THE TORMENTOR 2
THE MASKED
The Masked - Episode 3&4
( Where•are•you, Ixora? )
Book 2 in the Mindf+ck Trilogy
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Elsa's eyes are on the mansion, sticking to it like glue as she answered each question.
"Why are you wearing a veil on half of your face? From your dark eyeballs, it's obvious you're beautiful" the mansion maid spoke again, and Elsa faced her.
"I'm probably the ugliest being alive" she said with a gripping chilliness, and the mansion maid stepped away, looking awed.
The parents are still rebounding with the girl they think is their daughter, so Elsa just stood where she is, watching everything with a short sigh she was able to push out of her nostrils.
Serena smiled in the arms of Rafael and Stonia, her joy boundless as they continued showering her with kisses.
She knew Ixora's face would get her the care and love she has been craving from them, but she wasn't expecting it to be this intense.
She's loving every bit of this, and it's only just the start.
As long as she has Ixora's face, she'd remain their loving, darling daughter.
And it's gonna remain that way forever.
She looked at Ixora who's standing by the park as Elsa, and her smile diminished.
So far she remains under that veil, she'll forever be Elsa, no one will find out she's the real Ixora.
She worked too much on this, and even if Satan descends from hell, he still won't be able to ruin this.
Thanks to Dr. Fat... Everything is in order.
Stonia was the first to pull Serena inside, and Rafael was about to follow when he turned back and saw Elsa.
"You are?" He asked.
"My maid! She was hired for me by the doctor who saved me" Serena quickly replied by the door.
"C'mon!" Stonia pulled her inside.
"I'm Elsa." Elsa bowed slightly, and Rafael gave her a hug she didn't expect.
"Thanks for protecting my daughter, for bringing her back" he said gratefully, but Elsa was quick to break the hug.
"I hate it, hugs" she said, and Rafael nodded.
"Cold as ice, huh?" He said.
Elsa kept that expressionless look up.
"Sorry, young girl. I'm just too overjoyed" Rafael smiled, then he called one of the maids to take her to their quarters.
"Take her to the last room, and make sure she settles down well" he said.
Elsa left with the maid, and Rafael joined Stonia and Serena inside.
Stonia is busy checking Serena out inside her room, and Serena is half-naked already.
She made sure that every scar, every mole and mark on Ixora's body...she imprinted it on her own body, and the hips? She got them injected, so they're just as curvy as Ixora's in the right proportions.
"Why is your hair dark?" Rafael asked.
"I got tired of the blonde, I needed a change" Serena responded.
"You look so lean" Stonia said after checking her out thoroughly.
"That's because I was starved for months. I was kidnapped from the core prison that night by two guards. I couldn't see their faces well, but they were probably sent by Satan's Heirs. I was sold to prostitution in France, and I was almost tainted, but Dr. Fat was luckily at the club that night, he recognized and bought me instead. He took care of me for months before he came back to Cali with me today" Serena told the fake story.
"Dr. Fat of Crescent Hospital?" Rafael asked, and Serena nodded.
"And Satan's Heirs were behind the kidnap?" Stonia gasped, standing up.
She's already wearing a blouse.
"Yeah, I overheard the guards saying Warren was the one who killed Mrs. Ortega to frame me" Serena further lied, and Stonia faced Rafael.
"Get your phone, and call the commissioner, that Warren guy? He's getting arrested tonight" she said.
"No, we only just got her back, and you wanna start stirring trouble? I want peace with my daughter, peace only! Let's focus on how the government won't arrest her again" Rafael replied.
Stonia rolled eyes and sat back, and Serena stood.
"Gawd, I can't believe I'm back. I missed this room so much" she said, fighting back tears.
"It hasn't been easy coping without you, my love. I was mad" Stonia said, hugging her again.
"I know, It must have been hard" Serena replied.
"Why is your voice raspy?" Rafael suddenly asked another question, and Stonia broke the hug with Serena.
"I suffered, dad. I screamed everytime I was dragged into the prostitution stage, you don't expect my voice to remain same" Serena cautiously replied.
"What's with the questions?" Stonia faced Rafael with a smirk, and he stepped in properly.
"I'm just... overwhelmed is all" he stroked Serena's hair, and she smiled.
"You should shower first" Stonia said.
"No, I'll do that after i see Elsa" Serena replied.
"Elsa?" Stonia blinked.
"The maid she came with" Rafael replied.
"The veiled one? Why is she veiled anyways" Stonia said.
