Click, click, click.
The sound of high heels distracted me from my delusional thoughts.
“Help! Whoever’s out there, open the door!” My voice was cracked and I had cotton mouth. “Please!”
The footsteps stopped outside the door. I banged on it because if I opened my mouth again, no sound would come out.
“Max, get away from the door,” the familiar voice called out from the other side and with strength I thought had been depleted, I got to my feet and stumbled backwards as I heard it unlock. The door opened and the light streamed into the room, well what I thought was a room, but now I’ve decided was a dungeon.
I crouched down and squinted to adjust to the brightness as I saw a familiar girl with long blonde hair and a body to die for, just outside the door in the same black, skin tight dress she wore to the party. Not a hair out of place.
Getting up a little too fast, I walked towards her in a hurry— adrenaline kicking in.
“Are you okay? Let’s get out of here, wherever we are.” Grabbing her elbow and trying to head for the door, she didn’t move. Not even slightly.
She tapped me lightly on the shoulder and sent me flying towards the cot I awoke from.
Holy hell.
“I’m so sorry we had to meet under these circumstances, Maximillion. I truly thought we hit it off last night. But unfortunately, duty comes first. Maybe in the next life.”
Leaning on one hip, she blew me a kiss and I couldn’t understand what she was talking about.
“What? Let’s just get home. I think someone slipped something in our drinks. My parents are probably freaking out.”
She didn’t even move, and neither could I. I tried to lift my arm, a finger at least, but my body was stuck. I was paralyzed.
“No, we’re not going anywhere. Especially you. You were right under my nose, in plain sight. I got really lucky finding you.” What she was saying didn’t make any sense. But the shiver I got made this scenario all too familiar. She walked towards me, straddled me on the cot and ran her fingers through my messy black hair then down my face, like a caress. “Oh, Maximillion, if I could only keep you for myself. I bet you don’t even have a clue about what’s going on. It’s sad really. Your father should have been more forthcoming. Maybe he could have avoided all of this. Now he will just have to live with the regret.” Her touch was putting me to sleep. Maybe that was her intention, but the mention of my father had me on alert.
“What did you say about my dad? What are you talking about?” She could hear the drowsiness in my voice.
“Now, now, let’s not get all worked up. You seem a little tired. Well since I have you here, we might as well kill a little time together.” She leaned in as her lips brushed mine and she moved onto kissing my neck. Pulling my hair and tilting my head back, I closed my eyes and held onto her hips.
“Pl-Please. Tell me what’s going on.” I struggled to get my thoughts together. I knew this was all wrong but I couldn’t control it. I just wanted to give in to her.
“Shhh, don’t worry. I won’t let them hurt you. They need you anyways, and I’ll be with you every step of the way.” They need me? Who? What the hell is going on?
“Who needs me?”
“Don’t be so quick to dance with the devil, Max. You’ll have all your questions answered in due time.” Trying to wet my mouth to respond, I tensed under her touch when I glimpsed someone in the doorway watching us. Her pitch black curls looked wild as they spilled all around her. Her green eyes frightened me the most. They were bright and menacing. She stood there, fists clenched to her side. A smirk splayed on her face.
“What’s wrong, Maximillion?” She followed my gaze and jumped in front of me in a protective stance.
A growl escaped the Anderson twin and I would have been shocked if my surprise wasn’t already spent from seeing my neighbor here.
“You dirty wench. I won’t kill you if you let him go,” Angela said shaking her head as she leaned against the door frame, crossing her arms in front of her, relaxed.
“Well that isn’t how the divine are supposed to speak, now is it? Maybe you belong with my kind. You got enough spunk if you think you can just waltz in here and save the day.” I was hearing everything but it wasn’t registering. Nothing made sense.
“Oh, come on now, Daughter of Lilith. I’ve been around longer than you have, don’t talk down to me. If I were you, I’d be shaking in those cheap stilettos at the sight of me. I do my best damage when I’m alone. Don’t test me.” Angela winked and her grin broadened.
The Anderson twin flinched but held her ground. My head was full of confusion, but one thing I knew for certain; if I left with Angela, I would go home.
“Listen I just want to get out of here. Can you give me a lift?” I looked at Angela hoping she would say yes, but I knew she would, even before she nodded towards me.
“No! You’re not going anywhere.” The Anderson twin placed her palm on my chest and sent me flying towards the wall again. I was surprised I was still conscious.
I must have blacked out for a bit because all I saw was Angela holding the twin up by the neck. What came next I didn’t see coming. Something was shining in Angela’s hand as she thrust it into the twin’s stomach.
A knife.
“They’re coming for him. They know. He’s not a secret anymore,” she gurgled out, and before I could react, she let out a loud shriek, sounding like a screeching bird but amplified. I covered my ears as they started to pop. When I looked up, there wasn’t blood oozing out of her, but a thick black liquid—and not just from the knife wound— it seeped out of her eyes, nose, mouth, even finger nails. The smell was even worse. The stench of decay filled the room and I tasted the bile rising up my throat. The shrieking stopped and Angela dropped whatever was left of the twin into the puddle of black liquid.
“What the—?” was all I said before she crossed the room and pulled me up to my feet.
