Special Black Chapter 04
Thread Ten:
Adjusting her hair in the mirror’s reflection, Reisu smoothed the long, purple stands into place. Picking up the tube of mascara from the counter, she assessed the short black dress and sleeveless jacket she had chosen for the night. It wasn’t her first choice of outfit, but she had been told to look the part of a happy date.
Sitting on the counter, Kimi tugged a pair of red thigh-length tights over her knee. Green hair pulled into a ponytail; the older girl examined a run in the fabric and sighed.
“I can’t believe we’re spending Valentine’s Day with Aki and Sashi,” she complained, tossing the ruined tights in the trash. “How did we end up doing this again?”
“Kimi!” Reisu exclaimed, dropping the mascara into a drawer piled high with cosmetics. “For the thousandth time, we have to go with Aki and Sashi to Thermo. The party is for couples only, and we can’t exactly bring dates who don’t understand that we’re going to the party to kill a centuries-old madman with magical weapons!”
Last week, they had seen the ad in the paper for a huge Valentine’s celebration at one of West Central’s biggest clubs, Thermo. The advertisement claimed to have many special guests, including an appearance by the world famous models, Stoer and Lochs. It was no astounding leap in logic that where the German twins were, Kribensis was sure to follow. With Aki and Sashi around as backup, it was time to end this shit with Kribensis before he could do any real damage.
“It’s not like a real date or anything,” Reisu carefully straightened her dress one last time, smoothing out a wrinkle near the hem. “We just have to suffer through the evening. Besides, we have an alliance, so we’re obligated to bring them along.”
“Yeah, I know,” Kimi said. “It’s just that I don’t trust—“ The chime of the doorbell cut the green-haired girl off. “Oh, shit! Can you get that?” She frantically fished around the crowded drawer, quickly discarding varying shades of lip-gloss. “I’ll be ready in a few.”
***
Aki leaned against the doorframe and sighed. He really wished there was a better way to get to Kribensis, preferably without either Kimi or Reisu. When the girls had proposed the idea of a double date in order to get into Thermo’s couples-only party, he declined. After thinking about it, however, he’d had to conclude that sadly, it really was the only choice.
Aki’s gaze turned to the shadows of the hallway, blue eyes quickly locating the silent form of his partner. Convincing Sashi to agree to the plan had been almost impossible. For two days he’d completely refused, arguing that they should forget the alliance and just kill Kribensis themselves. Sometimes Sashi could be a stubborn ass, and as this was one of those occasions, it had taken a slight amount of applied guilt to get him to relent. He hated to do it, since truly their current situation was not Sashi’s fault alone, but when there were no other options, he had to use the methods that were sure proof. He’d paid for it, though. Sashi had been even quieter than usual the last few days, and the nightmares more intense than they’d been in months.
The clicking of locks in the door forced Aki’s attention, and he stood up straight. Adjusting his grip on the box of Pocky in his left hand, he tried to look more excited about the night ahead.
Purple hair wrapped into long pigtails, Aki had to admit that Reisu looked great in her sleeveless burgundy jacket and black cocktail dress. “Happy Valentine’s Day,” he said, handing her the candy and stepping into the small foyer.
“Thanks,” Reisu replied, closing the door as Sashi stalked into the apartment. This was going to be a long night if Sashi wouldn’t loosen up at least a little.
Silence filled the hall for several long moments until the sound of Kimi’s footsteps on the wood flooring rang out. Stepping into the pale lamplight, she glanced in the wall mirror, adjusting the black cording that held her hair before turning to give the boys a disinterested look.
“I’m ready,” she announced.
/Does she want a tickertape parade? / Sashi sneered.
/Sashi, don’t make this harder than it has to be. /
Sighing, Sashi held out a piece of paper from his place near the kitchen entryway. “Happy Valentine’s Day,” he said, almost too quietly to hear. Kimi grasped the paper and unfolded it, scanning the words quickly. From his position behind the college coed, Aki read the note, scrawled in Sashi’s ragged print. I, Hisashi, promise not to read your thoughts for the night of February the fourteenth.