"She believes she's the ugliest person alive, I dunno what kind of fucked up shit she has passed through, but it looks like trauma, and I'm hoping she gets past it. But don't get too attached to her, she's a bî+ch" Serena said.
"Why is she a bî+ch?" Rafael asked.
"Cos I know her better than anyone, Elsa is not nice" Serena replied and left the room.
Stonia then faced Rafael.
"Why do you sound like you're not happy to see our daughter? It's been one long year, and she miraculously came back Rafael!"
"I'm happy to see her, but she just... doesn't feel the same anymore. Xora wouldn't address a maid as a bîtch, she treated our maids like her sisters" Rafael replied.
"Of course she'd change, it's been a year stop being paranoid!" Stonia pushed past him and left the room.
Rafael stood stunned for one more minute before taking his phone, dialling the commissioner.
"My daughter just came back home" he announced.
"What!" The commissioner sounded.
"Yeah, and you better set a meeting with your comrades and discuss how it's gonna be. My daughter is not going back to that prison. She was kidnapped by guards who were working for Warren, sold to France for prostitution, but thanks to a doctor...she's back to us" Rafael summarized.
The commissioner went silent.
"Set the meeting, and reinvestigate the case. This time, I'll be protecting my daughter with my life" Rafael added and hung up.
--
[Maids Quarters, Elsa's Room]
The mirror is the first thing Elsa shattered when she arrived at the room.
Why is there a mirror?
Why would she have a mirror in her room when she's ugly as f+ck?
"You're the ugliest person alive, don't forget that. Always strap your mask on. If anyone tries to get it off, kill them. Your purpose in life is to keep your mask on, be a maid to your mistress, and protect her. You're Elsa, the ugliest" the strong voice sounded in her head, and she sat on the available small bed.
Serena came in at this moment, and the smile on her face was priceless.
"Finally we're back to my home where you'll be my maid and remain under my shoes forever" she said, and Elsa stood.
Serena held her chin, keeping her still. "No one has the right to take your mask off, always remember that. If anyone tries to hurt me, you're to attack them, and do everything I want" she said.
"I'll do anything you want if it sits well with me" Elsa frostily replied, and Serena scoffed, roughly letting go of her chin.
"Your attitude still sucks even after everything. Well, I'm the new Ixora, so die with the Elsa identity forever. The ugliest" Serena chuckled, leaving the room.
--
[Satan's Heirs Hideaway]
Konstantin is currently on facetime with Capri and Ashton. The laptop is on the table, and both dudes are in front of it.
"Why am I not seeing ladies around? Cap...what the hell is going on? Are your magazine sl-ts on vacation?" Konstantin queried.
"This ain't the time to f+ck sl-ts, drop that topic" Capri replied, opening the gin with him and taking a shot.
"Wait ... Don't tell me it's because of the pet. I get it, we sent her to jail with no idea of the hypnosis she was under, and she was kidnapped from there by gawd f+ckin knows. Still doesn't mean y'all have to start curling around like cats" Konstantin replied.
"No one is curling around about it, well ... Except War. He got released from rehab, and guess what? He went straight to Chapel Of Silence" Ashton replied with half his eyes closed.
"Mann...I knew he'd turn out like this, no wonder the dickhead didn't pick my calls. So what's going on in campus? Shit, I miss Cali...and I heard some shitty horsemen are in town? The name makes me wanna go for baptism." Konstantin said, and the guys laughed.
"Romeo has my support, he can keep doing his shit with the new mute guy, heard his father belongs in the American mafia" Ashton said.
"Isn't your brother part of the horses too? And the Clover bastard" Konstantin said to Ashton.
"Bronx is doing it on purpose, but he'd have to try harder to make me see him, I'm still trying to figure out his cult, wifey" Ashton replied, and Konstantin snickered.
"Can we not talk about these shitty horses today? I'm enjoying this laying low period too much, don't ruin it" Capri muttered.
And then a loud hit sounded on the gate outside.
Capri left Ashton on the call and went outside to check who, but immediately he opened the gate and saw Chicago, his eyes darkened.
"War isn't around" he said and tried shutting the door, but she held it back strongly.
"War isn't around, doesn't mean I can't stay here" she said, and he scoffed.
"Even if he agrees to your stay, I'll kill you on your first night here, so fûck off, Carina" he pushed the gate to her face and locked it, then he began walking back inside.
"Capri!!! Capri!!!!!" She kicked the gate repeatedly like an unchained psycho, but he never turned back.
"F+ck you!! Capri Benson!!! F+ck you!! Capri Leo? F+ck that, you're Capri Benson motherf+cker!!!" She yelled.
