The Kiss Of Death

Chapter 12

The deep red lips widened with a smile at Frank. Regardless of his insecurity about doing his part of the agreement, he was always one to throw a curveball at her. And what a mighty curveball she was. The pretty woman sitting on Frankie's lap was a memory from not that long ago. What did she call her, that's right, a doll. Because she looked like a doll, delicate and pretty, Frankie had good taste in women.

"Frankie darling, what do I owe the pleasure of this request?"

"Make yourself visible to her."

She raised an eyebrow at him as she stepped lightly through the room.

"And if we are detected? Shall I place a spell upon the room and all within?"

"Sure, knock yourself out."

Her head tilted back slightly, her gaze lowered over the man that she had lured as a boy. Tempting him with the offer of a life renewed, the cost was the death of others. She raised her hands and whipped the spell around the room, cloaking them from any that might listen. Not trusting the doll, she also fried all electronic devices. Frank watched his beloved television go kaput.

"Damn it, Jacqueline, now you owe me a television."

She appeared before them, ignoring the gasp from the doll.

"I'm sure you can afford a new one, Frankie." She smiled at the woman who was staring at her. "Aren't you going to introduce us, or are you going to fornicate in front of me? If you are, please give me time to get some popcorn, I do love a good show."

"Shut up." Frank snarled.

She laughed mercilessly.

"You are the one in a precarious position, Frankie darling; what am I to believe? It's lucky the doll doesn't have a skirt on. Otherwise, I'd be worried where your hands are."

Frank huffed at her, she was goading him into snapping at her. The anger made her stronger; the fear excited her.

"Lola, this is Jacqueline, and she is a witch."

"Well, I suppose it's better than what you usually call me. Technically though, I'm not a witch. I just have abilities that seem to mimic what the world thinks a witch would do if they existed. Tell her, Frankie."

She fluffed the skirt of her long black dress as she sat on the seat opposite. Lola couldn't help but stare at the beautiful green eyes, like two sparkling emeralds.

"Do tell her darling, tell the doll what a bad boy you are."

Lola turned from the powder white features of the woman to Frank, who looked like he was on the verge of a meltdown.

"You know my mother died?"

She nodded quietly.

"I did it. Jacqueline turned up with her glowing red eyes and offered me a way out of the nightmare of the city and the constant attacks on Devil's Night. Little did I realise that there was another part of the deal."

"Aww." Jacqueline pouted. "To be fair, Frankie, I did warn you. I sat on the bed and told the little boy that he could have a long life with his sweet sister, and all he had to do was give me one life a year. It could be anyone, I didn't care who. Should I be blamed if you didn't realise that the deal didn't include your mother? No." She shook her head.

"I was ten!" He snapped. "What child could understand the consequences of such an agreement?"

Jacqueline waved him off, not wanting to rehash this old argument again.

"Do continue darling, you are being a bore."

Frank narrowed his eyes at the witch, though he knew there was a better word for her.

"As a down payment for her offer, Jacqueline sought the first life to be claimed that night. I had to choose to murder Emma or my mother. The curse is called the kiss of death. At Halloween, I have to kiss someone, killing them, and Jacqueline takes their soul. She's trying to get into the afterlife but neither God nor the Devil wants her. She thinks that if she offers the sacrifice to them, one of them might just let her in, but it hasn't worked, has it?"

Jacqueline smiled at him, waiting for the blow that he would always strike her with.

"Pretty bad when the Devil doesn't even want you."

She threw her head back with the laugh, sending a shiver up Lola's spine.

"Oh, that never gets old. I swear you could tell me that for a lifetime, and I would still laugh. Oh, wait..." She pouted. "I do have a lifetime to hear it. Bound for all eternity is my little Frankie, suffering the torment of walking this land, trying to fulfil his agreement. Is there anything else I can help you with, or is this a bit of show and tell for the doll?"

"No, you can go away now."

Jacqueline rose from her seat, slowly sauntering across the room.

"Alright then, dear Frankie, I guess I will see you in a few months then. Say hello to your mother. Toodles."

Lola watched as the blue flames erupted on the floor, sucking the woman down into nothing as the flames dissipated.

"My god." Lola breathed. "What drugs have I been taking?"

"None. Want a beer? I guess the fridge is gone now too. Might as well drink it all."

Lola pulled herself up onto the barstool as she watched Frank open the fridge and retrieve two beers. He flicked the lids and passed one to her, waiting for the questions to start. She seemed to be handling it reasonably well. At least she hadn't gone screaming into the night.

"She said say hello to your mother, I thought that, you know."

"That was my punishment for being a bad son. The bitch turned her into a ghost that haunts us as we are doing her dark bidding."

Frank moved around the bench, sitting on a stool next to Lola. She couldn't help but stare at his lips. Not so long ago she ached to have them all over her body, now she wanted them as far away as possible.

"I've tested them. You might be happy to know that it only works on the one night a year. After testing it I confirmed it with the bitch, it was one of those things that she purposefully neglected to tell me to add to my suffering."

"You thought you couldn't kiss anyone?"

Frank nodded sadly, remembering his terrible teenage years. Wishing he could kiss a girl but had to run away like he was scared of them.

"What's Emma's deal?"

"She's a witch but limited powers. Enough to help me and that's it. Jacqueline showed her a few things but not a lot."

Lola bit her lip as she looked at Frank, his smile was still perfect, just the way that she had remembered.

"Frank, can I ask you to do something for me?"

"Sure."

"Kiss me."