The first time was great, the second time was even better. The second time she bled. Glorious streams of red silk poured from her body staining the concrete beneath her. I had never seen such a beautiful sight. Creating that work of art was no easy task. This one was a fighter. Yes, I think I will change my target. Fighters are more fun.
I saw her early that night. Sassy, sexy, spicy. I found myself allured by her for far more appealing reasons than the one before her. She did not long for the spotlight like her predecessor. She owned it, it was as if it had been created simply to illuminate her beauty for all to see. It was naturally hers, no need to contend for it.
Barely a minute had passed since she’d walked into the room before the crowd had flocked to her, without speaking a word, she summoned them and they obeyed. They wanted her, to be with her in any way possible, any way she would allow. The look in her eyes, the one of confidence and cockiness, it told me that she knew the power she held over them and she had no problem with using it to her advantage.
Seven was the count. Seven free drinks she had slowly poured down her throat, licking the rim of each glass as she finished. Five others were declined. As if to say the suitor wasn’t good enough, she couldn’t accept their offereings because they were not up to par.
Between her drinks she danced with three guys and one woman. She teased the entire room while she danced with the woman, I am not sure if this was for show or her own enjoyment, either way, everyone enjoyed the show. Their hips pressed closely together and swayed in a hypnotic rhythm. The heads of men all over the room swayed right along with them.
When she finished her visual tease, she moved through the room slowly. Each step was punctuated by a careful roll of her hips. She stopped to blow kisses to a guy who called her by her name. Again I ignored this detail. What use would I have for it? Wasted space in my memory bank.
I waited again for the crowd to thin out. This time my wait lasted longer, her audience didn’t want the night to end. But eventually they started to trickle off. One by one her suitors sulked away defeated and alone. If only she had chosen one of them, they might have kept her alive.
Her arrogance was both intoxicating and highly annoying. How dare she feel she possessed the right to behave so boldly? She was a goddess and she knew it. I finally had my opening and when I had it I pounced, I had waited long enough for it.
My approach this time would have to be different. As a predator I had to adapt to my prey and this prey was bold, she wouldn’t go down easily. I sat directly next to her and simply ignored her. I knew this would be effective and it was. She was accustomed to having people feed off her, and I was ignoring the buffet. It took about ten minutes but the wait was worth it when she finally cracked.
A hand, small delicate, dainty and well manicured, appeared in from of my face. It blocked the television that hung above the bar, not that my focus was on whatever sport was playing at the time. She said her name soft and low, intended to seduce. I took her hand, shook it and replied “Nice to meet you.” Nothing more, I seemingly returned my focus to the screen ahead.
The next few moments passed in silence. She chewed her bottom lip and stared ahead.
“Are you gay?”
This question I was not prepared for, I will admit, it choked me up a bit. “Gay? No. Why?”
“Just wondering why you haven’t seemed to notice me. ” Her voice is innocent and playful. Flirty one might call it.
Funny how she hadn’t noticed my noticing her all night. Now my attention had become something of importance. “And that makes me gay?”
“Yes…I mean no, I don’t know. I am just not used to not being noticed.”
“Oh.” A simple reply before I returned my attention to the screen.
“You want to get out of here?” She sounded annoyed at the prospect and yet she still offered.”
“Sure.” Why play the game out any further? I already had what I wanted.
The drive was a long one, we rode in silence. There was no touching, no indication that she even wanted to be with me. It was an odd silence, but one that I welcomed, less effort on my part to pretend to be interested in anything about her.
I pulled into the garage; this house had the same floor plan as the last with the basement entrance right off the garage. She was more skeptical but the allure of expensive wine was enough to get her to join me. She entered first, not thinking anything of it, behind us, I locked the door.
She of course had the same reaction when she realized her surroundings were not as promised. She was shock, but she did not scream. I waited for it but it did not come.
“What the hell is this?” she was angry, this was a nice change. “Is this some kind of joke?”
I do not answer. Why waste the breath? I pull out my gloves and slip them on as I approach, silently staring into her eyes. I see the panic growing, yes, this is what I want. That is the reaction that gets me going.
Her back hits the wall, trapped, I reach for her neck. She punches me hard enough to cause me to bite the inside of my mouth hard enough that I taste blood. I quickly swallow it, I will remember not to open my mouth, I must leave no evidence, no trace of myself.
I return the hit, punching her right across the jaw. The soft flesh there folds around my fist. She falls and hits her head. Blood, from the gash on the side of her head, seeps out around her as she turns to look at me.
It is there in her eyes that I see the change, as the life slips from her grasp. She whispers something I do not hear. Maybe a cry for help, she could not be foolish enough to believe that I would suddenly change my mind and decide to spare her.
I savor the last moments, her last breaths, I feel myself getting excited all over. I want to kiss her but that is not an options especially with the drops of blood I can still taste inside my jaw.
The blood around her is a beautiful sight. I try to burn the image in my mind; there is no way of knowing if they will publish along with the headlines. Momentarily I wish that I could be there to see their faces when they discover this work of art.
I leave knowing that I will have to take further precautions, prepare for the next one, for the next fighter.
