THE TORMENTOR
The Tormentor - Episode 37&38
( Blêed•For•Me, Ixora )
Book 1 in the Mindf+ck Trilogy
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Copyright © 2025
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Warren never experienced any childhood trauma — he was born this way, fated to be a shroud of darkness and a big chunk of anomalism.
He's trauma himself.
He likes things normal people would call insane.
Human anatomy, the way fire burns with flying embers, the scream of agony, the flow of blood, adrenaline rush, and the instillation of fear.
But getting slapped by Romeo Ford?
That has never made it to his list of things-i-like, and he just knows Romeo is in for a wild ride of death.
The students mouths hung wide in utter shock, and some even covered their mouths to kill the screams trying to leave their throats.
Ixora's bouquet has fallen from her right now, and the arsenic is already flowing out of the small bottle to the ground as her shock-infused eyes stayed on Romeo who's still standing on business.
The slap barely did anything to Warren though—t's like pebble to a thick forest.
"Go find Evelyn's body and do whatever you want with it, but don't ever appear in front of Ixora anymore." Romeo warned, his voice rigid like he just unboxed it.
"Is he f+ckin high?" Bronx muttered from the general rails he's leaning on.
Warren stayed unaffected — his face held no particular reaction to what just happened.
And the most amusing part? The other three are smiling at the back.
Capri is subtly fanning himself with the magazine he's holding, and his smile is cold.
Konstantin is backing the round rail ends, smiling like a creep.
Ashton's smile looks like it stopped downloading at one percent.
Warren left the hall fluidly, marching over the helpless coffee cup on the ground before sashaying his way up the stairs.
The rest followed him, leaving the crime scene like nothing happened.
And then... peace returned to the hall.
Monty was the first to dig out her phone.
She didn't waste time before starting to post on her blog with spicy captions before several other students began posting too.
In a minute, ILC online groups got pregnant with gists and news. Even the original school blog handled by the webmaster carried the news.
→ New occurrence in Imperial Levels College since it's establishment! A barber's son slapped the son of a gold mining family... A pauper slapped a heir!
→I wish i could post the slap, but W might decide to off all my family, so no... thanks, but the slap legit happened.
→Ya'll don't know W? As in Warren Creed! The devil got slapped by Romeo Ford!
→Pray for Romeo, his life is in danger, did anyone see the smiles on the faces of the other three? Ashton especially, what was that smile!
The captions are neverending, and Tina eventually pulled Monty out of the hallway, taking her into the nearest classroom.
"I was still posting when you pulled me, girl" Monty glared.
"How could you post when you know what's gonna happen after this? They were right, Romeo's life is in danger!" Tina replied.
"And I'm supposed to start crying? You're the one who has a big crush on him, not me" Monty retorted flatly.
"Is that why you've been refusing to help me make research on the person who pasted his posters the other time? I know you can fish the person out with two clicks on your laptop" Tina said desperately.
"Why should I do that when he's not ready to see you! He's full of ego, and he's rude to everyone except Ixora. He mysteriously got rich today and he already slapped Warren? Hello? Warren Creed? Happy grave-day to him in addy" Monty patted Tina and left the class.
Tina rested her arse on a table, fishing out her phone and dialling her parents on FaceTime.
"Dad? Mum? Can you send undercover police to my campus? Like fifteen of them, I need them to protect someone"
--
[ILC Studio]
Romeo sat on a leather couch under the halogen bulb of the studio, his phone in hand and his thumb scrolling slowly on the screen as he read the news and captions about him and Warren.
None of the captions is praising him, all of it is about how his life is in danger, but he's sat for the danger that's coming.
If Warren thinks he's the only devil in this campus, then he's in for a pound of shockwaves.
"Romeo!!" The annoyingly loud voice broke into the studio, and he groaned.
"What are you doing here, Beth?" He looked up.
Bethel stood in front of him, her arms akimbo.
"Seriously? You're the only brother I have, but I dunno what to expect now that you've made the wrong move. Who told you to slap Warren you baby! You know how he is!!" She stumped her foot.
"And who said I'm scared?" Romeo replied with a deep frown.
It was at this time Ixora came out of the dressing room with Nadine and three campus beauticians.
Ixora is wearing in a new white dress provided by the school wardrobe, and this one is even fitting than the former.
It's a wide flowing one which added to her elegance and overall beauty, and her hair is in two buns—her favorite hairdo.
The gel held the blonde strands in place, and there's a decorative bow at each side. She's fuckin stunning.
