Chapter One-hundred Nine: Seashell Cove Part Four

Chapter 109

Seashell Cove Part Four

Jaxon, Tristan, and Deimos ventured deep into the woods, past the swimming hole, over the bridge, and up to the old sanctuary. Deimos noticed light inside it.

Deimos: “THERE! He must have her there!”

He called out. Jaxon narrowed his eyes on the old building.

Jaxon: “Let’s GO!”

He rushed towards it like a fierce warrior charging into battle. He swung the doors open. He, Tristan, and Deimos entered. There were candles lit on every pew. Celeste was at the altar, strapped to a gurney with a wooden clamp over her mouth and her sharp teeth biting down on it. She struggled against her bonds and tried to chew on the clamp. Ichiro appeared behind her, licking her neck and sliding his hand down her tank top.

Jaxon: “CELESTE!”

He called out for her. Celeste screamed muffled screams through her gag. Tristan and Deimos glared at Ichiro.

Ichiro: “Konbanwa, otouto-kun.”

He smirked. Jaxon glared at him.

Jaxon: “Konbanwa, Ichi-CUNT.”

He fired back at him. Ichiro’s eyes went into a full roll.

Ichiro: “Jiro, you’re so low class. When will you ever learn…? Oh, wait, never. You know nothing.”

He scoffed.

Deimos: “You’re going to get fucked, Ichiro!”

He snapped. Ichiro turned to Deimos with a scowl.

Ichiro: “I didn’t ask for your opinion, Deimos. You’re the one projecting your insecurities on others, and this is why your ice prince is in this state. It’s your fault. You fail at life as much as Jiro.”

Deimos glared at him as his right eye twitched. Tristan cupped his mouth and coughed. Jaxon glared contemptuously at him.

Jaxon: “Shut the fuck up! Now’s the part where you DIE!”

He snapped, charging at him. Ichiro reached into his jacket to withdraw a needle. He smirked as he yanked Celeste’s head back, holding the needle to her neck. Celeste roared through her gag.

Ichiro: “Yes, Jiro? You were saying?”

He smirked. Jaxon froze and felt his heart hammer in his chest.

Jaxon: “Don’t you DARE!”

He hissed through clenched teeth.

Ichiro: “Are you going to cry like you used to when we were kids? I loved doing that!”

He laughed a breathy laugh. Jaxon glared at him with burning hatred.

Ichiro: “When we were kids, I would do stuff like… toss green peppers on the floor toward Jiro because I hate them and didn’t want to tell mother and father I did. Anyway, Father would be furious and beat him. That was so funny!”

He laughed hard. Deimos glared at him. Tristan cupped his mouth.

Jaxon: “You MONSTER! Don’t you do shit to my green pepper!”

He barked at him. Ichiro clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes.

Ichiro: “Don’t be stupid, Jiro. I was never going to do anything to her.”

He smirked. Jaxon glared at him, his head spinning with confusion.

They heard the clacking of heels as Robin showed up on the altar with Chelsea, who was sobbing. Tristan’s eyes widened. Deimos froze turgid with fear. Jaxon’s heart sank.

Jaxon: “YOU!”

He glared and seethed at Robin with hatred.

Jaxon: “Let her GO!”

Tristan: “Robin?! Chelsea! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HER?!”

He cried. Robin clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes.

Robin: “Tristan, you fool! This is your punishment for not choosing me!”

She rasped. Tristan cupped his hands over his mouth. Ichiro marched to Robin and the two kissed deeply. Celeste rolled her eyes. Deimos winced. Jaxon glared and gagged at them.

Jaxon: “I’m going to be fucking sick!”

He groused.

Deimos: “Eugh…”

Chelsea: “JAXON! HELP ME!”

She cried. Jaxon knit his eyebrows.

Jaxon: “Get your hands OFF her!”

He bellowed.

Robin: “Tais-toi, salope!”

She slapped her. Chelsea cried out. Tristan cupped his mouth as tears streamed down his cheeks.

Tristan: “I will revoke the case on contesting the will! It’s not worth it!”

He sobbed.

Jaxon: “You evil bitch!”

He growled at Robin and looked over at Ichiro.

Jaxon: “Why don’t you two get on a fucking horse and ride off into the darkness together?! Why do you need Celeste and Tristan when you got each other now? What’s this got to do with Chelsea?! Let them GO!”

He snapped at them.

Arnie entered the church.

Arnie: “Oh, Deimos and the hot guy in the woods!”

Ichiro glared at Arnie.

Ichiro: “It’s you again.”

