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NOTE:
Chapter five already!! How are we feeling so far guys? This one's a bit of a long one. I hope you're liking the chapters and the story so far! If so don't forget to vote, comment, and share. Constructive criticism is also welcomed. The next update might take a little while.

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0 5 | How Far We Go

V U L I A  A M O U R

Jewels of sunlight climbed in from the balcony window, tresses of heat soaking the carpet. The sun was a treacherous poem of secrets. Not like the moon, but nevertheless oblivious. Shadows extended, too, groveling in the corners of her apartment. Vulia wanted to curse it, the brightness that shined too bright. She deemed it a poisonous paradox, cryptic and dead to her. Then, the sunlight trickled in like waves against her skin. It was gentle like a breeze and warm in a way that brought comfort. She was consumed with acknowledgments, aware of the constellation of colors and all the other tragic things, too. She should have basked in the light, thankful for its juxtaposition to the darkness. The light had been her savior, yet she felt no different.

Wasteful shame befell her as she sketched her newfound design on those pale pages for the umpteenth time. Restful were her languid movements, outlining that rose and snake repetitively. No matter how redundant the task had gotten, she forced herself to continue. The image was ingrained in her mind like a painful blister or a prominent gun wound. Both of which left an irreversible scar that couldn't be concealed. Irascibility tampered with her state of being as she sat at her kitchen bar scribbling more aggressively than the first time around.

The days that were once attuned to a rigorous schedule had fallen out of alignment. It was Thursday and she hadn't stepped foot outside in days. Not since Snake drove her home and not since Delano checked up on her, delivering a hearty promise that cast a chill through her fragile bones.

Her best friend, Thisbe though had been calling her nonstop since she hadn't shown up for the volunteer work at the nursing home she had agreed to months in advance. It was a matter of time before she was going to show up, assuming this entire pity party had everything to do with her ex-boyfriend, Ambrose. This was why Vulia hadn't been surprised when she heard the jangling of keys rattling outside and Thisbe's muffled voice laced with concern and agitation on the other side.

Thisbe was fucking persistent even as the door opened and she marched over to Vulia. She attempted to give Vulia a motivational speech about how sexy and independent she was and that Ambrose was a fucking dick for making the dumbest mistake of his life.

"Thisbe," Vulia interrupted but came to no avail and Thisbe proceeded to ramble. Her hands flailed, emphasizing the rage she assumed that Vulia lacked because solace overtook her instead.

"It's his loss anyway, Vulia. He decided to throw away something good. Don't waste your energy on that--"

"Thisbe."

"You guys have been together four years and he didn't even pop the question. He's a douche--"

"Thisbe!"

Thisbe stopped talking and stared at a sunken Vulia. Vulia swallowed and put down her pen and notebook.

"This has nothing to do with Ambrose," she admitted. "Sunday night at the parlor someone tried to kill me."

Thisbe's face dropped as if the news caused a cosmic ripple in the universe. A sordid picture unwound in her eyes as she pulled her into a crushing hug. Vulia was nearly fed up with the pity she had received and if it was anything that'd pull her out of the house it'd be that. Even when her father died she despised the way people would gather sorrow in their eyes for the poor girl who'd have to grow up without a father.

A hole in her chest alongside a lifetime of the fatherless wound. Embedded in a place as close to her heart as her ribs which weaved gardens of pain and tragedy. She was always meant to be the sad girl, although she refused to claim that expectation. She always sought after the opposite of the norm. When her father was alive he taught her how to be fearless, a warrior, because the world wasn't made of gold and silk. The world hadn't been a protector of the tender. The world had become godless, void of divinity, and consumed with devils. Men like Calix Ace.

The departure of Ambrose hadn't been as destructive as everyone thought it would be. Neither had the events that left the snake and rose image foliating among her peeling ribs. Love and betrayal. It echoed and drummed, drummed and echoed. Thisbe's presence was enough to make Vulia realize her stature. It was enough to knock her into reality. If her dad had looked down at her would he be proud of the way she was acting? If Vulia confided in her mom what would she say? Most of all, was this Vulia? She couldn't lose herself over this. She couldn't fear the cruelty of the things outside. She grew up around monsters, blending with them and challenging them. Why run away now?

"I'm sorry about the nursing home. I guess I needed to process it, but that's no excuse--"

"Your feelings are valid, V. If you don't want to go you don't need to, but knowing you your stubborn ass is gonna get up and go anyway, aren't you?"

