Thread: Monster [ Burke x Arianna  ]

Puzzled by the bizarre conversation, it distracted her enough so she was able to think almost normally for a moment, as though she were merely at home in bed not trapped in a horrific web of tainted evil. It sounded like the vampires were playing a simple game of Monopoly she recognized the names of the properties, Waterworks and North Carolina being two that she always set out to acquire when she played the game as a youth. Still, she knew they were speaking about something much deeper, the properties merely metaphors for something else. Vampire territories perhaps? She shivered, wondering how many of these monsters roamed in their midst, hiding in the shadows like aberrant predators, the city streets providing them a veritable buffet of human suffering. Yes, it was the only thing that made sense, but it proved too difficult to analyze given her current state of mind. Her gaze still locked on the room, and knowing less than twenty feet separated her from freedom, Lexi flattened her palms on the table, ready to bolt in the next breath, but it was too late. The monster was addressing her with a menacing tone in his voice that brought fresh fear to the surface, her breathing increasing rapidly until it came in shallow ragged heaves. She cringed at his ominous words and the patronizing way he called her little doll. A growing sense of alarm that something was coming, made her tense, and clench her teeth...and then he moved, grabbing her so forcefully she gasped. His hands slipped beneath her knee and neck, twisting her body unnaturally, his thumb pressing painfully at the base of her skull, to the point she saw black and white dots swimming before her eyes, threatening to make her pass out from the pressure he inflicted, while he forced her to look at the other man. Her hips lifted off the table, her muscles quivering as she instinctually fought to press downwards, but it was futile, he was simply too strong. She felt utterly powerless, like a twig about to be snapped in half, and she panicked, bucking against the jarring movements as he shook her, psychologically clawing against the terrifying sensation of being poised in the air and knowing she could fall to the ground with a crash at any moment. Certain he couldnt humiliate any further, he then did the unthinkable, and began manipulating her like a puppet, forcing her to perform a macabre little dance simply for his amusement. The more she attempted to resist, the more painful it became, and she whimpered softly, hating how pathetically clumsy he made her feel. There was no choice but to go slack, allowing him to move her body any way he wanted, and she loathed it. Tears of helpless humiliation welled up in her eyes now wide with misery and she refused to look at Arnaud, refusing to let him revel in her disgrace. The mocking falsetto of the puppet masters voice stabbed her pride like a dagger, carving fresh wounds across her self-respect with each word, making her feel more worthless than the ventriloquists dummy shed become, a caricature of humanity whose sole purpose was to incite laughter in its audience. He had taken her beyond the threshold of victim, where at least there is some dignity in the knowledge that your life meant something to your attacker, and thrust her into contemptuous ridicule, assigning her no more value than a piece of garbage given one last use before being tossed into the trash bin. She might have been able to forgive his earlier torment if he had simply let her die believing he desperately needed her, that regardless of how perverted his urges, they were beyond his control, and the sacrifice of her life used to fill an immoral hunger. That dreadful yet intimate dance between killer and victim was at least was something she could understand and hold onto, a fragment of something she always knew existed within humanity and never expected to face...but she could not forgive this obloquy, never this. Arnauds laughter floated around the table, grinding salt into her wounded pride until her shame burned hotter, searing her skin with the agonizing heat of it, and she longed to reach out and claw the ridiculous grin off his appalling face. She hated him almost as much as the one who held her, and watching him undulating to the rhythm of the womans mouth stroking him up and down made her stomach churn. The two vampires continued to speak creating tension so thick it hung in the air like a cloud, stretched across the table, and it made Lexi quiver. The game had changed, something palpable yet beyond her understanding, and her pulse raced from the unknowingthe uncertainty of what it meant for her. As she listened to the exchange, her gaze flew to Arnauds, something hovered in his eyes, a fleeting disquiet, or perhaps even pity. Whatever it was, she sensed he wasn't pleased with the dark one's treatment of her, and that ignited a flame of hope in Lexi, one that sputtered and died the moment he cast a withering glance, communicating his displeasure over her unwillingness to give him what he wanted. Lexi froze as icy fingers of dread snaked across her skin, but Arnauds offer to take her away and exchange her with someone else, gave her some measure of hope, and her eyes searched his, pleading with him to help her. The monster had become a shining beacon, an unexpected saviour, and the only one who might have enough power to rescue her from the clutches of something even worse. She could almost feel joy, that wondrous surge of relief that comes from knowing a trial by fire is about to end, and then...once again her monster cruelly snatched it away. His words were thick with the promise of retribution, and Lexi wilted, feeling utterly deflated and lost, no longer affected by the forced shaking of her body. Her only chance at revenge evaporated before her very eyes, and that he knew shed attempted to deny him, was a crushing defeat. The dark vampires hand released her leg, and she fell hard onto the table from the unexpected move, still staring at Arnaud, but with a vacant far away expression in her luminous hazel eyes. Aware of a soft shuffling sound and Arnauds interest switching to a place beyond her field of vision, the one pinning her down said her name with a voice that made her recoil she hated to