Chapter 1
Penny looks out through her window to the beautiful lakeside. The ducks her children love so much are quaking, almost like they are mocking her for all her impurities. She has spent years asking herself questions she couldn’t answer.
And she couldn’t take it any longer. She had made everything work out, she lacked nothing, and she was happy and content. But once in a while, she felt a pang of sadness, she did not know where it came from.
“Hey, mamma?”
Her son comes in chimes jubilantly, happy and charming like always. All her children were. She had done a good job raising them. She could see it in how they carried themselves and how they made choices in their lives, even as teenagers. She was proud of her accomplishments, but the sadness still did not leave.
“What’s up, Terry?”
“You look lost, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, just thinking”
Terry looked at his mother, and it was almost like he saw the storm coming. He knew his mother was about to go down the rabbit hole. Now he was almost an adult, and he knew, they all knew, that the sadness in their mother’s eyes, will one day come alive, and now it is.
Terry was no longer his mother’s responsibility, and she was about to rain thunder and hailstones. He had seen the storm, and he knew he couldn’t hold her back any longer.
“Can I talk to you about something?”
“Yeah,” she answered still lost in thought which Terry did not mind, she was still listening.
“I’m having a friend over for the weekend, I was hoping you’d be cool about it.” Jenny curiously rasied an eyebrow.
“Is this friend a boy or a girl?”
“It’s a boy mom.” He seemed embarrassed as he mouthed the words. Jenny always suspected his son to be queer. Her son was struggling to make the fact clear and her instincts kicked in. she was going to ease the coming out for him.
“Do you like him?” Terry was taken aback by his mother’s question but quickly regained his composure and answered her.
“Yes.”
“Are you more than friends?”
“Yes.” Terry took a long look at his mum. He really was proud to be her son.
“I’m cool with it if you promise to be responsible and introduce him.”
“Thanks mum.” Terry replied. Jenny was again whisked away by her treacherous thoughts. “Mum?”
She briefly comes out of her stupor. “Yeah?”
“You know you got to do what you have to do right?”
Jenny looked at her son for the first time in his 18 years on earth and saw a boy and a man. Both are self-aware. A tear dropped from her eye.
“You know?” she whispered.
“We all do mum, and it’s time”
She has been holding her rage back for years, and her children have seen the shadows. And they are okay with it.
Jenny lifted her hand and pressed the doorbell. She listens to the chime as if she was reminiscing. It sounded just like her own. The house wasn’t as big as her own, nor as lavish as her own, but as she has realized from her 40 years on earth, money is not everything.
She turned and sprinted from the front porch just as he opened the door. But she wasn’t ready.
Terry looked at his mother and took out his phone to call Sandra. The two had a sober conversation about a lot while Jenny looked over the large farm. She had created a sanctuary for her children, but it didn’t give her much comfort.
Her daughter’s sports car roared outside and she took that as her cue to leave. If she wasn’t mistaken, she was in yet another Marcus frenzy. They were so in love it made her sick. She was, however, happy for her. She was too young for all that, but the privilege in her name gave her every right. So she let it go.
“Mum, don’t run away!” Sandra yelled after her stopping her in her tracks. She walked back to the living room all smiles.
“I wasn’t running away.” She opened her arms to hug her daughter. “Hello my love.”
“Hi mum.”
“How is school, do you need anything?” she pulled away softly watching her face with love. It took her a minute to acknowledge the middle aged man standing next to her daughter. All six feet of him in an expensive suit and a perfectly chiseled face. His aura screamed power. It did not help that his face was front magazine perfect. He stood in the middle of her living room, poised and confident.
She was staring, and she was afraid of the next words to come of her delicate mouth. She couldn’t afford to say the wrong thing and berate her daughter, so she went for the safest approach.
“And who might this be Sandra?” she spoke softly, caution written all over her words. She has to give Sandra the benefit of doubt, even though she was dating a 30-year-old man.
“Terry can better answer your questions.” Sandra shyly moved away from the all-powerful man and to her surprise, the man reached over and pulled terry to him. Terry looked unsure and was trying to pull away from his grip. A huge hand stretched out to great her.
“Good morning ma’am, my name is Gabriel. I am Terry’s boyfriend, he seemed tongue tied and can’t find his words to introduce me.” Jenny took the large arm into hers, all the while watching the interaction between the two boys.
“Terry, I think you left out some key information from our talk. Care to explain yourself?” Jenny gave her son a stern look of disapproval.
“I told you to tell her, but you were too chicken.” Sandra said.
“Shut up Sandra!” Terry turned to face his mother. “Mum, get to know him first. He’s gentle.” And possessive. Terry did not have to spell that out, she could see it from the firm grip on her son’s waist. The more terry spoke, the tighter the grip seemed. He seemed to be ready to bolt with him in his arms if Jenny became violent.
Jenny saw as the two had a secret exchange and he let him go only for him to stand behind him like a bodyguard. He was eighteen, this man looked ready to settle down and start adopting kids or a giant wolf for a dog.
“Is he the weekend friend?” It was evident from her voice that she was trying to remain calm. Her inner self was screaming obscenities and trashing the whole house. She slumped down on the sofa to collect her thoughts.
She expected a goofy teenager, not a fully grown man. Sandra had surprised her a month ago when she introduced her boyfriend, but Leo is only a year older than her. That was puppy love. This is different. Terry and Sandra sat next to her, while Gabriel remained standing. He could sense that he wasn’t welcomed.
“Mum,” Terry began but Jenny stopped him.
“It’s fine Terry. I was just surprised. Come, I’ll make some eggs, and we can talk.” Jenny walked to the kitchen and was immediately in a cooking frenzy. Sandra smiled at her brother and mouthed, ‘you are lucky’.
The whole morning was spent in the garden. They talked about Terry and Gabriel the entire time. Jenny liked him. She saw how he looked at Terry, how he hangs on every word that come out of his lips. He was in love with an eighteen-year-old, and he did not even know it.
“How many people know that you are gay?” Jenny asked Gabriel.
“I don’t really know. I keep my business to myself and avoid the media entirely. My family, however, knows. They’ve met Terry numerous times.” Jenny was surprised.
“How long have you been together?”
“I’ve known him for 2 years, but we are only starting to go out.” Jenny was confused.
“He’s my boss, mum.” Terry helped the situation. “From the tech firm I’ve been interning. The one where I was promoted overnight to the CEO’s Personal assistant.” Jenny giggled realizing why he was promoted so fast. He was an intern with little to no experience.
“Gabriel is insufferable mum. But he loves Terry, and Terry loves the attention. They were practically made for each other.” Sandra leaned on her mother as she spoke.
Jenny recalled all the conversations she had with Terry about his boss. Terry was so frustrated he was going to quit only to come home as the new PA. Now she realizes that they were relationship issues with a possessive boss who was also extremely jealous.
“Where is Leo?” she asked Sandra.
“He had something to take care of, he’ll be here for lunch.”
“It’s time he tells you where he disappears to sometimes. I get that it’s not another woman, but Sandra there is something he’s keeping from you.” Jenny raised her concern.
“He promised to tell me everything tonight, mum. I hope it’s something I can handle mum. I haven’t told him yet but I love him. I feel like I was made for him and he for me.” She looked longingly at her mother. “It will hurt so much if it doesn’t work out mum. What will I do?” Sandra continued.
Jenny wasn’t worried about that. Leo was like a puppy when with her. Whatever it was he was hiding was big, but he was hiding it because he feared losing her. Dumping Sandra was the last thing Leo will do, in if faced by death.
“That won’t happen. Whatever he tells you, try to understand him and where he comes from. He was probably trying to protect you. Or he was afraid to telling you only to lose you. He loves you.” Jenny told Sandra. “Whatever he tells you, don’t run away from it if you can solve it together.”
“Thank you mum.”
At half past noon, Leo was at her front door. He seemed a bit on edge.
“Is it that hard to tell her the truth?” Leo looked perplexed.
“I’m afraid she’ll reject me. I’m also afraid that you’ll drive me out of your home. This place is like my second home, loosing you as my family will hurt so much I won’t recover.” Leo come clean with all the sincerity he could master.
