by Ashley Black
“What is that look for?”
Before I knew what was happening he was slapping me repeatedly across the face. We are talking bitch slap, kill switch engaged, level slapping.
Ouch!
“Aaron!” I protested.
“You fucked him!” he screamed shrilly. “I smell him all over you.”
I felt my cheeks burn hot with anger. “Why the judgment?”
“Brett just died!” Aaron hissed in disgust. “Or did Thorn’s prick make you forget that?”
I was out of my seat, about to kill him.
Our reunion had gone to hell in a hand basket. I had missed him so much, and we had so much to talk about! Why was he being such an asshole?
Aaron backed away from me. “I hope he makes you fat with triplets!”
I advanced on him. “Fuck you bitch. A minute ago you were rejoicing that the man liked you, claiming this was bigger news than the love of my entire fucking life possibly being alive, and now, you put this shit on me. Fuck you very much!”
Cameras flashed in my face.
I blinked, startled.
Aaron jumped into agent protection mode and launched himself angrily at a portly, red faced man who had just blinded me with a rather high powered camera. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Our daughter wanted us to meet a brown haired Barbie doll in a wedding dress while in Mexico,” the scared, frightened flushed sweaty face of the man explained. Meanwhile I saw a woman with frizzy blonde hair, drop her head into her arms. Her shoulders shaking on the table in either laughter or tears. I couldn’t be sure which.
“You. You are fucking beautiful,” the man insisted fervently.
I smiled. “Thank you. Let’s do a nicer shot. I was angry and yelling at my agent in those you took just now, and I am pretty sure those photo’s would scare your daughter.”
“Yeah,” the man rubbed his chin, beady eyes narrowing on the camera. “You do look like you are nearly fucking forty in those pictures. All that anger, dries a bitch out.”
“I am thirty-five,” I answered calmly taking the camera from him and handing it to Aaron. A pro at getting a good shot of me. “And I am a best selling famous author, so tell your daughter won’t you that I also do that, not just be pretty wearing a wedding dress all right?”
He bobbed his head. “Of course.”
I smiled demurely up at Aaron and he rolled his eyes heavenward, before holding up his thumb as he shot me. He handed the camera back to the man who looked down at the picture whistling in appreciation.
“Now you look early twenties,” the man blinked and rubbed his eyes. Looking at me, hard. “You sure you 35?”
The woman with the frizzy blonde hair who had raised her head from her folded arms, was now scowling at me.
I smiled at her and nodded my head deferentially. “I am marrying Mr. Cellrager in a music video today,” I announced pleasantly.
Her brows rose. “He is so fucking hot! Oh my God, how did you get that gig girl?” She lit a cigarette and blew smoke in my face.
I stifled a scream. “We met, and he liked, I guess.”
I smiled faintly at hearing myself reduce the enormity of Thorn and I to this.
Then I narrowed my eyes on her. “And don’t call me girl.”
Blondie shrugged. “All right. Sure. I can do that. I just think that would be cool to see a pretty lady like you in his music videos. I wonder how you’ll die?”
I blinked at her and then face palmed . The few occasions Mr. Cellrager had featured a pretty lady, it had all turned verily to shit. She died, pretty horrifically.
“I think he will die in this one,” I said, and regretted it at once.
A shiver of intense revulsion rippled up and down my spine.
The cigarette fell from her cracked, parched lips. She looked severely unimpressed.
Aaron pulled me away. “All right folks … have a wonderful day!”
Breakfast forgotten, not that I was left with much to indulge in the first place, Aaron and I decided our rather hurtful spat was more deserving of tequila.
“Two maximum that is it,” he groaned. “Pretty sure that heart eating fuck weed will kill me if you turn up on set for the vid shoot drunk.”
“He doesn’t eat hearts,” I snapped.
Aaron arched a perfectly shaped brow. “Really? That’s not what Clarissa was telling me.”
“He doesn’t eat hearts any more,” I clarified. “And where is Clarissa anyway? I need her help.”
