Chapter One-Hundred One: Sins of the Family

Chapter 101

Sins of the Family

That night, Jaxon’s car rolled into their driveway. He parked the car and lifted the emergency brake. Celeste climbed out and unlocked the door, entering their house. She took off her shoes and socks and flopped on the couch. Jaxon slipped off his Chelsea boots and socks and flopped on the couch with her. Celeste looked up at him.

Celeste: “Talk to me, handsome…”

She said softly and caressed his face.

Jaxon: “I wish we didn’t fucking go…”

His voice trailed off. Celeste kissed him softly. He kissed her back.

Celeste: “It’s not your fault, Jax…”

She said softly and caressed his chest and face.

Celeste: “Deimos and Tristan left to stand with you.”

She added.

Jaxon: “I know… I'm just tired of being in his shadow…”

He frowned.

Jaxon: “All my life I would hear ‘you should be like Ichiro’ and now I hear that I AM like him…”

He looked down at his trembling hands.

Jaxon: “My parents would be so proud.”

He said sardonically and chuckled darkly. Celeste took his hands and caressed them softly.

Celeste: “But you’re not like him… and your parents don’t know the real him.”

Jaxon intertwined his fingers with hers.

Jaxon: “I know. Even if they knew the real him, they still wouldn't see it. He could shit on the rug or cut someone’s head off, but that’s still better than me being a rockstar and loving the woman I love.”

He shook his head. Celeste looked away and reddened.

Celeste: “Well, that is their problem and Deimos did say they were retarded. He’s not wrong?”

She shrugged. Jaxon laughed.

Jaxon: “He’s not wrong.”

Celeste: “Look, Jax, you know I do this… for a living. I am hired to kill people, but tonight shook me. Maybe because it affected you, so it’s affecting me. Maybe ‘cause that little kid saw everything, and I know from firsthand experience that stays with you for life.”

She said and knit her eyebrows. Jaxon’s eyes widened. Her being shaken by this made it more terrifying to him. He didn’t want to admit this scared him, too.

Jaxon: “That kid… he won't be the same.”

Celeste: “I know. But Tristan is wise; he knows it’s not your fault. Deimos knows it. I know it. Ichiro is hot for me. Why wasn’t I blamed?”

She asked coolly.

Jaxon: “Because the sins of our family are our sin, too…”

He frowned, thinking of his family's mindset.

Celeste: “What does that mean?”

Jaxon: “It means I am punished for the sins of my brother, father, and mother because we are family.”

He drew a breath.

Jaxon: “Even by people outside of our customs… Christian persecuted me for the sins of my brother.”

He twisted his mouth. Celeste caressed his chest.

Celeste: “And that was so unfair because it’s not your fault, handsome. You did what you could.”

She knit her eyebrows and didn’t know what to say to make it better. Jaxon signed and lay on her chest.

Someone entered the house. It was Tristan and Deimos. Deimos nodded. Tristan smiled at them.

Tristan: “Hey, Jaxon, I’m so sorry about what my step-brother did. Rest assured, we left because we stand in solidarity with you.”

He said gently as he and Deimos sat on the sofa across from them.

Jaxon: “Thanks, man… don’t apologize for your brother. It’s not your fault what he does.”

He sighed.

Celeste: “How do you feel, Tristan?”

Tristan: “I just watched my nephews’ Nanny turn into a grotesque monster because of Ichiro. I don’t know what to think or how to process what I just saw.”

He laughed a hollow laugh and removed his glasses to wipe his eyes. Jaxon pursed his lips and bowed his head.

Tristan: “He also did this to a family friend.”

He sighed.

Jaxon: “I’m sorry, man…”

Tristan: “Not your fault, Jaxon. But thank you.”

He said softly.

Deimos: “He turns people into monsters to sic on us until we kill that monster or it kills us. That is… fucking sick.”

He shook his head.

Jaxon: “He IS the monster.”

He growled. Tristan and Deimos nodded in agreement.

Tristan: “Should we not have contested the will? Then again, I feel whatever we do won’t matter. It won’t stop him.”

He cupped his mouth. Jaxon shook his head.

