13. Lyric
Chapter thirteen
Lyric
A LIGHT FOG BLANKETED THE deserted streets as Carmen and I wandered back to our dorm after a long writing session at the cafe. While I half listened, she was chattering about her biology paper due Monday when three cop cars suddenly raced by with blaring sirens.
We exchanged puzzled glances. "What is going on?" Carmen asked, her eyes darting back to the police cars that disappeared down the road ahead. "What do you think happened?"
I shrugged. "No clue," and kept walking.
"Lyric?" Carmen called.
I turned back to face her. "No."
"Come on, don't be a party pooper. Let's go check it out. It's Friday; maybe something spooky happened."
I gave her a deadpan look. "Carmen, my life is something spooky, remember?" I shook my head and walked on.
"Pretty please?" She implored me, and I turned to face her, only to find her staring at me with wide eyes, and her bottom lip stuck out like a pleading toddler.
I heaved an exasperated breath, my shoulder slumping. "Fine."
We followed the flashing red and blue lights to one of the frat houses off campus, a few blocks away. A fire truck, an ambulance, and six police cars flooded the street in front of the house.
What on earth?
Broken glass, red plastic cups, and scraps of fabric littered the front yard. A few police officers strolled around the yard looking for clues, while the frat boys living there stood together in shock while an officer asked them questions.
Carmen looked over at me. "Did someone die? There wasn't a video tonight, was there?"
"No," I replied, searching the surrounding houses and up the street. "Maybe..." As I was about to speculate that maybe alcohol poisoning was the cause of death, the medical examiner wheeled out a corpse shrouded by a blood-soaked sheet.
"That's weird. I thought they put bodies in black bags," Carmen said.
My eyes grew wide. "Oh my..." I gasped, covering my mouth.
"What?" Carmen's eyes followed and widened. "Is that a...a pool stick?"
Sure enough, a pool stick was sticking out of the white sheet. Just when I thought this town couldn't be more fucked up, it proved me wrong.
I jumped when my phone pinged in my tote bag.
Carmen glanced over at me. "You think it's him?" She asked, watching me dig through my bag.
"Maybe." I continued shuffling things around in my tote.
"You think he killed that person?" She asked, grabbing the strap on my bag to help me get a better view to find my phone.
"God, I hope not," I mumbled. "Got it!" I pulled my phone from the bag and pressed the button to light up the screen, and my shoulders slumped. "It's him," I muttered, sliding the bar across the screen.
Part of me wanted it to be, but the other part dreaded that it was him.
Masked Hero: Kathleen was a whore, and whores should die like whores.
Before I could even compute what he said, another ping rang out.
Masked Hero: You're cute when you're confused.
My head shot up and bounced around the police-infested area.
Another ping.
Masked Hero: More to the right.
My eyes followed, and a few houses down from the crime scene stood my red-masked spawn of Satan, leaning against the corner of a three-story house. Even with that stupid mask, I knew he was smirking behind it.
My head snapped to my screen, and my fingers went crazy on the keyboard.
Lyric: How the hell did you manage to kill her at a fucking party?
"Lyric, are you fucking texting that asshole?" Carmen interrupted, trying to look at my screen.
I lifted my eyes from the display before me to glance at her. "Would you rather me ignore him and we end up like Kathleen over there?" I tilted my head at her in question.
"Oh god, that's Kathleen?" Her mouth dropped as she looked back across the street.
Another ping grabbed my attention from Carmen.
Why was this crazy fucker still on my phone as a hero when he was fucking psychotic? I quickly changed his name and then looked at his message.
Masked Spawn of Satan: It was easy when you looked like an ordinary college student.
That fucker killed that bitch as himself.
I wasn't entirely sure why it bothered me, but it did. She saw his face. I was his Reina, as he would say. Whatever the hell that meant. Why hasn't he shown his face to me? So much for being special.
Lyric: You stalk me and won't show me your face, but you show her? Let me guess, you ate her pussy, too, before killing her?
Again, I had no clue why I was pissed. But I was.
