Fury From Hell (7 page)

In the stall, Jennifer heard the grating rumble of Betty’s anger getting ready to boil over.  With her stomach emptied, and the squeamishness abating, Jennifer caught the last bit of Betty’s response to Babs’ taunt.  Jennifer was touched but she couldn’t have her new friend eaten alive by the Mother Hen that was Betty Feinster.  Jennifer chose to flush the toilet at that moment halting the escalating tension.  They both turned as Jennifer walked out of the stall.

“Feeling better?”  Betty asked as she shoved Babs out of her way.  Betty pushed a stray lock of Jennifer’s dark brown hair off her forehead.  Jennifer looked up into Betty’s face and realized for the first time that she had missed out on some good times because of her own phobias.  She vowed not to do that again.

“I’m good — better.”  Jennifer nodded as she amended with a wan smile.

Babs came up behind them and cleared her throat and directed her question to them both, “Need a ride?  I’ve got to split.  I’m on duty in the morning.”

Betty looked at her with disdain and was about to say something but Jennifer jumped in.

“No, I’m cool Babs.  Thanks for the offer.  I’m not too far.  I can actually walk home from here.”

“Betty?”  Jennifer’s eyes pleaded with Betty to be nice.  Betty sighed.

“Yeah, thanks.  I could use a ride to the Railroad down by the Barclays Center.  Left the car at home today.  You’ll be okay, Holden?”

“Be fine.  I’m a big girl.”

“Yeah, with her first big fat hangover looming in the morning,” Betty said as she peered at Jennifer.  She knew Betty was pondering leaving Jennifer unattended while inebriated.

The Fury stepped in and spread its finger-like claws.

From out of nowhere, Jennifer felt strength and confidence flood her mind and body.  She smiled and a gleam came into her eye.

“Besides, I think I have some unfinished business to handle.”

Babs snickered and Betty’s color shifted to a dull crimson.

“Uh…ooh.  I, ah, forgot about Chad.  Didn’t think he was your type though…”

“I’m not even sure I have a type.  So, why not see if I like his type and I’ll go from there.”  She smiled and reached over to hug Betty’s stiff 5’11” rugged frame.  Then she grabbed Babs’ shorter curvy 5’7” frame and hugged her as well.

“I’ll be fine you guys, really.  Text me your number, Babs.  Get it from good ‘ole Betty here.  I’ll text you both when I get in.  You’ll get it in the morning since I can see you’re practically dead on your feet, Babs.”

“I’m beat all right.  If you’re sure?”

Jennifer coaxed them both out of the bathroom.  When they left she washed her mouth and was shocked to see that her eye make-up was still pretty much intact.

Damn, she’s good with this stuff.

She took a deep breath and prepared herself to seduce a man for the first time in her life.

***

Friday, November 9
^th
, 2:00 A.M.

Chad wiped the bar down for the final time and looked around at the empty place before catching Jennifer’s gaze.

“Thanks for hanging around, even though a woman like you has better things to do with her time.”

“Oh?  Like what?” she smiled as she shrugged on her denim jacket and headed towards the door.  He flicked off the lights while grabbing her hand.  He brought her fingers up and brushed them lightly against his lips.  He turned towards her at the door and stopped.

“You sure you want to come home with me?  I’d completely understand if you want to go on a real date first…”

“Real date?  Isn’t that what we’ve been having all night?”  He opened the front door, pulled her through it and locked up.

“Yeah, sure it was! Especially the parts when I was working and serving drinks for most of the night.”

“Oh, that…foreplay.  Totally.”

He shook his head smiling at her.

“Then, no.  I can’t do it.  I want to see you again…soon.  With one-night stands, you rarely see the person again, let alone talk to them.”

When she gave him a sharp look, he put up his hands, “That’s what I hear!  Not from experience,” he said praying his little lie would go undetected.

“Sure.  You, big burly blond, you’re telling me you’ve never had a fling with a girl that you’ve never seen again?  Yeah, I can believe that,” she said with a soft snort.

Her sarcasm wasn’t lost on him, and Chad pulled Jennifer close.

“So what, I’ve had a few fun nights. I was careful and I get tested once a year. I’m clean and ready for something more than what I’ve had in the past.”

He bent his head letting his soft pliable lips play with hers until he felt her tension subside. He slid his tongue between her parted lips.