Jaxon: “The only way to stop him is to KILL him.”

He countered.

Tristan: “Kristen was hired to be Asashi and Lucas’ nanny when they were born. I’ve known her since I was fifteen.”

He added.

Tristan: “I didn’t know her that well, but I knew of her, and this is the closest we were since Christian hasn’t spoken to me for several years. …I think he won’t speak to me again now, but I am okay with that.”

He nodded. Deimos took his hand and kissed it. Jaxon frowned and said nothing.

Celeste: “Ichiro told me he would tell me his plans if I made out with him.”

She blurted. Tristan and Deimos gaped at her. Jaxon’s blood boiled.

Jaxon: “NO! That’s NOT going to happen! He isn’t touching a hand on you!”

He snapped and rose from his seat.

Celeste: “Yeah, and… he got horny to me killing the monster, too.”

She said with unease. Tristan cupped his mouth and wiped his eyes. Jaxon pursed his lips.

Jaxon: “I bet he won’t be when you kill the real monster—him!”

He huffed.

Celeste: “But he teleports away.”

She inhaled sharply.

Jaxon: “Fucking coward!”

He huffed.

Tristan turned to Jaxon.

Tristan: “How do you feel, Jaxon? You were with me the entire time.”

He asked and put his glasses back on. Jaxon sighed.

Jaxon: “Shitty…”

He sighed. Tristan gazed at him empathetically.

Jaxon: “But all we can do is move forward… and kill Ichiro!”

He gritted his teeth. Celeste caressed his chest.

Deimos: “I do wonder how many of his patients died under his care… and how many more will die because he wants to torment you.”

He said evenly. Jaxon frowned.

Tristan: “Jaxon, may I ask why you do that?”

He locked his gaze on him.

Jaxon: “Do what?”

He asked.

Tristan: “You mentioned you’re feeling less than stellar and crappy but don’t want to discuss or delve too much into it. It’s okay to feel your feelings.”

He said gently.

Tristan: “You can feel them, but then let them go. Don’t dwell on them.”

He added.

Jaxon: “Of course, I’m feeling shitty about this, but what’s done is done and I can’t do anything to change it or fix it, so the only thing to do now is focus and change what I can fix and that is killing Ichiro… so he never hurts my Green Queen again or kills another innocent life again…”

He stated.

Tristan: “Are you afraid Ichiro will try to turn Celeste into a monster?”

He asked him. Celeste glanced at Tristan and then at Jaxon. Jaxon embraced himself and nodded slowly. Tristan cupped his mouth and nodded.

Tristan: “Somehow, I don’t think he will do that since he’s… infatuated with her, but what about one of us?”

He cupped his mouth. Jaxon frowned.

Jaxon: “I wouldn’t like that either…”

Tristan: “...Why didn’t he try to turn any of us into those things?”

He scanned the ceiling deep in thought. Jaxon quirked an eyebrow.

Celeste: “My boots! My thigh-high slouch boots are missing from when he kidnapped me!”

Tristan flicked his gaze onto her. Jaxon’s eyebrows rose.

Tristan: “What a random thing to say.”

He said as his voice trailed off. Why didn’t he try to turn any of us into those things? He wondered.

Jaxon: “...He fucking took your boots?”

He growled.

Celeste: “Yeah, remember when he kidnapped me and you saved me? I wore thigh-high slouch boots like I did on our birthday, and they’re gone! He took them!”

She grimaced. Jaxon frowned.

Jaxon: “That bastard is going down!”

He huffed and held her close. Celeste smiled and purred, wrapping her arm around him.

Tristan gaped at them. How do those two do that? We were discussing something serious, and she piped up with him taking her boots, Tristan thought.

~

The next day, Vanessa sat with Ashley on the Lazaros’ front patio bench. Lazaros stood by the door, smoking a cigarillo and listening on.

Vanessa: “My baby is dead, Ashley… Someone did something to me and put an abortion pill in me, and my baby is dead… The baby Hiroto and I made with love is gone.”

She sobbed on their chest. Ashley knit their eyebrows and hugged her.

Ashley: “I’m sorry, Vanessa…”

They offered.

