Forever Viper (34 page)

“Your frustration and worry over my disappearance was aimed at the wrong person. Peppa didn’t know where I was, she wasn’t involved in any way, so your hate campaign towards her was unjust. She didn’t deserve any of it, it should have been aimed at me. And you will make matters right with her.” I wait for some response but nothing comes so I continue on, “As you can imagine, things are going to be difficult with what I am, so I will be changing a few things around with Devil Records. I can only thank you for stepping in and keeping my business afloat, but I’m back now and like I said, there are going to be changes and you will be on board with them.”

I silently peer at him and then guilt starts to surface. I hate what he has done to Peppa and the fact that he is making me expose what I now am. I was ready to disown my father when I first walked into my office, but staring at him now, all I see is a pathetic and weak old man. He shrinks back from me out of fear when I stand, but I don’t let that deter me from picking him up and placing him back in my chair and calling for Juan. This is the bit I have trouble with, I'm worried damage can be done to my father, but there is no choice. If I want to carry on with my life, facts have to be implanted in his brain.

I watch as Juan work his magic. I make some suggestions as to some points that should be placed there, then listened carefully to what he said next. “You will tell Detective Payne that Noah faked how ill he was and took off on his own accord, because he didn’t want any fuss. He was ashamed of his illness and didn’t want to burden anyone with it.”

Just as Juan finishes his sentence, an intense feeling of fear sweeps through me, which confuses the hell out of me because it doesn't come from Juan, so I ask if he felt it. Something doesn’t feel right as Juan carries on and then her voice enters my head as she shouts out my name. It is the first time we have connected this way and it jostles me into action so I use my speed to get to her.

My mind goes completely blank as I watch what Jacob is about to do to Peppa. Hot rage explodes from me like a time bomb and I want to destroy and kill. I rugby tackle Jacob so his slimy hands are no longer able to touch Peppa. With my hand tightly gripping his neck, crushing his windpipe, I hold him against the wall. I let him know he should have died the first time he crossed me and then I tell Peppa I’m going to finish this. The word KILL flashes in my mind and I strike like a viper and sink my fangs into his flesh. I hear his screams, but I don’t fucking care. I can taste the evilness that lies within him, which almost causes me to gag but I have one purpose and I intend to see it out.

The next thing I know, I’m entrapped in Juan’s arms, but I don’t let that stop me. I struggle like a crazed man trying to break free, but I soon realize that the only crazed man in the room is Jacob, as he sprouts words I don’t even care to hear. He starts talking about a woman who hates Juan and I ask the twat what he is talking about. I will never forget his sneer or laugh for as long as I live as he lies through his rotten mouth, claiming my mother is involved in destroying Viper.

That’s when my rage hits me again and I see red, but Juan won’t let me go. The man I should be fighting has his hands on Peppa again, because of my foolishness. Jacob threatens Peppa’s life and I’m not standing around waiting for Juan to talk him down. Anger and hate spur me on and once again, I have Jacob in my grasp and this time he won’t scream for long. I disappeared somewhere in my head and faces of all the people I have known in my life flash in front of my mind’s eye. My mother stands in front of me and snakes crawl up her legs and twist themselves around her body while she laughs. Voices from conversations can be heard next, the main one repeating, ‘It has to be someone close to Noah.’ I know then and it hurts like a bitch that my mother is the culprit. Then Peppa’s face comes to me and I can hear Juan’s voice, ‘Think of Peppa, fight it, I can’t lose you.’ I register Juan’s weight on top of me and that Jacob has no heartbeat and I’m struck with the fact that I have just murdered someone in cold blood.

Peppa’s cries somehow bring me back into focus, I know she needs me. All three of us lie on the ground together, each of us in our own torment. Everything changes when Saul and Cruz turn up. I’m blamed for putting the Vampire race in danger and Peppa is taken away from me. I crawl inside myself but hear everything that is being said. I need to know that Peppa is ok but Jacob’s dead body needed to be addressed first. I can’t feel any guilt at killing Jacob. I would do it again and again if it meant he couldn’t hurt Peppa and I make sure everyone in that room knew that. But I can feel guilt over the fact of what Peppa has been through and was in the vicinity when I took a life. I feel very selfish for asking Juan what I did next, but I can’t let go of the hurt that it causes me.