“Talk to her, be honest with her, and no matter what, don’t let her go. Whatever it is, you are family, it won’t make us love you any less.” Jenny was the last person to judge anyone.
Leo greeted everyone before taking a seat beside Sandra. They were too in love to break up, it just wasn’t happening. Jenny watched her children for the next four hours and her heart warmed. The sun was setting when Leo pulled Sandra aside and the soon disappeared into the house.
Jenny went upstairs to her bedroom and shut her door behind her. She looked at the big comfortable yet sadistic bed in the middle of her beautiful bedroom. It was everything she ever dreamt of, and yet in all the years, no worthy man has graced the delicate sheets. It has been disappointment after disappointment for her.
There was only one man she wanted in her bed. She could stop thinking about him.
She walked over to her pink laptop and quickly made an appointment. She was and has been a good person all her life. People have walked all over her all her life, and now she was ready to walk the path of vengeance, with him.
The ding on her computer was almost instant, it was like he has been patiently waiting for her to make the appointment. His feral roar was so loud she felt his power deep in her. He was awake, and he was coming to get her. A soft smile graced her delicate face, she was waking up, and she was finally getting her revenge.
Chapter 2
Penny looks out through her window to the beautiful lakeside. The ducks her children love so much are quaking, almost like they are mocking her for all her impurities. She has spent years asking herself questions she couldn’t answer.
And she couldn’t take it any longer. She had made everything work out, she lacked nothing, and she was happy and content. But once in a while, she felt a pang of sadness, she did not know where it came from.
“Hey, mamma?”
Her son comes in chimes jubilantly, happy and charming like always. All her children were. She had done a good job raising them. She could see it in how they carried themselves and how they made choices in their lives, even as teenagers. She was proud of her accomplishments, but the sadness still did not leave.
“What’s up, Terry?”
“You look lost, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, just thinking”
Terry looked at his mother, and it was almost like he saw the storm coming. He knew his mother was about to go down the rabbit hole. Now he was almost an adult, and he knew, they all knew, that the sadness in their mother’s eyes, will one day come alive, and now it is.
Terry was no longer his mother’s responsibility, and she was about to rain thunder and hailstones. He had seen the storm, and he knew he couldn’t hold her back any longer.
“Can I talk to you about something?”
“Yeah,” she answered still lost in thought which Terry did not mind, she was still listening.
“I’m having a friend over for the weekend, I was hoping you’d be cool about it.” Jenny curiously rasied an eyebrow.
“Is this friend a boy or a girl?”
“It’s a boy mom.” He seemed embarrassed as he mouthed the words. Jenny always suspected his son to be queer. Her son was struggling to make the fact clear and her instincts kicked in. she was going to ease the coming out for him.
“Do you like him?” Terry was taken aback by his mother’s question but quickly regained his composure and answered her.
“Yes.”
“Are you more than friends?”
“Yes.” Terry took a long look at his mum. He really was proud to be her son.
“I’m cool with it if you promise to be responsible and introduce him.”
“Thanks mum.” Terry replied. Jenny was again whisked away by her treacherous thoughts. “Mum?”
She briefly comes out of her stupor. “Yeah?”
“You know you got to do what you have to do right?”
Jenny looked at her son for the first time in his 18 years on earth and saw a boy and a man. Both are self-aware. A tear dropped from her eye.
“You know?” she whispered.
“We all do mum, and it’s time”
She has been holding her rage back for years, and her children have seen the shadows. And they are okay with it.
Jenny lifted her hand and pressed the doorbell. She listens to the chime as if she was reminiscing. It sounded just like her own. The house wasn’t as big as her own, nor as lavish as her own, but as she has realized from her 40 years on earth, money is not everything.
She turned and sprinted from the front porch just as he opened the door. But she wasn’t ready.
Terry looked at his mother and took out his phone to call Sandra. The two had a sober conversation about a lot while Jenny looked over the large farm. She had created a sanctuary for her children, but it didn’t give her much comfort.
Her daughter’s sports car roared outside and she took that as her cue to leave. If she wasn’t mistaken, she was in yet another Marcus frenzy. They were so in love it made her sick. She was, however, happy for her. She was too young for all that, but the privilege in her name gave her every right. So she let it go.
“Mum, don’t run away!” Sandra yelled after her stopping her in her tracks. She walked back to the living room all smiles.
“I wasn’t running away.” She opened her arms to hug her daughter. “Hello my love.”
“Hi mum.”
“How is school, do you need anything?” she pulled away softly watching her face with love. It took her a minute to acknowledge the middle aged man standing next to her daughter. All six feet of him in an expensive suit and a perfectly chiseled face. His aura screamed power. It did not help that his face was front magazine perfect. He stood in the middle of her living room, poised and confident.
She was staring, and she was afraid of the next words to come of her delicate mouth. She couldn’t afford to say the wrong thing and berate her daughter, so she went for the safest approach.
“And who might this be Sandra?” she spoke softly, caution written all over her words. She has to give Sandra the benefit of doubt, even though she was dating a 30-year-old man.
“Terry can better answer your questions.” Sandra shyly moved away from the all-powerful man and to her surprise, the man reached over and pulled terry to him. Terry looked unsure and was trying to pull away from his grip. A huge hand stretched out to great her.
“Good morning ma’am, my name is Gabriel. I am Terry’s boyfriend, he seemed tongue tied and can’t find his words to introduce me.” Jenny took the large arm into hers, all the while watching the interaction between the two boys.
“Terry, I think you left out some key information from our talk. Care to explain yourself?” Jenny gave her son a stern look of disapproval.
“I told you to tell her, but you were too chicken.” Sandra said.
“Shut up Sandra!” Terry turned to face his mother. “Mum, get to know him first. He’s gentle.” And possessive. Terry did not have to spell that out, she could see it from the firm grip on her son’s waist. The more terry spoke, the tighter the grip seemed. He seemed to be ready to bolt with him in his arms if Jenny became violent.
Jenny saw as the two had a secret exchange and he let him go only for him to stand behind him like a bodyguard. He was eighteen, this man looked ready to settle down and start adopting kids or a giant wolf for a dog.
“Is he the weekend friend?” It was evident from her voice that she was trying to remain calm. Her inner self was screaming obscenities and trashing the whole house. She slumped down on the sofa to collect her thoughts.
She expected a goofy teenager, not a fully grown man. Sandra had surprised her a month ago when she introduced her boyfriend, but Leo is only a year older than her. That was puppy love. This is different. Terry and Sandra sat next to her, while Gabriel remained standing. He could sense that he wasn’t welcomed.
“Mum,” Terry began but Jenny stopped him.
“It’s fine Terry. I was just surprised. Come, I’ll make some eggs, and we can talk.” Jenny walked to the kitchen and was immediately in a cooking frenzy. Sandra smiled at her brother and mouthed, ‘you are lucky’.
The whole morning was spent in the garden. They talked about Terry and Gabriel the entire time. Jenny liked him. She saw how he looked at Terry, how he hangs on every word that come out of his lips. He was in love with an eighteen-year-old, and he did not even know it.
“How many people know that you are gay?” Jenny asked Gabriel.
“I don’t really know. I keep my business to myself and avoid the media entirely. My family, however, knows. They’ve met Terry numerous times.” Jenny was surprised.
“How long have you been together?”
“I’ve known him for 2 years, but we are only starting to go out.” Jenny was confused.
“He’s my boss, mum.” Terry helped the situation. “From the tech firm I’ve been interning. The one where I was promoted overnight to the CEO’s Personal assistant.” Jenny giggled realizing why he was promoted so fast. He was an intern with little to no experience.
“Gabriel is insufferable mum. But he loves Terry, and Terry loves the attention. They were practically made for each other.” Sandra leaned on her mother as she spoke.
Jenny recalled all the conversations she had with Terry about his boss. Terry was so frustrated he was going to quit only to come home as the new PA. Now she realizes that they were relationship issues with a possessive boss who was also extremely jealous.
“Where is Leo?” she asked Sandra.
