26. My Lord
Chapter 26
My Lord
FRANK
S omething’s wrong!
“JESSICA!”
I jump up from bed, feeling around for my baby, but instinctively I know she’s not here. I leap from the bed, blurred vision be damned, and run down the stairs hunting for her.
“JESSICA!” I call out, walking through the home gym, the bathroom, and checking every other room, but she’s not here. Where the fuck is she? I look outside, running my hands through my hair, frowning at the night sky. It hasn’t been that long since I fell asleep since it’s still night.
Not to mention, I have on a different set of clothes, and I’ve been wiped clean. Did Jessica do this for me? The thought makes me happy, but it also displeases me that she had to care for me. I’M supposed to wait on HER hand and foot, not the other way around.
But more than the fucking time, I can’t believe I fell asleep. Shit! Nothing like this has ever happened. I can fuck for days, and I for fucking sure wouldn’t be the mother fucker passing out, so what the fuck is going on with me? I really must be dying.
I pass by the door, and her scent makes me pause. My eyes go to the alarm panel, and my lip curls when I see that the system is off. What the fuck? I know she didn’t guess.
When I hear the keypad sound outside and the doorknob turn, I stand there and wait until it opens and the cleaner opens the door. She screams as she and the man and woman she’s with stare, stunned.
“My Lord!” the head maid calls before they all go to their knees and bow.
“My wife…”
“A-are you referring t-to the young l-lady from earlier? I… kicked her ou—” She can’t finish her sentence before I reach down through her back, thrust my hand into her chest, cracking through bones, and grasp her heart, yanking it from her body. “L-Lord Met… wh…y,” she gasps, staring up at me, blood pouring from her eyes. I watch, fascinated as the heart continues to beat until it gradually slows to a stop.
“Why?” I question as I puncture it with my finger, twirling it around, leaning again the door jamb. “Now you know what it’s like to have your heart ripped out,” I sigh as I sling it across the room, splattering it against the wall. Then I place my foot on her head, applying pressure.
“I told you not to come… I informed you who my wife was, and you deliberately disobeyed me,” I grit through my teeth and I hear her skull crack. “And to add insult to injury, you kicked my wife out of her own cage… I mean home.” I apply more pressure and her eyeballs spill out and her skull shatters under my foot. “You deserve to die,” I sneer, wiping my foot on the man cowering before me. “Clean this up,” I demand and turn, walking away.
“Yes, my Lord,” they call out in unison as I make my way upstairs to get my phone when I hear it vibrate.
I see now that I’m not losing my balance as much as I was before. Also, I can see much more clearly with this weird eyesight, even though it gives me a headache. I guess what they say about getting better just before you die is true.
Once upstairs, I grasp my phone from the nightstand and my heart thumps when I see my wife’s texts.
Locked in : Hey baby, are you still sleeping?
Locked in : When you wake up text me I have something to ask you
Locked in : It’s EXTREMELY important!
Locked in : I’m done with lecture and heading to the bus to go to the airport. I won’t have my phone on me for a few hours since Coach won’t let us use our phones unless it’s an emergency. I’ll text after we land.
What the fuck? Just how long have I been asleep?!
I pull my phone down, looking at the picture I took of baby when she was sleep, and my heart melts but I shake my head, snapping out of it. Focus! Baby is mad at us! Why?!
However, that’s when I see that it’s not Tuesday but fucking Friday and past seven! What the fuck?! It’s been seventy-four hours! And it all comes flooding back to me. Fuck…
It must have been that fucking club! Now that think about it, I started feeling like shit from the moment I went inside! Did them son of bitches give me covid?!
I clutch my chest, wheezing. It’s been seventy-four hours… seventy-four fucking hours without Jessica? I feel like it was only twenty minutes ago that I was watching her fuck my horn… wait! My horn! I touch around for it, but it’s gone. No, fuck the horn… Jessica!
“Frank!” I hear over my shoulder and glance over to see my brothers. No, fuck them! I need to figure this shit out with my wife!
As I try to text her back, I feel dizzy and nearly fall on my ass, but my brother Saint catches me.
“Frank, where the hell have you b?—”
Something uncontrollable bursts from inside me and I grit my teeth, falling to my knees, throwing up blood, body in so much pain I roar, shattering the glass vases in the room and cracking the windows all over the house.
His eyes go wide in shock, but Saint doesn’t flinch. He just raises brow, cigar in hand.
“What the fuck is going on?” Pierce gapes at the scene, but my mind is on my wife. I need to get to Jessica . That’s all I care about. I let out another painful bellow as my body overheats, suddenly feeling pain in my back as my bones begin to crack.
