Slashing Away: A Dark Psychological Thriller (Gushers Series Book 2)

by Chuck Buda

  Spencer emitted a low growl which rose to an ear-splitting shriek. His good eye jiggled in place, his tongue jutted from his bloody lips. Zoe grinned into the crater which used to be his right eye. The hole she had created with her own hands. She glared at his flattened nose. Spencer had become quite a damaged monster. And Zoe was pleased his countenance reflected the ugliness in his soul.

  Zoe squeezed her fingers against Spencer’s head. His screams fell silent. His body twitched under her grasp. Zoe left LAM to his own devices, allowing the entity to crawl around in Spencer’s brain unmolested. While she re-started her spell, Zoe pissed down her own legs as all her will focused on Spencer.

  The bodies in the far corner stirred. Zoe heard them working their way back to reality. The shock of the maelstrom still causing them confusion. She knew she had limited time before they would re-engage themselves. Zoe could turn her attention to them to put them back into place with another chant. But it was more important for her to eliminate Spencer now. While she had him down.

  Spencer sensed a hesitation in Zoe’s touch. Her attention had been diverted by something. Spencer didn’t care what it was. He used the window while he had it. Spencer coughed up a blue mass. He pulled it from the base of his spine, jetting it through his mouth at Zoe. The sputum broke into millions of pieces when it connected with Zoe’s face.

  She released her grip on his skull to claw at her eyes. A rubbery, water sound rotated around Zoe’s head. It reminded Spencer of running with a stomach full of water. The sloshing sound from his belly, but more solid sounding somehow.

  Zoe glared through the blue slime in her eyes. It coated her vision, making the room look like it was under water. She howled at the ceiling and pointed a finger at Spencer. Sparks of lightning flew from her hands, only to fizzle out before reaching Spencer. She stomped her foot in frustration, her breasts swinging to and fro. Zoe read the atmosphere. Her chances of finishing Spencer off before the others recovered were ruined. She had to escape while she had the chance. It pained her to give up when she was so close to winning. But the risk was too great. Better to escape and re-group for an ambush later.

  Zoe sprinted for the door. She leaped over the members who sat dazed along the carpet. The sound of Zoe’s wicked laughter trailed her down the stairs.

  Spencer vomited more blue jelly. This time it was his body’s will, not his own. He felt nauseated and weak. The blue sputum continued even as he attempted to stop it.

  Todd shook his head. He crawled over to Jordyn. She lay unconscious on the floor. Rebecca cried, holding herself with bruised arms. Leah had to be dead. The color in her fair skin had turned blue. Aiden held Leah in his arms. Tears poured down his face, his expression blank and confused. Todd shifted to find Ryan curled in a ball. He rolled Ryan over, fearing his friend was dead too.

  Ryan stared back at Todd. He blinked. Todd felt relieved Ryan was still with him.

  “What happened?” Ryan croaked.

  Todd glanced over his shoulder at Spencer. His vomiting was finished. Spencer’s body slouched down in an awkward repose. He looked back to Ryan.

  “I don’t know. But I think we have to find Zoe.”

  Ryan sighed and closed his eyes.

  “Nobody is ever going to believe this.” Todd scratched his head and caressed Jordyn’s stomach.

  Chapter 50

  The atmosphere returned to normal. As normal as it could be considering the room was destroyed and blood was everywhere.

  Todd and Ryan spoke in hushed voices. Jordyn and Rebecca consoled Aiden. He was distraught. Leah had succumbed to her wounds. She died of blood loss and Aiden was devastated. He mumbled about Leah being the love of his life in between hyperventilated sobs.

  Spencer hadn’t moved. He lie on the floor, blinking at the ceiling. The empty eye hole made a sickening clicking sound each time he blinked.

  Todd and Ryan went after Spencer. Todd gripped Spencer’s wrist and yanked him to his feet. Spencer allowed his body to act as dead weight. He no longer had energy to fight. Todd’s strength was more than enough to pull him upright. Ryan poked Spencer’s chest.

  “This is your fucking fault, man. You killed Leah. You created a monster. Now you’re gonna pay.” Ryan screamed in Spencer’s face while Todd held him up. Ryan punched Spencer in the stomach. It sent the air out of his lungs. Todd allowed Spencer to fold in half and drop to the floor again.

  “What the fuck are you doing?” Jordyn ran over to Ryan. “We gotta figure out what to do now.”

  “We already figured it out. We’re gonna kill Spencer. And then we’re gonna find Zoe and kill her too.” Ryan sounded more like Todd in a rage.

  Jordyn slapped Ryan’s face. His stunned expression showed more hurt than surprise. “We have to work together. If Zoe has magical powers now, don’t you think we need somebody like Spencer?”

  “We don’t need magic. We have thunder and lightning.” Todd raised his muscled arms to indicate his powers.

  “Don’t you get it? Beating Zoe up isn’t going to work. She has become something...more than us. We need to fight fire with fire. Magic with magic.” Jordyn huffed.

  Todd got in Jordyn’s face. “And you would rather trust this piece of shit over us? He’s a fucking monster, too. I’d rather lose with my own two hands than risk giving baldy here another chance at world domination.”