The Fury felt the host start the process of pulling and running away from the sheer terror of the physical intimacy.  The Fury seethed.  Only recently had the memory of this host’s abusive father and uncle surfaced; much too recently for the Fury to have alleviated the host of the pain and trauma of these memories.  The Fury had to clamp down hard onto the host’s emotions.  The Fury kept the host in place but the kiss was not going well.

Jennifer’s age-old fears came back with a vengeance.  Chad’s gentle probing tongue made her break out in a cold sweat.  She could feel the clammy hands of a much larger, out of shape, drunken man on her body.  She could almost taste the sour beer on his breath.  She did all she could to not pull away from Chad but she froze and tried to breathe as shallowly as possible until the memory faded.

“Did I…do something wrong?”

“No, it’s not you —”

“Yeah, I know that one.  ‘It’s not
you
, it’s me.’  Got that.  See?  I was right.  It is better we do this the traditional way.  So, let’s start over.”

He had eased back from her and passed a hand over his perfect hair.  He plastered on a bright smile while sticking out his hand.

“Hi!  I’m Chad Fosdick and I would love to take you out to dinner, lunch or brunch sometime very soon.  I’m housebroken.  I’m a good listener.  I play the bazooka — rather badly.  I also love long walks in the park and horseback riding.  My family has a horse farm in Shelbyville, Tennessee… what?  You don’t believe me?  I’ve got pictures!  Look…”

Jennifer had broken down and was giggling uncontrollably.  Chad sounded so earnest and was working so hard to impress
her
.  Jennifer knew that she must be dreaming and at any moment she was going to wake up from the wettest dream she’d ever had.   She giggled so hard she had to pee and collapsed on the sidewalk.

Concerned, Chad squatted down and looked her in the face.  “Okay, young lady, I know I was being a geek but…really?”

Jennifer tried to get herself under control but wasn’t even remotely successful.

The Fury liked what was happening and found entertainment in the host’s interaction with the modern-day noble gentleman.  The Fury didn’t sense any evil or wrongdoing in him nor did she see any disease or other injury that would infect the host.  All in all, the Fury was pleased that the host had found a suitable male to consort with pretty much on her own.  With the host’s traumatic experiences, an understanding male would come in handy.  The Fury retreated fully and allowed the man and its host to do as they pleased.

Wiping her eyes, Jennifer got to her feet with his help and got a hold on herself.

“Chad, you have no idea how sweet you are!”

“Sweet?  Just what a guy wants to hear.  How sweet he is…”

Jennifer realized her gaffe immediately.

“No!  No, Chad,” she took his hands in hers and looked up into his crestfallen face.  “What I meant to say was what you were saying about yourself touched me so much!  I — I had a rough childhood and things weren’t always what I wanted them to be and…I have a few phobias that I probably shouldn’t be alluding to at this point,” she said with a wry grin.

“But, I don’t want you going off half-cocked thinking I’m trying to brush you off.  I’m not a fast girl with lots of men hanging onto my every word, or bat of my eyelashes.

“Yeah, like your short blonde friend.  She’s one of those.”

“Babs?  No, she’s cool.  She’s not a femme fatale.  She doesn’t use men to placate her every whim.”

“Mmm-hmm.  Only when she wants something…”

With a stunned look, Jennifer peered at him closely.

“You sound bitter.  But, this is not about Babs.  This is about me and my crap.  I don’t want you to think I’m bipolar or anything but when it comes to men I’ve had very little dealings. If you want to go out with me, well, you’ll have to take it
real
slow.  I’ve got layers.”

“Like an onion?”

“Nah, more like the layers of bureaucracy.”  They both chuckled and Chad pulled her in for a light hug.

“Hurt so bad the federal government looks simplistic next to you?  Somehow you’ve made me feel better and more protective of you in one fell swoop.  You’re good.”

Jennifer smiled as he slid his finger down her nose then turned to guide him down Court Street.  She wondered what he was thinking.  She noticed that his eyes had darkened when he had looked at her.  She guessed she’d never know.  Jennifer shivered under the light caress and tugged him to the left. They crossed Court and headed down Dean Street.

“Where do you live Mr. Chad Fosdick?”

“In Williamsburg.”

“So, that’s the other way, I’m right here in Prospect Heights.  Why are you going this way?”

“I’m going to make sure you get home safely.”

“Wow, I finally have my very own knight, huh?”  She smiled and patted her Glock which was tucked in her waistband. “I’ve already got a knight and he’s full of hard cold metal.  Better still?  I’m licensed to carry.”

