“Not a very fun game, is it Kyle?” I snarled at him.
Finally recognizing that repentance would get him nowhere, he gave into the pain and lost control. The tears continued, but his face flushed with anger as it had earlier and he began shouting again.
“JUST DO IT ALREADY YOU BITCH! YOU PROBABLY DON’T EVEN HAVE IT IN YOU!”
As impressed as I was that he was able to think clearly enough to try it, his plan wouldn’t work. The anger was genuine, but his words were a ploy. He wanted it to end. He was begging me to either stop or finish it.
“I’m not weak like you, Kyle. You can’t goad me into killing you. I’m taking my time. You can spit all the insults you’ve got at me. Call me a bitch. Ask me if I’m really capable. It’s not going to do a damned thing for you. I love seeing you break down over and over again. What else you got? Want to curse me out?”
The man huffed in his anger, but he didn’t say anything. His face was crusted with dried blood, and fresh blood flowed from the newer wounds. He looked like a slab of meat now, and I found it funny. I laughed as I stood over his broken, helpless form, debating about what to do next.
I was about to start cutting into his leg as I made him watch when I heard the sound of a car, it was closer than any sound I’d heard since pulling off the main road miles back. There must be another road, or maybe a driveway nearby that I hadn’t noticed. Kyle’s eyes flashed with hope and I watched his chest fill with air as he prepared to scream. He never got the chance. I drove the knife straight into his throat, all the way to the hilt as the blade imbedded in either his spine or the tree behind him. I wasn’t entirely sure which.
His eyes remained wide, frozen in his final attempt to scream. He blinked. He was still alive. If I pulled the blade, he’d be gone in an instant, but I held it firm in the wound and leaned in closer. Kyle was choking on the blood around the knife and I felt some of the warm drops spray across my face, but it didn’t bother me. I imagined how my blood-spattered face looked to him as I grinned back at him. I wanted him to die to my complete satisfaction. The car had robbed me of my final fun with him, but it had been better than the last time already and I was going to relish every second I could.
It took a minute, but eventually I felt his body slump against the tree and his eyes lost the last glimmer of life. He was gone. I wiped the blade off on his jeans, packed it up with my taser, and returned to the car. I looked back one more time and took a mental snapshot of his beaten and bloodied body against the tree. A voice in my head told me to take a picture on his phone to send to Jenny, but no matter how she felt, that would likely traumatize her. I hoped she’d be at peace without him, but she wouldn’t appreciate the scene like I did.
I cleaned my face off in the mirror and changed into a spare shirt that I had in my bag. He’d made a mess of mine and there was no way I could be seen in it. Satisfied that I was cleaned up enough, I started the car and put it in gear.
I’d learned how to drive in a parking lot with Kate just in case I ever had to take Norah to the hospital or something, but I was far from comfortable with it. Kyle’s car was far more powerful than Kate’s, and I nearly drove into a tree right off the bat. I didn’t need to go far, but I wanted to get back closer to the city before I ditched the car and phone. I stayed on back roads and headed in that direction before finding an abandoned quarry that looked like as good a place as any. I parked the car, took the battery out of the phone, and left it in the console.
There was still at least three hours before Kate and Norah would be home. I walked for two of them before turning my phone back on and calling a cab again. Just as I had the last time, I had it leave me several blocks away from Kate’s place and walked the rest of the way, arriving with thirty minutes to spare. I packed my stuff away for the time being, and jumped in a shower. I’d cleaned off well enough to come home, but I could still smell the dirt and blood on me. It wasn’t something I wanted to smell when the girls were home, and I certainly didn’t want them wondering what I’d been up to. As far as they’d know, I’d been home all day just like most days.
Norah burst through the front door just as I came down the stairs and gave me a big smile.
“You look so much happier!” she exclaimed. “What happened?”
I couldn’t believe she could sense anything was different, but I just smiled back and said, “I’m just happy to see you. How was your day?”
Chapter 8
Kate and Norah both had a routine when they first got home after their days, and today was no exception. I had some time to sit and reflect on my morning with Kyle while Norah got some homework done and Kate changed and spent a half hour in her room reading. I relived the taunting and torture – every feeling, every smell, and even the metallic taste that’d filled my mouth as he sprayed a mist of blood during his final death rattles. It was far from my favorite kill, but something about the need that I’d felt leading up to it added an extra sense of fulfillment that was quite enjoyable.
The buzz of my phone on the table shook me from the daydream, and I looked down to see Brandon’s number flashing on the screen. I’d been so consumed by planning and executing my kill that I hadn’t thought much about Brandon all weekend, but hearing from him now brought another rush of euphoria. I felt like I was being pulled out of my seat by my smile as I reached to answer the phone. I was glad no one could see to tease me about it later.
“Hello,” I answered calmly, trying not to sound too excited.
“Good evening,” Brandon said, letting just enough anticipation and warmth flow through his voice to get the butterflies fluttering once more. “I hope you had a good day.”
“It was very relaxing,” I replied. “How about yours?”
“Well,” he began to reply, “nothing really out of the ordinary. I thought quite a bit about the other night though. I’d love to see you again this week. Would you like to do dinner and a movie tomorrow night?”
