Bleeding Misery (Threatening Souls Book 2) Read online

  ~~~

  Andre: Somewhere Over France

  For the chaperones, a separate jet had been organized, and it was also the first to depart. That was where Andre found herself now, sandwiched between Courtney, whom she had surprisingly bonded with over the course of their two weeks in London, and Arizona. The rest of the chaperones, as well as Jason and his family, were scattered throughout the plane, and Andre couldn’t help but notice that Kat in particular sat with the mortal royal family as some sort of VIP stunt.

  “Look at her, buttering up to Jason like there’s nothing wrong,” Arizona said, exasperated. There was a time years ago when she was actually friends with Kat and her brother, Jerauld, but that friendship died the moment Kat and Jerauld’s true identities were exposed. “You know, working with her is hell.”

  Courtney snickered but said nothing.

  “I’m serious!” Arizona continued. “You know, she told me in detail how she supposedly rescued Jeffery, as if she doesn’t remember who I am and what I know, even though I know she does!”

  Courtney’s snicker soon turned into full-blown laughter, which earned her a glare from Arizona.

  “Who are you again?” Arizona said in typical bitchy fashion.

  Courtney immediately stopped laughing and turned to size Arizona up. “I’m Andre’s partner and a member of the Royal Guard,” she stated flatly.

  “Didn’t Andre also break your nose a couple weeks ago?” Arizona prodded, as if rubbing salt into an already-infected wound.

  “Arizona!” Andre warned. “Stop!”

  Arizona gave a frustrated sigh, but much to Andre’s amazement, she did, in fact, stop. “How are you feeling?” she instead asked as she laid a comforting hand on Andre’s leg.

  “As long as she stays far from me and my assignment, we won’t have any issues,” Andre said coldly.

  “I tried to tell Jason, like, a week or so ago,” Arizona said. “He didn’t listen. It’s like she has him wrapped around her finger, and it’s sickening.”

  As if on cue, Kat glanced behind her and shot the three of them a dazzling smile neither of them returned. Andre’s stomach churned with nausea as she recalled the night Kat and Jerauld revealed their true identities to the world. She remembered Jerauld’s hand’s on her, his body trembling with desire, and Kat in the background of the gymnasium, watching with sickening glee.

  “Andre!” Arizona barked, and from the tone of her voice, Andre knew the witch had been trying to get her attention for a while now.

  As the memories dispersed, Andre met Arizona’s stare, who quickly glanced to the side. Andre followed her gaze, and sure enough, there was Kat, who was making her way towards them.

  Another hand clamped on her leg, and Andre was surprised to find it was Courtney. Courtney was still young, as far as Royal Guard members went, and Andre remembered she wasn’t a member at the time when the group, led by Aaron Hansen, stormed the gymnasium and rescued her mere seconds before Jerauld claimed her. “I contacted Aaron the day after I caught Kat alone with Rebekah, and he told me the details about that night,” she said. “I won’t let her hurt you again.”

  For a moment, Andre didn’t know what to feel: comforted by Courtney’s gesture or anger at Aaron for delving into the personals. Yet, she brushed it all off. Aaron had always been there for her, and he would never intentionally hurt her. He was the closest thing she had to a father, certainly more of one than her biological father.

  “Andre!” Kat said cheerfully, and Andre forgot how nauseating that voice was. It was disheartening that even after all these years, Kat could still affect her in such a way.

  Courtney shifted her posture from relaxed to defensive, and so did Arizona, at Kat’s approach. If the immortal witch noticed the shifting in posture, she didn’t show it. “I haven’t seen you since, well, you know.” A fake smile was plastered on Kat’s lips, one that instantly sent chills down Andre’s spine. “How have you been?”

  Andre’s posture soon matched those of her companions as she demanded, “Where’s Jerauld, Kat?”

  Kat’s smile soon faltered. “He’s not here.”

  “Really.” Andre scoffed. “Because I remember the two of you were inseparable, always delving into the same, harmful schemes.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kat said through gritted teeth.

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about,” said Andre just as coldly. “Why are you here, Kat? It’s certainly not because you want to help protect the facility.”

  Kat shook her head as her gaze traveled between Andre, Courtney, and Arizona. “Are these your bodyguards now?” She clucked her tongue. “Some things never change, do they, Andre?”

  “No,” Andre replied, “they don’t.”

  “Well, it’s great to see you again!” Kat said with fake enthusiasm as she spun around on her heels. “Oh, and please send Rebekah my regards.” And then, she sauntered away, back to the royal family.

  Andre didn’t realize she was clenching her fists until she looked down and realized her whole body was shaking. “Fuck!” she said under her breath as Arizona lightly squeezed her shoulder.

  “What was that about?” Arizona questioned. “How does she know Rebekah?”

  “She doesn’t,” Andre said through gritted teeth, and it was like her entire body was on fire with how much anger she stored in it.

  “I caught her alone with Rebekah outside of the meeting room our first day in London,” Courtney explained. “She seemed to be…unusually curious about Rebekah, and I don’t know what would have transpired if I hadn’t caught them.”

  Arizona froze. “But she’s a part of your assignment!”

  Courtney shook her head. “Like I said, I don’t know what her game is. But I know she does have a game.” She paused as she met Arizona’s gaze. “Keep an eye on her, please, since you’re working with her. I have no idea how she or Henri managed this illusion, but I’m sure Henri sent her here under the guise of Jeffery’s rescuer. All that’s left now is to figure out how to prove that fact to Jason.”

  Andre tensed at Courtney’s words. Though she had already suspected Kat’s ulterior motives, hearing Courtney voice them aloud was different. And if they were right, that meant Henri already figured out how to breach the ICW facility before they even set foot there.