Masked Spawn of Satan: Oh, sweet Melody, are you jealous?
I looked over to where he was standing, wishing he could see my icy glare from here.
Lyric: Hell no! Just because you made me cum once doesn't mean I give two shits about you! Plus, that was forced, not like I asked you to do it.
Masked Spawn of Satan: I can see your ruby-red face from here. It screams jealousy. It's almost as bright as my mask. Don't worry, my sweet Melody; I never touched her lady parts. Only the pool stick did, and I didn't allow her to cum before I killed her. You are the only one I want to make come.
Lyric: You fucked her with a pool stick?!
Masked Spawn of Satan: Would you rather I had fucked her with my dick?
Lyric: I don't give a rat's ass what you do!
Masked Spawn of Satan: Sure, you do. Jealousy looks good on you, mi Reina.
Lyric: Look up.
His head glanced up from his phone, and I flipped him the bird right as I hit the send button on my screen.
Lyric: FUCK YOU!
Carmen's eyes followed my gesture, and they went wide. "Holy fuck, he's here," she croaked, and she slapped my hand down. "Don't piss him off!" She grabbed my elbow and dragged me away from the scene.
When I looked back over my shoulder, he was gone.
"Are you fucking insane?" Carmen spat, still dragging me toward the dorm at a high walking rate, almost jogging. "He's going to kill us both now."
"No, he won't." I rolled my eyes.
Carmen abruptly whirled around to face me. "You're just as fucking crazy as him if you think that," she hissed and stormed off.
I sighed, then hurried after Carmen. "Wait!" I shouted out, catching up to her. Linking our arms together, I said apologetically, "Sorry." My eyes implored her to understand.
She shot me a sidelong glance as we walked. "No more provoking him, okay?"
I nodded. "Promise." I smiled, and then Carmen smiled.
"Race you," I said, laughing before I sprinted off toward the dorms.
"Hey! You cheated!" she yelled as she chased after me.
Carmen and I giggled as we made our way to our room. She took out her key card while I glanced at my cell phone. But then I felt a chill when I saw the message on the screen.
Masked Spawn of Satan: Oh, I'm going to, and you better hope your friend isn't around when I get there.
I attempted to hold Carmen back, but she pulled the door open.
"Carmen, no!" I shrieked, but it was too late—he had already grabbed her and dragged her into the room, throwing her down onto the floor of our dorm. He crooked his neck and beckoned me inside with a finger curl.
I had no choice but to step through the doorway, reassuringly glancing at Carmen so she wouldn't worry, but I knew she was freaking out.
He had my friend. I couldn't just flee.
Once next to Carmen, I lifted her from the floor and faced him again by the doorway. "And here I thought you were a gentleman," I said sarcastically.
"Not the time, Lyric," Carmen warned, gripping my elbow tightly.
Without a word from him, the all too familiar black butterfly knife appeared from his pocket.
A squeal escaped Carmen as she held onto me with all her might. "Oh Jesus, he's going to kill us," she cried.
Carmen and I were inching closer to the wall by the window. At the desk in the corner of our room, I reached out for a glass vase that held plastic red and black roses and hurled it at him, but unfortunately, he captured it with one hand like he was some star quarterback.
As he moved away from the door, Carmen let out a high-pitched yelp like a frightened puppy and hid behind me.
I get it, she was scared; but using me as a human shield?
The closer he got, the more freaked out she was. Her nails dug into my arm like an excavator digging into the cold ground.
Desperate, I searched for the scissors on the desk, and when they were finally in my grasp, I raised my arm and prepared to strike his chest, but he was too quick. Before I knew it, he had clutched my wrist firmly and forced me to let go of the scissors, which clattered to the floor.
Gripping my neck, he pushed me toward my bed and then detained Carmen, who wailed in terror as she tried to break free of his hold. He managed to keep her restrained in a choking hold with the sharp blade of his knife touching her throat, demanding her quietness.
She let out a sob, and her tears began to fall as she stammered out, "L-lyric?".
I got up from my bed. "Let her go. She has nothing to do with this."
"I told you I would kill everyone if you kept defying me."