“She’s going to join us tonight at the Depreche Mode Bar. An Old favorite of Thorn’s. He and the owner go back a ways, and he’s decided to do a set.”
Cellrager live! I was beyond excited.
“I can’t wait for tonight!” I breathed.
Aaron’s grey eyes narrowed on my raven necklace. “I see you’re still wearing it.”
“I want to find out more about this thing before I do anything with it,” I excused my conduct in leaving crazy ass raven necklace on my person. But I shivered, reflecting on the Warlock who had fucked Thorn over gifting something other than the original intent. I realized I wasn’t completely sure what even that had been now? Then again, I couldn’t be sure of anything when it came to Thornton Darko.
Except this.
The man loved me with an intensity, fierceness and deep black passion I had never known before.
I did not doubt this.
He loved me.
And I loved him, whoever him, was? I don’t think I was ever going to figure that man out.
And perhaps I didn’t ever want to.
Aaron sniggered. “What is there to find out? Clarissa told you what you need to do, you need to fucking ask him to remove it. Have you even done that Elena? Asked him to relieve you of his piece of shit gift? Or has the man’s magic wand distracted you?”
As we slid into the darkened cool embrace of a bar and awaited our tequilas I had to grip both hands in my lap to keep from hitting Aaron.
“Why are you being such a bitch to me buddy?”
I felt my lower lip wobble.
Aaron stared at it and sighed “Ah come on, don’t give me that look woman. You know what it does to me.”
We looked up to smile and acknowledge our savior with the tequilas, we clinked glasses.
“Well?” I pinned my friend with a stare. “I’m awaiting an explanation?”
“Because Thornton Darko is mother fucking evil Elena and I’m so worried about you. I don’t buy this love thing. I think you are a game to him. I think he collects Enchantresses and keeps them locked away. But not until you have given yourself completely to him.”
I screamed and dropped the tequila I had been clutching.
“Sweet Jesus, what is it?” My friend looked concerned. “You should see your face right now, Elena?”
When you are finally mine. Thorn’s words rippled through my mind. I remember he had spoken them when he had started slapping my pussy, and he had said that he burned to fill and slaughter her as much and as little as he desired when …
“You are finally mine,” I spoke aloud.
“The fuck?” my poor friend’s brow was scrunched in confusion.
“That is what he said last night.”
“The context please?” Aaron prompted.
I laughed bitterly. “Sex.”
He shuddered, repulsion cutting up his beautiful face. “You need to find out what he means by that. Here …”
I protested when Aaron snatched my mobile phone and thumbed a text and slid it back to me looking satisfied.
“This is your final warning about taking my phone and text messaging Thornton!” I groaned and took a peek at what he had sent.
You are a mediocre fuck, at best.
“Holy shit Aaron!” I screeched at him and shot him a glare.
I saw Thorn was responding from those pesky eclipses …
Was this before or after I went all crazy eyed on you?
Oh shit, I had forgotten about that
. I huffed in irritation when my friend slid into the booth beside me so he could watch this train wreck of a text message exchange. He rested his chin on my shoulder. “What does he mean crazy eyed?”
I sighed. “Things were getting hot and heavy and his eyes were literally on fire, not long, but yeah.”
“And you don’t see a problem with this because?”
“They were actually really fucking pretty,” I admitted.
“You are so fucked by that prick!” Aaron groaned. “I am losing my Elena to some hell demon freak. God,” his hands went up clutching his bald skull. “You don’t even know the worst of what we found out about him.”
Aaron sent that, I uncharitably fired back to Thorn, to the squeal of protest from my friend. And as an afterthought.
Besides, I liked your crazy eyes. And your performance was outstanding
I filed the ‘when you are finally mine’ statement away, along with so many other things I wanted to ask Thorn about, but couldn’t, right now.
Because …
Brett was alive.
My heart felt like it had been carved open and a niggling, uneasy, damp cold wind poured in with urgent whispers.
