Pain-Killer (A Miss Hyde Novella Book 2) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Pain-Killer

  A Miss Hyde Novella Volume 2

  By

  Kindra Sowder

  Burning Willow Press, LLC (USA): 3724 Cowpens Pacolet Rd., Spartanburg, SC 29307

  This edition published in 2015 by Burning Willow Press, LLC (USA)

  Copyright © Kindra Sowder 2015

  Illustrations Copyright © Loraine Van Tonder 2015

  Edit Copyright © Edd Sowder 2015

  All rights reserved.

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  Series Order

  Volume 1:Hell, My Name is…

  Volume 2:Pain-Killer

  Chapter One

  I was back at The Marquee again, standing in the restroom in front of the mirror and inspecting my reflection. Lauren, my best friend, was in one of the stalls whistling as she used the bathroom. She always did this in public bathrooms to cover up the sound of her urinating. It was something I never understood, but I didn’t judge her. My red lipstick was smudged slightly from drinking two whiskey sours, and my matte makeup job was beading with sweat from dancing. I never usually danced, but there was something about the thumping music that I needed tonight. My royal purple dress stopped right above my knees, and one spaghetti strap had fallen down my shoulder. I quickly put it back where it belonged.

  It had been a week since Hyde killed Dax. It hadn’t gotten any easier than it was the next day when I woke up covered in his blood after being forced to watch the evil inflicted on him. An image of him splayed on my table, each limb removed from his bloodied and ravaged torso flashed through my mind. The familiar warm rumble moved through my belly. Hyde hadn’t been let out of her cage since then. I had avoided being alone with men as best as I could without seeming like a recluse. It was harder than it sounded. I knew I wouldn’t be able to avoid my alter ego forever, but I was going to forego it as long as I could.

  The day after Hyde had butchered Dax beyond recognition I had fallen into a depression. As soon as I had made it back into my apartment after spending the entire day at the gallery I had collapsed in a heap on the floor and didn’t move for hours. It wasn’t just because I had truly liked Dax, but because of the ferocity with which his life was taken since Hyde. I threw myself into my work and into nights out with Lauren, barely sleeping a wink for fear of what I would see when I closed my eyes. The thought of Hyde coming out to play once I was asleep was overwhelmingly paralyzing. I had also made the appointment to meet with the artist that painted the work that looked so much like myself, one green eye and one brown, covered in blood with a human heart clenched in her fist. That was tomorrow.

  The water in the sink was running, but I didn’t remember turning it on. I shut if off after splashing a small bit of water on the back of my neck and looked up into the mirror, shocked by what I saw. My eyes flashed from their almost amber brown to the glowing green that was indicative of Hyde coming out against my will. I blinked and the glowing green dissipated like it had never been. What was it about the nightlife and men that caused her to surface? I was beginning to think I would never know, but I was still hopeful that the artist would have some answers somehow.

  Hyde was beating against my brain the more I fought her, and the near constant headache was almost enough for me to give into her. It was a dull throbbing that wasn’t bad enough to cause distress but was noticeable enough to cause annoyance. My head hurt even as I stood there staring at the mirror with a look on my face that was reminiscent of a deer in the headlights; eyes wide, lips slightly parted, and cheeks flushed from the heat of the club. We had gone out every night since Dax just so I could keep myself busy. Not to mention my coffee pot was getting a lot of good use, and I had even resorted to buying a Red Bull or two while I was at it.

  “Well, fuck!” I heard Lauren scream from the stall. I turned around and stared at the stall door as intently as I could being sleep deprived.

  “What’s the matter?” I asked, my voice wavering ever so slightly as nerves hit me hard in the gut. Sleep deprivation caused you to startle easy enough, and I was always on guard, trying to keep Hyde under wraps.

  Lauren sighed in exasperation and answered, “Well, Aunt Flo decided to visit, and I don’t have a tampon.” There was a pause like she was thinking over what to say next. “Do you have one?”

  I turned around, reached into my small purse, and pulled out a super absorbency tampon. Thank goodness no one else was in the bathroom for this. “You’re in luck.” I walked over to the stall and bent over, holding it right under the door so she could grab it without having to get off of the toilet. “I don’t know why you don’t listen to me about carrying some of these around just in case. “ Her hand grasped it, her fingers grazing mine slightly as she did so.

  “Oh yeah, that’s attractive. I can see me talking to some guy and accidentally pull one out of your purse, Blythe.”

  She had a point. All a woman ever wanted was to either accidentally pull a tampon out or drop her purse and send everything scattering, feminine hygiene products included. I shrugged and moved back to the mirror, leaning against the counter and folding my arms across my chest. Within a minute, the toilet flushed, and Lauren emerged looking like the inside her uterus had lost the battle with an electric hand mixer. This night wasn’t going to be a long one after all.

  “You look horrible,” I muttered as she moved to the sink beside me. I eyed her, taking in the sight of her bra poking out from the top of her too short, crimson, strapless- to-hook-a-man, dress. I adjusted my strap again and waited as she splashed cold water over her face, not caring about her carefully applied makeup at all. I was going to take that as a sign she wanted to go home now. She rested her elbows on the counter, putting her face in her hands.

