Chapter Two
Rebecca logged her pixiedemon account off the Romantic Vampire Girls message board and logged in to her MySpace account.
“Thank goth for the Internet,” she thought, “people at school are so lame.”
These days more people knew her as pixiedemon than Rebecca. She smiled and her heart leapt when she saw that brokenAngel45 had left her a message.
They had been messaging for about a week now and she felt a real connection to him. She hoped he was real and not just some poseur trying to get into her panties. But he just sent her a new picture! Her pulse raced. She was already captivated by his poetry, butjust look at him! Long dark hair, lanky and brooding, his Cradle of Filth shirt clinging to his lean, muscular body. His eyes were circled with dark makeup and his fingernails were painted black. He was perfect! So what if he was 24? She was 17 now and that’s not that big a difference!
“Oh my god!” she exclaimed out loud – he had tickets to the Marilyn Manson concert in Springfield tomorrow and, “he wants to take me!”
Her mouth went dry with excitement. He wanted to pick her up right after school! Way too much to do! She had to get her best outfit ready and hide it from her mom.
She contemplated telling her some lie about staying over Stacy’s house, but “To hell with her,” she thought, “let her worry. She doesn’t give a shit anyway.”
She smiled again as she took out her camera. She changed into her smallest skirt and tiniest, shredded top and took some pictures for him. After all, she had to repay the hot picture he sent with some sexiness of her own, right? She nervously uploaded them them to her account and attached them to a message. Then she deleted them from her camera, in case her mom came snooping around.
“If my heart beats any faster, I’m going to have a heart attack,” she thought and grinned as she clicked send.
***
“This is the slowest day of school ever!”, Rebecca thought.
She spent all of Calculus texting Stacy about her date that night. Stacy was skeptical at first about the whole arrangement, even when Rebecca had sent her his picture.
Still unsure, Stacy decided to put it up for a vote. Since she was in study hall, she signed into her faustsDaughter account on Romantic Vampire Girls and posted his picture with a poll. Was he dirty, OhMyGoth, or meh? Stacy thought he was kind of dirty, but as it turns out she was the only one – the overwhelming majority of members voted OhMyGoth.
The bell rang for lunch and Stacy met Rebecca over some sour Skittles. It was all planned out, but just to be sure Stacy insited on meeting the guy when he picked Rebecca up near the field house after school.
“He still seems skeevy to me, but it’s your life, Bec. Besides, if he gets out of hand, you can just stab him with your stiletto boots,” she mused over an orange Skittle, “You are sooo lucky to see Manson! He’s not even coming here on this tour.”
“I know!” Rebecca squealed, “plus I get to go with a hot goth boy instead of your skanky butt!”
Stacy hurled a fist full of candy at her friend, “You bitch!” she hissed, though she couldn’t suppress a smile.
Rebecca ducked, “Just kidding! I wish you could go, but he said he only has one extra ticket. And anyway what if we want to make out? What’re you gonna do, watch?”
“Gross. No! You can have him. Send him my way after he’s had a shower,” she giggled as it was her turn to avoid a volley of sour Skittles.
***
Stacy and Rebecca met up in the field house girls’ locker room after final bell. The girls’ basketball team was getting ready for practice, but they just ignored them. Athletes were lame. Even the occasional, “Whose funeral is it tonight?” weren’t enough to dampen Rebecca’s mood. Besides, tonight was too important to pick a fight with some dumb jock.
Stacy appraised the outfit approvingly. Black patent-leather stiletto boots that went all the way up to Rebecca’s knees, white panties with the frills on the butt underneath a plaid miniskirt… black fishnet shirt – no bra – underneath a white short-sleeved dress shirt, tied up underneath her chest, exposing her midsection where strategically placed rips in the fishnet shirt exposed her navel ring. Black-and-white striped arm-socks and an antique black silk choker with an ivory silhouette completed the outfit. Stacy helped Rebecca put on her make-up – black lipstick, eyeshadow and eyeliner of course! Once Rebecca’s Manic-Panic black hair was up in pigtails, the look was complete.
Stacy was impressed.
“You could model on SuicideGirls,” she said, “Once you’re 18, you could even go on the tour. You’re totally hot!”
Even under the pale foundation Rebecca wore, she blushed, “Thanks!” She regained her composure, “I’m totally going to send them some pictures. Remember this outfit! We’ll do it this weekend after we get our books signed! I’ll just tell them I’m 18 – I look old enough.”
Stacy had nearly forgotten the book signing with all the excitement. They were going to Borders to have their copies of the newest Lucy Sampson novel signed. Sampson wrote a very popular romantic vampire series of novels. It was often the main focus of discussion on the message board. The new book had introduced a new love interest for the main character, Sandra King, and went into great detail describing his… assets. Sandra was such a badass – she didn’t let any vampire push her around. Rebecca and Stacy tried to model their behavior after their hero.
“I can’t wait!” squealed Stacy, “Sandra is so cool. I’m going to be her when I grow up.” she joked.