There was no hesitation in my mind, but I paused for a moment before saying yes. Again, I didn’t want to appear too eager.
“That would be wonderful,” I responded after a few beats. “I don’t ever recall seeing a movie in a theater, but it sounds amazing.”
It was an honest answer. Of course, I knew that I had never seen one at all, but if I at least played it as a memory issue, it might help cover any reactions to the new experience. Kate and I had talked about going a few times, but it had just never happened.
“Really?” he asked, sounding shocked. “Surely you’ve been to a movie theater, maybe going again will jog your memory... If not, I’ll be glad to be your first.”
Brandon went dead silent for a moment afterwards, likely realizing what he’d just said. His momentary embarrassment was adorable. He really liked me.
“I can’t wait,” I said, hearing my own voice rise an octave and feeling a wave of embarrassment myself.
“I’d love to talk more, but I have a mountain of paperwork waiting for me. I meant to call yesterday, but I got sucked into work and then it was too late. I just couldn’t let another day go by without calling, I didn’t want you to think I was blowing you off – besides, having something to look forward to will make this paperwork a little more tolerable. I’ll pick you up tomorrow night. Does the same time work?”
“That sounds perfect! Have fun with your paperwork,” I added playfully.
Brandon just grunted his displeasure at the task ahead of him before the warmth returned to his voice and he said, “Well goodnight then. I’ll see you again tomorrow.”
“Goodnight,” I replied, undeniably smiling as I said it.
I pressed the red button and set the phone down just as I heard Kate behind me let out a long cry of, “Ohhhhhhhhh!”
“How long were you listening?” I asked as I spun back toward her.
“Long enough,” she said. “Are you blushing? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you blush!”
“Okay, enough of that already, please,” I said, touching my
cheeks and fighting back the laughter that was threatening to burst out. I failed and we were both soon giggling together.
“I knew you’d like him!” Kate announced triumphantly. “When are you going out again?”
“Tomorrow night,” I answered, not bothering to hide my smile. There was no use. “You were right. I’m shocked to say it, but he could actually be a good guy. I’d given up hope, but he’s proven me wrong so far and I’ve never been happier to have been mistaken.”
“We need to get you a new dress. Don’t get me wrong, you looked great the other night, but you need something that fits you better. We’re going shopping!”
It wasn’t necessary and I began to object, but she cut me off before I was able. “This could be a big deal, Emily! And, you’re worth it, so don’t argue,” she ordered through her smile. “I’ll get Norah and we can just grab some food on the way home.”
I appreciated her kindness, but she was a single mother, and money was an issue sometimes. I hated to let her buy me something when I knew I could easily pay for it myself with the cash I’d stolen from Joe. But without being able to explain where the money had come from, I couldn’t let her know I had it. She’d never let me spend what little she might believe I had saved from the allowance she’d provided me, so I had no choice.
Norah was excited to go out, especially when she found out why we were going, and she did a little dance on her way to the car. She had her own ideas of what I should wear for another date. While I still didn’t fully understand trends in modern fashion, I knew enough to be mildly horrified by a few of her suggestions. Kate and I shared a few laughs as we listened, but deep down I was touched more than anything. The fact that they were both so excited for me, that they cared what I wore and wanted me to have something new… it wasn’t just kind. They were giving me a gift, not the dress, but their time and their affection. Norah and Kate were, again, making me feel more loved than I’d ever felt in my life. We really were a family.
That witch, whoever she was, wherever she was, may have intended to punish me, but as far as I was concerned my sleep had been a blessing. The time I’d spent locked inside my own thoughts had been difficult, but now that I was on the other side, I had more to live for than ever before. Nothing was standing in the way of my life’s mission, romance finally seemed like a real possibility in my life, and these two women were filling another part of my heart that had been empty for nearly as long as I could remember. In what felt like a rare moment of weakness, I felt my eyes water as we talked, joked, and laughed all the way to the mall. I was happy.
We made our way through several stores before Kate decided we should take a break for dinner. The food court was crowded, but Norah got herself some pizza and Kate and I each ordered a salad that she recommended. As we were sitting down, something seemed to catch Kate’s attention. Following her concerned expression, I saw a woman standing about twenty feet away who appeared to be arguing with a man.
“Do you know her?” I asked.
“Yes,” Kate replied. “Her name’s Jackie. I work with her. She looks like she might be in trouble.”
I continued watching the obviously heated conversation between Kate’s friend and the man. They weren’t yelling, so we couldn’t hear them over the crowd, but it was clear from their expressions and body language that she was not comfortable.
“Is that her husband or boyfriend?” I asked Kate.
“I don’t think so. I think she’s single. I don’t really know her all that well though. I’m going to go and see if she’s okay.”
“No,” I replied. Kate looked at me, a little puzzled by my response. “You stay with Norah. I don’t know her, but I can just be a concerned bystander. I have a way with overly aggressive men.”
Kate still looked unsure, but she didn’t try to stop me as I stood up and started to make my way over to the increasingly unpleasant scene. Getting closer, I heard Jackie say in a grave undertone, “Leave me alone!”
