Page 7

The lie felt thick and bitter on her tongue, a stark contrast to the sweetness of the apple pie she had baked for James and his friends.

She had hoped the simple act of baking would be a balm to her soul, a way to pretend that everything was okay.

But nothing could soothe the burning brand on her wrist.

James's footsteps grew louder as he approached, his concern etched into the lines on his forehead. "What happened?" he asked, his eyes darting to the shattered ceramic on the floor.

"It's nothing," she lied, her voice strained. "Just dropped a few dishes."

But the lie didn't hold. The pain grew, the symbol pulsing with a fierce, insistent rhythm that seemed to echo in time with the thundering of her heart. The room around her grew hazy, the edges of her vision blurring as the agony intensified.

"Ivy, what's going on?" James's voice was closer now, his footsteps quick and urgent.

She could hear the concern, the fear in his tone, and it broke her heart to know she had brought this horror into their lives.

The scar on her wrist was now a living, breathing entity, a fiery serpent that coiled around her, its fangs sinking deeper with every pulse of pain.

"It's the... the scar," she managed to gasp out, her eyes never leaving the pulsing symbol. "It's burning."

James's concern transformed into bewilderment. "What are you talking about?" he asked, reaching out to touch her arm.

Ivy flinched away from him, her eyes squeezed shut against the pain. "The scar," she whispered, her voice tight with agony.

The sound of splintering wood ripped through the air, the force of the explosion knocking James off his feet.

The living room was a sudden chaos of flying debris, and through the dust and the smoke, a figure emerged, tall and imposing, clad in a hooded coat that billowed like a dark cloud around him.

The air grew cold, the laughter of the night chilled to silence by the presence that filled the room.

James's heart hammered in his chest as he stumbled to his feet, his eyes wide with fear and recognition.

"Vice," he breathed, his voice barely a whisper.

Vice stepped into the light, the shadows parting around him like a cloak. His eyes gleamed with a malicious amusement that sent a shiver down Ivy's spine.

"Hello, Ivy," he said, his voice a deep, chilling rumble. "I see you've decided to keep our little rendezvous a secret. How quaint."

Her heart was racing, the sound of her own pulse drowning out the clamor of James's friends as they scrambled to their feet, the cards they had been holding fluttering to the floor like dead leaves.

Vice took another step forward, his wicked smile never wavering.

"I hope you don't mind," he said, his voice a sinister purr that seemed to resonate through the very walls of the house.

"But our arrangement was quite clear. I've come to claim what's mine. "

James's friends stared in stunned silence, the color draining from their faces as they took in the terrifying spectacle before them. They had heard the whispers, the legends of Vice, but they never imagined that they would come face to face with him.

"Ivy, what's he talking about?" James's voice was a desperate plea, the tremor in his words matching the tremble in his limbs. "What did you do?"

Tears streamed down Ivy's face as she looked at James, her eyes a storm of regret and despair. "I... I did what I had to," she murmured, her voice barely audible above the pounding of her heart. "For you. For Alice."

James's gaze bore into her, his disbelief giving way to a cold anger. "What could you have possibly done?"

Ivy's knees felt like they might buckle under the weight of the truth, but she held firm, her eyes never leaving James'. "Remember the day you got sick?" she began, her voice shaking. "I went looking for a way to save you."

James stared at her, his eyes wide with horror as understanding dawned. "You didn't," he whispered, his hand reaching out as if he could pluck the words from the air and stuff them back into her mouth.

"I had to," she sobbed, the pain in her wrist a living testament to the truth of her words. "They said you had weeks. I couldn’t just watch you die. I had to do something."

James’s voice rose, cracking with fear and anger, spittle flying from his lips.

“God, you are stupid, Ivy! You think giving yourself away to that monster is going to save me? You think… you think you are a hero? You are pathetic! So, you thought I needed your help? You honestly thought I was so weak I couldn’t have fought this?

I bet you didn’t even bother seeing if there was anything else, any other way out.

You just ran and gave yourself to the first monster that gave you enough attention. ” he spat at her.

