Feeding the Monster Within (Trigger Warning) (DigitalSiren x Staine)

[Bunny]

Scarlett had been just a babe of three when her mother died. Saying died is far kinder than what truly happened. Her mother had been brutally murdered by a man whose attraction had hit fanatical. Crime of passion it would be said later. Yes he had stalked her, raped her cut her up into pieces, but she had lead him to it he claimed. She had not been his only victim and wouldn't be his last before he was caught. It was the same with all of the women he murdered. They teased him, tormented him. There had never been any real proof, a single mother of two, hard working after her husbands death doing everything she could to keep food on the table, even dancing at a strip club.

Scarlett had been placed in a cupboard as he had broken in, told to be a good girl... be quiet. It was a game.. Too young to understand the fear in her mother's voice she had been excited to be included in the game. So, from her hidy hole she had watched it all happen, had done her best to not cry even as her mommy began to scream. Not even when the screaming had stopped. She had stayed in her hole, crying softy even after the man had left. Why wasn't mommy moving. Was the game over? Mommy? She had crawled out of the cupboard and onto the bed with great difficultly. She didn't understand. Curling up with her mother's cooling body she had waited. Mommy would wake up soon. But soon never came. Dark started to fall and she was hungry... she started wailing and hour before dusk and didn't stop until her brother found her.

Ivan, her brother had been at work when the incident occurred, but he had come home to the door of their home, in a bad neighborhood busted. The shrill cries of a toddler sounding in the dark. Dark had been better, for when he turned on the light the horror that endured all day was lit up under florescent lighting. Blood everywhere, their mother's body across the bed cut up to the point it was hard to tell who it was anymore. His baby sister had been covered in blood, clinging to their mother's body.


Scarlett had always been in and out of trouble. At school she was always in the principle office. It had started small. Pinching and biting other children. Hair pulling. Accidents on the playground. But after time, the accidents and little incidents couldn't really be explained away easily and they would move. She always seemed contrite.. but when the questions became a little too much they moved. They had moved every few year since she was a child. Eighteen now, they had been in this town for about a year. There had been small occurrences, but nothing too big. But that was because Scarlett had plans...

The night was chilly as she and Ryland were walking through the misty night air back to her place. Ryland was the star football player of the college varsity team. He was a golden boy. He could do no wrong. Oh, that wasn't to say he wasn't accused of rape, well.. rapes.. But he would never do that! His word against theirs. He said they had wanted it.. It was quite the hush hush secret.. But Scarlett knew what he was. He was a predator. He liked to prey on women and she happened to fit the bill. Scarlett was small, delicate, blonde and young. Oh, Ryland liked raping girls just of age.. So she had lied a little. What was a lie between monsters anyway? Up until now all her.. accidents had filled that need within her.. But she finally felt ready to take on something bigger. Something more like her.

She gave him a shy smile as she unlocked the door to their home. It was modest, at the end of a long road with the next house a fair distance away. Giggling she flashed him a smile. Gods, people were stupid. She knew he expected her to be zonking out soon. He had plied her with drinks at the party, spiking the last one. She had drank none finding a way to spill or lose them or magically drain them while he wasn't looking. Small slights of hand. Much like how she had switched their drinks. As if on queue he swayed. "Oh, silly.. lets go upstairs" She helped him mount the stairs and managed to just get him to her room, dumping him on the bed. When he had woken he had been naked and tied down quite securely. The floor, the bed, the walls.. Every surface had been covered in painters plastic. Her room had been sparse to begin with and looked down right sterile when he came to. "You've been quite the monster. You always thought you were the biggest.. baddest thing here. Raping girls and getting away scott free all because you could throw a ball" She slashed down his arm with a knife, the scream he made causing her eyes to go dreamy "But that's all about to change.. There is a new monster.." a sadist smile curled on her lips. "Lets play Ryland"


Her room was covered in blood. Splashes of it like a Jackson Pollock painting done in vermilion. Her dress which had once been nice had fared no better, nor had she. Bright blood was in her soft blonde hair, splashed across her cheek. She sighed softly spinning around. The fun had lasted hours... He had begged, cried, screamed. None of it had mattered. He was dead now, cooling in one of the plastic sheets, wrapped like a little sausage. She had to get to work however. Ivan would be home soon from his night shift.

Ivan.. He was the only thing she loved. He was her brother, her guardian, her father figure. He had cared for her after her mother's death. Had always made excuses for her, protected her. Scarlett knew that he had some idea.. He was not a stupid man, but he was blinded by love for his baby sister. Blinded by the horror she had lived through. He knew, deep down. She knew this, used the knowledge to her advantage. She would never harm him.. no.. manipulate him, use him.. yes.. But he would never end up like Ryland. Ivan was a good man. He would never give that final gift to satiate her hunger.. Ryland was the first, but she knew.. there would be others. A door closed outside with a soft thud and she swore.. Well this would be interesting..

 

[Staine]

Ivan had no idea what his little sister had planned. Oh he knew that something was wrong with her, something had been ever since that one night, something terrifying was inside her, something evil. Maybe evil was the wrong word...he truly didn't think it was a case of good or evil. That fateful night their mother had been raped and killed in front of her and something inside her had broken...that had been evil, Scarlett was more...broken. Several times he had been called into her schools because somebody had gotten hurt, usually another child as she had been growing up and according to her it had always been an accident. The teachers or Ivan himself had never had any way to prove it wasn't either, she had played the part of remorseful girl well but he had seen what they hadn't. Maybe it was because she knew how much he loved her, how he adored his younger sister but she had often shifted in front of him once they had left the school, once they had talked to the principles and parents. It was like she didn't care that she had hurt them and slowly he started to realise she was doing it on purpose, he couldn't be sure, she never admitted it but he was around her enough to pick up on it. It happened far too frequently for it to be an accident every time. So they had moved town. Again and again...this was their sixth home now and things had been quiet for a while on that front but he was dreading it happening again. She was older now, eighteen...and he knew it was only a matter of time before somebody else got hurt. He just hoped it wasn't too serious when it did because no matter what, after everything they had been through together he loved her more than anything, he would do anything to stop her being taken from him. As much as she needed him...he needed her.

