We'll Let The Fires Just Bathe Us

Eli. My friend Eli. Was now psychotic and it was all Jack’s fault.

The way he smiled at me when he came back up, it seemed like he was proud of what he’d done. He went back upstairs and I slowly descended down to the cells after hiding my wings.
I looked through the window and saw Eli whipping his head around, trying to look at the entire room at once.

“Eli?” My voice was shaky and uncertain.

His response was backing up into the corner and continuing to whip his head around. My hand shook slightly as I opened the door and slowly stepped in.

“Eli? It’s Alex.”

“Alex.” He hissed, looking directly at me.
“It’s okay. I’m right here.” I tried to sound calm and comforting but I don’t think it was working.

In fact I think I sounded scared shitless.

He smiled so big, his white teeth contrasted with his dark skin so vividly it was actually quite scary.

“He wants me to tell you something.” Eli said, looking just behind my shoulder.

Every part of me wanted to whip around but 1. I was worried about what might be there and 2. I really didn’t want to turn my back on Eli while he had that expression on his face.

“Who’s they? What is it?” I asked, the tremble in my voice quite audible.
“They say, Jack lies. He lies. The king of liars lies.”
“Yes I know.”
“NO YOU DON’T KNOW!”
“His lies are the bolts which keep Hell’s rafters…In…Place.” He cocked his head and smiled at whatever he was looking at before his smile vanished. “That’s not all. Not all, not all… there’s another.”
“Another what?”
“Another dark one.” He whispered, “He wants to take you away.”

Another one? What is he talking about?

I assumed he was just talking about Jack’s shadow.

“Who are you looking at?” I asked but I already had a pretty good idea.
“Jack. And he’s angry, Alex. He is so angry.” He said gravely.

A shiver threatened to run up my back and goosebumps raised all over my body.

Yup. He’s talking about Jack's shadow.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the bloody jacket which Jack’s shadow wore.

“Why are you angry?” I whispered to the figure behind me.

He didn’t respond, instead, Eli’s chilling whisper was heard.

“He wants to kill you Alex. He wants to feel you die. He wants you to hurt.”
“Why?” I asked them both, breathless.

Eli started historically laughing. His crazed barks caused fear to crash upon me like a tidal wave causing me to completely lock up in fear, like a rabbit freezing, hoping the danger wouldn’t spot it. The bit of jacket that I could see shifted and then Jack’s shadow stepped forward to face me. I looked up into his eyes, so terrified I was struggling to hold in the scream which tried so desperately to claw it’s way up my throat and passed my lips. His venomous black orbs, filled with so much hate, anger, and barbarity, pierced mine and seemed to look straight through to my soul as he hissed,

“You are the reason Hell is falling.”

And that was it. I bolted out of there as fast as I could, slamming the door shut and fleeing the scene like a frightened bird.

How am I the reason Hell’s crumbling?

How could I have done this?

As horrifyingly scared as I was, I couldn’t help but think back to they way Eli looked over my shoulder, seeing someone he never should’ve been able to see.

I gritted my teeth in anger. Eli was wonderful. He was a slave, but he was strong and brave. That’s not something you find everyday.

I was so pissed at Jack about so many things, I didn’t even know where to start but I told myself I’d figure it out when I got there as I stomped up to Jack’s room and practically ripped the door off it’s hinges when I opened it.

Jack was pacing in his room having a very angry conversation on his phone. I crossed my arms in irritation, the rage which ignited my veins seemed to gush from my fingertips.

“I don’t fucking care about his price. Money is no object.” He spat into the phone.

I could hear the voice of whoever he was talking to but from where I was, it was jumbled and unclear so I couldn’t make it out. Apparently he said something Jack didn’t like at all because he stopped in his tracks and lowered his voice from angry, to chilling.

“Then you will tell him that if he wants to do that, fine. But he should know that I will personally come for him and believe me when I say, I will end him. I will end everything. I will end his contacts, his career, his family, and his leverage. His life will be a crater in the ground. I won’t kill him, oh no, but he will wish he were dead.” He said before hanging up and pressing the edge of phone to his forehead.

He stayed like that for a second before he gritted his teeth and threw the phone at the wall, lodging it at least three feet inside.

“What do you want Alex?” He asked in a cool tone turning to me.
“What the hell was that about?” I asked.
“What do you want?” He asked once again, ignoring what I’d said.

I knew I’d question him about it but not then, I had more pressing anger at hand.

“Fine we’ll talk about that,” I pointed to the hole in the wall which contained his phone, “later. What the hell were you thinking when you did that to Eli?”
“I was thinking, that I wanted to fuck a psychotic human.” He snapped.
“We agreed, I’m your outlet.” I retorted.
“We didn’t agree on anything. Sure, you have been my outlet in the past but I can end that arrangement as quickly as I made it. I don’t owe you anything. You have no control over what I do and what agreements I keep.”
“Fine. You know what? Fine. What can I do to make sure you don’t hurt anyone?” I asked.
“You can never ensure anything with me. But there are things you can do to improve the chances.” He smiled.

I pressed my lips together and sighed in exasperation.

“Well are you going to tell me what they are?” I asked, cocking my head in annoyance.
“Get down on your knees.” He ordered.

I thought he was going to make me give him a blowjob but he didn’t unbuckle his belt. He just stood in front of me with this stupid smirk.

“Kiss my shoe.” He said.
“Kiss your what?” I replied, raising an eyebrow.

Honestly I’d rather just give him a blowjob.

“My. Shoe.” He pressed.

I hesitated, I mean, what kind of order is that?

“Or if you don’t feel like it, I can always go get Eli. I’m up for round two.” He shrugged.

I sighed and leaned down on my forearms, pecking his shoe.

“Aw come on, that wasn’t a kiss. Kiss it like you kissed my neck on the plane back to Baltimore, when you were dying for my cock but I just wouldn’t give it to you.”

I knew what he was doing. He was degrading me, trying to make me feel like I was nothing. Like I was so low, that the highest honor that could be bestowed upon me was to kiss his shoes. I closed my eyes tight and pressed my lips to his shoe, letting them linger there for a few seconds while the smell of leather filled my nose as the sight of him kicking me in the face flashed before my eyes. I pulled back and glared up at him.

“Good. Tell me Alex, do you still care about me?” He asked.

His question hit me like a kick in the gut.

“No.” I lied and he knew it.

I was angry yes, I was enraged by what he’d done, but that didn’t mean I stopped caring.

“Alex, I told you once before that I am the king of deceivers. I will know when you lie.” He said.
“If you don’t want me lying, then don’t put me in the position.” I retorted but I instantly regretted it due to the look he gave me.
“Scratch tomorrow. We’re going to New York today. In fact, I was planning on leaving you at the hotel due to the people we’ll encounter, but you’ve obviously proven to me that you’re fit enough to get yourself out of danger. Go pack a bag we’re leaving in an hour.”

Notes

Title cred: Baby Came Home - The Neighborhood (Changed the pronouns)

okay next chapter is happy i swear. I know that's kind of a spoiler but you guys deserve some happy okay and I've written ahead and the next couple chapters will be nice on your heart (and other things ;) )

also i've realized that i usually make a few errors in editing chapters so I'm sorry about that. I have dyslexia and so catching little mistakes is nearly impossible so I hope the editing in this story isn't too bad...