********
FIVE YEARS EARLIER,
MAY 7TH, 2015.
GREENWOOD, CALIFORNIA.
"Hey...Nate?"
Nate, leaning lazily in his armchair, turns to look at me.
"Yes, Daisy?"
I bite my lip...do I really want to do this?
But then again...it's now or never.
"I have to tell you something."
"Don't you always?"
"It's serious."
"Sorry...go on."
Phew. Okay.
In through your nose, out through your mouth.
"I like you. Like, like like you."
Nate goes silent, his brown eyes boring into mine.
His face cracks into a grin, and he bursts out laughing.
At me.
Laughing at me?
No...
"You can't be serious! That was only a one time thing!"
"But—"
"I could never, and I say never go out with someone like you, Daisy. You're hideous!"
Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't—
I start sobbing, getting up and running out of his house.
I keep running, not watching as I run straight into someone, tumbling face first onto the concrete.
"Ugh!"
I feel something warm and sticky running down my face, and I see red. All over the ground. Blood.
"Ohh, shit!"
I here a male voice, and someone crouches down to my height.
I continue sobbing, from the aching in my heart and the pain reverberating through my head.
He takes a hold of my shoulders gently, facing me to look at him.
"Hey, hey, it's okay, I'm so sorry for running into you, I wasn't—"
"It's not your fault...I should've watched where I was going."
He helps me up, picking up the things I dropped and handing them back to me.
"You're bleeding very bad...do you need anything?"
I shrug, coughing up a little blood and spitting it onto the floor.
"My name is Xavier, I'll help you out, okay?"
"I don't want to trouble you...I'll find my way back home."
"Are you sure?"
I realize I don't know how to get back to my house from Nate's.
I shake my head, and the nice man brings me back towards a large home.
"This is my house, I'll have my brother watch you while I get some gauze and ice, okay?"
"Okay. Thank you so much, Xavier. My name is Daisy. Daisy Saunders."
******
I sit down on a small sofa, holding an ice pack to my head.
I'm so stupid...why would someone like Nate like someone like me?
I'm not popular.
I'm not rich.
And I'm certainly not pretty like the other girls.
I'm hideous.
Like a monster.
I see a guy walking towards me, he looks to be around two years older than me, and has electric blue hair.
He gives me a half wave with a little smirk, sitting down next to me.
"Hello, Daisy. It seems to me that you got yourself in a little bit of an ordeal."
I give him a bored look.
"Don't remind me."
His eyebrows furrow.
"About what?"
"The pain."
He gives me a small once over, and then his eyes catch on the large wound on my head.
"I can see that. Very painful." He gives me a sinister look. "I've seen worse. And felt worse. And dealt worse."
For some reason my mind didn't catch on that last part.
I simply just shrugged.
"Okay."
"Break up? Rejection?"
My eyes shoot to his.
"How did you know?"
"I know people better than they know themselves, flower."
"Who are you, exactly? Have we...met?"
"Not exactly. I'm Zane. Zane Maserati."
"Daisy Saunders."
"I'm aware. I heard you talking to Xavier, sweetheart. And besides, I've seen you around here before."
I give him a concerning look.
"How so? When?"
"You always walk to Nate's house. Hate that bastard."
I frown.
"So do I."
His face fills with realization.
"It was him wasn't it?"
"Huh?"
"The one who rejected you."
"That's true, yes."
I sit there for a moment.
"Would you ever try dating again?"
"No. I might just give up on it. It hurts too much."
He looks at me for a while longer before continuing.
"I can't see why."
I shake my head with humorless laughter.
"Sure you can't."
"Sure I can't? I actually can't."
"I understand that you're just trying to make me feel better...but just admit it. It'll hurt less than you lying to me, Zane."
He looks completely clueless.
"I'm not getting this...? What're you trying to get me to admit?"
"That I'm ugly? I'm hideous. A monster."
He shrugs.
"You are."
"What?"
