Val The Vessel

27 / House Party

Nicole goes over the details of our target with her laptop opened to aid her presentation. A blurry photo of a bearded man expands on her screen. Above it reads an unusual name.

Garzy Channing

"No way." I gasp at the image of my former manager. 'Garzy's Night Club' is the name of the sleazy strip club I used to work at. I bite down hard on my finger in an attempt to control myself. My own vivid thoughts of Garzy's mutilated corpse excite me. It's been so long since I last harmed a living thing. Thank heaven for allowing me to take part in this mission. It's like the universe can sense my bloodlust.

Nicole gives a brief overview of our target. "Garzy is a 'super' and a sex trafficker. His powers are touch-based. One poke from him can put you in a trance that allows him to do anything to you."

"Ew, sick," Kayla remarks. "Could this guy get a more pervy superpower?"

Nicole nods her head. "It's pretty disgusting. Doron doesn't like what he's doing to women either. That's why he told us to dispatch him and whoever else is involved."

Perfect, more victims. If they get in my way, I'll tie them up and force them to watch Garzy bleed out. Then news of my murders will spread throughout town, the state, maybe even the world.

Nicole shuts her laptop and tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. "This one is simple, guys. Get in, kill the bastard without being seen, then get out. It's not hard. That's why I want you to do this one, Val. Think you can handle it?"

I tune her out but Nicole is too persistent. "Earth to Val! Can you handle this mission or n---"

"Consider it done," I cut, leaving the two women alone to prepare for myself for my big night.

Kayla passes a worried look to Nicole. "Did you see the way she smiled? She looked like she was enjoyin' this too much. Nikky, I'm worried about that chick."

5 hours later...

As soon as the coast is clear, I morph back into my human form; black tank top, tight blue jeans, and faded converse.

Trying my best to look as seductive as possible, I stroll towards the building's entrance to ring its bell. A hefty man answers the tone and his beer nearly slips from his hand when he feasts his eyes on me.

I put on my fake voice. "Hey boobie! Now I know Garzy ain't started the party without me!"

"Val?! Damn, it's benna minute shawty! Why I ain't seen you around the club lately?"

"Garz let me take the week off. It's 'girl stuff'," I lie behind my lipstick.

The man nods and ushers me inside. "C'mon in here girl! You practically family!"

Lights of all colors flash in the club with half-naked strippers dancing to the deafening bass of the music. Some women swing their fluid hips around and some nearby men grind against them like thirsty dogs. I don't feel like I'm at a UFC party at all, especially since the tv screens aren't even on.

Lustful eyes fall on me as I travel deeper into the heart of the club but I pay them no attention, scanning the neon room for Edward. One man attempts to rub his hand across my bottom as I walk by. His death will be the most gruesome. After making my merry way down the private stairwell, my ears pick up the sounds of moaning.

Nicole speaks into my earpiece. "Val, that sound's coming from behind the door on your right."

When I grip the knob and twist it, three pairs of eyes flick up at me. Garzy is cuddled with two nude women on a red leather sofa.

"Is there room for one more?" I plead.

My former manager shoves his two toys away and gestures for me to lay on him. "Sure baby. I don't mind," he insists. The stench of his desire for me is intoxicating. I slowly slip out of my top, leaving me exposed in a fitting black bra and jeans that makes Garzy smirk. "What's yo name, baby?"

I lay over him and thread my finger through his prickly beard. "My name? I don't think you wanna know," I whisper.

He runs his hands down my back. "C'mon, I really wanna know." Our lips are inches apart.

"M'kay, ever heard of 'Black Angel'?"

"Who?"

I yank him by the throat like a tennis racket and sling his body into the corner of the room, producing a loud bang. The two girls squeal and run for the exit, but the door is locked shut. They twist the lock, but I force it back with my sinful will. I chuckle vehemently, morphing into my black body suit before my spectators. The liquid's taste is just as awful as before, but I quickly learn to embrace it.

In a matter of seconds, the two women are tied down on the bed with ducktape over their lips. The same is done to my target.

"Here's what's gonna happen. I'm gonna slice your throat, and you two aren't gonna scream when I do it. ¿Comprendes?"

Garzy cries beneath the duct tape over his mouth. His eyes widen fearfully. He squirms and whines, but it's all done in vain. I drag a thin blade through his throat and his life splatters onto the women beside him.

With that, I exit the room and return to the party upstairs. Now that Garzy is dead, I can finally have some real fun.

Hot hip hop music blasts throughout the club. The man who had violated my body earlier is busy tonguing a scantily-dressed woman at the bar. I tap his shoulder and he turns around to face me.

"So you like touching body parts? Why don't you touch your own?" I ask before slicing off his hand.

He howls but I jam his severed limb into his mouth and bring a powerful kick down on his head. He tries to get back up, but I stomp hard on his skull, splitting it open. Crowds scream and back away as I slam my heels deeper into the man's brain. Blood pools around his body and it webs from my heels as I rise my leg from the floor.

"Yuck, somebody should really clean up around here," I express innocently.

Everybody dashes for the doors and windows but are horrified to discover that they're all locked as well. Nobody will leave my party unless I say so.

"Where do you think you're going?" I ask, "I was sent here to kill Edward but... now that you're all in one place..."

Nicole screams into my earpiece "Val! This isn't part of the plan! What are you---"

I shut off the device. The men and women frantically bang against the doors and windows, but it doesn't do them any good. Their cries silence within five seconds.

1

A man throws a fist, but I avoid it effortlessly and plunge my claws into his throat.

2

A woman rushes at me with a broken beer bottle but I catch her wrist, bend it back, and contort it until it snaps in two.

3

A group of men tackle me, but I spin at sonic speed, chopping through their stomachs.

4

Severed heads soar in the air and crash into the disco ball as I roundhouse kick three people at the same time.

5

Bodies tumble to the floor after I zoom through them with my bloodied saber in hand.

I saunter towards the door, carefully stepping over the dismembered corpses. It's a bloodbath, and I had just cleansed my violent thoughts in it. The pickup truck is still parked outside. Luckily, I had managed to snag the keys from Edward's clothes before I dispatched him. Once I'm cushioned within the truck, I mash a button on my earpiece to turn its power back on.

"Mission accomplished," I whisper, watching sizzling flames engulf the building. Nicole stutters on her end of the microphone.

"V-Val... what the hell... did you just do?"