  “We may have to call it a night,” she mumbled.

  “That’s fine,” I replied as I pushed away from the counter. “I need to get home and watch the new episode of ‘The Walking Dead’ anyways. It’s been sitting in my TiVo for who knows how long now. It’s about time I finish out the fifth season.”

  “I don’t know how you can watch that stuff.”

  “It’s about the people and their stories, not the zombies. The zombies are just fun to watch die.” I meant every word. “I don’t see how you can watch ‘The Vampire Diaries,’ but you do. I don’t question it to your face,” I paused, “until now.” I raised an eyebrow and gave her a sideways look. She wasn’t amused, but I was.

  “You have a point.” She smiled then, not letting the barrage of cramps she was experiencing dampen her playful mood towards me, at least outwardly.

  “Go home and take some Midol. You don’t have to keep me company. There are plenty of people out there.” I motioned towards the door that led out to the dance floor. The music was hammering away on the other side, rattling my eardrums. They had the bass up way too high for my taste. “I
may even stay and have another drink. You never know.”

  Lauren shrugged, stood, and straightened her dress, pushing her fingers through her hair. In the light, I could see the line of sweat beads breaking out along her hairline. She definitely needed to make her way home. She blew out a breath through pursed lips, placing her hand on her abdomen and closing her eyes.

  “Alright, only a few minutes of facing the world and then I’ll be home with a pint of Rocky Road ice cream and Damon.”

  I raised my eyebrow. Yes, she loved that show a little too much, but then again who didn’t like Ian Somerhalder? “Yeah, you do that.” I said, letting the sarcasm roll over my tongue like a living thing. “I’ll walk you to the door.” Without even realizing it my hand had grasped my small clutch purse, and I looped my arm through hers, beginning to lead her to the restroom door and out to the pulsing crowd and music. Once we pushed through the door, the colored lights made it hard to see for just a few seconds, but my eyes adjusted quickly.

  Bodies were moving and grinding against one another, a few even bumping into us on our way towards the exit doors. I could even feel the music in the floor as it moved from the soles of my shoes and up my legs to vibrate through my entire body. No doubt, Lauren was feeling the same thing. Within moments, I was ushering her out the door, and she was hailing a cab. It happened too fast, and everything was moving in such a way I didn’t think my slightly buzzed brain would be able to keep up. I headed back to the bar and turned to watch the crowd of people on the dance floor, the sexual energy moving through them like a tidal wave just waiting to make it to shore. It would demolish everything, including morals, inhibitions, and sound choices.

  Before I could ask myself why I was drawn to places like this, I felt Hyde stir within the recesses of the dark corner of my mind I had forced her into. Yes, that was it. Every sensation threatened to penetrate my skin and ripple through every muscle, but I resisted as best as I could. The music ebbed and flowed as the beat washed the worries of all its patrons away. The alcohol was a huge help in achieving that goal tonight. My skull pounded with the music, and I knew the only way to stop that was more booze. My usual was a whiskey sour, but I felt I needed a change of pace. Making my way over to the bar, I took in more of my surroundings and the people occupying the space. If it weren't so large, I’d say it was cramped. Too many bodies moving against one another hoping someone will take them home for a romp in the sack, but I knew from experience you needed to err on the side of caution when it came to that behavior. The last woman who was butchered on the way to a one-night stand was just this morning. I sighed, happy that I’ve managed not to get caught killing men at this point, considering their body parts were strewn all over city. I didn’t know it for sure, but it was a gut feeling.

  I sat down on a bar stool and spun towards the bartender, who was already staring at me in anticipation of my drink order. He wasn’t the regular bartender that was there when I came with Lauren. He was brand spanking new, and you could tell. His chocolate brown eyes were still shining with excitement. That would disappear within the week.

  “What can I get ya’?” he asked as I watched his eyes sparkle. His face was gorgeous, all harsh lines until you reached a full mouth. It was just full enough to still be considered manly. His chin even had a small dimple that I wouldn’t have noticed if I wasn’t staring at him so intently.

  “Dealer’s choice. Just, please no beer.” As soon as I said the word beer I felt my face scrunch up in disgust, causing my brows to furrow. He nodded and went to work on my drink, but I didn’t watch him make it. I turned away to watch the dancers some more and got bored quickly, knowing that if I had just watched the bartender, I would be having a better time. I swiveled on the bar stool to look at him again, and as soon as my eyes met his he was sliding a drink in a martini glass over to me, it’s pink liquid barely moving as he slid a napkin underneath it with caution.

  “And a Cosmopolitan for the lady. If you haven’t had them before, you’ll love it. Some women even say they feel like Carrie from Sex and the City when they do.” His lips widened into a smile, and I couldn’t help but smile politely back. My fingers slipped over the thin stem of the glass, and I lifted it into the air, making an extremely informal dedication out of it.

  “To Carrie, then.”