Romeo was even unaware of when he stood to his feet, his eyes staggeringly wide.
"She's... really... beautiful, like a bride" Bethel commented, her mouth refusing to close too.
Nadine let go of Ixora when Romeo got to them, and Romeo took her right hand, bringing her knuckle to his lips to kiss softly.
"You're gorgeous" he said without any breaths in his lungs.
Ixora smiled as wide as she could, and that gave him confidence to lean in, coming for her lips.
She stopped him by placing an hand on his shoulder, pushing him back.
"I'm sorry, I got carried away" he apologized.
"It's fine, shall we?" She replied.
Bethel left the studio at this point, but Nadine stayed with the organizers, spreading Ixora's gown when necessary and adjusting her hair.
Ixora made sure her mind stayed focused, the sound of camera shutters helping her concentrate.
Romeo slapped Warren?
Well she'd have poured the arsenic on him if Romeo hadn't slapped him, so it still counts.
A win is a win.
--
Getting out of the studio, Bethel couldn't help but notice some new faces around, all acting suspicious.
They're hefty men who looks like they have hidden aim as they loitered around the studio building.
"Are they scout members? But ILC doesn't support scout" she muttered.
"They're Tina's undercover men, she called them to protect your brother" Clover said beside her, and she swiftly turned to behold him.
"You again? And how did you know they're Tina's men?" She blinked.
"Cos I heard her making the call" he replied with a shrug.
"Why are you following me around?" She folded her arms on her chest.
"I'm not following you, geez. We just coincidentally happen to always be in the same place at the same time, not my fault. And don't get weird ideas. You're Romeo's younger sis, so you're my sister too" he poked her forehead, and she slapped his hand.
"I'd be daft to believe that" she scoffed, walking away.
But suddenly, she held her mid stomach when pains slashed through it, and she leaned on the wall.
"Hmm!"
"Bethel!" Clover rushed over, and this time, he held her, preventing her from falling.
She quickly broke free, and Clover squinted when he saw bumps of sweat on her face.
"You should go for checkup" he said.
"It's just menstrual cramps, I don't see why I should go to the hospital. And you dare not say anything about this to my brother" she threatened, leaving as fast as possible.
"Menstrual pain in the mid stomach?" Clover muttered.
--
[Off-Limits Nest]
‘Dark Things’ by ADONA played like hell's chant from the radio on top of a black table, the sounds so portentous as it poured out of the speakers, bathing the Nest with shrillness.
It's some minutes to 10, so there's still time before their classes. They're all present.
Ashton replaced Anfisa, playing chess with Capri on that same black table.
Warren is by the south wall with Konstantin, both staring up at the pictures attached to the glass.
Pictures of the people whose days are numbered.
Mrs. Ortega,, Elder Creed, Hawke, Ixora.
Konstantin passed a picture of Romeo to Warren, and Warren took it.
He pasted it on the glass too, adding to the list.
"He better be strong enough, weak opponents are a bore" Konstantin said, inserting his hands into his pockets.
"Is there any lead to where Mrs. Ortega is calling to yet?" Warren asked, turning to face Ashton.
Ashton is like the crew investigator.
"She uses octave waves to block the background sounds of her calls, so it's not traceable yet, but she'd soon bite the bait, trust me. I'm also tracing her late husband's bank records" Ashton replied, standing.
"And Hawke? Tell me that bastard is getting a lifetime of sorrows in jail already" Capri stood too.
"He has been getting it before I got released." Warren replied, using a remote to open a safe in the wall.
The safe box rolled out—an ice box, and inside the ice, there are three fingers and three toes.
"They belong to Hawke, I cut them every month during my last three months in jail." Warren said, returning the ice box into the safe.
"Rule one; no secrets, how come you kept this from us?" Konstantin said, seeming pissed.
"Was never a secret, you're only surprised" Warren replied dryly.
"Well I hate surprises" Konstantin stated.
"If it was a secret, I wouldn't keep them here, f+cker" Warren glared, his lips thinning.
The sound of the ringing alarm on the table interrupted the talk, lessening the thickness in the air.
Each of them left the Nest for their classes.
Warren's med hall is located in the tallest skyscraper in the school, and he had to ride the elevator to the second floor.
The medical professor was already waiting in the overly illuminated class when he entered.
He took his seat in front of the class, on his special armchair.
"Welcome, sir Warren" the professor did a little bow, and the remaining students kept dead silence as Warren's eyes moved to the projector.
The theory class started.
--
[Stadium]
Ixora felt so free as she entered the large building with Nadine beside her, both in their sports wears.