Ashley: “Who did that to you?”

They knit their eyebrows.

Vanessa: “I don’t know, Ashley! I don’t think it was Ivy! She was mean, yes, and is still mean to me, but I don’t know! I don’t remember anything! And the doctor said someone gave me an abortion pill!”

She bawled into her hands. Ashley’s heart sank when they thought of Blair and how hellbent he was on her getting this abortion.

Ashley: “...Would he do something like that?”

They cupped their mouth.

Vanessa: “Who?”

She wept. Ashley pursed their lips.

Ashley: “...Blair.”

They swallowed.

Ashley: “He really wanted you to get that and came to me begging me to make you… Then when I said no, he got all mean…”

They frowned. Vanessa gasped and cupped her mouth.

Vanessa: “Wh-Why didn’t you tell me, Ashley?!”

She cried.

Vanessa: “Why didn’t you tell me?!”

She bawled and embraced herself, crying hysterically.

Ashley: “I-I’m sorry… I didn’t want to hurt you and your relationship with him...”

They sighed and bowed their head.

Vanessa: “Ashley, my baby is dead! MY BABY IS DEAD!”

She curled up and cried. Ashley sighed and hugged her.

Ashley: “I’m so sorry, Vanessa.”

They comforted her.

Lazaros twisted his mouth and heard something from a distance. He looked out and saw Blair standing by Jaclyn’s old house, glaring at Ashley with a burning rage. Blair turned on his heel and stormed away. Lazaros thought of the conversation. I don’t think Blair could concoct such a scheme, but that’s just me, he thought.

~

After Vanessa left, Lazaros came out with some iced green tea with honey for Ashley and sat with them. Ashley’s eyes lit up and sparkled at him.

Ashley: “Hey, Laz! Ooh, that looks delish!”

They greeted him with a hug and beamed at the iced tea. Lazaros hugged them back.

Lazaros: “How is she doing, Ashley?”

He asked as he inhaled a drag of his cigarillo. Ashley sighed.

Ashley: “That poor girl… I think Blair hurt her the most…”

They frowned.

Lazaros: “Do you think Blair gave her that abortion pill?”

He asked as he gazed intently at them. Ashley tilted their head.

Ashley: “I don’t want to think he did… but he was so hellbent on forcing her to get that abortion, and he begged me to make her do it… But I said no, and then he got mean to me…”

They explained. Lazaros put his arm around Ashley.

Lazaros: “I see. I think… something very sinister is among us. Do what you can to support Vanessa, but don’t get too involved.”

He nodded and smiled. Ashley’s eyebrows rose.

Ashley: “Oh no… what do you mean, Lazaros?”

They clung to his chest in fear. If Lazaros was afraid, it must be terrifying, they thought.

Lazaros: “I just don’t want you hurt, Ashley. That’s all. Nothing deeper. I promise.”

He whispered and kissed their hand. Ashley shivered at his whispers and kisses.

Ashley: “Aww, I don’t want you hurt either, Lazaros!”

They wrapped their arms around him and kissed him. Lazaros kissed them back, enjoying this moment.

~

Blair was on the backyard patio with Ivy.

Blair: “Ivy, uh, do you ever… want to… do it?”

He asked slowly. Ivy looked away with disgust.

Ivy: “After we’re married.”

She said in a false saccharine tone.

Blair: “Maybe I don’t want to wait until after marriage.”

He huffed and pouted.

Ivy: “What brought this on?”

She read his mind and saw that Blair saw Ashley hugging and consoling Vanessa. Ah, that makes sense, she thought.

Blair: “Nothing…”

He muttered.

Vanessa angrily stormed in.

Vanessa: “YOU KILLED MY BABY!”

She screamed at Blair. Blair blinked.

Blair: “Huh?”

Ivy read Blair’s mind. Yeah, this idiot has no idea what she’s talking about, she thought. She read Vanessa’s mind to see that Ashley told her that.

Vanessa: “YOU TOLD ASHLEY TO FORCE ME TO KILL HIROTO’S AND MY BABY! YOU KILLED OUR BABY!”

She bawled. Blair glared at her and bared his teeth.

