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TWENTY-NINE

CRAWLING

brUISED KNEES—MANIC KAZZY

CALISTA

A cold sprinkle of rain begins to drop down on us as we walk down the eerie, desolate street, using the dull street lights and orange Halloween lights to guide our way through the dark. I smile to myself as I think how close Halloween is, and the thought of what I have planned begins to swell the anxiety inside of me.

Tonight wasn’t planned, but Halloween night is.

Tonight is about helping Ash with his trauma—some of it. It’s about showing him how to take back his power—his voice and control—even if it’s only from one monster. It’s a start.

I remember the promise I made him and the guys all those years ago—the one where I’d make whoever hurt them pay.

We pass a thick blunt back and forth during our walk, keeping conversation to a minimum mainly because neither of us knows quite what to say.

“Ash grew up into a hottie, I see.” Addy pops in randomly, making me jump at the sound of her voice.

“Yeah, he sure the fuck did,” I mumble, fully aware that Ash can hear me.

“How come you haven’t wanted me around as much lately?” she asks, sounding pitiful.

“I haven’t needed you, Addy. In case you haven’t noticed, I've been doing better than I ever have.” I smile, taking a hit and holding the smoke in my cheeks.

“Well, I’m always here and I always will be, and you know how to find me if you need me,” she happily states before skipping ahead, disappearing into the layer of fog surrounding the darkness in front of us.

Blowing out the smoke, I nervously turn to face Ash, absorbing the shocked look on his face.

“Uh, who were you talking to?” He asks, looking around to make sure that nobody else is with us.

“Addy, she pops in and out whenever the fuck she wants.” I shrug, not afraid to admit that I have an imaginary friend.

“Okay, and Addy is?” He takes the blunt and puffs on it, eyeing me cautiously.

“Just a girl—a figment of my imagination. I guess I created her as a way to help me deal with the loneliness and trauma I experienced. I know you think I’m fucking crazy—and I am, I don’t deny it—but Addy has helped me with so much over the years, even though she isn’t real. She’s a big reason why I’m still alive today,” I admit, feeling my heart squeezing tightly inside my chest as I snatch the blunt back.

I begin to panic, worrying that he’s going to turn his back on me like everyone else.

But I’m completely taken aback when he says, “Well, tell Addy that I appreciate her for looking out for you.” He grins, and it takes every ounce of self-control I have not to pounce on him in the middle of the street.

“Thanks, Ash. How are you feeling?” I question, noticing we’re only a block away from our destination.

“Nervous. Curious. Kind of turned on still,” he admits in a low voice, a soft blush covering his bruised cheeks.

“Me too,” I counter, giggling.

Coming to a bus stop bench, I sit and place my bag beside me while I pull a few things out. I grab my mask and knife, tucking the blade in a sheath around my ankle.

“Put your mask on,” I state firmly, deciding to put my mask on to match the one he brought.

Ash listens, securing the mask over his face to conceal his identity, and once we’re both ready, he reaches over to hold my hand as we begin walking again.

* * *

It only takes five minutes before we’re standing outside of a dark, intimidating three-story house that’s privately blocked from the outside world by a line of tall, thick trees that stand taller than the house itself.

Knowing the layout of the property and the inside, I lead the way in with Ash following behind. Once we breach the basement door and make it inside, we quietly navigate the unknown house in the dark. We make it to the second floor, where the bedroom is, with no problem, stopping in the hall just outside the door.

Ash looks around, taking everything in, and I wait while he tries to piece together where we really are. Luckily, it doesn’t take long, thanks to a cluttered group of pictures hung in an uneven line on the wall behind him.

“Are we really at Marcus’s house?” he gasps, fear flickering in his darkened eyes.

I can tell that he’s panicking, so I grab his hand and gently push him up against the wall, cupping his face like I did earlier to try to get him to relax.

“We are. You said you wanted to help—to be there for me—and this is fucking it. It’s time to live up to your name, Savage. We’re going to take back our power, one blow at a time.”

“So this is about the list you showed me, huh? You’re crossing off names as you kill them, which means all those bodies they’ve been finding..."

“I killed them, Ash. They fucking deserved every second of it, and when they were dead, I stood there, doused them in gasoline, and watched each motherfucker burn until the odor of death burrowed into my senses.” I sigh, feeling a small weight lift off my shoulders.

