The World of Myth Magazine

Adrian sat in his living room smoking a clove cigarette. He had developed a taste for them years earlier when he had encountered a bunch of spiritualists at a festival in Tennessee. The smoke had flavored their blood and he had enjoyed them ever since.

“You know she is going to kill you right?” ask a female voice from the other side of the room.

Adrian’s eyes slid over and gazed at the woman. Coldly.

“She can try. She is no longer a match for me. She never really was. You see, love weakens a woman. While it will make a man fight, even kill, it makes a woman soft, gentle, hesitant.”

The woman laughed. “She doesn’t love you anymore. Why can’t you see that?”

It was Adrian’s turn to laugh. “I am not naïve ma petite. It was never me she loved. It was the kill. Now it is Marlon. For reasons that escape me. She loves the human. She has prolonged his life to keep him close. It is that love that I will use against her.” He stood in one fluid movement, and it took the woman’s breath away. She has always been fascinated with him and had followed his movements closely. What she could glean from the papers, local gossip, and on her own. Her mother had forbidden any contact, and Cynthiana could see why now. He was powerful. More powerful than even Reese had anticipated. Her curiosity was what had gotten her caught. She had wanted a closer look. She knew he had Marlon trapped and she had wanted to see if she could figure out where and get a closer look at the man himself. She had been foolish, and now, she sat, captured herself, in a cage, suspended from the ceiling of Adrian’s living room.

Adrian had walked to his desk and was speaking into his phone.
“Yes, yes, bring her up please.” He hit the end button and placed the phone back on the desk.

He turned towards Cynthiana. “Your mother has noticed that you are not with your ever-present brother. She is here to speak to me.”

Cynthiana’s heart leapt into her chest. “Please, don’t hurt her!” she begged.

Adrian laughed. “I have no intentions of causing your mother harm ma petite. She is a messenger.”

Tiana was escorted into the living room and Adrian waved to the settee and motioned for her to be seated. Her gaze never left Adrian and fear was etched clearly on her face. Adrian smirked and looked over at Cynthiana and winked. Tiana’s gaze followed his and a small scream escaped her lips before she clamped her hand over her mouth.

Her eyes flew back to Adrian. “She is no threat to you. Please let her go! Take me instead!” she begged.

Adrian smiled at Tiana; his eyes glinting coldly. “Oh, I have use of you. You will take a message back to Reese for me.”

His hand flicked slightly and a screamed ripped from Cynthiana. Blood spread across her shirt. His hand raised and the shirt tore open revealing a large gash across her chest. Bone gleamed in the afternoon light. Adrian stood and walked over to the cage, reached in and ripped the shirt from Cynthiana’s body. It dripped with blood. Cynthiana had now collapsed on the floor of the cage. Tiana stared as hard as she could to catch a glimpse of breath from her daughter. When she saw the slight rise of her shoulder, she breathed a small sigh of relief.

Adrian tossed the shirt at Tiana. “Take this to Reese. Tell her that it is just the first part of the message.”

Two men came into the room and before Tiana could say a word, escorted her out.

Adrian went to a door, hidden in the wall, and opened it. Marlon stepped out. He looked over at Cynthiana and a small grimace creased his face. Adrian had been able to capture his essence, trap it in his body, but he had not been able to capture his soul. His thoughts and his feelings were still his own.

The two men returned with a small child of about 12 years old. She was dirty and her hair was matted. A sour smell emanated from her. Adrian crinkled his nose.

“Clean her up, feed her, and then return her to me.” He ordered. The two men took the child and left.

“What need have you of a child?” Marlon asked.

Adrian just smiled. “Sit.” He said. Marlon sat. He may have his own thoughts and feelings, but Adrian controlled everything else.

They sat in silence, Adrian gazing out the balcony doors and Marlon watching Adrian.

After about an hour, the two men returned with the child. They brought her over to the couch where Marlon sat. She sat beside him and looked around.

“Nice place ya got here.” She said. “Thanks for the bath and the food.”

Adrian smiled at her. “You are welcome child. Tell me, do you have family?”

She shook her head and the scent of honeysuckle rose off her still damp hair. “Nah, I was left at the crawdad stand in the market about a year ago. ‘tole to stay put and me ma and pa never come back.”

Adrian nodded with feigned concern. “How did you survive the streets?”

She sat up as straight as she could, trying to look as tough as she could, “I got me friends. They help me, I help them.”

Adrian laughed. “You mean you steal for them, and they protect you.” The girl nodded.

