Hallows: Merciful Death

Like A Venomous Snake

Asking Alexandria- Into The Fire

After a beauty day with my mom, Stacy is smiling again like last night never happened. The two of us are currently in my mom's closet choosing something for Stacy to wear tonight. Mom let me have her clothes. She said she can't take it all with her and by the time she gets back, she's most likely going to have a new wardrobe. Some of the stuff in here still has the price tags attached to them.

"Stace, you want to tell me what happened last night?" I ask. She's looking over the black mini-dresses. She's been eyeing the black Valentino I planned to swipe from mom before she let me have everything. I take it off the hanger and offered it to her.

"I umm-" she takes it and sits down on the black chesterfield sofa in the middle of my mom's walk-in closet. "I was hanging out with Rosa. I had a delivery. Shane and a few of the football guys showed up. She went upstairs with him. They wouldn't let me leave,"

"Who was it?" I demand keeping my voice even so it doesn't startle her. The last thing I want is to make her feel like she can't tell me things. She looks up at me and shakes her head. "Stacy, tell me their names, baby," I push her hair back trying to comfort her a little. "I need you to tell me,"

"Please," she shakes her head. Her voice is barely above a whisper. It's filled with emotion but she's pushing it back with everything she's got.

"Stacy, I know it hurts but I'm going to need their names," I sit down next to her. "All of them,"

She utters four names and then I don't press the issue anymore. We get ready for her party tonight and don't bring it up again. My mom distracts her with stories about touring with Tammy and my dad. Before we get to her place we stop for the morning-after pill. I text the guys that I'm with Stacy because she wanted to make sure that I actually went to the party without bailing. Carson's response is "Were you planning on bailing?" No, I never planned on bailing but I just let the chips fall where they may. It's a lot more fun that way.

The Whitmore estate is a huge property. It's one of the more famous places in town. It's known for its pretty vineyard. The Whitmore house itself, however, was cleared out about thirty years ago. It's abandoned and poorly maintained. Since then, teens have had all their crazy parties here and after dance blowouts. The adults know but they don't really care. It's Hellbourne tradition. It's what my mom meant by some things never die.

Stacy goes into party mode the moment she steps out of my mom's car and starts barking orders at the setup crew. That's who she is. I tell my mom I'll find a ride home. She looks me over and gives me a single nod.

Luc and Carson show up with the rest of their crew. I'm still waiting outside after Stacy scolded me for standing around doing nothing. I know the guys know something is up. I wouldn't have come here before the party if it there wasn't. I walk down to the front steps to greet them as they all climbed out of Danny Lowe's van. They all greet me and go inside to help Stacy leaving me with these two cuties.

"Wow, you listened to me," Carson paces around me approvingly.

"I mean you were pretty adamant," I smirk.

"I love this," Luc reaches for my baby pink hair. "It's you,"

"Very you," Carson approves. "You want to tell me why you came here without us and don't lie to me again,"

"I won't," I promise and sit down in the van. They're both looking down at my legs as I lean back against the seat behind me.

"Who are we f*****g up?" Luc asks.

This isn't the first time I do something stupid with them. They're Delilah's guys but from time to time, I'd borrow them and we'd have some fun. They're really good buddies. Very respectful and affectionate. I didn't know if we could just pick right up where we left off but it looks like we are. At least where doing bad things is concerned.

"Holland Track, Cassius Monroe, Caleb Moore, and Luis Jimenez," I answer.

"What if pretty boy gets in the way?" Carson asks referring to Shane.

"He better not," I sigh. "No one better get in my f*****g way tonight,"

"How bad was it?" Luc asks, leaning against the open van door. His honey eyes meet my pale yellow eyes.

"Just don't stop me," I stand up taking their hands. "Please,"

"Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?" Carson looks me over again with a little more appreciation than before.

"Like a sweet little angel," Luc adds.

"With the eyes of a f*****g demon," Carson continues. I laugh feeling my face burn.

"You guys look amazing too. You always do," I gave their hands a squeeze. "How did that bandaid thing go?"

"I took care of it," he smiles. "Bitches, man,"

"Bitches," I agree. "Take it from me. I am one,"

The three of us walk inside to see Stacy arguing with the woman in charge of drinks. I let go of their hands and go over to get us some before the woman loses her patience with her. Stacy groans when I give her a pointed look. She then apologizes to the lady and storms off. I give the lady an apologetic look. She smiles, grateful, to have Stacy out of her space. It's nine and those who have curfews tonight are showing up already.