Blair: “You seem to listen to Ashley a lot, so yes, I went to them for help, but I didn’t give you that pill! Is that what they’re insinuating?!”

He snapped. Vanessa nodded as tears dripped down her cheeks. Blair tightened his hands into fists and shook with rage.

Blair: “HOW DARE THAT FAT, FLUBBERHEAD?! I WOULD NEVER DO THAT! Where would I get that pill?! Does that fat rubberhead know you need a prescription for it?! NO! They know nothing! They’re as stupid as their ex-boyfriend, Maxx! I don’t know why I ever fell for them at all because they’re just a fat loser!”

He snapped. Ivy smirked and rolled her eyes. I’m not saying anything, as long as it distracts Blair from asking me to sleep with him, she thought.

Blair angrily rose and stormed up to his bedroom to start drawing.

Blair: “That goddamn fat idiot! How could they say that about me?! I hate you, Fatley Fatatini!”

He began drawing Ashley as a huge blob eating large amounts of cake.

~

Tristan sat in his law office, deep in thought, and smoking a cigarette. He tried to process everything that happened during Easter weekend. He never knew Kristen well, but knew of her, and seeing that shook him to the core. He leaned back into his seat and put his hands behind his head. He was watching Deimos and me get intimate by the swimming hole. He did the same to Celeste and Jaxon, he thought. Why didn’t he turn any of us into those things? He wondered.

He leaned forward. He had every opportunity to do so, but chose Kristen, he thought. He then recalled Lucas waking up both Tristan and Jaxon, so Ichiro must have been in his bedroom. Was he the intended target, and Kristen was collateral damage? He pondered. I can see why he didn’t do this to Celeste due to his… infatuation with her, and he wanted revenge on me for helping Jaxon file that motion to contest the will, but he didn’t do it to Deimos…, he thought. He didn’t even attempt it, he added. Is it because he’s saving this for another occasion, or because he can’t? He wondered.

~

In Percy’s Magical Manor, Jaxon had his bare feet locked in stocks and wore a leather jacket with no shirt underneath, exposing his bare chest and tight black jeans.

Percy: “Coucou, Jaxon! I missed you! Are you ready to record for ‘Steel Axe’ or shall I say ‘Steel Laugh’?”

He chuckled and massaged his feet.

Jaxon: “NO!”

He snapped and glared at him.

Louis came in wearing a frog costume replete with a glengarry green hat and a green blazer with a cravat.

Louis: “Hello! I’m a frog prince! If you kiss me, I will become a prince of feet!”

He hopped around.

Jaxon: “I don’t want to kiss you, and I don’t want you to become some feet prince!”

He countered.

Percy withdrew a jar of “50% more ticklish” powder from his coat.

Percy: “By the way, the fans are begging for this to be used on you.”

He snorted. Jaxon’s eyes widened like saucers.

Jaxon: “Go to hell!”

He hissed between clenched teeth.

Louis: “KERO! YES!”

Jaxon: “Ugh. NO!”

He protested. Percy sprinkled the powder on Jaxon’s feet and smirked. Jaxon’s feet scrunched up as he recoiled and shivered all over. It felt like an army of ants crawling all over his feet.

Louis: “Kero! Kero!”

He jumped around.

Percy turned on the instrumentals to “Death to Poseurs”, which was one of Steel Axe’s songs, and Louis began scrubbing Jaxon’s feet with an electric face scrubber.

Jaxon: “HAHA HAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA HAHAH HOHOHOHOHO NOOHOHHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOOHOH HAAHAHAH AHAHOHOHO OHOHOHOHOHOHOOH!”

He screamed through his laughter. Louis scrubbed all over his feet with the scrubber and in between his toes.

Jaxon: “HAHAHAHA AAHEHEAH AH AH HAHAHA HHOHOHOH OHOHOHOHO EHEHEH EHEHEHAH H FUCK OHOHOHOHFF FROHOHOHOG FUCKERRRRR!”

He rasped and glared at Louis. Louis tickled the tops of his feet and scrubbed his soles. Tickles the Clown popped up, tickling Jaxon’s neck and ribs.

