“And when was that?” He spat. I pretended to think about it.
“Nineteen-ninety-four. Lots of stuff that year. Kurt Cobain, OJ Simpson, deals with the devil, oh wait, I think that was my thing.”
“You made a deal with the devil? Is that why you look like that?” He pointed at me despite having his hands bound to the arm of the chair.
“My eyes? Yeah, it’s just one of the side effects of wheeling and dealing with someone who can bargain better than you. It’s part of my curse.”
“The eyes? Get contacts, man. No one will even know. You don’t have to do this just because they tell you to. You can be normal.”
“Don’t have to do what?” I stopped moving and turned to face him. I tilted my head to the side and smiled. “Kill you? I don’t have to do shit. I’m choosing to. And normal doesn’t suit me. Now, do you know what the Ten of Swords means?” Walking back to his desk, I went behind it and bent down to lift a duffel bag. Plopping it on the table, I unzipped it quickly and pulled out a pocketknife roll. I lifted it up and let it unfurl, revealing ten daggers. I watched as the blood ran from his face.
“The Ten of Swords is kind of perfect for you, now that I consider it. It’s an end card, so that fits, as yours is coming now.”
He didn’t respond as I took each knife slowly from its holder. I continued to tell him the meaning of the card I drew for him.
“It also means that you’ll try to play the victim. But considering the last human you attacked was a fifteen-year-old girl, I don’t thinkvictimis the right word for you.”
“Who sent you here? Someone has it out for me.” His voice quavered, and I perked up. I pointed a knife at him and grinned.
“See, I told you, you’d play the victim! The cards don’t lie. Man, I love this. I haven’t used the cards in my killings in a long time. I miss the theatrics.”
“Why me? I have money. I can pay you better than whoever sent you here,” he offered. I shook my head.
“I’ve been on this earth for fifty-five years. The first twenty-seven were rather boring, but the rest have been rather—enriching. I have no need for your money. If I was that hard up for cash at this point in my existence, I’d open those curtains and let myself burst into flames,” I muttered. Placing all of the knives on his desk in an organized line. I then came around and wheeled him over to see them.
“The card has them all placed in your back, and I intend on having you feel each and every one before I take off your head.”
“You’re insane,” he snarled.
“Maybe. But at least I’m not a monster.” Spinning the chair, I kicked it over, sending him and it to the ground. I snatched a dagger off the desk and bent down to free him from his bindings and finish the job.
“Why are you doing this?” His final words hung over me for a moment as I pulled the chair off him and held him firmly in place with my black boot. “I’m nobody, just a normal guy,” he pleaded one last time.
I nodded. “One more for the collection.” I reached over and picked up a second dagger. He saw me and finally stopped struggling and strained his neck to look at me.
“Collection? That’s all I am? Just another number to you? Why?”
I cocked my head and grinned at him, raising my arm up, preparing to set the scene. Ten knives in his back before decapitating the fucker.
“I made a deal with the devil. Ten thousand souls of evil men for my freedom. You’re number nine-thousand-nine hundred-and fifty—Sorry,” With a laugh, I swung down.
2
“Elvie’s missing, huh?” Arsenio, my comrade and old friend, offered me a nod and tight smile as we stood in the foyer of his massive house. We weren’t used to seeing each other in our everyday environments, especially since the seven of us decided to relax and part ways. He sniffed the air and shot me a dirty look. “You’re still sucking on those candies? I don’t miss that.”
I sucked the fireball hard and flashed it between my fangs. He rolled his eyes. “I like cinnamon.” With a shrug, I glanced around his place. “This is impressive, Arsenio.”
He beamed and patted me on the back. I did a slight involuntary lurch forward. Arsenio was twice my size and had a bad habit of forgetting his own strength. He laughed at my reaction to his massive hand on my back. He also enjoyed fucking with people.
“Thanks, friend! It’s unfortunate that you’re visiting under the situation, but I’m glad I get to show you my place. I already have your room prepared. I gave you the best guest room in the house.”
I grinned and tightened my grip on my suitcase. “Let’s check that out first.”
“Fantastic idea.” He started forward, and I followed him through the mini-mansion. My head swiveled in all directions, trying to take it all in.
It seemed everything about my friend and his life had changed. When I knocked on his door, I had expected torn jeans and an oversized tee-shirt. I had waited for my unkempt, bearded, long-haired, metal head of a friend to open and welcome me into his home. He wasn’t that man anymore. Now he wore an expensive, white-colored suit, and his auburn hair was styled shorter. He still had a beard, but it was stylishly groomed.
“I had heard that you had done well for yourself, but I wasn’t expectingthis,” I admitted after I dropped my coat and bags off in my room. He laughed.
