see Axel anywhere. Who knows how far he could've gotten by now as fast as he was?

I ran to the car, praying that for whatever reason he'd gotten out of it in the first place caused him to be careless. Yes! The keys were in the ignition. I jumped in front of the steering wheel, cringing for a millisecond as the puddle in the seat seeped through my jeans, then fought with the driver's seat, I couldn't reach the peddles. I groped underneath until I found the metal bar I was looking for, slamming it against the bottom of the chair until I scooted the seat far enough forward without ramming my face into the steering wheel. Finally I was ready when I rose the seat so I could see through the windshield. I started the car, closed the top and speed out of the parking lot too fast. Damn touchy pedal. I rocked in the pot holes and prayed I didn't scratch anything, but I wasn't sure what would bother Axel more, me ruining his car or not finding him before he possibly bled to death.

I drove and drove looking down more alleys, up streets, in crowds. I couldn't find him. Not even a trace. I was worried out of my mind to the point that I could hardly keep my hands steady. For all I knew, he could be huddled in some rotten pile of trash dying and I wasn't there to help him.

Maybe he'd gone home.

It wasn't too far from here and I'm sure he could make it on his own.

I was out of options. Out of ideas. It was a whim, but I took it, driving back as fast as I could.

The rain was relentless when I finally pulled out front. I turned off the car, slammed the door shut and didn't bother to grab the grocery bag or lock it as I ran inside. I had dried a little when I was in the car though I'd still felt damp, but that didn't matter, I was soaked again.

It was dark in the entry way. Even though I had been in near darkness for several hours, I couldn't see much in front of me. I knew the whole place had just been cleaned. I knew the floor had to have been waxed. I knew I was dripping on it. I knew he was here.

I had no strength left to call for him so I went straight to his room, throwing on the light. Nothing stirred. I went to the kitchen, the bathroom, the back patio, the halls and I found no one.

I pulled my legs to my room, heavily, silently. I was so tired, but God damn it, Axel, where were you?

He had to come back eventually. He would be okay. I'd seen him heal before. He'd be okay. He had to be okay, because I couldn't be anymore.

I reached out for the door knob and it fell away from my lazy hand, opening with a slow, nearly earsplitting creak. Didn't they bother to oil the jams?

I leaned next to the door against the wall and nearly slid down it, but managed to stay up as I yanked off my boots. They make a sucking sound as I forced them off my feet, landing with a sploosh on the floor. My socks were next. They dripped like rain clouds of their own in my hands. I was slipping my coat off of my arms when two much bigger, much stronger arms than my own wrapped around me, trapping me against the wall.

"You're okay." Axel mumbled. It was hardly a whisper, he was panting.

"Are you okay?" I asked, still panicked trying to push away to get a look at his arm, but he would let me move.

His face was in my hair, then grazing my cheek. "He…almost…hurt you."

Was he talking about himself? The beast in him? Did it seem like a different person in his eyes?

"I'm…okay." I stuttered, the strain I'd just put my body under settling in. I ached all over.

Axel's arms were suddenly tighter and he lifted me against his chest, backing up into the bed. He turned on his side, letting me fall to my back, then laid his head in my lap.

"Fayre." He whispered, then almost abruptly, he fell asleep.

The Game (Revised)

Okay! Here is my revision for my assignment The Game. I know it's far from perfect especially since I pretty much completely re-wrote the scene, but I hope I was able to fix some of the things my peers were suggesting through at least most of it. :) Playlist

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I stuffed my hands in the pockets of my jacket before the icy air could bite at them as the greasy taxi drove off. It was almost strange for it to be so cold this early in the evening. The street lights hadn't flickered on quite yet, but the dry street still held an almost icy glow. It was a warning of the wonderland that the week of Christmas always brought. I would be alone again, but I didn't really mind. Maybe I would if I was sure it was my last.

I took one last look around the long street of abandoned buildings, dark and towering like tombstones, their skeletal grins and hallowed eyes taunting me.

A sigh escaped me, my breath fogging my vision, but I could still see that there was practically no one else on the street.

My tennis shoes were louder than I expected as they meet the splitting pavement, another sign. I was becoming less agile. My doctor said no running, which was fine. I had no intentions to, I was a good girl. Well, unless I really had to of course, but I wasn't planning on any dangerous encounters today.