Carmen's sobs grew louder as he spoke. "Please," she pleaded, her voice trembling. "Please don't kill me."
He glanced between Carmen and me before speaking. "Let's make a deal," he said, shoving Carmen into the comfy chair at the end of her bed and retrieving some rope from his hoodie to bind her.
I advanced, questioning his actions, but he drew the knife up to her neck again and shook his head, warning me not to proceed, so I stopped.
Once he had finished securing Carmen's arms and legs, he sat on the arm of the chair and patted her head. Then he pointed his knife at me and spoke with a menacing voice: "If you disobey me in any way, she will lose a body part. Do you understand?"
When I didn't respond, he bellowed, "DO. YOU. UNDERSTAND?"
My body jerked at his voice. "Yes!" I agreed.
"Good girl."
"So, what do you want?" I asked.
"See, you're already getting smart, Melody." He sharply tugged Carmen's head back, and she shrieked.
"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Please, let's start over," I pleaded as I looked between him and Carmen, who was terrified, her eyes full of tears. "Please?" I pleaded softly.
He released her head and pointed the knife toward my hoodie. "Take it off," he commanded.
Without a moment's thought, I followed his instructions. I glanced back at him as my white hoodie fell to the floor.
"The shirt too."
I grabbed the white Nirvana t-shirt and yanked it over my head, letting it drop. His gaze traveled from my chest, taking in my perky breasts, before moving up to meet my icy glare. I was standing there in just my red lace bra.
"Those too." He pointed at my leggings.
I took a deep breath and shut my eyes tight before I did as he commanded.
"Open your eyes, mi Reina," he ordered, and without hesitation, my eyes flew open. "Don't be shy, amor. You have a beautiful body," he assured me as he nudged Carmen with his elbow. "Doesn't she?"
Carmen vigorously bobbed her head up and down. "Yes," she screeched out, her voice shrill as she readily agreed.
"See, amor, nothing to worry about," he said, nodding toward my bed. "Now, lay down," he ordered.
I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. I quickly lay on the bed when I saw his hand reaching for Carmen's hair. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought about what he had planned. Would he release Carmen if I followed his instructions, or would he kill her just to punish me?
I was lying on the bed with my head facing them to ensure he wouldn't harm my friend.
He stood up from the chair and leaned over Carmen. "Carmen, if I were you, I'd close your eyes." He bopped her nose with the tip of his blade. "No peeking."
Her eyes clenched shut as tight as she could close them.
"See, mi Reina, it's not hard to listen." He turned toward me. "Why is it so hard for you?" He cocked his head as he inched toward me, a knife weaving between his fingers.
"I'm sorry," I murmured.
"I don't think you are."
"I am, I swear."
He took a seat next to me on the mattress and slowly ran his blade across my torso, causing a shiver of bumps to spread across my flesh. "Put your hands above your head," he commanded.
Without question, I complied, and he brought more rope from his pocket and leaned over me. He bound my hands together, then to the middle metal bar of the bed. After a brief pause, he sat on the edge of the mattress beside me again.
"Please let her go," I pleaded with him. "No more defying," I said, crossing my fingers.
I'd hoped he was obsessed with me enough to listen and believe me.
He paused momentarily, thinking, then got up from the bed and moved back over to Carmen. Her eyes were shut tight.
"It's okay; you can open your eyes," he said as he bent down to undo the knots, keeping her tied to the chair.
As she slowly opened her eyes, they landed on me, then shifted up to him. "What will you do to Lyric?" she asked softly.
He tilted his head as he responded to her. "We are going to play." He looked back at me and then snapped his head back toward her. "You have an hour to run."
"To where?" Carmen asked, her lips trembling.
"As far away from here as possible. I'm only letting you go because mi Reina asked nicely. An hour's head start is all I'm giving. If I find you, I will kill you," he warned before backing away from her and gesturing toward the door.
Carmen got up, hesitated, and looked over at me. "I'm sorry, Lyric," she whispered before she ran out the door, leaving me alone with the masked spawn of Satan.