Without any resistance, Ash pulls out his gun and cocks it, making sure he’s ready for whatever. I pull out my knife from the sheath and grin under my mask, feeling extremely turned on by this side of him. The old, innocent me loved the good side of him—the sweet side—but the new, corrupted me can’t help but love the bad side of him, and I think he knows it too.

I back away from him, subtly grazing the ball of my palm over the obvious, thick bulge in his pants, eliciting a groan of pleasure from his mouth. I can’t see his face because of the mask, but I can see his eyes, and I can tell by the look in them that my little stunt had more than just a small effect on him.

Leading the way again, we sneak into the bedroom and lock the door behind us, taking slow, light steps towards the bed where Marcus is sleeping.

Both of us stand here for a moment, trying to breathe through the fear and anxiety coursing through us as we work toward navigating this new adventure together. Up until this point, I have never killed with a partner—besides Addy—and Ash has never killed at all. But if my plans for the four of us have any shot at working, tonight is a test to see how well we are as a team.

I hold his gaze, and the tension between us crackles like electricity. This isn’t just about the job anymore; it’s about the two of us finding strength in each other, about reclaiming our lives in ways we had never imagined. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, the gravity of the night pulling us both further into the chaos that surrounds us.

“Are you ready?” I whisper, my voice low and steady.

He nods, determination igniting the fire in his eyes as he takes a step closer. The fear that danced there just moments ago is replaced by raw courage, and I marvel at how swiftly he transforms.

I reach for my knife, taking one last breath before twisting it softly in my hand. We stand here in the dark room, the smell of stale alcohol and sweaty sheets invading my senses. Marcus is sprawled out across the bed, snoring loudly, completely unaware of the storm that’s about to hit him.

Ash and I exchange another glance and share a diabolical smirk under our masks, and in the silent communication, we both know what we need to do. It’s like our minds are synchronized: he’ll watch my back; I’ll set the stage.

I pull a small, folded piece of paper from my pocket and spread it like a flag on the dresser. The list—our grim countdown to justice. Marcus’s name stands out starkly, written in a bold line just begging to be crossed off. Beside the list, I place another Ziploc baggie with a flash drive inside, making sure it’s far enough away from his body so it doesn’t burn when I set his ass on fire.

“This is the last time he’ll ever hurt anyone,” I say, speaking in hushed tones but heavy with conviction.

“Let’s make fucking sure of that,” Ash replies, gripping his gun tightly with it aimed at the councilman’s head.

I step closer to the bed, my knees hitting the edge, the adrenaline coursing through my veins blending with the anger I feel for all of the lives ruined—starting with mine and Ash’s.

With a quick glance at him, I nod, and we’re both moving in tandem, fluidly. I lean down over Marcus’s sleeping form and let the blade glint in the low light. In one swift motion, I jab the knife into his shoulder, eliciting a cry of pure pain from him as he suddenly jolts awake.

“What the f-?" He starts, but his words trail off, wide-eyed and panicked, but I cut off his words with a firm grip around his throat, pinning him against the mattress.

“Surprise,” I hiss, leaning into his face, my eyes wild with fury. “Been a long time coming, hasn’t it?”

Marcus’s features twist into confusion and then quickly morph into terror as he struggles beneath my hold, but with the adrenaline pumping through my veins, he’s no match for me. I can feel Ash edging closer, ready to pounce, and the realization of our combined presence throws all his bravado out the window.

“Who the hell are you?” Marcus yells, gasping as he clutches his shoulder, his eyes darting to Ash, who stands poised with his gun trained on him.

“A ghost from your past, but tonight, I’m very much alive.” I lean closer, forcing my voice to drop to a whisper. “Remember all those nights when you’d laugh at our pain? How you thought you’d always get away with it?”

He squints at me, recognition flashing briefly before it’s smothered by fear. “Calista? You’re fucking crazy! Please just let me go... I’ll-”

Before he can finish, Ash steps forward, his expression fierce under his mask. “You think you can just walk away from the shit you did? You’re going to fucking pay for every single thing you’ve done to her. To me. To all of us.”

