Pitch Black Heaven

WARNING - Frequent Swearing during Liam's Point of View later in the chapter.

Zach, Scarlett and Julia arrived in one of the SUV’s half an hour later. I’d been sitting there unmoving the whole time. I didn’t look up as Zach got out, nor when he squatted beside me, playing his hands on both my shoulders. I just looked down at my shoes.

“Are you hurt?” He asked softly, his eyes looking for mine. I shook my head. “Well, are you alright?”

I blinked slowly, got to my feet and jumped into the back seat next to Julia who stared at me intently before looking away. Zach retrieved my bike from the sidewalk and lifted it into the boot on top of the other ruined one, they only just fit. The car shook slightly and Zach came back around and got into the drivers’ seat, he didn’t look back at me. I wasn’t upset or depressed, I was just angry. Liam ruined everything for me.
I caught Zach eyeing Julia as he nodded at me. She turned to face me as the car pulled back onto the highway. “Is your leg okay?” She said in a smile voice, staring at my grazed jeans.

“It’s just a small skin graze, I’ll be fine.”

She stared at me, full of concern before sighing and looking away again.

When we arrived back at the motel Jeremy was sitting out the front on the steps, watching Clarissa playing with Luke and Tiarne on the grass before him. Seeing that rosy cheeked little girl with the bright eyes and the wide smile made my body ache, poor kid, to be involved with this bullshit and she was totally unaware of it.

Jeremy got up when he saw me approach, shaking my hand with a smile. “I heard you found Liam’s number on the phone. I can’t believe we missed it.”

“Well I guess you guys just didn’t know his middle name was Darren…”

“Is Aaron around?” Zach asked.

Jeremy shook his head. “He left with a few other guys, gone to get some ‘safety precautions’ I think he called them.”

I frowned though Zach seemed to understand. I looked to him waiting for an explanation.
“Bang, bang.” He said, fingers imitating a gun.

“Oh, right…” An awkward silence followed. Seeing Jeremy dressed so casually in a t-shirt and jeans made such a difference to the way I saw him, he was just like millions of other dads and just another guy on the street. “I’m gonna head inside.” I said popping my lips as I weaved past Jeremy and towards the hotel doors. I looked back briefly as I reached the glass doors. Zach was looking right at me, expressionless. I would wait and worry about him later.

Once I was in my room alone I crashed onto the lumpy mattress, burying my face in a pillow. I was homesick, and blatantly sick of just about everything. I’d let Liam slip away, I’d pulled my best friend into this not to mention my mother, my dad was dead and I was shunning away my boyfriend who didn’t deserve that. I wanted nothing more than to go see my dad and get his advice, but I was left to wallow in the realization that even if I could sit by his grave he couldn’t help me now.

Zach didn’t come to check up on me, neither did Tiarne or Scarlett. But hey, that was what I’d wanted, right? The exhaustion creeping up on me, I drifted into sleep.

~

I woke up and it was dark except for the dim light seeping through the lace curtains of the hotel room. Zach was lying shirtless and fast asleep beside me, hand rested gently on my waist. A bead of sweat rolled down my temple, god it was hot. My eyes still on Zach, I smiled at his cute baby face as he slept. Across the room Luke and Tiarne were also fast asleep in each others’ arms.

Sliding Zach’s hand off my waist, I slowly got out of bed – uncomfortable in my jeans. I went to the room door and opened it quietly, the hallway was empty – or so it seemed. I soon heard voices coming from around the corner. I took slow, paced steps and stopped right on the corners edge. It was a deep husky voice, followed by high pitched young girls’.

“You have to come with me now, your daddy will come get you later…” The deep voice said.
“But my daddy told me not to wander off,” The small angelic voice replied.

I let one eye slip a quick look. Clarissa was standing by her hotel room door – half open – toy rabbit in hand, looking up at a masked stranger.

“I’m not a stranger sweetie, I’m your friend. C’mon, just take my hand and we’ll go away for a bit. You can take your rabbit if that makes you happy?”

She shook her head. “Your mask scares me.”