hear it fall from the lips of someone so despicable. When he turned her head, forcing her to witness the contents of her purse laying exposed beside her, she jerked, wanting to scream out in protest against the invasion of privacy, but she couldnt...no wouldnt give him the satisfaction. He was pondering something, but it was the unholy excitement lighting his dark face, that filled Lexi with terror, and when his eyes locked on hers she squirmed, letting out several erratic breaths as her hands flew to her throat in an instinctual gesture of protection. An iridescent cascade of sparkling emerald mist drifted outwards from the darkened pools of his eyes, curling around and biting into her flesh like talons. It was so unsettling, she bucked on the table, her hips arched, and her boots made loud drumming sounds as she attempted to lift and bend her legs, desperate to escape the essence infiltrating her senses. Whimpering now from sheer panic, she struggled to turn her head away, pursing her lips in a vain attempt to block it, but he held her firm. Her eyes became huge luminous orbs brimming with fear, and she began choking as the mist enveloped her, suffocating her with its intensity until she knew the terror of a drowning victim. It filled her completely, and with an involuntary gasping breath, she went limp a black abyss enveloped and swallowed her whole until she was aware of nothing except emptiness and his seductive voice beckoning from a place she could no longer see. Floating in the dark void, from somewhere deep in her subconscious she knew he held her head in one hand, while the other gently crossed her arms over her breast before sliding downwards, slipping underneath her shirt until the warmth of his palm pressed on her bare skin. At the moment of contact, she felt an agonizing pulling sensation from the place his hand rested on her belly, and then a rush of energy as he merged with her very soul, shattering all her barriers, leaving her no defences, no ability to withstand this most heinous of attacks. His persuasive voice was like a silken caress, alluring and comforting, compelling her to ignore the shrieking of her conscious mind, that cognizant part of her still lingering somewhere in the background railing against the intrusion and resurfacing of painful memories buried so long ago. A tiny voice cried out from the recesses of her mind No! but he commanded, and her soul obeyed. No! This cant be happening! Wheres my mom, shes supposed to be here. Her eyes locked on the knife, flashing from sunlight glinting off cold steel. Oh my God, hes going to kill me! Lexi was too frozen with fear and didnt hear the junkie demanding her purse. Growing angrier, the man yelled at her, but she stood dumbstruck, unbelieving that all he wanted was her purse. Please, somebody help me! The words tore through her mind, but her vocal cords were paralyzed. She could only stand there mute and wide-eyed with fear, waiting for the thrust of the knife. She saw him as a shrouded assassin, not a pathetic purse-snatcher, but as the seconds ticked by, she heard, What are you, retarded? Just hand him the purse! Her logical mind shouted it, snapping her out of the zone of terror that left her vulnerable, so very, very vulnerable. Stung by the insult, she stepped back, thrusting out her purse, begging him with her eyes to take it and go. Please It was a plea for her life, the only word she was able to utter, and she held her breath, waiting He snatched the purse away while screaming obscenities at her, and Lexi winced, shaking like a leaf. She almost felt relief thinking surely it would be over now, until his eyes met hers and she saw the plans he had for her dancing inside them, the stuff of his wet dreams, a willing captive, someone to play with and fulfill his fantasies. RUNget out of here! The voice of self-preservation urged to flee, but her feet remained rooted to the ground, she was still too petrified to move, and thenshe knewknew her hesitation was inviting him to take her, make her a victim. In that moment, with her assailant now gone, she understood true shame the realization that she had allowed someone so pathetic to wield such power over her was humbling and excruciating. Shivering from adrenaline and cold, she began sobbing, feeling utterly disgraced and mortified with herself. I let himI LET HIM! An unseen force pulled her away from the trauma and horror at the convenience store, and a face appeared, consuming her entire awareness. A hauntingly beautiful, ethereal face with luminescent green eyes hovered over her, enticing and yet forbidding. Feeling warm and safe, she wanted to reach out and touch him, unsure if the vision was real. And thenshe felt him taking everything that she was and is, twisting and measuring it, before deciding what he would keep and what would be tossed aside. It was the most demeaning moment of her life, and she was unable to so much as object, incapable of even lifting a finger against him. He defiled her with cold precision and she felt every icy touch upon her being until her soul bled, all the while nestled in his secure embrace. The monsterher monster. He vacated her body and mind with calculated swiftness, leaving her gasping and reeling from the chilling exposure, the warm safety of his guiding presence ripped away, leaving only the raw pain, shame and guilt in his wake. Pain from the memory, shame at allowing him to rape her soul, and guilt for wanting him back, or anything he could give her to take away the agony she now faced. Hed left her with nothing, no shields to put back in place, no will to fight, and tears stung at the corner of her eyesSay itshe knew what he wanted and it hurt, more than anything ever had before. How could he do that to her, share her most precious possession, the very essence of who she was, and feel nothing ? The only thing that made it more demeaning was knowing they were not alone, that everyone in the room had witnessed her shaming, and he had done it while Shauna pleasured him beneath the very table she lay on. It was beyond crushing, but so was the realization that she lacked the will to deny him any longer. Blinking up at the ceiling as the first tears slid down the side of her face, she flinched at the caustic threat to kill her if she