My vision tunnels, but when something suddenly pops from my back, I sigh with relief, swaying on my feet and crouching, ready to sprint out. However, I hear a snap and my back burns as my bed is cut in half and the floorboards rip, forming a giant crater where you can peek through and see the cleaners dragging the body and scooping up the heart downstairs, talking and laughing casually until they see us and scramble, holding the dead body. What the fuck?
I look back, stunned that all that damage was done by some damn wings! I flap them, but they are heavy as fuck and I tilt back, nearly falling until I center my gravity, gritting my teeth, somehow willing my tail straight. Wait, I have a fucking tail!
I pant, feeling infinitely better, but unsteady on my feet and my body feels disjointed.
“Damn… I don’t think this is Covid,” I mutter.
“Whoa… that’s… something…” Genesis’ eyes widen with excitement.
“What the fuck…?” Gannon’s mouth hangs open, glasses on his face warped.
“So…” Saint cocks his head to the side.
“Well, something is definitely going on with this asshole,” Wilder mutters, but I can see the concern on his face.
“I knew it. I’m dying,” I shake my head, glancing back at the red wings and tail coming out of me.
“Dying, you say?” A snap is heard in the house and I go still as my mother walks into the room, looking me over. “I should have known it would be you out of all of them,” she says with awe, catching us all off guard.
“Calm down, dear. Don’t get too emotional. We both knew Frank resonated with his sin a bit more than the others,” my father states, and upon hearing me being praised and themselves being downplayed, all of my brothers perk their ears with anger.
“Oh? Do tell me more about how I’m better than the rest,” I cock my head to the side, feigning confidence, though I still feel like my body will break.
Her eyes widen with tears as she comes over to me with a smile. When she steps in front of me, her body shifts like mine, but it’s a more seamless transition than mine, shocking the hell out of all in the room except our father.
Her horns are much smaller than mine. Her eyes are all black, and her skin turns red, and oddly, I can sense some sort of aura emanating from her. She feels like the people I’d met at that damn bar…
“It is an honor to finally meet you again, even if it is in a new lifetime,” she bows and I frown along with my brothers. “Lord Asmodeus, King of all Lust, and Ruler of?—”
“Hold the fuck on! What the fuck is going on?” Pierce growls with Echo next to him co-signing.
“I would like to know as well, and why the fuck are you calling him ‘My Lord?’” Echo snorts at our mother, and I have to agree. That threw me the fuck off as well, though I don’t particularly give a fuck about it. I just want to get to Jessica.
“I’ll explain,” our father speaks and steps forward. He shifts too, but he’s the opposite of mother. He’s all shimmery and shit, and instead of a horn, he’s sporting a fucking halo. The fuck? Is he an angel?
“Lord Lust,” he speaks before he goes to his knee as if proposing, holding a hand to his chest along with Mother who does the same. “It is an honor to finally gaze upon you in your first form,” he voices with emotion, and I make a face like what the fuck are they even saying as my brothers and I stare at one another.
“Wait, first form? What the fuck is he, Cell from Dragon Ball Z?” Wilder questions and Genesis smacks him.
“Just listen,” he sneers.
“This is but one of the forms you and the other Lords will be able to take on. As you become more powerful you will change… you might have experienced your body changing at random moments. That will continue to happen as your body becomes more Demon than human…”
“Okay, but fuck all that. Get to the point,” I curl my lip, and our father nods.
“As you wish, Lord Lust. Savana and I, while we are of your flesh and blood in the human sense, are but loyal servants who have served the sins for eternity,” he states and I scratch my head.
“That doesn’t explain shit though,” Wilder speaks up.
“You, my Lord, and the other Lords are the reincarnations of the Seven Deadly Sins,” our father states and I reel back.
“Wait… like that anime baby had me watch when she came over?” I blink and our father shakes his head.
“No! That cheap imitation is but an insult to our Lords! What I mean is the true imbuement of the sin, and you, My Lord, are the reincarnation of Lust, Demon King of the Seven and inner most hell closest to our Demon Emperor,” he states and I raise a brow.
“De… wait…” I place my hand on my head, getting a headache from all the random shit being thrown my way. “Okay, I need a second,” I sigh, going to sit down, but the fucking wings get in my way and I want to rip the sons of bitches from my back. “What the fuck do I do about these things?” I point and, Father clears his throat.
“You only have to will it so and they will do as you desire.” I guess that makes sense… I nod, thinking about how I was able to get baby to think I was cosplaying.
I close my eyes, frowning, and command these annoying things to disappear and soon feel a disturbing sensation in my back as if my bones are being rearranged. When it stops, I crack my neck, feeling better, doing the same for my eyes and tail, heaving a sigh of relief at having those heavy ass wings off my back.