The dark figure breathed a laugh and slowly began to remove his mask. I braced myself but that could not prepare me for who was lurking behind. Liam. “That better? Now let’s go.” Liam took little Clarissa’s hand.

“Can we bring my daddy?”

Liam’s smile wavered with growing impatience. “Your daddy will come join us soon, we have to go now.” He tugged at her arm and to my numbing surprise she followed.

“Liam let her go!” I shouted, revealing my presence. He turned swiftly, shocked. Clarissa disappeared behind his legs.

“Of course you’d be here, fucking typical Rhiannon, can’t keep her nose out of things.” He picked up Clarissa, tucking her under his arm and ran down the hallway to the elevator.

“Liam stop, don’t do this!” I ran full speed after them. Liam bashed his fist against the elevator buttons as I gained more and more ground, resorting to the staircase as he realized the elevator would be too late. As they disappeared into the stairwell, I smacked right into the door, rushing to open it. The loud clattering of footsteps echoed up through the staircases. “Clarissa, get away from him, he’s a bad person!” I shouted as I leant over the banister searching below me for a sign of Liam or Clarissa.

Instead I copped a heavy blow to the head from behind. My eyes rolled back into my head and I toppled over the railing, floor ready to greet me a few meters below.

A flash a choppy blonde hair,

A black mask falling through the air above me,

A flash of long brown curls,

A toy rabbit paw, all disappearing through the door.

I jerked into the air, falling back into the mattress sucking in a long, deep breath.
Someone groaned beside me, rolling over very slowly. “Hey, are you okay?” Zach whispered, blinking as he rubbed his eyes.

I was still panting, trying to shake off the dream. “Nightmare…” I breathed my eyes stinging.
I could feel his gaze on my face, followed by his careful fingers touching my jaw. “Anxious lately…?”

I sighed. “Liam’s going to come looking for us,” My fingers ran softly down his hand that was resting on my cheek. “and he’s going to find us - you know he will.” Zach glowered at me. “I’m not sure I’m ready for this…”

He frowned. “What do you mean you’re not ready? You’ve been doing this for months now.”

“Zach, I can never bring myself to pull that trigger,” I shook my head. “I wouldn’t know what to do if it came to that…”

A thoughtful silence followed, we laid there staring at one another. How I just loved everything about him. How his hair always sat so beautifully and the way his eyes startled me, like an electric current. I loved the way he touched me and how he knew the perfect times to pull me close. His hand ran down my neck, around my shoulder and to my waist as he hugged me tightly. “You’ve got me to help you.” He said in my ear.

I couldn’t help but smile.

~

I was up after sunrise, outside on the front steps of the motel. The sky ranged from purple up above my head, to a burning orange closer to the rising sun, the city had just woken up and was gearing up for the coming day. Trucks and cars drove up and down the road before the hotel. Across the street, shops were opening. The nightmare from the previous night still lingered around me. I knew it was just that - a nightmare - simply a bad dream. Yet I couldn’t help but heed the warning, Liam was going to find us and we needed to either leave or be prepared.

I missed home so much. I missed everything I’d been before Liam came back into the picture and muddled up my life. I sighed, running all my fingers through my hair as my head drooped onto my knees.

Sitting alone in the silence of a mundane morning was not a good thing for me. It gave me a chance to think, and when I was given the chance to sit back and just ponder I would always think too much into things.

LIAM BARKER POV

I sat bored at the sight of the hotel wall I’d sat in front of for the last few hours. My sisters’ blank expression as she sat frozen on that bike seat while we drove away was stuck in my head. She’d changed so much, both physically and mentally. Her hair was a cluster of faded black waves, her blue eyes brighter than ever against her smoky makeup, she was much taller and I’d never even noticed till now. Face edgier, hollow with her losses. The way she spoke was so much more defined. Strong, fierce and willing, she spoke to me like I was a stranger to her. She’d matured and I couldn’t look away from that.
I remembered our days as young kids, we’d fought, we’d laughed, and we’d loved each other as if we had truly been bonded by blood. Every time I’d went away without an explanation it tore away at her till it drove her curiosity to the edge. There she’d found my dark side those many months ago, right on the front lawn of our home.

