Page 16 of Descend into Madness

A roar splits the sky in half, my ear drums shriveling up to die. Jerking upright, I grip the sides of my head while a neutral Cash swiftly ties the robe back in place. His hands on my hips is the only indication before I’m tossed up into the air and spun to straddle the seahorse in the correct direction. Following Cash’s command, our aircraft dips below the cloud line where bleakness thrives and guess what? It’s fucking raining.

Spears of water pierce my eyes, blinding me as the rumbling roar comes again, closer this time. I grip the sea horse’s silvery mane, unable to find the source through the haze. It finds us though. A shadow collides with the side of the sea horse and only Cash’s grip on my damn hair keeps me from falling off completely. Coiling it around his hand like a whip, my feet use his boots as stirrups and I’m confused as to who’s riding who here.

“Fancy telling me what the fuck’s going on?!” I scream, yet my words are lost to the wind. Ducking back and forth, the sea horse picks a course to follow, spiraling onwards like a corkscrew rollercoaster. Fuck theme parks, this is beyond the most epic ride I’ve ever been on. It’s only when a flash of lightening ahead presents the beast that my gut really drops and I push back into Cash’s chest of my own accord. “Is that…”

“A Jabber-cocky,” Cash finishes in my ear, proving he could hear me the entire time. The silhouette shows as much. Thick horns protrude from its gangly head, elongated by a snake-like neck. The size of a winged dinosaur, its jaws open on a roar that I now realize is acting as thunder. Talons flare in the piercing white light, sending a shiver down my back as if it’s already on me. I’ve never actually seen one before, not believing it to be real. After my father made his fortune turning my tales into a storybook, he continued to write of the fictitious creatures and characters I would see in my dreams.

“Wait.AJabbercocky. What do you mean,A?! Surely, it’stheonly one?” I half-turn back as far as the tight grip on my hair will allow. Cash’s eyebrows crinkle, a strange smile lighting the side of his mouth.

“Seems unrealistic to have a creature without predecessors or a way to continue the species. Did you think there was only one and that no more existed? Doesn’t make much sense.”

“It’s Wonderland! It’s not supposed to make sense!” I scream back, gripping the mane tight as the seahorse suddenly dives forward. Why am I the only one who seems to remember what a loon-filled place this once was?! Cash chuckles, his voice smooth and calm as ever.

“Wonder-lust,” he prompts and I roll my eyes. As if I need any more of a reminder than the solid erection sticking into my lower back. A woodland below is approaching way too quickly, my stomach lodged in my chest. A fork of lightening cuts through the sky, the Jabbercocky nowhere to be seen. Just then, a huge yellow eye appears at my side, the size of the thing stretching from my head to hip with a slitted red pupil centered on me. Spreading its huge jaws to reveal two rows of razor-sharp teeth, I pull my leg over the sea horse, out of biting range when heavily rasped words puncture my eardrums.

“Bring him back!” the Jabbercocky bellows before releasing a bolt of ice from its throat. Tiny shards cascade over my body where the robe is failing to cling on, freezing me to the bone. Just beneath my feet, the canopy of trees becomes coated in a thick layer of ice that the sea horse uses to its advantage. Tucking up his legs, the creature slides the length of the icy path on his scaly body and just as the shimmering blue runs out, he tosses us aside onto the forest floor.

Cash is forced to release my hair as we slam into a heap of limbs, the eruption of pain rocketing through my shoulder making me writhe and groan. The white robe is now a lovely shade of mud and you guessed it, my damn hair is full of dead leaves again. Today is enough to make me consider shaving it all off and being done with it.

A blonde-haired shadow hangs over me, dragging me up by the robe’s lapels. I hiss in pain, frowning further at the hardness containing in his simmering green eyes.

“I can smell him on you,” he growls, dipping his head to inhale along the length of my neck. I see what’s happening here – I’ve switched twins. Cash’s outline is slumped on the ground, yet to rise from our fall. “Humor me. What does my brother have that I don’t?”

“A dazzling personality, cheery smile and an understanding that girls don’t like possessive, broody assholes? Take your pick.” That was a total lie – I love a broody asshole on the best of days, but when faced with a challenge, I’ll say whatever it takes to win.