Kimi smiled. “Thank you,” she said, placing the paper in a basket next to a small lamp. Sashi nodded, his gaze fixed on the hardwood floor.
/Shut up, / the dark-haired boy sent. /It would have looked stupid if I’d given her nothing. /
“Are we ready?” Aki asked, ignoring his partner and opening the front door.
Thread Eleven:
Music blared as the painted metal door opened and Kimi stepped into the smoke-filled club. Reisu, Aki, and Sashi followed closely behind, threading smoothly through a group of people crowded around the entrance.
Thermo was one of the largest clubs in West Central, an old warehouse that had been converted when the Bridge District became zoned for entertainment businesses. Spanning three floors, the club housed four extensive bars and three DJ stations. Tonight it was packed with couples filling the dance floors, bars, and stairways.
Finding a small, unoccupied spot near a table, Kimi stopped and turned in time to see Aki and Sashi head for the bar. Reisu pointed at them and leaned in close to yell in her ear. She caught something that sounded like “drinks,” and nodded. Now that they were here, she was feeling a bit nervous, and a drink might help calm her stomach.
Watching the crowd for signs of Kribensis or the models, Kimi let the techno music sink into her head, the thumping beat of the song pulsing along her nerves. Inhaling the smells of smoke, alcohol, and sweat, Kimi barely noticed Sashi’s presence until he shoved the drink into her hand.
Swallowing the shot of raspberry vodka, Kimi followed Reisu and Aki onto the swollen dance floor. The rhythm slid into a furious beat, bodies pressed tight, heat swirling like a constricting snake as the dancers kicked into a pulsing frenzy. A light touch at her waist alerted Kimi to Sashi’s presence, and she flashed a shocked look to Reisu, who shrugged before turning to face Aki. Sashi’s presence was quiet and dark, completely different from any other guy she’d danced with before. Although she’d never admit it willingly, his mysteriousness was intriguing, but it was tempered by the fact that most of the time he was a complete jerk. Kimi smiled as Sashi pressed against her back. If he was a good dancer, it might make up for the nasty attitude. People with rhythm went a long way in her book.
Slipping into the pounding of the bass, Kimi barely noticed as the songs began to pass. It was easy to be distracted, and it wasn’t like she could see anything over the crowd, anyway. Sashi had disappeared a while ago, but there were other partners and she moved from one to another, letting the music guide her. As the beat slowed into a down tempo song, Reisu suddenly tapped her on the shoulder. Leaning close, the younger girl shouted “bathroom” and pointed toward the far corner.
Women stood along the wall outside the bathroom, chatting, adjusting clothing, or fighting to keep from falling over. As they approached the line, Kimi noticed a dimly lit private hallway to the right. Nudging Reisu, she turned into the corridor to find several closed doors. Moving quickly down the painted blue corridor, they tried each door only to find them locked. At the end of the row one door stood open, pale, yellow light spilling across the floor. Reisu’s emerald eyes met Kimi’s and she nodded. Taking a deep breath, Kimi stepped into the room.
Packing crates were scattered in tall stacks over the yellow and red tiled floor. A single window stood near the far left corner, shuddered against the outside. The wan overhead lamps cast the room into shadows that thickened at the corners and around the crates. Stillness lay over the room, broken only by the muffled beat of the techno music.
Disappointed, Kimi turned to tell Reisu that she was ready to go back to the boys. Kribensis had to be here somewhere; maybe it was time to check the upper floors. Eyes still on the far corner as she moved, Kimi barely had time to cry out as she was shoved hard, the harsh shock of the floor connecting with her knees as Reisu slammed into her from behind.
Tangled around one another, she struggled to regain her breath as Reisu rolled to the side. What the hell happened?
The rich, deep sound of a man’s laugh echoed through the room from the doorway. Dressed identically in black leather pants and tight, short-sleeved shirts, Stoer and Lochs were smiling, but the coldness of their eyes trapped Kimi’s voice in her throat.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, girls,” Stoer said in a frosted voice, his German accent adding a strange lilt to the words. “We’re glad you came to our party.”
