by CY Jones
“Come on,” he urges, pulling me to my feet. “Let’s go get something to eat, I’m starving.” I let Quinn drag me out his room, putting aside my feelings of guilt and tucking them away in a dark closet. They have no place here.
With school over, there are more people in the halls as we navigate through them. Jealous females who clearly have no idea who I am, throwing me shade because Quinn is holding tightly to my hand and not paying any attention to them. Males with lecherous gazes checking me out, and a mixture of the both outright furious as they watch on with ill intent. Shit, I knew coming here was a bad idea.
“Who’s your friend, Quinn? I didn’t know we had another new student,” a guy with sharp features, cold grey eyes, and long dark hair says as he and two others step into our path. His eyes trace a sleazy path up and down my body, making me want to send him on a detour to the floor by kicking him in the balls.
“None of your business, Cayden,” Quinn growls, before pushing me behind him to hide me from dude’s slimy gaze. It’s sweet really, just like he did yesterday with Zion, but I’m no damsel in distress and he needs to stop treating me like one. Walking forward with a confident gait, he squares up with the prick, whoever he is, refusing to be intimidated. When Quinn gets like this, there’s no backing down. If I were this dude, I’d run away as fast as I can and don’t look back, but apparently, he comes from a family of imbeciles and stays put, holding his ground.
“That’s where you’re wrong, pretty boy,” Cayden sneers the end in a clear insult. “You fucked my girl, so it’s only fair I fuck yours.” Oh, so this is the dude who fought my brother this morning. Didn’t he already get his ass whooped? Why is he back for more? The mages here are so weird.
“Get bent.” My brother laughs a dark laugh that makes every bone in my body shudder from the top of my skull all the way down to my last distal phalanx of my phalanges. Yep, dude better run away and fast and prey to the heavens Quinn doesn’t decide to go after him.
With his attention focused on Cayden, Quinn misses it when one of his posse steps away slightly out of view and a spray of water sends me flying across the room into the hands of some asshole waiting in the shadows. Apparently, this was a coordinated attack. Lucky us.
“Angelica,” Quinn screams my name while I’m being dragged off.
Ryker
“What do you want to do, boss?” I give him the title lightly because we both know he can’t make me do shit I don’t want to do, but someone has to be the leader or this alliance we have won’t work.
“Let’s see how it plays out. I want to know if they can handle themselves, but most of all, I want to know if they are a threat,” Zion answers. I share a brief glance at my brother and he nods. At least we’re on the same page. Her brother is on his own, but we will not let anything… too bad to happen to her. She’s ours to torment.
Quinn
“Cayden,” I growl, “you’ve gone too far. I went easy on you in class, but now, I’m going to make sure this pretty face is the last thing you see before you die. If any of your lackeys hurt my sister before I get there, they’ll be joining you in the afterlife.”
My threat is very fucking real. I can feel the bloodlust sizzling through my veins. The Joker in me is gleeful, ready for release. He’s been caged up for far too long, and now, it’s play time. Yeah, I fucked his girlfriend, but it’s not like she made it known she was with someone. She was all up my ass at the store when I was there to buy sheets for my bed. I didn’t know she was involved with someone until class when he challenged me to a fight with some BS about defending her honor. What a fool. Her honor set sailed long before she fucked me.
“Tough talk from someone who couldn’t even protect his sister. My friends are going to have a lot of fun with that slut, and when I’m done with you, I’ll join them and soil what’s left of the little reject with my big dick.” His comeback is weak, but it hits home. Angelica will be alright, I know it. I’ll handle these two and then fuck up the mage that dragged her away, and if she hasn’t already killed them, I will. No one in Cayden’s crew will walk away from this. I’ll make sure of it.
“We’ll see about that,” I threaten, holding out my hand, summoning my staff. Within seconds, it’s in my hand and I twirl it to my own deadly tune. I planned to keep this a secret for a little while longer, but there’s no time like the present. This asshat just presented me with the perfect opportunity. Cupping my hand around my mouth, I shout, “Dead man walking.” The signal that unleashes the madness I’ve been brewing. Just as I intended, over half the mages in the common room howl in response, heading my call.
