Luna Tick: A Sunshine Novel

by Merriam, Angie

  "What's going on in your head, baby?" she asked, pulling me out of my own thoughts.

  "I was just admiring your body and thanking all the Gods that it's mine to worship and love and bring pleasure to." I quickly undressed so I could show her exactly what was going on in my head. I began at her inner thigh, feathering light kisses on the tender area before moving my way up her body, purposely leaving her most vulnerable spot for later. I moved up to her breasts, taking each one in my mouth, feasting on her, tormenting her. She loved her tits to be played with. Whenever I wanted to turn her on all I had to do was play with her tits. Within minutes, she was ready for me.

  "You're teasing me, baby. I want to feel you inside of me," she begged, her breath erratic and her skin glistening with beads of sweat.

  "Not yet, be patient." I moved back between her legs, letting my fingers fondle the sensitive skin. Her pussy was slick with her need, ready to take me but not before I got my taste of her essence. Without warning my mouth clamps down as my finger slides inside of her warm pussy. She let out a moan that urged me on. My mouth was covered in her juices as I brought her close to her peak. I felt her muscles start to contract. "No, not yet," I warned, replacing my mouth with the tip of my dick.

  "Oh fuck, Matt, fuck me now!" She demanded just as I slammed into her. Her pussy gripped my dick, as I moved in and out of her. Being in her, on her, so close to her was what I imagined heaven must be like. Being one with Sunshine was my heaven. This woman was my salvation. "I'm ... so ... close..." she whispered, her fingers digging into my back." Tell me, baby. Tell me what you want. Faster?"

  "Yes."

  "Harder?"

  "Ahhhh … yes ... don't ... stop … Matt, don't stop!" My name tumbling from her mouth. Her walls vibrating around my cock. Her body going rigid beneath me. She's all I needed to find my own private paradise. I lowered my body onto hers, my limp dick still inside of her, emptying any last seed I have. She spread her legs wider, welcoming me.

  "Three times in one day, you're a machine."

  "I am when it comes to you."

  "I love you, Mr. Everly."

  "I love you too, Mrs. Everly."

  Chapter Five

  Nick

  My last kill was sloppy. I didn't plan well and let my nerves get the best of me. I'd have to be more careful. With super cop Matt on the case I had to watch my ass. I never felt a sweeter relief than when I arrived back at the station to find Matt and Dade had already come and gone. I couldn't take careless chances anymore. Things were moving quickly. They showed up in my town a lot sooner than I'd expected. The assholes were not going to give up easily.

  I have to make damn sure he didn't connect me with Nate. I've gone to great lengths to change my looks. I've bulked up. My hair is slightly longer and darker. My facial hair is a full beard now. I am a far cry from the clean cut football player Matt used to know. With any luck, they'd get frustrated and go back to Lincoln where they belong.

  "Honey, you in here?" My wife called out. It was game night at our house. Lonnie and Kim were over waiting on me to go play some boring fucking board game. I hate board games. I don't understand them, but it's the mindless shit that normal people do, and after all, I am pretending to be normal. I took a look at myself in the mirror then flush the toilet.

  "Yeah, be right out, sweetie," I called back to her, composing myself. It was getting harder and harder to shift between the killer and the husband. The man who fucks whores then takes their lives and the police officer who's sworn to catch the bad guys. Every great killer has his day. The day when all of his sins catch up to him. The day he's forced to face the people that view him as nothing more than a monster. The day when the beauty and glory that envelopes him halts when he takes another life. Leading a double life is exhausting. The kills are necessary to breathe, yet the intelligence it requires to continue leading that double life for years takes a toll. At least it does for me. I know my day is coming, sooner than I'd have liked, but I can't complain. It's been a good run.

  Transitioning into my day to day persona, I swallow down the darkness that threatens to pull me completely under and join my wife and friends. "There he is," Lonnie called out. "Burritos today?" he questioned with a laugh. I flipped him the bird before sitting next to Michelle, who looks exceptionally beautiful with her light hair pulled up in a messy ponytail and minimal makeup. She's so opposite of Shannon. She's simple, loving, and naturally beautiful. Her heart is soft and solid. She loved me beyond herself, yet would she love me if she knew the real me? I found myself worried about the day my alter ego was brought to light. I was not worried about me, but about her, and our daughter. I was a monster yes. I live and breathe to take life. I also have a light side that's still there, buried deep beneath the dark, and it's there that concern for my family remains. I will truly be sorry when she finds out.