The air is hot and suffocating, and it’s charged with promises of taking his life. I can see the weight of what this moment means for Ash, etching itself onto his eyes.

This isn’t just about revenge; it’s about reclaiming what was wrongfully stolen from us.

I grip the knife tighter and prepare to make my move. “This is the part where you fucking beg,” I murmur, a dark pleasure building in my stomach.

Marcus sputters, “you won’t get away with this! You don’t know who you’re messing with.”

“I think it’s you who doesn’t understand who you’re messing with,” I sneer, leaning in closer until our faces are inches apart. “It’s time to face your monsters—Boo!” With that, I plunge the knife deeper into his shoulder, twisting it just enough to elicit a scream that echoes through the room, mingling with the pounding of my heart.

Each stab is a piece of the weight I’ve carried, each slice a true liberation for Ash, for me, for all the others who suffered at his hands. And I’m not alone anymore. Ash stands with me, the embodiment of resilience and vengeance, ready to carry this burden along with me.

“Let's finish this together,” he says, his voice steady despite the chaos surrounding us.

Together, we push forward, reinforcing the armor that will protect us from the darkness that threatened to consume us both before. This isn’t just about killing another monster; it’s about finally smashing the shackles of our past.

I pull Ash closer to me and nod, silently urging him to join in on the final act of revenge. I yank out my knife and hand it to him, taking his gun in return. Together, we bend over the monster beneath us, and the air fills with the sounds of anguish and triumph—a duet that echoes through the walls.

We are no longer just the children of our trauma; we are fucking warriors and we will soon rise from this even stronger than before. The bond we share is unyielding, forged in fire and blood, and nothing will ever break it again.

Tonight is just the beginning of something fucking beautiful.

I step back and lean against the wall, watching Ash repeatedly stab Marcus all over, piercing screams ripping from his bloody chest. I lift my mask and keep it on top of my head, pulling out a cigarette while I watch the show before my eyes. Ash is losing control, but in the best fucking way possible. He’s finally taking back everything that Marcus ever stole from him.

It doesn’t take long before I begin to grow annoyed over the screams Marcus keeps wailing, so I walk over to the bloodstained bed and shove the barrel of the gun in his mouth to silence him. Covered in deep gashes from head to toe, Marcus begins to seize and go into shock, and all I can do is grin.

Looking at Ash still thrusting the knife into every part of his body that he can, I reach out and grab his shoulder, gently tugging him away to catch his breath. He lifts his mask like me, and his eyes find mine instantly. There’s an unreadable look inside them that I can’t make sense of, but he smiles, jabbing the bloody blade back into Marcus.

“Breathe, Ash,” I tell him, trying to coax gentle breaths from his already heaving chest.

He steps closer, covered in blood, a smile still tugging at the corners of his busted lips.

“Are you doing okay?” I ask softly, dragging my fingers down his chest, making him shiver.

“Never been better.” His grin sends a surge of power through me, making my thighs ache and my pussy wet from wanting him so fucking bad.

“Good, I was hoping you’d say that.” I dip my hand beneath his waistband and pull him closer, teasingly rubbing his massive, hard dick. “But I bet I can make you feel even better,” I challenge, wrapping my hand around him and stroking his cock slowly but firmly, his hooded eyes rolling back in his head.

I push my pants down below my ass, feeling the cold air hit my burning skin, intensifying the feeling of pleasure and desire sweeping through me. Grabbing his bloody hand, I slide it between my legs, letting him feel how wet my pussy is for him.

He groans. “Fuck, baby, you’re soaked.”

“I know, baby boy. Who do you think made me this way?” I smirk, arching a brow while seductively licking my lips.

Ash swallows hard, trying to find his voice. “Me? I made you that wet?” he asks in disbelief, a twinkle of lust hidden in his eyes.

I nod, easily pushing his hand away and stepping backward towards the bed where Marcus lies, still shaking and bleeding heavily with the gun shoved in his mouth. I sit down on the edge of the bed, leaning back and using his lifeless body as leverage as I kick my pants off the rest of the way and spread my legs wide for Ash to see.

“Now, you’re going to be a good boy for me, Ash, aren’t you?” I tease, rolling the pad of my finger over my clit while he watches, his mouth hanging open.

“Yes,” he sputters. “Fuck yes, I’ll be a good boy for you, my Little Psycho.”