He was working late this week, leaving her to her own devices while he made the money they needed to live on. At first they had the life insurance money, their mother had been very well prepared after dad had died and made sure they were taken care of for a while but that had dwindled away, supported by the small income he had been able to get as an 18 year old doing part time jobs. A few years had been all it had took before he had to support them on his own and had taken service jobs in bars and nightclubs for the most part. Moving to a new town had always needed a different job but supporting just the two of them had been manageable and since he didn't need very much he had ever started to save money. He was a hard worker, he got glowing references when he moved towns and at the moment was working as a part time barkeeper for a local bar that was quite popular while he finished his last month of police training before he would be accepted onto the force. He really didn't want to move again and lose the position, it was always on his mind. Driving home, he felt good about it. He had made quite a bit in tips, he was polite, tall, handsome with his black hair in a ponytail sticking out about two inches behind his head, sharp masculine features and well toned, lean body all of which seemed to make him quite popular with men and women alike alongside a generally cheery disposition. it was a good night and he was feeling happy with leaving a little early, trusting Geoff to close for him. It was the early hours of the morning, maybe 2:30 when he pulled up home. Everything was quiet, as it should be except one of the lights was on. Strange...he knew she preferred the night to the day but at this time even Scarlett should be in bed. Sighing, knowing he would have to have that talk with her he opened the door. "Scarlett? Are you still up? Why aren't you asleep yet?" There was a strange smell in the air, and he started up the stairs dreading what he might find, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He braced himself.

He didn't brace himself enough.

The smell hit him first, iron in the air, he remembered it well from when he had walked in to find her holding their dead mother. There was plastic sheeting up everywhere, covering the walls and the furniture, all of her possessions kept safe from the...blood. Oh the blood...he didn't know how there was so much of it everywhere, what had happened exactly except for one thing...none of this was hers. His darling little sister was standing in the middle of the room not even trying to hide from him or hide what she had done, her light green and blue dress was splattered with more blood. It was in her hair, on her face, on the walls that were thankfully protected by the plastic. She looked innocently at him, maybe a little guilt mixed in as he stood there eyes wide, taking in the scene. At her feet was a body...he assumed it was a body, it was covered in layers of plastic and he could only see more red inside, the liquid pooling against the sheeting with nowhere else to go. "Scarlett what have you...who..." He couldn't form the words, he felt sick. He retched, dropping his bag and running for the bathroom and collapsing over the toilet bowl, his lunch evacuating the situation. Sensible chicken, no doubt, any normal person would want to get out of there too. He was there for at least ten minutes, occasionally throwing up while he tried to think of what could have happened but there was no getting around this one...she had done this. He had known something would happen, he'd never dreamed anything quite like this but he wasn't that oblivious to who she was. He reached for his phone, unlocking it. He could turn her in, he could dial 911 and it would be heartbreaking but people would be safe from her, from whatever she had done. He even pressed the first number before he closed the phone, tears in his eyes. He couldn't, he just...couldn't. Whatever she had done, whoever she had killed he couldn't turn her in, he had looked after her all these years, just like he was the only one there for her she had been the only one there for him...however broken she was didn't matter, he was her brother, her Ivan. He sighed, then sobbed. He could hear her coming, the footsteps. He dropped the phone on the floor and turned towards the door. "Scarlett what have you done? I...I don't know how to fix this, you've killed somebody...the blood...they're gonna take you from me, you'll be alone, I'll be alone..."

 

[Bunny]

Scarlett had known there was no hiding what she had done. She felt no guild about the cooling sausage at her feet. He had been a monster, she was simply the bigger monster of the two. She did feel bad about the fact Ivan was about to see what she had done. He loved her, supported her.. Knew something inside was broken but didn't let it affect how he treated her. This would hurt him..

She had heard his voice before the door of her room swung open. She stayed still, just in front of her bed, her face was mostly blank though her eyes held sadness, guilt even. She gave him time, not knowing how he'd react. Even as he questioned her, she could see him turn green at the gills. She watched as he fled from the room, the scene and frowned. He was home early.. A little annoyed at that. Had he come home normal time, she had cleaned up her room, herself. Gotten rid of the body in the morning while he had slept. That had been the part that she had needed more time for, unsure of that final step, though.. she had some ideas.

Shaking her head she headed to the doorway of her bedroom. Carefully she undressed down to her panties and bra, leaving her clothing on top of her shoes. Her blond hair was pulled back tightly. She didn't want to transfer his blood, his DNA into her house. Padding quietly across the carpet she stood in the doorway, gazing down at him. "No, I wouldn't. I would be sent to a hospital or a jail. But I'd not be alone." her voice was soft even if her words were blunt. "You'd be the one alone, Ivan" Scarlett crossed the short distance and picked up a hand towel beginning to clean the blood off herself before offering him an apology "You came home early.." That was all she said for a little bit as she methodically cleaned her body off. Finally clean as she could be with a hand towel and water she crouched near him. "But you're right, if I am caught, they will take me." She reached out to touch his face, her hand dropping as he flinched, sorrow in her eyes tangible. She understood though and didn't hold it against him.

"As to what I have done, I showed a monster of a human being, that there are other monsters in this world." Her words were cold distant "I showed him that he wasn't the biggest baddest thing in this town. That monsters could come in all sizes." She understood what she was, but she felt no remorse, no guilt. At least until she looked back up at him. "I didn't want you to see this. I am sorry Ivan. Please don't hate me" She rose from her crouch and started to leave, looking over her shoulder at him. Still sad she spoke. "You can call the police if you feel like you need to.. I'd understand... I will not hate you for it. Though I don't know why you'd want to break our family up. I will clean my mess up now, if that's okay? I wouldn't want you to help anyway... I never wanted you to see me like this.."