Pain stabbed my heart as these things I thought were much like the way my father had hurt me, the way he’d left me with nothing. It’d had torn away and me too.

Fuck that. It was not my fault Rhiannon was different now, a dark force on the side of good I guess you could call it. She would never forgive me for the things I’d done but I’d come to accept that.

I fiddled with a cigarette, weaving it through my fingers over and over again before bringing it to my mouth followed by a lighter. I inhaled deeply, taking the cigarette from my mouth and breathing a plume of smoke out into a haze around me.

A knock at the door made me turn slightly, listening to the pattern of footsteps as they entered the door.

“Flynn,” I said.

The footsteps stopped and the door was shut “We followed the SUV,”

I sighed. “And…?”

“We followed them back to a motel near the skirts of Los Angeles River, I have the address. They’re all there.” He replied. “Blackwood and his daughter are with them, I believe they’re in some sort of alliance.”

I finally stood up and met his eyes as I tapped my cigarette, letting the ashes drift to the ground. “Why the fuck do you tell me these things when you should be preparing the others?” I asked, quirking a brow expressionless.

I watched him swallow nervously. “So you mean we’ll hit tonight?” His voice was softer now, the vein on his neck more prominent. Too scared to ask a question with force, how petty…
I intimidated him did I? After all these years I still made him shrink with every shout.

Good.

I stepped forward, closer to him. I could feel the tension, like we were two magnets both negative ends facing each other, each one trying to push away from the other. I knew Flynn wanted to step back and widen the distance, but he also knew he couldn’t. Again I stepped closer, our bodies inches away. I bent down slightly so our faces were level and looked him in the eye. “You know what really pisses me off?” I whispered, inhaling from the cigarette then blowing the smoke into his face. “When you ask stupid fucking questions which you should know the answers to - I shouldn’t have to tell you this anymore Flynn…”

He couldn’t keep his eyes on me, they moved to the floor. His fear was the weakness that kept him in check beneath my rein. I titled my head to one side, scrutinizing his face, waiting for him to act first. Finally he gave me a sharp nod with his eyes straight ahead.

“Good,” I said, flicking the cigarette away. “Get the others ready and get me Ailee.”

RHIANNON BARKER POV

“You should probably get packing today. We’re leaving tomorrow, early morning.” Zach said as I entered our hotel room. He was on his knees by his suitcase, packing.

“Leaving California?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Just this motel, we figure if we keep moving around Liam won’t be able to track us down and we can keep working on how to stop him.” I folded my arms and waited for him to give me a proper explanation. He sighed heavily. “Fine, our talk last night got to me, and you’re right. Liam is going to find us sooner or later, if we don’t leave here quickly.”

I crossed the room and sat opposite him on the scratchy carpet. “We should go somewhere closer to the boarding school, so we can keep an eye on things.”

“Good idea.” He smiled. It warmed my heart, making me remember why I’d fallen for him in the first place.

Perfection had come to me in the form of a nineteen year old boy with amber eyes. “I love you, don’t forget that okay?” I said holding his face still so I could look into his eyes.

“Never,” He promised, eyes flickering to my lips.

I slid both my hands around his neck and kissed him gently, lips parting as his hot breath fanned my skin. The friction of his hands running down my arms left me cringing at the pleasing sensation. I was completely fine with taking him then and there, it was hard to dismiss such thoughts with the way his teeth grazed the skin of my neck so tenderly and the how his lips kissed my jaw line, but a piercing scream running through the morning sky made my eyes widen and my body go ridged.

“Clarissa!” I exclaimed as I pulled away from Zach and ran straight for the door. My feet pounded against the floor as I sprinted down the hallway to Jeremy and Clarissa’s room. Scarlett, Tiarne, Luke and Zach soon followed. I shoved open the door to find the tiny, doll-like Clarissa at the window peering outside, tears rushing out of her big green eyes.

I ran to her side and crouched in front of her, holding her shoulders firmly. “Clarissa what happened?!”

She sucked in a shaky breath, sniffling. “I dropped my bunny Rocco out the window,” She said innocently. “we were only playing on the window and he fell.”

I exhaled, overcome with relief. “You scared me Clarissa.” I breathed, trying to swallow down the lump in my throat.