At Kimi’s side, Reisu was shaking with fear, her breath coming in sharp gasps. The mere presence of the twins was paralyzing, the memory of their cruelty all too fresh. Rising to her feet and standing before her terrified friend, Kimi willed the Selestarri sword to appear. The magic began to stir and the rapier shimmered, translucent, in the air above her outstretched hand.
A blur of orange and black crossed the line of her sight, pulling her attention from the solidifying weapon just before the vise of Stoer’s hands wrapped around her throat. Panicked, Kimi ripped at his hands, lacquered nails tearing the soft flesh. Unperturbed by the blood flowing down his wrists and forearms, Stoer leered at her from above, his golden eyes blazing with excitement. Inky spots collected in her vision and Kimi froze as a terrifying realization formed in her head: he wasn’t going to stop.
“Let go of me!” Reisu’s scream pulled Kimi’s fading gaze to the other side of the storeroom. Lochs had pinned the girl against a stack of crates, his left hand gripping one long ponytail. The blue-haired model slowly licked his lips as he stared into Reisu’s terrified face. With a movement that was graceful, smooth, and well practiced, Lochs smashed the back of his fist into the quaking girl’s jaw, her head rocking to the right with the force of the blow.
“I’ll teach you not to fight me,” the model growled, raising his hand again. Reisu closed her eyes and managed to remain silent as the blow struck, but her knees buckled, and she slumped against the crates.
Hazy from the lack of air, Kimi weakly clawed one last time at Stoer’s hands. The smiling twin laughed at her attempts and squeezed tighter.
“Are you all right?” He asked with mock-concern. “Do you want to say something?”
Melding together, the black spots obscured Kimi’s sight and over the pounding of her head she could hear the rush of blood in her ears. The noise grew louder, a roar that drowned out the sound of Reisu’s whimpering cries.
“If you wanted to speak, all you had to do was ask, Liebe,” Stoer continued, removing his hands.
Unsupported, Kimi dropped to the floor, coughing hard as she gasped for air. Drained and weak, she lay on the cold tile floor and concentrated on the struggle to force air down her burning throat and into desperate lungs. Long strands of green fell into her face as Stoer tugged the black tie from her hair. Seizing each of her wrists, he pulled them behind her back and deftly wrapped the cording around them. Kimi’s mind screamed at her to fight, but all her enfeebled body could manage was a quiet moan.
Cruel fingers tightened in her loose hair and pulled, bringing her eyes level with the thin, glittering blade of a knife.
***
Sashi leaned against the bar, the coolness of the copper facing refreshing against his hot skin. Aki stood at his side, a glass of water in his hand as he scanned the crowd. Sweat streaked his partner’s brown hair, the only indication that he’d been dancing for over an hour without a break. Dressed in brown pants, a dark blue t-shirt, and a loose, light blue oxford that matched his eyes, Aki looked amazingly attractive. Several girls and more than a few guys had cast appraising looks in the older boy’s direction. In his typical way, Aki had hardly noticed, but Sashi found himself glaring at those who stared at his partner. He wasn’t sure why they annoyed him so much, but he was suddenly protective and jealous all at once. It was a strange feeling and he wasn’t sure where it had come from.
Ignoring the people who crammed around him in an attempt to reach the bartender, Sashi opened his thoughts and lightly skimmed the minds of the bouncing crowd of dancers. A few were already too drunk to realize where they were, the rest thought about sex or alcohol. Why did Valentine’s Day always bring out the basest of human traits?
The thump of the music sank into the background as he turned his attention to the women coming from the direction of the bathrooms. Kimi and Reisu had been gone for more than ten minutes. He didn’t particularly care if they fell in and drown, but they were needed to complete this mission and make Aki happy.
A tall, blond woman in a silver dress appeared from the restrooms. She was talking to an Asian girl and giggling loudly as they approached the dance floor. His telepathy caught something about a fat girl in a tight dress.