“Let’s go,” she said, but I couldn’t even move. My body felt heavy and I knew I was going to pass out. This feeling was getting too familiar, but I didn’t dwell on it for long. I was out.
4
“How long has he been out?”
“24 hours.”
“If we didn’t mess with his head so much, he wouldn’t be having these problems.”
“Stop overreacting.”
“This isn’t normal!”
“Relax! My boy will make it.”
“He had a concussion, Xavier!”
“He’ll wake up soon, I know it.”
“We should have taken him to the hospital!”
I could hear them—my mom, dad, Jones—but I couldn’t open my eyes. Their voices sounded so far away—they echoed in my ears. This all too well-known state of darkness surrounded me. Except the small amount of light I saw in front of me. I wasn’t awake; this was all in my head, like a dream.
An unfamiliar tug pulled at my stomach. It took every bit of strength I had not to move. Not able to withstand it much longer, I started taking some steps forward. Stopping, all I could see was a light far into the distance and a silhouette in front of it. I patted myself down and I felt normal. Healthy. I began the walk towards the light again. It was welcoming and warm. The tug in my stomach was pulling me harder now, and I felt a sense of happiness take over me. I was heading in the right direction; wherever I was. Come to think of it, it didn’t matter if I ever went back. I didn’t care about school, that half sandwich I left in my locker, or even my mom who I could hear out in the distance as she pleaded for me to wake up. My sweet mother. No, I could stay here forever.
“No you can’t and I think you should stay right where you are. Don’t come any further; it’s not your time yet.”
I got a look at who was standing in front of the light. It was a woman. I started to walk closer to get a better look. She was wearing a white dress that covered her feet and she resembled a Greek goddess. Gold wristlets travel up her arm from her wrists and the closer
I got, the more they looked like manacles. Almost like a prisoner. Nevertheless she was beautiful.
“I said stay where you are.” Her voice echoed through me and I stayed put.
“Where am I?” I was surprised I had found my voice.
“I wouldn’t worry much about where you are, but why.”
“Then why am I here?”
“Unfortunately I can’t answer that, but you can.” She saw how confused I was because a smile crossed her pale face. My eyes skimmed her over. Her blond hair fell into waves and shimmered like gold. Her cheeks were lifted and defined. She had thin eyes and pouty lips that were plump and pink, like she’d just finished making out with someone. It took every ounce of restraint to not walk towards her. Her beauty was mesmerizing.
“Maximillion, the memories are there. You just have to find them. But now I must tell you to go. Wake up and be with the living because once you cross over to this light, you can never go back. I’m sorry the truths have been taken away from you and I can’t be of much help; but you’re stronger then you think. Now go. Wake up.”
Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up.
Her last words were a whisper as my eyes fluttered open and the light from the setting sun came through the living room window. I knew I was home once I smelled lavender and chamomile. My mother was such a clean freak that she put those stupid Air Wick plug in’s in every room. I tried to speak but nothing came out. My mouth was dry and I needed something to drink. My dad handed me a glass of water.
“Take sips, don’t chug or it’ll come back up again,” he said, calm as always.
“Oh my goodness, my baby. Are you okay, sweetheart? Can I get you anything?” My mother came running towards me as she knelt down next to the sofa and held on to my free hand. The water was room temperature as it went down my throat. I must have been out for a while.
“I’m fine. Thanks,” I said because I felt on the verge of a breakdown. Too many thoughts ran around in my mind and I couldn’t figure out what to say first.
If I wasn’t trying to avoid my parents’ worried faces, I would have missed him hiding in a corner. Jones slouched against the wall, watching us quietly. He was most likely feeling guilty for leaving me with that crazy chick.
“Hey man,” I said, but all he did was nod at me and turn away. Huh? Watching him closely, his whole demeanor was un-Jones like. His body appeared tensed—hands fisted—and the scowl forming on his face didn’t sit well with me. What happened? I had never seen him so serious and angry. Almost as if he were angry with me.
“Well you gave us quite the scare. Luckily you’re alright and things can go back to normal,” my dad said and we all gawked at him in terror. Back to normal? Was he on crack? I had so many questions I didn’t even know where to start.
“Normal? Are you serious? Who spiked your drink Xavier?” Angela came out of the kitchen. She leaned on the back of the sofa I was laying on.
Holy cow, Angela was in my house. What was she doing here?
After I asked myself, the memory came flooding back. She came for me and killed the Anderson twin. Oh crap, she killed someone.
“How you doing there, champ?” My eyes were bulging out of my sockets and she seemed like she was about to start laughing, but held it in with a grunt.
“Since the cats out of the bag, I guess we got some explaining to do.” I didn’t know if she was talking to me or my father, but I would definitely like an explanation. Where did she hide the body? Holy smokes, I’m too young for prison.
“Angela let’s not push it. Jones come over here and get this over with before it’s too late.” My dad waved him over but he didn’t move. Get what over with?
“Are you nuts Xavier? He just woke up!” Angela almost jumped over the couch, startling me even more. I’d never heard her yell—then again I’ve barely heard her even speak until now.