“Me too,” said Rebecca, “But right now, I’m Pixiedemon – goth boy slayer!”
They both dissolved into uncontrollable giggling.
Slowly recovering, Rebecca gathered her mundane school outfit and packed it away. She handed her book bag and clothes to Stacy. “Keep these under your bed or something.”
“Oh yeah, you can count on me – your faithful servant, “Stacy saluted, “P.s. You owe me big time for this!”
“Sorry! You have a car – it’s not like you’re carrying them up Everest or anything.”
“Whatever. Now lets go meet this brokenAngel guy.”
They carried on like this till they rounded the back of the field house just in time to see a black 1950’s Cadillac hearse pull up. It was amazingly cool – it even had a skull hood ornament and ‘morFEus’ as the license plate.
Rebecca caught her breath as the door swung open revealing a red velvet interior, but more importantly, her lovely goth boy. Oddly, he was wearing the same outfit from the picture, but dark sunglasses covered his painted eyes.
He was over six feet tall, his long dark hair and black cowboy hat gave him an imposing presence. The Autumn sun was still shining, yet it seemed to slip around him, leaving him with his own shadows darkening the air. And though his eyes were hidden, Rebecca could feel his cool stare penetrating her defenses.
She didn’t mind one bit.
But to Stacy, he seemed older than 24. More like 30. Gross.
“Pixiedemon?” he said. It sounded less like a question and more like a hopeful demand. “You’re even more gorgeous in person!”
Rebecca had to look away she was blushing so much, plus she didn’t want him to see her smile – it ruined the whole aesthetic. She straightened up and managed a quick nod.
“And who is your cute friend?” he asked smoothly. His voice screamed confidence and Stacy found herself smiling a little too.
“Nobody important,” Stacy managed to say, feigning confidence, “just someone making sure you aren’t some kinda creepo.”
“Stacy!” Rebecca grumbled through clenched teeth.
Stacy brightened up, having gotten her friend’s goat, “You two kids play nice – just make sure she does her homework!” She emphasized the last word as if to punctuate their age difference. Laughing, she hugged her friend and whispered, “Be careful – he’s hot OK, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a sicko.”
“You are so dead when I get back,” Rebecca hissed, then quickly added, “Just don’t tell my mom where I am. I’ll be back at school tomorrow anyway.”
Rebecca entered the red velvet cocoon of the hearse and shut the door. She smiled out the window and waved goodbye.
Stacy waved as the hearse kicked up the gravel and dust of the school parking lot. She remembered that basketball girl’s comment about a funeral and smiled darkly. “I guess it is kinda like a funeral – at least he got the car right.” she thought as she trudged towards her Toyota Corolla and the safety of home.
***
“So what should I call you,” Rebecca asked, feeling rather small in the massive hearse. She had to raise her voice over the pounding exhaust note of the car’s V8.
“Seth,” he said, “You can call me Seth.” He turned and smiled at Rebecca, lowering his sunglasses, revealing his piercing blue eyes.
Rebecca felt a tightness in her belly and her face once again became flushed, “Oh god,” she thought, “oh my god ohmygod!”
It wasn’t like she hadn’t done things with boys before, though she’d never gone all the way – yet. But those boys never made her feel like this with just a look. Seth wasn’t some dumb boy. Definitely not. She wondered if he could hear her heart trying to beat its way out of her chest?
“M- my name’s Rebecca, I mean my real name’s-”
“I want to call you Pixie,” he cut her off, “Because you’re no demon, are you? No, not a Pixiedemon, you’re just a lovely pixie I managed to catch in my jar.”
He turned back to the road. Rebecca felt breathless. She wondered if she could control herself then wondered if Seth had condoms if she couldn’t.
She wondered if it would matter.
***
The miles screamed by as the hearse hurtled down the highway and the sun eased below the horizon. Rebecca had worked up the courage to reach for Seth’s hand. He grasped hers tightly making her knees weak – if he’d been standing she would surely have stumbled. She was so full of adrenaline and nervousness she barely noticed Seth taking the wrong exit.
“Um, the exit isn’t for like, 2 miles,” she said, “or are you just nervous, too?”
“I don’t get nervous,” Seth said coolly, “We’re going right where we need to go.”
“But what about the concert?”, she imagined what it would feel like to have his arms wrapped around her.
“I think we can find something better to do than some concert, my Pixie,” Seth said, “You’ll see. You’re going to have the time of your life.”
Rebecca perked up at this and excitedly stared out of the passenger-side window.
But something wasn’t quite right – they were in a bad part of town, burned out buildings and abandoned factories lined the streets. The occasional streetlight gave each passing block an ominous flood of yellow light that cast sickly shadows against the rotting brick walls. Fires burned here and there and the white smoke eerily twisted skyward. Somewhere above the sound of the engine a dog’s frantic howls pierced the silence.
There was an audible clunk. Rebecca startled and realized the doors had been locked. Seth released her hand and tossed it back at her.
“Oh yes, your life’s not going to get any better than this,” he grinned.