“He had something to take care of, he’ll be here for lunch.”
“It’s time he tells you where he disappears to sometimes. I get that it’s not another woman, but Sandra there is something he’s keeping from you.” Jenny raised her concern.
“He promised to tell me everything tonight, mum. I hope it’s something I can handle mum. I haven’t told him yet but I love him. I feel like I was made for him and he for me.” She looked longingly at her mother. “It will hurt so much if it doesn’t work out mum. What will I do?” Sandra continued.
Jenny wasn’t worried about that. Leo was like a puppy when with her. Whatever it was he was hiding was big, but he was hiding it because he feared losing her. Dumping Sandra was the last thing Leo will do, in if faced by death.
“That won’t happen. Whatever he tells you, try to understand him and where he comes from. He was probably trying to protect you. Or he was afraid to telling you only to lose you. He loves you.” Jenny told Sandra. “Whatever he tells you, don’t run away from it if you can solve it together.”
“Thank you mum.”
At half past noon, Leo was at her front door. He seemed a bit on edge.
“Is it that hard to tell her the truth?” Leo looked perplexed.
“I’m afraid she’ll reject me. I’m also afraid that you’ll drive me out of your home. This place is like my second home, loosing you as my family will hurt so much I won’t recover.” Leo come clean with all the sincerity he could master.
“Talk to her, be honest with her, and no matter what, don’t let her go. Whatever it is, you are family, it won’t make us love you any less.” Jenny was the last person to judge anyone.
Leo greeted everyone before taking a seat beside Sandra. They were too in love to break up, it just wasn’t happening. Jenny watched her children for the next four hours and her heart warmed. The sun was setting when Leo pulled Sandra aside and the soon disappeared into the house.
Jenny went upstairs to her bedroom and shut her door behind her. She looked at the big comfortable yet sadistic bed in the middle of her beautiful bedroom. It was everything she ever dreamt of, and yet in all the years, no worthy man has graced the delicate sheets. It has been disappointment after disappointment for her.
There was only one man she wanted in her bed. She could stop thinking about him.
She walked over to her pink laptop and quickly made an appointment. She was and has been a good person all her life. People have walked all over her all her life, and now she was ready to walk the path of vengeance, with him.
The ding on her computer was almost instant, it was like he has been patiently waiting for her to make the appointment. His feral roar was so loud she felt his power deep in her. He was awake, and he was coming to get her. A soft smile graced her delicate face, she was waking up, and she was finally getting her revenge.
Chapter 3
Penny looks out through her window to the beautiful lakeside. The ducks her children love so much are quaking, almost like they are mocking her for all her impurities. She has spent years asking herself questions she couldn’t answer.
And she couldn’t take it any longer. She had made everything work out, she lacked nothing, and she was happy and content. But once in a while, she felt a pang of sadness, she did not know where it came from.
“Hey, mamma?”
Her son comes in chimes jubilantly, happy and charming like always. All her children were. She had done a good job raising them. She could see it in how they carried themselves and how they made choices in their lives, even as teenagers. She was proud of her accomplishments, but the sadness still did not leave.
“What’s up, Terry?”
“You look lost, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, just thinking”
Terry looked at his mother, and it was almost like he saw the storm coming. He knew his mother was about to go down the rabbit hole. Now he was almost an adult, and he knew, they all knew, that the sadness in their mother’s eyes, will one day come alive, and now it is.
Terry was no longer his mother’s responsibility, and she was about to rain thunder and hailstones. He had seen the storm, and he knew he couldn’t hold her back any longer.
“Can I talk to you about something?”
“Yeah,” she answered still lost in thought which Terry did not mind, she was still listening.
“I’m having a friend over for the weekend, I was hoping you’d be cool about it.” Jenny curiously rasied an eyebrow.
“Is this friend a boy or a girl?”
“It’s a boy mom.” He seemed embarrassed as he mouthed the words. Jenny always suspected his son to be queer. Her son was struggling to make the fact clear and her instincts kicked in. she was going to ease the coming out for him.
“Do you like him?” Terry was taken aback by his mother’s question but quickly regained his composure and answered her.
“Yes.”
“Are you more than friends?”
“Yes.” Terry took a long look at his mum. He really was proud to be her son.
“I’m cool with it if you promise to be responsible and introduce him.”
“Thanks mum.” Terry replied. Jenny was again whisked away by her treacherous thoughts. “Mum?”
She briefly comes out of her stupor. “Yeah?”
“You know you got to do what you have to do right?”
Jenny looked at her son for the first time in his 18 years on earth and saw a boy and a man. Both are self-aware. A tear dropped from her eye.
“You know?” she whispered.
“We all do mum, and it’s time”
She has been holding her rage back for years, and her children have seen the shadows. And they are okay with it.
Jenny lifted her hand and pressed the doorbell. She listens to the chime as if she was reminiscing. It sounded just like her own. The house wasn’t as big as her own, nor as lavish as her own, but as she has realized from her 40 years on earth, money is not everything.
She turned and sprinted from the front porch just as he opened the door. But she wasn’t ready.
Terry looked at his mother and took out his phone to call Sandra. The two had a sober conversation about a lot while Jenny looked over the large farm. She had created a sanctuary for her children, but it didn’t give her much comfort.
Her daughter’s sports car roared outside and she took that as her cue to leave. If she wasn’t mistaken, she was in yet another Marcus frenzy. They were so in love it made her sick. She was, however, happy for her. She was too young for all that, but the privilege in her name gave her every right. So she let it go.
“Mum, don’t run away!” Sandra yelled after her stopping her in her tracks. She walked back to the living room all smiles.
“I wasn’t running away.” She opened her arms to hug her daughter. “Hello my love.”
“Hi mum.”
“How is school, do you need anything?” she pulled away softly watching her face with love. It took her a minute to acknowledge the middle aged man standing next to her daughter. All six feet of him in an expensive suit and a perfectly chiseled face. His aura screamed power. It did not help that his face was front magazine perfect. He stood in the middle of her living room, poised and confident.
Chapter 4
Penny looks out through her window to the beautiful lakeside. The ducks her children love so much are quaking, almost like they are mocking her for all her impurities. She has spent years asking herself questions she couldn’t answer.
And she couldn’t take it any longer. She had made everything work out, she lacked nothing, and she was happy and content. But once in a while, she felt a pang of sadness, she did not know where it came from.
“Hey, mamma?”
Her son comes in chimes jubilantly, happy and charming like always. All her children were. She had done a good job raising them. She could see it in how they carried themselves and how they made choices in their lives, even as teenagers. She was proud of her accomplishments, but the sadness still did not leave.
“What’s up, Terry?”
“You look lost, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, just thinking”
Terry looked at his mother, and it was almost like he saw the storm coming. He knew his mother was about to go down the rabbit hole. Now he was almost an adult, and he knew, they all knew, that the sadness in their mother’s eyes, will one day come alive, and now it is.
Terry was no longer his mother’s responsibility, and she was about to rain thunder and hailstones. He had seen the storm, and he knew he couldn’t hold her back any longer.
“Can I talk to you about something?”
“Yeah,” she answered still lost in thought which Terry did not mind, she was still listening.
“I’m having a friend over for the weekend, I was hoping you’d be cool about it.” Jenny curiously rasied an eyebrow.
“Is this friend a boy or a girl?”
“It’s a boy mom.” He seemed embarrassed as he mouthed the words. Jenny always suspected his son to be queer. Her son was struggling to make the fact clear and her instincts kicked in. she was going to ease the coming out for him.
“Do you like him?” Terry was taken aback by his mother’s question but quickly regained his composure and answered her.
“Yes.”
“Are you more than friends?”
“Yes.” Terry took a long look at his mum. He really was proud to be her son.
“I’m cool with it if you promise to be responsible and introduce him.”
“Thanks mum.” Terry replied. Jenny was again whisked away by her treacherous thoughts. “Mum?”
She briefly comes out of her stupor. “Yeah?”
“You know you got to do what you have to do right?”
Jenny looked at her son for the first time in his 18 years on earth and saw a boy and a man. Both are self-aware. A tear dropped from her eye.