“Then get on your fucking knees and crawl to me. Crawl to my pussy, Ash. I want to feel how good your tongue feels inside of me.” I tug my lip between my teeth and push a finger inside my pussy, fucking myself to the image of him on his knees, crawling to me so eagerly.

When he gets to the edge of the bed, he violently rips my hand away from my pussy and puts his mouth there instead, immediately sliding his long, pierced tongue inside me.

I gasp as the warmth of his mouth envelopes me, every flick of his tongue igniting fireworks beneath my skin. The sensations bounce off the walls of the room, mixed with the metallic smell of blood that fills the air. It’s an unholy cocktail of pleasure and danger, but nothing has ever felt so exhilarating.

Ash’s fingers dig into my fiery skin as he loses himself in my body, the rhythm of his tongue becoming frantic as he drinks me in, studiously seeking every solitary spot that ignites a smoldering fire within me. Our surroundings fade, the boundary of our previous nightmares dissolving into the raw, fervent energy that crackles between us.

“God, yes. Just like that,” I encourage, my voice a breathless whisper as I arch my back and grasp the edge of the mattress, feeling the energy radiating from him. “I knew you’d be good at this. Just a little more...”

As he laves my clit, the friction sends waves of ecstasy coursing through me. It’s intoxicating, the way he’s so utterly devoted to giving me pleasure while the chaos of our actions still lingers in the air. Every shot of bliss that fires through me pulls him further into my depths, like each orgasm is intertwining our fates—binding us tighter with invisible threads.

But just as I feel myself approaching the delicate climax, the sound of Marcus choking on the gun jolts us back to reality. Ash lifts his head, his mouth glistening with my cum, and catches my gaze with a smirk that’s both dazed and euphoric.

“Looks like our toy needs a moment of attention,” he jokes, his voice low and gravelly, making my stomach clench with need all over again.

He leans up, still on his knees, the hunger lingering in his eyes—mirroring mine.

“Let's give him something to think about.” I smile wickedly, leaning back against Marcus’s still body, my fingers slipping down to toy with the blade sticking ominously out of his abdomen.

“Why should he get to have all the fun?” Ash’s eyes gleam with mischief as he pulls out the knife, the sight of it glinting in the faint light sending a thrill down my spine.

“Oh yeah, I like where this is going,” I pant, craving to feel his mouth back where it was.

Taking the knife, he stands up and hovers over Marcus, staring into his soul to reveal the determination burning behind his eyes. He plunges the knife deep, right beneath his throat, earning a garbled scream that rings through the air like a twisted melody.

I let out a moan of approval, the sight of Ash reclaiming his power intensifying every nerve ending in my body. I’m spun around swiftly, this time facing Marcus as Ash bends me over his body and stands behind me, his cock poking into my ass.

“Do you feel it, Marcus?” I taunt, watching him writhe beneath us, his pain fueling the flames within me.

Ash’s movements are deliberate and precise, as he carves out revenge with every twist of the blade. “This—tonight—this is what you deserve. To know what it felt like to take away from others. It’s your fucking turn to suffer.”

Ash continues to work, pushing the knife deeper, and I can see that he’s becoming drunk on the power—our hunger bleeding into one another, baking a new kind of intimacy into this blood-soaked night. The body beneath us becomes our canvas, painted with retribution and fury as we take back what was always ours.

With renewed urgency, we fall back into our rhythm, each stab of the knife echoing my own rises of pleasure. The screams become mere echoes in the background as I lose myself in the sensation, colors bursting behind my closed eyes.

Ash shifts focus from the knife to me again, allowing the beast of his hunger to show in his cravings, and I invite that fatal desire with open arms.

“Give me fucking everything,” I breathe out, the fire flaming a scorching hunger between us.

The heady rush of violence and lust completely overwhelms me as we’re reborn in destruction and chaos, two shattered lives miraculously fused both in scars and soul. Without warning, Ash slides his cock inside me in a single powerful thrust that surges me onto Marcus, coating me in his blood while fucking me without mercy or regret. He leans forward as I turn my head to face him, bringing his lips to mine, and the taste of blood flames a rush of power through me as our connection deepens, unbreakable and pure against the darkness that we’ve just embraced.