/Hey, / he sent to Aki. /I saw those two go in after Kimi and Reisu, but they’re back already. /
Aki’s eyes shifted to the two women, and he reached back to set his drink on the bar. /Lets go /
Weaving through the thickening crowds, they moved quickly towards the restrooms. Sashi went first, occasionally nudging people telepathically if they failed to move out of his way. Beyond the line waiting for the bathrooms, he noticed a small, darkened hallway. Passing through a knot of women at the entrance to the ladies’ room, he turned into the shadowed corridor with Aki at his heels.
Ignoring the other doorways, Sashi quickly reached the end of the hall, where light leaked from a partially closed door. Psychically reaching into the room, he sensed Kimi and Reisu as well as two other, slightly familiar, people. Aki slowly pulled the door open and Sashi leaned causally against the frame.
Stoer knelt on the floor next to a terrified Kimi, her face and neck wet with blood. His brother held Reisu pinned against a stack of packing crates, his face pressed into her hair.
“Is this a private party?” He asked, settling his gaze on Stoer and Lochs.
Lochs released his hold on Reisu, and the unconscious girl slid to the floor in a crumpled heap. “This doesn’t concern you.”
“Actually,” Aki said from the darkness of the hallway. “These are our dates, so I don’t see how this concerns you.”
“These girls belong to us,” Stoer said, crossing the room to stand by his twin. “We’ve already claimed them.”
“Is that so?” Aki asked as Sashi stepped into the room, settling his telepathy on Kimi as Aki summoned his sword.
Fear, pain, and rage assaulted him as Kimi’s wild thoughts surged forward. The force of the psychic backlash was like a physical blow and he staggered, bumping into Aki. Kimi’s mind tore at his, and Sashi fought to keep his thoughts in control. Snatches of threats, screams, and pleading whimpers fought to be heard, each louder than that which came before.
…I think your friend still wants to play with us… If you don’t treat your toys nicely, you’ll break them… Don’t ever touch her again, or I’ll rip your fucking head off… The look in her eyes as she’s fighting for her life is such a turn on… Bitch!… I’ll fucking kill you…
Reverberating in rapid succession, Sashi tried to lock the crashing voices down and push them from both his and Kimi’s mind, but their strength was too much for his weakened abilities. If this kept up, both he and Kimi would suffer permanent damage.
Pulling a small part of his mind from Kimi’s grasp, Sashi reached for Aki. He needed to dilute Kimi’s thoughts and the only option available to him now was to spread them out as much as possible. Although not a natural telepath, Aki seemed to realize what Sashi intended, and he dropped his mental barriers, remaining calm as the voices attacked his psyche.
Finally able to gain control, Sashi pushed all of Kimi’s thoughts into the back of both his and Aki’s minds. Suppressing the lingering screams and threats, he felt himself overshadowed by a cold, dark rage. The abuse that Kimi and Reisu had suffered at the hands of Stoer and Lochs was sickening. Touching the minds of the twins briefly, he was unsurprised to feel their excitement and lust for the blood of the girls. For all their good looks and silken words, they were really rabid dogs, craving nothing more than bloody death and slow, torturous violence. It was time to put the dogs to sleep.
“You fucking bastards,” Aki said quietly as Sashi released the seal that kept his sword hidden.
Psychically drained, Sashi ignored the strain on his mind and dropped into the light, familiar battle rapport with Aki. Together they leapt at the twins, swords bright in the florescent glare. Years of practice and training had honed their fighting skills into a perfectly synchronized rhythm and moving as one, they slashed at the models. Stoer nimbly stepped behind a stack of crates as his twin dropped and rolled to the left.
Leaving Stoer to Aki, Sashi moved toward Lochs, nicking the twin in the shoulder as he scrambled to stand. Forced back by the swinging arc of the sword, the blue-haired German twisted around, his hand shooting out to catch Sashi’s unprotected side.