  ~~~

  Rebekah: Munich, Germany

  Within two hours, the planes arrived at Munich at the actual ICW facility, which came equipped with a runway. Once each plane had landed, luggage was unloaded, and the participants started pouring out, gawking at the sight of the facility.

  During the entire flight, Rebekah stuck with Holly. At times, she invited Mandy to join their group, but each time, Mandy declined the invitation, choosing instead to remain by herself. Each time, Rebekah remembered what Holly said about Mandy’s weird aura, and she shuddered, wondering what was wrong with her friend.

  Once inside the building, the chaperones were reunited with their groups. While meeting up with one another, Rebekah took the time to gawk at the lobby—which resembled the design of a five-star hotel. On the opposite side from the glass entrance doors was the receptionist desk, though as to why the ICW would need a receptionist desk, Rebekah did not know. To the left of the room was a waiting area complete with couches, a table, and stacks of magazines. In the middle was a built-in water fountain, and to the right were the elevators and doors that led out of the lobby.

  “Does this seem unreal to you?” Holly whispered to Rebekah.

  Rebekah nodded slowly. “Honestly, I was expecting something a lot more…run down.”

  Once the group was reunited with each other, the participants followed their chaperones to the elevators and up to their room.

  “Now, I’m going to give each of you a room key,” Courtney announced once the elevator doors closed. “Do not lose it, for you will not be issued another one.” Once she distributed the keys between everybody, the elevator doors opened, revealing a hallway that s
eemed to stretch onward endlessly.

  “This is one of the hallways that is reserved for the participants,” said Courtney, jamming her key into the slot of the door immediately to the right and opening it easily, “and this is the room.”

  After everyone had entered, the door was closed behind them. Once again, Rebekah took in her surroundings. From where she stood, her eyes landed on the living room area, which was equipped with a couch, a couple of chairs, a table, and a TV. To her left were three doors, which she assumed led to the bedrooms, and to her right was the entrance to a bathroom.

  Jamie instantly walked further into the room as if she owned the place and opened up the middle door on the left. “I call this bedroom,” she stated. “Whoever wants to room with me may, but there is no way I’m bunking with more than one other person.”

  Not surprisingly, Teri had volunteered to bunk with Jamie, her reasoning being that she needed to spend more time with their leader. As soon as their claim was established, the two of them locked themselves into their temporary living quarters.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Rebekah noticed Andre and Courtney exchange glances, indicating that the room in the middle was supposed to be for them. She rolled her eyes. Typical of Jamie.