Aghast, Rebecca stared at Seth. He seemed older now – still beautiful, the same way the devil always seemed beautiful in the paintings she loved so much. “Oh shit,” she thought, “BrokenAngel. The devil!” Her nervousness gave way to fear.
“Let me out! Let me out, you jerk” she yelped and yanked on the door handle again and again in a futile tug of war.
It wouldn’t open.
Seth grabbed the front of her shirt and yanked hard, tearing it off Rebecca’s shoulders. “Ah – such a better view than these boring old buildings, Pixie. Thank your mom and dad for me!” He said as he leered at her.
But there was something else in his eyes… something…
Rebecca shook her head and screamed. She grabbed the roller-arm and frantically rolled down the window.
Leaning out she hollered, “Help me! Oh god, help me!”
She screamed louder, but there was no one to hear. She kicked at Seth as she tried to wriggle out of the window, but he seized the back of her skirt and pulled her back inside the hearse.
“Naughty Pixie,” he purred, “Mustn’t make so much noise!”
He drew her close to him, then with one powerful swing, flung her against the windshield – knocking her out.
***
Rebecca awoke groggily, jostled by someone roughly cutting the silk choker from her neck. Her heart quickened in terror, thrusting her into full consciousness. She was hyperventilating. It was Seth. His sunglasses were gone and he had a blackened eye and a bloody lip. He held the choker in one hand and a big hunting knife in the other.
“I see you’ve noticed my eye,” he grunted, “He wasn’t too pleased about the bump on your head.” The malevolence seemed to have drained out of him. He had been thoroughly beaten and backed painfully away from her – was he shaking?
Rebecca looked around quickly. She was naked, lying in a pool of light on a loading dock of some long abandoned warehouse.
She could see Seth, slumping half-shadowed in the light, but she could almost feel another presence somewhere in the darkness.
“Oh please god, please no no no no no no,” she could only manage a desperate whisper, “Oh god please don’t kill me, please, please, I’ll do anything, oh god, don’t kill me!”
“Silence her, Seth,” came a hissing from the darkness, “and please, have your way with her. The blood is so much warmer after a good fuck.”
Rebecca sucked in air and swallowed. Her heart was exploding against her ribs and tears started to flow down her cheeks, streaking her black mascara.
“Why me?” she cried, “Oh god, please no!”
She looked into Seth’s eyes and his shoulders drooped.
“Please, no,” Rebecca pleaded, “Seth, please!”
“What’s the matter, Seth?” called the voice, “Not man enough? You fail me again! Twice in one night? It goes poorly for you!”
“I can’t do it,” muttered Seth, “I can’t.” He turned away and only audible to himself said, “I can’t. Not again.”
A fist shot out of the darkness, connecting with Seth’s jaw.
“Get out of my sight,” growled the voice, “Perhaps I beat you too hard and damaged what little brains you had.”
Rebecca was making gasping sounds with each breath now, nearly paralyzed in absolute horror. She heard a shuffling sound coming towards her.
“My my my,” said the voice, “So young, so beautiful. Let me look at you… Stand up!” the voice commanded.
Rebecca at once found herself springing to her feet – unable to resist the voice’s command. She thought about Stacy, about how Stacy told her to be careful. She wondered if Stacy would tell her mother where she was. Then she started to cry again.
She was supposed to be at a concert. No one would ever find her – no one knows where she is. She was alone. Alone!
A figure emerged from the darkness, blocking the light, walking towards Rebecca. She couldn’t make out any details of the man other than his enormous size. And then his sickening grin. Perfect white teeth shining in the dark. They must have drugged her she thought, because his teeth didn’t look human. The mouth looked more like some feral creature than a man’s. Every tooth was pointed and curved back, with two fangs at the front, much larger than the rest.
Rebecca started to convulse, “No no no no no no no,” she whispered, but she was rooted to the ground and couldn’t budge.
The figure touched her and she screamed. Cold hands caressed her face and her body – taking liberties than no one had ever been allowed, and she could not stop him. She was frozen in place.
“Such a waste,” the figure said, “Ah – and a virgin! This will be sweet!”
Rebecca managed one last ragged scream, “Seth, please help me. Please!”, her voice collapsed into sobs.
Seth flinched but didn’t turn around.
The figure wrapped his hands around Rebecca’s throat and held fast, cutting off her screams, “Now now,” he said, “Dinner theater is over. Time for the main course.” He twisted his hands in opposite directions. There was a wet popping noise.
Rebecca couldn’t feel her body. The strange figure was cradling her naked body in his arms and had buried his face in her neck. Her neck felt warm and the panic rose again within her. She whimpered and called for her mother. But no one was there to help her. “I want to live,” she thought, “I don’t want to die.”
As she grew weaker, somewhere in the distance, she heard a slap-slap of bare feet on the concrete.
At last she grew very tired and numb. Her eyes felt heavy, “It’s just a dream,” she thought, “just a dream. I’m going to wake up soon. I have a date tomorrow.” She smiled and closed her eyes for the last time.
