Hallows: Merciful Death

Not Like This

The Used- The Bird and The Worm

Lucien:

The black Mamba. I did not expect B.B. to be one of the strongest snakes a hallow can become. I fell in love with this girl even before she put that god-awful cheerleading uniform on. Before I even knew what love was. Before Carson and I became brothers but she always seemed so out of reach. Untouchable and I had to settle with just having her in my life as Delilah's baby sister. Her sister was the only thing standing in my way. Well, it was Delilah and Shane Halestorm.

B.B. isn't a kid anymore is she? Not that she really ever was. She's only eleven months younger than I am. She's tall, five nine-maybe the full ten. That long f*****g silly hair of hers. It's a pretty soft pink now. I used to love watching her sit in front of her vanity as she brushed it from Delilah's room. Dilly didn't like that I had an unhealthy affliction with her sister but I couldn't help it.

Those demonic eyes of hers never really went with her personality or the way she used to dress. Her features are soft, angelic even. I'm all over the place with this girl. I love all of it. How she lured in her prey easily. How she smiles but also how she tries to keep a neutral expression. The snake isn't my favorite hollow but it's not the worst either. I crave something different in her. I feel it waking up inside of her and I'm afraid she's not going to be able to handle it. I'm afraid Carson and I aren't going to be enough for the darkness that's going to envelop her.

Wild Thoughts by DJ Khalid and Rihanna is playing. Her body is moving against mine. She's still under the hallow's venomous sway and she's resilient to it. She can still function without losing herself to it. That's not something that happens the first few times. How many times have I been here? Given fully to the darkness of the crow inside of me? It's been slowly pecking away at my soul. Ripping me apart with its claws but here she is as if it means nothing. Another high to fill the void in her very existence. My god, she's perfect.

"Kiss me," she whispers looking up at me. I stop moving as her eyes met mine. "Please, Lucien. I want to know what it's like. Before I lose my nerve,"

I want nothing more than to press my lips to hers. f**k, I've wanted nothing more ever since I was ten years old. Ever since she wrecked her mom's BMW into the gate of her house when she was nine. I was in the passenger seat. Delilah and Terra were in the back. The maniacal laughter that escaped her little nine-year-old lips fuels the darkness inside of me.

"B.B. Your mom is going to kill us," her dad rushed out of the house with his phone out. A huge grin plastered on his face as he took pictures.

"Daddy," she laughed.

She jumped out of the car and into his arms. He swung her around and held her to him tightly. She was so happy and I was angry because I've always wanted to do that. Make her smile that way. Hold her to me in that same manner. I want her to look at me like I mean the f*****g world. It's a selfish desire, I know but I can't help it. I couldn't then and sure as f**k can't now that she's looking at me the way she is but I can't do it. Not with her pupils blown to s**t. Not while she's high off the darkness of the black mamba.

"Not like this, gorgeous," I shake my head. "I want you sober. I want all of you. I need you to be completely aware of me when I taste you,"

"Oh," her eyes fluttered. Her pink wet tongue darts out slightly to wet her lips. She smells so good. I bet she tastes even better. "Luc?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to pass out," she laughs.

"Right now?" I ask pulling her into me. She looks me over before meeting my eyes again.

"You're so f*****g hot. Do you know that? How hot you are?" her question is demanding.

"Yeah," I nod.

"Good," she smiles pressing her face to my chest.

She's right. I am hot. The crow produces a lot of heat and she's got a black mamba hallow slithering inside of her soul. It's seeking heat. Her body relaxes against mine and just like that, she's out. I laugh tucking her head into my arm so that I can pick her up. I dropped the cup somewhere. I'm not going to be needing it.

"Venom's out. Two hours," Carson timed how long the hallow's venom stayed in her system. "That's a big f*****g window. Delilah's Viper never went over forty-five minutes,"

"Black mambas are bigger," Marco keeps up with us as we headed back to Danny's van.

He drove us to the haunted mansion. It's what everyone calls Blackstone Manor. The place is beautiful but creepy as f**k. The huge iron gate with the Blackstone crest in front of it alone makes you think twice about going inside. The old victorian house is eerie even from the outside. The Addams family house has nothing on this creepy mansion and she lives here alone most days.

"Bella," her mom looks her over worriedly when she opened one of the double doors.

"We've got her. I'll take her up," I smile at her. She nods opening the door for me.

"We're sorry for bringing her back like this, Mrs. Blackstone," Carson apologizes as I head up to her room. It's right in front of the staircase. Right in front of the chandelier.