He clicked his tongue in irritation.

Ichiro: “To answer your question, Jiro, I want my little brother to break. It’s fun for me.”

He smiled and plunged the needle into Chelsea’s neck. She cried out in pain. Tristan screamed out.

Tristan: “NOOOOOO!!! STOP IT!”

He rushed to them, sobbing. Ichiro kicked Chelsea toward them. Celeste used all of her strength to snap out of her bonds. Jaxon’s eyes widened with a gasp.

Jaxon: “NOOOOOOOOOO! YOU MONSTER!”

He roared, charging for Ichiro and delivering a punch to his face, knocking him over. Ichiro fell over and sneered at Jaxon with a bruise to his jaw. Robin flipped her hair and knelt to him with a handkerchief.

Chelsea knelt panting. She reached out to Jaxon.

Chelsea: “Jaxon?!”

She cried. Jaxon knit his eyebrows and knelt to her with tears in his eyes.

Jaxon: “...I-I’m so sorry, Chelsea.”

His bottom lip trembled, reaching out to her. She grasped his hand.

Chelsea: “I… I wanted to tell you I was falling for you… But I didn’t want to be a homewrecker…”

She said as her speech slurred. Tristan bawled and sank to the floor in tears. Deimos knelt to him.

Jaxon: “...I know, and I’m sorry.”

He stammered in a shade above a whisper, feeling his eyes well up.

Chelsea: “Y-You gave me happiness… I love you…”

She panted as sweat dripped down her skin. Jaxon pulled away from her and cupped his mouth, trembling with tears streaming down his cheeks.

Jaxon: “...I wish you could have found happiness and love.”

He swallowed hard and couldn’t bear to watch. He glared at Ichiro with sheer hatred.

Jaxon: “ICHIROOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

He let out a defeated roar of anguish. Ichiro’s shoulders shook as he laughed.

Her eyes bulged out of her head as it stretched to ghastly proportions. Her arms split into two arms forming grotesque claws, and her breasts formed into gaping mouths with sharp teeth and long tongues coming out of them. Spikes sprouted from her shoulders. Her legs formed into hind legs with long claws.

Tristan wailed and sobbed loudly. He then threw up on the floor. Deimos patted his back. Celeste braced her legs apart. Jaxon pursed his lips and sobbed, trying to hold himself together, but he couldn’t move. He couldn’t bring himself to face her.

Arnie: “OH MY GOOOOOOOD!”

He screamed.

Arnie: “THAT WAS THE HOTTEST THING I EVER SAW!”

He cheered. Deimos glared at him and went to punch him, but the creature’s claws protruded out of her, stabbing through his stomach and chest. Blood spilled out of Arnie’s mouth, and the creature flung his body into the walls, where he was cut in half.

Josh stormed into the sanctuary.

Josh: “YOU FUCKING BITCH! ARE YOU GONNA LEAVE ME?! NO ONE LEAVES THE JOSH!”

He roared. Josh paused when he saw the creature. His bottom lip trembled.

Josh: “THE FUCK IS THIS?! THE FUCK IS THIS?!”

He screamed and ran. The creature grabbed his leg and whacked him against the stone wall. Josh threw up blood. The creature grabbed both of his arms and started to pull. Josh wailed and flailed his legs as his arms started to tear off.

Josh: “WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!! SOMEONE HELP ME!”

He wailed, and the creature tore his arms off. Blood sprayed out of him as he cried in pain, dropping to the floor. The creature grabbed Josh by his neck and legs, pulling him apart.

Josh: “NO!! NOOOOOOOO! NOOOOO!!!”

She pulled his head off his torso, and his head rolled to Celeste. His glassy, lifeless eyes stared up at her.

Tristan embraced himself as he sobbed. The creature’s hand crashed down on Tristan, splattering blood everywhere. Deimos’ jaw opened, and he screamed. Jaxon was snapped out of his daze when he saw Tristan brutally hurt.

Deimos: “TRISTAN! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!”

He rushed to him, holding him close as Tristan panted and caressed Deimos’ face. Deimos sobbed as he held Tristan close. A purple glow surrounded them as Deimos healed him.

Celeste grabbed a floor candelabra, snapped off the candlestick holders to make a sharp edge, and lunged at the creature with it. The creature grabbed her and slammed her down onto the ground. Celeste had the wind knocked out of her. The creature punched her again and again, until Celeste was a bloody mess. She looked over, panting and throbbing with pain all over her body as her bones were broken in several places.

Jaxon: “CELESTE!”