After Juan explains to Cruz about my mother, I know then that he believed it to be true. That bruises my ego a bit because I am still having doubts. This is my mother and I didn’t want to believe she is capable of such things. Saul is the sensible one out of the lot of us and quickly lets us know some of what needs to be done. My eyes rest on Jacob’s body and I voice the question that my mind brings forth. Juan answers it and then I take him to my family home.

I’m forced to put up with my sister and father for about a minute, and then the woman who I’m here for, shows her face. I have never seen my mother show hate before, but her face contorts with it as she aims her venomous words at Juan. I get her attention and when she is in my arms, she continues her attack on Juan. I whisper in her ear, “I know it was you who cancelled the gigs.” I actually told myself all the way there that it can’t be her, but I know she will never admit to it so I wait for her reaction and then I have my answer.

Once we are inside the snug where my parents go to have their evening drink, I simply ask her turned back, “Why?”

She slowly turns around and takes a large gulp of her drink and says, “I have no idea what you are talking about, Noah. You know your father told me why you disappeared. You really should have come and talked to me. I have suffered from depression for years.”

I shake my head, knowing she is going to be difficult and the only way I can get the truth from her is to catch her out with a lie, “An anonymous letter was sent to my house Mother, claiming your involvement and there was a taped message you sent to one of the venues. So, I will ask you again, why?”

She didn’t hesitate in answering me, “Because of you son. Lara told me you are in relations with him as well as Peppa. I won’t stand by and watch that thing out there take your happiness away from you being in a normal relationship. Let him have Peppa, you can find a nice young lady to settle down with. You are not gay. That thing out there is leading you astray.”

My jaw drops but she doesn’t stop there, “I despise him and what he stands for. He is taking you away from me Noah. Can you not see how much pain I’m in because of him? He deserves to hurt as much as I do.”

She seems unhinged in her reasoning and I stride over to her and rest my hand on her arm, “I love him mum and Peppa too.”

She shakes her arm and my hand falls away, I’m left astonished by her next words. “Love? What do you know about love? You give your life to a man and agree to his sexual needs. The thrill of a threesome sounds promising, especially when two people are filling your fantasies, but then you start to notice you get left out more. Then the betrayal starts, the other two meet up in secret and you catch them at it. To then be told it’s over, it will never happen again. Can you not see Noah? I don’t want you to go through what I did.”

And there it is, the reason why. I’m left speechless but in a weird way. I sort of understand why and feel sad for her, she wanted to protect me. But I know that my relationship is different from what she had experienced and she has no right to interfere with that. “I’m sorry my father did that to you, but can you not see what you have done is wrong? You could have destroyed my livelihood.”

She laughs, “Good. Then that bastard won’t be around to take you away from me.”

I'm not sure where my mother is at mentally, but something is wrong here. “Mother please listen, I’m different from dad. I don’t put Juan first or Peppa, our relationship is equal. I love them both and they are who I want to be with.”

She stares at me blankly, “Noah, a woman should be with one man and one man only. If you continue in the direction you are going, you will need to make a decision. I will never accept your relationship, so it’s either me or them.”

I shake my head dumfounded, she has no idea what she has just asked me. I have no choice and her making me do this cuts me to the core. Tears stream down my face as I lose all respect for my mother and give her the only answer I can, “I’m sorry, I will always choose Juan and Peppa.” I then call for Juan as there is nothing left to be said and sorrow pours from me as he uses his mind control on her.

Once again, I hide within myself, but watch and listen to what is going on around me. I’m not feeling anything, just taking it in. Juan kisses me goodbye and Cruz disappears. I’m left with Saul to clean up blood and bits of brain and bone that belong to Jacob. I work away, detached from the situation. If I think too hard on it, I will start to feel some remorse for Jacob and frankly he didn’t deserve it. Saul wants the place spotless so we cover the area ten times over to make sure no evidence is left. Cruz makes an appearance and Saul tells him to write a note for Lara and he asks if women leave kisses on the end of notes.

Saul suddenly lets out a string of curse words as he stares at his phone. He starts pacing with the phone attached to his ear, “Fuck, why didn’t I see this. Fuck, fuck.”

