Misfits - Chapter 26 (Patreon)

Cal

I always thought the hardest thing for me in life was blending in with the world. Acting like I was normal, knowing that I was not. Pretending that I was disgusted by the mere thought of murder, knowing full well I reveled in it.

But that was before I met Rue. Now, the hardest thing in my life, was seeing the pure fear in her eyes as she looked at me. Every time I stepped in the room, watching her tense up when she saw me. I've tried several times to explain to her, but she immediately leaves the room as soon as I step in. I really fucked up this time.

I had less than a week to patch things up with Rue before I had to begin on Vitale's plans, which meant less time with her. Much less time with her. These days were the calm before the storm, and instead of us enjoying each other, we were avoiding each other. I walk past my bedroom, and pause when I see Rue. She's sitting on the window sill, with the curtains pulled back and staring out at the yard. Her hair is pulled up in a high bun, and I flinch when I see the purple marks around her throat. I did that.

"Rue." Her shoulders immediately tense as soon as she hears my voice. I have to fight the hurt I feel from her reaction. I turn, closing the door, letting her know that she wasn't going to walk away from me today.

"Rue, please.. just let me explain," I say. She still doesn't respond. She keeps her gaze trained outward. I walk towards her and settle for taking a seat on the bed. Silence overcomes the room, and I look at my hands. I'm shaking. Not from anger. From fear.

I haven't reached to this part of me in so long. I haven't delved into my past. I haven't told anyone what happened to me. I may have scratched the surface with Rue that one time, but I never told her the truth. I never told her how things really happened. I take a deep breath.

"My mother never loved me. She sold me, over and over again, so that she could have the money to support her habit." I let out a shaky breath.

"There was a woman, named Jennifer. She was like the neighborhood housewife that all the others looked to for approval. She saw me one night, when I was earning. She said she wanted me. And she had me. Several times. She told her friends, and bragged about it. None of them seemed to care that I was underage. It all became a game to them. See who could break Callum. Who could make him scream." I stop, looking up to see if Rue was at least looking at me, but she's still looking out the window.

"Jennifer was the only one that could do it. And she bragged about it to her friends, and they made a game out of it. Betting each other money to see who could break me other than Jennifer. They did horrible things to me.. And I was just a fucking kid," I say bitterly. I can feel my resentment and anger beginning to boil up.

"Jennifer would tell me to try my hardest not to scream. And if I did, things would be worse for me. I lost every time. Until I decided enough was enough. And I killed her. I don't regret it, and I'm not sorry about it."

"But Rue, I never meant to hurt you. I had a nightmare, and when I felt your hands on me, I thought I was back with Jennifer. I'm so sorry, Rue. I'm so so sorry. I would never intentionally hurt you," I say, pleading with her.

"You are the only woman I have ever loved, Rue. I would never do anything to jeopardize that you have to understand that," I say. She finally turns looking at me, but instead of anger, I see hurt.

"You'd only lie to me, right?" I have to fight myself on flinching, from her voice. It's soft and a small whisper. I did that.

"Rue I never lied to you," I say. Her eyes narrow, and if looks could kill I would be dead dead dead.

"You kill people for a living, Callum. You didn't tell me that. You lied to me the whole time we were together, our whole relationship is built on a lie."

"No-"

"Yes. I trusted you. I gave you everything. And yo-" I jump up, from my seat on the bed, unable to keep my cool any longer.

"You fucking lied to me!" I shout. I can feel my fists clenching in anger. She's staring at me with a mixture of shock and fear.

"You said, you loved me. You said you meant it." I roughly run my fingers through my hair, pushing the wild strands out of my face. I stare at her, trying to understand how she could say those words and leave me.

"But you left! Just like her!" My resentment towards my mother was coming out and directing to Rue.

"Well what was I supposed to do, Cal??"

"Stay!" I shout. Rue stares at me with wide eyes, as the silence envelopes us. I don't know how long we sit there staring at each other. I can feel myself getting weaker by the second. I" slowly sink down onto the bed, dropping my head in my hands.

"You were supposed to fucking stay," I whisper.

"You were supposed to see past the monster. You were supposed to love me, the man that you fell in love with." I look up at her, and she's still watching me with wide eyes.

"I'm still the same man, Rue. I'm still the man you met in that clearing, and the man that's done nothing to harm you. You just know more about me now. But I'm still the same man, that will never change. My feelings for you will never change. Why can't you just.. stay with me?" I ask. Tears are beginning to form and spill down her face. She sniffles.