“You know?” she whispered.
“We all do mum, and it’s time”
She has been holding her rage back for years, and her children have seen the shadows. And they are okay with it.
Jenny lifted her hand and pressed the doorbell. She listens to the chime as if she was reminiscing. It sounded just like her own. The house wasn’t as big as her own, nor as lavish as her own, but as she has realized from her 40 years on earth, money is not everything.
She turned and sprinted from the front porch just as he opened the door. But she wasn’t ready.
Terry looked at his mother and took out his phone to call Sandra. The two had a sober conversation about a lot while Jenny looked over the large farm. She had created a sanctuary for her children, but it didn’t give her much comfort.
Her daughter’s sports car roared outside and she took that as her cue to leave. If she wasn’t mistaken, she was in yet another Marcus frenzy. They were so in love it made her sick. She was, however, happy for her. She was too young for all that, but the privilege in her name gave her every right. So she let it go.
“Mum, don’t run away!” Sandra yelled after her stopping her in her tracks. She walked back to the living room all smiles.
“I wasn’t running away.” She opened her arms to hug her daughter. “Hello my love.”
“Hi mum.”
“How is school, do you need anything?” she pulled away softly watching her face with love. It took her a minute to acknowledge the middle aged man standing next to her daughter. All six feet of him in an expensive suit and a perfectly chiseled face. His aura screamed power. It did not help that his face was front magazine perfect. He stood in the middle of her living room, poised and confident.
She was staring, and she was afraid of the next words to come of her delicate mouth. She couldn’t afford to say the wrong thing and berate her daughter, so she went for the safest approach.
“And who might this be Sandra?” she spoke softly, caution written all over her words. She has to give Sandra the benefit of doubt, even though she was dating a 30-year-old man.
“Terry can better answer your questions.” Sandra shyly moved away from the all-powerful man and to her surprise, the man reached over and pulled terry to him. Terry looked unsure and was trying to pull away from his grip. A huge hand stretched out to great her.
“Good morning ma’am, my name is Gabriel. I am Terry’s boyfriend, he seemed tongue tied and can’t find his words to introduce me.” Jenny took the large arm into hers, all the while watching the interaction between the two boys.
“Terry, I think you left out some key information from our talk. Care to explain yourself?” Jenny gave her son a stern look of disapproval.
“I told you to tell her, but you were too chicken.” Sandra said.
“Shut up Sandra!” Terry turned to face his mother. “Mum, get to know him first. He’s gentle.” And possessive. Terry did not have to spell that out, she could see it from the firm grip on her son’s waist. The more terry spoke, the tighter the grip seemed. He seemed to be ready to bolt with him in his arms if Jenny became violent.
Jenny saw as the two had a secret exchange and he let him go only for him to stand behind him like a bodyguard. He was eighteen, this man looked ready to settle down and start adopting kids or a giant wolf for a dog.
“Is he the weekend friend?” It was evident from her voice that she was trying to remain calm. Her inner self was screaming obscenities and trashing the whole house. She slumped down on the sofa to collect her thoughts.
She expected a goofy teenager, not a fully grown man. Sandra had surprised her a month ago when she introduced her boyfriend, but Leo is only a year older than her. That was puppy love. This is different. Terry and Sandra sat next to her, while Gabriel remained standing. He could sense that he wasn’t welcomed.
“Mum,” Terry began but Jenny stopped him.
“It’s fine Terry. I was just surprised. Come, I’ll make some eggs, and we can talk.” Jenny walked to the kitchen and was immediately in a cooking frenzy. Sandra smiled at her brother and mouthed, ‘you are lucky’.
The whole morning was spent in the garden. They talked about Terry and Gabriel the entire time. Jenny liked him. She saw how he looked at Terry, how he hangs on every word that come out of his lips. He was in love with an eighteen-year-old, and he did not even know it.
“How many people know that you are gay?” Jenny asked Gabriel.
“I don’t really know. I keep my business to myself and avoid the media entirely. My family, however, knows. They’ve met Terry numerous times.” Jenny was surprised.
“How long have you been together?”
“I’ve known him for 2 years, but we are only starting to go out.” Jenny was confused.
“He’s my boss, mum.” Terry helped the situation. “From the tech firm I’ve been interning. The one where I was promoted overnight to the CEO’s Personal assistant.” Jenny giggled realizing why he was promoted so fast. He was an intern with little to no experience.
“Gabriel is insufferable mum. But he loves Terry, and Terry loves the attention. They were practically made for each other.” Sandra leaned on her mother as she spoke.
Jenny recalled all the conversations she had with Terry about his boss. Terry was so frustrated he was going to quit only to come home as the new PA. Now she realizes that they were relationship issues with a possessive boss who was also extremely jealous.
“Where is Leo?” she asked Sandra.
“He had something to take care of, he’ll be here for lunch.”
“It’s time he tells you where he disappears to sometimes. I get that it’s not another woman, but Sandra there is something he’s keeping from you.” Jenny raised her concern.
“He promised to tell me everything tonight, mum. I hope it’s something I can handle mum. I haven’t told him yet but I love him. I feel like I was made for him and he for me.” She looked longingly at her mother. “It will hurt so much if it doesn’t work out mum. What will I do?” Sandra continued.
Jenny wasn’t worried about that. Leo was like a puppy when with her. Whatever it was he was hiding was big, but he was hiding it because he feared losing her. Dumping Sandra was the last thing Leo will do, in if faced by death.
“That won’t happen. Whatever he tells you, try to understand him and where he comes from. He was probably trying to protect you. Or he was afraid to telling you only to lose you. He loves you.” Jenny told Sandra. “Whatever he tells you, don’t run away from it if you can solve it together.”
“Thank you mum.”
At half past noon, Leo was at her front door. He seemed a bit on edge.
“Is it that hard to tell her the truth?” Leo looked perplexed.
“I’m afraid she’ll reject me. I’m also afraid that you’ll drive me out of your home. This place is like my second home, loosing you as my family will hurt so much I won’t recover.” Leo come clean with all the sincerity he could master.
“Talk to her, be honest with her, and no matter what, don’t let her go. Whatever it is, you are family, it won’t make us love you any less.” Jenny was the last person to judge anyone.
Leo greeted everyone before taking a seat beside Sandra. They were too in love to break up, it just wasn’t happening. Jenny watched her children for the next four hours and her heart warmed. The sun was setting when Leo pulled Sandra aside and the soon disappeared into the house.
Jenny went upstairs to her bedroom and shut her door behind her. She looked at the big comfortable yet sadistic bed in the middle of her beautiful bedroom. It was everything she ever dreamt of, and yet in all the years, no worthy man has graced the delicate sheets. It has been disappointment after disappointment for her.
There was only one man she wanted in her bed. She could stop thinking about him.
She walked over to her pink laptop and quickly made an appointment. She was and has been a good person all her life. People have walked all over her all her life, and now she was ready to walk the path of vengeance, with him.
The ding on her computer was almost instant, it was like he has been patiently waiting for her to make the appointment. His feral roar was so loud she felt his power deep in her. He was awake, and he was coming to get her. A soft smile graced her delicate face, she was waking up, and she was finally getting her revenge.
Chapter 5
Penny looks out through her window to the beautiful lakeside. The ducks her children love so much are quaking, almost like they are mocking her for all her misfortunes. She has spent years asking herself questions she couldn’t answer.
And she couldn’t take it any longer. She had made everything work out, she lacked nothing, and she was happy and content. But once in a while, she felt a pang of sadness, she did not know where it came from.
“Hey, mamma?”
Her son comes in chimes jubilantly, happy and charming like always. All her children were. She had done a good job raising them. She could see it in how they carried themselves and how they made choices in their lives, even as teenagers. She was proud of her accomplishments, but the sadness still did not leave.
“What’s up, Terry?”
“You look lost, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, just thinking”
Terry looked at his mother, and it was almost like he saw the storm coming. He knew his mother was about to go down the rabbit hole. Now he was almost an adult, and he knew, they all knew, that the sadness in their mother’s eyes, will one day come alive, and now it is.