"Why are you saying what? I can see it, you are a monster on the inside, Daisy. There's one waiting to come out. It wants to wreak havoc on the world, see it suffer. Maybe that's the ugly part about you, Daisy. Your monster. We all have one. Just some show more than others. I'm not going to tell you what you want to hear, Saunders. You have to say that to yourself. If you think you're ugly? Then you're ugly. If you think you're drop dead gorgeous? Then you're drop dead gorgeous. You see, Daisy, the only one who really knows the truth, is you. But just a little confidence boost,"
Zane stands up, winking at me.
"I think you're pretty easy on the eyes."
Then he left, leaving we bewildered and flustered.
Xavier comes back, crouching in front of me.
"How are you feeling, Daisy?"
"Better. Much, actually. Thank you for the help, and the ice pack."
I stand up with the help of his hand, walking towards the front door.
"I'll see myself out...I'll find my way home. Thank you so much, Xavier, really."
"It'll never be a problem. You are always welcome here if you want to be."
I nod with a small smile.
"I'll keep that in mind."
I push my hair out of my face, waving as I open the front door.
I turn around, pausing halfway out the doorway.
"Oh. And Xavier?"
"Yeah?"
"Tell your brother he has some pretty damn good advice."
***********
PRESENT DAY, MARCH 9th, 2020.
How many heartbreaks must one go through?
It hurts.
Heartbreak is my biggest pain.
Yes...I have a nice body...a pretty face...but no one really likes me.
At all.
I've never had a boyfriend for more than two weeks, because either I get bored of them and kill them, or they get bored of me and break up with me. I still end up killing them.
It's a trap if you end up dating me, because it'll always end up one way and one way only.
Death.
Lots and lots of death.
Death is comforting, really.
Makes me smile.
Yes, I'm very psychotic, but does it really matter?
Not to me!
I've honestly lost count of how many people I killed...I used to keep their organs in jars to look at, until they started to rot and I had to get rid of them.
And of course, no one ever found the bodies, because I dissolve them in acid!
Perfect way to hide the evidence.
And anyways...I'm already on the run from the police, why make it easier for those bastards to find me?
Today I have a mission, one from my boss, Kade.
He is of great forces of evil, and I certainly look up to him as inspiration for my largest, deadliest, and bloodiest crimes.
Why be nice when you can be evil?
Cunning, manipulative, sassy, seductive, psychopathic, mass murderer.
Literally me, L-O-L.
I pull on a violet corset, fishnets, black shorts, a leather jacket, violet high heel boots, and a black domino mask.
Wow, Daisy. You are a whole entire meal.
I walk out of my small apartment and into the dark alleyway, making my way silently across to reach Kade's office building.
I discreetly slide into the building walking up to the front desk with a wolfish grin.
"Alyssa, pleasure you see you this fine evening."
The young receptionist looks at me, a hint of fear in her large blue eyes.
"D-Daisy, how are you today?"
"I'm doing pretty good, babe. Thanks for asking. Looking good today."
I add a cringey wink with that one.
She nods shakily.
"Thank you. Uhh...you're here for Mr. Farquel, right?"
"Yes."
"Okay."
She picks up the phone, dialing a number then holding the phone to her ear.
"Hello, Mr. Farquel. This is Alyssa Barkwell from the front desk calling for you to let Daisy M. Saunders up to your office?"
I hear his deep voice from the other line.
"Very well then, Lyssa. Let her up to my office, I'm elated for our meet."
"Alright. Have a nice night, sir."
"How many times do I have to tell you, Alyssa, you don't have to call me sir. It makes me feel very old. I'm only twenty-three, you know. Not forty-five. Oh, and Alyssa?"
"Yes, sir—uhh—Mr.—no—Kade?"
I hear his chuckle and can practically see the malicious smirk on his face.
"Remember to come to my office after I'm done with Daisy...we can continue where we left off yesterday, and perhaps you can even get that raise you were looking for."
Alyssa's cheeks flush and I roll my eyes.
Kade is a dirty bastard sometimes.
