Hallows: Merciful Death

Until The Count of Three

I Prevail- DOA

B.B.:

"She's hiding something," I announce when we get home.

"What would she be hiding?" Carson looks over at me confused. "She's one of us,"

"You don't find it at all suspicious that she tells us these little stories and then creeps us out before we dive into questions about them?" I ask. Everything she did and said was deliberate. No one can tell me otherwise. That and she was able to pinpoint qualities about me to use them against me.

"What?" Marco laughs. "She's just weird and old,"

"Dude," I look around the room. No one believes me. "There's no way in hell I'm the only one that's ever questioned her motives,"

"Look, you're new here. We're parts of each other. We can't hurt one another without hurting ourselves. These are the rules. I know you're questioning everything right now, B.B, and that you haven't had the best experiences with trust but you don't have to worry about that here," Carson tries to reassure me.

"Did my sister question her?" I ask.

"Your sister bit her. She attacked her. They both spent twenty-four hours in a coma waiting for the venom to clear out," Luc nods.

"I don't trust her. I trust you guys. All of you. I can't explain it but I don't trust her," I take the box from Lucien. "I'm sorry. You're not going to be able to change my mind until there's proof of either her guilt or innocence,"

I spin around to go up to my room and for the second time, I feel it. The same way I did at the party. My entire body shivers as the darkness inside of me screams. I drop the box and look up at the chandelier where I found her. Delilah is hanging from it, her body swaying back and forth as the snake slithers its way down the body toward me. It's not like the one that led me to the basement. No, this one wants me, it's not trying to show me something.

Somewhere in the distance, I can hear someone calling me but I can't move. I don't want to. I've been anticipating the rush, the power, and the need to dominate for days now. It feels good. So, good. I finally feel alive again. I sense someone coming up behind me. So, I reach out for the snake, Without hesitation, it drops down onto my arm and quickly slithers its way around my body. I gasped already feeling my entire body come alive. A moan escaped my lips when it clamped down on my neck and I exhale a sigh of relief.

It's different than the first time. My senses are sharper now. I can feel myself moving toward the door. As soon as I pry it open, I take off in a full sprint with no real sense of direction. I end up at the school moving towards the football field. I can see two shadows moving around. Immediately, I recognize Shane.

Without revealing my location, I make my way under the bleachers without making a sound. It's dark out. The only light provided is the stadium lamp lighting the field. Everything else is blanketed by darkness. Even the buildings seem invisible. Although it's a full moon, the rain clouds have spoken. This night belongs to the darkness.

"I'm not saying we kill her. I'm just saying we f*****g teach her not to f**k with us. B.B. isn't one of us anymore. She's one of them. Whatever those f*****g freaks are," Cassius sneers. "It's not like you're in love with her,"

"That's not the point. What happened that night, Cash? What did you motherfuckers do to Stacy?" Shane demands.

"Nothing. Why would we do anything to our f*****g supplier?" Cassius scoffs.

"I don't believe you. Did you see what they did to him? That s**t was personal, Cash. I know B.B. She was never into that weird s**t her sister was but she did believe she was making a difference. Just tell me the truth,"

"Shae, I swear man. We didn't do anything to her," he tries to dismiss a second time.

"Lying," I stepped out from the darkness. They both jump back as I walk over to them. I can see it slithering around Cash. "Is a sin, Cash. Aren't you some kind of Jesus freak? To live in sin is to forsake the one who is here to save your soul," I laugh. The sound of a low animalistic growl vibrates behind me and Marco appears with Dylan. "Hi, Shane,"

"What are you doing here, B.B?" he asks stepping in front of his best friend.

"That's a great question, Shane. Cash?" I lean to my left to get a look at him. He's always been a mousy little s**t. Hiding behind Shane and Holland.

"What?" he rolls his eyes.

"What am I doing here, buddy?" I ask.

"How the f**k should I know? Are you high?" he glares at me with a fake sense of hatred.

"No," I step closer to them. Close enough to reach for the football in Shane's hand. He didn't resist when I take it and spin it around in my right hand. He lets it go and lets his arms drop to his side before he stuffs them in his pockets. "I don't think there will ever be a drug strong enough to make me lose my mind the way you're claiming I have.