PE is happening in the stadium today, and she's somehow glad that it's not at the pool cos thanks to a satanist, she might have been traumatized.
"I can't wait to see your photoshoot pictures. By tomorrow morning, your pictures will be on the school gate and on the bulletin board and even the school page profile picture" Nadine said excitedly as they walked down the bleachers.
The stadium isn't very full yet, students are probably still busy gossiping around about the slap.
"I can't wait too, anxiousness is getting the best of me" Ixora replied as they began looking for snack stands in the stadium.
"That's the ice cream stand" Nadine pointed, and just as they were about to move there, someone pushed the two of them out of the way.
Nadine and Ixora stumbled forward, and a large glass table fell from the rail top, landing and crashing violently on the spot they stumbled from.
Their bodies trembled with shock, and everyone else in the stadium turned to them, confused murmurs breaking out.
Whoever threw this wanted to kill them, obviously.
Cos if the glass table had landed on them, their heads would scatter.
Ixora held her head, gasping as she looked up at the staircase, but no one is in sight.
Nadine looked forward to see who had pushed them out of the way, and she gasped too when she saw Matron.
"The woman...we kidnapped?"
Ixora looked up too, and her stomach twisted with unsaid anxiety.
Two minutes later, they were already seated at the back of the stadium with Matron.
"Thanks for pushing us out of harm's way" Ixora said respectfully.
"But...why are you in campus?" Nadine asked.
Without a word, Matron brought out two papers from her bag, handing the two to them.
They're mini mental state evaluation test results(MMSE), and the patient's name is Warren Creed.
When Ixora saw the score below the paper, her eyes widened.
"1 Over 30? He's only one percent sane?"
"I had Elder Creed's doctor run the test on him after he came out of jail, and yes, that's the result. His mental health state is one. I'm not telling you this to scare you, and I'm also not telling you cos I pity you, I don't" Matron said.
Ixora gulped.
"I'm telling you this cos I want you to know who you're dealing with, and also... Your father Rafael is a good person, and I wouldn't want him to lose you" Matron rounded up her talk and stood.
"Stay safe" she said, leaving the stadium.
Nadine and Ixora faced each other, their eyes wide.
--
[Stadium Back view]
"You said you could do it, now what happened? You fuçked up!" Serena boomed.
Her face mask is off, showcasing the lines of wire wounds on her face.
"We jointly threw the table so don't even try to push it on me. It would have crashed on them but that stupid woman had to push them out of the way!" Kelsey slammed back.
"Who the hell is the stupid woman anyways? Shit!" Serena hit her palm on the wall.
"And where the hell is Monty? She's supposed to be part of the plan. Why is that jock not in the stadium?" Kelsey said frustratingly.
"It failed, colossally" Serena said, sitting on a bench.
--
[Cafeteria]
It's past 2pm, and Romeo finally caught up with the girls at the cafe after his classes.
Bethel is with them now though, so they're four.
There are plenty of spring rolls and samosas on their table, plus thirst-quenching drinks.
"So... Romeo. Care to tell us how your sudden wealth came?" Nadine faced him.
"Can I not talk about it?" Romeo replied, stretching his arm to Ixora.
He wiped her juicy lips with his thumb, then he brought the thumb to his mouth and licked it.
"Eew" Bethel made faces.
"Don't do that, Romeo" Ixora said, looking peeved as she licked her bottom lip slowly.
"I don't think so" Romeo winked at her, eating from his samosa.
Ixora noticed some strange hefty men in the cafe, looking like they're purposely lurking around.
"Who are those creepy men?" She voiced.
"Oh...Clover said Tina hired them to protect Romeo from Warren" Bethel chirped, slurping her juice.
"Tina?" Romeo dropped his cup.
He stood immediately, but Ixora pulled him back.
"You can't shoo them away. You need them" she said.
"Need them? I'm a man, Ixora. I can protect myself" Romeo replied.
"I know, but extra protection wouldn't hurt" Ixora replied, pulling him back to his seat.
Romeo groaned, and she smiled slightly at him, calming him down.
"By the way, dad is opening a new saloon tonight, and we're moving to a new house tonight too. You're all invited" Bethel said.
"Seriously?" Nadine's eyes shone.
"Very yes" Romeo chuckled.
"I'll surely come to the housewarming and salon opening" Ixora nodded, and Nadine raised her cup.
"To the new money" she said, causing Romeo and Ixora to burst into laughter. Even bethel.
"To new money!" They chorused, hitting cups as the laughter doubled.