He gasped and rushed over to her to heal her. The creature grabbed Jaxon by his neck and tossed him down the aisles. Jaxon panted and trembled in pain, staggering to his feet. His heart sank when he saw the creature gripping Celeste in her hand, crushing her.

Jaxon: “NOOOOOOOO! CELESTE!”

He cried out and picked up a floor candelabra, throwing it at the big iron chandelier above them, causing it to fall onto the creature. It roared and crashed to the floor with a hard thump, releasing Celeste from its grip.

While it was disoriented and distracted, Jaxon toppled over the pews, knocking the candles on the floor. His trembling hands reached into his pocket to withdraw his Zippo lighter and opened the lid, pouring lighter fluid on the fire. The fire caught onto the wood and started to spread. Jaxon rushed to pick up Celeste, and Deimos picked up Tristan, who was fully healed. Deimos started to run out with Tristan in his arms.

The fire started to spread to the tapestries. The creature stood before Jaxon. Jaxon looked up at it with tears in his eyes and gripped Celeste close.

Jaxon: “Chelsea is already dead.”

He trembled and shoved the creature into the inferno with a violent kick. He ran out of the burning sanctuary with Celeste in his arms, slamming the doors shut. He picked up a piece of wood and slammed it in place so the creature couldn’t escape.

Jaxon panted as they watched the inferno and heard the harrowing screams from within, until they went silent. He sighed and looked away, turning to Celeste and placing his hands on her to heal her. A red glow surrounded her as he used all his strength to heal her. Deimos panted over Tristan. Tristan caressed his face.

Deimos: “I’m sorry, Tristan!”

He kissed him deeply.

They heard footsteps approach them. Ichiro stood over Jaxon, smoking a cigarillo.

Ichiro: “Bravo, Jiro.”

He smirked. Jaxon’s eyes widened at the cigarillo, and it dawned on him. He glared at him with burning hatred.

Ichiro: “Oh, and one more thing? Father got another woman pregnant. I took care of the last one. You got this one.”

He laughed.

Jaxon: “YOU MONSTER!”

He screamed and punched him repeatedly with violent force until he bled. Ichiro crashed to the ground and glared at him. Robin rushed to him and knelt.

Robin: “Oh, mon chéri!”

She whined. Jaxon glared at her.

Jaxon: “FUCK YOU, TOO!”

He snapped at Robin, punching her in the stomach. Robin keeled over and wheezed as the wind was knocked out of her.

Tristan rushed up to her and stabbed her with an icicle.

Tristan: “CONNASE!”

He rasped at her with hatred. Robin gasped and glared at Tristan.

Robin: “You fucking MANWHORE!”

She rasped.

Jaxon continued beating up Ichiro, kicking him on the ground and stomping on him. Ichiro grunted in pain and tried to roll over. Jaxon then took his cigarillo and pressed it against his arm, burning him with it. Ichiro rasped in pain and wheezed.

Ichiro: “Kutabare, kono yarou!’

He spat blood on him.

Cedar teleported into the area.

Cedar: “ENOUGH!”

He held up the high-frequency sound device.

Cedar: “And I have KO!”

He added as his voice quivered. Tristan turned to Cedar.

Tristan: “Cedar, what are you doing here?”

He heaved between breaths. Cedar glanced at Tristan with pain in his eyes.

Cedar: “Tristan, it’s nothing personal.”

Jaxon turned to him and glared at him.

Jaxon: “YOU!”

Deimos: “You here to fight for Ivy’s honor?”

He growled.

Cedar: “No, Deimos. This is nothing personal.”

He knelt to Ichiro and Robin and looked at the burning sanctuary. He heaved a deep sigh.

Cedar: “I am so sorry for your loss.”

He said as he pressed a device in his ear, and they all teleported away.

Jaxon flared with rage.

Jaxon: “YOU COWARDS!”

He rasped, punching the ground with his fists.

Celeste: “Jaxon?”

She turned to him and sat up, rubbing her head. Jaxon turned to her.

Jaxon: “Celeste?! Are you okay?”

He knelt to her and wrapped his arms around her. Celeste hugged him back.

Celeste: “Yes. Are you okay?”

She looked up at him and knit her eyebrows. Jaxon pursed his lips and shook his head.

Jaxon: “...No.”

He broke down defeatedly in her arms. Celeste held him close and raked her fingers through his hair. She heaved a deep sigh and held him close.

Tristan broke down in Deimos’ arms. Deimos looked away at the building and then at Tristan. He kissed his head.

Jaxon gazed up at the stars one last time.