He was about to enter the hideaway when she said that, and his jaws gritted before he eventually entered.
--
[Romeo's Mansion]
It's even bigger and more luxurious than the one Warren burnt down last year. It could compete one of the most luxurious mansions in this city right now.
On the green center table, there are several bags of hard drugs and other bags of dollar bundles, all in disarray.
Romeo and Clover are on the table, unpacking and repacking the drugs into small packs.
They never allow outsiders to do their jobs, they do everything by themselves.
Majorly why they've been staying in the business without implications since last year.
Smoky cigarette sat on Romeo's lips, and Clover has the same, both seriously focusing on the drugs they're packaging.
"Yunno...last year I was ready to pay any amount to find out any information about you" clover suddenly said, dropping his weed.
"And why were you so desperate for the info?" Bethel asked, coming downstairs in her short white PJs.
"Go back upstairs and change that" Romeo pointed.
"And why the f+ck should I listen to you?" Bethel glared.
"If it's because of me, then ain't no way you expect me to be interested in your sister, I'm more interested in you" Clover said.
"I'll kill you" Romeo seethed, and Clover smiled.
"So...tell me" Bethel slammed her palms on the table.
"Were you curious about Romeo because you're gay?" She questioned.
"I'm straight, please. I was interested cos I liked him as a friend, not romantically" Clover replied.
"Hope it stays that way" Bethel nodded, and Romeo left the table while Bethel took his place.
He went to the lounge and sat, licking his hot lips as he stared at Ixora's picture on his phone.
"I just hope wherever you are, you stay safe. And know that the next time I set eyes on you, I'm gonna chase after you even if you're against it" he muttered, and Bethel settled beside him.
"Are you leaving the drugs for Clover to package alone?" Romeo strictly said.
"Reminder, dad's memorial is tomorrow" she replied.
"I know" Romeo puffed on his weed.
Clover looked at them from the green table and smiled.
They're like his small family, and the reason he formed the band with Romeo isn't because of anything else, but because of Mykel.
Mykel is the son of a mafia, and they needed his father's connections, so they had to enter somehow.
They found out he liked music and he's a guitarist, so Romeo formed the band, and it wasn't hard to make Mykel join.
They took in Bronx only because he's Ashton's brother.
Anything to provoke the Satan's Heirs.
--
[Chapel Of Silence]
The breeze is spine-chilling.
It has always been this way, but maybe it's more intense tonight cos he's not seeing a thing.
The late night blindness met Warren in the church, and he didn't even bother to use eyedrop.
He stayed on the alter, laying on the ground, with his back.
His eyes are closed.
Not like they'd see anything if they're open anyways.
The sound of crying birds, crickets and loitering lizards infiltrated the air like a melody of the dead, and he's enjoying it as it mixed with the sound of her confession in his head.
"I love you than my life, flame"
That line has been ringing and ringing in his head, and right now he's inside his own head, trapped.
He knows Evelyn is in this city, but he's not bothering to find her yet, because he's gonna find Ixora first.
After Ixora appears, then he can find Evelyn and hand her to Ixora.
Her death will come from her, not him.
Konstantin's call has been ringing on his phone repeatedly, but he didn't pick any.
Falsus is beside him, eating from a raw egg, and his ringing phone is beside him too with ChicAgo on screen, but he's not even hearing.
He's too gone, too immersed in his f+cked up head.
--
[Tina's Place]
Both Tina and Monty are in Tina's closet, and while Tina rummaged through her clothes, throwing things around in search of what to wear tomorrow, Monty sat on the bare ground, legs crossed as she got busy on her phone, trying to track Bronx's phone again.
The tail she put on his phone lady year is gone since he's using another phone right now, so if she's gonna track his cukt down, she needs to connect with his new phone but it seems impossible.
She was going crazy over it, raking her hands through her hair till one of Tina's dresses landed on her head.
She took it away and looked up to see Tina standing in front of her.
She's not wearing anything on her upper body, not even a bra, so her breà sts are dangling.
"Help me pick my dress for tomorrow, Romeo will be resuming school I gotta look good. Ixora is gone at least I should do my best. Their first concert this semester is even tomorrow" she said.
"I'm not into girl fashion, so can you leave me alone? I'm trying to track Bronx here" Monty said.
"At this rate, it's safe to say you're obsessed with Bronx cos what??" Tina scoffed.
"Don't even start" Monty replied, returning to her phone.
Tina returned to rummaging with a pout, but she suddenly turned around.
"I heard Mykel Thorne is a mafia's son" she said.