No. All the time. Really can't keep it in his pants.
"Y-Yes, I'll be there."
She immediately drops the phone back down, pushing her hair from her face.
She looks so nervous...poor girl.
I lean over the counter, my feet dangling off of it.
"Don't be nervous, dear. He does that to every newbie there is here. I know Kade seems a little, err—intimidating, but he's not that bad, I guess?"
I drop down from the desk, rolling my eyes.
"You know what? Forget it. And remind me to not try and help someone out ever again...that was extremely embarrassing. Really. Bye bye now!"
I walk off towards the elevators, pressing the number for the fiftieth floor.
Why the hell did he feel the need to have fifty floors in this damn place?!
Better than taking the stairs.
Someone approaches behind me, and I already know who it is by their annoying heavy breathing.
I want to rip off his nose.
"Hmm...Forest, hello."
"Hello, Daisy. How are you doing today?"
That bitch looks like a hungry shark when he looks at me.
"Good..."
I see him eying my chest area. Pervert. Doesn't even try to hide the fact that he's staring.
"Where are you heading?"
"Kade's office."
He narrows his eyes.
Ugly rat.
I regret giving that guy a chance in the first place.
Should've killed him.
"What for?"
"Another mission. I'm one of his belles, remember?"
Just so you know, Kade's company or whatever you call this cult like shit, is where a bunch of hot ladies are hired, me as an example, and are sent on missions to seduce then kill certain men.
Those girls are called belles.
You see, Forest is one of Kade's most trusted bodyguards for us belles.
I could get him fired, for all the times he's advanced on me and harassed me, but why should I?
I'll get the job done myself.
He'll learn his lesson when I'm done with him...but that's for later.
Now, we deal with Kade and his shit.
**********
After five excruciatingly painful minutes in the elevator with Forest, I make it to the fiftieth floor.
The reason why Forest stayed when his stop was at the thirty-seventh floor?
No clue.
I step out with an awkward wave to Forest, hurrying down the small hall to the door with the plaque labeled CEO.
Right as I am about to open the door, I hear a female—noise.
Noise, yeah. Okay.
I already know what he's doing.
Lascivious bastard.
I burst the door open, my eyes shut.
"Clean up the mess, bitches! I am here for my meeting! Whatever girl is in here, get the fuck out before I kill you! Listen to me when I tell you that I'm not joking. Tootles!"
I hear the frantic rustling of clothes, then heels clicking against the floor past me.
I blindly kick the door shut, still facing the wall when I open my eyes.
"Kade, please tell me you have pants on."
"I do have pants on, Daisy. Now mind telling me why you interrupted me—"
"Hooking up with another one of our belles? Ha. Funny you forgot that you called me up here for our meeting like ten minutes ago. And you decided to hook up with yet another girl. Such a player."
I roll my eyes, turning around to face him.
His dark hair is ruffled up, and a wide smirk is still on his face.
"Aren't you funny, darling."
He motions for me to sit, and I do just that, sitting on the chair at his desk.
He lounges in his office chair, his hands resting behind his head.
"Amusing that I'm more professional then my own boss. And I wonder why your father gave you the company and not Killian."
"Because obviously I'm the hotter brother, darling. You can't lie that you wouldn't except the job if you saw this hot face on the business card."
I don't answer that one.
"Maybe, but Killian is much more mature...you...I don't know about you. You're three years older than me yet I'm way more professional."
"I don't see your point, hun."
"My point is," I clear my throat. "Grow the fuck up dude! And keep that shit in your pants!"
"I'm surprised I still keep you as one of my employees with that bad mouth."
"Maybe it's because you love me."
"Maybe it is."
Kade sits up, some of his dark locks falling out of place and perfectly onto his forehead.
He wasn't lying when he said he was—oh shut the fuck up Daisy!
I blink a few times, meeting his dark eyes.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
"I'll take a hundred for my thoughts, bitch."
"No need to get so PG-13 with that language, miss."
