Marshal felt two of them, not one, and there he knew lay the answer. The one torturing was Rachel. And despite Francis being trying to protect Andrianna, he could sense a corruption of her soul.
Her white was tinged with black. A black he knew he had created. He knew from the moment Gloria entered the elevator. He heard in the loud hiss of her voice, lacing as one with Rachel. Their souls were laced.
In that moment maybe for the first time they were in charge at the same time.
"Marshallll…." They hissed.
Their voice holding both contempt and love, a paradoxical combination.
"Why Gloria is beautiful…" they bit out.
He ignored their voices and said, "It's not the only thing that is different"
"I suppose you…"
Gloria's voice faded as the combined hiss grew louder.
"Oh what fun would it be to taste blood trace her beautiful flawless skin? Would it not Marshal? Tonight we will pay her a visit as you sleep. Our tongue would taste her skin. Don��t worry we will not play with her just yet. We simply want to taste what you tasted for weeks as you made a mockery of our love for you, over and over again. Tattooing the cuckold on our foreheads as we unsuspectingly believed you actually were working so hard at the company. Well, we guess you were. Working that slut!"
Marshal's pupils dilated at the words of the paying her a visit tonight to taste her. He knew he could scarcely warn Gloria without sounding crazy, but he knew he had to protect her. Somehow.
"I love you!" Marshal shouted out.
He watched the concern drain out of Gloria's eyes only to be replaced by something he assumed was hope. A feeling Gloria would hardly acknowledge.
"Oh…. She is in love with you. That poor thing! She actually believes you love her! Seems you make it a habit of hurting women like this. Destroying them to the brink of destruction! Killing your child and us! Poor Gloria is next in line… and we did not even have to do a thing! I guess she was more expendable than we though. I wonder how we could break him?"
"I see. Marshall I think you are hurting right now and are looking for something familiar to lean on. You are confused… wait for some time. Say if by the end of next year you still feel this way we will talk about it. Right now, understand that I am there for you. In any way that you need me to be. As your mistress, your friend, whatever you need."
"Can I spend the night with you? I just want to feel your warmth. Just not put on a brave face for once…"
"I understand and sure you can spend the night anytime you need. For as long as you need."
"Thank you, Gloria."
Marshal left the office, feeling The woman in Black follow him. He felt their cold talons dig into his shoulder, the pain almost excruciating. He stood still, his teeth clamming down on his lower lip, biting in the pain. He looked at his side; his shoulder was not bleeding contrary to what he thought.
But, the material was slightly torn, and there were nail marks.
"Oh well… Francis is gone now! That woman still loves Andrianna, not realizing that is the way to hurt you. But, don't worry I know better. I will pop in to visit her at school. That should be fun. Let Francis sleep while I do some real damage. And don't worry by the time I am done with Francis, nothing but black will be left of her. That is how I hurt you! I will take away everything that you love and everything that loves you."
Marshal picked up his bag from the office and left immediately. He had to save Andrianna.
He was driving to Andrianna's school when his phone rang. It was an unknown number. Marshal picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Is this Mr. Montieth?"
"Yes?" He said it as calmly as he could.
The flooring the accelerator as a feeling of impending doom took over his senses. His heart galloped and drummed loudly in his ear. All he knew was something bad had happened.
"I am the nurse at Jamnabai Narsee School. It's about Andrianna. I think it is best if you came here and took her home."
"I will be there soon."
He knew Rachel was up to something. He just wished it was not as bad as he imagined it to be.