Page 4 of Maison De Fous

She blinks, like she’s finally starting to get it. That little spark of anger flashes across her face, and oh, it’scute. It’s like watching a kitten try to hiss.

“You piece of shit,” she spits, her voice shaky but defiant. “You think you can just use me and walk away? You’re nothing but a?—”

Before she can finish, I’m on her. My hand wraps around her throat, lifting her off the ground as I slam her against the side of the bus. The thud echoes, her breath catching as her eyes widen in shock. Oh, now she’s scared.Perfect.

“You were saying?” I growl, my grip tightening around her neck as her body spasms in panic. “Go ahead. Finish that thought.I dare you.” I squeeze harder, feeling her pulse throbunder my fingers as she claws at my wrist, her breath coming in sharp, shallow gasps. The fear in her eyes is fucking intoxicating, sending a jolt of arousal through me. Her terror has me ready to go again, each frantic movement heightening my desire.

“I—” she chokes, barely able to get the word out. Her pretty little face is turning red now, and I loosen my grip just enough to let her gasp for air.

“Thought you could threaten me? Talk to me like that?” I bark out a laugh, pushing her harder against the cold metal of the bus. “You’re nothing.Nothing, you dumb little cunt. Just a warm-up. A toy to get me going before the real fun starts.”

Her lips quiver, trying to form some weak defense, but nothing comes out. She’s just gaping, her mind scrambling to understand how fast things turned on her.

I loosen my hold on her throat just enough to grab a fistful of her hair, yanking her head back so she has no choice but to look me dead in the eye. I taunt, my voice dripping with venom. “Thought I’d stick around to give you any more of my time? Wanted me to give you a little ride on my cock, did you?” I laugh, the sound manic and unhinged. “Oh, Sydney, you sweet, dumb little thing. You’re not worth the spit it’d take.”

She trembles beneath me, her fear swallowing any remaining defiance. That’s the thing about people—they always think they’re something until you remind them they’re not. She’s no different.

I shove her away, and she collapses to the ground, gasping for air, her hands shaking as she scrambles to salvage her dignity. But there’s none to be had. Not for her.

“Clean yourself up and turn in for the night,” I command, standing over her with a detached voice, as though she’s not even worth the effort. “I want you looking halfway decent for tonight. You might think this was bad, but trust me—what’s coming next will make you beg for mercy.”

As I start to walk away, I glance back at her, a trembling, broken mess on the ground. Her lip quivers, tears threatening to spill, and I laugh again, low and dark. “Don’t worry, Sydney. That disappointment you’re feeling right now? That’s just the appetizer. When the blood starts flowing tonight, you’ll wish you’d stayed dead inside.”

She doesn’t respond. She can’t. Her mouth opens, but no words come out. Her body’s still shaking, and I can almost feel her shame from here. But I’m already gone, already focused on the insanity and carnage to come tonight.

Her needs, her desires—none of it fucking matters.

Tonight’s about me. About the blood. About the twisted beauty of what I’m about to unleash.

And it’s going to be fucking glorious.

chapter three

indie

Moonlight Magic - Ashniko

The night is calm and quiet, a cool breeze slipping through the cracked window of the bus as I sit at my vanity, brushing out my hair. Everything feels so still, so peaceful, but beneath the surface, I can feel the pulse of excitement building.

Tonight is the night.My night.

I glance at my reflection, the soft glow of the vanity lights casting a warm halo around me. My hair falls in dark waves over my shoulders, and my face, once innocent and unsure, is now sharp and focused. I barely recognize the girl staring back at me, and I love it. The scars on my face, the marks my father inflicted with his broken beer bottle before I ended him, are a testament to the transformation I have been through. They trace lines of pain and defiance, a reminder of what I’ve overcome but also of what I have become.

They only make me more fierce, more real. More like myself.

Behind me, Lux is sprawled out on the bed, watching me with that familiar smirk. His eyes track my every movement,like he’s savoring this quiet moment before everything changes. There’s a weight to his gaze, a pride that makes my chest tighten. I’ve come so far since that first night when I stumbled into his world—naive, lost. From the moment we met, he thought I was too good for his world, too pure for the darkness he carries. He saw himself as a monster who needed to protect me from the corruption he believed would taint me. Now, though, I’m ready to unleash that very darkness he feared.

“You look ready,” Lux murmurs, his voice a low rumble that sends a shiver down my spine. I meet his gaze in the mirror, my lips curling into a smile.

“I am,” I say, setting the brush down and running my fingers through my hair. “I’ve waited for this. I’ve earned this.”

His smirk deepens, a flicker of something darker in his eyes as he pushes himself up from the bed and crosses the small space of the bus. He moves with that same predatory grace he always has, his presence filling the room.

“Fucking right you have, and in just a few hours,” he says, his voice laced with anticipation, “they’ll all see exactly who you are. They’ll see you, my Dark Queen, and they’ll envy you.”

I nod, my heart racing with the thought. The show we have planned—it’s unlike anything we’ve ever done. And tonight, I’m not just part of it.I’m hosting it.I’m in charge of my own sideshow. One I created myself, my vision. Tonight, they’ll see me, the new me, and there’s no going back after that.

Lux stops behind me, his scarred gloveless hands resting on my shoulders as he leans down. His breath is hot against my neck. “You’re going to own them, Indie. Just like you own me,” he whispers, his voice thick with promise. “Every single one of them will be addicted. Sick little addicts begging for more of everything you give them.”

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