Slice (The Elledge Family #1) (30 page)

“Why do you have to stare at yourself while cleaning your teeth? How is that normal?”

“I don’t care to argue it with you but that’s normal Luke. You have to learn to care what people say Luke.”

“Teach me oh wise one.”

“That’s a lesson for another day.” I paused. “You had me on your list didn't you?” I was curious how close to death I had actually come. “I mean you can tell me. I just want to know.”

“I was about to slice you from ear to ear the moment you stuck your nasty hand up her skirt.”

“I'm grateful you didn't.”

“Lucky you,” He knocked the drink back and chuckled. “I wanted you dead, so bad I had fucking migraines about it. I researched everything about you and had planned to burn you alive after I watched the blood spill onto your nice hardwood floors here.”

“Dude,” I stopped him with my hands up. “Please spare me the details of my impending death.”

“I was destined to send you to ashes Asher.” He laughed in amusement. “I'm happy I didn't though, you do have good taste in beer.”

“Glad my beer choice saved my life.” I mumbled.

“Oh, lighten up. I just wanted you dead. We all have to die some time, your death was just planned”

“Yeah, no big deal.” I nodded my head. “As friends, let's promise to not ever bring up that one time you planned to kill me.”

“I can do that for now.” Lucas was quiet and his eyes looked around the room. He seemed so relaxed contrary to earlier in the day.

“You’re like a lion you know that?”

“Explain,” he leaned back on the couch and one of his arms draped over the back of the couch. “I mean I have never seen myself in action.”

“You're graceful... you smile too often and no lie, it’s creepy. You lurk and lurk until the person is vulnerable and then you pounce on them leaving no way out and they’re terrified. You like to taunt them and then you slice.”

“I love the feeling of slicing someone open.”

“I’ve seen the joyous face Luke. I can tell.”

“It's like it opens up a happiness that only some things can bring out. The first slice means everything in a kill.”

“Why?”

“Are you studying me Asher?”

“Not at the moment.” I lied. I wanted to know every detail as to why he acted the way he did. It amazed me that he talked about a kill like I talked about soccer. He truly enjoyed it. Lucas was a psychopath and he embraced it without any trepidation.

“You are too.” He finished his beer.

“Well, why is it important?”

“It doesn't matter. They die and I feel better.”

“You do know that when you’re caught which statistically speaking it will happen… everything around you will fall.”

“I won't ever get caught.” He sounded one hundred percent sure of himself as he said it. He sat the beer bottle on the table. “I am never careless. I am never uncertain and even when I challenge myself to pursue outside of my normal encounters... I never do too much. I have just ventured enough to know that I can.”

“I hope not. I prefer a Serta rather than a spring filled cot.”

“Yeah, I prefer a tanning bed to the electric chair.” Lucas burst into laughter and shook his head. “I'll never give anyone the satisfaction anyhow.”

“What do you mean?”
      
“I will slice myself open before I allow someone to take away my final kill.”

“Lucas,” I paused.

“I would kill myself Einstein.”

“Wow,” I looked at him. “How would you know when to do it?”

“How would I not?”

Chapter Fourteen

Lucas

I'd heard of the world crumbling. My mum used it to describe Declan. He was her world and when he left her world crumbled. Her world mourned. My mind was there and it could only think about how to heal. The scar of Cypress. I would not kill her. That would destroy me more than heal me. But I could go after Persephone. I could watch her bleed out as I pushed the blade into her heart. I could mute her and tie her down to a bed make sure I saw every moment she suffered. I slapped my face and stared back at the television. I hadn't watched it since the demise of the relationship that brought me sanity.

“Are you okay?” Tracey said from the kitchen.

“I'm fine.” I murmured. Visits home were normally few and far between but ever since she’d left me, I'd made it a point to be around people so the urge to kill would simmer. McMillan watched me like a hawk. So home was a safe haven even if I had to listen to Tracy gawk over her cooking shows and lavish tree houses.

“How is she?”

“Mum,” I said. “Could we just watch this man slice and dice veggies?”

Slice, my heart pumped at the thought. “Sure,” she handed me a glass of tea. “I don't know how you drink this sock water.” She nodded her head as she handed me the warm cup of tea.

“I don't know either, my mum used to drink so it became a habit.” I gulped the tea down.

“Your father was always into tea as well. He said it made him feel at home.”

She hated my father. “Oh god not another tale of Declan, spare me.”

“You and him are too much alike.”

“I said you can spare me details. I don’t want to hear it.”

“What did you do?”

“I slept with another girl.”

“Cypress is perfect for you.”

“Tell me more mum.” My eyes cut over to her as I tried to bite back my sarcasm. “Can we sit in silence? Is that too much to ask?”

“You can sit in silence at home, when you come here I want you to talk.”

“Perhaps I will head home. These shows are nauseating.”

“I think you should calm down. You should write her a letter, women love letters.”

“Oh God Save the Queen woman,” I took my keys from the sofa. “I’m leaving. Tell Mark I'm headed back to the Summit and tell Lydia that I will help her with her English paper another day.”

“Sit down,” Tracey whined with her hands on her hips. She rarely had them but I could tell this was about to be a mothering heart to heart that I would rather not sit through. She watched as I slouched back down on the couch. “You're stubborn like him too.” She rolled her eyes.

“I don't want her to be with me if she hates me, Tracy.”

“She doesn't. She’s just hurt and it’s no one’s fault but yours. So you have to fix it and you should do it sooner rather than later.”

“Please, tell me something I don’t know.”

Lydie made her entrance into the room crunching loudly on her cereal. “Perhaps you shouldn't have cheated on her and you wouldn’t have to be over sulking around drinking tea. You could be at home with her being the normal great happy couple that you were.”