  I took a sip of the beverage, letting the cool liquid coat the inside of my mouth and my tongue. The first thing I could taste was the tartness of the cranberry that had been used to make it with a hint of lime. No taste of vodka which let me know he used the real stuff and not the cheap knock offs that smelled like rubbing alcohol and tasted even worse. The triple sec he used was top shelf as well. This guy definitely knew what he was doing when it came to mixing a good drink. My eyes caught his as he watched me, analyzing my reaction to what he had served me. I grinned sheepishly at him, placed the glass back on its napkin and nodded, swallowing the sip I had just taken.

  “You did good. This is excellent.” He beamed at me like he was a child in kindergarten and had just gotten his first gold star for a job well done. To be honest, if I had one, I would’ve given it to him.

  He nodded behind me, eyes fixed on something or someone and said, “Looks like you have an admirer.”

  “What?”

  He looked from me, then behind me, and his eyes met mine again. He was serious. “A gorgeous redhead like you is bound to draw some attention.” I scowled at him. “Don’t take my word for it, see for yourself.”

  Using my core muscles to turn the stool, I looked towards my admirer. He wasn’t very far away. Only ten feet or so and couldn’t seem to take his eyes off of me. They roamed over my body, taking seconds to pause on my breasts and the lean calves of my crossed legs. Yes, the black pair of Louboutin pumps were working out well for me tonight, if I did say so myself.

  All of the air in my lungs left my body in a whoosh, leaving me breathless as I gawked at the gorgeous man. Hazel eyes were framed by thick lashes, and he had a face that was reminiscent of Ryan Reynolds. How did I always get so lucky when it came to the opposite sex? From the looks of it he even had a body to match, but no matter how attractive he was I wasn’t looking to jump in the sack with anyone tonight. It’s too soon after Dax and my mind just wasn’t in it. Granted, I hadn’t known him long at all, but the few hours I did had been splendid, filled with talk of who we were and passionate sex afterward that ended in disaster. That sadistic part of me was to blame for that. I called her Hyde, after Mister Hyde in the book by Robert Louis Stevenson. Little did everyone know that there was a seed of truth in that story. Stevenson had just filled in some of the blanks when it came to the information he didn’t actually have. The truth was that there was a part of me that liked to kill; wanted to kill, but it had nothing to do with an elixir. She came over me at moments that I couldn’t explain, and it was like I was a puppet on strings with no free will of my own. That was why I had been trying to avoid anything that may trigger her, barely even sleeping in the process.

  The man strode over to my place at the bar. When he was finally standing next to me, he leaned in and spoke to the bartender while staring at me.

  “Another one for the lady, please.” His voice rolled over my flesh like living, breathing smoke as I watched the words leave his lips. The smirk never left his lips as he regarded my hooded eyes and parted lips. He knew I thought he was attractive, and he knew he was, and he was taking full advantage of the fact. I quickly polished off the one drink I had as the bartender slid another Cosmo across the counter towards me. I couldn’t take my eyes off of his face, and now I noticed something about his eyes. There were small gold flecks mixed into the brownish green color that I had never seen before now. They reminded me of the gold you used to find when you went on field trips in elementary school to the places where you could mine for it. Well, for fool’s gold at least.

  The drink ended up in front of my face as he held it up to me, the alcohol beckoning to me as I felt Hyde roll inside of my gut like she knew
just where this was headed. I was going to be disappointing her in the next ten minutes or so. However long it would take to finish the drink and turn the guy down, no matter how much my loins were screaming at me not to.

  “Thanks,” I said in gratitude.

  “You’re very welcome.” He leaned against the counter and watched my mouth as I downed the drink in one swallow, barely even taking the time to taste it before ingesting it. It had a slightly bitter taste that I attributed to the lime juice.

  “Long day?”

  I shrugged and sighed, “You could say that.”

  “So, when I tell my friends about you what name should I give them?” I stifled a giggle, almost snorting and rolled my eyes in an exaggerated fashion. Cheesy line but it was working.

  “It’s Blythe. Yours?”

  “Kyle.” He obliged, placing his hand on my exposed knee. She moved inside of my chest this time like she was trying to work her way out through my throat. Hyde knew what Kyle expected, but I wasn’t playing any games tonight. Especially not since I knew what the end result would be. Hyde might have liked the feel of the kill, but I still couldn’t stomach it no matter how many men she had murdered with my hands.

  “Well,” I paused long enough to place my hand on top of his, “Kyle. I’m sorry if I misled you. You may get lucky tonight, but it won’t be with me.”

  His expression hardened and as quickly as the expression had appeared it disappeared. It was obvious he didn’t like to hear the word no and I would hate to tell him that would be the only word he would be hearing from me. I slid from the stool, and the world swam slightly and righted itself quickly. My hand jutted out and gripped the edge of the bar, but I kept my footing.

  “Where the Hell are you going?” He asked as he got up to follow me and ended up pressed against me in my quest to stay upright. His breath was minty fresh as he stared down at me; my breasts flush against his broad chest. I took a deep breath in and prepared for what I was hoping would be the final let down that he would understand.