Terry was no longer his mother’s responsibility, and she was about to rain thunder and hailstones. He had seen the storm, and he knew he couldn’t hold her back any longer.
“Can I talk to you about something?”
“Yeah,” she answered still lost in thought which Terry did not mind, she was still listening.
“I’m having a friend over for the weekend, I was hoping you’d be cool about it.” Jenny curiously rasied an eyebrow.
“Is this friend a boy or a girl?”
“It’s a boy mom.” He seemed embarrassed as he mouthed the words. Jenny always suspected his son to be queer. Her son was struggling to make the fact clear and her instincts kicked in. she was going to ease the coming out for him.
“Do you like him?” Terry was taken aback by his mother’s question but quickly regained his composure and answered her.
“Yes.”
“Are you more than friends?”
“Yes.” Terry took a long look at his mum. He really was proud to be her son.
“I’m cool with it if you promise to be responsible and introduce him.”
“Thanks mum.” Terry replied. Jenny was again whisked away by her treacherous thoughts. “Mum?”
She briefly comes out of her stupor. “Yeah?”
“You know you got to do what you have to do right?”
Jenny looked at her son for the first time in his 18 years on earth and saw a boy and a man. Both are self-aware. A tear dropped from her eye.
“You know?” she whispered.
“We all do mum, and it’s time”
She has been holding her rage back for years, and her children have seen the shadows. And they are okay with it.
Jenny lifted her hand and pressed the doorbell. She listens to the chime as if she was reminiscing. It sounded just like her own. The house wasn’t as big as her own, nor as lavish as her own, but as she has realized from her 40 years on earth, money is not everything.
She turned and sprinted from the front porch just as he opened the door. But she wasn’t ready.
Terry looked at his mother and took out his phone to call Sandra. The two had a sober conversation about a lot while Jenny looked over the large farm. She had created a sanctuary for her children, but it didn’t give her much comfort.
Her daughter’s sports car roared outside and she took that as her cue to leave. If she wasn’t mistaken, she was in yet another Marcus frenzy. They were so in love it made her sick. She was, however, happy for her. She was too young for all that, but the privilege in her name gave her every right. So she let it go.
“Mum, don’t run away!” Sandra yelled after her stopping her in her tracks. She walked back to the living room all smiles.
“I wasn’t running away.” She opened her arms to hug her daughter. “Hello my love.”
“Hi mum.”
“How is school, do you need anything?” she pulled away softly watching her face with love. It took her a minute to acknowledge the middle aged man standing next to her daughter. All six feet of him in an expensive suit and a perfectly chiseled face. His aura screamed power. It did not help that his face was front magazine perfect. He stood in the middle of her living room, poised and confident.
She was staring, and she was afraid of the next words to come of her delicate mouth. She couldn’t afford to say the wrong thing and berate her daughter, so she went for the safest approach.
“And who might this be Sandra?” she spoke softly, caution written all over her words. She has to give Sandra the benefit of doubt, even though she was dating a 30-year-old man.
“Terry can better answer your questions.” Sandra shyly moved away from the all-powerful man and to her surprise, the man reached over and pulled terry to him. Terry looked unsure and was trying to pull away from his grip. A huge hand stretched out to great her.
“Good morning ma’am, my name is Gabriel. I am Terry’s boyfriend, he seemed tongue tied and can’t find his words to introduce me.” Jenny took the large arm into hers, all the while watching the interaction between the two boys.
“Terry, I think you left out some key information from our talk. Care to explain yourself?” Jenny gave her son a stern look of disapproval.
“I told you to tell her, but you were too chicken.” Sandra said.
“Shut up Sandra!” Terry turned to face his mother. “Mum, get to know him first. He’s gentle.” And possessive. Terry did not have to spell that out, she could see it from the firm grip on her son’s waist. The more terry spoke, the tighter the grip seemed. He seemed to be ready to bolt with him in his arms if Jenny became violent.
Jenny saw as the two had a secret exchange and he let him go only for him to stand behind him like a bodyguard. He was eighteen, this man looked ready to settle down and start adopting kids or a giant wolf for a dog.
“Is he the weekend friend?” It was evident from her voice that she was trying to remain calm. Her inner self was screaming obscenities and trashing the whole house. She slumped down on the sofa to collect her thoughts.
She expected a goofy teenager, not a fully grown man. Sandra had surprised her a month ago when she introduced her boyfriend, but Leo is only a year older than her. That was puppy love. This is different. Terry and Sandra sat next to her, while Gabriel remained standing. He could sense that he wasn’t welcomed.
“Mum,” Terry began but Jenny stopped him.
“It’s fine Terry. I was just surprised. Come, I’ll make some eggs, and we can talk.” Jenny walked to the kitchen and was immediately in a cooking frenzy. Sandra smiled at her brother and mouthed, ‘you are lucky’.
The whole morning was spent in the garden. They talked about Terry and Gabriel the entire time. Jenny liked him. She saw how he looked at Terry, how he hangs on every word that come out of his lips. He was in love with an eighteen-year-old, and he did not even know it.
“How many people know that you are gay?” Jenny asked Gabriel.
“I don’t really know. I keep my business to myself and avoid the media entirely. My family, however, knows. They’ve met Terry numerous times.” Jenny was surprised.
“How long have you been together?”
“I’ve known him for 2 years, but we are only starting to go out.” Jenny was confused.
“He’s my boss, mum.” Terry helped the situation. “From the tech firm I’ve been interning. The one where I was promoted overnight to the CEO’s Personal assistant.” Jenny giggled realizing why he was promoted so fast. He was an intern with little to no experience.
“Gabriel is insufferable mum. But he loves Terry, and Terry loves the attention. They were practically made for each other.” Sandra leaned on her mother as she spoke.
Jenny recalled all the conversations she had with Terry about his boss. Terry was so frustrated he was going to quit only to come home as the new PA. Now she realizes that they were relationship issues with a possessive boss who was also extremely jealous.
“Where is Leo?” she asked Sandra.
“He had something to take care of, he’ll be here for lunch.”
“It’s time he tells you where he disappears to sometimes. I get that it’s not another woman, but Sandra there is something he’s keeping from you.” Jenny raised her concern.
“He promised to tell me everything tonight, mum. I hope it’s something I can handle mum. I haven’t told him yet but I love him. I feel like I was made for him and he for me.” She looked longingly at her mother. “It will hurt so much if it doesn’t work out mum. What will I do?” Sandra continued.
Jenny wasn’t worried about that. Leo was like a puppy when with her. Whatever it was he was hiding was big, but he was hiding it because he feared losing her. Dumping Sandra was the last thing Leo will do, in if faced by death.
“That won’t happen. Whatever he tells you, try to understand him and where he comes from. He was probably trying to protect you. Or he was afraid to telling you only to lose you. He loves you.” Jenny told Sandra. “Whatever he tells you, don’t run away from it if you can solve it together.”
“Thank you mum.”
At half past noon, Leo was at her front door. He seemed a bit on edge.
“Is it that hard to tell her the truth?” Leo looked perplexed.
“I’m afraid she’ll reject me. I’m also afraid that you’ll drive me out of your home. This place is like my second home, loosing you as my family will hurt so much I won’t recover.” Leo come clean with all the sincerity he could master.
“Talk to her, be honest with her, and no matter what, don’t let her go. Whatever it is, you are family, it won’t make us love you any less.” Jenny was the last person to judge anyone.
Leo greeted everyone before taking a seat beside Sandra. They were too in love to break up, it just wasn’t happening. Jenny watched her
Chapter 5
Jenny walked into the lobby, feeling like a drink in hand will help. Zain stood behind her and tagged on her blouse. He was attempting to undress her, and she did not object. She smiled at Zain as he unbuttoned her jeans and threw them into the roaring furnace right after his beautiful expensive blouse.
“Those clothes were beautiful Zain.”
“I’ll buy you another pair, ones without the blood of a fucking rapist.”
Zain took her hand and guided her naked body to his bedroom. She needed a shower and he was ready to bathe her himself. He was taking advantage of the intricately placed situation, but she knew his intentions clearly.