I move off the bed, kneeling directly in front of her. I slowly reach out, grabbing her hand and she lets me. Her soft hand molding perfectly between my fingers. I hadn't realized how much I missed touching her.

"Talk to me, princess." I say. She squeezes her eyes shut, shaking her head. I move from the floor, in front of her on the cushion.

"C'mon. Don't shut me out. I'm here. Talk to me." Her big brown eyes meet mine, and I feel my heart skip a beat.

"I don't know what to do, Cal." Her voice is still a hoarse whisper. She looks down after a while. I reach out, placing my finger under her chin, and bringing her gaze back to mine.

"Stay with me," I say. She doesn't respond. She only blinks.

"Just stay with me," I repeat.

"I can give you everything. I can give you a home. I can give you my love, unconditionally. I can protect you. You'll never have to want for anything, Rue. I can give it to you. I can give you anything you want. Just stay with me," I say. She furrows her brow, and gazes at me. I can see the inner battle she's having with herself. She wants to. I know she does. But she also has a moral compass. And that's pointing her in the opposite direction of me.

Before she can respond, I place my hand against her cheek. I enjoy the soft warmth of her skin against mine. And I can see her visibly relaxing. Her lashes drop a little as her eyes grow heavy, and she's fighting that urge to lean into me. To close her eyes and just feel. I begin to rub my thumb back and forth against her cheek, and I know I have her. She slowly reaches up, placing her hand against mine, holding it in place on her cheek. In the next moment I don't think. I just feel. And I give in to the fire burning within me.

My eyes fall to her lips. That perfect pout she had naturally. They were so full and natural, and so damn sexy. I feel my dick getting hard in my pants as I imagine those lips around me. Her tongue darts out, licking her lips, and that's all it takes for my resolve to disappear. I lean in to her before she can register what's happening, and I kiss her.

Soft. Her lips are so soft and unsure against mine. But I don't care. I missed her. I missed her touch, her smell. I missed everything about her. I deepen the kiss, and intertwine her fingers with mine, pulling her hand away from her face. I reach with my other hand, into her hair, pulling it out of that bun, and reveling in the feel of those soft tendrils falling into her face. I can feel some of them tickling my cheeks, and it makes me all the more aroused.

I lightly trace her bottom lip with my tongue, and she parts her mouth, giving me permission to enter my tongue. A soft moan fills the room, and I realize it's from her. I want to have sex with her so bad in this moment, but I can't. Not right now. Not like this.

I slowly pull away from the kiss, trying to get my nerves calmed and my breathing slowed. Damn. I run my fingers through my hair, sitting up straight and Rue is gazing at me with the sexiest expression I have ever seen.

Her lips are swollen from the kiss, and her hair is splayed wildly around her. A few rebellious curls decide to tickle her cheeks. I reach out, pushing them behind her ear, vaguely noting that she doesn't flinch from my touch. And I smile. She seems shocked when she sees my smile, but I don't care. I'm happy and I don't care who knows it.

"When's the last time you ate?" I ask trying to change the subject. And what better time to do it when I had things to get off my chest.

* * * * *

I place Rue's soup in front of her. She could only eat liquids for the time being. At least until the swelling went down. Every time I look at her throat I want to kill myself. I could have killed her.

I head over to the silverware drawer, grabbing a spoon and walking back to the table.

"Rue can I ask you question?" I say handing her the spoon. She looks at me and nods her head.

"You promise, you'll stay here. That we'll work things out?" I say looking at her. She looks as though she wants to say no, but she reluctantly nods her head again.

"You do love me, right? You won't leave me again?" I ask. She nods her head.

"I want to hear you say it, Rue," I say. She looks troubled, but opens her mouth.

"I love you, Cal. Even though it's wrong. And I shouldn't, I do. And I don't want to be without you. And I promise I will try, and see where things will lead with us," she whispers. I give her a grim smile, and watch as she begins eating her soup.

Now, for me personally, I know there are people out there to get me. So unless I've seen it be prepared, or I've cooked it myself, I don't eat it. And as I watch Rue innocently eat the soup, I can't help but wonder what it must be like to unconditionally trust the world around you. To not have to worry or be nervous that your food is poisoned. Her food isn't poisoned of course, but I just slipped something in it. Because what I'm about to do to her, she needs to be completely unconscious.

"Do you like it?" I ask. She nods her head. The drug was untraceable, and any minute now she would be in such a deep sleep, not even an earthquake could wake her. Do I regret doing this to her, no not at all. It was for her safety.