 

[Staine]

As she approached he could still see the blood on her...she had removed her dress probably because it had been soaked in the stuff but he could still see her there in his mind's eye, in the middle of the room and covered in it. He shivered...knowing there was something monstrous inside her was one thing but seeing that...it brought it into sharp focus in a way he hadn't thought he would ever have to see. Even so he felt a pang of pain as she spoke to him so matter of factly, that she wouldn't be alone, he would. His eyes held the turmoil within, the deep green reflecting his fear of being without her, his fear of her, his pain. He made a pained noise somewhere between a whimper and a whine as she agreed they would take her from him. It wasn't like it was in any doubt but he couldn't lose her, he had done his best to take care of her ever since that night, was this how it all ended? "Not alone...but we would be apart. We've always been together, I practically raised you, Scarlett..."

She reached for him and he flinched, regretting it as her hand fell away and he saw actual emotion in her eyes. He knew she could feel, he had seen it before, he saw it now. Whatever she was, his sister loved him...she started to speak and he couldn't do anything but listen to her talk about the boy like he was a monster too. He didn't even know him, who he was, who he had been before she had brought him here. How had she gotten him into her room, overpowered him? Did Ivan even want to know these things? "Who...who was he? The boy?" His tone was hushed, his voice quiet like he was trying to fight the urge to break down again, which he was, even as tears were still rolling down his cheeks fresh ones were forming. He sobbed as she told him she understood if he called the police. He looked back down at the phone as her next words hit him like a truck. "I wouldn't, I couldn't!" His tone raised just for a moment as he looked up at her as she was walking towards the bathroom door.

"Scarlett...Lettie, please...don't go. Tell me about him, about why...I don't want to call the police but I need to understand what happened, I need you to explain it." He looked towards her eyes desperately looking for any signs that she cared at all what she had done, for more signs that she cared about him enough to help him through this. "Come here...let me hold my little sister while I try to think what w...what I need to do...don't go back in there with...with...it." His expression was still a pained one but he needed something from her. He needed hope...hope that they could maybe contain this, that it wouldn't happen again, that he could maybe hold on to his sister. Even now, somehow, he didn't even consider she would attack him or hurt him. It didn't seem possible but then again none of this did...

 

[Bunny]

Pausing in the door way she looked over her shoulder at him, tears in her eyes. She did love him, with her whole heart. Honestly Ivan was the only person or creature for that matter that Scarlett loved. Some part of her knew that it was abnormal to only care for one person, or to have little to no feeling for other things. However, she was what she was. Hesitating in the doorway, she turned back towards him and crossed the small distance slowly. She nodded and slowly lowered to the floor beside him. She was afraid even with his request he might still fear or be disgusted by her touch.

It took courage and faith that he wouldn't pull away again. He had asked her, but that fear couldn't be helped. She scooted closer to him, and slipped her hand into his her head resting on his shoulder. Scarlett took care to keep the blood drying in her hair away from him, her cheek on his shoulder. She closed her eyes and gave a small sigh, tears leaking from the corner of her eyes. Relief, shame mingling. She had not wanted him to see her this way, his views the only ones that mattered to her.

Silent for a minute as she snuggled into his said she finally opened her eyes and gave a small sniffle. "He was that quarterback from the college.. The one that has been in and out of the station. Ryland." Her voice was soft, whispering. "He has been accused a fair few times of raping girls." She squeezed his hand softly "The police consistently did a poor job at investigating, evidence was mishandled or lost it. The girls told me they didn't seem to listen to them either. Once is unforgivable enough, but it's been consistent. He was a huge star and I feel like it was being covered up to protect him." She knew what he would need to hear and while she loved her big brother with her whole heart she was not above lying to him, manipulating him. "Those girls are damaged because of him. Branded liars. Their lives and reputation in ruins. Some of them go to my school.. They are shells of who they used to be.. " Her voice shook a little and she hid her face against his shoulder. "I.. I know I am broken Ivan." Her words whispered "They are now broken too.. I can't fix myself.. I can't completely fix those girls.. But I can help avenge them in a system that has failed them. Help make.. them a little whole. I could make the boy who hurt them pay." Her voice broke a little, the next words of a little girl, small and trembling. "Unlike mommys killer..." Trailing off the words stuck in her throat she gave a small whimper.

She shook her head a little, her forehead rolling against his arm. "I know it's wrong." sniffling she looked up to him, her eyes teary "But not all people are like you.. For many reasons. Corruption, peer pressure. You'd have helped those girls find justice, but.. I am not you. I did it in my own way.. No one.. should be broken like me" Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes down her cheeks. "Please don't hate me" Her face, her words all of it was sorrow filled, pain filled. She was scared he'd turn on her.. turn her in. She knew what he was training to be, knew... She was asking so much from him.

 

[Staine]

Ivan didn't flinch this time, he actually slipped his arm around her, hand resting on her far shoulder and pulling her into him for his own comfort and for hers. He had seen the tears in her eyes and that itself was a rarity...he didn't think he had seen her cry in several years and he didn't know whether the tears were for him or the thought of her going to prison. He couldn't figure her out at all sometimes, that was part of the problem and his police training taught him a little of psycopaths and sociopaths...he didn't know where she fit in with them but it had to be something along those lines. It had to have been what she had gone through as a child that had made her this way...could he really turn her in, the only person he really loved and connected with for something that ultimately wasn't her fault?

He listened. It didn't make it okay but it made it...better. He knew the kid, he had seen him once as he was being questioned with an arrogant smirk on his face like he was untouchable. Turns out he wasn't. Her tone was soft, her voice shook as she spoke and he couldn't tell if she was manipulating him or not. Her feelings towards him seemed real, he thought they were real, he didn't feel threatened by her but...were they? He looked down at her as she whimpered, clearly remembering what had happened to their mother. "Scarlett...I couldn't hate you, I could never hate you..." That much was true. He lifted his hand to her hair, the blood was still there but he avoided it as he stroked his fingers through it gently. "But I think you're lying to me, or holding back. We all have feelings like that, of wanting to help people but we don't do...this. There was so much blood..." He closed his eyes to try and block out the image of it. His voice was strained, trying to keep it even, to keep his horror out of it. Even now he didn't want her feeling bad.