She knew he wouldn’t waste a chance to be with her again, but she knew he wouldn’t do it right this moment. Not when she was setting off to murder another man the next morning. He was here to ensure that she gets it done, and that was that.
Jenny’s bath wasn’t that long. She stepped out to find Zain sitting at the bottom of his bed, a glass of whisky at hand. she walked over to him and took the bottle instead.
“What’s the noise downstairs?”
“I took the liberty of organizing a party for you. It’s the least I could do.” Zain shrugged like a lost puppy. He sipped the whisky quietly as Jenny dressed behind him. He knew every curve on her body and wanted to feel his hand on all of them, but first things first, the party.
Zain watched the woman who had just murdered a man in cold blood dance in the middle of his living room like a young girl. Her face was bright and joyful. He watched her talk to her colleagues and friends like her soul was not tainted by death. She was simply breathtaking.
He went to stand than something caught his eye. Something different in the aura of the dark jilted soul. His body slammed back into his seat as he observed. She was not so darkened anymore. The sadness that hung beneath her soft features wasn’t as distinct anymore, she was healing. There was absolutely no problem with that, however, the darkness of taking a life was not showing.
How could that be possible?
He raced to his office and quickly called his father. A man he had not spoken to in a decade or two. If he had been thinking straight, he wouldn’t have called him, he would have actually figured it out on his own. He had only spoken a few words to the man on the other line before he bellowed into his ear.
“She is not haunted by the death; she believes it is justified.” He paused as he felt his son’s loss. “I’m sorry son, but you have to let her go.” With that, he hangs up the phone. Zain stared at the phone for what seemed like hours. He had doted on this woman for years, waiting to feed from her vengeance, and now he can’t. she is cleaning her own soul and she doesn’t even know it, how can that be possible?
Zain had to figure out a way to make her vengeance less fulfilling. He had to do something he never thought he could. Hope she wouldn’t know the motive behind his actions. He left his office and was immediately engulfed by the life of the party. Suddenly he was pulled by the beckoning of death. Hell was upon his house and he suspected it had everything to do with Jenny.
He was instantly in the middle of his living room, Jenny wasn’t there. She was up to some mischief; mischief he hadn’t planned. A wave hit him and he knew where she was. Zain was assaulted by the dead body of a woman. A woman he knew.
“She made my life a living hell when I worked at the capital. She picked on everything I did, she is pure evil. I didn’t know how much I hated her until I saw her follow you to your office. She slept with Basco years ago, I was pregnant and she still did it. Yet she knew. I’m in your house, this is my party, and she had the nerve to throttle after you! Fucking Bitch!” Zain felt warmth in his chest. Jenny was acting possessively towards him and he was reveling in the feel of it.
His dad was wrong; she could give him the spark he was looking for.
“All this is mine Zain.”
“I know my love, I know. Just don’t make a habit of killing people without my knowledge. Go back to your party, I have to take care of this.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and made a call.
Jenny went to her party and went back to the dance floor as if nothing had happened. She had so much energy it surprised even her. She was on the road for two days and has killed two people so far, and yet she was gyrating to the beats like a horny teenager. Zain come in minutes later and went to her. She had expressed herself and he thought it best to express his own.
She was looking for a statement, and I was giving it to her and all the other hungry females who can’t stop accidentally bumping into him. If he didn’t make them back the fuck off, Jenny was going to kill them all. Jenny felt the strong arm of a man pull her by her waist. Her back hit a solid wall that was Zain’s chest. Her jealous streak had paid off.
Zain was making it known that he wasn’t available for the taking and she was soaking all the attention in. busking in the glory of male testosterone. This man touched a part of her soul she never thought was possible. He had walked into the store of a pregnant lady, and when he left, he didn’t leave with a cup of coffee only.
For the next few hours, they made love on the dance floor. They danced like they were fucking, and Zain couldn’t hold his true self back. His eyes were blood red as he turned Jenny to look at him. He wanted her so bad everyone was about to see his wings sprout. He had never let them out before, but his jeans were tented and his eyes were burning. Her this was slick and he knew it. He smelled it.
“Easy there big man.” She jested softly so he only could hear.
“I’ve waited for years my love, let me in. please my love, give yourself to me.” Zain shut his eyes and breathed her in. She has always loved him, he knew it. He feels in her heartbeat. What could possibly be holding her back?
He was taken aback for just a second when he felt her lips on his. He wanted to consume her, reached the debts of her soul and awaken the demon in her, and feed from it. He kissed her as he could. Her hand went to stop him, and he felt a pang of loss.
“End the party Zain, I’m tired now.” She didn’t have to ask twice. The next 20 minutes were spent bidding her friends goodbye. Zain was not a moron, he knew she wasn’t ready, even though she didn’t speak up. He shut his front door and raced to his bedroom. She wouldn’t act coy and request the guest room, she would sleep in his sheets because it felt like home. Her back was turned to him, but she had worn the nightgown he bought her.
He kicked his clothes off and slid in next to her. They both stayed there silently before he finally spoke.
“Change of plans tomorrow, Love.”
“What happened?”
“Basco is expecting company, we’ll go the day after. Do you trust my planning?” she turned to face him. He was a specimen of a man, a man she has loved for far too long. She rose to lay on his chest and Zain did not waste a second engulfing her in his masculine arm.
“I trust you, my love”
Chapter 6
Zain held jenny in his strong arms as the news told the tale of the gruesome murders they both had everything to do with. Jenny realized that the scene from Smith’s had been wiped clean of her presence. Smith’s murder was going to be one of the many unsolved murders in history. His wife looked so sad he almost pitied her, but his soul was long gone, and he didn’t feel a thing for the poor woman. Jenny, on the other hand, the case was different.
She sobbed lightly. His chest glistened with her tears, but she said nothing. She would if she wanted to, but for now, she seemed perfectly content in his arms. They were meant for her. She could do anything she wanted with his body, and he would welcome it.
It took two days for the body to be found by his family. Lying on the stairs as she had left him. Zain nagged her to look at him then spoke.
“It’s Basco’s time. Let’s go.”
She did not speak. She just rose from the bed and slipped into yet other expensive jeans and a matching top. She was starting to believe that the dressing up was more for Zain’s satisfaction. The clothes made her look ruthless and unhinged. The travel to Basco was short as he lived in town. Two hours later, Zain parked the jeep in Basco’s driveway.
She never loved Basco, but he was a coward who left her pregnant. He couldn’t bring himself to shoulder responsibility unless it included happiness. When times got hard, he became a shell of the man he was and left her to be strong alone. He sought happiness inside many women and in alcohol.
Jenny knocked on Basco’s door which instantly flew open. What kind of moron leaves his door unlocked in such a dangerous neighborhood? She stealthily walked in and found him on the sofa. As always, tipsy. It looked like he had company because he frantically looked behind him. He wasn’t supposed to have company.
“Jenny, why are you here?”
“Did you know that I lost the baby?” Basco seemed stunned. He hadn’t expected the question.
“I heard, sorry I didn’t do more. I couldn’t bare the look on your face. I had disappointed you, and I couldn’t leave with it.”
For a minute, she almost believed him. And just as her heart was about to soften, a figure walked into the living room. And that figure was none other than her sister. Her fucking sister. Bastard.
Jenny pulled out her gun and fired two bullets, both hitting the two right between the eyes. Fucking bastards. She left the house in a rush, this time remembering to carry her gun. She hopped into the jeep where Zain was eagerly waiting.
“Were they fucking?”
“Probably,” Zain replied calmly. “She has always been in touch, I thought you kill two birds with one stone. They deserved each other.” Zain was right, the two had a stronger connection than we ever had. She never missed an opportunity to drive a wedge between them. Many people had suspected their involvement but jenny had turned a blind eye to it all.
Great, now she had to go home and plan a funeral.
Zain watched as her face lit up with satisfaction, every raw emotion Marileen had evoked in her was replaced by the hole between her eyes. She was responsible for a lot of things, and now she had had the last laugh.
“I thought that would be a nice surprise for you my love, turns out I was right.”
