Sunset Strip: A Tale From The Tome Of Bill (12 page)

“Mark?” I asked weakly. “Mark?” I gave his shoulder a shake, but there was no response. The flesh I’d torn with my teeth was the only answer I would be given.

Chapter 21

Present Day

I was completely speechless, torn between the sight of Mark standing there and the realization that he’d been the one to lure Kara away from her home. Had Bill been present, he’d have probably marked the occasion with a wiseass comment. I wished he were - whatever he said would, no doubt, have spurred me out of my shock.

“Now this is just delicious,” Marlene purred, but she might as well have been miles away for all the attention I paid her.

I stood up, half expecting another compulsion to be shot my way, but none came. I stepped forward and took in the sight of him. He was dressed differently, far smarter than when I’d known him. His hair was similarly styled. He was no male model, but I had to admit, he cleaned up pretty well. If I’d had my current sense of fashion back then, I could’ve worked with this.

The differences seemed to go deeper than just appearances, though. The shy man I’d known was gone. Mark carried himself with a swagger that suggested he was used to getting what he wanted. I could see how a girl like Kara might be taken in by him. It was amazing what a little bit of attitude could do for a person.

I stopped in front of him and he grinned, his teeth long and sharp.

“How?” I asked.

His answer came in the form of a fist rocketing into my face. I flew back and shattered the table Marlene was still seated at.

I found myself staring, dazed, up at the lights. He had a heck of a left hook.

“You were sloppy, love,” he said, entering into my field of vision.

“Leave her alone!”

“I will caution you to stay out of this, witch,” Marlene warned. “My tolerance for your existence will not extend toward interfering in our private affairs.”

“It’s okay, Christy.” I spat out a wad of blood and pushed myself to my elbows.

“Sally, are you sure...”

“Sally, is it?” Mark scoffed. “I’d heard you were going by a new moniker. Not exactly what I’d have chosen. Reminds me of that actor from
All in the Family
. You remember watching that together, right?”

“How are you here?”

“It’s like Mark said, child,” Marlene replied. “You were sloppy. But then, you were sloppy about a great many things back in those days.”

* * *

1979

I stepped out into the street to get away from the scene of my crime.

Oh god...Mark! He’d been a good man. He didn’t deserve what I’d done to him. What kind of monster had I become?

Almost as if fate responded to my question, I immediately felt the most intense pain I’d ever experienced. A bright beam of morning sunlight struck me and judged me unworthy of its embrace. The blood that still covered my exposed skin bubbled, along with the flesh beneath it. The scent of smoke filled my nostrils as I burst aflame.

A small part of me wanted to let the unnatural fire consume my body and eat away whatever I’d become, but the pain was too intense and I was too weak. I screeched and ran back inside, hoping that nobody saw me. Thankfully, the streets were empty, the residents either already at work for the morning shift or sound asleep.

I reentered the apartment and slammed the door behind me before curling myself into a ball and trying my best not to cry out. Tears streamed down my face, although whether from the pain or what I had done to Mark, I wasn’t sure. All I knew was that I dared not look toward the bedroom where his body still lay.

Soon, a strange thing happened. The pain began to fade. I risked a look at my charred flesh, the scars that I would rightfully wear - marked as the Judas I now was. I held up my hand and stifled a gasp. Before my eyes, blackened flesh regained its color. Angry blisters started to recess back into my skin, losing all definition until I couldn’t even tell they were there. My body was somehow healing itself at an astounding rate.

It was all too much. My sanity began to tear loose from its moorings. Everything in the past several hours had been akin to a nightmare. I needed something...something
normal
to tell me that there was still hope - that this could still be some far-out hallucination.

God help me, but I needed my family.

I grabbed Mark’s phone and hesitated for just a moment before putting my finger in the rotary and dialing. It had been so long, and they were going to be so angry, but that was okay. I could deal with their disappointment in me because it was real, tangible...
normal
.

It rang 5 times on their end. I was about to hang up when I heard it answered at last.

“Hello?” a sleepy voice asked.

“Linda?”

“Yeah. Who is this? Do you know what time it is?”