"Yet you pulled a whole Rated R with that ordeal about ten minutes earlier, mister."
Kade releases a chuckle.
"Let me guess, it was about me."
"Definitely not?"
"That sounds like denial."
"Can we just get on with what we need to?! You make me extremely nervous with that leering grin always on your face."
"Good to know. But as you wish."
He clears his throat, pulling something up on his computer.
He turns the screen to face me, showing me a photo of three men, one of which looks very familiar.
My heart stops.
I point at the guy with neon green hair standing in the middle, holding a gun to his head while sticking his tongue out and rolling his eyes back into his head.
"W-What's his name?!"
Kade looks at me.
"Are you okay, Daisy?"
"What's his name? Who is that, Kade?! Answer me!"
That can't be—
It isn't—
"That's Zane Maserati. But he changed his last name to Booker."
The more I stare at the guy in the middle, through all the piercings and tattoos, I see the boy with blue hair and a single lip piercing that I met when I was fifteen, the one that said only I know the truth...that I have a monster inside of me.
It's Zane. It definitely is. But—but that can't be him now! It can't!
His hazel eyes are stuck at the back of my head, and memories rush back to me.
"Earth to Daisy?!"
I snap out of it, looking at Kade.
"What? Nothing."
"Are you sure you're okay?"
I blink a few times.
"Yeah. I'm fine."
"Okay. So that's Zane Booker, or Zane Maserati, that is Trevor Alvarez, and that's Taylor Ivory. Since you're my best and strongest belle, I'm going to need you to either kill them, or capture them and bring them back. They're at Plan B, the nightclub that is close to here. They've been terrorizing everything and anything, and are all in all wanted criminals that we can do everyone a favor and get rid of, okay? Two of my men will go with you, one as a sniper if needed, the other will just watch and make sure you are safe because that's always our priority. Do you understand?"
Still staring at the guy in the middle I nod.
"Yes."
"Would you be up to it?"
I nod again.
"Yes."
********
On the drive to Plan B, my mind is racing with thoughts.
Does he remember me?
Will he recognize me, even through the mask?
Is what he said the last time I ever saw him true?
Did he really change for the worst?
I know I did, and I also got a whole new look, rocking the striking violet hair now with a nose and eyebrow piercing.
I rest my head against the window, my eyes racing with the little raindrops that fall down the window.
Will I even be able to do this?
Yes, I'll probably be able to kill Trevor...or Taylor...but not Zane.
I wouldn't be able to.
"What're you thinking about?"
I look at Brandon sitting next to me, shrugging.
"Nothing."
"Sure, Daisy. I've known you for two years, I know it isn't just nothing."
"Fine! I'll tell you, just please, promise not to tell anyone?"
"You know I won't."
"Okay. So you know...Zane Booker?"
"Yes, the psycho serial killer?"
"Yeah, him I guess. I know him. And I don't think I'll be able to kill him."
Brandon's eyes widen.
"That's not what I was expecting. But I'm sure he won't even recognize you."
He definitely will, Dismay, the voice in my head or my other person tells me.
I may have changed drastically physically, but changed even more mentally.
I developed psychosis, bipolar disorder, and worst of all, dissociative identity disorder, most known as split personality.
Her name is Dismay, and she's not me.
The charming, more sadistic, and way more violent person that lives in me.
She terrorizes me, trying to get out, and sometimes, she does.
No one knows I have this, they simply just think I'm in a more violent mood.
We stop in a dark and abandoned parking lot, and my heart rate almost immediately picks up.
I breath out, steadying my breathing.
"We're here, yes?"
"Yes, we are. Are you ready?"
I nod at Bryce and Brandon, and they smile at me through the car mirror.
"As ready as I could be."
Which in this case?
Isn't too much.
********
(ZANE'S POV)
I know one of Kade's belles are coming for me, Trevor, and Taylor, but when I saw them get out of the car I was truly surprised.
I mean really.
Using what's mine against me?
I'm flattered.