Jaxon: “HAHAHAHAHAHA FUCCCCCKINGNGNG CLOWWWWHHWHWHNS! NOOOOOHOHOHOHOHOHHOHOHO HAHAHAHAH HH NHOOHOHOHOHO FUCKING STOOOOOP!”

He screamed and howled.

Louis: “CAT MASSAGERS!”

He scrubbed the cat massagers all over Jaxon’s feet. Tickles vigorously tickled Jaxon’s ribs and neck. Jaxon threw his head back.

Jaxon: “HAHAHAH HAHAHAHA HAH HOHOHOH OHNOHOHOHO HO HEHEHEEHEHEEEEEH HAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

He rasped and squirmed. Jaxon wheezed ragged breaths, and his head rolled back as he passed out.

~

Jaxon lay unconscious on Percy’s couch in his bar room. Percy put smelling salts to Jaxon’s nose.

Percy: “Geez Louise, you didn’t last a song, darling.”

He chuckled. Jaxon glared at him.

Jaxon: “Pour salt in the wound, why don’t you!”

He snapped at him and rose to his feet. Percy grabbed his wrist.

Percy: “Sit with me.”

He smiled a bit.

Percy: “I miss your company.”

He ran his forefinger over the palm of Jaxon’s hand. Jaxon snatched his hand away.

Jaxon: “I’ve moved on now with my Green Queen!”

He declared. Percy chuckled.

Percy: “I don’t mean anything sexual, darling. I want to talk to you. I did give you your powers to heal your Green Queen… and yourself and others.”

He smirked and poked his tongue out. Jaxon sighed and relented, sitting back down.

Percy: “...Tell me about Ichiro.”

His expression suddenly took a dark tone.

Jaxon: “Why do you want to know about that psycho?!”

He twisted his mouth. Percy smirked and withdrew his kukri, running his forefinger over the blade.

Percy: “Maybe I want to decorate this blade with his blood.”

He smirked. Jaxon’s eyebrows rose.

Percy: “I heard about what he did at Tristan’s step-brother’s home.”

He began. Jaxon frowned and looked away.

Percy: “He reminds me of my grandfather dearest, except his thing is dealing with Xuprans instead of turning people into monsters.”

He laughed darkly.

Percy: “I get it, darling. I come from a horrid family myself. So much so that I killed them.”

He grinned and rammed his blade into his coffee table.

Jaxon: “I get it… I want to kill my brother, too.”

He flicked his gaze down at the blade.

Percy: “What about your parents? Your father was recently involved in a scandal.”

He cupped his mouth and gazed at Jaxon. Jaxon shrugged.

Jaxon: “I don’t care if they live or die. Ichiro must die. Before he kills again or worse…”

He swallowed hard, thinking of Celeste and his friends. Percy folded his hands.

Percy: “Did… witnessing that nanny turn into a monster affect you that much, darling?”

He asked as he locked his gaze on him.

Jaxon: “I don’t want to see… her… like that… or anyone else!”

He embraced himself.

Percy: “Celeste?”

He tilted his head. Jaxon nodded in confirmation. Percy cupped his mouth. Although I am glad he didn’t do it, why didn’t he turn Celeste, Jaxon, Deimos, or my ice prince into monsters? He wondered.

Percy: “So, I heard that the nanny flirted with you. Thoughts on that?”

He leaned his head on his hand. Jaxon laughed.

Jaxon: “Hey, I don’t blame her.”

He stated.

Jaxon: “She was cool about it though…”

His voice trailed off.

Jaxon: “She didn’t grab my ass or try to have her way with me like the other one.”

He frowned, thinking of Leanne and Celeste’s weird family members. Percy smiled.

Percy: “You are sexy and it shows. Here’s your pay from your tickling videos. They sold diamond on ‘FeetClips4Sale.’ ”

He handed him a wad of one-thousand-dollar bills totaling eight thousand dollars. Jaxon’s eyes widened.

Jaxon: “Holy shit… I finally sold diamond, and it’s for feet videos?!”

He gaped.

Percy: “Yes, darling! You are sexy with nice, sexy, ticklish feet!”