“It’s Lucinda. Listen, I know it’s been...

“
Lucinda
? You’ve got a lot of nerve calling. You’ve put mother through hell wondering if you were alive or dead.”

“What? I thought Uncle Colin told dad I was okay.”

“What are you blabbering about? We haven’t seen Colin in over a year, since right before you left. Considering our father was given the pink slip eight months ago when his department closed, I doubt we’ll be seeing him again.”

“That can’t be right. He said...”

“Are you drunk?”

“Huh?”

“Stoned, maybe? Because if you’re calling for money, I’ll just tell you right now there isn’t any. I had to move back in to help with the bills, all while you...where are you, anyway?”

“I’m in Las Vegas. Listen, Linda, I’m sorry if I...”

“Las Vegas? You fucking bitch! Mom’s a mess and Dad’s started drinking again and you’re off partying like some
whore
.”

“It’s not like that. Something bad happened. Please, put...”

“No, I don’t think so. We have enough problems without you. Just do us a favor and forget this number. Pretend we’re dead, because you sure as hell are to us.”

“Wait, please!”

My pleading came too late, though. The only reply was the beeping of the disconnected line. I considered calling back, giving my sister a piece of my mind, but realized it would be futile. She was the same old Linda. Some things never changed.

In frustration, I slammed down the receiver - shattering both it and the base. I jumped at the savage display of strength. It was just one more reminder that whatever I was now, it wasn’t human.

No! I refused to accept that fate. It had to be wrong. This whole mess had to be some horrible mistake and I’d prove it. I had a life. I just needed to embrace it...live it as if normal. If that happened, maybe I’d wake up tomorrow to find that the whole affair had been nothing but a dream. I wouldn’t give in to the nightmare. It had no power over me.

I opened up Mark’s closet and found what I needed. Donning the raincoat, and throwing a bath towel over my head, I once more made for the door.

* * *

I busied myself for the remainder of the day. After arriving home, I took a shower, closing my eyes so as not to see what washed down the drain. When I was finished, I dared a peek into the mirror and smiled at what I saw. I wasn’t some disfigured burn victim. My old self stared back. Maybe whatever was in those drugs was finally wearing off, but I needed to be sure.

Ignoring the strange weariness that I felt, I dove into the most mundane thing I could think of: housework. After closing the blinds and taking the phone off the hook, I cleaned my small studio apartment, washed the dishes, folded laundry, and rearranged my meager possessions...with the exception of a picture of my family. I wasn’t sure the phone call with my bitch of a sister hadn’t been imagined, but nevertheless felt no need to feel her accusing eyes upon me. That particular item went straight into the bottom drawer of my dresser.

I worked up a good sweat, or at least I should have. Though my eyes wanted to close, demanding sleep, my body seemed to have endless energy. By the time I was finished, my heart should have been pounding, but instead I felt nothing in my chest - not even the need to breathe harder. Maybe all those nights dancing were finally paying off. Yeah, that had to be it.

* * *

Technically, I was supposed to be at the club by four, but I tarried a bit longer in my tasks than usual. There wasn’t any reason for it - or so I told myself - I just wanted to make sure my place was tidy.

Finally, I risked a quick glance out my lone window. Oh dear, it seemed I’d worked until the sun had started to set. Marlene might be mad, but I could just tell her I’d felt ill during the day and had slept late. She’d understand.

Rushing out the door and into the rapidly approaching night, I felt good - like my life was mine once again.

I’d go to the club, dance for a few hours, then pop by Mark’s. Maybe I’d even tell him about the crazy dreams of the past day. Then we’d have a good laugh as I described how I’d become a crazed animal and
killed
him.

“Here’s to a normal night,” I said, smiling as I locked the door behind me.

Chapter 22

*CRACK*

Mark’s fist impacted with my jaw again and I spat more blood. Marlene’s goons had dragged Christy and me upstairs. There, she’d compelled me to plant my ass again. Apparently Marlene’s connections with the wizards in town were better than I’d have thought possible. Christy was bound to a chair with old-fashioned manacles that were aged and rusty, but not so much that the symbols carved into them weren't visible. They weren’t entirely dissimilar to the scrying wards I had painted on the walls of one of my coven’s safe houses. Considering the surprised look on Christy’s face when she saw them, it was a safe bet to assume they were designed to keep a witch like her from causing any trouble.