I grip the handle of the gun and thrust, fucking Marcus’s mouth with the barrel as Ash fucks me from behind, his bloody hands holding my hips while his fingers dig into the flesh around my bones. I push back against him, desperately meeting his thrusting hips as his cock rips through my pussy, owning every inch and making me clench around him.

Sucking on the side of my neck, Ash brings the knife to the front of my throat and glides it across my skin, the danger only fueling the passion burning between us. He continues to dance the blade across my achy skin, fucking me deep and fast, determined to block out everything else around us.

“It’s your turn to be a good girl for me, Cali,” he growls in my ear, making sure I feel his dick in my guts with each brutal thrust he grunts through.

“Anything for you,” I pant, feeling the muscles in my body tightening as my climax surges through me.

He brings the knife to my mouth and slides the handle between my lips. “Suck it, Little Psycho. Pretend it’s my cock that you’re gagging on while you come for me.”

“Or I could just actually suck your dick,” I offer with a devious chuckle, feeling my pussy squeeze around the piercings in his cock.

“Fuck no. Your cunt feels too good to pull out of right now,” he groans, hissing through clenched teeth while pistoning his cock in and out of my pussy. “Nah, you’re going to come all over my cock while I fill you up with my cum... and you’re going to be a good fucking girl and gag on the blade while I shove it down your fucking throat,” he demands, getting closer and closer to the edge. “Or I won’t let you come.”

Gasping, I nod, allowing him to push the handle into my mouth, my tongue twirling around it as if it’s normal. Feeling like I’m about to explode, I grip the handle of the gun in Marcus’s mouth and put my finger on the trigger, pulling it at the same time that my pussy showers Ash’s cock with hot, stringy cum.

A single shot rings out in the air, the bullet blowing off part of his face, finally killing him. And then Ash and I both lose control, our bodies entwined, each thrust sending us further and faster over the edge.

He chokes me from behind with a firm hand while fucking my mouth with the knife handle, our sweaty bodies writhing on top of the dead man, becoming soaked in blood and cum. He spins me around quickly, pulling out his dick from my throbbing pussy and plunging his fingers in to stop his cum from dripping out.

“The thought of getting you pregnant is making me so fucking hard and horny for you all over again,” Ash grunts, easing the handle out of my mouth before tracing my lips with his tongue.

And then he drags the blade down the front of my body, digging the tip into the bare mound of my pussy.

I suck in a breath as he makes cut after cut, clinging to the sides of his body, almost afraid to let go. The sting from each slice reminds me of the cuts I gave myself, giving me that blissful feeling and gentle reminder that I’m still alive and that all of this is real.

“You’re mine, Little Psycho; don’t ever fucking forget it.” He grins, finally releasing me so the two of us can get dressed and leave before we’re caught.

We get dressed quickly, making sure to take everything with us that we came with, plus whatever Marcus has lying around. And as I complete the final step, setting his body on fire, Ash holds me close, squeezing firmly as the entire bed erupts in flames right before our eyes, ending the torment of one of the monsters who had ruined our lives for so long.

“There’s another name you can cross off your list,” Ash says proudly.

“Already done,” I reply, flashing him a smirk as we sneak out of the house, leaving one part of our nightmare behind us.

Mother

Father

Holden Graham

Gunnar

Adam Moretti (Ash’s father)

David Blacksburg (Kill’s father)

Jackson Gray (Dom’s father)

State Senator Gallagher

Mayor Kyle Benjamin

City Councilman Marcus Rutherford

Judge Hayden Wilson

Brockton Chief of Police Robert Bailey

13. City Councilman Jose brown

Back outside in the lightly falling rain, Ash grabs my hand and holds it tightly, refusing to let go. Nothing is said between us about what happened, but we both know that whatever happened in there tonight brought us closer than we ever were before. And even though it wasn’t said, I know that we’re both looking forward to seeing whatever else our lives have in store.

Together, we’re unstoppable, and we are about to show the world exactly what we fucking mean. No one is safe from us, but the best part is knowing we have two others to revel in the chaos with, and together, the four of us are going to wreak havoc on the fucking world, light the match and watch it burn right in front of our eyes, along with every monster who haunts our dreams. We aren’t going to show anyone mercy.