My sister thinks I’m a slacker, but I have been very proactive since we got here. She’s good at reading people, and sure, that’s a helpful trait to have, but I’m exceptional at making people follow me. I’ve known how alluring and charismatic I am since I was a kid. While Kaydence was showing me around, I grilled her about everything and anything I needed to know about this place no matter how small. Who are the top players? Who is feuding with whom? And most importantly, who do I need to knock down a peg or two to establish myself in the running? Magic isn’t the only thing that’ll help you survive here. You also need to know politics and how to play them. No matter where you go, everything is a game and games are a harlequin’s forte.
As soon as I woke up, I’ve been planting little buds here and there in the ears of those key players like a demented game of telephone where by the end of the day, without anymore nurturing on my part, those buds have blossomed into canivorous flowers of my very own army. In one day, I already have a little more than half of the light mages on my side. The response to my call tells me just who they are.
Cayden looks around with an astound look on his face. The asshole is completely confused and I smile gleefully. Looks like his flock of followers is missing quite a few members. “What the fuck? Don’t cheer this pussy on. I’m about to make mincemeat out of him.”
With him distracted, I move. One second, I’m in front of him and the next, poof, I’m gone. “You should keep your eye on the prize, Cayden,” I taunt. He turns toward my voice, but of course, I’m no longer there.
His buddy with him turns his head left and right, realizing what Cayden has yet to see. What his pride refuses to admit. The only support he has left ran out the door with my sister. Cayden can’t protect him, he can’t even protect himself. Taking a step back, he mutters, “Sorry, man,” before skittering away like rats in the rafters.
“Get back here, you coward,” Cayden yells after him, but dude is long gone.
“Because I slept with your girl, I’ll give you one more chance to let this go,” I tell him.
Round and round my staff goes, tinkling it’s hypnotic sound as I come up with a delightful, terribly frightening idea. Once it’s clear he’s dead set to take this route, I smile. Right now, my body is downright giddy knowing what’s to come next. “Let’s play a game,” I whisper sinisterly from his left side and he turns frantic, but I’ve already moved and am now behind him.
“I’ve always been partial to hide and seek,” I state and he whirls around sending a blast of wind in the spot I’ve already leaped from. “Pathetic,” I laugh like a maniac. People can be so oblivious. Did he really think he’d hit me? “Oh, do I enjoy this game. Toying with you is so much fun,” I sing, flipping in the air before kicking off the wall toward the thick wood beams in the ceiling. Holding my hands out to my sides, I glide across them like I’m walking on a tightrope. My bells jingles with movement and he looks up with a growl.
“Fuck you and your games. Get down here now, you asshole!” He sends another blast of wind and I jump off the beam, somersaulting to the ground. I twirl and circle him, dancing a dance of playful death. My movements are far too quick for his big clumsy self to catch, and I fight a snicker as he moves around like a Oompa Lumpia. I can’t believe he's the top dog around here. His lackeys must have done all his dirty work for him because he’s just pathetic. On his right side, I wh
isper in his ear, “Run,” and you know what? The asshole runs.
“Now what?” one of the spectators asks. I don’t know his name, not yet, but he’s now part of my crew. I have a good feeling about him. His demeanor aches for me to give him an order.
“I’m going to count to ten, then I’m going to go after that asshole and kill him,” I answer, securing the Jester mask strapped to my side to my face. I was toying with Cayden before, but now, with this on, I mean business. I know I look frightening. The terrifying monster hiding under the bed ready for a night of horrors. “Go see where they dragged my sister off to, kill them, and meet me back here.”
He doesn’t even blink an eye at my order and leaves without argument. With a tilt of his head, two others break from the group and go with him. “Anyone who doesn’t want to be a witness to murder, I suggest you to leave now.” No one moves a step. Instead, they all look at me with hungry eyes. “Good mages,” I laugh hysterically at the concept. Tears leak out the holes in my mask, like blood on the bright red porcelain. There’s no such thing as good mages.
“Well then, on with the show, but I warn you now. You better not get in my way or I’ll kill you worse than what I’m about to do to that asshole. One,” I call out loud enough for my voice to carry into the hall. “Two... three,” I keep counting until I get to Cayden’s damning number. “Ten. Ready or not here I come,” I sing. My words may sound playful, but the tone I deliver them says ‘you’re going to die’. Then I take off.