  "Are you any closer to finding the monster?" Kim questioned between sips of her beer. I’d always liked her well enough. She's a good friend to Michelle and a good wife to Lonnie, but I could do without her talking about me right now. I see Lonnie shift uncomfortably. Of course, he wouldn't be any closer. It's hard to catch a petty criminal from the safety of the precinct, let alone catch a fucking killer. He, of course, is a hero in Kim's eyes so I don't blow his cover. He's not a bad guy after all, just a fucking pussy.

  "No, not yet. No leads. It's like this guy's a ghost," I began, not a trace of the nerves racking my insides come through my voice. "There's two officers from up north coming in to lend a hand. They seem to think this is related to some murders they had up there years ago." I took a swig of my own beer and enjoyed the cold, amber liquid as it tickled my throat and calmed my nerves.

  "Yeah, they came in last night and met with Chief White. Nice guys. A little on the cocky side but nice enough." I watched as Lonnie popped a chip in his mouth and settled back on the couch.

  "Let's not talk about murders and the station tonight. Can we just have a fun night that doesn't include talking about the asshole?" Michelle asked, with irritation clear in her voice. I could see the worry in her face. I was grateful she put a stop to the chatter for reasons other than her own, but grateful nonetheless.

  "Yes! Let's get the games going. I'm ready to kick some ass," Kim announced. She was always super competitive, with good reason, she almost always won.

  We spent the next four hours playing various games, drinking, and laughing before we decided to call it a night. After seeing them out, and once the door was closed, Michelle turned to me. "Tell me we're okay." Her expression was hard to read. I'm not exactly sure what we were supposed to be okay with but whatever it was, she was bothered.

  "Come here, baby." I pulled her into my arms and felt her shaking. "What's got you so upset? You know I'll keep you safe," I whispered, rubbing her back, assuming she was still worried about the killer. I wished I could tell her she was safe because it was me, and I would never do anything to hurt her.

  "Even from you?" she questioned quietly. I stop, frozen in place. What the fuck is she talking about? Of course she was safe from me. Why would she even ask that?

  "What do you mean?" I pulled back so I could see her face. Her eyes were full of questions yet somehow they seemed to know the truth.

  "You talk in your sleep, Nick. I know it's you. I've known what you do for a long time."

  "Wha ... what? You know what's me?" I backed away from her, my heart rate sped up. My palms were moist. Was she saying what I thought she was saying?

  "I know you're the Luna Tick murderer, Nick. I know when you leave here at night it's not for a jog. Just tell me that I'm safe from you. That our daughter is safe from you." There was an underlying plea in her confident voice. Her words felt like a sucker punch to the gut. It felt like someone had stuck their hand down my throat, into my lungs, and literally ripped the air away from me. I should deny her accusations. I should pull her close to me. Calm her fears. Tell her she's wrong. As much as I wanted to do that, I can’t. She knew. She fucking kn
ew, yet she didn’t seem to care. Then I realized she said my name. My real name.

  "Look, Nick. I know all about you. After the first night you came home smelling like burned flesh and another woman's pussy I knew, but I denied it. I tried to pretend it wasn't happening. Then you started to talk in your sleep. You spoke to him, Joe, your teacher right? The infamous Bleach Killer? I did my own research and found out about you, Nick. I know about Shannon. I know about your attack on Sunshine Everly. I know you served time with Joe before you were released and disappeared from Lincoln. I know it all. So, I will ask you one more time, are we safe around you now that it's a possibility that you might get caught?" She had tears falling from her soft blue eyes. I needed to sit before my legs betrayed me, and I landed in a pile of pathetic nerves on the floor.

  I left her standing in our entryway and sat on the couch. She followed me, sitting across from me on the opposite couch. "You know it all, yet you're still here? Aren't you afraid of me? Disgusted by me?"