"If it had just been about revenge you could have shot him or stabbed him...I don't know, something quick. The room is covered in it, and the way you set it up...how did you get him there? This was planned...be honest with me, please." He was looking into her eyes now as he pleaded with her. "I don't know what to do...I don't want to take you in, to call, it's not your fault you're like this but...you can't lie to me. I'm your big brother, I love you no matter what so please don't lie or manipulate me...not me."

 

[Bunny]

She was surprised, it showed in her eyes for a moment before she nodded. She knew Ivan wasn't stupid, and the look wasn't because of what he said, it was more wary. She knew what he was asking for her to tell him. It was her darkest secret, that thing you never told because it was wrong or shameful. She closed her eyes before meeting his gaze again. She didn't know how to put this into words. "I.. Know that you suspect.. That I.." She took a deep breath. She was scared. Thinking you knew something versus knowing it as a fact was not the same thing. "Or knew..." She seemed lost, but didn't stop. "That I.. did things" She looked away from him, it was hard to face him. To see the potential look on his face.

"To others.. on.. on purpose" Still looking away she played with the edge of his shirt absently, trying to help keep the fear out, but failing. It was tangible in her voice. "I don't know why, but it's like an itch... I try to not. I know... it's bad.." And she did, she truly did know what she did was wrong. But like her skin being white, her eyes blue, her hair blonde.. it was just who she was. She did try to not.. even if she eventually crumbled and gave in. "I.. Know it's wrong..." Her eyes closed tightly as she said the next words "But I have to, it's something I need.. and.. I don't feel bad about it" She looked up realizing out it sounded and shook her head quickly. "No! I mean.. I don't.. feel about it. I guess.. I like it if I feel anything" Swearing she looked away. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. She knew how this sounded. Had she been having to tell anyone else this... She wouldn't care. It was who she was, but Ivan?

She rose suddenly, unable to sit still. Telling him this agitated her. She was so scared. "I'm scared Ivan.. That what I am telling you will make you hate me.. Or turn me in" Scarlett was very very aware of how broken she was. She decided the best solution was to rip the bandaid off. "It had always been enough to take the edge off. Hurting the others, but it hasn't been fixing it. I heard, from the girls about... him.. And the idea came to me. We were both monsters.. He prayed on girls smaller, weaker than him, like me." She knew her words sounded cold, but she needed to get this out as quickly as she could, her words spilling out of her like a waterfall, she barely took a breath. "I knew.. he'd not be able to resist.. So I planned to see who was the bigger monster.." She hugged herself tightly, facing the shower. "I.. won. He tried to roofie me. He was going to rape me. I switched the drinks. I had bought the supplies in case.. If I lost.. Well..." She shivered at the idea of that coward touching her. She hadn't thought about losing, but had she... He would have raped her. Touched her and that made her feel legitimately ill. She shook her head, falling quiet again.

She had told Ivan her darkest secret. Told him.. How broken she was. That she liked hurting people.

 

[Staine]

Ivan knew this was hard for her despite the usual ability she had to not care about how others felt about her. It was him, it had to be...she really did care about him. He hadn't doubted it much, but it was impossible not to a little. The way she was behaving...even she couldn't fake this, surely. He believed that at least. He listened and he nodded, he had known she had done it on purpose, maybe the school principles and teachers or even the victims hadn't but he had seen her after the fact, and had been there for all of them. He tried to keep his face straight as she continued. "Yeah, I guessed that...that you liked it. Do you like the pain, their fear, or is it just any kind of suffering?" The training to be a police officer was definitely helping him here, he was using the techniques of passive interrogation he had learned to ask the right questions and let her feel in control.

When she said she was scared after climbing to her feet he felt he had to do something. He reached towards her but then she started to talk. She was facing away from him as she told him about how hurting the others had taken the edge off her cravings but it had come to a head with this boy, she had seen somebody she could kill and taken the opportunity. And that he would have raped her...he made a soft noise of anger, not towards her but the thought of him touching her. He hadn't been so young, hadn't been there when the terrible things had happened to their mother, he hadn't been damaged like she had but he still had his own anger and that boy touching his baby sister, his Scarlett...he was glad he wasn't in the world anymore. He was still horrified by what she had done but...at least it hadn't been somebody innocent. The world would be a better place.

She was still facing away from him, her arms wrapped around herself like a shield to protect her from him, from Ivan. From his disapproval, he realised. He reached for her and this time didn't stop, a hand on either side of her waist and he pulled her backwards so she fell in his lap, then he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her so tightly he thought he might just break her. "It's okay...he didn't touch you, he won't touch any more girls ever again...but you can't...I know you can't help it but you can't just kill people, we need to find an outlet for you. Something to give you the release you need without getting you into trouble and when it gets too much maybe..." He couldn't believe what he was saying but this was her, it was Scarlett, his little sister. He could control this, he had looked after her all this time. "When it gets too much and the outlet isn't enough we can find somebody like him...a monster. We can control this, but you have to help me okay? You can't lie to me, or hide your feelings from me when you have them." He was crying now too, he realised, a tear rolling down his cheek and falling onto her shoulder. "I love you Lettie...I'll never hate you, I'll never abandon you."

 

[Bunny]

She was so scared. In her life, she couldn't recall ever being this terrified. She had never planned to murder anyone before Ryland, therefore she had never wondered about Ivan finding out how truly damaged she was. She had always suspected he knew on some level that she had hurt the others on purpose, but he had loved her unflinchingly. His previous question came back to her mind and she frowned at the shower. "I enjoy the pain, the fear.. all of it." If she was going to lift this curtain, she would tell him all of it.

Gasping as he pulled her backwards she ended up in his lap, eyes wide. She heard what he was saying but her mind refused to process it. He.. Understood her? Tears began to fall, slowly at first but the more he spoke the harder she cried. He'd help her, he'd protect her. Sobbing she buried her face in his hair. She had never considered telling anyone her secret, and when he had asked her to tell him the truth, in her heart of hearts she had expected him to be unable to handle it. She wouldn't have blamed him. Honestly. She was a monster... "I'm so sorry Ivan, I never meant to hurt you, or drag you into this. I love you so much. I was so scared..."

