A Very Clever Boy

The cool breeze coming in from an open window flowed over their exposed sweaty skin. They writhed to the rhythm of the crickets and tree frogs that called the forest their home. Clever’s hands kept a firm grip on the woman’s hips as he service her. Her smell and taste we sweet and urged his primal instincts on as he worked. The woman’s nails dug furrows into the flesh of his back and she gasped with in time with his tongue. Her back started to arch and she began to pull away, looking for relief. He grasped her thighs so hard he was sure they would leave bruises, but the girl didn’t seem to mind. She liked to be controlled and Clever liked to oblige her. He pulled her in closer to allow a deeper touch and one of her hands flew to his hair, intertwining her fingers in his locks. The pain of her scratched and of the way she pulled his hair only served to push him farther into primitive lust. Her legs wrapped around the back of his neck, her no longer trying to get away, and he felt her body begin to tremble.

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” she chanted as he worked and he could feel his own sex throbbing with anticipation for what would come next. His skin felt warm and flush despite the cool night air that chilled his sweat and he knew he could resist only a little bit longer. 

“Yes! right there!” The girl began to sit up and her crimson hair fell like silk down around her freckled shoulders”

“Yes darling!” she called out in ecstasy “yes...CLEVER!”

Clever woke up suddenly in a panic. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he tried to catch his breath. He was in a cold sweat and his realized he had been grasping the sheets in tense fist. The covers had been torn slightly in his grasp. He frantically looked around to try and figure out where he was. He was in the bedroom he had taken in the cabin. He hung his head as he tried to catch his breath. He gritted his teeth and tried to control the pain that was beginning to fill his heart. Suddenly he lashed out and struck the wall behind the bed. Tiny cracks formed in the wood that made up the cabins walls representing the tension he had just released. He put his head in his hands and tried to clear his head. He had been having those dreams for weeks and despite their pleasant appearance they caused him nothing but pain. She was gone and he was going to have to accept that. Truth was, he had been able to keep her off his mind with his work, it was only in sleep that he couldn’t escape those invasive thoughts. He remembered there was a time when he had wished nothing more than to be able to dream. Now he wished they’d go away. 

He got out of bed and walked over to a mirror that hung on his wall. His hair had grown to just about shoulder length and he now sported a full beard. He would have to shave it soon unless he wanted to look like a lumberjack, but he had found he didn’t have to energy to care lately. His eyes trailed down the the letter ‘M’ that scarred his chest and sighed. Mad was something he’d have to deal with sooner or later, but for now he needed a distraction. He noticed a newspaper laying on the dresser under the mirror and picked it up. The headline read “Hidden Valley Burning”. He read on: ‘Three college aged men were found dead in the ruins of their Hidden Valley home late last night. Police say the trio were the victims of foul play and had been burned postmortem. Witnesses called police after the house was seen ablaze from a neighbors bedroom window. Police believe these murders are related to a recent string of murder-arson cases that have been sweeping the area. It is now believed the murders are the work of two individuals after an anonymous tip was given to police. Hidden Valley residences are afraid they may have a serial killer duo on their hands...’. Clever stopped reading and put down the paper.

“ There was a witness, guess we got a little cocky. eh?” said a voice from behind him. Clever turned and saw Ned leaning against his door frame. When Ned saw his face his eyebrows raised. “You look awful, mate...” He glanced over to where Clever had damaged the wall “been dreaming about her again?”. Clever said nothing but nodded. Living with Ned had been easier that he had thought it would be. As long as they regularly went out to sate his bloodlust and pyromania, he let Clever be for the most part. Clever felt like it was becoming more and more obvious that he needed the killings as well. He needed a release, he needed to destroy. “She is gone, mate, you should stop getting all worked up over someone who has forgotten you! I mean she hasn’t even come looking for you!” the words hurt Clever and he snapped back “She doesn’t even know where I am, Ned, Besides I do not wish for her to find me, you know as much”

Ned laughed hard at his own joke. “y-You get it!? because all of this fucking ice?!” He doubled over and held his stomach. Clever felt disturbed at this man, but it did not seem as if he meant him any harm. Then he realized something.

“How did you know my name, Ned?” Ned stopped laughing and grinned up at Clever again. “That frosty bitch hasn’t stopped talking about you since she put you here, it was pretty annoying if I am being honest...but!...” He gestured at his own wrist. “Now you can escape like me! Boy, that’ll piss her off!” Clever looked at his wrist and saw that while they were indeed bleeding the ice was not melting much at all. “Actually I do not believe I will bleed long enough to melt this ice, I heal rather quickly” Ned put his hands on his hips and stared at Clever’s arms. Then his eyes got wide and a huge smile stretched across his face. He snapped his fingers. “I have an idea!”

He started to fish around into his pockets and found a flask of something. He went over to one of the ice pillars and began to pour it’s contents on Clevers arm. The distinct smell of kerosene invaded Clever’s nostrils. Clever felt his back stiffen as he realized Ned’s plan. Ned pulled out a lighter and flicked it open. a small orange flame dance in the slight breeze. “Now if I were a doctor...” Ned began “I would tell you that this wouldn’t hurt a bit.” The black haired man walked over to one of Clevers arms “but I ain’t now doctor” Ned laughed as he held the flame to Clevers fuel soaked arms. The explosion of pain was instant and Clever found himself screaming. Ned’s manic laughter rand loudly in Clevers ears and he began to struggle violently to get away from his all. After what seemed like eons, Clevers felt the ice give and his hand snapped free. He dropped down and pushed the sizzling flesh into the icy flour. The floors steamed furiously and after a bit the flames were out. Clever was sure these burns would be severe and was positive they would scar despite his healing factor. He looked over to his still trapped hand and a surge of anger entered him.

