Terror (Part 1 of the Valeska Series)

Kill with a Kiss

✮ a c c a l i a  POV✮

Jerome doesn't come back for a few hours.

I stay sitting on his bed for an hour before I become antsy and feel the need to do something. I straighten up Jerome's room; folding up the clothes that he has just thrown onto the floor, picking up the rubbish from snacks he has had during the night, re-organizing his draws and labeling them, remaking his bed, and even vacuuming his room. That only takes about an hour, and I need to do something before I go stir-crazy. I decide to clean the entire trailer to pass the time.

Without a care in the world, I throw open Jerome's door and walk into the main area of the trailer, my eyes scanning over the mess  that Lyla and I created not too long ago. Added to that are empty alcohol bottles and cigarette butts that she left laying around without caring for anyone's safety. Rolling my eyes, I look over the mess and damage, wondering where I should begin in cleaning up this mess. I do the obvious answer - I start with cleaning the bottles off the floor.

Glass bottles clash against each other as I throw them into a plastic bag, and it sounds like music to my ears. Next go the cigarette butts and the shattered glass from the bottle Lila threw at me. Dragging the vacuum out of Jerome's room, I start it up and do the floor and couch in the main area, sucking up the smaller pieces of glass and ash that I couldn't risk picking up with my hands. Once that's done, I head over to the small kitchen and scrub down the benches with soap - the only cleaning product I could find in the entire trailer. At least it's a decent smelling soap, and that I can cover it with the air freshener that Barbara shoved into my suitcase.

I take all the cutlery and dishes and cups out of the cupboards and scrub clean the cupboards as well. Next clean are all the things from the cupboards, and they sit on the drying rack as I wait for the cupboards to dry out completely. While I wait, I begin to clean the bathroom. During that process, I, surprisingly, find a small out-of-date bottle of bleach. Shrugging, I upend it into a bucket and mix it with a little water to make it go further. Slipping on a glove, I begin to scrub the walls of the shower, then the sink and mirror. Leaving the toilet to last, I grab an old rag and shove it into the bucket. I scrub the floor of the bathroom, starting from the farthest wall and heading back towards the door. Once that's done, I upend the bucket of bleach and water into the toilet before closing the lid and flushing it.

Heading back into the main area, with the bucket in hand, I sigh in relief. It's all clean and there's no sign of anything having happened here. I sit the bucket beside the vacuum and head back to the small kitchen, checking to see if everything is dry. To my relief, everything is dry. I begin to put it back into the cupboards, organizing it and making sure that I put labels on the doors of the cupboards. Stepping back, I do the stacks of plates and bowls and stacks of glasses a once over before closing the doors and turning to the vacuum. I empty the catch on the vacuum into the plastic bag with the bottles and cigarette butts before putting it back into the corner of the room.

I tie the top of the bag and place it in the bucket. Picking up the bucket, I make my way outside, slightly struggling to get the door open. I manage it after a few seconds and make my way down the stairs, heading over to the bin. The next struggle is opening the bin, but I manage that after a few seconds as well. I upend the bucket and the plastic bag drops into the bin, the glass shattering as it hits the bottom, followed by the sound of the lip slamming a second later. Walking back over to the trailer, I sit the bucket upside down on the ground and let any water and bleach in it drain out, and let the bucket dry.

"Accalia," Jim calls, making me freeze as I am about to walk back into the trailer.

"s**t," I curse under my breath, turning around to face Jim with a smile on my face. "Hey, James. What are you doing here?"

"I came to make sure this friend of yours is looking after you."

"He is. He's just out right now doing some personal things. Normal teenage boy who lives in a circus things."

Jim's eyes flicker to the sling. "What happened? You had nothing wrong with that arm yesterday."

I grit my teeth. "I got in a bit of a fight with a homeless kid. They were adamant about getting my money. I'm alright though. Promise. How's Barbara doing? She must be pretty shaken up."

"Barbara's doing fine. She's more worried about you than anything else."

"Of course she is. Let her know that I'm doing alright, will you? I'll see you later, James. I have to get the school work emailed to me so I can get it done."

"You don't. I've contacted your school and they understand what's going on. You don't have to do any of the work they've been doing unless you want to. Your teacher is going to email you everything they do in class, but she'll understand if you don't do it."

"Thanks, James." I open the door to the trailer and step inside. "See you later."

"Bye, Accalia."

Jim gives me a wave before walking away, my smile fading as soon as his back is turned. I hate lying to Jim, but I can't bring myself to tell him the truth about what is going on in my life. He'd have both myself and Jerome thrown into Arkham, or even Blackgate. That fact prevents me from telling even Barbara about what I have done, and what Jerome is planning to do. I couldn't live with myself if Jerome got locked up because of my stupidity, or because I cared too much about keeping my innocent and pure charade.

