Twisted Knot

Vengeance

~Stefan~

I was gone for a half an hour before my phone rang, and I smiled. I had driven up to our home and been waiting, watching. I couldn't explain how, but I knew the bastard would come. It hadn't been difficult to escape the safe house; the cops were much more interested in keeping threats out then keeping people in. Only an insane man would leave that safe house, that or man with nothing left to lose.

I glanced at the phone, and saw in the distance a light flicker in my old bedroom window. A shadow moved in front of curtain, and I knew he was there beside the bed where I had made love to my wife weeks before. I picked up the phone, eyes watching the shadow.

"Stefan, what hell?" Elizabeth screamed. "Where are you, why would, you leave." I sighed.

"I'm going to keep a promise," I said. "I told you I'd do anything to protect you, and I meant it." She sniffled, probably crying again. She was going to run out of tears someday.

"Come back," she pleaded. "I still need you. I still...I still love you."

"No, you don't," I said. "But it's ok. I'm not going to die, sweetheart. I've got my eye on Bordeaux; I'm finishing the job."

"Stefan, a squad car can be there in five minutes." I shook my head, pulling something out of my glovebox. It was a nine millimeter Smith and Wesson hand gun, and my aim was deadly.

"I need to go," Stefan said. "I love you, everything will be ok." I hung up, not waiting for a response. I grabbed the gun and turned the safety off. There were times when not having a conscience or impulse control caused the people I loved pain ,when my fearless nature made me a fool. But when I was angry, I could do anything and I felt invincible. No one, not even some god damn serial killer who'd been playing dead for a decade, would stop me today.

I climbed in through a window, knowing exactly how to sneak in unnoticed. I never knew all of those nights I'd snuck home drunk would pay off. I crept up the stairs, gun steady in front of me. I opened the door and he was standing there, shifting through my desk drawer, searching. I cocked the gun and pointed it, seeing that Javier was unarmed.

"Bordeaux," I said. "I've been waiting to meet you for a long time." His head shot up and his shoulders stiffened at the sound. He turned around and faced me, smiling with a crazy fire in his eyes.

"Bonjour," he said. "I take it you are Elizabeth's husband? How is your bride? I'm guessing she still calls out my name in her sleep..."

I almost just shot him right there, but I hesitated, wanting answers. He just laughed, seeing my brief pause.

"Silly man," he said. "Do you honestly believe that I am scared of a banker with a toy gun? You are a child." I lowered my aim and fired, shooting him in the kneecaps. He screamed and I must admit, it felt good to reduce him to a quivering pile of despair.

"I am not to be trifled with, you son of a bitch. That was for all the shit you did to Elizabeth." He wasn't laughing now. I pointed my gun at his head and smiled, enjoying this much more than I should.

"I can see how you'd hate the man who took your wife's virginity. But I told her I'd find her, you cannot blame me for trying to win her back." I stared at him and shook my head.

"If all you had done," I said shakily, anger rising. "Was stalk me, track down all of my lovers, and murder them, I might walk you into a police station right now. But you god damn bastard, you tried to kill Elizabeth? You put your hands on her and tried to kill her." I shot his other kneecap, feeling rage fill me. He collapsed completely, and I knew I'd never come back from this.

"I would never," he moaned. "I never hurt Elizabeth, or your lovers...whatever that means. I love Elizabeth, I wanted to take her away..."

"You're probably lying," I said. "But to honest, it doesn't matter. I meant to kill you ten years ago in that explosion. It's time to finish the job. You were wrong Javier, Beth is not yours. She belongs to no one, and you're a piece of shti for trying to own her." I pulled the trigger and watched the bullet enter his skull. I pulled out my phone calling Paul.

"Stefan, where in God's name are you?" He yelled.

"It is over," I said."Javier is gone. I'll turn myself in soon, but I have to make a stop first."

"I don't understand," Paul whispered. "What about Beth, about Jeremy? What are they going to do when you're in prison?" I walked out of my. House, probably for the last time.

"They will be safe," I said. "And they will be yours. Take care of them."

I hung up and got on the road. I had one last demon to bury on the road to Hell.