Ixora was the first to stop laughing, watching as Romeo laughed with the others.
It's the first time since Evelyn's death that she actually had a jolly, sweet day like a normal teenager.
Though it almost got ruined in the morning, but thanks to Nadine and Romeo, it was fixed.
But what's this sour feeling in the pit of her stomach like something is gonna ruin this perfect day?
Romeo's phone buzzed, and he got it out of his suit pocket.
Immediately he saw the new text and the sender, he stood, stepping away from the table.
Chicago: How're you doing, Rom-Rom?
He turned off the phone screen as he continued standing on a spot with hardened expression.
From the right corner of the cafeteria, Clover sat, drinking cola with straw as he stared secretly at the four.
--
[Chocolata Maxima]
"The Capetown branch needs your visitation, It's been two weeks, and the staffs might relax too much" Stonia's secretary said, walking beside her as they emerged from the texture hall.
"My manager over there is doing a great job" Stonia replied, walking fast on her heels.
"Yes, but you still need to go. Spend one day over there before returning" the secretary insisted, and Stonia stopped.
"One day without seeing my daughter? Do you know what happened when I and Rafael left her alone when she was young? She went missing and we searched for hours before finding her in a Mill. Not long ago, these bloody guys kidnapped her and we found her in a mossy forest. Yesterday too she almost got...urg!" She held her forehead.
"I can't live without Ixxie, so I have to be with her especially with these antichrist guys in the city" she said.
"You can just take her along with you. Inform her professors that she'd be absent" the secretary replied.
"She'd come stay with me" Rafael replied, entering the hall.
"Rafael? What the heck are you doing here?" Stonia sneered.
The secretary quickly left the hall as Stonia faced him.
"I called, but you didn't pick. I searched the Bong garage Xora talked about, but I couldn't find the greenhead guys she mentioned that tried to rape her. I take it that they already fled" he said.
"I wasn't expecting you to find them, Rafael. You're as incapable and useless as that. And about my Capetown trip, I'll take my daughter along, thank you" she replied disdainfully, walking out on him.
"Throw him out" she ordered the securities by her door, but before they could touch Rafael, he smirked and left on his own.
--
[Cinema Road, 7pm]
Monty has been sitting at the bus station since some minutes to 7.
According to the text under the Brotherhood QR code she received, she's not allowed to bring her car, so she adhered.
She's all alone, no bag nor jewelry.
Only her headphones are on her neck, and her phone in hand, but she's well prepared.
It might be a trap, so she hid a whole lot on her body.
There are numerous tiny cameras and voice recorders on the buttons of her shirt, and she's wearing camera contact lenses too on her eyeballs.
There's a tracker on her sneakers,, all connected to her database at home.
A car showed up at 7—a G-Wagon.
She stood boldly, stepped into the road, and the car door automatically opened.
She entered the car, but she involuntarily slept off as flames invaded her nostrils.
She slumped on the chair, and the car driver moved the car.
--
[Ford's New Mansion, 7:30]
"OMG this is bigger than I expected!" Nadine gushed out as she was led into the gigantic mansion with Ixora.
It's a pure white mansion, and the furnishings, the designs—both interior and exterior, are pure white too, like a paradisiacal realm.
It almost feels like a sin to walk freely in it. It's too luxurious for a start.
"This is spectacular, congratulations Romeo" Ixora said, giving him a light hug.
"Thank you" he smiled sweetly.
"Welcome to our new house" Mr. Ford said free-spiritedly, smiling bright like Romeo.
"Congratulations, sir" Nadine and Ixora chorused.
"Where the hell is my congratulations?" Bethel said, coming downstairs.
She's wearing trendy PJs and carrying a matching teddy.
"Congratulations, I brought housewarming gifts, they're in the car outside" Ixora said.
"Me too" Nadine added.
"What I love to hear! Please tell me food is part of it!" Bethel gushed, and Romeo rolled eyes.
"I'll show you guys around" he said.
He was about to lead the way upstairs when Mr. Ford received a call.
Two seconds after he picked up the call, the phone fell from him.
"Dad?" Romeo called, but the man just bolted out of the house like a madman.
Romeo went after him.
"Dad!!" Bethel hollered.
"Mr. Ford!" The girls did the run too, following the man down the street where his new salon is.
It's a five minutes run, but they did it, and when they got there, it's a disheartening scene.
A disaster.
The brand new salon is on fire, burning viciously.
"No...no...no" Romeo almost entered the fire, but Bethel pulled him back.
"How did this happen!!!" Mr. Ford yelled, sitting on the bare ground as he watched the fire crusade.