I watch her closely as the drug begins to take effect. She begins blinking rapidly, as if unable to focus. Her head bobs a little and she looks around in confusion.

"Ca-" My name is barely out of her mouth before her head tilts back in the chair and she's unconscious.

* * * * *

The last place I wanted to bring Rue was here. My little piece of heaven under the shed. But all of my tools were down here. I gaze at her still body atop the table. Even in her sleep she was beautiful. I walk away from her, and to the shelf grabbing my sterilized tools. There was no way in hell I was going to use any dirty tools on her. I walk to the box containing the shipments I ordered.

Three trackers, and a birth control implant. When Rue left me, things came into clear perspective for me. I had zero control over her. I couldn't hurt her, and so I couldn't force her to do things. But I can control certain aspects of her life. And I can know where she is at all times.

Especially now since Vitale was about to force everyone into this stupid war, Rue would definitely be a target. I had no idea how to protect her, and keep her hidden from my world. It was an impossible thing to do. So far, no one knew about her. But as soon as this war blew up, someone would know. And they would come after her. If they had her they had me. And if they had me, they definitely had Vitale.

I considered telling her she wasn't going back to school. But I know that will crush her. I honestly don't even see the point in her going back. She said she would stay. She said she loved me and that she wouldn't go anywhere. So I would provide for her. I would give her everything, she has no need for a degree anymore. Hell, she doesn't even need a job. But I know that if I tell her she can't go back, she will eventually resent me.

I step back over her body on the table, grabbing the fabric scissors and cutting her clothes off. I have to reign in my hormones. Her body was so perfect. And it was all mine. I grab the pen, marking the spots that the trackers would go in her body. One by her hip, one in her left hand, and one in her right forearm. Had she been awake and consenting, she never would have let me do this. And I would have wasted time trying to get her permission and convince her it was for her own good.

As I finish up with everything, I can't help but stare at the veins currently visible on her forearms. My thoughts are beginning to run away from me, and an idea pops into my head. I shouldn't. I know I shouldn't. But I want to. So fucking badly. I reach out, tracing the veins. She doesn't stir. I've only ever collected the blood of those that are going to die. I've never had someone alive blood.

My excitement rises as I think about it more and more. Not just anyone's blood either. The love of my life's blood. I want. Dammit I want to so fucking bad. I try and make myself feel some type of guilt about taking it if I do. But I don't. All I know is that Rue will be upset if I do. But personally, I want it. And the thought of taking it doesn't bother me whatsoever.

My gaze travels back to her unconscious face. I push her curls away from her face, some of them bouncing back anyway. A small smile forms on my lips. She said she loved me. She said she would stay. She was mine now, right? She had said so.

"I do love you, Rue," I say aloud.

"Just let me show you."

~

Rue

My head feels so heavy. Like something is still holding it down. I peel my eyes open, looking around the room. I'm in Cal's room. But he's nowhere to be found. I slowly sit up, groaning in irritation from my headache. I place my fingers to my temples. My body is also throbbing all over in random spots. I try and remember how I even got here, but all I can remember is sitting at the table with Cal, and then nothing.

It's dark outside, and Cal has the curtains drawn. I slowly get out of bed, ready to go in search for Cal, and pausing when I hear voices. It's a deep mumble. Like the sound is being muffled from the walls. I follow the sound, to the hall and the voice gets louder.

I recognize it immediately. Cal is talking on the phone to someone. Probably Vitale. I pause at the corner and slowly peek around. Cal is sitting at the bar with his back to me, gazing at something in his hand while he speaks on the phone.

"Yeah. Everything will fall into place next week. That gives me a week for prep and you 2 weeks since I'm doing the dirty work." He brings what's in his hand up to the light and I squint to see it better.

"Don't worry. I'm doing fine. More than fine actually I'm feeling great. Better than I have in a while." He pauses and laughs.

"Yeah she may have something to do with it. But that's a good thing for you," he says. He stops playing with what's in his hand and brings it up to the light and I finally see it for what it is. It's a small vial. It has a deep red liquid in it. Blood.

I slowly back away from the archway, heading back into the room. When Cal took me with him that one time to show me what he does, he had a mason jar and he filled it to the brim with his victims blood. But just now he had a small vial. Was that from another victim? Did he really go and kill someone while I was asleep? And why did he decide to take less this time?

I step into Cal's room, my whole body is aching along with my head. I lay my head down on the pillow and squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block out my thoughts. Right now wasn't the time. Maybe when all the pain went away it would be better.