“So what you’re saying is what’s afflicting Frank will eventually happen to the rest of us?”
“That is correct, Lord Pride. You all will start to exhibit your sin’s attributes more and more as you are closer to meeting your counter, the virtues. I was not expecting it to happen so soon, but I am honored to witness this unprecedented event. It means our Demon Emperor will soon be returning.”
“You are not making any fucking sense. Sins, demons, kings and emperors, virtues… it all sounds like some shitty low-budget fucking movie. Profitable… but still!” Genesis speaks and Mother bows.
“I apologize that you feel that way, Lord Greed. However, the information I am allowed to share is restricted for now.”
“Well that’s fucking rich, and for fuck’s sake, quit it with the ‘My Lord’ shit,” Wilder grumbles. “It’s weird as fuck.”
“I apologize for that as well, Lord Wrath. However, I cannot.”
“And why is that?” Gannon and Saint ask at the same time.
“Because Lord Gluttony and Sloth, now that the manifesting has begun, we are bound by our contracts. We must abide by the bylaws which state after the first manifestation, Savana and I cease to be your mother and father, henceforth becoming your loyal servants once more,” our father states proudly.
“This is bullshit,” Echo growls.
“Lord Envy, I understand the discourse, but this is what must be done,” Father states and I grit my teeth, tired of this shit already. I don’t have time for this.
Now that I’m feeling better and can see, I glance down at my phone so I can text my baby, but I see that an important message flashes in my email that I color coordinated for Jessica. Clicking it, my heart immediately sinks.
Hey baby,
I hope you’re feeling better. I came by your place, but your staff wouldn’t let me see you. FYI, she needs to be fired! Immediately! Anyway, I’m attaching a ticket to my game tomorrow. If you have time and aren’t feeling too bad, I would really love it if you can make it. You’ll be sitting right in the front next to my best friend Faythe who’ll be FaceTiming with Bebe, my other best friend the entire game but she’s in Georgia and can’t make it. My parents aren’t coming and even though Faythe is coming, it would make my day to see you there.
I miss you… I love you.
Yours,
Mrs. Metchie
She loves me? Me? An asshole doesn’t deserve love, but the most precious being in the stratosphere said I’m worthy of her love? I look at the date she sent the email and my heart sinks… I missed it… I missed it! I fucking missed it!
“Dude, what the fuck is wrong with you?” Gannon steps back, expecting me to blow the fuck up and I just might…
“Chill,” Wilder grumbles, covering his nose as he coughs and Genesis does the same. I smell blood in their cough…
“Lord Greed! Lord Wrath! It seems the miasma flowing from Lord Lust has penetrated your body! You two seem to be the next ready to manifest your sins!” Mother steps forward, awe in her eyes.
“Ain’t shit penetrating me!” Wilder growls.
“Fucking right! We do the penetrating around here!”
“Pause…” Wilder adds, curling his lip.
“I… you know what the fuck I meant, asshole!” Gannon balks, offended, and Wilder points the middle finger, leaving Pierce to grit his teeth and point, disgusted.
“ Them ? Before me ? You have got to me shitting me!” Pierce sneers with disgust, baring sharp teeth.
“Lord Pride, I’m sure you will manifest soon enough,” Father reassures him. “You only need to wait until Lord Lust enters hell and?—”
“HELL?!” we all shout at once and Father chuckles.
“Yes, hell. This one will be the Seventh Hell, specifically.”
“As in the eternal fire hell-hell?” Gannon curls his lip.
“The very one,” Father smiles and Gannon turns away.
“I’m good. No thank you,” he shakes his head and the rest of us follow. Hell? What the fuck are they even talking about?
“It’s not that bad. You’re all thinking based on the fairy tales you have heard. Besides, you have no choice in the matter if you want to manifest your sins. You need access the miasma there.”
“What the fuck is miasma?” Saint asks causally hanging back, puffing heavily on a cigar, looking more tired by the second, and Echo who’s standing next to him never looked so pissed as he glares at me.
“It’s a respiratory disease, idiot,” Wilder rolls his eyes.
“That’s asthma, you imbecile,” Pierce groans, looking genuinely disgusted.
“It’s the same difference. My asthma, your asthma, whatever,” he defends.
“Wait a minute… but does it affect the lungs?” Gannon instigates with narrowed eyes and a shit-eating grin.
“Yes… obviously,” Pierce growls, frustrated.
“Then technically I’m right. Same difference,” Wilder grins as he high fives Gannon.