Jeremy came running into the room full speed. “Clarissa baby girl where are you, what happened?!” He turned frantically in all directions till he saw us all crowded by the widow. “Oh god, are you okay princess?”

Clarissa sniffled again, nodding as she rubbed her eyes. I stepped aside as Jeremy wiped her face with a handkerchief and kissed her forehead. “Rocco fell out the window daddy.”

“Did he now? Well how about we go get him, then daddy will make pancakes for breakfast. That sound good princess?” Jeremy said sweetly, smoothing Clarissa’s hair with his hand.

“Okay daddy.” She took Jeremy’s hand and followed him to the door.

Jeremy looked back to me and the others. “Thanks.” He said nodding with a smile. I used to find Jeremy intimidating - him being a cop and all - but seeing the way he looked after his daughter with such love and care proved to me, that deep down he was good guy.

LIAM BARKER POV

I watched from the bed as Ailee pranced around in her lingerie, searching for something to wear today. I admired her beautiful body and flowing blonde hair. With a smoke between my lips I mumbled my words. “Baby, feel free to not wear anything today…” I smirked as she giggled.

“Is that a compliment?” She asked, walking towards me, biting her finger playfully.

She was spectacular to look at - too bad she was a whore. When I wasn’t on top of her or whenever she opened her mouth to speak, she bored me. She was a convenient outlet. She gave me pleasure and an extra pair of hands in a fight.

My lip twitched with the beginning of a smile as she climbed into bed beside me, fingers tracing pictures on my chest.

“You know babe, it’s been almost three years since we first got together?” She smiled up at me expectantly.

Another strand of patience in me for this subject snapped. “We’ve been over this hundreds of fucking times Ailee… I won’t marry you till I’ve finished what I’ve started.”

She pouted like the toy she was. “But baby I’ve waited patiently for years now and we’re so close to finishing this. Can’t you just-”

I rocketed up from the bed. “No Ailee, just shut up. You do not call the shots!” I shouted, knowing it would shut her trap. “You’re really starting to piss me off. I’m in the middle of what I’ve waited to do all my bloody life, so just shut up!” Just like that, I snapped. The fury I hid behind my collected alter ego always got the best of me. I scared the people in my life into a rut so I could keep them in order. It was the only way.

Ailee got out of the bed, tears streaming down her face. “You’re such a jerk! I’m sleeping next door tonight you bastard.” She screamed, struggling to put on some pants.

“Maybe next time you’ll fucking learn to respect me! If you want me to marry you, support me on this.” I shouted back, stabbing my finger at her as I shook with fury.

Ailee shook her head, lips trembling. She yanked a shirt off the floor. “I can’t believe you!” She put on the shirt and stormed out the door.

Smoke puffed from my mouth. “Whatever…” I huffed. I sat at the foot of the bed and took out my switch blade, flicking it soothed me. I would never marry her, never. I would crush her hopes once my mission was over. They were all just my conveniences. I needed nobody to survive. I’d done it hard when dad had left me, I survived that and I could fucking survive alone too.

It was time to bring in the girl. That Ailee would fall for anything, a kiss and an apology was enough to have her begging for a second chance. I kicked my heel against the bed and walked next door. Ailee was on the bed crying as usual.

I grinned smug. This would be easy - she was easy. “Babe, c’mon now, I’m sorry.” I said smoothly, holding my hands out for her as she looked up hopefully from underneath her curtain of hair. I spat my cigarette to the floor and stepped the ember out.

The tiny curve of her lips was confirmation enough. I was forgiven and Ailee was beneath me again. Perfect.

Now my only focus was kidnapping Jeremy Blackwood’s daughter and brining down Rapture, my sister and that bastard who was my father. Easy for someone like me, I’d been in the business for almost a decade. Come night I’d be holding all the cards, the success of what had become the center of my life was all resting on the capture of one little girl, Clarissa Blackwood.

RHIANNON BARKER POV

Scarlett laid a gun and a holster in my lap. “You’ll need this.” She said, nodding.

“How did you get all this so quickly, I thought it took a week to order one of these?”

