Rex of Blood

HAZEL

I find a release in joining a dance class—which may end up filling out a temporary job position too.

After using my energy to dance with Madeline, Thea and the teacher Beatrice, I finally feel good after working up a sweat.

The surprise of the day was getting to meet Madeline, after dreaming about her briefly last night.

Instead of the coincidence scaring me, it was strangely comforting. Aside from the fact that Maddie and Thea were annoying.

Really. Annoying. Only because of their youth.

I wished I was nineteen again. I was twenty-nine now, almost thirty.

I throw on my old dress and drink some water before I head off, while Madeline finishes putting on her sneakers.

She’s looking at me.

Oh, no.

Before she wants to try and be friends, I turn toward the door, eager to slip out and disappear.

“Wait a sec, Hazel.” Madeline launches up and grabs my wrist. I spin around to face her, jerking my arm out of her hold.

“Don’t touch me.” I snap it, her attempt to apprehend me triggers me a little bit more than it should, but it doesn’t faze her.

“I just thought we should exchange numbers,” Madeline raises a brow, ignoring my attitude.

“No.” I shake my head, “It’s nothing personal, I just like my privacy…and I barely know you.” I turn back to the door I had just been about to exit through and I slip out, walking away quickly.

I didn’t want to make friends—I still had a fire inside me that I wanted to use to cause a bit of trouble, to shake out the monsters hiding in the cracks of this city.

If I could find a supernatural monster, I could start to find resolution. I already had my plan. I wanted to kill a supernatural creature, someone who deserved it. That was the ultimate aim.

A life for a life.

It’s night, so I should probably get some dinner and then explore the alleyways. My gray dress has a hood, and I pull it over my head as I walk out into the street.

I find a small sushi bar, and I stop by there and take a seat to eat.

As my ballet shoes curl with my anxious toes, I look out the window to see what’s opposite me.

Req Enterprise.

I stop chewing to see how tall it is, I had missed seeing it while seeking out food. It almost touches the clouds.

Part of me can’t believe that young girl, Maddie, was dating the two billionaire brothers who owned that business.

Speaking of…I watch as a limousine pulls up out front, and Madeline jumps out. A butler is waiting to escort her inside the building. There’s even paparazzi waiting for her.

I blink. Was I stupid? I stop chewing when I realize my mistake. I should have taken her number—she had connections who could help me in regard to the supernatural.

Damn it. I had to let my ego get in the way.

Annoyed at myself, I finish my sushi and then stand up from my place at the bar, trudging out the door, swearing under my breath.

I’m walking with my gaze set on the revolving doors where Madeline skips through, while security shoves any close cameras out of the way.

I’m staring with envy, thinking ~yeah I bet you like that your boyfriends are alive and not fucking decapitated.~

Fuck. I abruptly realize how stupid and unreasonable my anger is.

I couldn’t keep myself calm. This anger was back so soon already? I thought I had ditched at least some of it while dancing. Apparently not.

I look up to see where I’m walking too late, and I collide with another pedestrian on the street.

Our shoulders slam together, and I’m almost knocked right off my feet. I was slight, but this stranger was built like a wall of cement.

Instead of falling on my ass, the man quickly grabs my forearm and pulls me upright.

Who…? How…?

I’m staring at the fighter from my dreams. His hair is night black and his eyes are a powerful crimson red as he continues walking by—the smallest smirk on his mouth as he pretends that didn’t just happen.

I look back at him waltzing down the street, and I take in his leather jacket and black stained jeans.

Rex, the Blood King.

He looks over his shoulder, catching my eye, but this time he isn’t smirking.

Rex’s red eyes burn right through me, he almost looks sad, and I feel incredibly disturbed as adrenaline burns through my blood.

I turn around and I don’t just walk away, I run to the nearest corner. I don’t care that it’s a narrow alley, I just focus on getting to the other street as quickly as possible.

After a few minutes of trying to calm myself down, I end up finding a small arcade I can catch my breath in.

I walk to the back and I hide between two machines not in use, staring at all the lights around me and all the kids smiling and laughing.

I can relax here. There was no danger.

So much for not being insane. I was paranoid.

Did I even dream what I dreamed last night, or was it a delusion? Was I seeing things? Was Madeline real? Was the dancing even real?

Of course it was…but how am I seeing these people in real life…when I had just dreamed about meeting them yesterday?

I guess…maybe it was a premonition of sorts.

Focus. I had to focus on the present.

On my left is a claw machine filled with teddy bears, and on my right is another claw machine filled with toy dragons.

I wait for a group of young teens to walk by, while I pull out a cigarette from my bag, my hand still shaking as I light the smoke. I actually didn’t smoke at all. My husband used to.

But now I do very occasionally—just to remember him. This was his last pack—and I have about ten left. I only took them out when I really wanted to feel close to him again.