"Happy now? You got what you wanted. I'm all alone now," I snapped at him.
In a flash, he traversed the expanse of the room with urgency. His movements were filled with an almost palpable tension. Without warning, his hand closed around my throat with an alarming force, instantly restricting the airflow and plunging my vision into a hazy oblivion.
Leaning in close, his plastic mask brushed against my ear, his voice dripping with a menacing tone. "You're already enduring the consequences of your actions in defying me," he whispered, each word laced with a cold warning. "Now you have just added to your punishment."
I gaped at him, my eyes so vast the whites were visible. I could barely breathe as I took in his dark gaze, and my vision was clouded by the red mask he wore. White dots seemed to spin around me in a dizzying dance.
He slowly moved his hand away from my throat, and I choked for air as he glided it down to my flat stomach before he slid my panties to the side. I struggled beside him as he gave me a warning from his pools of blackness, causing me to stiffen as he continued by rubbing his middle finger down my folds as he hovered over me. I couldn't help but moan in pleasure despite the fear and hatred coursing through me at the same time. He took it as an invitation, slipping a second finger inside of me while his thumb circled my sensitive bud. A wave of pleasure washed over me, and I arched into his touch against my better judgment, and I hated myself for it.
He pushed two fingers deeper inside me and began thrusting them in and out in an agonizingly slow manner, creating a delicious friction that caused heat to pool between my legs. With his other hand, he twirled the knife between his fingers before placing the point right below my hip. "You, Lyric Melody Simmons, are and will always be mine. You cannot run or hide, and the only way to escape..." His knife pierced my skin, radiating a mix of agony and pleasure throughout my body. "Is death." I resented him for unlocking a side of me that I didn't want to explore, yet a part of me craved the sensation of pleasure that he offered.
The pleasure became almost too much as he increased the tempo, pounding into me with such force that I could feel every inch of his long fingers inside of me. It felt like heaven, but it felt like guilt.
The pain from whatever he was carving into my skin ended, and he leaned down, his tongue slowly swiping across it, licking up every drop of my blood until I was clean while he circled his thumb over my clit faster. I tried holding on, not letting him see that he gave me pleasure, yet I didn't want it to end. But I wasn't strong enough to force it away, and my orgasm came in like a twisted tornado, wreaking havoc on every community in its way and destroying millions. The pressure had built, and I cried out beneath him as my back arched, pressing my pussy against the palm of his hand as he continued fingering me until his hand and my sheets were soaked with my juices.
He withdrew his fingers and shifted his mask slightly to expose his mouth. My eyes were glued to him as he put the two fingers that had been inside me in his mouth, licking every trace of me off them before retracting them from his lips. "You taste magnificent," he praised as his fingers dipped inside me, causing a low moan to escape from my lips. It was like I was a bowl of ice cream. He scooped up my flavor before moving his digits to my mouth. "Taste yourself," he ordered, his lips still glistening with my cum.
Without even thinking, my lips instinctively parted as if I were in a trance, and his fingers made their way into my mouth. To my surprise, I found pleasure in the taste of my orgasmic fluid. As soon as I had licked his fingers of cum, he removed them and leaned toward me to cut the ropes that bound my hands.
After being released, I looked up at him, towering over me. He slowly lifted his hoodie to reveal a muscular torso covered in tattoos just above his belt. He passed me the knife he used to free me.
"Mi Reina, as much as you are mine, I am yours," he professed, pointing to the same spot where he carved something on me and said, "Mark me, amor. Not a single woman in this world will ever take your place."
I carefully rose from the bed and kneeled before him, my fingers lightly brushing his toned abs as I glanced up at him through my lashes and then back down to his fantastic body.
I fucking hated myself for being aroused by his body, by his touch, and that I craved his attention.
I traced my index finger around the black ink of two crossed rifles behind an ace-playing card. He stiffened at the chill of my hand.
The feel of his skin underneath my hands made me crave his fingers again. I was beyond aroused, but I took the knife, carving the initials LMS onto his flesh.