Scarlett knew.. that she was not worthy of someone like Ivan. A love.. Like his. It was unconditional. He loved her.. As she was. So, she told him. "I don't deserve you to love me like you do.." Her words were whispered. Sniffling she placed a kiss on his now very damp hair. "I.. I should take care of... " She trailed off and sniffled again. "You might wanna brush your teeth" She tried.. for some what playful. It wasn't the right time, she knew it, but she didn't want him to be sad anymore...

 

[Staine]

Ivan had nodded. It sounded like something he would expect from a sadist, he had met a few online in his conversations when he had been looking for kinky partners, never really finding any that met his needs. He had been looking for a more gentle Dominant to play with, perhaps to be owned by, the pain...yeah, that scared him so he had avoided trying to get close to those types other than morbid curiosity and fun conversations. The few suitable partners he had met, the very rare few, he had seen once or twice but nothing ever came of it. "I see...well we will need to find you an outlet for that like I said but we can talk about that another time." It sounded like she needed somebody like him but more into the pain, though she wouldn't get the fear as much. He thought on it while he held her and nodded, kissing her shoulder next, just offering her comfort. "I know you didn't mean to hurt me, I know you're scared." Silly as it was, he really did think the murderer in his lap was genuinely scared, scared of losing him. They were just so close, they were all each other had. "I love you too. Don't tell me what you deserve...I say you deserve my love, and I deserve yours. You've been through enough, you deserve good things in life."

He stroked her hair as she cried into him, smiling mostly to give her strength than because he was happy. He wasn't happy, he was still terrified of what would happen if she were caught but...he loved her. Making her happy and keeping her safe was what he lived for and they would be happy again, had been before today. He closed his eyes as she kissed his hair and laughed. At least she was trying to keep it light too...it was difficult, but she was doing her best. "Yeah, I will. I...okay, you can take care of it, for now...clean up." As much as he wanted to help he didn't think he had the stomach for it. "I will help you get rid of...it...but cover it good. I don't want to see again..."

 

[Bunny]

Scarlett nodded and slowly rose from his lap. She would have stayed there forever, but she needed to clean up.. Get rid of the body. "Thank you Ivan" She meant it. He didn't have to help her, but he was choosing to help keep her secret, to dispose of the body with her. As she headed back to her room, she wondered what she could do for another outlet. He had said they'd talk about it later. As she began to carefully clean her room in a compulsively methodical manner she let his words seep into her soul. She deserved good things in her life. She had him.. And that was all she needed.

The clean up took an hour or so, working carefully. She couldn't say that this was as much fun as what she had done to cause it, but in it's own way... It wasn't too bad. Once she had cleaned up all the plastic she took care to wrap the body further, abiding by his wishes. Several more plastic sheets before a tarp. She had been as careful as she could to avoid contamination either way.

Done, she left the body near her door, struggling with the weight. Looking down at her little sausage she brushed a strand of pale blonde hair from her face. She needed a shower. Casting one last look at the body she headed downstairs. She found him at the bar in the kitchen. "I am done, I was going to take a shower, if that's okay?" She didn't know why she asked. She doubted he'd have an issue. She was still a bit scared. She knew, he meant what he said, but irrational fears were called irrational for a reason.

 

[Staine]

Ivan sat there a few moments after she had left, just thinking. He had a few ideas and it was approaching 4am, he would be able to help her get rid of the body for sure. He had this now. Nodding as if to encourage himself he climbed to his feet and did as she had advised him, first brushing his teeth and then taking a long shower, letting the heat wash over him and soothe him. Thinking. He had little bits of ideas, where to find her other victims if she ever needed them and maybe even an outlet, though the last one scared him a little. Only a little...despite what she was he trusted her, loved her. Strange, but it seemed he couldn't just stop. Couldn't turn her in or turn her away when she needed help, he just wanted to protect her like always. After his shower he dressed in mostly black, old clothes he didn't mind getting dirty and was waiting down at the bar in the kitchen with a drink when she found him.

He looked up at her and smiled weakly. "Yeah, yeah you take a shower. I'm gonna do the rest okay? I have an idea of where to put the body, you just...leave it to me." He was shaking a little, the alcohol had only been a little but he had to drive so he knew it wasn't wise to drink any more. Well...it was now or never. He walked over to her and stopped to kiss her on the top of her head as he passed her. "I won't be long okay? I love you, Scarlett. Don't forget that, not ever." His words were quiet, his voice serious. He couldn't believe he was actually doing this but once he hid the body he was an accomplice. He climbed the stairs and found it just inside her room, wrapped well with no leaks or blood anywhere. He wondered how much evidence she had left behind. At least the boy wasn't too heavy...it didn't take him long to lift it onto his shoulders and carry it down the stairs. Looking around first, he made sure the coast was clear before he opened the door and carried it to the car, sliding it into the back seat and covering it with a sheet. It would still be dark out for a while yet, and if his plans worked out hiding the body wouldn't take more than an hour or two.

 

[Bunny]

The kiss to her hair made her smile softly. She had planned on figuring it out alone.. She grabbed his hand as he turned to leave. "Let me wash real quick, five minutes and come with you? I don't.. want you to do it alone." Scarlett looked up at him. "You're not leaving me to go alone" It wasn't because she felt she had to, she wanted to. He was putting himself at risk for her. "Please?" When he nodded she leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I will be quick!"

She was indeed quick. She mostly took time to clean her hair, having already scrubbed the blood from her skin. It took her most of the time to get the dried blood from her locks. Toweling off naked as she crossed between the bathroom and the shower she pulled out a sweater and jeans, careful to avoid colors that might brother him. The red sweater was out, but the soft green one and the black jeans? She didn't want to make anything harder. Dressing in fresh panties she forwent a bra she pulled the rest of her clothing on. Braiding her hair as she came down the stairs the last touch was a pair of comfy boots, tugged on over her socks.

