Chapter 6 – IVY
Chapter
Six
IVY
Last night, I slept like the dead and woke up feeling like I was a young child with all the energy in the world.
I’ve decided to explore more of this castle-like house today since I’ll be staying here for who knows how long.
Arriving on the first level, I pass the seating area once more, only to find another living room, this one cozier with one long gray couch, a black coffee table, and a TV mounted on the wall.
Moving on, I pass the kitchen, another bathroom, and then make my way down a long hall until I reach the frosted glass door at the end. I nearly gasp at the scene.
Before me is a massive greenhouse of sorts.
I take in the array of lush green plants all around with big banana leaves and other foliage.
Various flowering plants also stand out in vibrant colors of deep pinks, bright yellows and orange, reds and purples, adding pops of eye-catching colors.
There are orchids, plumerias, hibiscus and other exotic flowers I don’t recognize but are still so beautiful.
Two small butterflies flutter over me with their delicate white wings, bringing my attention to baskets that hang from the ceiling with ferns and fuchsias and pansies, swaying slightly from a breeze.
I follow a plant’s vines snaking their way up the side of the glass wall, reaching the impressive clear glass dome roof that lets in the natural morning sunlight.
There are even trees planted into the dirt grown near the stone pathways, and somewhere in the near distance, I hear the trickle of running water like there might be a pond in here too.
I walk down an aisle flanked by potted plants, their leaves deep purple, burgundy, and bright green.
It feels like stepping into a tropical jungle, the air earthy and laced with soft floral notes.
Warmth and humidity cling to my skin—nothing like the crisp fall outside.
Obviously, the place is temperature regulated, cared for with meticulous attention.
Every leaf gleams, every stem thriving. This is the work of someone who loves nature deeply.
I never would’ve suspected that someone to be Venom.
I lightly touch some glossy green leaves as I walk down the stone path, inspecting more of the beauty of this place.
At the end of the aisle, I look to my right and spot a seating area with a little tree near it with delicate pink flowers.
I look around finding more tables and equipment, making it look like a science lab.
Microscopes, test tubes, beakers, syringes, small blades and many other things I’m not familiar with that scream dangerous.
Someone clears their throat from behind me, and I whirl to find Venom casually leaning against a table with a toothpick in his mouth.
“What is all this? Are you some kind of mad scientist?” I ask.
“Perhaps I’m more of a wizard, a potions master, if you will.”
“Oh yeah? Where’s your wizard hat then?”
“In the closet,” he deadpans.
“Uh-huh. And your wand?”
“In my pants. Care to see?”
“No thanks.” I grimace.
“Are you sure, darlin’? I can cast quite the spell with it.” He tips his head to the side, eyeing me like prey.
“I’ll take your word for it, Professor.”
He smiles, showing his perfectly straight white teeth.
“So really, what’s going on with all this?”
“It’s what I do. They don’t call me The Southern Poisoner for nothing. Be careful touching things though, could very well be the last thing you do.”
I internally cringe and wipe my hands on my pants nervously. He smirks.
“Come, let me show you my pets.”
He leads me deeper into the greenhouse until we reach the back wall lined with glass cases. Snakes. And other creatures that make my skin crawl.
“This here is Black Betty.” He gestures to a thick coil of scales shifting behind the glass. “She’s a mean one. Doesn’t like new people—gets defensive fast. Best leave her be. We had a few arguments at the start, but I’d say we’re on decent terms now.”
“Black Betty? But she’s gray.”
“The inside of her mouth is nearly black. But if she goes showing you that, you’re in trouble, darlin’. She’s extremely fast and her venom is a neurotoxin, which will cause paralysis and respiratory failure.”
“Got it. I’ll stay away from her.”
“Now, this beauty is Sally. She’s an Inland Taipan, a sweet gal but the most venomous snake in the world. My personal favorite of course.”
“Of course.” I roll my eyes. “So, you’ve named them all?”
“The ones I've had the longest.”
He continues introducing me to several other snakes, mentioning other sorts of toxins they possess as well as a few spiders and an interesting looking-lizard named Shirley.
"Shirley’s a Gila monster," he says, nodding toward the thick-bodied lizard behind the glass. "Her venom’s a neurotoxin, but it’s rarely fatal to humans.
They get a bad reputation, when really they just want to be left alone.
Don’t bother them, and they won’t bother you.
Funny thing—her venom carries a peptide almost identical to a human hormone that regulates blood sugar.
Scientists used it to develop a diabetes medication. "
He smirks, the pride in his tone unmistakable. "Creatures like Shirley… venomous or not, they can be remarkable."
I don’t miss the way his face lights up as he shares a few more interesting facts on his pets. He then takes a seat in a leather recliner and props his feet up on a matching stool.
“You sure know a lot about… well… a lot.”
“I’m a fan of knowledge, understanding things, people… creatures.” He raises a brow at me at that last word.
“You’re trying to understand me?”
“I’m dissecting you. Don’t worry, darlin’. It will be mostly painless.”
“When will you let me leave? After your dissection is complete?”
“When I trust you or when your corpse is thrown into my trunk. The latter is probably more likely.”
“I could just sneak out when you're sleeping or preoccupied with your pets.”
“You could. But I would find you, and oh what fun I would have with you then.” His gaze travels down my body then back up, meeting my eyes.
“I could kill you first. I’d have plenty of opportunities.”
He tilts his head with a devilish grin like he enjoys the thought. “Please do try, little beast.”
“You know, there’s an advantage to being underestimated,” I say as I step around one of the tables and move closer to him.
“Oh, you got it wrong, darlin’. I don’t underestimate you. You simply overestimate yourself.”
I don't respond, just continue staring at him with intense hatred. He then pulls the toothpick from his mouth and stands, towering over me. “Now, you best get out of here before you touch something you shouldn’t or upset my pets.”
With that, he strides past me and heads for the door. “Oh, and don’t forget to put that blade back on the table. Wouldn't want you hurting yourself now.”
Fuck, I didn't think he noticed that.
But he’s out of the room now, so maybe I will just keep this one in case things get really bad.
Wouldn’t be the first time I had to kill a man.