The Styx lay before me, a shorter building than the rest that surrounded it, but twice as wide. How anyone had turned this place into a club escaped me. It seemed to be hardly holding its own weight, the roof sagging slightly, like a thumb rubbed in clay. Something I neglected to notice in the dark the night before on my search for a phone with the club's owner, Nick. He'd had me very distracted.

Most would think you'd know evil when you saw it, especially if you were as devote as I was. The Lord is supposed to guide you, warn you of danger. So, running into The Rebel Son himself should send off a million warnings, but even though I knew who I was facing as he offered his help when I was stranded, nothing told me to stay away.

Even so, I knew I should stay clear. Did I want to make the situation worse? No. So why had I come back when his offer the previous night had turned into a payment? He'd taken something of mine.

I could hear my mother begging me to let it go, it wasn't worth it. If she were here to actually tell me that then she would be right. I would be okay, I had prayed for safety tonight.

I strode up to the club, the blacked out windows as inviting as the mostly misspelled profanities carved out among the cracks. Colored lights flashed through the cracks like lightning, becoming more visible as the sky darkened.

Drake, the same doorman that was there the night before, was sitting in a chair up against the wall, it was leaning back, his neck crooked to the side, a steady stream of drool hanging on the side of his face, his dark sweater bunched up around his arms and neck hiding the tattoos I knew were there. The lights from the windows reflected off the top of his bald head, a rainbow of fire.

Drake nearly flew out of his chair when the music started his eyes glassy, but wild. The three beer bottles on his lap crashed to the pavement. I sidestepped the shards, but they continued to rattle toward me as the sound waves moved the earth under my feet.

He righted himself, his round face set into a frown, wrinkles drawn onto his mostly bare forehead.

"Guess the party's officially started for tonight." He mumbled, sighing, his mouth then stretching into a yawn his tongue curling like a feline.

I considered just going past him into the club and begin my search, but I had to ask him one thing first.

It seemed to take him a moment to realize I was there, but when his eyes settled on me he chuckled.

"Well if it isn't angel!" he chirped. Folding his arms and looking me up and down, laugh lines appearing around his eyes.

I was so glad he was amused.

"Told you you'd be back, didn't I doll face?" he chuckled.

I ignored his remark, folding my own arms across myself, gesturing to the club with my head.

"Is he in there?"

His smile went down a little, a loose guitar string. "Well, Miss…Amy was it? I don't know. He could be. I'm not his babysitter."

Did everyone have to play with me here?

"Fine." I muttered, and with a raise of my eyebrows, strode toward the door.

"If you really want something from him that badly, he'll probably find you."

Good, then he won't come looking for me because it wasn't him I wanted.

"On second thought," Drake chuckled, a dark sound, like a broken toy clown forever replaying its last vow. "He'll just find you anyway."

I didn't look at him. I didn't want to see the expression that matched the sound and I prayed Nick wasn't here.

Once I crossed the threshold I meet near instant blackness, an orange glow slightly lit up the small corridor that twisted to the right. Posters, graffiti, and various other dark colored stains covered the walls. I did my best not to look too carefully at them. In and out was the plan.

The hall turned a sharp corner to the left then opened to the dance floor.

I was slammed with an instant headache. The strobe lights paired with the music directly throbbing in my face that swam conflictingly among every kind of smoke and disgusting, gagging smell you can imagine made me nauseous to the point of stumbling over my own feet for a moment. My eyes watered, the fumes burning and stinging them as I tried to find the small stair case that led to Nick's floor through the haze. The crowd pulsating together moved toward me, instantly suffocating me in heat. I backed away into another person behind me, but they were too high to care. I wanted to leave. Being in this mess this long was dangerous for me. I tried to turn around and go the way I came, trying not to bump into anyone sober enough to notice, when I saw them. Small skull lights hung from the low ceiling bouncing along happily to the pounding beat.

I remembered them from the light before, hanging over me like demonic beacons as Nick had dragged me through the cloud to his personal room where he'd said the phone would be.