Even if firefighters come, there'd be nothing to save, so Bethel went on her knees beside her dad, crying.
Romeo looks broken already.
He spent billions on both the house and the salon, and now the salon is...
Mr. Ford's phone rang again, and he was shaking as he picked.
"Hell...hell...o
"The saloon is beautiful with the fire, ri? How about you check the house too. Fire has never looked this beautiful" the depraved voice said.
"No... please...no!!!"
The man was crying as he stood back to his feet, running back to the mansion.
With an unhealthy speed, Romeo went after him again.
The girls followed, and the round two of the race started, back to the mansion.
Bethel held her chest as she raced, and on getting back to the mansion, it's already razing with fire too, including the cars inside the compound!
"No...no!!!!!!!!!!!" Bethel started rolling on the ground, dipping herself in the sand and refusing to let anyone hold her.
Mr. Ford flipped, passing out with a seizing heart, but Romeo was which to catch him.
"Dad! Dad!!" Romeo screamed, the veins on his forehead and the ones on his neck displaying madly.
People in that street are already assembled far from the burning house, watching with so much pity.
Firefighters are on this way already, but what can be done?
From the top roof of the penthouse in that street, Konstantin, Ashton and Capri stood like butchers, watching with golden smiles on their faces.
"Oh Romeo...what to do... Romeo" Konstantin grinned, smoking devilishly.
His eyes are on Nadine who's already crying with the Ford family.
"Is it wicked to say I want this in a cinema? People should pay to watch this masterpiece" Ashton said with his red hemp pop in front of his lips, and his tongue madly coloured.
"Isn't wickedness the way of life?" Capri shrugged, opening the magazine he's holding.
Konstantin's grin grew darker.
Ixora stepped away from the burning house, dialling W as fast as possible.
He didn't pick, so she tried again, and again, her body burning with something hotter than fire — fear.
He still didn't pick, so she just stopped a taxi and got inside since her car already burnt with the mansion.
"Where are you going? Xoxo!!" Nadine ran after the taxi, but she gave up when she couldn't catch up.
Ixora told the driver to go to the abandoned church, but no sign of Warren at the alter.
He's not there.
She went to the Satan's Heirs Hideaway next, but the gate is locked.
She went to the Creed's family house, but the gate is also locked.
She got back in the taxi, biting her nails with trepidation as she tried to think of his location.
Where could he possibly...
She instantly gasped and directed the driver to go to her house.
The few minutes journey felt like eternity, and her heart nearly dropped in the taxi before it stopped in front of Stonia's Mansion.
Ixora ran inside, meeting Stonia in the living room.
She clocked out early today and came on straight. She's watching the news.
"My love" she widened her arms for a hug, but Ixora couldn't dare.
"I'll be right back, mum" she curtly said, rushing upstairs.
She bursted her room door open, and her eyes widened when she saw him.
He's sitting majestically on her window—same spot she sat on the other time when she called him.
She didn't even think about how he was able to enter with Stonia downstairs and the securities flanking the outside.
That's unimportant right now.
"Stop, it's enough" she muttered, and his eyes rolled to her as fast as a sea wave.
She glued herself to the door.
"It's only enough when he's dead" he muttered dreadfully, and her fear flew away as she went closer.
"What do you mean?"
"Guess where the third bomb is?" He tilted his head, his dark hair sprinkling hotly over his eyes.
Ixora staggered, her ears turning hot as realization hit her hard.
"Romeo's...body?"
Warren coldly tapped his earbud.
"Konstant, how many minutes left till loverboy goes kaboom?" He asked.
"Five" Konstantin replied.
The drive back to the burning house is ten minutes, so it's impossible to meet up.
Ixora quickly got her phone, calling both Romeo and Nadine over and over, but none is picking.
She hopelessly dropped the phone, and by now it's three minutes left.
"I'll do whatever you want! Stop it!! He's just a poor boy trying to survive with his dad and sister you satanist!! Stop right now, detonate the bomb you can't blow him up!!" She yelled.
"You'll do whatever I want?" He said interestedly.
"Let's start from there" he straightened his posture, his haunting eyes moving to her bed.
Ixora looked at the bed too, only to see there's a knife in it.
Warren obviously stabbed the bed with the knife, so the blade is inside the mattress, but the knife handle is sticking out.
"Pull up your skîrt, tear off your g-strings, climb the dà mn bed, and rîde the knife handle, then I might spare the loverboy" he darkly said.
"Wh..wh..at!"
TBC.
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