  “We should take the closest room,” Holly insisted to Rebekah before moving towards that room.

  Rebekah glanced behind her, taking note of how Sabrina and Sam gravitated towards each other, before moving towards Holly.

  Together, the two of them entered the room, taking note of the four twin beds that were separated by four dressers, two on each side.

  Holly sat down on one of the beds, and Rebekah on another. Sighing, Holly said, “I wonder if Mandy will bunk with us.”

  “Why do you say that?” Rebekah questioned. “I don’t see her forming a group with Sabrina and Sam.”

  “I know,” Holly paused, “but after what I sensed in her aura, I don’t know.”

  Rebekah shrugged, unsure of what to say.

  Within a few moments, Andre walked in with Mandy behind her. “Does Jamie have the tendency to take what may not have been intended for her?” she questioned.

  “Yes,” said Rebekah, her eyes on Mandy. “She’s always had entitlement issues.”

  “Courtney said she’d bunk with the other two, so I guess I’m staying here,” said Andre. “Anyway, leave your luggage here for now. We have to go down to the cafeteria.”

  ~~~

  Surprisingly, the cafeteria wasn’t as elegant as the rest of the facility. Within the cafeteria, there were eight round, wooden dining tables with seven chairs each. On the opposite end from the door they had entered was a long, wooden dining table with nineteen chairs. In the middle of that table sat the Speirs family, and the rest of the empty spots were presumably for the chaperones.

  The individual groups filed into the cafeteria, one by one, separating from their chaperones. As the chaperones made their way to their designated table, the participants had found theirs. At first, Rebekah suspected each group was allowed to sit anywhere, but after close examination, she noticed that the tables were already pre-assigned to each group as well as the individual chairs to each participant. With little effort, Jamie steered Eternal Division towards their assigned table, which, much to her dismay, was located in the back of the cafeteria.

  Rebekah quickly found her seat next to Sam’s and Sabrina’s. A pamphlet rested on the table in front of her, and she flipped through it, through the cliques and their members and through the rules. The rest had taken their seats, where they had also been given pamphlets, and Rebekah noticed that Holly was not only next to Teri, who had always hated her, but Mandy as well. Mandy, who recently had developed a hatred of Holly.

  “Do you see the host’s son?” Jamie said to Teri once the group took their seats. “What do you think of him?”

  Rebekah glanced over her shoulder at the mention of Jeffery Speirs—and there he was to the right of Jason, studying her with evident curiosity. It shouldn’t surprise her that he seemed to know who she was, and yet for some reason, it did. When Jeffery caught her staring back, he shifted his position, temporarily revealing a hand with only four fingers. Rebekah shot a look of sympathy his way, wondering if the missing finger was Henri’s doing.

  Subtly, Jeffery shook his head as if telling her to let it go, which confused Rebekah even more.

  Teri had also briefly glanced at him before turning away. “Why do you ask, Jamie?”

  Jamie shrugged. “Does he seem up your alley?”

  Teri narrowed her eyes at Jamie before taking another glance. “He’s looking at me,” she squealed, turning away. “I mean, I guess he’s doable.”

  At this, Holly went ballistic. “You can’t date Jeffery!” she said, earning glares from both Jamie and Teri.

  “And why not, Holly?” Jamie inquired, a wicked smile forming on her lips. “Do you like him?”

  “No, of course not,” said Holly, disgusted. “It’s just that he’s the host’s son.”

  “Last time I checked, there was no rule against going after the host’s son,” Jamie pointed out, turning towards Teri. “I think you guys would hit it off.”

  If only you knew what he was, thought Rebekah, glancing back at Jeffery. From afar, his eyes were still studying her, not Teri.

  “I’ll keep him in mind,” said Teri giddily.

  Within moments, the doors that led to the kitchen suddenly burst open, revealing the ICW chefs that also delivered to each table.

  “I nearly forgot about this part of the competition,” Jamie blurted out, who took on the role of the ICW expert of the group.