They made a mistake choosing her, practically spoon feeding me.
This makes everything much easier.
I'm sure she remembers what I said to her five years back, before I was arrested for the first time, how I said if I ever saw her face again I'd kill her.
I can almost not resist the urge to burst out laughing.
I'm 100% sure that little whore won't be able to lay a finger on me without sobbing.
I'm sure she missed me.
And I'm sure I won't even have to force the girl to come with me.
She'll do it willingly.
I wonder how she's doing though...Dismay too.
I bet she didn't know that I knew about her...but once a psycho? Always a psycho.
Daisy Marie Saunders, are you ready to see your maker again?
I'm sure this is going to be fun.
Especially when we're going to jail as part of my master plan.
See you soon, flower. I'm sure you missed your favorite psycho.
***********
(BACK TO DAISY'S POV)
Pain.
All I can feel and remember is pain.
That's what he's caused me.
So that's what I'll cause him.
Pain.
And lots of it.
*****
I walk out of the car, shutting the door behind me.
I wave to Bryce and Brandon, who branch off in their own direction to get to their places.
I start strolling aimlessly around the empty parking lot.
Plan B is in the alleyway behind me, but I just need to think.
I don't feel too well...my head starts spinning, and I blink a few times.
Through my blurry vision, I see movement ahead.
A shadow passing by. The shadow of a man.
No. The figure of a man. The silhouette of a man.
I rub my head, a terrible ache forming behind my eyes.
My hands start slightly shaking, and my eyes widen with fear.
"Dismay, no..."
"Oh, yes! I'm going to come back!"
I hear her laughter, as I fall onto my knees, looking at the ground which seems to be spinning beneath me.
I drop onto the floor, blacked out.
It's not my body anymore...it's hers.
********
(DISMAY'S POV)- Daisy's split personality.
Oh, how it feels good to be back.
You may think this is some supernatural shit, but trust me, I'm just as much of Daisy as she is herself.
I'm part of her.
Simply her other self.
Her split personality.
Except I'm just the more charming part, the more sadistic part, the more violent part.
I see a figure move in the distance and stand up, just when a hand grabs onto my forearm and drags me backwards, slamming me into the old gas station wall, pinning me with ease by my wrists.
"Woah there, sweetheart. What's a girl like you doing out here at night all by yourself?"
I blink a few times, staring into his green eyes and becoming familiar with the face of Trevor Alvarez.
"Hello there, Trevor. Pleasure to see you this fine Friday night...were you heading towards Plan B?"
"Well, malady, I was indeed."
"If you wouldn't mind," I stroke his jaw with my index finger, biting my lip. "It would be a joy to join you?"
He gently let's go of my wrists, smirking down at me.
"Well of course, Daisy."
I freeze in my spot, before walking to catch up to him.
"Nice nickname."
"Hmm...a good liar..."
I here him snicker under his breath.
He's onto me.
He knows who I am, and to me that just makes this so much more...fun.
I remember the first time I felt blood on my hands...I blushed. Such a pretty red...I can't wait to see more. I want more.
"So, what's your name?"
"Me? Well, Trevor, my name is Iris."
"Iris, very well then."
We approach the bouncer, and Trevor gives him a half wave.
"Alex, hello."
"Trevor...who's the lady?"
Trevor looks down at me, then the bouncer, and smiles.
"A friend."
Alex nods, giving me a somewhat suspicious look before I walk past him, giving him a bright smile and pulling up my eye mask for a second.
"I'm sure you know who I am, Alex. And I know that Trevor knows too. Tell anyone else and it'll be your blood I'm licking off my fingers. It'll be your body I'm dumping into a tank of acid. You'll be just another victim of my uncontrollable bloodlust. I'm glad we have had an understanding, Alex. And next time we meet? Will probably be in hell."
I pull my mask back over my eyes, feeling the pleasure of seeing the horrified look on his face.
I venture into the club, following after Trevor.
"Well, Trevor, where exactly are we going?"