Hot, sharp pain set fire to his arm and chest, but it was shrouded by the agony that thundered through his head and almost drove him to his knees. A presence of vileness and evil fell over him like a suffocating blanket and a gray, static haze slid over his sight, as though he were looking through a thick veil of clouds. It spread into his mind, bringing dizziness and a slight twinge of nausea. Sashi shook his head, attempting to clear his vision, but it only grew worse. The pain in his side abruptly faded and although he still felt it, it was as if it was outside his body. What was happening?
Kill them, the voice from his nightmares whispered through the gray veil. Kill them both.
“So you can fight.” The words left Sashi’s mouth, but he hadn’t spoken. Was that his voice? It sounded strange…
/Sashi? / Aki’s thoughts slid into his head. /Are you all right? /
/Make sure Kimi and Reisu are safe. I’ll take care of the twins. /
Through the expanding static, he watched as Aki quickly reversed the grip on his sword and slammed the flat of the blade into Stoer, sending the orange-haired model reeling into a stack of crates.
Glimpsing the shadowy outline of Lochs on his right, Sashi watched helplessly as his body moved on its own accord. The Selestarri sword cut through the air in a wide arc, wounding the German in the upper arm. Without his consent, the bright, streaking blade struck again and again at Lochs as the man struggled to defend himself. Small, splattered pools of blood collected on the floor and sizzled down the length of the weapon. The metallic smell was intoxicating, urging him on and demanding more bloodshed.
Why couldn’t he control his body? Who was doing this to him?
Hisashi, the nightmare voice whispered, you are the one who desires this. Your body does as you will it, and it craves blood and death.
This isn’t what I want!
Do they not deserve death? Even by our standards, they are evil.
I’m not like you!
The voice laughed, an unsettling sound like nails on a chalkboard. The time when you can make that claim is rapidly growing short, I’m afraid. Your subconscious has already given in, and in the rage and haze, that is what controls your body. Watch…
Twisting to avoid the relentless attacks, Lochs skidded through a puddle, losing his balance and exposing his left side. Sashi immediately and unconsciously leapt, rushing forward, plunging his sword through the man’s upper thigh. Lochs screamed in pain and dropped to the floor, the blade hissing as Sashi pulled it free in a sick squelch of blood.
From the far edge of his overcast sight, he noticed the quiet movements of Stoer, trying to catch him unaware. Whirling around, Sashi brought the flat of his sword against the orange-haired twin’s chest, simultaneously releasing the magical electricity that crackled over the blade. Flinging the man into a stack of crates, Sashi laughed as the wood splintered and broke, and the scent of burned flesh filtered through the room.
Glancing down at Lochs, he smiled coldly and raised the sword again. Lochs rolled as the blade descended, maneuvering his body to take the wound in his side. As the weapon slid home, the golden-eyed model reached up and grabbed the hilt with both hands, unleashing a rush of heat into the metal. Agonizing fire raced over Sashi’s hands and into his arms and he quickly relinquished the sword, letting it drop to the crimson-stained floor.
Did I not tell you? The voice whispered through the static veil. Like the slow motion scene of a horror movie, Sashi could only watch as his right foot rose into the air. Blood splattered the leg of his pants as his boot crunched into Lochs’ injured side, and the blue-haired twin cried out.
No! Stop this! He screamed, but his foot began to move again. The haze thickened and the pounding of his head returned, stronger than before. Again and again he came down, crushing Lochs in the ribs, the back, and the head. Finally, the beaten twin stilled and a fresh pool of blood slowly spread from under his body.
Crossing the floor towards Stoer, Sashi watched helplessly as his hand reached down and pulled the German up by the hair. Blood stained Stoer’s shirt where he had been burned, and there were several cuts on his arms and legs from Aki’s previous attacks. The model opened his golden eyes, then lunged forward and slashed at Sashi with a piece of wood from one of the broken crates. A hot trickle of blood ran down his cheek and Sashi wiped it with his free hand.
