Page 20 of Anathema
“Alexis, I’m sure you know who this woman is,” Adrian said coldly, pulling the hood from her head.
My eyes widened as I stared at what looked like a mangled, life-sized Barbie doll. He was right; I did know who this woman was. The last time I saw her, she was in much better condition, but I knew who she was all the same: Monika. Eli’s Monika.
I shifted on my feet but remained indifferent towards her.
Eli believed that she had been dead for over a year, and yet here she was, bruised and battered to hell but very much alive.
How long had this been going on? She wasn’t frail or starved, so at least they had been feeding her, but why? Why hang on to her all this time?
Monika lifted her head to face me, her blue eyes meeting mine, and a feral sneer cut across her dry and split, injected lips.
“Adrian, why the fuck did you bring this dumb bitch here?” She growled.
Those were not the first words I expected from a woman who looked like she had lost a savage catfight. Nonetheless, I returned the sentiment by glaring daggers at her. Was she seriously name-calling me in her current condition?
Simply put, we never got along—like, ever; Monika despised me. She was always jealous of my working relationship with Eli, even though he was fucking her almost daily. I should feel flattered that she saw me as her competition, even if I wasn’t participating.
I had what she always wanted: Eli’s attention, something he failed to give her. At least in the way she craved it. He used her when he wanted what I wouldn’t give him and then sent her out the door until the next time. And so, in the end, she hated me. Notthat I could have ever been friends with the likes of her, to begin with.
Adrian stepped down from the dais and approached me, grabbing my hand and sliding the handle of a gun into my palm.
Looking into my eyes, he spoke over his shoulder to Monika.
“Because Alexis is your replacement. You’ve outgrown your use for us.” His words were cold and uncaring.
I could feel the weight of the gun pressing into my palm as I looked up into his green eyes. They were hollow, empty. I swallowed just as she began laughing hysterically again, sending a shiver down my spine.
“You thinkshecan replace me? That piece of absolute, used-up trash? Sweet little Alexis can donothingfor you, Adrian. She’s not cut out for this work. I am the better choice. I’ve proved myself time and time again to you.” Monika spat and fought against her restraints in the chair. She was a feral, rabid raccoon looking to sink their teeth into flesh.
“There is no choice here, Monika. You fucked up, remember? We’ve discussed this at length, and you know we have zero tolerance for those who break our rules.” Adrian turned to face her and ran a hand through his dark hair before slipping it into his pocket. “You are done here, and Alexis is taking your position, provided she can pass her tasks.”
I didn’t need to ask what he wanted from me regarding my first task. Looking down at the gun in my hand, I held all of the answers already; I knew exactly what he wanted. For me to kill her for no reason except instruction.
I pressed my lips into a hard line as I weighed my options. The two of them arguing bought me precious seconds until a decision, a choice, had to be made.
“Alexis isn’t passing shit. She’s a good little computer nerd. That’s all she was and all she will ever be.” Monika snarled, her eyes moving from Adrian to mine. “I don’t know what Eli ever saw in you. You’re just another stupid cunt playing hard to get—a tease.”
And there it was… Monika went ahead and made my decision for me.
Without a shadow of a doubt, I knew what I wanted, and all with a simple push from Monika’s fucked up mouth.
I looked up from the gun to where she sat and stepped towards her, gripping it firmly in my right hand.
“I believe you are mistaken, Monika. The onlystupid cunthere is currently restrained to a chair.” I cooed, lifting the gun to point at her head as I approached the dais.
Monika cackled as she stared straight down the barrel, not a single shred of fear in her eyes.
“Real cute, Alexis. We all know you’ve never killed anyone. You’re just the innocent girl next door toying with the emotions of desperate men.” Tilting her head, she believed every word she spat at me, and that’s where she was wrong. That’s where they are always wrong.
Eli barely knew what I did outside of simply knowing my way around a computer and amateur hacking skills. I used him for assistance when I needed extra hands on Charlotte’s assignments, but I never disclosed to him what I actually did for her, knowinghe would probably tell Monika all about it while they fucked. The two of them didn’t know how to keep their mouths shut, clearly.
I wouldn’t doubt that Eli talked a lot about me while he was with her, making me sound so angelic and perfect.His innocent little Alexis, the woman he always wanted but could never have. And that was where they both underestimated me. I was a force to be reckoned with. My kill count was higher than Chyler’s and Madison’s put together; I just don’t broadcast it to the world around me.
To everyone and anyone that mattered, I was a reaper of lives.
I licked my lips and smiled at her. A smile so sweet it dripped toxic honey.
“Innocent until proven guilty.” I shrugged before pulling the trigger and blowing a hole straight through the center of her perfectly manicured brows.