Shaking my head, I walk into the trailer and shut the door behind me, not bothering to lock it because I have a feeling that Jerome will be returning soon. As soon as I am inside, I make my way to his room and lay down on his bed, trying to find some solace in the comfort of it. Finding none, I stand and go over to his small wardrobe, grabbing out the jacket he let me use yesterday. Wrapping myself in it, I crawl back onto Jerome's bed and close my eyes, a wave of exhaustion suddenly washing over me.

"Come home safe, ginger," I murmur, a yawn escaping me as I nestle into one of the pillows on his bed. They're soft and welcoming, and cause me to want to lay here forever. "Please."

✮✮✮

I wake to a pair of arms wrapped around me, cradling me gently as if I am going to break if they hold me too tightly. Just by breathing in, I know who it is. Feigning sleep, I shuffle closer to Jerome and sigh in contentment without hesitation. His chest vibrates as he chuckles and one of his arms removes itself from my body, his hand soon brushing hair away from my face. I never knew he could be so gentle and kind and caring. I mean, I knew he could be, but not to this level. There's something new you learn every day, and this is it for me - this next level of Jerome.

"So innocent and vulnerable. What a lovely contradiction and lie. Cali, you're anything but vulnerable and innocent. You're a living fire; the embodiment of ferocity and determination. Such a beautiful being, and I wouldn't trade you for anything."

I groan. "You're being emotional. What's the matter? This isn't like you, ginger."

"So, you are awake."

"I am now. Where'd you end up going?"

"I had to go clear my head and calm down. I was about to snap and hurt you, or kill my mother. It's much too soon to kill my mother."

"You could have hurt me. I don't care. Nothing really hurts anymore."

"I'd never voluntarily hurt you, Cali. I swear."

"Why? I'm just tainted goods. So, I'm basically nothing but useless to you."

"Don't let my mother's lies get to you."

"She's right though. I am tainted." I rip myself away from my best friend and wrap my arms around myself as I sit up. "I've killed people, Jerome. I did it willingly and without hesitation. I'm a murderer."

"So what?" He sits up beside me and looks at me, but I avoid his gaze. "You killed people who either harmed you or meant you harm."

"That doesn't make it right. It makes me  murder - tainted and crazy."

"f**k it. I am done with hiding this shit."

I look over at him just in time for him to grab my face and press his lips to mine, a searing heat behind them that warms me to the bone. His hands feel like they're everywhere; running up my thighs, trailing over my lower back, gripping my hips with purpose. The one time they dip below than my lower back, Jerome pulls me on top of him and all but holds me there as his lips move from my mouth to my throat, leaving burning kisses down to my collarbone.

My hands grip at his shirt as my head instinctively rolls back, baring my throat and letting him ravage my skin. He bites down once and a small cry escapes me, causing his hands to grip my hips tighter. It felt as though he was forcing himself to hold back. I find my fingers working their way under Jerome's shirt, and then my hands pressing against his stomach, my nails scratching lightly as he marks along my collarbone and up my throat, pushing the collar of my shirt out of the way.

A tearing sound interrupts our harsh panting and small groans of pleasure. My eyes fly open and Jerome freezes with his lips on my shoulder. He slowly pulls back and stares at my shirt, his eyes shocked. Straightening my head, I follow his gaze and bite my lip to hold back the giggle threatening to break free. He ripped my shirt, and he looks so scared about it. Taking one look at his worried face, I can't help but burst into laughter, my entire body shaking and my eyes crinkling as I part my lips and let it free.

"Cali," Jerome says, the shock evident in his voice.

"Oh my gods," I laugh, seeing the look in his eyes. "You look so worried about ripping a shirt!"

"I just..."

"It's alright, ginger. It's just a shirt. Nothing special at all."

"In that case..."

"Jerome..."

His hands grip my shirt and rips it further, chills sweeping my body as the material falls down to my waist. My arms instantly move up and cover my bra covered breasts, and I glare viciously at him. His green eyes stare at my arms for a second before looking up into my angry blue-green eyes, and a cheeky smile spreads across his face. He knew how I would react to him doing this, and, yet, he did it anyway. I roll my eyes at him and drop my arms, placing my hands on my hips and shaking my head.

"Why the hell did you do that?" I demand.

Jerome smirks. "Oh, you know. I just wanted to."

"We're still not a thing, ginger. You don't have that right."

"Do you want to be a thing?"

"Not right now." I smirk at the ginger. "Maybe someday."

"I should have guessed." His hands grip my hips and pull me towards him, his lips brushing my ear. "When the day comes, you're going to be asking why you waited so long."