You need to find Brett.
You need to get away from Thorn.
Very. Very. Far away.
You are in denial about being his prisoner, but that is what you are.
Escape. You are better than this Enchantress.
I gripped my friends hand hard, my heart pounding with sickening nauseating dread. “You need to help me get away from him. I am serious. I need your help buddy. Can you help me?”
“There is no one on this earth who can help you bitch!”
A harsh, bitter soaked, deep male voice informed us.
Fifteen
Him.
I knew it.
Call it an Enchantress knowing.
But the tall man who stood before me dressed in a black suit and wearing a black cross tattoo down the right side of his gaunt white face. I knew to be the one Thorn and his dad had refused to name. The leader of the Satanic Cult who had recruited Thorn’s Mother and Father.
Without invitation, he slid across the table from me and folded his impossibly huge hands before him. His black beady eyes narrowed, as he flashed a mouth full of sharp teeth.
Terror uncoiled in my belly and lashed at my guts.
I was a mess of nerves and tension.
My throat had gone dry as I stared at him.
“And you were about to say something of critical importance to the lady I believe,” he winked at my friend.
Aaron recovered himself quickly. “Excuse me? Do we know you?”
“No, but Thorn does, and let me just say, I will feel so very familiar to at least one of you,” I shivered with unease as his gaze crept and scurried all over me. Ewwwww, “soon, because Thorn has been a very, very, bad boy and he must be dealt with.” Then he fixed my friend with a leering grin. “And you were saying?” he prompted.
Aaron blinked slowly and then turned to me and said. “We found out Thorn actually poisoned his parents and the whole town. Not his parents. He did it. Thorn killed them all.”
“No!” I shook my head. My stomach was a whirling cesspool of terror and denial battling it out. Oh no. I couldn’t believe Thorn would do such a heinous thing. He was so caring. He had such strong social justice ideals and values. He would not do this.
I refused to believe it.
I could not believe it.
“I honestly do understand how Thornton ended up as a rock star,” the man smirked, black eyes flashing. “He was always … quite the performer, you will understand. He had every one fooled as the boy who refused the sick drink and survived. Perhaps, if he cared more about honoring his true nature and the dark craft he would not have to sit back and helplessly watch the only man who ever loved and understood the poor wretch, deteriorate, shrivel up and die.”
I sprung across the table. How dare he be so fucking cruel to speak of Bob in this way? Oh my God I was beginning to understand the terror and unease; the blistering hot dark tension that Thorn vibrated with, whenever he spoke of this … man.
The man held up his hand.
I hit a wall of resistance and was pushed unceremoniously back in my seat.
Fuck.
Oh.
All right then.
Think Enchantress! Think! My hand was winding up to clasp my throat and cover the raven necklace that glittered there. Every instinct roared at me to do so.
“We be going now,” Aaron muttered, looking from me to the strange man. Confusion crinkled his brow. “Want us to pass a message on to Thorn, we’re due on the set of his music video soon?”
“Yes,” the Cult Leader smiled. “You can tell him from me, that he is about to get what is coming for him. All of it. All at once. His dark destiny is assured.”
When Aaron blinked in confusion, the man leaned in close. “Ensure you say ‘dark destiny is assured’ and then … run away!” He laughed and clapped his hands. “BOOM! He will explode!”
“Why?” I asked, pulling Aaron in front of me to shield the necklace. “Will saying that set him off, exactly?”
“Because I ensured I stained his soul and mind with this fact,” the man smirked, sounding rather pleased with himself. “I have hard wired it into the brat. When it is uttered. He loses his mind,” he snapped his fingers. “Every time.”
“Yeah, all right dude,” Aaron agreed nervously, and backed us out of the bar. “I love pissing off that fucktard, so happy to drop your mind fuck bomb on him for sure.”
Our awful, guest only inclined his head slightly and waved.
As soon as we were out of there Aaron and I jumped up and down and screamed in the street.
