by Aria Declan
“Mama, please just stay there!”
“It's not even worth it anymore. I would regret it if anything happened to you. You cannot stop me; I’m at the airport right now. I'll be home before you know it.”
“But Mama! I’m fine here,” I cried.
“Why are you crying? Don't you need me there?”
“No, I’m just upset over nonsense. I’m so stressed out because no one seems to be around me anymore. Mama, I don't want to scare you but I think I’m going insane.”
“I'll be home soon, just have all your things packed.”
“Packed—”
The phone clicked and I tried to redial her number but it would not go through. I rested my head on the pillow as I tried to imagine myself happier with Christian in my arms.
I love you, I finally thought to myself. I should have said that sooner to him. Maybe that was why he left me. He wanted me to commit or maybe he found someone who would actually return the love back.
He would never have my love.
Chapter 10
This Is What Makes Us Girls
Mama was on a flight back home so I decided to stay up that night. I felt so uneasy as I continued to think about how my days were not adding up.
I remembered speaking to Johnny, but that was about three days ago and that was all I could remember. I could not remember the day after that—only my dream about Christian. In fact, when I thought about my entire life I could not remember anything after nine pm.
I logged onto the internet and pulled up Google. I typed in 'sick during sundown' and over 50 million pages appeared but the third result caught my attention.
Anxiously, I waited for the page to open. I peeked out the window and the sun was setting. I hurried to my computer as the page loaded. “Sundowner's Syndrome?” I read. “Symptoms include: mood changes, anger, agitation but severe symptoms are hallucinations, paranoia, wandering and violence.”
I shut the computer off, not sure why I was afraid. But, nothing made sense. Maybe I did need Mama more than anything. I began to cry, needing a friend to comfort me more than ever.
***
I did not realize I fell asleep until I awoke in my bed with my pajamas on. I froze trying to see if I remembered getting dressed and going to bed. “Oh gosh! What if I did something crazy?” I cried.
I rushed into my bathroom and I swore my heart skipped a beat. I was hideous as my once porcelain skin was pasty, clammy, and nearly transparent. My once glamorous hair was falling out as the seconds went by. I touched my hair and a huge clump fell into the sink. I then felt the top of my head and I could feel my cold scalp. I began to cry in fear and I stared at my arms that had gross age spots as if I were in the sun for too long. I tried to wipe my tears away as I looked into my once beautiful eyes, that were no longer fancy with long lashes. Now, I barely had one eyelash. “Oh my gosh!” I touched my lips that were once rosy with color, now were blue and hard. I looked dead; and the smell of my body order smelt so horrible that it made me gag. I smelled like rotten eggs, mixed with horse shit that was blended with a touch of raw tuna.
I went into my bedroom and turned my cell phone on. It was two days later than what I remembered. I screamed and ran to the living room as I could hear a car outside my home. I opened the curtains and it was night time. I cried even louder as I saw a taxi pull up to the curb. I ran outside the home to greet Mama. “MOTHER!” I screamed so loud, that all the dogs on the block began to bark.
Mama looked confused as I forced her to hold me. “Baby? Oh my gosh you look awful!”
“Mama, I’m going crazy!” I screamed. “CRAZY! What is going on?”
With fearful eyes, Mama put Lola on the grass and hurried to grab her bags out of the taxi. Lola stumbled into the home and I began to cry harder as my stomach began to ache. If felt as though I was in labor but I would not know that feeling because I had never been pregnant—but, it felt like what I imagined.
“Is she okay?” The taxi driver stared at me as if I were the most disgusting alien that he had ever seen. “Do you need me to call 911?”
“NO!” Mama shouted as she gathered her things and threw them on the lawn. She quickly gave the taxi driver some money and shoved him to leave.
With her eyes still on me she ran into the home and paused in the doorway. Her nostrils flared up and then she ran into my bathroom. I felt as if I were about to pass out as I tried to run after Mama.
Lola began to cry on the couch as I collapsed onto the hardwood floor. My head began to spin as I knew I were about to die.
I could hear Mama running back to me, as her tiny heels tapped against the floor. She slapped me to sit up and then opened my mouth. With an infant medicine dropper she dripped with what tasted like old candy down my throat. For the next five minutes she continued to do the same thing until my pulse was normal again.
I licked my lips and stared into Mama's beautiful hazel eyes. “Thank you,” I muttered and I knew she knew I loved her a lot.
In disbelief, Mama lifted me and carried me into my room as if I were only twenty pounds. I wanted to ask so many questions but I did not have the energy to speak. I closed my eyes, hoping I would be alive tomorrow.
***
The next morning, I could hear Mama humming so beautifully. I dragged my feet to my bathroom and I did not look so terrible anymore. My skin color was back to normal, but my hair was damaged. My hair was dull and brittle and just the wind from the window broke it off. I puckered my rosy red lips and smiled that I was somewhat pretty again.
“Mama?” I searched the halls for Mama and she was in her bathroom brushing Lola’s full hair. “Oh, Mama!” I cried.
She stopped brushing her hair and hugged me. “I'm glad you're okay now. So, I heard school is back in session today. So, I suggest you better get ready—”
“No, what happened last night, Mama?” I said, realizing she was hiding something. “I thought I was dying last night and today I’ve never felt better!”
“You must have been food poisoned or something,” she said quickly. “Are you going to get dressed for school?”