~

Celeste and Jaxon arrived back at home. Celeste carried the luggage inside and set it down. She gazed at Jaxon.

Celeste: “Need anything?”

She asked him and caressed his arm.

Jaxon: “All I need is you, babe.”

He flashed her a smile and wrapped her in his arms. Celeste hugged him back and smiled in his embrace. Noah came in with a faint smile.

Noah: “Trevor dropped these off.”

He handed them an envelope with “one hour photo” on it. Celeste took it and thanked him.

She opened the envelope, and it was pictures of their getaway. The first was Jaxon, Celeste, Tristan, Deimos, and Chelsea in front of the lodge.

The second was Joe, Betsy, Josh, Jesse, Chelsea, Arnie, Tristan, Deimos, Celeste, and Jaxon, all seated at the dinner table, eating steak or lobster.

The next was Celeste, Jaxon, Chelsea, and Jesse at the beach.

The next was Jaxon and Chelsea talking by the tree where he smoked. The next was Celeste and Jesse catching eels.

The next was both Celeste and Chelsea tickling Jaxon’s feet. Celeste smirked at that one. The next was Deimos snapping at Arnie while Arnie grinned widely. The last was Jaxon playing his guitar at the bonfire for Chelsea, with Chelsea leaning on his shoulder.

Jaxon froze and felt a punch to his gut at the last one, and he didn’t want to look at the photos anymore.

Jaxon: “I’m tired…”

His voice trailed off. Celeste knit her eyebrows and put the photos down.

Celeste: “Talk to me, Jaxon…”

She said softly and kissed him. He kissed her back.

Jaxon: “I’m tired of fucking ICHIRO!”

He fumed.

Jaxon: “He has to be stopped! I have to kill him!”

He cried. Celeste nodded and took his hands.

Celeste: “I know, handsome… And you will.”

She nodded.

Jaxon: “Ya know, lots of people desire me, but I wouldn’t give a shit if Dougal, your grandfather or those weirdo fans got turned into monsters… So why does this bother me?”

He sighed. Celeste nodded.

Celeste: “I don’t know, Jax. I’m not a psychiatrist or know the mind as well as Tristan does, but I can try. I think ‘cause she was nice to you!”

She held his hands.

Celeste: “ ‘cause Kristen was also nice to you and it affected you.”

She locked her gaze on him.

Jaxon: “Yeah… and her boyfriend was horrible to her… I know what that’s like. She finally broke away from him, and she was about to start a new life, but then she just… died.”

His voice trailed off. Celeste surveyed him.

Celeste: “Yeah…, you spent more time with her than I did. I was mainly with Jesse. Tristan and she were friends, and I think they spent time apart ‘cause of Ivy. Ivy hated her.”

She stated.

Jaxon: “No surprises there.”

He groaned, thinking of Ivy.

Celeste: “Do I suck at this or what? I’m sorry.”

She bowed her head, not feeling she was giving him adequate emotional support he needed.

Jaxon: “What?! No, babe! Your presence is all I need!”

He assured her, kissing her head. She smiled at him.

Jaxon: “I’m sorry for this… I don’t know how to deal with this emotional stuff…”

He sighed. Celeste nodded.

Celeste: “I’m desensitized to all this stuff. I’m sorry. Tristan is good at this and… he’s a wreck now. Chelsea was his friend.”

She looked away. Jaxon pursed his lip and nodded, empathizing with Tristan. Maybe I should talk with him, he thought.

Celeste: “Maybe you should talk to Tristan; he needs a friend.”

She smiled a bit.

~

Tristan and Deimos were in Tristan’s bedroom. Deimos sat by Tristan.

Deimos: “How do you feel?”

Tristan: “I’ve been better.”

He said coldly. Deimos took Tristan’s hand, and Tristan yanked it away. Deimos paused.

Deimos: “Are you upset with me?”

Deimos knit his eyebrows. Tristan glared at him.

Tristan: “Your ego is out of control, Deimos. Because you snapped at me due to your insecurities, Chelsea is dead. I couldn’t use my ice powers because my concentration was all over the map. I was drunk and overemotional, because of you!”

He snapped. Deimos drew back.

Deimos: “I just want to protect you! You never ask me to protect you! You always do it yourself!”

He fired back.

Tristan: “Yes, and I let it slide for everything else because I love you! But this time? My friend has been killed! She could be alive if you didn’t let your foolish ego get the best of you!”

He cried and threw a pillow at him. Deimos looked away and cupped his mouth.