“I thought you wanted the company to leave before we got here,”
“No, I wanted the company to arrive. She was too comfortable in your shoes.”
“Thank you, at least it saved me a lot of time.”
“There is just one more thing I have to do, you gave them an honorable death and I’m not having that on my conscience.” Zain scurried back to the building jenny was not far behind.
“What are you up to?” Zain didn’t have to answer that as his actions told it all. Jenny stood by the door grinning. The man she was in love with was diabolical. His gloved hands worked quickly and soon they were out. Jenny laughed incessantly as she sipped her whisky.
“Let’s grab something to eat,” Zain mumbled as he drove into the restaurant gates.
“It’s two am, who is awake at this hour?”
“If it’s food my lady needs, she gets her food. I don’t negotiate.”
Jenny was yet again surprised by Zain; of which she needs to get used to him being capable. He was more than capable. She was extremely hungry, coupled with the tipsiness, she could use some meat in her belly. She parched herself on the chair opposite Zain and munched on the delicious ribs before her.
Zain watched her keenly. She looked young and vibrant, like the woman he met all those years ago. She ate like she had made rainbows and unicorns float, instead of killing people. His father was right, there was no darkening her soul, and the more she killed the brighter she become.
But why was his dark soul still infatuated with hers? Why was his soul still yearning for her, to taste her and fill her? There must be something there, a fine line he wasn’t seeing. She went on and on with her unending stories, which he loved to hear. She told tales unimaginable to the common mind because she was not common.
She didn’t even realize that her plate had been refilled twice. At this rate, she was going to pass out from eating, but she didn’t seem to want to stop. Her mouth was covered in grease and he wanted to lick her clean, only if she would let him. Zain couldn’t help but wonder how painful her gums would become morning. But he didn’t dare stop her. She watched her, she had just killed two people she once considered close to her, and yet her appetite was through the roof. Who is she?
“Zain,” the managed a short ‘mmh’ as his mouth was also full.
“I feel free Zain.”
Zain looked into her eyes, afraid that she doesn’t want to finish off every pesky creature that even ever dared look at her the wrong way.
“Are you done?”
“I think I am Zain; I don’t hold a grudge against anyone else as I did to those I’ve already killed. I feel a strange satisfaction from the pit of my stomach and my heart isn’t heavy anymore. I’ll take a few days to be sure that my sadness has gone, but I can feel it Zain, it’s gone!” Zain lost his appetite.
Even though he tried to hide the ache, Jenny saw it.
“I don’t have to kill more to be your dark empress Zain.” Zain looked into her eyes and saw a flash of green, there it was, but it was life and not darkness like his.
He sighed and went back to eating.
Chapter 7
“Zain, I feel like I don’t truly know what you are.” She mattered with a mouthful and Zain almost choked. “don’t kill yourself, it’s just an observation.” Zain cleared his throat and spoke.
“You said ‘what’ instead of who.” He blatantly pointed out using a bone to explain further.
“I’m not that gullible, your eyes are blood red when you are aroused, and you make me orgasm but just speaking to my desire, and I can almost swear that there are wings under that perfectly pressed shirt.” She watched her lips calmly state a few ridiculous delusions. At least about the wings, he doesn’t have wings, what he has is a dark soul looking for an even darker soul to mend it.
“My family comes from a long line of ancient men with a curse. We are doomed to walk this earth as beasts in human form. Our true form only comes to us when we find the woman that awakens the beast inside. The woman has to have killed and darkened her soul, if not we stay caged in our skins for eternity.”
Jenny listened to the man explain his story, consciously placing herself right in the middle of it all. She was his key.
“Is that why the police are not knocking on my door?”
“Yes, I have to help you through this journey. My inner self has been slowly surfacing, but I’m afraid it won’t come to maturity.” He sounded sad. “Your soul is not darkening, it’s growing brighter every passing day, you’d probably blind me if I tried to feed on your soul.” Now he sounded frustrated. “I don’t know why, but I will see you through your journey. The moon knows why it’s happening.”
“I was drawn to you, for a reason, and now I don’t know what will happen when I finally have you, I don’t know what will become of me, you, or us.”
“How many jilted souls have helped seek revenge?”
“many, but only you were promised to me. I only had to protect them, they never even knew my face, but you, I stood before you and you saw me, I was revealed to you.”
“Why is it a curse to help a jilted soul?”
“We have to do it for eternity, and sometimes the jilted soul is to die by the hand of someone else so that their death can bring justice and compensation to the descendants. I have watched some innocent souls get killed, but their killers never get away with it.” Jenny listened patiently. “My eyes only flame when I smell your essence, it’s my beast wanting to take you, and be inside you, and connect our souls.”
Jenny wiped her hands with the hot towels and dropped her legs to the floor. Zain did not miss a beat as he followed her movements as if he was the puppeteer. The years have not caught up with her, and she still looked like a twenty-year-old. She was calmly taking in his news; she did not look scared.
“Maybe I could kill a few more people then; I’m bound to get darker on the way.” But he knew that was not true, she couldn’t. she had killed the people she hated most and those made her blossom even more. Taking a soul that wasn’t quite relevant in her life would not cause anything.
“You can’t, but I’m itching for another murder scene, so let’s go hunt your next victim.” His phone dinged and as he read, a smirk crossed his face. “It seems we don’t have much hunting to do, turns out you have a visitor at home. We should get going.”
Jenny walked behind Zain. She knew exactly who was in her house. A man with no dignity of his own. Chile. He was a disgrace to her. She regretted knowing him but he had a hold on her. When she finally got rid of him, she could finally breathe.
Chapter 8
Chile was a shameless man, he walked the earth looking for his next meal plan, and she had stupidly been drawn in. he was sweet in the beginning, and he gave her what she wanted.
He tentatively planned their relationship like a social event. He knew what to say and when to say it. He also knew how to answer risky questions that could show his true form.
He had schooled in the art of capturing desperate women and using them as a means to an end. Jenny did not mind his tactics; she actually fell in love with the control he took. She hadn’t had a man who wanted her so bad he made every decision for her. It felt good to let go for once. And Chile knew it.
What Jenny did not foresee were the family ties Chile was busy killing. He made her entire family look like monsters before her eyes, and soon she was avoiding them and falling out with them. He wanted her all to himself.
“I wonder what he wants now.”
“I can feel that he doesn’t contribute to your sadness. Did you not love him?” Zain expected to see contempt, but her face was just bored. Which made Zain realize that the woman had never known true love before. It made his heart ache, some part of him blamed himself, for not coming into her life sooner.
He could have held her softly and whispered sweet words to her, confessed his love for her every day. He would mind if he overdid it, as long as she knew. He would have loved her even more on her beautiful bed until she had no more to give. He wouldn’t have ever let her sleep angry, because she would be too tired from his loving to even think straight,
“I never loved him, he loved me.”
The man had dived into her life and couldn’t take no for an answer. She thought it was love, but she just liked how he took charge of everything.
“But you made him think that you loved him. Why?” she had done that, it was easier than cutting off ties completely. He manipulated her but milking her insecurities. She was also afraid of being alone, so she held on.
“He needed the confidence boost, and I did not mind making him feel like he had all the cards. Being wanted by unattainable women fuels his testosterone. I wasn’t his first victim, and I knew it. But he loved so good it was hard to just leave him.” She laughed at herself and hid her face.
“You led him on because he was a good lay? Oh, love, you disappoint me. Why couldn’t you just tell him that you only wanted him for that?”
“I tried but couldn’t. his ego liked to be stroked, and that’s the only way I knew to get him to do what I wanted. So I used it, he believed that I would die if he ever walked out on me, but when he attempted to do it, I did not stop him. He is still waiting for me to regret leaving him, which I sometimes send him messages that make him feel like I am.” She smiled coyly.
“Let me guess, just to get laid again.” she nodded. “I think he is the jilted one, are you sure about him?”
“He stole from me, and I was never happy about that.” Zain could now see the shadows. He was a pesky thief, that’s why he is on the list. She knew him and did not mind his phylogeny, but the stealing broke the trust she had.