To my surprise, he didn't even flinch, only letting droplets of blood from the wound fall. Then I tasted him, licking the bleeding cut with my tongue, which made him squirm slightly against me. His jeans rose against my breasts.
When I was done, he let his hoodie fall back over his torso and grabbed me by the throat, hoisting me up. "Remember, there is no out, Reina," he muttered, tracing his thumb across my lower lip, wiping away the blood as his dark eyes searched mine before claiming my lips with his. A rusty mint taste filled every sense of my tongue. I thought to fight and push him away, but my body scolded me for those thoughts.
He abruptly pulled away. "Until we meet again, amor," he said, then headed for the door.
"Wait!" I called out. He stopped and faced me as he reached the door. "What about Carmen?"
He gave me an arrogant smirk before he covered his mouth with his mask again. "I gave her an hour," he stated harshly, and then he was gone.
My eyes fell on the giant X carved near my lower abdomen by my hip bone.
X?
The following night at the cafe, I anxiously hoped that Carmen would answer my messages. My phone screen was filled with unanswered attempts at communication when I heard footsteps breaking into my thoughts, forcing me to snap my eyes in their direction.
While it offered a distraction from my current struggle, I couldn't help but feel guilty for allowing myself to be taken away.
Xander approached my table, snagged a chair from a nearby spot, and settled beside me in the corner. "Hey," he said.
"Hey," I muttered, slipping my device into my hoodie pocket and running my fingers through my raven hair.
Carmen helped me escape from my dreaded state of being. I was striding around without wearing my hood, like I had been for two years. She liberated me from my fearful enclosure, and how did I show appreciation? By involving her with a damn lunatic.
"Why the sad face?" He asked.
Although I hadn't spent much time with Xander, it was evident to the whole town of Savannah that I had a stalker intent on killing my abusers. Everybody tried to stay as far away from me as possible, but that didn't seem to be a problem for Xander. He paid no attention to what my stalker wanted or said.
"Nothing," I lied, looking out the window.
Xander's dark eyes examined me. "I don't buy it."
My head turned toward him. "Buy what?"
"That nothing is bothering you. You've kept to yourself even more since the day in the park. I feel like you're avoiding me," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I need to avoid everyone, or they'll end up dead." I peered out the window again.
A blanket of clouds left the world below muted and gray. A soft mist clung to the ground like a lost soul. The moon was nowhere to be seen, blocked by a white and gray wall dancing across the midnight sky.
I saw Xander in the corner of my eye, about to reach and touch me. I immediately whipped my head toward him and quickly pulled my hand away. "Don't," I said. "If you touch me, he'll be after you too."
"I'm not afraid of your... whatever you call him," he said, placing his hand on top of mine. "I can protect you," he declared.
My gaze was drawn to his hand. An intense emotion surged through me that made my eyes watery. Never had anyone been willing to battle against the demon I'd been struggling with, but he was ready and eager to take it on.
But why?
I was about to reply, but my phone went off with an alert, and fear rushed through me.
Quickly, I pulled my hand out from underneath his and retrieved my device from my pocket.
Masked Spawn of Satan: You have 10 minutes to leave the coffee shop and be in the park. If he follows, I'll kill him, then kill every person in that cafe just for being a witness to your unfaithfulness.
In a panic, I swallowed hard and shoved my phone in my pocket. "I have to go!" I exclaimed, rising from the chair.
But Xander stopped me by grabbing my arm. "Wait, what is going on, Lyric?"
I untangled my arm from Xander's hand and said firmly, "You're a great guy, but you need to leave me alone. I'm sorry." My feet had already started running before the last word left my mouth. I bolted out the door without looking back.
Another ping came in as my feet landed on the sidewalk.
A picture revealed Carmen bound to a chair inside the same structure where Carl and Devin had died.
Fuck…
Masked Spawn of Satan: You better hurry; time is ticking. Do you want to be responsible for her death?
Lyric: I'm coming!
My feet pounded the pavement as I ran down the street, hoping and wishing that X wouldn't hurt Carmen. I knew he was dead serious, though. He wouldn't think twice about killing her.