The DJ introduces herself and starts up the music. Something dark and electric. Stacy's laser machines start up along with the fog machines set up all over the place. They put the DJ at the top of the grand staircase. The entire entrance is available for dancing. The filthy red rug that frames the entire room was vacuumed and chairs were set up along the walls. Red twinkly lights were wrapped around the old pillars. There are black streamers hanging off the ceiling. This is how Stacy grieves. How she's always grieved and tonight, she will attempt to erase everything. Just hit that reset button with every bit of her resources and trust me when I say she has a lot.

"I have a surprise for you, Ms. Blackstone," Stacy walks over to me with her hands behind her back. While I had my hair bleached and changed completely, she had the ends of her hair tainted black. She looks amazing. My mom did a superb job of covering up her bruises. "I know you're not into the hard stuff so I got you your favorite, just arrived from California,"

"B.D.?" I ask reaching into my purse for the black pre-rolled cones with the pink roses on them.

"Blue Dream," she smirks holding out a medicinal container. "Thanks for today. I really have missed you,"

"And we're just getting started," I smile reaching for it. However, Luc gets to her before I do. He takes the little green bottle and the cones. He holds them up, showing Carson with a little smirk on his lips.

"Cute," Carson places his hand on my waist. "Where the hell did you find these?"

"I have a lot. I get them online," I answer trying hard to ignore the heat that floods my body.

Stacy is looking down at where his hand is with a smile. My body has been on alert all day and I am very aware of his gentle touch. Something deeply rooted in me wants more of him. All over, inside. It's going to become an ache soon enough. One I'm not going to be able to take care of myself for too long. That's not good.

"Stacy," someone calls out. She finally looks away.

"Duty calls, save me a dance B.B," she laughs and runs off. She's already tipsy. Her face has a pink tint to it already.

"Let's keep an eye on her," I looked up at Carson.

"On it," he nods as he turns his attention to me. I try my best not to show how much he's affecting me. "You didn't answer my question earlier,"

He looks amazing today. He's wearing brand-new black Dickies. They're fitted to his powerful legs. The bottoms are folded with safety pins to keep them from sliding down over his black suede Timberlands. He's wearing a black long sleeve t-shirt with the words f**k YOU on his chest. A black hoodie and his favorite sleeveless denim jacket with Fallen patches stitched all over it. His hair is slicked back and I can smell his Johnny B. hair pomade along with his cologne. He swapped his clear lip hoop for a black one tonight.

"In the van?" I ask playing coy. See it's much more fun to keep them wondering.

"No, my text," he sneers. I laugh. "Did you really plan on bailing?"

"Ooof," Luc shakes his head as he fills a couple of pre-rolled cones. "I would have been devastated, B.B. Go on, break my heart,"

"This is my s**t," Stacy shouts as Lydia by Highly Suspect blares from the speakers. "b***h, get over here and sing for me!"

"Guess we'll never know," I shrug pulling away from the two of them. "The important thing is that I'm here now,"

"Blackstone," Luce groans, putting his hand over his chest. Drama king. "It hurts so good,"

"Black ocean cold and dark I am the hungry shark fast and merciless," I sang.

Their smiling faces fade as I sing along to the song as requested by my dear friend. I haven't sung in a long time. In fact, the last time I did sing for anyone was for my sister as her coffin was placed in the Blackstone Mausoleum. Stacy wraps her arms around me looking me dead in the eyes as I sing for her. Everyone is watching us. It's not a very big group just yet but it is growing.

I feel it again. All around me. Whatever the f**k it is, it's out and very much awake, alive. The darkness is slithering through these people like a black shiny snake. As my voice hits the notes perfectly, I feel it coming for me. My skin is alive with fear as it gets closer and closer but I can't stop. I won't. I've felt numb for far too long. I looked down at Stacy whose eyes are on me intently. There are tears there but not from what happened to her. It's something else. Devotion maybe?

"You're really back," she whispers. I pinch her chin finishing the song off.

"I'm not going anywhere," I promise.

She tightens her hold on me and rests her head on my chest. For a moment, I'm terrified that she can hear how fast m heart is beating in my chest. I feel it slithering around me. Cold and dangerous. A slow clap catches our attention from the doorway momentarily distracting me from the near panic attack I was about to have. Rosa, Shane, and the dead jock squad are standing there. She's clapping her hands sarcastically. Stacy locks her arms around me tightly. I place my hand on the top of her head.

"Look who's out of the haunted house," Rosa muses stepping towards us. I drop my hands to my sides. Luc comes over and takes Stacy from me.

"Let's get you a drink, Red. I could use one myself," he smiles at her tenderly and leads her into the crowd. Our eyes met just briefly. He knows exactly how things always play out when I want something.