He grinned and clapped his hands. Jaxon pouted and looked away.

~

Celeste saw Jaxon’s car roll into the driveway. He parked it and got out, entering the house. Celeste greeted him with kisses.

Celeste: “Hey, handsome.”

She said softly. Jaxon kissed her back.

Celeste: “What’s wrong?”

She caressed his face. Jaxon sighed.

Jaxon: “Fucking Percy made me do another stupid video with that frog man.”

He groused. Celeste reddened and shifted her eyes.

Celeste: “Oh, did he? H-How terrible.”

She bit her bottom lip. Jaxon pouted.

Jaxon: “But hey, I got platinum!”

He laughed.

Celeste: “Well, you are very sexy and very ticklish!”

She grinned. Jaxon grinned at her.

Jaxon: “I know, and so are you.”

He teased her and blew a raspberry at her.

~

About twenty miles out of Pink Top City, in a rural area and near the ocean, was a three-story Victorian-style mansion with pale green shingle siding, standing alone with no neighboring houses. A cobblestone driveway led to the home and the garage, which fit two cars. Covered porches wrapped around two sides of the house, and on the right side of the house was a turret. Surrounding the house was a white picket fence.

The house resembled overlapping triangles and had sharp edges, replete with square windows and a large bay window above the veranda looking out from the master bedroom. The lawn was pristine and looked freshly mowed. The garden was tidy, with every plant in a uniform position. Every flower in his garden was white and devoid of color.

A short, stout black woman in her sixties wearing a maid’s uniform walked up the cobblestone carrying paper bags. She wore her graying purple hair up in a tight bun. She went up the steps on the patio and used the keys to enter. She entered the corridor with a spiral staircase leading to a round mezzanine balcony with a large crystal chandelier hanging down.

She strolled down the foyer and into the vast kitchen with a long dining room table. The kitchen was devoid of color with white cabinets, countertops, an oven, a dishwasher, and a fridge. Hanging over the long dining room table was a square chandelier and two white dome chandeliers.

She glanced into the living room. The living room was dark with bookcases covering the three walls, except for the back where a large window overlooked the backyard. On the left of the room was a huge fireplace with various pictures on the mantle. On the floor was an oriental rug covering most of the hardwood floor. Hanging over the ceiling was a large crystal chandelier.

Hanging above the fireplace was a huge portrait of a Japanese man in his late thirties with his black hair swept to the left, wearing a black suit. Beside him was a younger Japanese woman wearing an eggshell white dress with a Bardot neckline and a flared layered skirt. She held a frilly, lacy parasol in her hands. In front of the couple were two little boys, one appeared to be ten and the other was six, and both were wearing black suits. The older boy wore his hair slicked back and had round glasses. The younger boy wore his hair in a mop top.

Sitting on the cabriole sofa with red leather seating and a back was Ichiro Tachibana, reading a book and smoking a cigarillo. He had his tie loosened and a few buttons undone. Sitting beside him, biting on a pillow and humping it was a black cat. That was his cat named Lucifer.

The woman trotted into the living room, standing before Ichiro. She is Ichiro’s maid, Ruby Barnett.

Ruby: “You came home later than usual.”

Ichiro slowly raised his eyes to her.

Ichiro: “I had to go out of town.”

He said tersely.

Ruby: “Did you have fun?”

Ichiro smirked.

Ichiro: “Yes… Yes, I did.”

Ruby smiled tightly.

Ruby: “I bet you did.”

~

Ichiro went upstairs to his bedroom. It was a sizable bedroom with a large cathedral window looking out at the backyard. There was a king-size black upholstered bed and a large dark oriental rug covering most of the floor. There were three doors in the room; one led to his bathroom, another to a walk-in, and one to another room. He opened the door to a small room with thousands of pictures of Celeste covering the walls. The photos were of her sleeping, hanging from trees by her legs, and close-ups of her feet and legs, especially in nylons and fishnets.

On the tables were items of hers he stole, including a bottle of her perfume, a tube of her lipstick, her nylons, her fishnets, and her bras and panties. He panted heavily, looking at a picture of Celeste with her feet up in black nylons, and licked where her feet were.