Chapter 5
Angelica
The mage who carries me off is an elemental mage. I’m not sure if he has control over more than just water, so I let him drag me away without any resistance. Besides, I’m curious. This is a fantastic opportunity to see what the mages here are made of, and by taking me away, he’s actually doing me a favor. I’d like distance from Quinn when I handle him so I don’t give anything about my powers away because I’ll need more than just voodoo to get out of this mess. Away from the fray, dickhead shook me down of all my weapons and took my spare doll attached to my shorts and threw it in the hall before pushing me out the doors leading outside. He must know who and what I am, which tells me Cayden was only pretending to not know me.
I was right. This was all planned out. My brother sure knows how to make enemies. And he’s supposed to be the nice one.
Another goon is waiting under a light post, smoking a cigarette. As soon as he sees us, he puts the cig out on the pole and walks over. More than one capture. I guess Cayden isn’t as stupid as I first pegged him for. It doesn’t matter. I am going to get away.
“Where’s Cayden?” he asks in a rough voice, probably caused by killing his lungs from years of smoking.
“Handling the circus clown. He said to take her to our special spot near the lagoon and teach her a lesson and he’ll catch up as soon as he’s done with her brother. And if he’s not back before we’re done having our fun, then feed her body to the gators and get back here quickly.” Asshole sounds just jolly describing my death in full detail like that. Lets see what’s on the agenda tonight campers. A beating, followed by rape, oh and a cool refreshing swim with gators. Fucking psychopaths.
“Might not be as easy as he thinks. I heard her brother is becoming quite the bigshot in the short time he’s been here. We might want to be cautious.” At least one of them has some sense.
“That dude?” The asshat handling me laughs incredulously. “Yeah, whatever. You know how the gossips in this school like to make shit up to rile Cayden’s balls. I wouldn’t believe everything you hear. Let’s hurry up and have our fun with her. If Cayden is feeling merciful, her and her brother can have a watery grave together.”
Taking his word for it - ‘cause why not? - the other goon shrugs, grabbing onto my other arm as I debate my sanity of letting these two drag me off into the woods, but I’m a little distracted by lung fucker’s words as they play on repeat in my head. Quinn’s becoming a bigshot... How? He’s only been to like one class. How the fuck did he manage that?
Quickly, they drag me through the dark forest until we get to a row of dune buggies and lung fucker steers me toward a bright red one. Sitting down first, he forces me on his lap. With his chin propped on my shoulder, it kinda reminds me of earlier with my brother, except now I’m being kidnapped by a couple of murdering rapists. I’m going to enjoy killing them. Then I’m going to find a place to eat and order the biggest cheeseburger, oh and fries. You can’t forget the fries.
Lung fucker’s scent gives me a headache. He smells like cloves, with the thick stench of cigarette smoke and Cool Water cologne. Mixed all together, they smell like shit. Pressing down on the ignition button and shooting off, lung fucker kisses the side of my neck and I allow him, fighting back the urge to vomit and then elbow him. If we crash, I just might die. No, best to wait to attack when we’re not on a moving vehicle.
“Be a good little mage and don’t do anything stupid,” he growls in my ear. The warning is unnecessary. I’ve already decided I won’t cause trouble… yet.
The elemental follows in a blue buggy and I bide my time. In my head, I’m picturing the million ways I’m going to kill these two. I wonder how long it will take to scalp their cocks? The skin of douchebags like them make great clothes for my dolls. Hopefully, their cocks are big enough to make a dress or cute tiny trousers. I love playing dress up with my dolls in my free time. It’s very relaxing. I can use their finger and ankle bones for a new divination set. I left my old one at home, forgetting to pack it in my trunk. Plus, those bones came from a horse. Humans who died in a violent manner hold more power, making the bones stronger, and I plan on being very fucking violent when I kill these two. Hey, what did you expect? I’m not the good guy here. I practice in voodoo and can call on spirits. There’s a reason we’re categorized with the dark arts.