She turned her back to the man to walk away, but he reached out and grabbed the back of her arm.
I knew I was going to have to act. The situation was sadly familiar: a woman afraid to assert herself, afraid of making a man embarrassed or uncomfortable by raising her voice… a man who seemed to think that he could use his strength to control a woman. Jackie clearly needed me. I would show her that it was okay to stand up for herself!
I stepped forward quickly, but before I could intervene, Jackie turned back and punched the man right in the throat. Several people who had been idly watching the situation unfold gasped as the man let go of her and clutched his neck with both hands, coughing and gasping for breath. A few people even started to clap for her as the man stumbled away, clearly aware that she’d been defending herself.
Jackie was breathing hard and there was a fire smoldering in her eyes from the adrenaline when she noticed that I had stepped toward her.
“WHAT?!” she shouted at me, clearly misreading my intention.
“I’m Kate’s friend,” I said, pointing back to our table. “She was concerned that you might be in trouble, but her daughter is here so I was coming over to make sure you were alright. Clearly, you had no need of assistance. That was fantastic!”
Jackie’s anger subsided in a deep sigh and she started to laugh a little. “Guys can be such assholes!” she blurted out, and I laughed as I nodded in agreement.
“Don’t we know it,” an older, grey haired woman said from a nearby table to the clear chagrin of her husband. “Oh, no... not you, dear. You’re one of the good ones!”
The man just shook his head and took another bite of his meal as Jackie and I both laughed once more.
“I’m Emily,” I introduced myself.
“Yes,” Jackie replied, “Kate’s mentioned you at the office. I should come over and say hi. I suppose I should also thank you for coming to help.”
“Not at all. You clearly would’ve done the same for another woman in need.”
We both walked back to the table where Kate sat, stunned by what she’d just seen. “Who was that?” she asked.
“Just some loser I went out with a few times. He got too attached and started calling and texting me all day long, so I broke it off. I ran into him just now, and he said he wanted to talk, but it gave me a bad feeling and I didn’t think it was a coincidence that he was here.” She shook her head. “Some guys just can’t take no for an answer, but I think he got the message in the end.”
“That was awesome!” Norah squealed as she took another bite of her pizza. “Mom – can your friend show me how to do that?”
“If you want to learn to defend yourself, I can help with that,” I offered. “If that’s okay with your mom, of course.”
“I think that’s a great idea,” Kate said, giving an even more excited Norah a smile of approval. “You can never be too safe, and like Jackie just demonstrated, it’s good to know how to take care of yourself.”
“Awesome!” the girl shouted, twisting from side to side in celebration.
Jackie joined us at the table for a few minutes, talking to Kate about some of their work while I ate my salad.
Jackie then turned to me and asked, “Where did you learn self-defense?”
“I don’t know,” I answered with my all-too-common response. “Has Kate told you about my memory issues?”
“She has,” Jackie replied. “Not much, but I know you have amnesia or something like that. So, you can’t remember anything at all then?”
“I don’t remember any experiences, but I seem to still know things, despite not knowing how I learned them. There are other things that I can’t recall at all. Like, as far as I know, I’m going to see my very first movie in a theater tomorrow!”
“That’s so cool,” she said. “Sorry – I shouldn’t say that. I’m sure it’s not cool for you at all, but it is fascinating how the brain works.”
“No need to apologize. I’m getting used to it all, and in all honesty, I’m glad it happened. I wo
uldn’t have met Kate and Norah otherwise. Even though I don’t know how I ended up like this, I have a feeling that it wasn’t anything good.” I smiled at them meaningfully. “I think of them as family now.”
“Wow, that’s an amazing perspective. Well, it was very nice to meet you, and perhaps we’ll run into each other again sometime,” Jackie said as she rose from her seat. “It was good to see you, Kate, and nice to meet you too, Norah. Your mom talks about you all the time!”
Norah smiled back up at the woman around the remaining slice of pizza she was shoving in her mouth. “Mmmhmmm,” she offered as a response.
“See you at work tomorrow,” Jackie called as she turned and walked away.
“That sure was some excitement for the evening,” Kate said with a little laugh. “I knew she was tough, but that was a surprise. That guy might think twice before he tries to grab a woman again.”
“One would hope,” I said with a shake of my head, “but in my experience, they are slow learners.”
Kate gave me another very odd look and I changed the subject as quickly as I could.
“So where to next?”
“There’s one more store that I think might have something better than what we’ve seen so far,” Kate responded.
We finished our food and headed to the next store. I obliging walked the small runway between the dressing room and the mirrors in no fewer than six dresses. I even indulged Norah by occasionally spinning for her. It felt silly, but I was willing to embarrass myself a little to make her giggle.
As I was changing out of the last dress, the saleswoman brought one additional garment and draped it over the fitting room door.
“Try this one,” she said cheerfully. “I think it will suit you very nicely.”
I held the blue dress up and looked it over. It didn’t look like anything I would’ve picked for myself, but with nothing to lose, I tried it on and walked out.
Evil Unbound- Death's Mistress Returns Page 13