“Hmmmm.” Tweed tilts his head in genuine curiosity, raising a hand to smooth back my hair. With his other hand, he reaches into his tweed jacket pocket, reveals Stan and eases him into his hidey hole behind my ear. Tiny claws scrape at my scalp, but it’s the squeeze of my heart at Tweed’s gentleness that makes me gasp. Keeping one palm against my jaw, his thumb reaches out to trace my bottom lip.

“I didn’t realize you were so fickle.” In a movement too swift for me to track, a capsule is shoved between my lips and his hand on my closed jaw knocks upwardshard. The capsule bursts between my teeth, copper liquid with a harsh tang sliding along my tongue and down my throat.

“Fuck’s sake Tweed,” I choke, trying to scratch my tongue free of the disgusting taste threatening to make me gag. “Stop forcing me to drink your blood!”

“You fucking bastard!” Cash yells and I have a wash of déjà vu. Shooting upright from the forest floor, he tackles his twin. And here we go again with the brawling. The pain in my shoulder ebbs away all at once and I roll it in all directions, hunting for the discomfort I so recently felt. There’s no evidence it was ever there. Drawing the robe around me, I settle on a boulder, watching the pair roll around on the ground. Punches fly, feet kicking out and words shouted in fits of growls.

“You can’t…have her!”

“She’s already…mine!”

“As long as…marked…not…yours.”

I tune out with an exasperated sigh at that point. I can’t decipher who’s saying what but it’s obvious both these twat-knuckles think I’m a possession up for grabs. The glint of a curved smile catches my eye, drawing my attention to a town beyond the trees. A rogue signpost labels it as ‘this way’ as opposed to the other side which is obviously ‘that way.’ The smile has led me right before so as the boys continue their pissing match, I hop up and follow the swaying teeth in the direction of some clean clothes. Bye boys. I have some shopping to do.

10

The Night Before Malice’s Return

Gripping the pole with one hand, my leg bent around the cool chrome, I spin slowly, relishing the stretch of my torso. The soft breeze stroking my face empties my mind, as it does every time I climb the length of the pole high above the varnished floorboards, artistically painted as a checkerboard.

Leaning into the stretch, I take time to limber up to the gentle melody easing from the speakers whilst waiting for tonight’s sole client. I only dance for the flocks of women pounding on the other side of the door on weekends, keeping my weekdays free for pleasure of a different nature.

Placing both hands on the rod, my legs gracefully draw in a semi-circle, tilting to give the illusion I’m floating. Clasping the pole above my head, the sound of heels clicking across the floor resonates as I freely hang upside down by my ankles. Even from this angle, the raven-haired beauty doesn’t fail to appease. Not a strand out of place, she takes a seat, peering up with large golden eyes to watch her personal show. And I give it to her.

A sensual sway of muscle in black leather slacks. Tight enough to hint at what’s lurking underneath yet leaving enough to the imagination to entice a keen stare. Righting myself and hanging on with one hand, I slowly descend like the angel of promised pleasure until my feet ease back onto the stage. Circling the pole with lazily, dragged movements, our eyes remain joined and a small smile pulls at her black-painted lips.

“Do you always toy with your clients?” she asks, acting coy as if she isn’t my most regular.

“No, only with my food,” I flash a dazzling smile of pointed canines that never fails to send the crowd wild with need. Leaning all my weight aside, I make a flourish of splitting my legs high in the air and twizzling around the pole before making my way to the steps stage right. She joins me there, standing tall on gorgeously long legs with her hand held out before her.

“Your majesty,” I bow, kissing the back of her hand with a knowing smirk. Lillianna dips as low as her intricate black corset will allow, the silver clasps trailing her breast to abdomen catching the light of the chandelier. Floral lace curves around her tight cleavage, mirrored in the short puffy skirt bursts in frills around her upper thighs. Boots stretch past her knees, tied by silver cords crisscrossing back and forth. Righting myself, I lift the onyx embellished tiara from her head and place it on the stage. A move no one else would dare try, but this is no place for a Queen. Women are all equal in Dirty Dee’s, no exceptions. Even if she did gift it to me.

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