It seemed the only natural response.
“That dude had real magic and he be bad ass!” my friend groaned. “And Elena hell to yes … I heard you, whilst Thorn is “performing” tonight, let Clarissa and I handle it, we’ll get you out of Mexico. You’re coming home. Brett isn’t dead honey. There is still hope for your crazy kids yet.”
I couldn’t help but smile at that. To see him again. My beautiful Brett.
Could I be so lucky?
I hoped so!
“Do not say a thing to Thorn about him,” I jerked my thumb back at the bar. “He is liable to lose his shit and cancel this appearance at the bar tonight. Only my biggest chance yet to escape him. So please don’t fuck that up for me all right?”
“Of course,” he assured, me and yet he was shaking his head.
“All right, “ I sighed, “you are not coming anywhere near Thorn. Meet me at the bar. That … dick, whoever he is, in there has just made certain you will blurt everything upon sighting Thorn.”
Aaron nodded, looking troubled. “Don’t you think we should warn him or something?”
“Warn me of what exactly?”
Shit. Of course, Thorn. He was always … there.
I sent a vicious look in Aaron’s direction.
Shut the fuck up bitch! It warned.
He shrugged, and clapped a hand over his mouth, eyes darting wildly between Thorn and I.
“That we need to talk,” I fumbled.
“Elena’s ‘talks’ require warnings,” Aaron added and then began backing away. “All right then gorgeous people I will see you at the bar tonight,” he waved.
Thorn glowered after him.
Then he fixed me with a stare that terrified and electrified me. “What is going on Elena?”
He sounded so soft, sad, and uncertain of himself.
“Brett,” I answered honestly.
“What about the dead artist?” Thorn bruised me with his callous words.
“Well that’s just it. He doesn’t appear to be dead,” I said.
Then suddenly light exploded around us.
I blinked and cried out in surprise, turning around in a slow circle absorbing a flurry of camera crew and activity
Of course Thorn was filming
his video now, when my reality felt like it was about to explode.
Just another day in the life of his sweet dark mayhem.
I was a mess.
I was barely able to stand upright as he towered over me. His eyes glittering, hissing, practically spitting venom in my face.
The pupils had turned into a black slash that burned me within, and without. They reminded me of snake eyes.
Shit.
Aaron, at least, had made a swift retreat. I was grateful for one less … complication.
I wasn’t completely callous. I would warn Thorn about the despicable evil that awaited him, right here in Mexico, just … when my own ass was very far away from his.
Except.
My hand closed around the raven necklace.
He was bound to me.
And if I wanted him.
Which I did.
He was apparently, according to my white witch friend Clarissa, powerless to the compulsion to be by my side.
And I would want him, because he had stained himself on my skin and beneath it, right to the rather fucked up core of me.
There was no escape.
Fuck it, I would take a temporary reprieve to think straight.
To find Brett.
Must.
Find.
Brett.
“You look beautiful,” he grunted finally, staring down at me. “You don’t understand what you in that dress does to me Elena.”
“The famous Elena,” a good natured and relaxed voice interrupted.
I shot its owner, a tall dude with blond dreadlocks, hazel eyes, and a friendly rounded face, a grateful smile.
“Hey, I’m Sammy” he grinned.
Thorn grunted, and flushed slightly as he introduced me to the rest of the crew who merely ‘supported’ Cellrager.
One of them, a dude who just was introduced as “G”, apologized about his lewd comments made behind the glass of the strange bed room in the cave.
I waved him off. “I’m cool.”
“You’re apologizing to the wrong person G,” Sammy laughed and slapped Thorn on the back. “This man here still very much wants to rip your head off for that.”
A faint smile pulled at Thorn’s uncompromising pout.
I exchanged a bit of small talk with the Cellrager tech support folk and then felt my eyes widen at the size of a black cross being dragged and erected in the middle of the sandy expanse. Dump trucks had added a fuck ton of sand to it to create the effect.