Vulia gave a small smile. "Let me go shower and get ready."

"V?"

"Yeah?"

"If you ever want to talk about it I'm here. Emotions aren't a bad thing."

Vulia wanted to say more but didn't. She rushed into her bedroom and hopped into the shower, which lasted about fifteen minutes. She picked out a casual outfit and wrapped her hair up into a scarf, grabbing her personal items and then leaving her room. When she reentered Thisbe had made herself comfortable on the sofa, tapping away at her phone. Her eyes leveled with Vulia and she sighed.

"Finally," she complained and Vulia flicked the middle finger as they started toward the door.

"How far is this place anyway?" she questioned as she locked her door and followed Vulia down the steps.

"It's in Northshire, 25th street," Thisbe answered.

"And we're doing this why again?"

They made it to Thisbe's car which was parked pretty close to Vulia's building.

"Because we should give back to the community and our seniors and my grandma forced me. She said I never visit her," Thisbe explained as she inserted the key into the ignition. "She's not getting any older so why not."

"Thisbe!"

"What? All I'm saying is I should cherish her and the moments we have while she's still here. Which is why we gotta pay her a visit."

The ride to the nursing home consisted of Vulia playing her playlist and the duo singing the songs at the top of their lungs. It was a short-term adventure, but it was ecstatic. Vulia felt like herself and was so thankful that she decided to leave her apartment. The skies were clear as the skyscrapers and buildings grazed the clouds. It was beautiful. She was swarming in the everglade of memories that grabbed her chest and fumbled with her heartstrings. She clasped onto old memories, onto the life she had beforehand, and she hoped that this new transformation in her life brought new memories.

"Alright, let's go entertain," Thisbe beamed once she parked the car and retrieved her key. Vulia wasn't sure what Thisbe had planned when they entered and a variety of different people came up to Thisbe to greet her. This indication signaled that Thisbe had been here before and the people knew her well.

"Hey guys, this is my best friend, Vulia. She's gonna be joining us today."

The space was mundane and simple. The walls were bleak aside from a few paintings here and there. The furniture was either maroon or a plain gray color. It was mostly silent and peaceful. Geriatric nurses and care workers scattered the space, attending to some people and monitoring others. Thisbe led Vulia to her grandmother who sat in a wheelchair by the television which was propped on the wall.

"Gram, this is Vulia, my best friend," Thisbe introduced. The woman's hair was a thunder of platinum curls and her face leaked wisdom and life in the most beautiful way. A smile danced on her lips, wrinkles creasing her delicate skin as she rose her hand to shake Vulia's hand.

"Hi, Vulia. My name is Betsy. I hope my granddaughter hasn't caused you too much trouble."

"She hasn't. She's an angel," Vulia joked and Betsy gave a frown as if to detest Vulia's spilled truth.

"I'm old but not old enough to believe that lie. I know my granddaughter," Betsy laughed, waving Vulia off. "You know your best friend was a she-devil growing up."

"Gram!" Thisbe interjected.

"I can believe that," Vulia agreed and Thisbe gave her the finger right in front of her dear Gram. Gram, however, was hardly fazed by this action. "What stories do you have?"

"Several. Why don't you take a seat?" Betsy instructed.

"Well, while you guys talk about that I'm gonna get bingo set up," Thisbe announced going over to prep the tables for the upcoming event. As Betsy started her story Vulia couldn't help but smile. She was glad she decided to leave her apartment today.

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Friday was a whimsical fantasy of ambrosia and yarrow, lodging fire and courage in her baring chest. That morning she was energized after spending the night at Thisbe's. She decided she'd go into the studio that day with no fear in her mannerisms.

On the surface, she seeped serenity and peace, but within those depths was insanity and chaos. She saw everything that brought her back to that jarring Sunday night. The place had been oddly busy and several other tattoo artists had been ripping and running through the parlor. One of the artists, Gia, had claimed the spot behind the desk when she spotted Vulia.

"Vulia? What are you doing here? Snake said you wouldn't be back until Monday."

"Change of plans," Vulia stated and Gia nodded. Gia was a pretty girl. She had dark hair and almond-shaped eyes, accompanied by pale white skin covered in ink on her arms. She was young, nineteen, and she had been a new member of the Rose Hill family. Of course, she wasn't affiliated with her brother's dealings. No one other than Snake had that great leisure at least as far as Vulia had been aware. If Gia had been involved she didn't think she could face her brother if something were to happen to her. It'd be his fault and she didn't want to picture the number of deaths her brother had been responsible for. And it boiled down to what made Delano any different from Calix?