Ivy could barely respond, her voice a shattered whisper, tears streaming down her face. “I thought,” She curled in on herself, trying to disappear. “I thought it was the right thing to do... I just wanted Alice to have a father.” She sobbed.

“Right thing? You are insane!” he scoffed. “Ivy, this is not one of your stupid books! He’s going to kill you.”

“Now, now, James. Let us not get too carried away,” Vice said cruelly. “It’s not every day someone sacrifices their freedom for a... man of your caliber.” He emphasized the word "man" with a sneer, his gaze lingering on Ivy with a possessive air.

“You think this is funny?” his eyes narrowed. “You’re the reason she’s in this mess in the first place!” James growled, gesturing towards Vice.

“Oh, please,” Vice smirked, unfazed by James’s anger. “Ivy was already in a mess before I came along. But It’s delightful watching you twist the knife deeper, though. You are quite good at it, really.” Vice's tone was one of amusement.

“I just wanted to save you...” Ivy whispered, her voice barely audible.

“Yes, Ivy, how dare you trade your freedom for... what did you think you’d get,” Vice mocked, tilting his head towards James.

“A Prince Charming? Large guarantees of loyalty and affection? You know, James, there is a certain irony here. You are alive because of Ivy; you should be on your knees thanking her.”

“And what would you know about gratitude?” he shouted at Vice. “You kill people for no reason.”

“Indeed. I am known for that,” Vice paused, a smirk playing at his lips. “But unlike you, James, I do appreciate value when I see it. Ivy has what you seem incapable of: loyalty, love, and self-sacrifice.”

“She's pathetic! She is weak! She has always been like this,” James gestured at Ivy. “I have no idea what you'd want with her, she's useless.” he scoffed, a look of disgust on his face.

“Perhaps it is because, unlike you, I recognize strength when I see it,” Vice’s eyes darkened. “It takes far more courage to sacrifice oneself than to wallow in self-pity. A fool like you does not deserve someone so valuable in his life.”

“I made a deal with Ivy, and she is the only reason you are still standing here. Do not insult her sacrifice again. I want you to understand, I allowed you to live so Alice will have a father, and Ivy is the reason you are here. So be grateful she saved someone as foul as you.” Vice stared at James with disgust.

James's eyes burned with anger and betrayal. "Get away from her, she’s mine," he snarled, his fists clenching at his sides.

A wicked smile spread across Vice’s face, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Yours, huh?" he said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble.

"Tell me, James, do you truly believe you can lay claim to anything that bears my mark?

" He gestured to Ivy's wrist, the pulsing symbol a stark reminder of her bargain.

James's fists clenched tighter, the veins in his neck bulging with the effort it took to hold back his rage. "If you harm her," he warned, his voice a low, menacing growl, "you will regret it."

Vice's eyes remained fixed on Ivy, his gaze piercing through her like a knife. "Ah, the fiery protectiveness of a man in love," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "But love, James, is a fickle thing. It often leads to the most unfortunate of choices."

"What do you want?" James's voice was a mix of anger and desperation.

Vice's smile grew colder, his eyes never leaving Ivy.

"What I want," he said, "is for her to understand the cost of her choice.

" He reached out a hand, his fingers brushing against the symbol on her wrist. The room held its breath as the brand flared with an otherworldly light, the pain reflected in Ivy's eyes.

"Stop it," James roared, stepping towards them.

Vice's hand didn’t flinch from Ivy's wrist, his eyes gleaming with a sadistic pleasure as he watched her wince with pain. "Now, now, James," he chided, his grip tightening. "There's no need for theatrics. You're in no position to make demands."

James's eyes bore into Vice's mask; his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. "If you so much as lay a finger on her..."

"You think you can tell me what to do with her," Vice sneered, his eyes never leaving Ivy's trembling form.

"But let us not get ahead of ourselves. The night is still young, and decisions have yet to be made.

Ivy," he said, his voice a cold whisper that sent shivers down her spine, "You and I have some unfinished business to attend to.

It seems your time with your dear James and Alice has come to an end.

I've allowed you to playhouse long enough. "

Before Ivy could react, Alice came barreling into the room, her eyes wide with terror. "You can't take my mommy!" she screamed, throwing herself into Ivy's arms.