She smiled adjusting the holster straps around her waist and thighs. “Not when you buy illegally. You’d be amazed at the sort of shit you can get your hands on.” She pulled up her top to reveal what looked to be a bullet proof vest, the type you’d see the cops wearing.

“You’ve got to be kidding?” I said, wide eyed.

“There’s one for you too.” She pointed to a large navy blue duffle bag on Tiarne and Luke’s bed. “This stuff’s a bit pricey, but Aaron thinks it’ll be worth it…”

I turned the gun in my hands, a sinking feeling building in the pits of my stomach. “Do you really think we will need all this?” We were taking precautions, to me that sounded like Aaron and the boys weren’t entirely confident about our chances.

Scar sat beside me. “Look, you’ve never really had to use your weapons before and I know it’s frightening but if things get messy, don’t hesitate.” She wrapped one arm around me and hugged me. “I’m really glad to have you around.”

I wasn’t entirely sure what to take from her message. Did she think I wasn’t ready to handle a tough situation? Or was she just worried. My head was spinning with everything going on.

“I should really get packed, it’ll be dark soon.” I said, interrupting the silence.

“Better get a good nights’ sleep, we’re leaving three am tomorrow morning.” Scar left a vest on the bed and picked up the duffle bag with a smile, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

As I packed I tried to prepare myself mentally for the coming days, everything was laden with uncertainty. I kept telling myself I was ready, I’d come this far and I’d faced Liam before – alone. The scar on my forearm was a constant reminder of possibly the most terrifying night of my life. Anxiety was replaced with growing anger and determination. I pulled myself together and felt fully ready for the first time that week. I grabbed the vest from the other vest, stripped down and tried it on, tightening straps here and there. It felt reasonably comfortable. I spun around in front of the mirror trying to imagine what it would be like to be shot while wearing the vest. Would the mental shock be the one to kill me?

Tiarne came in the door, surprised to see me. “Rhi, you freaked me out.” She said with a grin building at the sight of me. “Wow, do we all get one of those vests?”

“Yeah I think so - pretty cool hey?” She nodded with a huge grin. “Scar might have left one by your bed.”

Tiarne looked over by the bed. “Yeah there’s one here.” She held up one, looking eager to put it on. Once she’d adjusted it to fit her we twirled in the mirror, laughing.

“I guess these are kinda awesome…”

She sighed, letting her hands drop to her sides. “I think I’m going to go to bed, good night Rhi.” She hugged me tightly for a moment before dropping face first into her bed and curling up beneath the covers.

“Aren’t you going to the vest off?” I asked as I quirked a brow. She waved her hand dismissively, eyes remaining closed. I shrugged, zipping up my suitcase and getting into bed much too tired to change. “Good night Tiarne.” I murmured, turning off the lamp beside me. She groaned in response. The last thing I remembered before drifting off to sleep was the bed shaking as Zach got into bed beside me.

~

I jerked around in bed as I was shaken awake. I couldn’t force my eyes to open. “Is it time to go?” I mumbled.

A hand cupped over my mouth, the shadow shushing me. My eyes popped open and I tried to remember where I’d left my gun. “Relax it’s me,” It was Zach. “Don’t speak, they’re here.” He whispered. I could now see his face in the darkness as my eyes adjusted to the lighting. His hand was removed from over my mouth.

“Who’s here?” I asked in a whispered, feeling my hair dampened by sweat.

Zach loaded his gun, rolling of the bed. “Liam and this gang, they’re outside the hotel preparing to break in.” He tiptoed across the room to the window, peering out past the curtains.

Tiarne and Luke were crouched beside the bed preparing to leave. I immediately sprung up and out of the bed and searched the floor for my holster. Finding the strap I pulled it out from under the bed and tried to put it on as quickly as possible. I grabbed my jacket off the bed post, zipped up and rolled my suitcase over with the others.

My nightmare was coming true. I couldn’t let my nerves get to me now. I needed to hold it together if I wanted to stay alive and keep the ones I loved alive too.

Liam was here for one thing, the one thing he needed to take us all down – Clarissa.

Pitch Black Heaven - © MemoriesdonoJustice / Rose Tonis 2009