"Of course, you should see his father's island" Monty replied with a wink. "Mad riches"
--
[Russia, Early Morning~Konstantin's Room]
Konstantin didn't sleep, his eyes stayed red and open throughout the night.
To say he has had one night of peaceful sleep since he arrived back in this country would be a lie.
How would he sleep when his father is a henpecked husband who's getting ordered around by his mother?
Hoe could he sleep when Nadine is under this same roof?
He checks on her at least thirty times before daybreak, just to make sure none of the guards cross the line.
She hates him madly, and he's fine with it. Who needs feelings anyways?
He stood from his bed, and Akem entered uninvited.
"Try to knock before entering next time, I won't be nice" he said.
Akem ran his eyes over Konstantin's bare chest, then he gulped before clearing his throat.
"Ma'am Galina and her husband went for the empire shifts with Anfisa, so we're the only ones left. I'm thinking of playing chess with you... like old times" Akem said.
"I'm gonna have to say no to that" Konstantin replied, throwing a shirt on.
He began walking out of the room.
"We grew apart so much, and it's painful to watch. We spent childhood together before you went to California and met those friends of yours whom your worship like gods" Akem said, and Konstantin whipped around.
"Of course we're gods, I control the fury branch, and Warren controls the war headquarters. Ash controls the wrath, and Cap controls fury" he said and continued his exit, but he had barely gone two steps when Akem hugged him from behind.
Like a plaque, he shook Akem away, and Akem staggered back, his long hair falling over his eyes.
"Those times were the past, don't try to indulge me again, or I'll kill you. Yeah I'm bisexual, but I won't shove my c0ck inside you, again" Konstantin glared and left the room, slamming the door.
He grabbed a drink from the cellar and opened it with a pop, but as he drank, it's sour.
He misses his friends, but how to escape this vast guild with Nadine? He has no idea.
He got to Nadine's room and saw a guard peeping inside.
He held the bottle with him very well, then he quickened his steps till he arrived.
Nadine is dressing up, and the guard is so engrossed with watching her that he didn't know when Konstantin arrived till he nudged him.
He looked up, and he gasped when he saw Konstantin's face, but that was his last sound on earth as Konstantin crashed the bottle on his head.
He proceeded to stabbing the guard on the throat with the sharp edges of the broken bottle, and the guard fell to his death, his blood streaming into Nadine's room.
Nadine looks unbothered inside, she just continued dressing up as Konstantin dragged the body away.
Akem appeared in that corridor, and he gave Nadine's room a loathed look before walking off.
--
[California, Stonia's Mansion]
Serena's joy only doubled up today cos she's resuming school, and she can't wait to witness the shocked looks on the students faces when they see her as Ixora.
Damn them, those hypocrites.
And according to her research before coming back, she's aware that Konstantin is back in Russia, and the horsemen are ruling now.
And of all, Mykel is the hottest.
She'd be Konstantin's replacement.
With this Ixora's face, she'd claim him, he only has to be as handsome as she heard.
She came out of the mansion, fully dressed with both parents.
Stonia had to bring some of her company guards, and they'd be following her to school...ten of them.
"You really didn't have to involve these guards, Elsa is enough for me. She's not just a maid, she's a machine gun on her own" Serena said.
At the same time, Elsa came out of the maids quarters, veiled and dressed like a boy.
Stonia gave her an unfriendly look, but she just stood there.
"I don't trust her, we only just found you so I don't leave you in the hands of a stranger" Stonia said.
"You only have to focus on your classes, we'll settle the case with the commissioner and the state" Rafael said.
"Yes dad, see you later" Serena gave him a side hug.
Stonia pecked her, and then she entered the car with Elsa.
The ten guards entered two other cars, driving out with them.
--
[Imperial Levels College]
Serena smiled as the car pulled up at the busy park, and the faces of the expensive students she's already seeing is pumping her with eagerness already.
She adjusted her dark hair and pressed her lips on each other to readjust her lip combo, then the guards opened the door for her, and she stepped out with Elsa.
"Oh my gawd!!!!" The students at the park screamed their guts out in shock, and that single scream seemed like it rang around the school as students began converging around immediately.
"Ixora is back!"
"Ixora?"
"From the dead?"
"F+ck! Pinch me please!"
"My f+ckin life!!"
"I almost forgot what she looked like!"
"Welcome back, girl!!"
"Welcome back killer!!"
"Welcome back homicidal bîtch!!!"
In the middle of the screaming students, there's Chicago.
She actually came here to look for Warren, and now she hit a jackpot.
Ixora finally came out of her hole?
Now this would be interesting.
