Chapter 43.
Smoke snaked high from the red lipstick-stained cigarette in her hand. Her blonde hair cascaded down the side of her face hiding her left eye. Everything about her appearance was contrived perfection. But there was something sad underneath the façade. A girl playing dress up in a mystery package sitting all alone at the bar by the dancefloor in Diabolique. Jacob stood at the foot of the stairs to the inner sanctuary watching her every movement. Every slow sleepy bat of her eyelids, every pout of her full red lips, every flick of the cigarette, every drum of her nails on the glass in front of her, and every impatient tap of her foot on the middle bar of the stool she sat on. She was fascinating, and beautiful too. Her tiny malnourished frame was covered in a vintage dress that accentuated the delicacy of her waist, whilst hiding her lack of curves. Her pale blue eyes complimenting the soft champagne and platinum strands that sat like a halo adorning her waif features.
The heavy beats thumped aggressively through the speakers, grown men bouncing up and down like two-year-old children on the packed dance floor, the nightclub was a throng with activity. And yet this little wallflower sat at the bar, not speaking to anyone except to order a refill of water in her glass. Jacob walked towards her as the music changed, now electronic beats danced out of the speakers armed with hard chords from electric guitars. The sexy rhythms inspired graceful moving participants to the dance floor. Body to body in time with the music.
“Would you like to dance?” Jacob’s rich voice flowed from behind the young girl’s ear. She felt her heart quicken, startled by the proposition, warmed that someone had finally noticed her. As she turned to see this mysterious inquisitor her demeanour melted even further. He had the most elegant features she had ever seen in a man. His eyes were a rich earthy brown flecked with tiny flashes of orange that animated a sort of fire in them when caught by the light.
“I…I’d love to dance. Thanks.” Her voice quivered slightly from the shock of such a man wanting to dance with her. She had been coming to this nightclub for several weeks now and not one person had approached her before now. But she felt a sense of belonging within its dark walls. She felt understood here. Her sad, lonely and highly uneventful life didn’t seem so wretched inside Diabolique. She didn’t
He took her hand and assisted her off the high bar stool, then led her to the dance floor. The music pumped slow and seductive through the air. Unsure of herself, she barely moved, swaying gently. Jacob ran his hands down over her face indicating she should close her eyes and give herself over to the music. Her body relaxed back against him as his hand travelled lower to her throat and then to her shoulder. His other hand snaked about her waist until she was completely within his control. She felt warm and wanted. She would have done anything for him, there on that dance floor.
As the song ended and the music changed to a more upbeat tempo, Jacob bent into her ear and whispered. “Shall we go somewhere a little more private?” His voice thick as it travelled inside her head. All she could manage in reply was a gentle nod. Jacob slowly turned her around to face him, the corners of his mouth rising softly into a knowing smile. The young girl, enthusiastic to impress, suggested that they go back to her place. She lived alone.
“My name is Casey.” She offered her hand to the handsome stranger standing in such close proximity to her. Jacob smiled taking her hand and laying a tender kiss on it. Casey blushed. Then rushing over to the bar where she had left her coat, she lifted the glass and gushed down the remnants of her drink before moping the excess from her chin. She stuffed her arms into her coat sleeves as quickly as possible before linking her arm onto Jacob’s. As they approached the door to the nightclub, Jacob gave one last glance up towards the windowed balcony, Katya was watching. He nodded politely to her before ushering Casey onto the staircase that led out into the night.
Walking the streets between Diabolique and Allenbrook Road where Casey lived, Jacob had to endure incessant ramblings of how she had moved out on her own only last year and that she originally wanted to study childcare but found a greater calling to the art world, and how she wasn’t actually that good at drawing but could do some killer paintings, or at least that’s what all her friends had told her, well that is she didn’t have any close friends but this girl that she sometimes said hello to at college told her that the her paintings were ‘cool’. In all honesty he wanted to kill her on Wednesday Avenue, a mere block and a half from the nightclub, but he decided to contain himself, hoping that the look in her eyes as she drew her final breath would be worth it.
The shabby exterior to her apartment building was complete with resident drunk wishing them a good night as they stood at the main door. Jacob slipped him some money and told him to go get himself something for warmth. The old man staggered happily counting the wad of cash in his hand. It was enough to buy a month’s supply of whatever poison took his fancy. Casey smiled impressed with Jacob’s generosity. Little did she know that it was merely a ploy to remove the old man to a distance that would prevent any intervention? Jacob wanted to enjoy Casey screaming without interruption.
The inside of the apartment was just as grotty as the outside, and Casey was clearly still a little girl at heart. She ate, slept and worked all in the one room. A shoebox perversely decorated in hues of petal and baby pink. Aggressive posters screamed off the walls featuring artists fuelling teenage rebellion. It had the unsophisticated charm of bedroom belonging to a nineteen-year-old romanced by the idea of all things Goth. A mixture of teddy bears and coffins, candles and dear diary… This would be a sublime experience. “Would you like me to put on some music? Can I get you a drink? Or something to eat?” Her anxiousness was endearing, so eager to please. Jacob stood gazing down at her pretty face, drawn and malnourished, wide eyed and innocent. He brushed the cascade of hair that covered her eye back with his hand in a tender gesture of affection. “I…. I’ve never done this before.” The nervous tension in her voice fired Jacob. What luck?
“Ssshhh….” Jacob’s voice nothing more than a whisper in her ear as he kissed her cheek. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.” He gazed back into her eager eyes smiling softly at her.
“I want to…really, I do.” Her courage now running high with the thought that a man like Jacob would take an interest in her, that he would single her out, that he found her attractive, she didn’t want to spoil things now. “I want to.” She said firmly.
Jacob kissed her lips, sending butterfly sensations through her and causing her head to swim. His hand cradled the back of her head providing a steady support. After a moment he stopped and stood back.
“Take off your dress.” His voice was deep and rich. Casey looked at him, unsure and self-conscious. “Please.” He added in a gentler tone. Still unsure of herself, Casey began to remove her dress so that she stood in front of him in her underwear. Her shoulders curled upwards as she wrapped her arms across her body in an effort to conceal and protect her modesty. Her vulnerability was charming and Jacob wanted to exploit it further. He wanted her to feel all of his torment. This was the vessel he was going to channel all his anguish and humiliation into. All the years that Katya made him feel inadequate he was going to right with this innocent child of a woman. She was weak and he was going to make her suffer for him.