“Did you think you could hurt me?” He growled, driving his fist into Stoer’s stomach. “I’m sure that hurt much more.”
The wounded man coughed and fought weakly as Sashi slammed him into the nearest wall. Wrapping his hands tightly around Stoer’s throat, he began to squeeze.
“How does it feel?” He asked as Stoer began to thrash. Ignoring the pathetic struggle, Sashi slammed his head against the wall, smiling as blood stained the beige plaster. This is what they deserved, to feel the pain of their victims, the hot rush of blood, the terrifying moment when death became inescapable.
Kill! Kill! The voice chanted as Stoer’s efforts ceased. Desperate to regain control over his body, Sashi willed his hands to release the unconscious man, and to his surprise the German slid to the floor, a string of red gore on the plaster behind him.
Without warning, the pounding headache ceased and the screaming voice lapsed into silence. A flash of movement from the doorway drew his attention, but there was nothing there. Was he imagining things now? Staring at the immobile bodies of the twins, Sashi leaned against the wall, blinking hard as the cloudy haze dissipated. Fresh pain erupted in his side, and his hands and arms ached from Loch’s attack. What the hell happened?
He reached for Aki’s mind, suddenly aware that their link had been severed.
/Sashi? / Aki’s thoughts were anxious. /Why’d you shut me out? /
/I—I’m all right, / he lied. /The strain from Kimi’s backlash was too much, I guess. / There was no point in telling his partner anything until he fully understood what had happened.
Stepping carefully around the pools of blood, he threaded through rows of packing crates, finding Aki and the girls sitting against the far wall. Reisu looked as though she were just waking up, but Kimi sat against the wall, brown eyes wide and shaking hand rubbing at her throat.
“Are you okay?” Kimi asked, voice like the grating of sandpaper on wood.
Sashi sat on the concrete floor next to Aki, wincing in pain as his partner reached out and wiped the blood from the cut on his cheek. Gentle hands touched the burn on his side, and blue eyes were studying him intently before Sashi turned his attention to Kimi as Aki frowned.
“I’m fine,” he told her, pushing the older boy away and covering the wound on his side with his arm. “But I broke my promise.”
Thread Twelve:
Twenty minutes later, Sashi led the way through the stacks of crates and toward the door. Kimi and Reisu followed, and Aki trailed behind. Something was wrong with his partner. Their telepathic link disintegrated during Sashi’s fight with the twins, but not before Aki had felt the presence of something dangerous. He hadn’t noticed anyone around, unless the feeling came from the twins themselves. Perhaps Messenger was right, and the Dark were involved with Kribensis. If that were the case, then there was little hope for success because even with the girls’ help, they were no match for a Dark Selestarri.
The possible presence of the Dark alone didn’t concern Aki. Sashi’s eyes had been golden in color when he’d returned from the fight. In their entire partnership he’d only seen that happen twice, and only when Sashi had embraced the fragmented pieces of his full magical abilities. However, the elders had promised Aki that Sashi had been shut off from that magic, so it shouldn’t even be possible for him to access it…
Thoughts preoccupied, Aki didn’t notice the puddle of blood until he was standing in it. Looking around the room, he was stunned at the amount of gore. Stoer was slumped against the far wall, blood smeared on the plaster behind him. His twin lay near the line of crates, surrounded by splintered wooden fragments. The slow leak of blood from Lochs’ side congealed around his body and matted his blue hair.
“Are they dead?” Reisu asked, cautiously walking around Lochs.
“No,” Sashi replied quietly. “But it will be a long time before they bother anyone again.”
Glancing around the room once more before stepping into the hall, Aki shivered at the sheer brutality Sashi had unleashed upon the twin models. Grasping the door with his telekinesis, he slammed it hard, breaking the hinges and wedging it closed.
Sashi’s gray eyes met his as they turned for the main room, but the younger boy quickly shifted his gaze to the floor. A knot slowly tightened in Aki’s stomach, and he failed to stifle the building anxiety that accompanied it. For the first time in many long years, he began to seriously worry for his partner…
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