  Rebecca came to her daughter’s defense. She left Aiden alone and stood behind Jordyn. “She’s right, Todd. Zoe is scary. I can’t even describe what I witnessed tonight. But your machismo is not going to be enough.”

  “Well, you do what you want. Ryan and me are going to get a little action. An eye for an eye.” Todd mocked Spencer. “Pun intended, asshole.”

  “Be reasonable. You saw what she could do. Look around. Does this look like the scene of a street fight?” Rebecca folded her arms over her breasts. They spilled over and around her arms.

  Todd sighed. He turned to glare at Spencer. Ryan patted Todd’s shoulder. “I think we should listen to them. Even if we get the jump on Zoe, her power is too strong to beat away.”

  “We don’t have a choice.”

  Everyone fell silent. Aiden’s voice surprised them. He joined their discussion, leaving Leah’s body behind on the bed.

  “We’re all responsible for this mess. Everyone made a conscious decision to start this thing. Now we have to decide to end it.” He sniffed up a snot bubble and rubbed his eyes.

  Rebecca wrapped her arms around Aiden. She squeezed his head into her chest. “Poor baby.”

  “Then how are we going to do this?” Todd looked around. “How can we explain all this? We can’t hide it. And we can’t hide ourselves when we go out there searching for her.”

  Jordyn nodded. “We have to act fast. My father will be coming home from his business trip in a few hours. We won’t be able to clean this up in time.” She pointed at all the blood stains on the carpet and the splintered furniture.

  Rebecca gasped. “Oh my God. Your father. I forgot...” Her thoughts didn’t need to finish. Everyone knew it was the end of her marriage.

  “How do we get him involved? He looks dead.” Ryan directed everyone to Spencer. He remained in a heap on the floor where he landed. They saw he was breathing. But he wasn’t moving.

  “That motherfucker is fine, trust me. He’s playing turtle until he can fuck us over again.” Todd approached Spencer. He leaned down into Spencer’s face. “Ain’t that right, cocksucker?”

  “Sorry.”

  Todd chuckled. “What did you say?” He cupped his ear at Spencer as if he hadn’t heard Spencer apologize. “I didn’t think dead men could talk.”

  “I said, I’m sorry.” Spencer sat up slowly. He felt around the hole of his missing eye. “I fucked up.”

  Todd laughed. His laugh grew louder as he thought about Spencer’s admission. “He’s sorry, he says.” Todd thumbed over his shoulder at Spencer. “It’s okay, everyone. Spencer is sorry. So...Leah’s not dead and Zoe’s not a creepy cunt
and all of this mess is just a make-believe fantasy.” Todd turned like he was about to attack Spencer. Ryan and Aiden tied Todd up with their arms so he couldn’t get to Spencer. Todd was full of rage and he needed to get it out.

  Spencer pulled himself to his feet. “I can’t make up for what has happened already. But I have to help you catch Zoe. And kill her.”

  “Fuck you, man! Too little, too late!” Todd struggled again to get at Spencer.

  “Todd!” Jordyn shouted for him to stop.

  Spencer fought back his own tears. “I really am sorry. Just...let me help you get Zoe...and you can do whatever you want to me. I swear. You can kill me or mutilate me in revenge. Just...let me help you take out Zoe first.”

  Aiden let go of Todd’s arms. He walked up to Spencer. Aiden searched Spencer’s battered face for answers. He sighed and spoke softly.

  “We need your help, Spencer. Tonight. It can’t wait. We must find Zoe. And kill her.” Rebecca gasped behind him. “Todd’s right. Nobody is ever going to believe what happened here. We have to handle this ourselves. Before the police get involved. They can’t do anything about Zoe anyway.”

  Spencer nodded. Todd tsked and strolled away.

  “Zoe needs to pay for her actions.” Aiden’s soft voice hardened. “And Leah must be avenged.” Aiden wiped the last tears from his cheeks. “And when it is over, Spencer, I am going to kill you myself.” Aiden jabbed his fingers into Spencer’s chest.

  Todd ran back upon hearing Aiden’s words. He cheered Aiden and patted his back with enthusiasm. Aiden shot Todd a glare, signaling there was nothing to cheer about. Todd quieted down.

  Spencer looked after Aiden. His fate was sealed. Along with everyone else in The First Cut. Zoe used to brag that everyone would want to get into The First Cut. But nobody could quit The First Cut.

  Her words were prophetic. The First Cut owned each member. Getting out intact was nearly impossible.

  Chapter 51

  Zoe reached the back yard. She caught sight of the jug of blood Aiden had donated to the cause. Zoe hurried over to the gazebo around the hot tub. She lofted the heavy container, popped the top and began to guzzle down the elixir.

  She had achieved a bit of success tonight but not enough. In order to reach her goal of full attainment, Zoe had to eliminate Spencer. He had survived. For now.

  Zoe took another swig from the heavy jug. The taste of Aiden’s blood was a tad...acidic. Zoe winced at the bitterness. She recapped the lid and gathered her clothes. An internal debate over the merits of bothering with clothing settled quickly. Zoe pulled on her outfit. She had to appear somewhat normal when she left the yard in order to avoid being stopped by the police. Or noticed by snooping neighbors.