With concern in my voice, I ask him, “Is it Juan?”

He nods his head yes, “With everything that has happened with Peppa, I think tonight has made everything a whole lot fucking worse. Hang on while I text him to find out where he is.” He peers back up at me, “If I know my brother, watching you drain the life from Jacob has pushed him over the edge. I’m scared Noah, if this is true, he will have retreated back to the past, to when I let the blood lust take control and I killed human after human. I think he wants to meet the sun.” I don’t have time to react as his phone beeps, “Come on, I know where he is, but please let me do the talking Noah.”

When we get to the top of the hill I break down at the sight of him and run over to hold him to give him some comfort. As he talks away with Saul I want to tell him, “My blood lust is under control. I don’t feel the need to kill anymore. I only killed Jacob because he was hurting Peppa,” but I remained quiet. The more he talks the more my anger wants to burst free and I push away from him before I say or do something I shouldn’t.

I have found something out about each of my parents tonight, but I didn’t expect to hear that my sister is Cruz’s Entwined. I really didn’t have time to process that, but he is warned.

Juan actually goes there next, saying we will get over him. He is lucky I didn’t punch his damn lights out. I let out my anger with words and I want him to understand that we will be nothing without him. I lose my temper and he loses his. I can see what I'm saying isn’t helping him so I make a decision. I hope he will see that my love for him is enough to bring him back, but in truth, it is because I'm a stubborn bastard and I also hope with me saying I will meet the sun with him, he will see I am worth staying alive for.

I see a flash of something cross his face when I tell him leaving will kill Peppa. He remains silent and I let him, because I know he is thinking of her. Peppa arrives next. I knew she was on her way as I heard Saul on the phone, and her emotions affect mine as she steps out of the car. I let mine flow then too. Juan needed to sense them so he knows what this is doing to us and that our love is worth staying for.

Peppa is our last chance, I know that and she does too. Listening to them both talk is heart-breaking and in my head I beg Juan to listen to her. In those moments, I see how strong Peppa really is and when she says she doesn't blame me for killing Jacob, I swear my dead heart beats as my love for her only grows more. It is when Peppa asks Juan why we saved her tonight that a plan comes to mind, but Peppa ends up attacking him. I'm frantic that things have turned for the worse.

I don’t have anything to lose then, so I use a bit of reverse psychology: I pretend that I don’t care, but offer him a future. Then I do something that I never thought I would, I walk away. I sit in the car and wait. My head falls in between my hands. A grief rockets through me, that I can only describe as the feeling you feel when someone dies and I weep for what I think I’m going to lose.

Jade taps me on the shoulder, “Noah, look out of the window, he has chosen to stay.”

My head snaps up and I see my lovers kissing and I feel relief as Peppa kisses him back. She managed to bring him back and I owe her everything for that. I vow, then and there, to love these two people more than life itself. I will do everything in my power to show them that our threesome will work and no one will ever be left out. Peppa gets into the car and I hold her tightly to me. When Juan gets in, our eyes meet and I mouth, ‘I love you.’ Tears burst from his eyes as he pulls us both into his arms. A lot of concerns are explained in the drive back to Jade’s and we all know a lot more was to come.

When we finally make it to bed, I couldn’t be happier or more content. Tonight has proven how strong our love is. I let them sense that love through our connection and Peppa certainly feels it through my erection that I press against her ass. Dawn is here and I'm delighted that I am falling asleep again in Peppa’s arms and the last thing I remember is asking her to marry me.

Chapter 21 (PEPPA)

Waking up to feeling not only one hard on pressing into me, but two, is the best feeling in the world. Of course, I can’t do anything with them as neither of the men they are attached to are awake, but I didn’t see anything wrong with having a quick squeeze. As my mind quickly catches up with me, I replay everything that happened from last night again. I remove limbs from my body and sit up taking a few deep breaths to calm myself. My eyes take in the fine beautiful frames of my men and I trace each of their features with my fingers. We all suffered in some way last night, but we have come out the other side alive. Does that make us stronger? I have no idea, only time will tell. I know I will have nightmares about last night for a while to come, but I have these two men to see me through them. I would have a battle within myself, but I need to move on and enjoy my life again. This meant letting go and not focusing on the bad.