Tristan: “I am tired of this foolishness, Deimos! I let you protect me for other occasions! I didn’t know there was a lamoris out in the woods! I thought Jaxon was trying to find Chelsea! I would have asked you to come, but you seemed annoyed with her, so I didn’t!”

He hissed between clenched teeth.

Tristan: “And you always beating up Arnie annoyed me! I told you to stop doing that! He wanted that, and you were giving him what he wanted! You and Lazaros BOTH have this issue where no one can ever be on top of you or beat you at anything! You have to come out on top and oftentimes, it’s NOT worth it!”

Deimos looked away.

Deimos: “I just want to love you and protect you, Tristan… Why are you treating it like it’s a crime?”

He asked with hurt in his tone. Tristan drew a sharp breath and raked his fingers through his hair.

Tristan: “I’m NOT, Deimos! I love it when you do, but you snapping at me for something I can’t control is not only hurtful, but it’s irrational! What was I supposed to do?! Just let it attack until I get you?!”

He asked sharply. Deimos looked away.

Deimos: “It’s not your fault that Chelsea is dead. It’s Ichiro’s, and the last one he made couldn’t be harmed by ice. I think this one was much the same.”

Tristan looked away.

Tristan: “Maybe so, but I almost got killed, too.”

Deimos gaped at Tristan.

Deimos: “And I saved you! Tristan, I am sorry! I just want to be there for you!”

He said with hurt, staring down at his lap.

Tristan: “Yes, Deimos. Snapping at me when that lamoris of Josh’s almost killed Jaxon and me is doing exactly that.”

He said scathingly, glaring at Deimos with cold green eyes. Deimos drew back and looked away.

Deimos: “I’m going to always regret this, Tristan.”

He pursed his lips and looked down at his lap.

Tristan: “As you should, Deimos.”

He said icily.

Tristan: “You can see yourself out. I need space from you.”

He looked away. Deimos’ bottom lip trembled. He nodded and rose, storming out of his room. He took another look at him and closed the door. I don’t deserve you, Tristan, he thought, and walked down the pedway.

~

Ichiro was in the lounge room, fully healed, and sat across Cedar.

Cedar: “Mind telling me what that's all about? And what did that girl do to deserve that?”

He folded his arms. Ichiro smirked and lit up a cigarillo.

Ichiro: “Nothing. I followed Jiro and his friends to the lodge and studied who would affect him the most. One was a jock bully, the other was interested in Deimos, and Celeste spent time with the child, fishing…”

He exhaled a long drag.

Ichiro: “Celeste wore fishnets…”

He said in a falsetto voice with a wide grin. Cedar threw his arms up.

Ichiro: “Anyway, the girl took a shine to Jiro, and it seems he liked her back, so she was fair game. I broke my little brother. I can’t wait to play with him more.”

He laughed. Cedar stared blankly at the wall at a poster of a cat clinging to a clothesline with “hang in there” on it.

Cedar: “Why not make a lamoris and play with him? Why turn people into those things?”

He asked.

Ichiro: “Because it wouldn’t break his mind. Maybe his bones, but he could heal those. Where is the fun in that?”

He smirked. Cedar kept staring at the poster.

Cedar: “Right.”

He withdrew a cigarette, lit it up, and inhaled a drag.

Cedar: “By the way, Ichiro?”

Ichiro: “Yes?”

Cedar: “Chelsea’s funeral is tomorrow.”

Ichiro gaped at him.

Ichiro: “So what? She served her purpose to break Jiro. I moved on.”

He waved his hand.

Cedar: “I think Jiro will go with Celeste.”

Ichiro’s eyes widened as he inhaled a long drag.

Ichiro: “...Will Celeste wear nylons… and dangle her shoe like she always does?”

He stammered and grinned. Cedar gazed at the poster.

Ichiro rose to Cedar and placed his hand on his shoulder.

Ichiro: “I need you to do me a favor.”

Cedar: “Lay it on me.”

He said evenly.

Ichiro: “I need pictures taken at that funeral of Celeste in her nylons and dangling her shoe. Sometimes she will take it off to flex her toes.”

He pursed his lips, getting excited. Cedar gazed at the poster. I’m trying, he thought.

Ichiro: “This would mean so much to me!”

Cedar: “What, saving you from Jiro, Tristan, and Deimos wasn’t that?”

He said with irritation.

Ichiro: “Thanks for doing this, Cedar. You’re a great friend!”

He patted his shoulder. Cedar gazed at the poster. It’s this or watching Maxx smell his own farts and this seems more appealing, he thought.