  "We've been married for seven years, and you've never so much as raised a finger to me or Nici so no, I'm not afraid of you. I just can't keep living in your lie with you, yet live it alone. We're married, for better or worse, sickness and health. But while I'm not afraid I still need to hear you say we're safe, and not just from you but from all of it." She finished, and I felt tears pool in my eyes before dripping down my cheek. It's been so many years since I felt real emotions. The kind of emotions you get from feeling. From loving. From caring.

  "You're safe. Nici is safe. I will always protect you. I tried to protect you from me, from my secrets. From my darkness." I openly bawled, like the bitch that I was. Sitting there, across from my wife, I didn’t feel like the big bad killer. I felt broken. All the pain I stuffed away all these years resurfacing.

  "You're safe, but I can't stop, Michelle. I can't. The darkness is too strong. The only way for me to stop is to get caught and that's going to be hell for you and Nici. I can't protect you from that. Maybe you should go, move far away from here. Take Nici, start over. When you're somewhere safe I will turn myself in."

  "No, no way. I'm staying with you. If they catch you, we will deal with it. I told you, for better or worse. If I leave, you're leaving with us." Her voice was resolute. She meant to stay with me. Was this really fucking happening?

  "I can't run. They'll catch up to me eventually. Plus, I'm not done here," I carefully said to her.

  "Sunshine Everly?"

  "Yes. I can’t let Matt go on living a normal, happy life while I continued to suffer. I've always known it would come to this. I just hoped I had more time. More time to plan. I was supposed to kill her a long time ago, a promise I made to Joe, but I thought we could all co-exist if I stayed away. I knew in the back of my mind it would come to this but not so soon." I sat on the couch, rubbing my temples with vigor. I had to get Sunshine. She had to die. I should have dealt with her a long time ago.

  "Tell me more about this Matt and Sunshine. Why are you so hell bent on hurting him? Her? Why can't we just move on? Joe is gone, just move on and forget about them." She came around the table and sat beside me, not leery of me in the least bit. I still wasn't sure what to think of her acceptance of me and my hobby. Was she playing into it? Did they already get to her? Was she wearing a wire? Oh fuck! How could I have been so fucking blind? She's spying for them. I looked up at her, unable to hide the venom that's ready to spew at any second.

  "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?" she asked, her voice even and her hands steady. I stared into her eyes, trying to pull the truth from them. I couldn’t tell. She had a blank face. Her normal soft and loving expression was gone, but what replaced it I couldn’t tell. Was she as mad as I was? Was it possible I married a psychopath? Or, was she a great fucking actress? The best? Oscar winning. I couldn’t tell, dammit.

  "Get up," I ordered, standing above her. She looked up at me, her soft blue eyes now icy and sharp. I expected to see fear, but fear wasn’t there. Anger maybe.

  "Why?" she challenged.

  "Stand the fuck up, Michelle. NOW!" I didn’t scream but my tone was firm, almost growl-like. She stood up, face to face with me.

  "Happy now?"

  "Not yet," I growled before taking hold of her arms, applying rough pressure with my fingers. She didn’t flinch. I hastily removed my hands from her arms and ripped her shirt off, looking for a wire. Nothing. Then her pants. She let me. She just stood there unmoving. Once I had her stripped down to nothing, she still just stood there watching me. I inspected her body and found nothing.

  "You done?" she asked. Crimson slowly seeping under her skin.

  "You a snitch?" I finally asked point blank. My mind was spinning. This was too much. Keeping my own secret was hard. Keeping myself in line was hard, nearly impossible. Now I had to think about her. About her knowing. Judging. Not judging. Either way she was never supposed to know, at least not until I was being hauled off in cuffs. Seconds pass before her hand comes up and connects with my jaw. Anger flashed across her eyes.

  "After all I've done for you! After all the years I've waited here, alone, while you were out fucking and killing whores! All these years I've kept your secret and you have the nerve to call me a snitch now? Have you lost your damn mind?" she screamed at me.

  "How can you possibly still want to be with me? Fuck, how do you even look at me without disgust? I can barely look at myself."