"If you are so inclined, I'm here to f**k you up a little bit. Not kill you. I don't think I'm ready for that. The reaper, she's sleeping, and I want to keep her that way for as long as I can. You," I point at him with the football. "Have been a very naughty boy, Cash. Marco, can we read off his indiscretions?"

"Where the f**k did he come from?" Cash asked.

"Stacy Whitmore, Tamara Jones, Kaylee Dawson, Melonie Halestorm," Marco calls out their names.

"What?" Shane turns back to look at him.

"Jenny Conner, Vera Belling, Sandra Rodriguez, Nora Storm," Marco continues.

"You are not picky, are you? Asian, Colored, Hispanic. You like them all," I smile. "Do you know the meaning of no, Cash?"

"f**k you," he growls.

"You touched my sister?" Shane asks him angrily. Marco takes a step forward. I put my arm out stopping him. "My little sister?"

"No, man. I would never hurt Mel," Cash shakes his head.

"Do you know what he calls her?" I press. "Felony Melony. Says he can go all day," I add. "Cash, what I did to you buddy Holland was mild. I just wanted to set him back on the right path. It was his first offense. You on the other hand. I'm going to need a whole lot more. Why don't you go home, Shane? Be a little nicer to Melonie from now on. She's fighting the urge to succumb to the darkness this piece of s**t forced into her,"

"Wait," he steps towards me.

"Don't," Carson is now standing by Marco and Dylan. "Touch her,"

"B.B, what's wrong with you?" he asks me ignoring him. "This isn't you,"

"The problem with you, Shane is that you never really cared to see past the innocence. You have a bit of a hero complex and I can assure you that it was misplaced, sweetie. No one stays innocent forever. It was just a matter of time and well, the clock has stopped ticking for me. Go home. You were never here. Maybe head over to Rosa's place so you have an ironclad alibi this time,"

"You told the cops I hurt him," he glares at me.

"I told the cops what they wanted to hear. I gave them a motive. Now go. Sleep tight," I dismiss him.

"Shane," Cash steps to him. "You're not going to leave me alone with these freaks are you?"

"You need to stop watching me, Shane. I don't want to hurt her but I will. If you love her the way you claim, prove it to her. You and I, it really is over. It was over long before I caught you two. Quite frankly, it never really started," I explain to him.

"Then why did you say yes?"

"I asked myself that the moment it slipped out of my mouth," I smile. I've never said that out loud before. "It was just convenient at the time. It made sense to the on-lookers. You want to know something though?"

"What?" he asks stupidly.

"I can careless now. I want them to look. I want them to see me now. There's pride in the things I love now. I'm no longer ashamed of my choices,"

"Ashamed?" he shakes his head with disbelief.

"Ashamed," I confirm. "Now that the veil around you has been pulled away, I'm f*****g ashamed of knowing you,"

"f**k you, Belladonna," he snatches the ball out of my hand and walks past me. "You're no better than the rest of them,"

"No, I'm not. I'm probably worse. I've always been," I agree. "You just chose not to see it,"

"Shane! Shane, don't leave me here," Cassius calls after him but Shane doesn't say a word.

"Cash," I catch his attention as I push my hands into my pockets. "This is the peak of your life, buddy,"

"f**k you," he spits in my direction.

"You don't have a future, Cash. I see it now. After this, it's all over for you. You're going to try your best and when you figure out that your best is never going to be enough, you'll spiral. Drinking, smoking, drugs, whores, gambling, and one day you're going to stumble out of a w***e house and your life will meet its pitiful end," I'm not sure where it's coming from but the words slip out of me with ease.

"Damn, that's dark, B.B," Stacy materializes from the darkness behind him. She's holding a bag in her hand. "I expect it to be nothing short of the truth,"

"He's gone, gorgeous," Luc is sitting on the bleachers behind me. "We're all alone out here,"

"Cash," I smile feeling the venom in my veins rage. "I am going to count to ten. I want you to run the same way Kaylee did when you lured her out here,"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he shakes his head but realization and fear are carved all over his expression.

"It's really up to you, hun. Run, don't run. I'm still going to wreck you," I laugh. "You have until the count of three,"