“Mama! I need answers. What are you hiding? What did you give me to make me feel better?”
Mama began to brush Lola’s hair again, ignoring my questions. “It was good what you did to that boy. He was going to tell everyone.”
“Huh?” I gasped, knowing she was talking about Christian.
“I should have known better, not to let you stay here all alone. I cannot believe I trusted Derek. Especially, after all the questions he asked me,” she blabbered.
“Mama, I’m confused.”
Still humming, Mama walked out the bathroom. Lola looked adorable with her pigtails and she climbed up onto the sink to get a better look at her hair.
I walked out the bathroom searching for Mama. “Are you going to ignore me? Was I dreaming everything?” I followed Mama around the home as she continued to ignore me.
We walked into the bathroom where Lola was looking in the mirror. “Look!” Lola said with her babyish voice.
Mama gasped in fright but I could not understand why. All I could see was Lola’s pink gums. Then, I looked closer. Her first two teeth were coming in—her pearly canine teeth.
With her big eyes, Mama smiled. “When you were eight you stabbed the family dog out of nowhere because you were mad and threatened to kill me if I stopped you from killing the neighbor's cat. Of course, I stopped you but you would just do it at night. You would wake up the next morning as beautiful as ever without a clue,” she paused. “I was supposed to tell you the family secret when you are eighteen, but I guess you're close enough.”
“What family secret?”
“Doctors diagnosed you with everything from Bipolar, Sundowning, to Schizophrenia being the worst one of them all. But, little did they know all you needed was a little of this.” Mama held up the same medicine dropper that was filled with a dark red substance. “Derek was supposed to supply you with this stuff every morn
ing, but little did I know he would end up in jail. I paid him five-hundred dollars just to do this simple thing. And he ruined it. I told him it was your medication, which is somewhat true,” she laughed. “I cannot believe I did not put the pieces together that it was you doing all this terrible stuff!”
My nostrils flared up and I began to laugh hysterically. “Are you saying what I think you're saying? Are you saying I was the one killing all those people because I needed blood to survive?”
“You didn't think you were naturally beautiful, did you? Your grandma and great grandma were both hanged for revealing their secret to the men they loved most. Apparently, none of the men in our family are like us,” she laughed. “It just sucks because now you found out what human blood taste like, that you would never want the artificial kind that I have supplied. I wondered how you were more vibrant than me.” Mama licked her lips about the thought. “I mean, it wouldn't hurt if some more people were accidentally harmed,” she grinned. “I haven't had the real stuff in years and Lola would love to have her first real taste since her teeth are now in.”
“What exactly are you suggesting?” I sighed.
Mama smirked and I soon realized she did not have various boyfriends for no reason.
***
Johnny was in tears as Christian’s body was buried in a beautiful casket. Mama rubbed Johnny's back as he replayed memories about the good times with Christian. Mama was getting overly excited as she could feel Johnny's pulse pounding. I pushed her aside. Men loved Mama but what was even better was fresh, now adult meat—it was my birthday and I could have anyone I wanted at eighteen.
I stood up and agreed to walk Johnny to his awaited car. “I'm so sorry Christian is gone,” I said. “I know how much he loved you.”
“I know this must be hard on you, Leanna. You are so wonderful.”
“Maybe later I can come over and help you get settled in your home.”
“I would enjoy that.” Johnny licked his lips as I was back to my old ways. He walked closer to me as I unzipped my coat, showing enough skin to get his blood flowing.
I whispered for him to come closer. He checked to see if anyone was standing around us, but people were still talking to Christian’s estranged mother who was in tears.
I puckered my lips to kiss him. At that moment he was all I wanted. But, him kissing me would be like kissing the devil. I was possessed by another human who had other intentions than holding hands.
It was good he took a step back from me and he got into his car. I smirked knowing my power. All men loved the bad girls, maybe I was too bad for him. Johnny left my heart racing and aching for more. I could smell his scent and I knew he was the one. I needed him so badly that I wanted to scream.
Mama walked over to me with Lola on her hip. “So, is he the one?” she whispered.
“He's a keeper.”
“Yah!” Lola cheered. “Yeah!”
“I wish I had a nose like yours. We are going to have a wonderful time in this old town.”
I smirked and I knew I was not just beautiful for no reason. I was on earth for a reason and now that I was in control of myself, I realized I was even more powerful than before. The only downfall was I now had no conscious and no worries about life. I was amused thinking I needed a man to love me, but in reality I just wanted their candy. Maybe, I was more like Mama than I thought.
We were both killer beauties and born terribly devious.
Notes
Thank you for reading “Devious” by Aria Declan. The author would greatly appreciate an email ([email protected]) about where you read the book and your thoughts. Some questions to consider when emailing could be:
-who did you believe was the murderer in the beginning?
-what do you think the family secret was?
-if you had a different ending, what would have happened?
-do you think Leanna knew about the family secret before and was just being “bad”?
-what is your opinion on the main characters (Leanna, Tyler, Christian, Mama, etc)
All chapter titles were based on various song titles by singer Lana Del Rey. The character Leanna was highly based upon Lana as well. Check out her album “Born to Die”, which is out now.
The book cover is by AcidicGlamour, you check out her other work here.
More books coming soon. To stay updated, bookmark Aria Declan's official website.