  "I already told you, I love you! All of you! Even your dark parts and I said for better or worse and meant it! Don’t you ever fucking accuse me of being a snitch or loving you less than I do. I have sacrificed so much in an attempt to let you be who you need to be, don't be a dick now!" She was screaming, her voice so full of contempt. Her face was hard, furious. I had never seen her more angry. I had never seen her more beautiful. I wonder if it was possible that I had fallen in love with her. I didn’t think it was possible after Shannon. Didn't think my heart was big enough for Shannon's memory and the darkness that took over more and more every day. Standing there looking at her, maybe I was wrong. I felt things for her. Maybe it was her accepting. Maybe it was her own darkness bleeding through her normal sweet exterior. Whatever it is I was enamored and fucking turned on by her.

  Without thought I grabbed her, ignoring her flailing arms fighting me. No tears were falling but the hurt I’d inflicted and the anger I'd incited was evident, rolling off of her. I crashed my mouth into hers, instantly seizing the words that she'd been throwing at me. Curse words flew out of her pretty little mouth. Words I'd never heard her say. I shoved my tongue into her mouth, shutting her up and began a furious dance with her tongue. My hands knotted themselves in her hair, crushing her face to mine. My dick grew with the first organic hard on I've had since Shannon. My dick stood at attention when I was killing and when I willed it too to be a good husband, but I haven't been truly turned on, passionately, in so long.

  She tried to protest my kiss in retaliation, but it didn't take long before her tongue began to reciprocate. Her tense body melted into mine. I released my hold of her arms long enough to drop my pants, my dick aching to be released. Seconds later, I lifted her off the ground, her legs wrapping tightly around my waist, her skirt around her waist, our mouths never abandoning the sweet taste of each other. Her hands moved roughly from my head to my back and back up as if she couldn't decide where they should land. My cock twitched, feeling her need for me dripping from between her legs.

  Hastily, I shoved her back against the wall before allowing my dick to find its way inside of her. The moment I found the warmth I'd been longing for. She bit my bottom lip before pulling from the kiss. "Yes, Nick! Fuck me hard! Show me that I mean more to you than those whores." Her voice was low, demanding. My eyes met hers and saw the same monsters stirring there that I'd felt stirring deep inside of me. She was daring me to take control of her body. To treat her as an equal monster. Not an equal wife. Or an equal friend. Or even an equal partner. I broke away from her gaze and landed my mouth on the d
elicate skin of her neck. Dragging my teeth along the flesh, leaving small bite marks while I rammed into her. Over and over I impaled her. Each thrust slammed her body into the wall again. I roughly pulled her hair, yanking her head to the side, giving me better access to her neck where I bit down as I hit her core until she was screaming my name. "I'm coming. Nick, don't stop. Bite harder!" she demanded, and I obeyed. The last bite drew blood and sent her body into reckless convulsions.

  Her legs squeezed my waist like a vice while her greedy cunt milked me dry all while her body shook against mine. My body tensed up, unloading into her. With both our orgasms lingering, leaving us nearly paralyzed, we just stood there. She clung to me and me to her. "Babe, you can put me down now," she weakly managed to whisper in my ear.

  "Not yet. Let me hold you just a few more minutes." I pulled my head from the curve of her neck to meet her eyes. The love, understanding, forgiveness, and most of all loyalty that stared back at me from glazed, lustful eyes made me do something I never anticipated doing again. I cried.

  Chapter Six

  Matt

  "Good morning, Sunshine," I whispered in her ear, coaxing her awake. The woman could sleep through a freight train whenever we slept away from home. In our room though, the slightest noise had her jumping up from a dead sleep. Maybe it was part of being a mom, a single one for a while, or from the murders, but she definitely slept more peacefully when we were away.

  I was showered and needed to go but watching her sleep was like watching a silent film–beautiful artwork that didn't need words or music to interpret. Her dark hair fell down across her back, and the blanket wasn't any higher than the edge of her magnificent ass. She was goddess-like laying there, gently snoring. I'd sat watching her for twenty minutes, hoping she'd wake on her own. As much as I could sit and watch her forever, I had to go. We were going to view some of the crime scenes today, and I was hoping to pick up on Nick's scent. The sooner we got the SOB the better off we'd all be and the sooner we could go home.