Right now, I just want to pretend he’ll appear any second to reassure me, to take me home…to hold me and tell me it’s all going to be just fine…

As I’m about to put the cigarette to my lips, his familiar scent so close, my hairs stand on end at the sudden quiet from the arcade.

I can’t hear the noises of the games.

I can’t hear the kids laughing.

But I can see a shadow of a man approaching.

I don’t move; the cigarette is the only thing burning and breathing—as the shadow becomes real.

Rex steps into my only way out, caging me in, standing and staring at my hand with the cigarette. I’m too terrified to move or breathe. ~He stalked me down~.~ He—~

He slides his hand into his pocket and pulls out my phone—the screen is cracked from a fall.

Oh! I dropped it. W-when we collided.

“That’s very kind of you.” I take a small inhale of the smoke, remembering to breathe, as I reach for my offered phone.

At the same time, Rex’s lithe fingers take the cigarette from my hand, and he smokes it. A trade?

Rex blows the haze out between us, same time I’ve been holding it in my lungs. I had it in too long. I cough hard, my hand balled into a fist on my chest, as I wheeze for a second.

He smiles and it’s very handsome. He finally speaks. “What’s your name?”

I raise a brow. “Hazel.” My voice is husky as I slip my phone into my bag. “Sorry about before…you’re a famous fighter right…Rex?”

Instead of answering as he should, he goes silent. He draws on the last of my cigarette and drops it, snuffing it out under his boot.

“Hazel,” he whispers my name. “You don’t look like you’re from around here—do you need a guide?”

“No,” I immediately answer. “I’m fine.” I was very independent.

Rex won’t back up.

It’s something I can’t help but notice. He feels predatory to me.

I lean back into the wall and look at his feet, as I think about the pepper spray in my bag. If he doesn’t move off, I had that as a last resort.

I casually slip my hand into my bag and meet his strange red eyes. “Anyway, I better get going, I have somewhere to be.”

Rex reaches into his jacket again.

I tense up, wondering if he’ll draw a weapon.

Rex watches my whole reaction, even as he just takes out a business card.

I immediately drop my high shoulders, even as he lets the card slip between his two fingers and float down to my feet.

“I’ll pay for you,” he drawls, his voice so deep I can barely pick apart the words. Finally, he steps back to allow me freedom to escape.

I note he doesn’t walk off—because he’s waiting for me to bend over in front of him.

I hold my bag close, as my nostrils flare wide. “No,” I state very quietly, and I immediately walk ~over~ his card, barging past him and walking into the crowd.

“~Nick~.” He whispers in my ear.

I’m imagining things.

I keep walking until I’m out of the arcade, but then I turn around.

I look for him. But Rex is gone.

Tears are streaming down my face, everyone around looks worried about me when they notice I’m crying, but they don’t know the tears aren’t from sadness.

Enraged, I walk back in for the card.

I look around, noting the coast is clear, I pick up his stupid card.

On it is his manager's number. Hoff—for business inquiries.

Eliciting prostitution.

I’d report him to the police.

I’d report him to some board looking over official fights.

I’d do something.

I head off.

I go back to my rental after I buy cleaning supplies. The first thing I do is clean the apartment of the mess I made on the walls. Then I turn on the television for some white noise, and I lie on the couch.

On the coffee table is the card from before. I pick it up. I flip it, never having looked at the other side until now.

His writing.

“I did it.”And his number scribbled down.

Why—~why~ the hell did he write those three words?

I immediately call Rex, putting the phone to my ear.

He was about to hear an earful from me.

It calls out until I think it’ll reach voice mail. However, at the very last ring, Rex answers his phone.

I don’t say anything.

“Hazel.” He eats my damn name. He loves it. He loves that I called.

“You did what?” I ask as blandly as possible.

“I bumped into you on purpose, it wasn’t your fault.” His words make me relax.

I thought he killed Nick. From the dream, then this strange day. Did he say Nick’s name before…or was that another delusion?

“Oh,” I breathe heavily. “Why do you pay for sex if you’re so famous and so good looking? I’m not flirting, I’m just stating a fact and asking you”

“Company, Hazel. I like to live life on the edge and meet new people, do new things—you don’t trust people, I can see it. So I offered money.

“Maybe it wasn’t so kind of me to proposition you like that…I couldn’t help myself…do you watch my fights?”

“It’s not really my thing.”

“Have you ever seen a fight, live?”

“No.”

“Would you like to come to one of mine as a VIP?”

“No…I barely know you…I only called because I-I had a dream about you last night…”

I admit it, needing to let it out, no matter what it sounded like. If he thought I was crazy, maybe someone could tell me I was crazy. So I could stop wondering about it.

“Really…” His voice goes so deep the words grind together. “Strange…I thought I had a dream about you too…who knows, maybe we’re destined to meet?” He sounds like he does this too often.