“Yeah, it’s too dangerous. That’s why he keeps passing out and staying unconscious for so long. Too much of this can cause some serious brain damage.” Jones finally came out of his corner, every so often glaring at me. He really was mad at me. What the heck?
This was all too ridiculous. Everyone was arguing about me as if I wasn’t here. My mother was still quietly kneeling next to me holding my hand and facing the ground. That’s when I saw it. A single tear dropping down to her lap. In some way, this was all hurting her.
“Stop.” I blurted louder than intended and everyone stopped arguing to stare at me, even my mom.
“I’m right here you know and I know more than you think.” I was totally bluffing.
“I know you’ve been taking my memories. I don’t know how but that’s beside the point.” My heart pumped fast, I had to catch my breath. I didn’t know if what I was saying was true, but after talking with the Greek goddess, it just sounded like the right thing to say. Like an old memory. My mom looked at me as she tried to smile but it looked strained. It didn’t reach her eyes.
My father cursed.
“Xavier!” My mom whipped her head around to face him. This was the first time I’d heard him curse. Heck, this was the first time I’d ever seen him distraught. I hadn’t noticed before but his hair was disheveled, he had bags around his eyes and his glasses were askew. Even my mother appeared like him, except her eyes were red from all the crying. The only people who were in perfect condition, were Jones and Angela.
“I’m sorry, but this is how it’s supposed to be. For your protection Max. Now Jones, don’t make me ask again.” Before Jones said something, Angela chimed in.
“Loran don’t. You know this isn’t right.” Her hands were clutching the sofa so hard I thought she would rip the fabric. She was so antsy that she didn’t wait for a response. She looked at me with those menacing green eyes and I couldn’t look away. I think I was still in shock from seeing her at my house or knowing that she was a murderer. Whatever the case may be, I couldn’t look away.
“That’s it, get up we’re leaving.” Before I could object, we were flying out the door.
5
I could taste the salt water of the Atlantic before we saw the ocean, feeling the chilly breeze as we went over the speed limit in Angela’s all black Jeep Wrangler. One thing was for sure, she had some incredible speed. She dragged me out of the house so fast, you would have thought it was on fire. Luckily, I was still dressed with the same clothes from the other night. I took a quick sniff over my shoulder and I didn’t smell like roses.
She hadn’t said a word.
I kept sneaking glances at her in hopes of her showing some type of emotion.
Nothing.
She was focused on the road, nothing could distract her. Not until my phone buzzed for the hundredth time as my dad called again to get me to come home.
She’d had enough.
Angela reached for my phone as I was about to decline the call and threw it out the window.
Still nothing.
She murdered my phone so gracefully, I was too shocked to get mad.
Yeah she was—without a doubt—a murderer. Two in one night, that had to be a record.
“Well, there goes my iPhone. May she rest in peace.” I mumbled under my breath and I knew she heard me. Still, she didn’t crack a smile.
Our town was pretty small and there were only two areas you could live. If you were middle class like my family, you lived in the borders of the town, but if you were rich like Anthony, you lived by the beach. The pier separated our two economic classes. That’s where we were headed: somewhere in the middle.
We parked the Jeep by one of the warehouses nearby and we headed towards the pier. Her black curls were picked up in a messy bun…a bun that looked quite familiar but I couldn’t put my finger on it. She caught me staring and I couldn’t stop the grin forming on my face.
“First off, that girl you were with, is not who you think she is. She’s a succubus. A nasty one. You’re lucky I came in when I did because she had you hanging on a thread.”
&nbs
p; We reached the end of the pier and Angela sat on one of the benches as she tapped the seat next to her, motioning me over.
“A what?”
“A succubus. A female demon that seduces men into sleep and feeds off of their energy until they’re either dead or on the brink of death, which is probably why you felt so tired when you were around her. She was a different kind who could duplicate herself. Real nasty.”
The realization of what happened dawned on me and I struggled to breathe. I’ve only heard of those things in movies. Holy crap, vampires are probably real. Wait, let me not get ahead of myself, she could be lying.
“How do you know all this? Do my dad and Jones know also?” She looked away contemplating how to answer me.
“Let’s just say I’m not entirely normal myself, and yes they know what she was.” She shifted in her seat.
“Are you a succubus too?” The thought came out before I could take it back, but she just laughed. She was laughing like a real laugh and it sounded amazing.
“No, I’m not. So what do you remember, Max?” That was the million dollar question. What did I remember? It seemed like nothing.
“Actually I don’t know. I think I know what’s going on but I’m not sure. Like I can almost remember something that I feel I should, but I can’t.” She finally looked at me and arched an eyebrow.
“Hm. Interesting. Well what do you think I am since I’m not a succubus?” I could tell I was amusing her because she had a smirk on her face that didn’t seem very innocent. Was she laughing at my expense?
“Um, I don’t know. Some teenager with some serious ninja skills.” I felt stupid after I said it and she made me feel worse with her response.
“Wow, ninja skills? What are you twelve?” Well I didn’t want to say killer, it might have come across as offensive. I wondered if she even knew any ninjas.
“So are you hinting that you’re an alien?” It sounded better in my head but it seems I’m not getting anything right tonight.
Sins of the Fallen Page 3