Ivy's heart ached as she felt her daughter's trembling body pressed against hers. "Please," she begged Vice, her voice choked with sobs, "leave us alone."

The room was a tableau of fear, the men frozen in their tracks, the air thick with the tension of a hundred unspoken words. Alice's wails pierced the silence like a knife, a stark contrast to the cold, calculated gaze of the man before them.

Vice's eyes flicked down to the trembling child, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his masked face.

For a moment, Ivy dared to hope that he had a shred of humanity left, that he would spare them out of pity.

But that hope was extinguished as quickly as it had sparked.

His grip on her wrist tightened, the symbol burning like a brand on her soul.

"The debt must be paid," he said, his voice a cold whisper.

"Please," she begged, her voice trembling, "not like this. Not in front of Alice. Can't you see how upset she is?"

Vice's masked gaze fell upon Alice, his grip on Ivy's wrist unyielding.

His eyes narrowed, and for a fleeting moment, she thought she saw a flicker of something akin to humanity.

Then, with a cruel twist of his hand, the pain spiked, sending Ivy to her knees.

Alice's screams grew louder, echoing through the house like a shattered symphony.

"Let her go!" James roared, his fists balled at his sides, helplessness warring with rage in his eyes. His friends, stunned into immobility, could only watch as the monster they had only heard of in whispers stood before them, a living embodiment of fear and power.

Alice's cries grew louder, her tiny body shaking with sobs as she buried her face in Ivy's chest, her arms tightening around her mother's waist. Ivy could feel the heat of her daughter's tears soaking through her shirt, a stark contrast to the icy grip of the villain's hand around her wrist. She looked down at her daughter, her heart breaking into a thousand pieces at the thought of leaving her.

For a moment, the room was still, the only sound the ragged breaths of the adults and the heart-wrenching cries of Alice.

Then, Vice's hand lifted from her wrist. "You truly do love her," he mused, his tone almost thoughtful. "But love is not a currency I accept."

Ivy knew what she had to do. "Alice, baby, I have to go with Mr. Vice," Ivy said, holding her daughter's tiny crying face in her hands. She tried her best not to cry herself.

"But why, Mommy?" Alice's voice was a mix of confusion and fear. "I don't want you to go."

"I know, sweetheart, I know," Ivy responded, her voice strained as she fought back her own tears.

"But this is something that only Mommy can do.

And you are such a brave girl. You need to stay here with Daddy, okay?

" She swiped at a loose strand of hair from Alice's forehead and kissed her gently.

"You have to keep Daddy safe and take care of him until I come back. "

James watched the heart-wrenching scene with no emotion on his face.

Alice clung to Ivy, her eyes wide and tearful, looking for any sign of hope that this was not happening.

But Ivy's gaze was firm. She picked Alice up and held her tight against her chest, feeling the warmth of her daughter's body against hers, memorizing the smell of her daughter and the feel of her skin against hers.

"Remember, I love you so much. And I’m going to come back to you, baby." She kissed her forehead, the smell of her shampoo and innocence filling her nostrils, a scent she tried desperately to burn into her memory. She gently placed Alice into James's arms. "You be good for Daddy, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy," she sobbed, her whole body shaking.

Vice's hand was on Ivy's again, his grip like iron around her wrist. He yanked her to him with a brutal power. In that moment, she saw the depth of his malice. And in those eyes, she saw the truth of her fate.

“The time has come,” he murmured, his voice a dark whisper that seemed to echo through the very air around them. "Your debt must be paid in full."

With a sudden, violent jerk, he yanked her towards him.

The room around them blurred, the walls of her home fading into a whirlwind of shadow and smoke.

Ivy's heart felt like it was being torn from her chest as she was wrenched away from Alice; the last thing she saw was Alice's horrified face as she sobbed and reached for her.

She was dragged through the blackness, the smoke from his teleportation spell filling her lungs, making it hard to breathe. The world outside her own panic was a cacophony of sounds, distant screams, and the echoes of chaos that followed the villain wherever he went.