Blood Routine
an excerpt

We had to replace a fuse to even get the lights to come back on. Angela and I snuck into the room before we turned the hall light on. Once I saw the sliver of light beneath the door, I cracked it, and let it ease open with its familiar creak. I saw the shadow that Charlie threw across the jagged rectangle of light.

I heard Angela’s soft, baby-like words in his ear. “Wake up daddy,” she cooed, stroking a tendril of what little hair he had left off his temple. “I brought you a treat.”

I heard him moan, and roll over. I saw his eyes crack a little. I saw him cover them against the unexpected brightness with a hand as I took my first, silent step forward. The mirror over the bed revealed Charlie staring directly ahead. It looked as though she were staring directly at my father, but in reality, she was staring back at her own reflection. I took another step.

Angela crooned again in his ear. “Oh, come on, daddy. I brought her just for you. You haven’t had fun like this for so long. Don’t you want to?” She rubbed a hand on his chest, atop the covers. He lunged for her, but she ducked out of reach, snapping back as he fell backwards on the bed. I took my third step, and I now stood directly before him, invisible in the shadows his eyes hadn’t readjusted to.

“That’s not very nice,” Angela said in a pouty, though still baby voice. “Your baby girl came back to you, and you’re going to maul the messenger, before greeting your daughter?”

He got that smile, then. The sick, twisted one that always made my stomach curl inward on itself. He sat up, looking more eagerly at Charlie, in the doorway. I saw the shadow of Corey pacing in the hallway.

I worried that his shadow might give it away, but it only seemed to make him more eager. “She’s willing?” he whispered. “Sure, she must be old enough by now to make up her mind. And she brought me a treat. Oh, I must thank her.” He crawled across the bed, stumbling against the knotted covers, in his eagerness to get to Charlie.

He got to me, still missing that I was in the room with him. I caught him by the throat, and threw him downward on the bed with a resounding thwack. The headboard even knocked against the wall a couple times, making it so much better.

Charlie turned on the light then, and he saw me. He took in the all red eyes, the pale skin, and the glittering teeth. “Why hello there, daddy.” I purred. I stepped up onto the bed. It felt awkward in heels, but my new grace kept me from tripping awkwardly. “I believe you have something of mine.” I slid my heel under his sleeping shirt, and up through the neckline. I pulled my leg upwards, and he lifted himself onto his elbows. He was still terrified, but he thought my lack of inhibition had changed so that he was now somehow attractive to me. It sickened me, but I wasn’t surprised by his logic process. In fact, I had also counted on it.

I leaned my foot down on the hollow of his throat. “Have you seen my virginity? I know, you took it so many years ago, but I thought it was time I got it back.”

I felt him swallow, through the heel in my shoe. I smiled, and removed my foot. “If you can give that to me, I can let you go, back to whatever you were planning for tomorrow.”

He sat up, spluttering. “I’ve given you money! A car! All the sound equipment a girl could need for the radio or an mp3 player, or even a car stereo system! Bose is the best, and I only gave you the best!”

I clucked my tongue at him. “That’s not what I asked for, daddy.” I lunged down, and held him up by his neck. “Now, either you have my virginity, wrapped up in a pretty little box, or things are going to get really ugly for you.”

He mumbled incomprehensibly. I smiled at him, and breathed, “Good night, daddy.” I drew in a breath, and held it. I bent my fingers, and swept my fingernails against his throat. It made a lovely shing! noise, and I smiled.