No one calls B.B.'s mother Mrs. Espinosa. She'll always be Mrs. Blackstone. To the entire world. Even if it kills Espinosa. Ashley Blackstone will die Ashley Blackstone. She only belonged to B.B's father. No one puts up with the f****d up s**t he put her through without letting it completely ruin her life, her body, and her soul. It's a tortured kind of love. It's all some of us ever know. It's beautiful and poetic. The kind of s**t men like Dante Blackstone bleed for and f**k. He bled until his last breath for her.

I take B.B.'s cute little boots off. I've seen the inside of this girl's walk-in closet. The entire back wall is covered in expensive designer shoes. It's always been that way. Not just her either. All the Blackstone women dress like queens. Ashley Blackstone in Balenciaga. Delilah Blackstone in Channel. Belladonna Blackstone in Valentino. It's the way of the world.

Belladona is finally safely tucked into her bed. Her scent mixed with her perfume lingers in the air heavily. Jasmine, warm vanilla, and old books. It's floral but also very woodsy. I set her black joints on the vanity, keeping only one. There are others in a jar. I smiled loving the little bit of information I'm gathering about her. There's a pink rolling tray that says I'm A Little High Maintenance in silver. The edges are bedazzled with crystals. There's a matching grinder and a jar. I open it to find a stash of nugs inside. It has a sweet scent to it. That's how she survives in the creepy mansion. She escapes into her head.

"Thank you for bringing her back," her mother thanks us as I make my way down the stairs.

"You don't have to thank us, Mrs. B. We'll always take good care of her," I give her a nod.

"Thank you, boys. Have a good night," she smiles and shuts the door as we make our way back to the van.

"We need to keep an eye on her. She fully gave into the venom tonight," Carson tells the others. Danny and Josh know what we are and we trust that they're not going to open their f*****g mouths about it. They know better.

"I don't think it's a bad thing," Dylan chuckles. "It felt good. To have a f*****g snake feed us again,"

"Real good," Marco agrees.

Too f*****g good. It's never been like this for us. Delilah kept our demons at bay but this went beyond that. It was almost climatic. I could have f****d her on the floor next to that rapist piece of s**t. The look on my brother's face, he would have been more than happy to watch maybe even join. It was euphoric. Out of this f*****g world.

"There's more to it," I sigh knowing exactly why we reacted the way we did.

"The reaper?" Carson asks.

I feel it tingling along my skin. I know it's coming. I've been dreaming of it. Her delicate features under the black cloak of the reaper. The sinister smile on her face. Just the memory of it in my dreams is enough to get me rock hard. It's why I had to approach her. The darkness is spilling out of her in waves. We all feel it. All of us. We're almost complete.

"Yeah," I adjusted my pants. He snorts knowingly.

I know he's been hard all night. His poison is the snake in her and she's always been a f*****g little snake, hasn't she? Her sass, her sneers, her f*****g mouth. I hate it but I've felt half dead without it these past two years. The others aren't drawn to her darkness like we are. It's not a s****l need. It's the need for a leader. Their Queen and f**k me she's going to take to that role with a wicked grin on her perfect face. No, she's definitely nothing like Delilah. B.B. isn't obsessed with control. She's the kind of person that likes to push boundaries.

"How long do we have before it wakes up?" Dylan asks.

"Days," I answer truthfully. "We have days before she kills someone. We should start preparing,"

"Do you think we'll need to hide a body?" Marco asks.

"No," Carson interjects. "She's going to want to make a statement. The black mamba in her isn't going to want to keep it quiet. Crime rates are up higher than ever since Delilah's death. B.B. is eccentric. She doesn't know it yet but she wants them to know she's coming. Don't forget who her father was,"

"We need to get into that house and find out what the f**k happened to Delilah. I don't want the same thing to happen to B.B. If we can, we should get her the f**k out of there and burn that house down," I growl.

Delilah was my best friend. My sister. She taught me everything I know and took care of us. There is no way in hell she would ever do what she did. She wouldn't have damned B.B. further into the darkness knowing what was inside of her already. No, she wouldn't have given up the snake to B.B. like that. She wanted the two of them to rule us. To give us all a better life. The best life. That was who Delilah Blackstone was. A mother viper taking care of her little demons.

"Not now," Carson shakes his head. "We need to help B.B. She needs us. I know she wants answers too. Let her take her time. For now, let's help with this list Stacy gave her. Our princess isn't done yet. I want to see how far she's willing to go. I doubt she'll disappoint in any way,"

"To the black mamba," Dylan raises his black solo cup. Everyone raised their cups as well. I raised my stolen joint.

"To the black mamba. May her reign take us to the ends of the world and plunge us into the deep abyss of hell," I toast.

"Amen,"