“WILDER! GANNON!” our mother snaps back to her old self before rubbing her temples and taking a deep breath. “M-my apologies, Lord Wrath and Lord Gluttony… please allow me to properly explain. Miasma is noxious air that demons need to grow stronger. It’s not very present here on this Earth, though there are still way to attain it where there is death and sorrow. In your cases, you all collected it when you went on jobs or when you leaned into your sinful ways, which is why Lord Lust have manifested first,” she explains.
“Yeah, but how do I control this power? I need to go to my girl, s?—”
“Your… girl?” Mother pauses, and Father narrows his eyes.
“Yeah, and?”
“You mean to say you entered an actual… relationship?” Father asks and I puff out my chest, proud of my baby. I go to speak, but Pierce says something first.
“Not only is he in a relationship, I’d even venture to say he’s in love,” he snorts and everyone turns to me, wide eyed.
“Love?” Genesis quirks a brow… “What’s that feel like?”
“Jessica,” I answer effortlessly.
“Not your woman… describe the feeling. What is it like?” Echo leans forward interested, but I can’t describe it. I don’t know what the emotion is myself. I’ve always had an aversion to the word, like it repulsed me until I met her.
“Love is Jessica. Jessica is love.”
“NO!” my mother shouts, drawing our attention. “Sins are incapable of love!” she grits out and our father comes up behind her, trying to calm her down.
“Relax, darling. He must not understand lust can not love. Lust can only desire… you must be confused, Lord Lust.”
“No. It might have started out like that… desire, lust, carnality… but—” I think about her smile and I clutch my chest. If this isn’t love, then what is it? “I lo—” My phone vibrates in my hand before I can say the words out loud, and I look down to see a text from my love.
Locked in : You know what? I’m tired of this
Locked in : I see you read my messages and chose not to respond…
Locked in : I can take a hint. I’m done. We’re through.
I read them one hundred… no, one thousand times, and each time I die a little inside as her messages send a piercing pain in my heart I have never felt before from mere words.… I… I feel like I’m suffocating…
Through?
I feel something poke my hand and glance down, gritting my teeth when I see my phone has practically shattered into dust in my hand.
Through?
Standing, I walk past my parents, glancing over them with more questions, but not now. I have other shit to handle. Leaving the room, everyone follows behind me confused, but I refuse to stop.
“Frank, where the hell are you going?!” Echo snarls and I keep walking, uncaring of all that stupid demon and seven hell shit. None of it matters, at least not right now. All this extra shit can wait.
“Where do you think? I’m going to my wife.” I crack my neck again, still feeling slightly uncomfortable.
“Are you kidding me?! You just turned into some fucking monster and been told we’re some demons, and all you give a fuck about is a wom—” I stomp, cracking the floor and turn. With the sheer force of my anger, I push Echo back, forcing him to slam against the wall before falling.
“You can discuss that shit amongst yourselves. Making sure my woman is good is more important,” I growl out viciously, ready to attack the next mother fucker who has something to say regardless of who the fuck it is. But Saint steps in between Echo and I, sighing, waving a Kleenex napkin.
“Fine, we’ll discuss it, but was that necessary?” he yawns. “Just go. I’m too lazy to care about stopping you anyway.” He glances at me, holding Echo back who’s still snarling at me. I only shrug as Echo’s sneer turn to a mocking smirk as he wipes the blood from his mouth. Sturdy son of a bitch.
“I don’t need you to take up for me. I shouldn’t have spoken like that about our sister-in-law, so I deserved that and I’ll give you that one. But make no mistake, you won’t get another,” Echo curls his lip as if dying for a fight. Normally I’d oblige, but I have more important shit to worry about than his fucked up self, so I just throw up a middle finger and keep my pace.
“We’ll get the details from mom and dad. Just don’t disappear again,” Pierce calls out.
“Yeah.”
“Oh, and I think it goes without saying that you shouldn’t tell your girlfriend about this.”
“I’ll tell my wife whatever the fuck I want,” I shoot off, but I know I won’t. I don’t know that the fuck is happening to me, but I don’t want her to wind up in a fucked up situation because of it.
“Frank!” Gannon sighs and throws his head back, exasperated.
“You bastard, would you just listen for a second! This is dangerous!” Wilder grumbles, and I agree with his words.
“I know… I won’t say anything, but if this affects my wife, I will protect her,” I grunt and my mother lets out a sorrowful screech, though I don’t have the wherewithal to care. I bypass the bloody puddle I left earlier and make my way out the door to my wife.
We’re through?! That’ll never fucking happen. I will never let her go.
“Fine, but come back as soon as you can,” Pierce call out probably wanting to study what the hell is going on with my body.
“Yeah,” I throw my hand up, leaving the house and heading to my baby.
My everything… my complete obsession… my Love.
To Be Continued in Bound by Lust…