She could hear the car and headed outside, locking the door behind her. Climbing into the passengers seat she looked at him, biting her lower lip. "I know, that you love me, but you don't have to do this Ivan..." She knew by not turning her in he was likely an accomplice in some form or another, but helping her dispose of the body? Her words were all soft, she was trying to give him a way out, he didn't have to do this for her. "I can figure it out on my own" She held her hand out for his, lifting it to her cheek, nuzzling it gently. "You don't have to be further involved.."

 

[Staine]

Turning to her as he was about to go get the body, Ivan had nodded, smiling as she pressed the kiss to his cheek. "Okay, thank you. I'll be in the car." It was a bit of a relief...sure, he had a plan but it would be nice to have a lookout or just company for this, and he would rather nobody else than her. This was all for her...tonight he had quickly learned what he had always known at heart, that his love for Scarlett was unconditional. He'd seen the worst side of her and he had flinched, he had backed away, then he had embraced her. As he climbed into the front seat of the car and tried not to think about the body in the back as he started it up and waited, he was safe in the knowledge that he would do anything for her. It couldn't get much worse, could it? He closed his eyes while he waited until he heard her approach.

"Seatbelt, Lettie." That was the cute name he had for her, Lettie. Something nobody else ever called her, it was soothing to him to say it. He started to drive, letting her take his hand and stroking it against her cheek. "No, you don't do this alone. We have been together all our lives, ever since...ever since mom. I'm not letting you do this alone, I made a promise that I would always be here for you..." He took his hand back, to help him drive to his destination, pulling up to the cemetery. A quick look around and at his phone showed it was 4:30 and nobody was around, it was pitch black. "Okay, wait here, I need to find something." His entire plan hinged on there being what he was looking for. It took him about ten minutes to find it and return. Opening the back door, he pulled the body out and onto his shoulders. "Come on, come with me. You can be lookout, get the shovel out of the trunk too."

It was a short walk to the open grave and he had questions for her anyway. "Did you leave...evidence? I don't know how well you cleaned, our best bet is the body never being found." It was almost surreal, the only thing keeping him going was keeping her out of prison. "Did anybody see you with him? How many people? Anybody you know? I need to know how to answer questions if we get them, we need to talk about this." At the grave, he laid the body down beside it and reached out for the shovel. "You'll be the lookout...keep an eye out for any movement at all...I don't need to tell you we can't be caught here."

 

[Bunny]

She nodded as he gave her the sweet reprimand. She always forgot. Clicking the belt into place looked at him through the darkness of the car. He was always there for her. Tears came to her eyes and she sniffled softly. "I know, I love you." She let silence fall and watched out the window as the darkened landscape rushed past. The graveyard he pulled into was dark as the ride had been, older and less lit than one might have expected. Nodding she watched him leave with a soft "okay"

When he came back she glanced to him, another nod as he told her to grab the shovel. Unbuckling she grabbed the shovel and followed him to the grave. Her voice was soft in the darkness, but she answered him, sometimes taking a few moments to think, trying to recall details. "I didn't, that I am aware of. I was careful to not touch him with anything but the knife.. I suppose there might be contamination of some kind...? But I don't think so" She understood why he asked and was trying to help him as he helped her.

"I was at a party, but it was a college party. No one there knew me, and it was an hour or so away. But, if anyone was sober enough to pay attention to me, they might be able to give a description." Her voice was worried. She was young, this was her first kill. She had tried to be careful.. But she didn't know all the factors that could go into it. "But, I don't know past that. We got a cab back to our house.." She frowned into the darkness at the body. "But I didn't want to go where he was gonna take me.." She nodded and then realized he likely couldn't see the bare movement in the dark. "Okay"

Keeping her eyes peeled she scanned around them, listening and looking for others. Beyond the soft chirps of crickets and the sound of an owl in the distance, the graveyard was silent as death, the sound sound of a shovel the only interruption.

 

[Staine]

"I love you too, Lettie. Always." He had said those words with ease and he knew how much he meant them, how many brothers could honestly say they would go so far to protect their sister? That was an interesting thought to hold on to actually, was this really so uncommon? He didn't know, he liked to think he wasn't the only one with such a bond to his sibling but there could be others who would do the same. If there weren't...no, there had to be. Listening to her, he had a sinking feeling. There would surely be questions coming but they could deal with those in future, right now he needed to just make sure this was done right. No body, no crime, that was something that had sank in during his training, it was extremely unlikely to ever see a conviction without a body or some proof of death.

So he dug. The grave was already open, ready for a burial in the next few days no doubt. The earth was hard, it took a lot of effort and more time than he would have liked to dig down another four feet, before he felt it was safe. He looked up out of the hole, he was in deep. He laughed softly, a dark thought...in too deep. Funny. "Lettie, roll it down...be quiet." He waited until he saw it coming over the edge, stepped aside so it wouldn't hit him. Climbing around it, he made sure it was at the bottom of the hole before he climbed out and started to fill it in again. Once all the dirt was back in, he climbed down to pat it down firmly. It was an idea he was sure he had seen on a show, he'd filed it away as interesting. Hide the body in a fresh grave, you wouldn't need to go too deep, then the funeral would do the rest for you. He had gone deeper than he thought he would need just to be sure the body would stay hidden. Nobody would ever know...he hoped.

Climbing out again, he was tired and it had taken over an hour, but he felt oddly satisfied that he had done it right at least. He wouldn't be sure until the grave was definitely filled, he would have to come back and check in a day or two but for now he had done all he could and if the body was found before the funeral...well he would have to deal with that when it came to it. "That should do it...come on, let's go. If they never find it then it doesn't matter if anybody saw you, or what you left on the body, right?" He smiled sadly...it was one hell of a night, but there was a silver lining...he felt even closer to her now. If they could survive this, nothing could ever come between them. He led her back to the car, back for the short drive home. He needed to sleep, more than anything. Tomorrow...maybe tomorrow they could smile more, be happy again but tonight he just wasn't feeling it.