He reared back with he free hand and punched the ice with ll his might. The structure shattered and he found himself on his knees. The fatigue of unreal and he was worried it would be hours before his could stand. Ned wrapped his burned arm around his shoulders and lifted Clever to his feet. “Nice punch, mate! remind me to bet on you if you ever take up boxing” He led Clever over to a wall and had him lean against it. He then ran over to a chest Clever couldn’t see before and kicked it open. He rummaged around for a bit and then ran over to Clever when he found what he was looking for. He handed Clever his mask and hunting knife. He also held a battered backpack which he unzipped and started to look into. He pulled out a bundle of black cloth and handed it to Clever. “Your figure is starting to make me jealous, my friend, why don’t you show some modesty.” He said jokingly. Clever unfolded the cloth which turned out to be a t-shirt with the logo for some band called “Disturbed” on it. Clever stripped out of his destroyed top and slipped into his borrowed garment.

Ned clapped his hands and then turned to the wall. “Now we have to get the hell out of here, got anywhere to stay? any friends you can call?” Clever looked down at his mask and suddenly felt like crying. “No” He said gravely “I have disappointed those who loved me for the last time and now that Mab may be looking for me...I can’t risk it...I can’t go home” Ned looked confused and cocked his head to one side making his neck pop loudly, Clever noticed his head hung at an odd angle. “Then what are you going to do?” Clever thought about it and made up his mind. He tied his mask on and looked back at Ned. “What I have always done. I tried to be friendly and I tried to be normal, but normal is for humans...I cannot change what I am...once a monster, always a monster” With that he punched the icy wall. Hitting it with all the pain and anger he had felt for years. The wall gave and the outside world was bright beyond the prison.

Cold.

It was so cold.

Clever blinked his eyes in an attempt to fight the blurriness that clouded them. He felt groggy and as we woke up a bit more, he found he did not know where he was. The room was very bright and after a quick look around, it seemed to be made of ice. He was standing and his shoulders ached like mad. He realized his arms were out stretched beside him and he looked over to see why. Two stalagmites of ice shot up from the ground and encased his wrist. He looked down and saw that he was very disheveled and his white dress shirt was torn and stained with blood. He flexed his arm against his restraints and was immediately met with a burning pain in his forearms. He stifled a scream and looked more closely at the spikes of ice. He notices that in the hand holes a bar of ice pierced his wrist between the bones of his arm. He now noticed a steam of blood steaming off the ice around his flesh. He tried to pull free again, using more strength this time, but the ice didn’t give.

He heard a sound to his side and glanced over to find another man was in a similar position as he. The man was wearing a black band shirt and ripped up jeans. His long black hair shielded his face, but his frame appeared to be shaking. Clever figured the man had fallen into fits of panic and he felt pity for the man. Clever was about to speak up to the man when he heard the sudden sound of a door being opened. in the far end of the room, a tall elegant woman glided over to him. Her eyes were a glacier blue and she wore a dress covered in little diamonds that sparkled as she walked. She was gorgeous, but she was gorgeous in the same way a tiger is gorgeous. That predatory beauty that you only want to witness from afar. She walked right up to Clever and grasped his chin in her hand. Her skin felt cool, but no where near as cold as it should have been in this room. She smiled and stared into his eyes.

“Well Well, you finally awake.” Her voice held that power of an avalanche despite its initial sing song quality. Clever was immediately unnerved by it. She seemed to recognize this in his eyes and she purred. “I am Mab, Fairy Queen of the Winter Court  and this...” She motioned gracefully with one hand “Is my trophy room” She leaned in close, her hand still grasping his chin. Despite her delicate touch, Clever could feel the iron-like strength in he fingers. “and you, my little killer, are MINE” She practically growled the last word and Clever felt a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold run down his spine. 

Then she pulled his head forward and kissed him hard. Clever’s eyes went wide and he reflectively tried to push her away, resulting in another shock of pain in his wrist. He let out a muffled scream and Mab’s kiss turned into a smile. She pulled away and licked her lips “Your fear and your pain is delicious my pet”. She let his head drop and ran a perfectly manicured finger down his chest. “Keep trying to escape, my pet, I love it when my toys struggle. However, just so you never forget who you belong to...” She ripped open his shirt and raked her nails lightly on his bare chest, tracing his various scars idly. “I’ll give you something to remember me by.” Suddenly she dug three of her nails down his flesh. The pain was like icicles tearing into his flesh and his blood felt hot as it welled up from the wounds.Clever screamed. She then connected the top of the two outer lines to the bottom of the middle one to form an ‘M’. “There...” she purred lustfully “...now you will remember me...ALWAYS”. 

With that she turned and left as quickly as she came. Leaving him there to bleed. Clever expected the wound to close quickly as they normally did, but this one continued to bleed. If Mab was a queen of the Fae, there may be some fairy magic at work. He heard a noise next to him and realized it was the man beside him. At first he thought they were sobs, but he quickly realized it was laughter. The man was writhing more violently now and Clever could now see that the blood covered restraints around the mans hands were melting. The heat of the blood eroding them away slowly. The mans laughter became more hectic and until he finally yanked free of the ice and fell to his knees on the floor. He slowly raised his head and Clever gasped. The man was pale and his smile was wide and crazed. There was a scar that wrapped around his neck and a noose that he was wearing as a necklace. The most striking feature was his eyes. They were black and dripped some sort of black ichor. He grinned at Clever and got to his feet. ignoring his bleeding wrist.