  She finished dressing and lugged the bloody container through the gate. As she ran to her car, Zoe thought about leaving it parked outside. She could make a quicker getaway by driving. She would also be targeted quicker once her friends called the cops. Traveling on foot would provide her more options for cover and chances to hide. Slow and steady would be optimal.

  Zoe tossed her car keys in the air and darted up the street. She skittered from tree to tree, scrambling through the front yards instead of using the sidewalks which were lit by street lamps. She wanted to shout gleefully in triumph. But she controlled her urges to maintain secrecy.

  The end of The First Cut was done. She could never go back. She would not rule over the dimwitted friends. Her seat atop the heap was toppled. Yet, Zoe had won. She was still in charge. And she knew she had what they all wanted.

  Power.

  Zoe was stronger than ever now. She felt the energy collected in her veins. It burned her from the inside out. The force wanted more blood. It needed to come alive in the death of others. The spirits Zoe had summoned would not leave her until she fed them. She wondered if she had been able to absorb Spencer’s satanic elements, too. Zoe couldn’t differentiate one spirit from the other. But she noticed the surge in her strength once she had Spencer on his knees. Zoe reasoned the Devil must have jumped into her body in order to avoid sharing in Spencer’s defeat. With Satan and Lam at her arsenal, Zoe could not be stopped.

  Her mind ran through a mental inventory of things she needed to do in order to complete her victory. The evil checklist was filled with items which would weaken a serial killer to tears. Zoe was up to the task. She had dreamed of being in charge since she was a little girl. Her goals were much smaller back then, but easily scaled to her current age and intelligence.

  Zoe must rule the world. She needed to have all the filthy people at her feet. Begging for mercy. Hanging on every word and decision.

  She giggled as she ran through the yards.

  Zoe was happy. Ecstatic.

  She had started a new life. A life full of excitement and possibility. Something she could control. Something big.

  Zoe stuck to the shadows. The night grew older. Her time was short. She had so much to do in so little time.

  Zoe’s eyes filled with blood. The whites clouded over with crimson.

  Her tongue slid across her upper teeth.

  Searching for fangs.

  Continue the Thrills!

  I hope you enjoyed the second novel in the Gushers series. The next book will be available soon. To receive updates on future releases go to:

  I Wanna Be a Gusher!

  ***

  Beneath the Blood

  When I began this project, the Gushers Series, I wanted to try something different. For me. I wanted to write a story that had broader appeal to a wider audience. I also wanted the story to be over-the-top. I think I have succeeded on both fronts.

  I can’t figure out if this series appeals to folks because it is aligned with the classic vampire tropes, or if it intrigues people that I conceptualize the series as True Blood on steroids. Either way, The First Cut, the first installment in the series, became an underground hit of sorts. For me.

  Readers snatched up copies in every format. They were quick to leave reviews or send me comments. Somehow, I struck a nerve. Not in the sense of angering people. But in the sense people were compelled to pick up this series and give it a try. I wish the same could be said for some of my other books. To each their own. No worries. I have gone on record, publicly, stating I write for the story which needs to be told. In doing so, I know the readers will eventually find their way to my wickedness.

  So the pressure was on. The first book was a hit. I had to follow it up with something better. I couldn’t rest on my ample cheeks, hoping to play it safe and put forth another similar tale. I decided to roll the dice. I went BIG.

  In Slashing Away, I increased the stakes. For ALL the characters. Originally, the few main characters would have a transformation to undertake. The rest of the characters were supposed to play a supporting role and prop up the story. Uh-uh. Each of the characters became a focal point with their own, individual struggles and desires. I think opposing all of the members against each other, creating a matrix of mayhem (oh, I kinda like that) provided a richer tale. The difficulty would be in coordinating all the moving parts. It feels like I got it right.

  Slashing Away necessarily had to go beyond The First Cut. It had to grow darker. The second installment needed to go off the rails in order to take the reader to...

  ...well, now. I can’t reveal where the series is heading. But I promise you, the final book, Tourniquet (coming soon), will blow you away. The pace will be furious. The end will be satisfying. And there will be lots of blood. So much blood. Imagine waves of blood crashing upon a sandy shore. Yeah. That much blood.

  And I’ll probably give you some more sex, too. Not personally give you sex. I meant, write more sexy content for the last book. Of course, I COULD give YOU more sex but I’m sure you can find somebody with better abs and more money and bigger...career aspirations. Plus, my wife doesn’t like me playing with others. Some little contract thing in our wedding documents. I digress.

  I am extremely proud of this book and the serie
s at large. And I can’t wait for you to dive into the final chapter. It’s on its way. You won’t be disappointed.

  Thank you once again for spending time with my sick imagination. Creating stories is a lot of fun. Feel free to tell your friends about my work. And be sure to check me out on social media. You’ll find me almost everywhere and I like to horse around. So gimme a shout.

  Chuck Buda

  P.S. Drop me a note and let me know what you think. I love to hear from readers.

  I feel safer with you by my side.

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