Adrian stood and walked to the balcony doors and looked out. “Nothing happens in this town without me knowing. Nothing happens without my say so. Do you understand?”

The girl looked confused. “You run this place?” she asked.

“You could say that. You worked for me. I was the final say.” He came and stood before the child. “You owe me.”

She scampered back on the couch. Fear now working its way back into her eyes. “I did as I was s’pposed to every time. I never skimmed. I was an honest thief!”

Adrian nodded, “Yes, but do you not think that all the food, the protection, the place to sleep, was worth more than what you managed to pilfer off the tourists? Come now.”

He returned to his seat and the cold blank stare returned. “I will now collect my debt.”

He looked at Marlon, who, even though he knew it was useless, shook his head. “Please, don’t make me do this.”

“I must make my message clear.” Adrian replied. He flicked his hand and suddenly Marlon was on the small child. Her screams lasted only a few seconds, as Marlon made her death as quick as possible. Adrian had only ordered her dead. He hadn’t said how. He had torn her throat out, severing the jugular so she had bled out in a matter of moments.

“Take her to Reese. Deliver her only to Reese. Then return to me.”

Marlon scooped up the girl in his arms gently and left the penthouse. He traveled in the shadows until he reached the back door to the courtyard.

“Reese.” He said. He didn’t have to yell. He knew she could hear him. Knew she could smell the blood on him, on the child. The gate flew open, and she stood before him. She stepped back allowing him entrance.

Marlon laid the child at her feet. “A gift. A message. From Adrian.”

Reese knelt down and looked at the child. She bore such a resemblance to Cynthiana. Her heart stopped for a moment. Tiana had returned with Cynthiana’s shirt, soaked in blood, and now this child, throat ripped to shreds, lay before her. The message was clear. Cynthiana was next.

“Who?” she asked.

Marlon stood silent. Reese stood and grabbed his arm. “WHO?” she demanded.

“Me.” He said quietly. Her heart shattered.

The message was driven home with no more questions.

She was to return to him, to Adrian, if she wanted the carnage to stop. If she wanted Marlon set free, she had to give over to Adrian. Completely. He would accept no less. The child represented the innocence of her love for Marlon, the purity of their relationship. The bloody shirt, the ties she had formed. Adrian had destroyed both. He had made it clear he would continue until she gave up the foolish notion of happily ever after. He didn’t care if she loved Marlon, all he wanted was to own her.

“What else has he made you do?” she asked.

“You don’t want to know.” Marlon replied. “But I would do far worse if it kept you from him.”

This man, this beautiful, good hearted, gentle man, was destroyed. He had always been the voice of reason for Reese, the calm to her chaos, and Adrian had taken that from him. Made him do unspeakable things, breaking something in him. Just as she had when she had him torture her for her deeds.

“NO!” Marlon snarled. He had heard her thoughts. Seen the torment on her face. “Don’t you dare!” He came and stood in front of her. “I would do it all again. Every bit. The torture made you see the wrong in what you did, you paid the price that you felt was needed. Yes, it killed me inside, but it rebuilt you. You beat the hunger. You beat the primal instinct to kill. You can beat this.”

Before Reese could speak, a cold wind whipped through the courtyard. The child, almost forgotten on the ground, stood to her feet and faced Reese.

“Do you see what this monster has done to me?” she asked. “Do you see what he made him do?”

Blood began pouring from her mouth, wounds opened on her arms and legs. A pool of blood formed at her feet and began creeping towards Reese. The child began to scream, in a child’s voice.

“Please make the bad man stop. Mommy! Daddy! Save me!” she begged. Before Reese could move, Marlon jumped on the child and within seconds had her head in his hands. His face was buried in the bloody hole that her spine had left in the base of the skull. Slurping noises escaped as he gnawed at the hole like a terrier after a rat.

Rage exploded in Reese and she tore the child from Marlon. The glazed look in his eyes told her that he was no longer in control.

“You listen to me you bastard. You think you can break me? You think using Marlon to perform acts of depravity will make me come back to you? Think again.” She flung Marlon out of the courtyard and slammed the gate.

“Tiana! Now!” she yelled.

Tiana came out of the kitchen chanting a binding spell. Marlon could no longer enter the courtyard. She had locked both he and Adrian out.

“As above, so below!” Tiana finished. They had put a bubble of protection over the compound, air and earth.

“You have taken the one thing that kept me grounded, the one thing that kept me from turning into the monster you are. All bets are off. Let the games begin.”

Several miles away, Adrian collapsed on the floor, blood pouring from his eyes, ears, nose and mouth. She had struck back. She had won this round.

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