She dragged her tongue on her teeth, her smile lethal as she stared.
Evelyn is in the crowd too, and her eyes are wide as she stared shockingly at Ixora.
How come she's back? Didn't she disappear into thin air?
Though she's with a new face and no one recognizes her as Evelyn, but Ixora's presence is still a bother.
She couldn't close her mouth.
Monty and Tina rushed into the crowd, and Tina gasped.
"She's back? How!!"
Serena kept her smile uo despite the unfriendly comments, but Elsa just kept cool beside her, watching everything like a protector.
"It's the horsemen! The horsemen!!" Some other students shrieked, and the crowd even turned rowdier as the boys made their dignified entry.
On getting to the middle, the shocks in their eyes was raw.
"Holy moly" Bethel said.
"Oh hell...it isn't over after all" Clover said.
"Tell me about it" Bronx smiled.
Mykel stayed silent, his hands in his shinny black jacket pocket as he stared at Serena.
Serena stared right back, her heart picking up race immediately.
Fawk! ... He's more handsome than the description she heard, cos what the helly??
The lips? The facial moles? His treated hair? The sweet calmness surrounding him?
She's in love!
She's sure he smells nice too.
Romeo began walking slowly to her, and that was when her eyes blinked, then she remembered he used to be obsessed with Ixora.
'Hope he's not coming to me, I hate this guy' she thought, but he came straight to her, engulfing her in a tight, wanting hug.
"Romeo" she muttered, trying to break it immediately, but he held her madly tight like she's his skin.
"You're back, finally back... you're fuckin back" he whispered, his smile stretching beyond limits.
Tina folded her fists, feeling useless in her short backless elastic gown.
She had worn it because of him.
She dressed up for him, and now Ixora is back from nowhere?
Unable to watch the hug anymore, she slipped out of the crowd.
"Tina!" Monty went after her.
Almost every student is filming the moment with their phones right now, and their murmurs is still so thick with shock.
Romeo finally broke the hug, and Serena managed to smile.
"Romeo...I'm glad to be back" she took his hands, and he smiled hotly, holding her face.
"I'm glad you're back, too. Now watch how I protect you" he said, and she smiled wider, her eyes moving to Mykel who's still silent.
Elsa's eyes stayed zeroed, but she's clearly seeing how Serena is stealing glances at Mykel.
"So where have you been? Who took you?" Romeo asked, reluctantly letting go of Serena's face.
Serena made to talk, but the entry of three other people into the circle made her stop.
Capri, Ashton, and Warren.
"Mad" Ashton commented when he saw her.
"No, use insane" Capri muttered.
Warren stayed silent like Mykel.
Serena smirked when her eyes met with Warren's.
Her doctor did a good job, so no matter how madly brilliant Warren is, no matter how deeply he knows Ixora, he'd never be able to detect she's not her.
Warren's steps were intentionally slow as he walked to her, and his eyes are unshaken, piercing into her soul.
Romeo quickly covered her from him, but she came out from Romeo's cover, revealing herself to Warren.
He's probably gonna call her dirty little lair like he does...
The tension got worse the closer he got to her, and the students filming held their phones tighter, ready for some tea.
Warren took the last step to Serena, and she smirked.
"You're the dumbest male I've ever come across, so low and petty. You framed me for murder then connived with prison guards to take me and sell me into prostitution? How senseless" she muttered, smirking again.
"Now I'm back in your face! In your fuckin face!" She slammed, but then...
What happened next made blood escape her nose.
Warren's left hand found it's way to her face, and he slapped her, so soundly that her nose didn't only bleed, but her lips bursted.
All eyes widened.
"You're Not Her" Warren muttered with wild ferocity, and Serena gasped.
Romeo and the ten guards moved at the same time, coming for Warren, but someone was faster than them...
Elsa.
She wore knuckles and sped to Warren like the wind, punching him dastardly in the face.
"F+ck!!!" The students shrieked.
Warren's jaw got a deep cut, but he wasted no damn time before returning the punch to her veiled face.
Elsa bent back, escaping it, but Warren used his second fist, giving her the mad blow on her right eye.
The veil left out her eyes actually, and Warren's blow left a cut below her right eye.
Elsa is thinking of nothing but protecting Serena, and Warren is thinking of nothing but killing Elsa.
How dare she protect a fake??
They lunged at each other at the same time, grabbing each other by the shoulder and pulling like maniacs as their eyes met with deadly intents.
"Crack!" Came the sound of their broken bones as they singlehandedly broke each other's shoulders.
All mouth hung wide open, in raw shock.
What the...
TBC.
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