 

[Bunny]

She had rolled the body into the hole at his request and waited anxiously as he buried her kill. When he was coming back up she helped him best as she could and once he was free from the graved she hugged him. She didn't care if he was dirty or sweaty. She hugged him tight her face hidden against his chest. Slowly she pulled away and nodded. She took the shovel from him and let him lead her to the car.

Like the ride out she didn't speak, and when they pulled into their driveway she could see the faint hints of the sun coming up. There was this feeling in the back of her mind, something nagging at her. She bit her lip as they walked into the house and lingered by the doorway. A thought crossed her mind. She felt closer to Ivan and wanted to to be closer to him. That what the feeling was.

"Ivan" Her voice was small, lost. "Can.. Can I sleep with you tonight? Me and Igor?" Igor was her stuffed animal. He had gotten him for her shortly after their mother's death and she had not slept a night without him. She looked a little scared. It was his potential no. Hugging herself she looked up at him, still just inside the door having just closed it before asking. She would have slept in her room without issue, but she wanted to be close to Ivan. She felt more relaxed than she had in.. years.

 

[Staine]

When she had hugged him he had hugged her back, there in the graveyard in the middle of the night. It had been...sweet? He wasn't used to the displays of affection from her quite like this, she hadn't been adverse to them before but...tonight was a lot. He liked it...they were helping him stay calm, collected. Since his minor breakdown, being around her had helped. All on the drive home he had felt comfortable and happy to just be there with her, silly considering the horrors of the night but he couldn't help the feeling. At the house, the sun coming up and ready for bed, he froze as he heard her call his name, looking down at her. Something was...wrong? He held his breath until he heard her request, then let it all out. He didn't know what he had expected but...this he could deal with.

"Sure...yeah, I think I'd like that actually." Smiling, he reached down and petted her head. "Go fetch Igor, I'm gonna wait in bed. Don't take too long okay?" He left her to go back to his room and pulled off his shirt, even his trousers leaving on just his boxer shorts as he climbed beneath the covers. When she came back to him he could see Igor, the stuffed little rabbit he had bought her all those years ago, a firm reminder if anything that she was still his little sister. He had to stop being so...strained with her. He smiled, warmly. "There he is, Igor! I hope you're still gonna look after my little Lettie, buddy, especially tonight." He was trying...he wanted to get back to something normal.

 

[Bunny]

Her smile was bright as he said he'd like that. She leaned into the touch of his hand on her hair "Okay, I promise!" Nodding she followed him upstairs, splitting when they got to her room She changed while she was in her room, slipping her jeans, panties and sweater off, folding them with care before pulling out some pjs. The shorts were a pale pink with hearts printed in black on them, the edge of the shorts ruffled slightly. Nimble fingers tied the bow, the elastic hugging her slender hips. A soft cotton camisole in a inky black was pulled over her head, the fabric was lose and fell to the top of her shorts, the top rimmed in lace. between the two thin straps.

Deciding to leave her wet hair in the braid she picked up Igor. Igor was a bunny, with long floppy ears. At the end of each ear was a black hear that matched his little Victorian shawl. He had a decorative zipper down his front, lined in pale white lace, matching his fur color. She cuddled him to her chest. She remembered when Ivan had taken her to the store, and had her pick a friend. She had been drawn to the slightly forlorn bunny and Ivan had been unable to talk her into something cuter. She had fallen in love with Igor. Igor was a reminder of her brother's love. There was not a single night she had not slept with her.

She knocked on his door before opening it at his voice. She smiled at him over the head of Igor, shy. She could tell Ivan was trying really hard, it set some fear inside her at ease. He really wasn't going to turn her in. He may not agree or understand why she had murdered that boy... but he loved her nevertheless and while he had flinched, she was doing his best.

Crossing the room, her bare feet silent on the carpet before she climbed into his bed. Wiggling she looked at him, the sheets and blankets pulled up to her chin. She smiled and yawned. It was so late it was early. The sun could be seen from behind the heavy blackout drapes that Ivan had in his room, a necessity for his late hours. "Good night Ivan, I love you" She curled onto her side around Igor, one of the bunny's paws in her hand.

 

[Staine]

When she had joined him in the bed he had smiled at her, reaching over to brush her hair out of her face at first before he leaned in to kiss her on her forehead. "I know you love me, Lettie, I love you too. Remember your promise to me okay? No more hiding...if you're getting urges you have to come to me and then maybe I can help. We can figure this out together, to keep you safe." He was already insanely tired, but he felt he had to get that out there before he collapsed and fell into a sleepy coma. She looked so innocent now, just her head peeking from out the covers and the bunny stuffie she had taken care of for all these years in her arms. It was crazy to think of the night they had...like she was two different people, his cute, loving sister and the dangerous girl that had tortured a rapist in her bedroom. Tortured...he was pretty sure she hadn't just killed him outright, pretty sure a lot of her urges had been sated before she had taken his life.

He closed his eyes to sleep. No matter how dangerous she was, she wasn't dangerous to him, he felt that she would never hurt him like that, never cause any harm to him. She might lie, might trick him and might cause him pain but nothing he couldn't recover from. No...with her he felt safe, even sleeping right next to her. It took him moments to fall into a dreamless sleep, exhaustion taking him and numbing him to the world. When he woke up it was already turning dark again outside and it took him a moment to remember everything that had happened. Scarlett was asleep, his arm was over her and her arms were around it, cuddling both his arm and Igor to her chest, his head so close to hers that her hair was tickling his nose. He reached up to scratch it, then stroked her. His Lettie...what was he going to do with her?

He shook her gently. "Lettie, are you awake?" He didn't want to move to disturb her if she was still asleep.