didnt comply, knowing that he demanded far more than a mere word nohe wanted her to give him the same control over her fear that she had the junkie so many years ago. It would shatter her entirely to do it, but with no willpower left, even in the face of death, she was ready now, to give him what he wanted, anything to stop the agony. Casting a glance towards him, she saw the rapture on his face and felt nauseous at the thought he was going to climax after what hed done to her. She squeezed her eyes shut when he lurched forward, unable to watch it, and thenhis hand was gone, nothing held her down any longer. At last, free of his touch and devastating assault, elation was instantaneous, infusing her with energy in a way she never would have imagined given the total surrender she felt but a second ago. Sensing the opportunity to make her escape, it was as though the dam finally burst, and all the feelings she had miraculously managed to repress during the ordeal, rushed forward like a colossal tidal wave. White-hot fury exploded from her very core, until it threatened to overwhelm her with its intensity the flames of anger rising higher, cleansing away the fear and humiliation, until her eyes glittered dangerously in the dim light, eyes for no one but him . Turning now to fully face the vile monster, he was still reeling from his climax, the rapturous release given to him by Shauna was written all over his terrible face, oozing outwards from his entire being, as though reaching to draw her in, and Lexi shrank away as though it were poison, thoroughly disgusted. Venomous hatred for her tormentor seethed from every cell in her body, mercifully filling the excruciating void left behind by the Vampires brutal rape of her memories, and she nursed it, turning it into a soothing balm to heal her desecrated soul. Glaring at him with undisguised loathing, she shot upwards to a seated position, shaking violently as hot tears spilled onto her cheeks, now flushed pink with the rush of emotion. Clenching her fists until her fingernails dug painfully into her palms, she spat at his face, shrieking maniacally. FUCK YOU ! YOU SICK SON OF A BITCH! Glancing around furtively in those final few seconds, she remembered... Shauna! She desperately wanted to free her friend, grab her hand and run away, never looking back, but the woman was trapped underneath the very table Lexis body held firm and she had no choice but to leave her saviour behind. With a choked cry of anguish, she vaulted off the table, snatching her wallet and Margarets little phone book in one hand before her feet hit the floor, and then bolted for the door. Refusing to look back, she thrust past the bouncers with almost inhuman strength born of the sheer will to survive, both men taken completely by surprise at the unexpected motion. Oblivious to everything except the sounds of her pounding heart and gasping breath, she flew down the stairs, running faster than ever before in her life. Reaching the dance floor in seconds, while hollering at people to move, she frantically pushed the swaying dancers out of the way, shoving them to the floor until she was able to burst through the side door that led to the alleyway. The heavy metal door slammed shut behind her with a loud crash. It was the sweetest sound she ever heard confirmation a thick, safe wall now separated her from the nightmare on the other side. Warm humid air enveloped her like a cloak of salvation, and she held out her arms, turning her face to the glowing night sky as though trying to release the evil still gripping some part of her mind. With deep gulping breaths, she inhaled greedily, as though suddenly saved from drowning, willing the fresh air to cleanse away the stench still permeating her senses. Finally free from the monsters, but on the verge of hysteria, she began trembling and crying uncontrollably. Great wracking sobs shook her entire body, until she coughed and gagged, her arms wrapping around her waist while she leaned over, unable to stop the bile rising in her throat. Her gut wrenched, a sharp stabbing pain so powerful she almost collapsed, falling to her knees as her stomach heaved its contents onto the black pavement, over and over again, until the acid burned her nose and mouth, and nothing more remained. Kneeling on the hard ground, the sound of a siren jolted her to action, and she stood up, weaving slightly as though about to lose her balance, and then she began running, out of the alley and as far away from Hell as possible. She ran to the street, unaware of the startled pedestrians shocked at her stricken appearance. One older woman, with gray hair and kind blue eyes stepped forward, asking lexi if she was all right. My dear what happened, you look absolutely put through the wringer, she said, concern etched on her weathered face. Lexi swayed and looked at the woman, barely seeing or hearing her, but managed to reply. Taxihome. The good Samaritan frowned, clearly wondering if Lexi was on drugs, but hailed a cab anyway, helping the young woman climb inside the yellow and white Chevrolet that pulled to a screeching halt at the curb side. Lexi shrank into the back seat of the Taxi, and managed to mumble her address. A blessed numbness took over her body, and she stared out the window, not really seeing anything as the cab whisked her further and further away from the nightmare. It took no more than fifteen minutes, the entire trip just one big blur of lights and traffic sounds for Lexi, and when the car stopped, she blindly handed the driver some bills and opened the door, exiting at the front of her apartment complex. She practically ran up the granite steps, and with trembling hands, fished the keys out of her pocket, fumbling at the lock until it gave way and shoved open the double glass doors. Too impatient to wait for the elevator, she raced through the opulent lobby, the bright light from the dangling crystal chandeliers making her squint, and she shielded her eyes with her right arm. Flinging open the door to the staircase, she ran up the three flights of stairs to the third floor, and walked to her apartment door, heart pounding until safely inside, where she quickly locked the deadbolt, and swung around, her breathing rapid from exertion and the joy of being home safe .