Zain pulled up in her driveway and Chile hopped down the steps fast. He had the same anticipation he always had. His eyes twinkled as he waited for her to swoon over him like he was oxygen. He waited to hear her complain about being left alone. It has been years since he heard those words from her, which means his ego was starved.
Zain stepped out of the car before she could, and she saw the rage in Chile’s eyes. The thought of another man dotting on her was a blow to his gut, and he did not like it. He liked having her wrapped around his finger. She liked it before, but now it is plain pathetic.
“Hey Chile, what brings you here?”
“Can we talk?” He spoke, glancing from Zain to her.
“What is there to talk about? We Are past talking, it’s been years.” She stated as a matter of fact. Zain saw the bored stature on her face again and knew she really wasn’t interested in talking. In an instant, he was handing her his gun. Chile did not have time to react before she pulled the trigger. His lifeless body fell before them, and they both stared at it, no words crossed their lips. For a few more minutes they stood in silence, but Zain knew he had to make arrangements for yet another body.
Zain typed on his phone quickly as he watched his woman. She was still unfazed. Still shining bright. He had to bring himself to believe that her soul just wasn’t turning dark. No matter how many people she killed, she wasn’t about to be his dark empress. He was still doomed to lead this life all alone. He was tired of waiting.
“Hey, do you want some tea? I could use a cup myself.” She joyfully chimed as she walked into her house. The gods gave him this life. For as long as he could remember, he has dutifully served the jilted souls. He has sought revenge for humans who even had no idea that their ‘karma’ was his doing. He thought the gods had finally rewarded him with what every man in his lineage longed for, a companion, but he was wrong.
Then why was he revealed to her, his soul craved a feel of us, even with all her light it still did. He looked at her retreating frame and knew that he couldn’t give up. He was going to see through it all, find out why it was her, even if he was to combust. Maybe his destiny was to be the first of his kind to die. He would die an honorable death.
Chapter 9
Terry watched his mum make tea and knew she had turned to the dark side. Her stride was distinct, her thoughts well-collected, and the sugar was just right. She had a bounce on her bum he had never seen before.
His heart was divided, it took something big to chase away the sadness deep inside her, and he did not want to find out what that was. Especially if a red-eyed monster of a man was involved. There he was, sipping his tea softly, all his attention focused on his mother.
No human man can be that big or have eyes that red. Even with all the drugs in their system. He appeared out of nowhere and did not seem to be in a hurry.
It has been a month now, he cleaned, cooked, and the best part of it, he had taught him a lot, like how to shave his neck, without any cuts.
He felt protected with him around, he didn’t know why but he was.
Often he would prance around the house fixing what was already fixed, building what didn’t need to be built. He kept himself too busy and the whole house was spotless. And when he was not fixing the already fixed, he was making his mother scream, not that he could hear a thing, but he suspected as much.
He hadn’t seen a man spend the night before, his mother may have been extremely careful, but he didn’t believe anyone can be that careful. He felt proud of her, she had defeated her demons and was living outside her shell.
Maybe it was time for him to move out. They had talked over the issue and believed that they should all move out, she needed space.
His sister hadn’t been that forthcoming with her own opinion, but they had drained it out of her. She was not happy that she couldn’t come home to freshly baked cupcakes and a mother quietly reading a book on the porch.
She was selfish that way, she, however, meant no harm. She was just accustomed to the love and attention and was scared of losing her solid rock.
But their mum wasn’t solid anymore, she was crumbling, the lesser she had to take care of them, the more time she had to delve into her treacherous memories. He often wondered what happened to her. A jolly person like her must have been scarred badly.
Terry sat next to Zain who did not spare him a glance. He was too preoccupied with what Jenny was doing, which was basically standing. A soft conversation flowed between them, without too much effort. Terry couldn’t help but worry about how permanent the situation was.
He remembers Chile all too well, all smitten and swooning for months, then one day he saw him for the last time. He was a moron who love bombed her, she couldn’t see it but they all did. They hoped he could take away the sadness, but he never did, at least he left her just as he found her.
Terry would have personally hunted him down if he had left his mom broken, but he hadn’t. Jenny did not even seem to mind it all, and Terry was proud.
He had been so lost in thought that he was taken aback when Zain spoke to him.
“Sorry, what did you say?”
“I said your tea is getting cold. Stop staring and drink.” Terry took his cup. Zain smiled at him like he knew what was in his mind.
“So, what are you two up to? How long are you going to fool around with my mum?” Terry blatted out quietly so his mum couldn’t hear. It was time to play macho.
“Between you and me, she’s calling all the shots.” Zain was not lying; he was completely in her mercy.
She called the shots now that he knew she was the one. She was light and never dark, but she was his. For years she has felt powerless against her violator, but Zain gave her the power she needed to overcome her sadness.
“Is she really? I think we both know that she likes to be taken of.” Zain gave Terry a small smile before answering.
“She relinquished control a long time ago because she likes me taking charge but she likes to act like she’s in control. So I let her.” He spoke gently.
“I think she finally found her missing piece. That’s her way of showing you love.
And now she is giving him her power, feeding his soul with light rather than darkness. She is his salvation. Everyone she killed had to die, for my soul to be redeemed. And now his coming generations will walk the earth with darkness and light.
And soon, her belly would be round with his first seed in over 1000 years. The first of its kind, a new beginning of all others like him.
Zain had waited to combust when their souls touched, he had been so overwhelmed by her soft cries and his own roars. He was in the moment and did not care what happened next.
He had felt the very moment they connected, deep in her core, her body glowed and he drank in her essence. It was intoxicating, all light and no darkness.
When they finished together, he couldn’t open his eyes, he waited for his skin to slowly melt away. He was ready to go, he had had her, and his fate was sealed. He held her close because he wanted to die with the sweet memory of her body pressed against him. But nothing had happened.
He slowly let her go, expecting something only he wasn’t sure what. She looked into his eyes, and mattered, “Your eyes have a hint of green, that’s weird.” He just hugged her closer, she was promised to him for a reason beyond his comprehension. They stayed in bed the rest of the day.
Zain later called her mother and told her of the whole situation. She too did not have any answers. Neither did his father. But his aunt did.
The next morning, they were all standing in his living room, staring at the woman who had turned a red-eyed monster green. It had never happened and they were all looking for answers. Staring was rude, but they couldn’t help it.
“Are your eyes still green?” his aunt had asked.
“No, it comes and goes, mostly when we, eeeh…” he didn’t have to complete his statement, especially in front of his parents. Who were clung to each other, like two scared birds being hunted?
They were the oldest of the clan and had never heard of anything remotely related to what was staring at them.
“How is it possible? Is she celestial”
“She is a completely human with a huge capacity of forgiveness and a terrible memory. She easily forgives and easily forgets, except for those she cannot forget. And for that, she must kill to forget. How many people that did her wrong has she killed? She turned to Zain.
“Twelve.”
“Is she done?”
“I don’t know; she only remembers when she sees the person. I don’t know how many are left, at first, I thought it was only one, but now we’re at 12.” Zain scooted closer to her as he spoke. He was enchanted.
“Killing them is her way of forgiving and freeing her soul. The only way she can darken is if she killed an innocent baby. But judging from how you are looking at her, I’m sure there are no babies to be killed.” Zain stared sternly at his aunt, she was mated into the family and is not a direct descendant, but she was family.
“Just tell me what becomes of my offspring.” His voice was sharp.
“I don’t know about that, I, however, believe that they are going to walk both worlds. In the human form and like us. That’s all, the rest we will all witness as the offspring grows. I also think it will be more than one.”
“What do you mean?” jenny spoke for the first time that night.
“You my darling is already with child, and I sense two life forms.” Jenny’s hand met Zain’s on his flat tummy. She did not know how to react but Zain covered all bases for them. She had never seen a man so happy before. That gave her the courage she needed. After a month of being in this man’s bed and she was already pregnant and barefoot, but this was right.
Zain come out of his daydream and looked at Terry. He seemed content with his answer. Jenny come to him and sank into his large arm, where she would be from now on, as they watch their forever unfold.