  Confused eyes landed on Jamie as the meal was delivered. After setting down their deliveries, the chefs retreated back to the door and disappeared from sight.

  “What do you mean?” Teri questioned as she opened up the platter that was in front of her, “and what is this?”

  “Don’t criticize it,” Jamie scolded. “We’re being filmed.”

  Rebekah looked around the cafeteria but saw no cameras. She turned back towards Jamie. “What do you mean?”

  “The meals rotate cultures,” Jamie explained. “And the first meal is always from our host country.”

  Rebekah poked the plump sausage that was on her plate, which was served with baked apples and some bread. “It’s…sausage,” she surmised, glancing up from her plate.

  “This isn’t just any sausage. I swear my parents made this before, and it was gross!” Teri complained, having ignored Jamie’s warning.

  Rebekah cut into the sausage with her fork, and its grounded entrails immediately spilled out. Definitely not ordinary sausage, she concluded.

  Jamie gave an exasperated breath. “It’s blood sausage!” she said as she speared a piece with her fork and brought it to her mouth. “It’s honestly not as bad as it sounds.”

  The others watched Jamie chew her bite thoughtfully, which was a sight Rebekah was not accustomed to seeing. Prissy, bitchy Jamie was also for some reason a bizarre foods lover.

  “You mean…this sausage…is made of blood?” Sam shrieked, nearly jumping up from her seat.

  From across the table, Rebekah caught sight of Holly laughing. She was already halfway done with her sausage, and some of the grounded entrails were stuck between her teeth. “Since when have you had blood sausage?”

  Holly’s laughter died down. “I’ve had lots of things. The cruise, remember?”

  “Right,” Rebekah said, knowing what Holly really meant was at Witchcraft Academy. “Why are we being filmed?”

  “This is like an introduction episode, where the host announces our names and groups to the entire world and explains the rules to us,” answered Jamie, who took another bite of blood sausage paired with some apple.

  Rebekah watched Jamie for a while before returning to her own meal. Tentatively, she speared a small piece with her fork and placed it on her tongue before chewing thoughtfully. Surprisingly, it reminded her of meat loaf, albeit the flavoring
was a little more coppery.

  The lights soon dimmed, and the chatter in the room died down as Jason took the stage. “Hello, and welcome to this year’s International Clique Wars,” he said, his voice booming throughout the cafeteria. Instantly, silence had swept over the participants, each listening attentively to what Jason had to say. “My name is Jason Speirs, this year’s ICW host. This is my wife, Annabelle, and my son, Jeffery.”

  Cheers erupted from the participants, quickly dying down after a few seconds.

  “Now, when I call each of your group’s names, you will stand up, introduce yourselves, and state your roll,” Jason explained. “First off, we have Romano Riverenza from Rome, Italy.”

  The clique, whose name in English meant Roman Reverence, according to Rebekah’s pamphlet, instantly stood up. One by one, they introduced themselves and stated their roles. From what Rebekah gathered by listening to them, Donnell Rizzo was trivia, Bianca Moretti was writing, Valentina De Luca was cooking, Maya Colombo was fashion designing, Daniella Lombardi was sports, Francesca Rossi was music, and Mindy Costa was art.

  After the Italian clique was done, Jason introduced the next group: “Next, from our own host city of Munich, Germany, here is Gnadenlose Seelen!”

  Merciless Souls? Rebekah questioned as she looked up the translation on her pamphlet, watching the German clique stand up. What an interesting name for a group. As they started to speak, Rebekah listened attentively to their introduction: Giselle Mesenschmitt was music, Heidi Geisler was writing, Lois Stumpf was sports, Porcha Platz was trivia, Elisabeth Bauer was art, Wanda Hundt was fashion designing, and Trudy Krauthoefer was cooking.

  “Next from Tokyo, Japan,” Jason paused, “we have Nihon No Megami!”

  From her brief time learning Japanese in Roseway, Rebekah deciphered that to mean The Japanese Goddesses. Within that clique, Hana Kaji was music, Neko Ohayashi was fashion designing, Keiko Takumi was writing, Yoko Suzuki was sports, Misaki Kato was cooking, Kamilah Yoshida—who later told the people to call her Kami—was trivia, and Mari Nakamura was art.