"Are you okay?" Gia asked, worry dawning on her face. Vulia hadn't known if Gia knew what she had been through or not, but she didn't take a guess and assumed she didn't.

"Course I am," she stated "I couldn't stay away from my home for too long. Is Snake with a customer by any chance?"

"He just finished up," Gia answered. "And it's good to have you back, V."

"I know. I bet this place was chaos without me."

Gia smiled and Vulia walked past her, entering the room Snake usually occupied when he had a session. Snake was wiping at his hands with a rag when she entered. He hadn't been aware of her at first, but then she met his gaze in the mirror.

"Vulia? I told you to rest," he scolded as he stood up, tossing the rag on the tray filled with his essentials. He was such a dad to her. He always had been. When Vulia and Delano's father died he promised Felandre he'd look after them. He stood by his word till this day and eternities to come.

"I'll sleep when I'm dead," she teased.

"That's not funny," he deadpanned. "But seriously Vulia, why are you here?"

"Great to see you too," Vulia said sarcastically, claiming the tattoo table and swinging her legs a bit. "I am an active person, Snake. I can't just sit at home and hide out. Plus, you guys could use a helping hand."

"I don't think it's safe for you to come back yet. Calix is still out there and so is the bitch that tried to kill you."

"But why should I be afraid, Snake? I fought back and I won't stop fighting back because I have a life to live and I won't let fear control it."

He sighed.

"I guess there's no arguing with that."

"Damnright," Vulia responded. "Now what can I help with?"

Snake leaned in the doorway, arms crossed as he gazed at Vulia.

"Well, we're at max artists today so you can just watch the front," he insisted. "I have another session in an hour but let me know if you need anything."

He turned out of the room, leaving Vulia there for a moment. She scanned the room as if cherishing this temporary peace, then she stood up and made her way to the front. She leaned over the counter and pulled her phone out, scrolling through the designs of the snake and rose. She captured a variety of different pictures of her designs. Love and betrayal. Beauty and Ugly. Madness rupturing innocence. A million things could have been portrayed. And because she had been so fixated on the drawing she hadn't noticed the figure towering over her.

Her eyes slid up to the figure and she met the bright eyes of a familiar man. Calix. A smirk spawned on his lips as he watched Vulia intensely, a wickedness castrating his glimmering irises. It was like the symbol on her phone had summoned him in front of her. He was so calm as if it hadn't mattered that he had crossed the uncharted. He stood in the lion's den, waltzing with the enemy. He stood like a devil, indestructible and void of any fear at all. He was dressed in all black, muscles flexing through his clothing and his head had been veiled with a hood.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," Vulia voiced, but she didn't break eye contact no matter how intense it seemed. It was an ever-going battle and Vulia was too competitive to lose. "I'll fucking scream."

"That wouldn't be smart, Amour," he stated. There was something monstrously violent about the way he stood before her in broad daylight, hell and evilness staining his soul.

"Why are you here?" she seethed. "Are you gonna try to kill me again?"

"What benefit would I get out of killing you?" he questioned. "That deed was done without my knowledge."

It didn't take rocket science for Vulia to know what they were talking about. Yet a chill escaped to her spine, climbing up to her neck. She hadn't known how to respond to his words and it felt wrong to do so. She was fraternizing with the enemy. For fucks sake her brother wanted the man that stood before her dead. She swallowed and averted her gaze over her shoulder.

"Why are you here, Calix?" she asked again, a bit more cordial than the first time. She searched his face for some kind of hint but was met with nothing. His face remained unmoved, stoic. Nothing in his eyes gave anything away as if he had perfected that look a thousand times before. No emotion in his expression and it drove Vulia insane. She didn't have control and it brought malicious intent. He didn't answer the question. All he did was shoot a sly, confident grin her way. She wanted to pry his brain apart, unraveling all of the corners and crooks which contained his secrets. She wanted to obtain the answers she so desperately sought. In the end, though, there was no use. And after a moment of his weak cooperation, she gave up.

"You shouldn't be here," she warned. She wasn't sure why she had said it and the gospel had been she wanted this frightening man to be afraid. He needed to know that his fate resided in her brother's hand and he so foolishly stumbled into the enemy's lair. But it felt more like a warning than anything else and Vulia hadn't understood why. "My brother wants you dead."