I followed the hanging lights along the far wall to my right, worming my way through the bodies not making eye contact with any one of them. I managed not to trip over tangled feet or couples thrown against the wall and tables. The tables and chairs that weren't broken were occupied, and most that weren't broken were getting there. I wasn't able to hear the sound effects of their activities. I couldn't help a sudden moment of gratitude for the volume of the music that was surely going to leave a constant buzzing in my ears for the rest of my life.

The stairs were intact, three small cement steps that led to a splitting wooden door. I stole a quick glance around the room. No one was paying any attention to me. The peeling paint on the doorknob tickled my skin as my hand closed around it. It turned needlessly until I cranked it as hard as I could and the door opened. I only opened it enough for me to slip through then closed it slowly behind me. It made a small click as it settled in the frame and to my surprise it muffled the noise a short distance below to a mellow hum.

Sunset was stealing through the gritty window to my right, casting a pinkish glow on the open curtains and around the room. It made the bare walls except for what was left of the peeling black wallpaper along with the tarnished wooden floor seem more pathetic than when I'd first seen it, but I had been more worried about getting a taxi out of here than the décor.

"Looking for something?"

Before I could turn around an arm encircled my waist, trapping me against a body behind me. A hand snaked under my jacket, picking at the hem of my shirt, fingertips icy from the cold outside on my bare skin.

"So happy to see you're back," Nick's lips were at my ear, his hot breath wrapping around my neck, "but something tells me it's not to pay the little debt you've racked up with me from various favors." he hissed. I tried to ignore the chill that settled in as his hand that wasn't in my shirt traced up my leg, coming to a stop and hovering just before the inside of my thigh.

Nothing moved except for the quick rise and fall of my chest as he held me there. I was too afraid to move like I was in the clutches of some animal and any movement would mean my death. I held my breath as his lips settled on my throat, lingering as if tasting it, the stubble on his face scratching my neck.

A slow, thick sigh of disappointed passed through his lips and he released me. My skin tingled.

He strode passed me and I watched him, catching my breath, holding back the retort that was seething on my tongue. Nick flopped lazily into a once gaudy chair. It creaked against his weight and was now in near pieces, showing faded signs of what it once had been. I could almost see it in front of me, the blood red velvet with the stained black walnut arms curving to ends of dark skulls with snakes wrapping out of their open and cracked mouths. Nick lounged in his throne as he glared at me with eyes that contained every kind of blue that I could imagine. The fire they roared in hardly seemed contained by his body. A frown sat on his lips, the rest of his face relaxed, bored. He fingered almost absent-mindedly one of the tears in the chair's fabric. "Why?"

"You stole something from my apartment." I said strictly, trying for hostility, but only managing to whine.

The sun had set further and its fading rays settled on Nick playing with the highlights in his brown hair that settled around his ears as he smiled. The smirk was quick, there in a flash, but there wasn't a gleam in his eyes, especially once his grin was gone. My eyes focused on his face, watching for any other expression when I noticed his skin.

Before he'd sat down into the sunlight it had seemed perfectly normal, fair, but still the same ivory that colored my own body. Now it seemed sickly transparent, revealing the shadow of not flesh, but bone underneath.

If my face had shown my horror, he hadn't noticed and appeared to be deep in thought with his hands folded under his nose.

"Sit." He said suddenly.

I looked around, but there wasn't any other chair in the room. "On the floor?" I tried to clarify.

"NO!" the tone of his voice sounded almost like a possessed child and he grabbed me and yanked me down into his lap. "Here." His voice had changed now, seductive once again, his nose grazing my face, but his grip wasn't kind, his fingers cutting into my arm with enough strength to instantly cut off the circulation to my hand.

I couldn't stop myself from gasping in pain, tears pooling in the corners of my eyes.

"What do you want from me?" I panted.

Nick's hand let go of my arm and began stroking my hair a few of his own brown locks out of place, the other hand caressing my face as examined my eyes, his eyebrows turned down in a look of pity. "Do you know what a child, especially a boy, does when there is a toy that someone else got instead of him?"

I had no idea where he was going with this. How could the picture he had stolen possibly mean anything to him?

When I didn't answer he leaned his head toward mine until our noses nearly touched and whispered, "He breaks it."

