CHAPTER 18: FACE TO FACE
The worst possible scenario I could think of was now a reality. Even Jayne was preferable to this. I didn’t think I’d see Angel’s face this closely again. Only this time, she was looking at me, too. I was on my back, on a table somewhere. I wasn’t restrained, but it didn’t matter. Judging by the candlelight, I was in Angel’s room. Again. I had failed to turn Nicole. I didn’t think it was possible either. All of the factors were in my favor. She wanted out. I saw it in her face. She was part of Leila’s plan to hire me in the first place. What had gone wrong? I’m not sure. But it was moot, now.
“You must be thirsty,” she said, pushing a thimble towards me with her left hand.
Slowly, I sat up. My head throbbed, but my body was intact. The last thing I remembered was Nicole slamming her hand onto me. I recalled the weight of a cement truck hurled from a building onto my entire body. And then I was here. I couldn’t tell if I was lucky or unlucky to have survived that. I rubbed my head, and looked at the small thimble of water. I was thirsty. I considered if it was drugged or worse, but I was pretty sure it didn’t matter. If she wanted me to drink, I was going to drink one way or another. I climbed to my feet and leaned over the container. So I reach my hand into it and took a few large drinks of water. It was surprisingly pure.
“I believe you’ve met my girls already,” Angel said, motioning behind her.
I looked up and I saw Nicole. She looked sheepishly at me from across the room. She even cracked a small smile. Next to her was Jayne, eyeing me wickedly. I knew what she wanted to do to me.
“Yes,” I said. “Though I hadn’t officially met you, Jayne,” I called, offering a mock salute.
“What did he say?” Jayne asked.
“He says, ‘hello,’ love,” Angel smirked, eyes still fixed on me. “And, of course, you know this one here, don’t you?”
She opened her right hand and unceremoniously dropped a still-miniaturized Leila onto the table next to me, then Angel drew herself up to her full glorious height. She got up slowly but would not look at me. I glanced back up at Angel’s beautiful and terrible image. She wore the familiar semi-transparent red robe/kimono. The table was at her navel level right now. Tracing her body upwards with my eyes, I saw she’d changed her bra to something in black. I paused for a moment, glancing at the amulet dangling just above her cleavage, then looked at her face again. She smiled again.
“So. Tell me,” Angel said. “How is it you came to be here, in our home?”
I glanced at Leila, who was still looking down, then back at Angel. Angel wanted information. My guess is she didn’t fully trust this situation yet, so she wanted to hear my side of the story. As long as I didn’t talk, she wouldn’t kill me… yet. I turned back to my giantess tormenter and offered the cheesiest smile I could muster.
“I’m the pizza guy,” I said. “I was making a delivery, and then *Poof!* here I am.”
Her eyes narrowed. She may have expected cowering or begging. As afraid as I was at the moment, I wasn’t going to give her that satisfaction.
“Tell me. Or I will tear your arms out of their sockets,” she said, a little too casually.
“If I pass out from pain, I won’t be able to talk much, will I?” I replied.
Angel turned back to look at Nicole and Jayne again. “I like him,” she said.
“Let me have him,” Jayne said. “I’ll get him to talk.” Her eyes were eager and bloodthirsty. I thought about Hotshot’s fate and couldn’t help but shudder a little. Angel noticed, and she smiled at me again. I really wish she’d stop smiling at me. I glanced over at Leila again; she still wouldn’t make eye contact with me. Angel noticed this time, and looked at the two us with a long and thoughtful stare.
“Jayne,” said Angel over her shoulder to her sadistic counterpart. My muscles tensed. “Let’s talk a moment. Nicole, keep an eye on them.”
Angel turned and walked with Jayne to the opposite side of the room. I watched them go, and then looked at Nicole. Her blues eyes still comforted me somehow. Leila took a step towards me.
“Are you okay?” Leila whispered.
“No,” I said. “I’m not okay.”
“I didn’t betray you again,” Leila offered. “I didn’t.”
“Comforting. Nicole’s not with us. I told her the plan, and she practically smashed me with her hand…” I started.
“HEY!” Angel called across the room. “Don’t let them talk. Nicole, bring her over to me!”
Nicole would be here in two strides with those long legs of hers.
“Think about why you survived that strike,” Leila said quickly. “Nicole had to be sure. Angel’s going to try and break you. And you know how-”
“NICOLE!” Angel hissed. “Shut her up!”
Nicole reached and plucked Leila from the table. Leila cried out at me one more time.
“Don’t tell her you saw it! The blue flash! You’ll be okay, just…” Leila’s voice trailed off as Nicole carried her away. Angel snatched Leila out of Nicole’s hand and squeezed her hard enough to make her yelp.
Angel glared at Leila who struggled in her grip. “What were you talking about? … Nothing? Nicole, could you hear them?”
“No. But it didn’t look like nothing,” Nicole said.
“Jayne. Leila’s all yours. Like I said, you make her talk. Whatever you have to do. If she doesn’t, you’re free to kill her by any means you wish,” Angel said. Jayne held her hand out for the amulet.
“No,” Angel said. “Nothing fancy. Besides, I’m going to need it. For him,” Angel looked at me. Jayne, with Leila now in her hand, left the room. Nicole was about to leave, too, but Angel stopped her. “No, you stay. Lock the door. You’ve proved your loyalty today. Jayne has the taste for blood, but not the maturity. Not yet. It’s time you learned what real power is, love.”
As Angel approached me, I saw Nicole close and lock the door. The latch clicked with finality. Angel’s midsection suddenly cut off my view of the door. I looked up at her. Her eyes were filled with bloodlust and hatred. Her smile was gone.
“Nobody defies me. When I’m finished, you’re going to beg me to take your life,” she said.
