Sociopaths and Serial Killers

BY: Montana

Disclaimer: I do not own Jean-Claude, Richard, Anita, Edward, or anything else that belongs to LKH.

Author Note: This is set after Obsidian Butterfly.

We drove for a few hours through the seemingly endless desert. Darkness fell. I decided to take a nap. Why not? I was tired, and from all those years with Bert, I had a lot of sleep to catch up on. I laid down in the seat, and quickly drifted off. And that was my folly.

Black. All black. The carpet was thick black, up to my bare ankles. The wall paper was black, with tiny silver fleur de lis on it. They were so minute they just added a silver tinge to the wall paper. There was a single chair, black leather upholstered. And then I looked down, to see I was wearing white, of all things. A white silk negligee. It screamed Jean-Claude. Then finally, the big man himself showed up, wearing all black. Oh goody. I had a bone to pick with him. He was not happy, I could tell. And he was trying to intimidate me, putting me in white in an all black room. It was all psychological.

“Ma petite, you have been a very naughty girl.”

“And you have been spying on me.”

“I was merely worried.”

“And lying. I would call it jealousy.”

He furrowed his brow. “And how would you have me? The woman I love, my human servant, no less, has left home and is in the arms of another man, who is not our third, whom I have agreed to share you with.”

“I am not your human servant.”

“You are.”

“I am not. AND—” I continued, before he could, “You have no right to spy on me.”

“Your shields were down. I was curious how you were.”

“My shields were not down. You must have torn a hole for yourself.”

He shrugged. “Fair enough.”

“Don’t ever do it again.”

“I will do as I see fit. Do not forget who is master here.” He was so arrogant, so…so one of them suddenly. Is this the monster in Jean-Claude I had ignored, turned away from? How could I have missed it? My shoulders trembled with anger.

“You are not my master. I am servant to no one.”

“But me.”

I snapped. I tried to punch him, but he caught my hand. “Sloppy, ma petite. I would have expected more. Perhaps your weak shields has something to do with Itzpapalotl.”

“She’s dead, Jean-Claude.”

“Oh?” There was a note of humor in his voice that gave him away. I looked into his eyes in time to see the glint of amusement, there and gone suddenly. But that was all it took. I knew he had been the one who contracted Obsidian Butterfly’s life. I tried to tear my hand away, but he wouldn’t let go.

“You had her killed.”

“I did.” He said it matter of factly now.

“Then why caution me against her? What would you get out of it?”

He shrugged. “Just keeping you on your toes, ma petite.”

Then a thought occurred to me. “You’ve always seen Death as a threat, haven’t you, Jean-Claude.” His face went blank.

“I do not follow, Anita.”

“Bull shit. You put Edward up against Itzpapalotl, hoping she would win. Hoping she would kill him.”

He frowned. “Death is always looking for a new challenge, Anita. I simply gave him one. And paid him quite well for it, I might add.”

I frowned as well, and tore my hand away. The lie sounded good, but his eyes… When I looked into Jean-Claude’s eyes, the angry midnight blue gave it all away. He was disappointed Death had won this time. He was jealous. He had been jealous, even before I broke it off with him and Richard. And that was not allowed. “I’m not buying that, Jean-Claude, and you know it. You were jealous, even before you had a reason to be.”

“Do I have reason to be now?” Jean-Claude countered, acting amused.

“Don’t stray, Jean-Claude.”

“If you insist, ma petite. Yes, I was jealous. And it was a win/win situation for me. If Edward died, then oh well. Life goes on. But if he lived and Obsidian Butterfly died, then that would be acceptable as well.”

“Why were you jealous?”

“Who wouldn’t be, ma petite? You were convinced it was all platonic, but any man could see Edward plainly was in love with you.”

“You couldn’t see it, he hid it too well.”

“He hid it so well that it was obvious. It is a…guy thing, ma petite. You would not understand.”

“I guess not.”

“So you now know Monsieur Edward is in love with you?” I shrugged, not wanting to give anything away. “I will take that as a yes.” There was a thread of anger in Jean-Claude’s voice.

“Don’t start this, Jean-Claude.”

“Do you love him?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“I will take that as a yes as well.”

“Damn it, Jean-Claude!”

“You cannot lie to me, Anita.”

“Aint life a peach. I think I know why you’re so pissed.”

“Pissed?” Jean-Claude raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah. Pissed. You’re pissed because for once, you don’t have the upper hand and control over everything.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. You can’t blackmail me again, like you did with Richard. Edward is the one man you cannot mess with, and win. You know it. And it pisses you off.”

“Think what you will, Anita. But it does not make it truth.”

“But it is truth.”

“When are you coming back to St. Louis?” Jean-Claude changed the subject.

“Honestly, Jean-Claude, I don’t know if I am.”

He raised an eyebrow. “But ma petite, you cannot leave us so permanently. We need you.”

“No you don’t. You need my power. And I’m not willing to give it anymore. I’m tired of being used.”

Anger flashed in Jean-Claude’s eyes. “You are my human servant, Anita, and you WILL come back.”

“Don’t order me around, Jean-Claude. Don’t even try.”

“It is for your own good.”

“I’m out of here.”

“I will be in touch.”

“I am sooo blocking you out. We’re on my time now, buddy.” And with that, I shattered the dream. I sat up on my elbows, shaking my head. Edward was staring down at me.

“Bad dream?”

“Oh yeah.”



Edward's POV or the NEXT CHAPTER or the INDEX