Chad was suitably impressed but pressed on with his machismo role.

“No, I’m going with you and you can’t talk me out of it.”

“Yeah, I can,” she stopped moving, crossed her arms in front of her chest and waited.  “You don’t know where I live and I don’t have any ID on me.  All I need is my badge and that won’t help you.  So, what’s it going to be, Knight?  I have your number and I’ll use it but please, let me go on alone.”

Chad stood his ground looking at her defiantly.  He crossed his arms across his broad chest as well and stood still.  Jennifer didn’t feel threatened by him but she knew he was determined as a pit bull with a bone.

The Fury came to the fore and nudged the host.

Jennifer lowered her head a bit while staring him dead in the eyes.  In moments, her eyes were blood-red.

Chad became uneasy.  His resolve began to weaken.  He heard a low growl that began deep in Jennifer’s belly.  Chad visibly shook. He dropped his arms and stepped back totally unsure of his eyesight when he saw a reptilian red-eyed creature staring back at him.  He blinked a few times rubbing his eyes as he looked at Jennifer again.  She looked like a petite reptilian she-devil.  Chad closed his eyes slowly as the Fury shifted to the background.  Chad prayed that he wouldn’t still see evil incarnate staring back at him.  He re-opened his eyes.  Jennifer looked completely normal in every way.  He sighed his relief and made a decision.

“I — I think I’m really tired.”  He ran his hand through his hair and put a hand on his hip.

“Yeah, you’ve had a long night and so have I.”  She stepped closer to him totally unaware of his unease.

“Let’s call it a night right here and I’ll give you a call in a couple of days, okay?”  She touched his arm and the Fury reached through the host and erased the last few moments of Chad’s memory.

With Jennifer’s light touch, Chad’s unease dissipated and a smile formed on his face easily.

“Sounds good.  It was a pleasure to meet you, Jennifer.”  He brought her hand to his lips and bussed them against each of her fingers sending tiny electrical currents up her arm.  She beamed as her cheeks grew warm with pleasure.

The Fury came to the fore but did nothing.  Witnessing this first quickening of sexual desire was always a heady experience and the Fury wanted to experience it in full measure.

Chad gave her a mock salute and set off back towards Court Street whistling a happy tune.  He turned and waved at her before he disappeared around the corner in front of Starbucks.

Jennifer turned and continued down Dean Street.  She passed the Fire Department. All was quiet across the street and she wished for a bit of action.  Jennifer paused to listen to see if a fire truck was on the move behind the rolled down Fire Department garage door; she heard not a peep.  With drooping shoulders and a bowed posture, Jennifer started walking down the block again.

She felt restless now that she sent Chad home.  Jennifer wished she didn’t feel so divided about having a man in her bed.  But, no man had been in her bed since
the incident
when she was sixteen.  Even in thought, Jennifer did not care to name what happened, or recall anything from that time.  It was as if the memory were enshrined in her mind.

The Fury noticed a pulsating section in the host’s lower brain.  The Fury knew this is where the memory lived.  The Fury went to the area and extended its claw.  The memory was vicious; Jennifer was being molested by her father’s brother.  The Fury seethed but knew what it had to do.  It extended its claw so its sharp talons breached the brain cell’s membrane.  The demon’s claw was now inside of Jennifer’s brain cell.  Using one of its unholy powers, it expunged the memory and zapped the emotions associated with the traumatic event into oblivion.  The Fury pulled its claw back and watched the cell turn blacken and shrivel to a tiny dark particle that would be swept away by roaming luekocytes.  The Fury was pleased with its handiwork and withdrew to the nether regions of the host’s mind.

Jennifer sighed.  It felt as if a great weight had rolled off her heart.  She walked a little straighter with her head held higher as her stride lengthened.  By the time she reached the corner, Jennifer decided she would text Chad her number when she got home.  She crossed the street and started down the next block.  She felt, more than heard, someone behind her.

The Fury felt the host’s cop instincts kick in and came to the fore.  Rapidly scanning the area, the Fury found the dark red streak of murderous intent in the male twenty paces behind the host.  The Fury slowed the host’s pace to see if the man would pass.  After thirty paces, the Fury saw the man had slowed his pace as well.  It noticed his red aura was glowing and pulsating more quickly now.  The Fury frowned, then bared its sharp bat-like teeth.  The growl started again low in the host’s body.  Still unsure if the man was coming after the host, the Fury crossed the street mid-block making the host look around.