I tried to figure out what he was talking about as he reached into the front pocket of his shirt, taking out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He lit one, the flame dancing before my eyes as if it had all of the answers. The breath he dragged in through the cigarette was long, and smooth, which seemed strange to me with all of the smoke that was going into his lungs.

He snatched the cigarette from his mouth, holding it between two fingers lazily. The end burned a smoldered in the side of my vision as he blew smoke in my face.

I held my breath and turned away, waiting for it to pass, but it got to me and I began to cough.

"Come on Amy." He prodded my shoulder with his fingers. "I know you're smarter than that."

He took another drag, but didn't direct the chemicals directly toward me. "What do you have that I don't?"

He couldn't have meant some worldly item. I was sure that anything he wanted he could get easily. I racked my brain with what I knew about the devil, and it didn't take long before it hit me. What was the one thing Lucifer would always be denied?

"You don't have a body."

Nick flashed his teeth at me again. "Good girl." He took my hand and examined it with a strange curiosity, his eyes shining. His hand completely encased my own, his fingers long and spidery, but in no way suggesting they lacked strength and were now warm to the point where they could be soothing if I relaxed for a moment. "I can't feel a thing in this world." My skin pinched in on itself as he squeezed my hand. "Not physically anyway."

"Then why do you bother with this?" I asked, taking the cigarette from his hand and putting it out in the ashtray that I located on the desk.

"I have an image to keep up, now don't I?" He frowned as I put it out and reached into his pocket again for another.

He lit the new cigarette and hung it in the corner of his mouth like he only needed it to sit there.

"If you're so jealous of my body then why haven't you…." I hesitated, not wanting my fear to get the best of me as I chose my words. "…destroyed mine already?"

Nick's eyes snapped to me, aflame, his mouth tense as if I couldn't have suggested anything more offensive. "Don't be ridiculous."

He began to stand and I nearly fell out of his lap before he caught my waist and stood me up. He hurried out of the chair as if he couldn't hold still and paced around the back side of the chair.

I waited for him to answer, trying not to think about the possibility of him changing his mind.

He chuckled slightly almost startling me, "If I killed you now," he was talking to me as if I were a child that had asked why my puppy had died, his eyes dropping as if worried that I wouldn't understand, "you would still be too pure."

A sympathetic smile appeared, thinning his lips to mere toothpicks on his face. "Where's the fun in that? And it would completely defeat the purpose."

"Besides," he whispered with a wink, "the best life is in death."

A weak snicker escaped me. It was sickening because I was still trying to breathe right. "And which death would that be?"

He grinned. I wasn't sure if he was annoyed or impressed. He could have just been amused.

"The death of my spirit?" I glared, accusing. Of course what he really wanted to destroy was my immortal soul.

It was Nick's toothless smirk that I was getting accustomed to meaning I was on the right track. "Precisely."

He took the cigarette out of his mouth and put both of his arms behind his back, circulating the chair with careful steps toward me. "Besides, your clock is already on its last hour. Why would I speed up the process just to get you to the blessed eternity that's waiting?" He raised his eyebrow at me as if waiting for me to see the obviousness of it all.

"It won't work." I heard myself say, but my voice was weak.

"Don't be so sure, Angel."

"I am sure." I wanted to find my picture and leave, but I couldn't seem to move this frightening man pacing before me like a predator his footsteps barely soft patters on the floor.

"No. You haven't had a chance to live. That's your one regret."

How could he talk like he knew me?

"I could give you that, you know." His voice was soft, caressing as if he was sincere, but trying to convince me of it at the same time.

I shook my head. "We don't consider living the same way."

He barreled toward me too fast for me to react, grabbing my upper arms and shaking me, instantly making me dizzy.

"You think these twenty-two pathetic years of yours is a life?!"

Lucifer threw me into the chair, my legs slamming into the edge. He rushed forward, dropping his hands to the arms of the chair, rocking the entire thing. I groped for balance. The chair met the floor again with a thud, creating what I was sure was another of several dents in the wood. I felt his fingers around my chin and he raised my head, his face finally falling into shape inches from my own.

"You think that rotting away 60 years short of what you deserve while leaving only a few pathetic amateur paintings in a storage unit to succeed you is worth it?!"