“You know, you’re one weird chick. Not once have you cried, begged, or fought to get away,” lung fucker says over the wind. Because I’m too busy plotting your death, but I don’t tell him that. He’ll soon find out. Instead, I shrug like a good little captive.
The farther we ride, the more I can smell the foul smell of the swamp. It has a strong odor of wet earth and dead things. Once they park and I can no longer hear the rumbling engine of the dune buggies, the sounds of the swamp invade my eardrums like a living symphony. Toads croak in the distance, and if you listen carefully, you can hear the sound of them splashing in the nearby river bank. Fireflies dance around like tiny moving stars, birds and insects try to outdo the other in whose mating call is the loudest. I try not to think about the replies, mostly the alligators splashing around with those frogs. I do not plan to let these two get that far to dump my body in the water, but alligators are predators and can walk on land as well as swim. Sprinting away from a gator does not sound like a fun time.
The grass we walk on is moist and it squishes under my sneakers. Around us, the trunks of the beautiful bald cypress trees shine in the moonlight and I hate that I’m here under duress and not able to stop and admire the bent reddish brown branches sinking into the water or their delicate leaves. By the time we make it through the marsh, my sneakers are ruined, but finally, after a mile or so, we stop at a flat field that kinda reminds me of the one my father and I used to practice in, but instead of a view of a hillside, out here there is nothing but gurgling swamp.
Lung fucker pushes me into the elemental and he catches me, grabbing onto me tightly with both hands. Leaning in, his nose skims my skin as he sniffs me. “Fuck, you smell good, like vanilla and coconuts.” He’s a handsy fucker and he gropes my tits like he’s at the supermarket picking out melons. Heat warms my back as lung fucker joins the party. His lips tenderly kisses a trail down my neck, his hands squeezing my ass. A little nip here and a squeeze there, and I’ve had enough. I can feel their hard cocks poking my skin, both excited and ready to fuck. Time to put on a performance of a lifetime.
I moan loudly, pretending I’m enjoying what they’re doing, lurin
g them both into a falsehood of security. I want them to drop their guard. Make them think I’m a weakling who doesn’t know how to fight for herself.
“You hear that, Donatello? What a fucking slut. You almost make me not want to kill you tonight. I could use a girl like you to have fun with and stretch that sweet pussy of yours out with my big cock until I get tired of you.”
Elemental goes on with his mantra, but I’m still stuck on the fact that lung fucker’s name is Donatello. Really? What is he? A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle? I want to laugh, but I hold it in, instead feeling up my attacker’s chest. He’s not bad looking and ripped, but he’s still a murdering rapist.
“How about I put on a little show?” I offer, sounding like a bimbo blonde with no brains. I’m talking Jessica Simpson back when she was with Nick Lachey stupid.
They both stop what they’re doing as my suggestion worms its way through their heads. Neither is suspicious, which is just foolish. Even underlings have brains.
“Sure, why not? It doesn’t matter what you do, this night will still end the same way,” elemental muses.
“Yeah, with those pretty lips of yours wrapped around my dick right before I cut your head off,” Donatello comments before laughing. “I’ll make sure I’ll nut first so you can get your last meal in.”
“How kind,” I quip.
“If you run, we’ll find you.” Apparently, the elemental isn’t as at ease as I like, but he does give me space and steps back, watching me with heated eyes. Stupid, stupid boys. This is what happens when you use your cock to think. They may have taken my dolls and freed me of my voodoo tools, but I’m so much more than a voodoo priestess.
Humming softly, I move my hips and start to dance. Round and round I move, my feet digging into the ground as I go. I’m graceful like a ballerina, my spins flawless. With each leap in the air, my landing is perfect, my body is memorizing as I move. Circle, dip, I kick my foot up, stretching it high in the air and spin. I entice them with my body, lifting my shirt, exposing my belly before pulling it completely off and throwing it in the air. My humming becomes a melody in tune with the tinkling jingle bell attached to my belly-button ring, and like a spider, I weave my spell while they watch on, clueless to the danger they are in. Killing them this way is actually me doing them a kindness. Rapist like them deserve to die horribly, because I’m sure I’m not the first girl they brought out here to rape and kill. They know this area far too well to be their first time.