 

[Bunny]

Scarlett had easily fallen asleep, sated in a way she had never been before. She felt very relaxed and the soiled warmth of Ivan was comforting. He loved her. He was her stone, her big brother. She didn't dream, she never did really.. Just the empty void of sleep. At least as far as she knew, she never remembered dreaming or had the feeling she had and had simply lost the dream. She dimly felt something, and whimpered hugging his arm and Igor tighter. Sifting in her sleep she rolled to face him, only Igor turning with her. In sleep She looked peaceful. Her halo of blonde hair shrouding her head in soft wisps and curls, thick lashes formed dark crescents on her pale cheeks. Her naturally pouty lips parted softly. Igor's fur ruffled with each breath as his mistress slept soundly behind him. She cuddled him tighter, and mummered softly, lashes flickering. Slowly her eyes opened, the words he had spoken breaking through the haze of her sleep.

A smile curled on her lips and she stretched, body arching like a kittens as she shook the sleepiness from her bones. Golden eyes flicked to the window, no light coming through them. Frowning she sat up, one arm around Igor as she rubbed at her eyes with her other hand. "What time" she gave a little yawn "is it?" Had they slept the day away? She could understand Ivan doing so, having been up most of the day and then all of the night with her. She had done the same though, hadn't she? Her tummy gave a rumble and she bit her cheek. Maybe she could make the breakfast. She wasn't a good cook... but a thank you? "I'm hungry, are you?"

 

[Staine]

Ivan smiled at her, grinning even. A good night's sleep had made him feel a little more like himself and as she woke up and started to rub her eyes he definitely felt he could do this, that everything would be alright. "Pretty late, I think it's almost 7pm. We slept most of the day away, Lettie." He heard her stomach rumble and chuckled. "Yeah, I am kinda hungry, do you wanna order in or would you rather we cook something?" Slowly he climbed out of bed, stretching and starting to get dressed. This was going to just be a normal day, nothing unusual and then work in a few hours and soon he would be past this, they would be past it.

And it was. The next few weeks passed without mention of what had happened, of her murder. At the police station Ivan had kept an eye out for any news of the boy, he had heard of him going missing and of a search being organised but nothing had come of it, like he had vanished into thin air. The last time he had been seen was at a party but he had talked to many girls there all from different places, different schools and even towns and the sight of him talking to girls was so common that nobody had really remembered their appearances. Ivan had gone back to the graveyard each morning until he had seen the grave filled in and nobody had mentioned a body so it seemed he may have gotten away with his hiding place...who would suspect that the missing football player was buried beneath the grave of Charles Montgomery, an old man who had died of natural causes the previous week? For his part he tried to forget what he had seen, his little sister covered in blood in the center of her room, the plastic sheeting everywhere, the blood in her hair, the look in her eyes. She'd been just like a normal girl since then, nobody had gotten hurt, nothing bad was happening, everything was...it was back the way it should be.

 

[Bunny]

Time had passed almost like she was a normal girl, the urges she had faced daily quiet. It was almost two months before she started to feel that itch. She lasted almost a week more before the need to.. hurt someone was constantly on her mind. She fought it, even as opportunities came. She didn't want to hurt Ivan. It was the only thing holding her back. Not hurting him and her word.

The door slammed as she came into the house tossing her book bag to the side. It felt like ants along her skin and a hum in her head, the refusal to give into it. It was driving her mad. The last few days she had avoided Ivan a little, hiding out in her room, claiming to be working on homework until she could control that feeling, even if for a little bit. Today though she couldn't take it anymore. It felt like she was going to come out of her skin.

Pacing back and forth in the kitchen she itched at her arm, her nails slowly turning her skin pink and then red. It was helping take the edge off, but only slightly. Scarlett wondered if she could just hurt herself? Would it.. be the same? Something inside her told her no, she needed another person. It was the fear, the sounds they made.. The way she felt when she hurt them. She gave a small scream of frustration. She couldn't do this... She just couldn't! She needed to hurt someone.. Anyone.. But her word, to Ivan. She couldn't.

 

[Staine]

Ivan was on a day off when he heard the door slam. Since he had passed his test and been accepted as a police officer full time a couple of weeks ago he had been able to quit his job tending the bar and had more steady hours and today he hadn't had a shift so he had been able to stay home and was on his computer in his room when he heard her come in. He frowned a little...he hadn't seen much of Scarlett recently and he was honestly concerned she was slipping again, the few times he had seen her she seemed on edge. He quietly left his computer and walked down the stairs, listening. He could hear footsteps, she was pacing in the kitchen. This wasn't good...he had hoped it would be longer but something was clearly wrong.

He hurried his pace and found she was scratching her arm, the flesh turning pink. He walked over and grabbed her wrists, looking down at her with a frown. "Lettie, what do you think you're doing? You're gonna make yourself bleed if you carry on, you can't do that!" He didn't want to hurt her but he held her firmly anyway, and pulled her close to him, releasing her wrists so he could slip his arms around her, squeezing her into his embrace. "Something is wrong...you made a promise to me, that you would talk to me, so talk. Tell me what's eating at you. Did something happen at school?" He was at least sure it had nothing to do with her crime, the police hadn't even questioned her, had no idea she had ever met him. He had been listening and made sure of that.

 

[Bunny]

She didn't hear him enter the kitchen too concerned with the feeling. She whimpered as he stopped her from hurting herself. She folded into him as he hugged her. She didn't cry though she was close. She knew she needed to hurt someone but she could remember the way he had looked at her when he had found her.. The horror and the way he had pulled away. She hook her head and trembled.

"Ivan.. I need to" She didn't elaborate and pulled away putting a little space between them. She lifted her hand to scratch at her skin again but let it drop at the look he gave her. She winced and hugged herself tight. "The accidents were always so easy.. people put themselves into positions to be hurt." Her tone was far away wistful almost. "I haven't.. but I want to so bad. It's like they want me to.. Or the universe does. It's so hard to ignore it. I'm trying so hard!" She could not scratch, her nails attacking her skin. "It's like ants crawling on me" She looked up at him, lost. "It feels good to hurt people.. It makes the crawling feeling go away.." Whimpering Scarett looked close to tears now. "But I don't want you to hate me.. I know I am sick!" Lost, alone, needy, pain.. She felt like she was cracking.