Worth it?

My mother, before the disease that was now eating me away took her, used to tell me she had no regrets. I was her legacy, the best thing in her life along with my father, and as long as she gave me the best life she could, she was complete.

I didn't have anyone to leave behind, but that's what I had been trying to do. Even though I'd known it was coming, my mother's death was just as hard as my father's had been a year later when a drunk driver mowed him down.

I didn't want to leave anyone with that pain, but I was still selfish enough at times to not want to die alone.

With inhuman speed, Nick grabbed my wrist and inhaled its scent with a hiss.

"I really..." his teeth pricked at the skin between him and my veins "hate you."

His eyes burned at me and I held my breath.

"Why would you hate me?" I whimpered, tears falling hot on my face and he ignored them as easily as he would ignore something invisible.

"Because you fought so damn hard for this body of yours and it is broken, practically useless and you don't even care."

He turned my hand over, his fingertips icicles tracing the green hues of my veins. He had quieted, yet was still able to stare at my wrist in a way that made me wonder if he was contemplating splitting it open and letting the blood flow just to prove how unimportant my life had been.

"I didn't ask for this." I heard myself say, but I had no idea where the words were coming from. I felt my lip quiver. "And I never said I wanted it, but if He had a purpose for me I must have done it already."

Nick stared at me darkly for a long moment, as if trying to find the lie, then pushed away from the chair, rocking it again. I wiped my face dry.

"Not yet."

I was sure I'd heard it, but wasn't sure that it'd come from him. He'd fallen silent again, his back to me, his hands helplessly at his sides and though I couldn't see his face, his true, endless age suddenly shown through his timeless appearance. His back was slumped, his hair grey, and a sting of pity shot through me.

"I have a job offer for you." He began suddenly, the youth back in his body and a whole new tone to his voice, an authoritative, but excited air. "Give you something to really leave behind."

"What?" I asked, even though I was already prepared to say no.

"My club needs an upgrade." He started, striding around the room once again, tall, confident, businesslike, while I still slumped in the chair now noticing springs biting into my back.

"And I want you to design it."

Why? Why did he have to dangle on a string the one thing I was waiting for? How did he even know? The semester was over and I didn't expect to last long enough to get through another, so all I could do was work. I was just waiting for someone to give me the opportunity. Interior design seemed like the most practical thing. It wasn't every day for several hours work and I could take my time when I did have a job. The least stress and hard work the better. Doctor's orders.

"I will…pay you of course." He threw me a glance, a dare, eyebrows raised, expectant, like I was going to suggest he wouldn't.

"I just want my picture back…Nick." I swallowed a rock in my throat.

I was using all of my will power to think about nothing else than the picture. I couldn't even let myself considered the job for one second. As good of an opportunity as it sounded I knew that in the end I would severely regret it.

Nick took my hands and carefully pulled me from the chair. His arms wrapped around my back and he held me almost tenderly, a pleased and almost peaceful look on his face.

"You will get it back when you come back tomorrow and tell me you'll take the job." He said this joyfully, like a promise of a romantic dinner between a loving couple, but I could feel the threat behind it in my core.

I sighed, suddenly very tired. "I'll think about it." I said, hoping he'd just let me go home.

"Now now." He began his grip tightening until I was caged against his body once again. "Kiss me and promise you'll come back tomorrow." He bit down on my ear, just enough to make me tense and a chill ran through me causing me to quiver.

Nick held onto me, waiting. He wasn't going to let me go until I complied. I took a deep breath, and as much as it terrified and disgusted me, I leaned up and put my mouth on his.

Just like I expected, he didn't let me keep it soft and quick. His lips pushed against mine hungrily, forcing them open and breathing his hot breath into my mouth while pulling me against him.

I didn't fight, I knew I couldn't, I just waited for him to finish, letting him do all of the work.

He stopped, but left his mouth near my face, brushing it down the length of my jaw. "I'll see you tomorrow." I mumbled, then pushed my way out of his arms.

I didn't look at him as I hurried away, but I could still hear his soft chuckle as I closed the door behind me.

When I finally made it home, I painted smiling skeletons draped in red, surrounded by mountains of broken toys.