“Are you lonely, Rex?” I ask out of the blue.

“Now?”

“Answer me.”

“Not really right now.”

“Are you with friends? Sorry if I called at the wr—”

The line goes dead.

I put my phone down.

And a hard hand knocks at my door. ~Bang, bang, bang.~ It rattles the wood. Those were heavy, strong knuckles making that much noise.

I stare at the door, refusing to answer.

Another delusion or real? It couldn’t be him—if it was then—?

My doorknob turns and the door moves slowly. How did this person know I left it unlocked?

“Hey, who the hell—?” I yell out, even as the door reveals Rex, and he strolls in casually.

With blood all over his face.

“GET OUT!” I scream at him. How did he find me? Was he still stalking me? He just stands there, staring in at me. I close my eyes, shaking my head.

When I open my eyes—the door is shut, and no one is there. And my phone is buzzing with a voice. I look to it; the call is still going!

I press it back to my ear, my heartbeat racing.

“H-hello?” I whimper.

“Are you in danger, do you need my help?” Rex sounds protective.

“There’s something wrong with me. I’m seeing things. I’m hearing voices. I-I don’t know what to do.” I start to cry, and I hear a distinctive change in his tone.

“Don’t cry. Please.”

I gulp down my tears and I nod, even though I can’t see him. I wait for him to speak, and he does.

“Hazel—if you want to see his head in my collection, come to the Lux Hotel, Room 60, it’s a part of the casino. I’m staying there for the fight. I can give you the consolation you’re looking for.

“I did it. I killed your husband.”

When I say nothing, Rex laughs low. “Don’t worry, butterfly…I don’t want to kill you—”

I’ve hung up.

Was this all a fucking nightmare? ~Someone is knocking at my door again!~

I sit up, about to scream bloody murder when—

“Hey, Hazel, is this your address?”

Madeline.

It’s just Madeline.

I’ve never been so relieved to have someone to speak to. I run to the door and open it, seeing Madeline is not alone. One of the billionaire brothers is with her.

Loch—the playboy one. He is holding his nose closed because the corridor did smell like piss.

“Sorry.” Madeline shrugs.

“I wanted to find you and ask you to come see the casino tonight. To show you where we will be dancing? Beatrice said you’re new around here…I thought I could force you to come have a look. What do you say?”

“Oh, well…I’m kind of…” ~busy~. I look at Loch, who’s staring a little too hard at me.

“Wait.” Loch puts a hand on Madeline’s shoulder, keeping her back from me, as he leans over and smells my head. I blush a bit at the intimacy, but I’m also confused.

When he pulls back, he looks me up and down. “Did you fuck the Blood King?”

What?!

“Wh—who…”

Loch looks a little bit too intensely into my eyes, and Madeline punches his ribs.

“Don’t read her mind, it’s rude,” Madeline whispers.

“~Get out of my head~,” I tell Loch immediately, just in case he’s there.

“Is that guy bothering you?” Loch asks, worried. “Rex, the Blood King. You reek of his scent.”

“I haven’t even touched him,” I whisper.

“Ah. You reek because you’ve been hexed,” Loch tells me like I’m stupid. “Which you should know because you’ve been losing your mind. It’s a mess in there.”

“Hexed?” I ask, almost wanting to collapse with relief. “Is ~that~ what it is?”

“You don’t know magic?” Madeline asks. “Oh…you’re not from around here…you might have been hexed by someone when you got here? It’s kind of a dump—and you’re in the worst spot in Req City—I’m not surprised.”

“If I was cursed, it was outside this place.” I shake my head. “My mind changed after my husband was murdered.”

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry.” Madeline covers her mouth with her hand. “I didn’t know,” she squeaks to Loch, who’s still looking at me with pity.

“A dancer for our casino is not going to live out here,” Loch says. “We’ll put you up. And we’ll get you a mage.”

“~Zayda~,” Madeline suggests. “She’s a Blood Raven—she can help you.”

“I don’t want to impose on anyone –” I tell Loch and Maddie, “You barely know—”

“Stop saying that. Let us help you.” Madeline looks over my shoulder to look into the apartment, and her nose screws up. “Smells like bleach.”

“I’ve been cleaning,” I answer, embarrassed.

Loch stands back with an arm out, ushering me forward, blocking his nose again. “I’ll get your stuff,” he says. “Go with Maddie.”

Madeline immediately starts to lead the way, looking back at me and urging me to follow.

Now I do—because I have some help and I finally know why I’m acting crazy.

When I look back to Loch, he’s already entered my rental.

“Trust him—he’s very protective of this city, we all are,” Madeline reassures me. “We control the magic—and we don’t tolerate curses. Okay?”

I actually believe her.

Feeling a little better, I follow Madeline.