I wasn’t sure what they had planned for her, but they seemed to have something in mind for me which, at the very least, involved my former boyfriend beating me to a pulp. What can I say? I apparently have quite the talent for getting into abusive relationships.

“You killed me, Lucinda. Killed me like a dog and just left me there.”

“I didn’t know,” I said once my mouth wasn’t full of fist.

“How could you not?!” he screamed as he backhanded me.

Ow!

“Well, I mean...I knew I killed you,” I replied defiantly. “I just didn’t realize you had turned.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better? Do you know what I did when I woke up? I killed every single person in my building.” He grasped my chin, forcing me to look up at him. “Some of them were my friends.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Are you? I highly doubt that.”

Mark was wrong on that count. He wasn’t the only one who’d lost friends that day.

* * *

1979

 “Jeez, Lu, you’re late. Marlene’s gonna pitch a nicotine fit,” Tina, a slender brunette who danced under the stage name Bambi, said. Her tone was stern, but there wasn’t any real animosity behind it. We’d always gotten along well. Heck, I had even babysat her son on a few occasions.

“Nah, I heard she switched to menthols,” joked Minnie, a young dancer who’d been hired around the same time as I had and who loved to share the latest gossip amongst the club.

I gave a small smile, walked over to the mirror and began applying my makeup. This was my normal, and I was happy to have it.

“I know why she’s really late,” said a voice from the door. It was Betty. She was already wearing her tassels and not much else. She flipped her flaming red hair over one shoulder with a shake as she walked into the dressing room. “Seems like little Lucinda here has finally gotten with the program.”

“Don’t be silly,” I said, concentrating on my eyeliner.

“What do you mean, program?” Minnie asked. She was a nice girl, but a little dense at times.

“No way. Not Lu,” Tina said. “She’s not one to turn tricks.”

“Oh...Oh!” Minnie cried, catching on. “Really? What happened? Spill!”

“Nothing happened,” I replied. “I just had a rough night.”

“Oh?” Betty sauntered up. Her eyes mocked me in the mirror. “Then who was that guy you left with last night? He didn’t look like your dump of a boyfriend.”

“Leave Mark out of this,” I warned as my temper rose. That was surprising. Normally, I was above letting a little verbal sparring rattle me. It wasn’t like me to have a short fuse.

“So where’d you do it?” she asked. “His room? A friend’s place...”

“Yeah, Lu,” Minnie joined in the teasing. “Come on, tell us.”

“Let’s just drop it.” The eyelash curler snapped in my grasp. “Goddamnit!”

“Sounds like someone is fibbing,” Betty mocked, leaning over my shoulder. Her breasts poked me in the back, further violating my personal space.

“Leave her alone, Bets,” Tina scolded. “She said she had a hard night.”

“Oh I bet she did.” She leaned close to my ear. Her breath puffed against my neck. I could smell the perfume she wore, could hear the beating of her heart. Oh no! I closed my eyes and willed it to go away. “How
hard
was your night, little Lucinda?”

“Please,” I begged. Something sharp pressed against my tongue...make that
two
sharp somethings.

“You’re not better than any of us,” Betty said. “And you’re certainly not too good to make a few extra bucks on the side. So tell us, how was he? He was pretty muscular. I bet he liked the rough stuff.”

She grabbed hold of my shoulders and spun me to face her. The scent of her perfume gave way to the smell of the blood that flowed through her veins. That pushed me over the edge. The semblance of normal that I’d been grasping slipped through my fingers. I opened my eyes and grinned.

“What the fuck?” she gasped, no doubt seeing black, soulless pits staring back at her.

Before I knew what I was doing, I backhanded her and sent her flying across the room. Betty and I hadn’t hit it off, but I’d never wished her ill will before. Now, though, I found myself oddly enjoying what was to come. She and her red hair that men would go crazy for. The fucking whore was all too willing to give them whatever they wanted for a price.