A hint of amusement gleamed in his dangerous eyes.

"Death doesn't scare me, Amour," he responded.

"You sound pretentious as fuck," Vulia commented and looked over her shoulder to see if anyone had been approaching. Each time she had done it betrayal plunged into her gut because she hadn't been looking for someone to save her from Calix Ace. She was hoping she wouldn't get caught talking with him and that, that was ultimately the most fucked up part of their exchange. He let out a low chuckle and stalked toward Vulia behind the desk. Her heart skipped a thousand times a minute as he towered above her, that pretentious mocking look in his eye. It was as if he hadn't been the least bit fazed by the circumstances.

"Get the fuck away from me," she spat out as he walked closer, closeting her to a wall and him.

"Is that really what you want, Vulia?"

She met his eyes at his words and her own notions dripped at the tip of her tongue, but they wouldn't sail free. His fragrance invaded their vicinity, a sweet poison grounding Vulia to that very spot. He leaned in ever slowly, ever quietly. Lust and forbiddance bled as she bit the inside of her cheek, her breath hitching as his lips brushed the shell of her ear. A million electrons sparked across her skin when his lips touched her and a hushed whisper echoed all over her body. A body that had betrayed her. Her eyes fluttered at the mere interaction and all she could think about was the image of his hands on her body, flames blazing her in golden streams of warmth. A room filled with red, and his body entangled wildly with hers. And even then as she imagined their last accidental encounter, she wanted him to touch her. How fucked up was that?

"Tell me again, Amour. What. Do. You. Want."

"I want you to..." she trailed off because she couldn't get it out. She knew Calix found great amusement in her struggle. Her quivering was his greatest feat at that moment. She hated it so much. The control he had reigned over her and it was like he fucking knew it. He moved his lips under her ear, breathing in her scent. It was featherlight and gentle, everything that he wasn't. Fuck. What was he doing? She wasn't supposed to be enjoying this. She was supposed to be fighting back, but her willpower disintegrated into a puddle of mush. His lips lingered over her, his breath fanning her skin teasingly as if his end goal was simply to tease. He had compelled her to do and feel everything that she shouldn't have. Her mind and body were at war. "You--you tried to kill me, you mother--"

And although Calix had cleared up that assumption, Vulia wanted to find something to tear her from that reality. She wanted a reason to blame, a reason to scold, a reason to fight rather than submit. Calix's hand rose to Vulia's throat and it caught her completely off guard. Her eyes widened as wide as saucers. He gave her a little squeeze. Not enough to hurt her but enough for her to feel it, to feel what we he was truly capable of and how it dangled at his fingertips. "What's stopping me from doing it now?"

Her heart rate sped at an impeccable rate and she couldn't grasp the events unfolding before her. His touch had felt oddly pleasing and Vulia had to hold back a moan as he gazed at her as if she would be his next meal. And he had been ravenous, yearning to devour the meal that stood before him. And something about that excited her.

"Nothing," she huffed out and it was the damn truth. He pulled away some to get a good look at her. Terror mirrored in her eyes for a flash of a second. He could easily crush the life out of her because she had easily let him get that close. She hadn't even screamed as he approached her with his smooth, calculating gait. She had fallen for whatever trap this had been. Her hormones had spiraled and trepidation for that reaction swam in the beads of nonexistent sweat that was supposed to coax her forehead. She was supposed to be afraid of this, of getting caught, but adrenaline swallowed anything she had previously conjured.

"I wouldn't kill you, Amour. I'd ruin you."

She got the feeling that it wasn't an empty promise. It was like he wanted her to be his ruin and his salvation in the way he looked at her; he would tear her to shreds. And Vulia didn't think she had met anyone so detached and demanding in her life.

He released her from his grip and walked out of the parlor without a second glance. Vulia stood there, completely awestruck and horny. The heat from his touch set her body ablaze and she was on fire. So, so hot. And not even God could save her from the damnation and betrayal she had experienced. In more ways than ever, she had betrayed her brother. She had sinned when she decided to dance with the devil, Calix Ace. She felt dirty, but she also never felt more alive and she hated him for it. He had awakened something morbid, something sinister in her.

She stared after him until his figure had disappeared and she wondered why he had decided to show up in the first place. It couldn't have been a coincidence. He was there for a reason and Snake's name must have been written all over it.

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TO BE CONTINUED

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