"I didn't know mutant lungs were a Blackstone family trait," Rosa continues but my attention isn't on her. It's on the guys behind her. Rosa can stick her f*****g tongue up Shane's ass hole for all I care.

"Rosa," I finally look over at her, in the same manner, my mother looks at David Espinosa. Without interest or respect. "You look good, sweet face,"

"Thank you. Do you like my dress? I got it at the mall," she motions to the pink sun dress.

"It's cute," I dismiss her without looking at her. I'm looking over her head at the cars parked in the yard just outside the estate.

"What are you doing here, B.B? I thought you'd be home packing your s**t," she practically snarls.

"What?" Carson asks. "You going somewhere, Blackstone?"

"Not that I'm aware of," I looked over at him. I didn't see him come close.

"Aren't you moving to like France or something?" Rosa sneers. I just found out. How does she know already?

"No," I shake my head. "My mom is, however, moving to Milan for work. She's gonna be gone for a while,"

"You should probably go with her. We wouldn't want your cursed house to murder you too. Sitting there all alone. I bet it's scary," her voice has a tinge of jealousy in it. It's almost seductive and possessive.

I want to hit her but the urge to maim is stronger. If I do hit her, I'm afraid I won't be able to stop. I feel it again, the snake-like darkness around me. My body twitches as the darkness clamps down on my neck. Like a venomous snake infecting me with all the bad s**t in the world. I get it now, Delilah. What you meant. I get it, daddy. This inside of me, it's real and it's very much alive. I need it to be.

"It's fine," I brush her off, clearing my throat. "Makes the house a little more authentic. Have fun tonight, Rosy,"

"Why don't just f*****g leave, Bella?" she asks when I turn away. "Go with your f*****g crazy mother,"

"And leave you here? Are you kidding me? I'd miss you way too much, Rosy," I smile back at her and glance at Shane. "Both of you. My friends,"

"Don't talk to him," she chokes out through clenched teeth.

"Give it a rest, Ro," Shane rolls his eyes at her without looking back at me. "I could use a drink,"

He walks into the dancing crowd behind me. His little goon squad follows. I reached out grabbing Holland's hand. He's the weakest link here. The biggest b***h. The most insecure.

"Hey, handsome. It's been a while," I smile at him. His eyes shoot to mine. "How are you doing?"

"Better," he smirks looking down at my hand. "Now that you're here,"

"Save me dance?" I ask trying my best not to gag. Does that really work on some girls?

"You got it," he smiles. I let go letting him join his buddies. We all look back towards the doorway when the Southsiders walk in howling.

"What's up, Hellbourne Academy? Southside in the house!" Alastor Kunningham howls. Everyone cheered for him as he and his crew invade the party. They all zero in on Stacy and go to greet her. She's lavished with affection and gifts. Money.

"You're playing a dangerous game, Blackstone," Carson turns me over to look at him. "Doing that s**t in front of me," he put his hand on my waist and pulls me into him with one hard tug of my body. "I'll f*****g kill him if he touches you,"

"Carson, are you okay?" I ask, placing my hands on his chest. My baby pink stiletto nails stand out a lot against his black attire. The glossy surface captures my complete attention.

"He's fine," Luc appears behind me. Am I high and if I am, on what? His hand lands on the other side of my waist. He presses his body along my backside and leans in to whisper in my ear. "If you ever do that again, I'm going to bend you over my lap and spank that fine round ass of yours until you can't sit on it for days, Blackstone,"

A rush of heat makes me shutter when the two of them pulled away. Luc holds out a black solo cup for me and a pre-roll. I try to hide the delight in my expression as I reached out to take it but I doubt I can. He pulls away giving me one of those scary Luc Daniels deviant grins. He takes my hand and places the cup in it before putting the silver filter of the pre-roll to my lips. Carson flicks a lighter and puts the flame to the tip of my joint sparking the cherry up. I inhaled deeply before lightly pinching the black paper to take it out of my mouth without breaking eye contact with Luc.

"You scared, Blackstone?" Carson asks turning me to look at him.

I shake my head as he leans in. I exhaled as he parts his lips to take the smoke from inside of me. He turns his head towards Luc. He lets the smoke out his mouth and Luc inhales it before letting it out upward.

"f**k," I swallow hard. I'm not the only one who's been resurrected by this Darkness. I see it now. Evil begets evil. That was hot as hell and the implication is stated pretty f*****g clearly.

"Welcome back, princess. Let's f**k s**t up tonight," Carson grins. Luc throws his head back and howls. Imma Be by the Blackeye Peas is playing over a sick beat. I laugh lifting the black cup to my lips.

"Oh, s**t," I mouth against the rim of the cup. "I really am losing my got damned mind,"