“Perhaps you should shove off.” I clenched my eyes shut and every time I closed my eyes I seen red, mainly towards Persephone. No, I shouldn't have fucked her. I should have just killed the bitch. I stretched and tried to hide my irritation. “Mum, I’m leaving.”

“You know I’m happy you are wallowing in self-pity Lucas. You shouldn’t have cheated on her.” Lydie opened her water and laughed.

“I'm not talking about this.”

“Yeah, exactly what all men do.” It was apparent that she was in favor of Cypress over me at the moment.

“Lydie,” I paused. “Leave it be.”

“Leave him alone Lydia.” Tracy warned.

“Well you know mom, Mark does this kind of shit. You were always the one big brother that gave me some hope. I love my boyfriend but if you can cheat I don't know if can even be hopeful anymore. You were supposed to be the one that treated her right.”

“Watch your mouth,” Tracy interjected.

“It was an accident Lydie! Do you think I don't love her? Do you think that every damn night I don't regret it? So yeah, bash me. I fucked up. I know this. So let me torture myself and you keep your thoughts to yourself.”

“Whatever,” she rolled her eyes. “She is still coming to my graduation and you will be nice. Do you understand? As a matter of fact, just stay away from her.”

“Goodbye,” I pecked Tracey's cheek and walked towards the door. “One more bloody moment in here and you’ll witness War World III.”

I hadn't thought about Luther in a few months and he was now a successful product of the Colorado Corrections Department. Rehabilitated and successful merged with normal society, it was a major feat. I wanted to personally reward him. But Mark had forbidden it. They watched my every move like a hawk. But if I could slip away from them unnoticed I could take a road trip to see my dear friend Luther and have some fun. Some much needed distraction.

The two agents parked in the front of building had nodded off. I had brought them a good cup of coffee earlier. I left the lights of my loft on and walked down the fire escape silently and took Mark's mini coop. He loved the car, now I did too. Quiet, small and black it was perfect for the kill. My chest tightened as the car drove out to the interstate, he'd move three hours out and the was just perfect. I could say I was going to visit Cy. I should really go. I clenched the steering wheel. I needed to kill. Luther was a little more important.

His lights were out. I parked a few blocks away and started my prowl. Luther was a piece of shit. He deserved it. I picked the lock and made my way in his home. It smelled of cigarettes and old beer. His clothes lay scattered all over the house.

“Who the fuck are you!” He yelled.

“Shhhh...” I smiled. Luther had startled me but it was okay. I wanted to talk to him. “It's time Luther.”

“Look kid, I have to work early in the morning. I just want to get some sleep. I'm not gonna call the cops. I'd much rather they not get involved.”

“Shut the fuck up.” I snapped. “Sit down. I want to talk.”

“Kid, don't get your British ass whooped.”

“Be nice Luther,” I laughed. “Sit down, please?”

Luther lunged towards me. I dodged him quickly leaning to the side and the skinny frail man landed hard on the tile floors. I took advantage of the situation. I secured his hands in a belt then his feet I tied to heavy oak table in the kitchen.

“What do you want? I don't have anything. I just got out the pen.”

“I don't need anything. I can't control myself and you have been on my list of kills for years. How could you rape that little girl?” I stared at him as he lay spread out on the floor of his own home like a punished dog.

“I was found innocent.”

“Oh fuck off, you raped her. Admit it, why lie when you are about to die?”

“I didn't.” He cried. He pulled at the restraints and nodded his head. “I swear I went to jail for drugs.” his tears began to overflow.

“Oh well, lying is not going to make it easy on you.” I touched the hilt of the blade in my pocket and showed him. “This is my father's.” I pushed harder on his throat. “He was a bastard. I feel like he made me like this.”

“Crazy?”

“Different!” I yelled. “I prefer different Luther. Of course I’m not as fucked up as you are, I would never harm a child. I feel sorry for them. They have to grow up in world with people like you. I have a sense of morals… well kind of… I do like to see blood drain from a body. But I have to ask you something. How do you get someone to forgive you? I mean you have tons of people that have forgiven you. The state for instance?”

“Kid,” He cried. “I’ve changed.”

“I don't care. Answer my fucking question! I have to know. I don't know how to feel remorseful. I’m trying, honestly. My girlfriend,” I paused. “My ex now… well I cheated on her. I only done it to make a point to a girl I used to shag. She needed to leave me alone.”

“That makes no sense.”

“I know that now Luther. It took her hating me to figure it out. Perhaps I should have just killed her too. But the damned feds are following me like a Map. I had to put pills in their coffee just to get to you. And I should really be going. They are probably prowling the city for me.”

“Turn yourself in kid.”

“Stop calling me that!” I nodded my head at him.

“Why are you here? Go hunting. Go do something not illegal kid. I won’t even turn you in.”

“I'm an addict dumb ass. Killing an animal doesn't do shit for me.” My hands lingered in my hair. “I crave this shit. And it's worse now that she has decided that I am no good. I wanted everything to go right. I bought her a ring you know. I was about to marry her. And I fucked Persephone.”

“Just kill me.”

“Pardon me?”

“I don't want to hear your High School Musical Crisis. Just kill me.”

“No! I want you to listen. I can't talk to anyone else. So you're gonna listen.” I crouched down beside him. “You smell.” My knife cut into his leg slowly and the blood seeped to the floor. His scream filled the room and I crammed a towel from table in his mouth. “How do you get people to be remorseful for you?”

His tears stopped. Poor Luther could feel the end as it neared.

“Well, I hate that you are not going to give me any advice before you die.” The terror in his eyes made me smile. His dark brown eyes closed and slid the blade across his neck. I sliced into him slowly and the blood seeped through towel. I exhaled slowly and pressed deeper into his neck feeling everything separate beneath my blade. His stifled words and I sat next to him. “Luther, thank you.”