"The private room me and my friends ordered."
"Oh really? What're their names?"
He gives me a little half smirk.
"Lance, Xander, Xavier, Taylor, Jace, and Zane."
I smirk to myself.
More people to kill.
I remember Xavier, Xander, Zane, such a surprise I'll get to pay them another visit today!
"The other guys are getting it on at the dance floor. Taylor's in there waiting for Zane to come back."
I nod, and walk into the private room with Trevor.
Taylor moves his eyes lazily over to me, a smile tugging at his lips.
"Did you hire a prostitute off the streets? Or is that a stripper from the other side of the club? Either way...she looks hot."
"Glad you think so, big boy."
I crouch in front of him, tilting his chin up with my pointer finger.
"I promise you, babe. We're going to have fun."
He smiles.
"Great."
"Drunk ass motherfucker."
I pause at a deep voice, snickering to myself.
"The psycho has arrived, even better."
I lean over to Taylor's ear, smiling.
"See you soon, babe."
I stand up, turning around.
Zane's already standing there, wolfish grin on face.
My eyes catch on the gun in his belt, then the one in Trevor's.
Hmm...at least I have poison.
I stride closer to him, stopping a few feet in front of him.
"Zane Ash Maserati, hello."
"Zane Booker to you, whore."
"Rude ass bitch, shut the fuck up before I shove my heel up your ass!"
I hear Taylor laughing on the violet and black sofa behind me.
"Never mentioned that the chick's got spunk, Zane."
"No, Taylor, I never mentioned that the chick was an attention seeking whore. And a sassy ass bitch. Seriously makes me want to slit her throat, or shoot her in the head. Dumb ass, ugly ass, cow. Cut the act, you she-devil, I'm aware that you're Daisy."
"Not Daisy, bitch."
"Funny. I should've known that Daisy is a little too PG to say such bad words. You're Dismay."
I smirk.
"Maybe I am."
"You don't need to dye your hair, change your whole identity," he slams me against the wall, keeping me there with a large knife to my throat. "I still know that you're just that weak little bitch who couldn't handle a heartbreak."
I pause, not moving, barely even breathing.
I start laughing, quietly at first then loudly, as the rest of them just stare at me.
"Weak? Weak little bitch...I can almost taste it..."
"What?"
"The blood!"
"You're really crazier than I thought."
I continue to laugh maniacally, before twisting my arm free and grabbing the knife, pushing him onto the sofa and straddling him, pushing the knife up to his chin.
"Tell me one reason why I shouldn't shove this knife through your chin and murderer you."
His hazel eyes fill with amusement, and I feel her in my head.
Go away, I say to her.
My head starts spinning, the knife clattering out of my hand and onto the floor.
My hands start shaking, and I look down at them.
Not now, not now.
I was just getting—
My pass out, falling off of Zane's lap and towards the floor, right before Zane's arms wrap around me, setting me on the couch.
I hear the distant sound of his laughter.
"What did I say? Weak little bitch."
***********
(BACK TO DAISY'S POV)
I wake up, looking around.
Oh no...where am I?
"Hello there, Daisy."
My eyes snap on Zane, and I glare at him.
"You."
"Me. Didn't you miss your favorite psychopath?!"
He squishes my cheeks in his hands.
"My cute little bitch! I certainly missed you!"
I push his hands off me, sitting up.
"Don't touch me."
He smirks.
"Like I could ever listen to that."
He slaps my butt, and I gasp out of surprise.
"I do what I want, bitch. I'm a boss. I'm the boss."
I growl under my breath, reaching for my—
"Looking for this?"
I look behind me, and Trevor stands there, with my gun in his right hand.
"Shit—"
Taylor's already up, and my eyes widen a fraction.
"But I thought you—"
"Were drunk? Yes. I'm such a good actor. Maybe I should be one instead of a murderer, L-O-L."
Fuck. I'm surrounded.
Three hunky dudes against one girl. Who's unarmed.
This isn't going to go well.
********