Birth Of A New Partner
Part XII
Tiffani returned to the tavern to find Alex still rifling through Derrick's remains. She found it a bit odd that he hadn't moved but she pushed the thought aside. "Alex. Come. We have much to discuss." she said, turning on her heel and walking through the back door of the tavern. "Damien!" she yelled out, expecting him to rush to her side but he wasn't there. She gave the room a general scan then moved into the office, Alex following behind. On the desk sat a note. Tiffani didn't like this one bit. She walked over to the note and read it to herself.
Tiffani,
I can't do this anymore. Killing strangers for money is one thing but going after your own family for revenge is pushing the limit. I can't be part of this anymore. By the time you've read this I'll have taken off to live in solitude. I'm sorry but your sister was right, I have to stop you somehow.
Damien
"That is complete bullshit." she said, banging her fist on the table. She turned to Alex furiously. "I have a job offer, if you're interested." she said, putting the note down her bra. "What is the job description?" he asked curiously. "It involves working at the bar and depositing bodies elsewhere other than here. Interested?" she asked. "Hrm. Depends. What will I be paid?" he asked. "That will be discussed once you decide." she said. He nodded. "Very well, I accept." he said. She smiled, pulling a key off her necklace and putting into a lock in her desk. She took out a pouch of coins and showed it to him. "That is a weeks pay." she said, his eyes widening at the large amount of coins from all over the globe. "However... You need a test to me that you are worthy and loyal." she said, taking it out of his reach. "And I am to prove that, how?" he asked. Tiffani smirked evilly.
A few hours later: Damien pulled the sheet of his bed tighter inside his old wooden sanctuary, unaware of the two inconspicious people outside. He just turned out the light and was about to hop into bed when he heard a noise. Tiffani snuck into the kitchen while Alex walked into Damien's bedroom to confront him. Damien walked out of the room and bumped into Alex. "Who are you? Get out of my room!" Damien squeaked. Alex gripped his knife tighter and, for the first time in his entire life, stabbed a man in the gut. Several times. Damien pushed him away and ran into his bedroom bleeding all over the floor and his sheets. Tiffani walked into the bedroom eating a bit of bread and flicked the light on. "Leave us." she said, tossing the crust to the side. Alex nodded and exited the room as Damien clawed at the sheets with his fingers. It was obvious he was in pain. Tiffani rolled him over as he curled into a fetal position on his back. "You left me with naught but a note and expect to live free? Damien, Damien, Damien. You should know me better. You were like a brother to me before you abandoned me, but then again I killed my own brother." she smirked. "I've had to recruit another in your place. I see you've already met Alex." she continued, pacing around the bed. Damien's facial expression was that of one who was ashamed of his actions. The regret was obvious. "I bet you wish you had stayed faithful. Everyone who betrays me, dies and you Damien, have betrayed me. Now you must suffer the consequences." she said, coming back around to him.
With all the strength he could muster, Damien kicked his legs out into Tiffani's waist. She fell back clutching her stomach. A low growl escaped her lips. "I was going to let you die quickly but now, you've cut me deep Damien." she said, getting to her feet. She called Alex in. "I've decided, instead of you just killing him, I want you to cut his beating heart out, while he lives." she said bitterly, a look of sheer horror on Damien's face. "No. Tiff no. I left for you, not because of you." he said desperately, taking in deep breaths in between words. "Damnit it's too late Damien! You shouldn't have left! Alex!" she pointed to Damien. Alex cracked his knuckles and sadistically looked to Damien's pleading body. Blood was still pouring out of the stab wounds. "As you wish Tiffani." he said and obediently grabbed Damien's throat and nervously put the knife on his chest. "Don't do it! Don't! Please, don't!" Damien pleaded. "That's right Damien. Beg for your life. That's how I like my victims to die." she said, anger covering her feelings for her ex-comrade. Alex estimated where his heart would be and slowly forced the blade into his chest. Damien threw his head back, inhaling deeply with a lot of trouble. Alex cringed as he could feel the flesh and muscle being sliced under the knife. He took his time, trying hard to please Tiffani as she watched on with an upset expression. Once a circle was cut through his chest, Damien had already passed out, the blinding pain too much for his weak body. Alex tore the layers of skin and muscle off brutally before ripping out his heart, blood spurting out from the aorta and other surrounding arteries. He looked back to Tiffani, the bloody organ in his hand. "Now what?" he asked. "Eat it." she said softly.
"What!?" he asked again in shock. "Eat it." she repeated in a slightly harsher tone. "You expect me to eat this?! You are crazy!" he said, ready to put it back. "If you do not consume his heart there will be two bodies in this house when I leave, not just his." she said through thinly slitted eyes. Alex looked at the heart and shuddered. Never had he thought he'd have to do this. He shut his eyes tightly and opened his mouth, bringing the heart to his lips. Tiffani watched as he bit down on it making a horrible face. Blood dribbled down his chin and dripped onto the bed. "Swallow." she ordered. Alex looked as if he was about to vomit but he did as he was told and swallowed the mouthful. Once it was down he looked to Tiffani. "You're disgusting. Clean yourself up." she said, glancing to Damien's still body once more before walking out of the room. Alex threw the heart as hard as he could at the wall and bent over, vomitting on the floor.
A lot of water later, Alex met up with Tiffani outside. "Well?" he asked her, still repulsed that he ate a bit of a man's heart. "You passed." she said. She opened a bottle of whiskey, took a long draught, ripped a bit of her skirt, hung the cloth half in the bottle then made a fire and lit the end of the cloth. She threw the bottle through the window of Damien's bedroom and waited until his room ignited into flames before sinking into the shadows and away from the house. Two charred bodies were found the next morning, one burnt in bed, one burnt on a roof. Derrick's remains were blown away with the storm.