Red Orchids Ch. 06

Ellen began to feel even sicker as she realized where this was going. She had heard what Shannon planed to do, but hearing it now to her face made it seem more real, more final. Less of a movie and more the stuff of real life and headline news.

Shannon said, "She's taken such a liking to me..."

"No," Ellen gaped at Shannon as her blood ran cold.

"...And she likes Marlene so much..."

"You bitch," Ellen whispered and stared at Shannon, her eyes wide and filled with disbelief, "We trusted you..."

"I would prefer to have your consent," Shannon said, "I don't believe in kidnapping."

"You are not taking my daughter," Ellen began to stand up when Shannon jammed the gun in her face and cocked the hammer. Ellen froze.

"Do not fuck with me," the nanny told her.

Ellen sat back down, her heart pounding like a jackhammer in her chest. She could feel her lips going numb as she realized that Shannon was not only serious about expecting Ellen to give up her daughter, but also expecting that Ellen do it willingly. She felt like she might pass out as her brain processed this new information in a panicked rationale. She said, "This was always about Maddie."

Shannon nodded, "It's about principals."

"Principals?" Ellen choked.

"A little girl is born to an adulterous and lecherous father," Shannon said, "This little girl has for a role model a woman who is living in denial and what's more, is adulterous herself..."

"Marlene said she would kill us if we didn't..."

"And you fucked him," Shannon reminded her, "You both chose to give in to what you wanted. I'm talking about principals here. I know both you and Henry are good people, but you both gave in. You fucked each other like rabbits. We all heard you. You made the choice."

"Marlene would have killed us..." Ellen reasoned.

"I would rather die than compromise my principals," Shannon shoved the weapon in her face. The nose of the gun hit Ellen's upper lip and split the skin. Ellen slowly wiped the blood from her bottom lip as Shannon glared at her, "I believed you were different. I thought you be stronger than that. But look at you. You're no better than Mark."

Ellen sat quietly.

"Is this how you want your daughter to grow up?" Shannon asked.

"You were going to kill us anyway," Ellen said.

"Excuse me?"

"I said," Ellen looked at her, "You were going to kill us anyway."

Shannon quietly regarded her, her eyes lifeless and cold.

"This isn't about justice or about principals," Ellen said, "This is about taking something that doesn't belong to you. That's what this has always been about, even before you and Marlene showed up."

Shannon tightened her grip on the gun.

"Jesus Christ I have been so stupid," Ellen laughed as her eyes watered over and became glassy, "Mark was taking what didn't belong to him and I let him do it. I let him get away with it. I fooled myself into believing his lies because it was a little easier to live with. And here you are, taking what doesn't belong to you and I find myself debating whether or not to believe you."

"Are you saying I'm lying to you?"

"I'm saying that for all your talk of justice and your father and people getting away with murder you're really no better than they are," Ellen laughed despite herself, "You're right, Shannon. We are very much alike. We believe the lies we tell ourselves to get through the day day, no matter what happens or who gets hurt."

"Shut up," the nanny said evenly.

"Mark was not your life to take," she continued, "Maddie is not your daughter to take. Henry was not mine to take. But fuck it if we don't find ways to justify it..."

"Shut... UP!"

"It's all a lie, Shannon!" Ellen looked at her, her eyes flaring with a bright fire, "This isn't about justice and it isn't about saving Maddie from us. It's about the easy way out. You kill people for fun and you've warped your own daughter to the point where she thinks it's normal..."

Shannon shook her head and covered her ears.

"You fucked up!" Ellen screamed, "You're no better than your father."

Shannon's head snapped up and she jutted the gun out, pointing at Ellen.

She shivered.

Ellen blinked.

The gun fired.

***

Henry positioned himself closer to Marlene and kissed her gently on her full, rosy lips. Marlene murmured against him slightly as she pulled him close, her hands grasping his ass as his rock hard member pressed against her belly. Their tongues slid sensually around each other, caressing and stimulating. Henry cupped her large breasts began massaging them, his thumbs rubbing her hard, pink nipples. Marlene moaned into his ear as Henry necked on her, licking and kissing and suckling.

"What about Ellen?" she breathed, sliding her hand down his torso, over his stomach and to the base of his cock. She grasped his thick shaft in one hand and began slowly stroking back and forth along his eight-inch length.

"What about her?" Henry smiled, trying to keep his concentration through the hand job. He had her pressed against the refrigerator door and was doing his best to maneuver his hand higher so he could reach the gun. Marlene cooed and squeezed his thick cock as they stimulated each other.

"You love her, don't you Henry?" she breathed, a lusty need permeating her voice as her sex grew warm and delightfully wet.

"Yes I do," he replied as her stretched her arms over her head and began licking her ear

"Then why make love to me?" she looked at him innocently.

"Because sometimes," he whispered, "Everyone needs a good fuck."

"I like this side of you," Marlene laced her fingers around his.

"This is nothing," Henry grinned, playing his part as well as he could as he freed his fingers from hers. He thrust his cock against her as he reached for the gun. His index finger grazed the handle but fell short.

"I'm going to fuck you so hard," Marlene kissed him fiercely.

She pushed him onto the counter and then climbed up on top of him. The blood smeared and slid against his skin. Henry bit his lip to keep from screaming. She straddled him and began kissing down his chest, dragging her tongue over his body, licking and nibbling on his nipples as her hands caressed his neck and face. She made sure to drag her heavy, full breasts over his naked body as she descended him. She planted hot, wet kisses with every inch of skin she covered. His cock slid between her tits, and she pushed them together, briefly tit-fucking him. Henry smiled and ran his large hands through her hair as the soft flesh rubbed against his throbbing member.

"God, Marlene," Henry groaned as she worked her breasts on him a moment more and then resumed her course. He looked longingly over at the gun, still resting on top of the fridge.

She finally brought her lips to his swollen, purple head and started licking. She grasped his shaft and pulled his cock upright, standing it straight up in the air like some phallic monument. She flicked the sensitive head with her tongue and alternated blowing on him. She massaged his scrotum, gently kneading his testicles, preparing them for the finale of her oral adventure. His cock slid into her mouth and she began sucking on him, rolling her tongue over and under and around him.

Henry's breathing was heavy and fast as she began bobbing up and down on his shaft, slurping and sucking. His fingers laced through her hair as she worked him over, his nipples going hard and his muscles pulling tight as she summoned the orgasm from his body. Periodically, she would uncouple from his now fully rigid cock and suck one of his balls into her mouth, and then the other before returning.

Marlene's hands slid up Henry's body, feeling every inch of him and committing him to memory. Henry kept one hand on the back of her head as he surreptitiously reached for the chalice near the blender. It was the same chalice Shannon had used to collect Mark's semen the night before, but Henry didn't know that. He simply recognized it as the keepsake from Mark and Ellen's wedding, a symbol of their supposedly mutual pure love. In it was a single red orchid.

Henrys hips bucked slightly, and he knew he was close. She began sucking faster on him, deep throating him as his cock went rigid like steel in her mouth. She pulled back a little and felt the spurts of cum erupt in her mouth. She pulled off him with a satisfyingly wet *pop* as he ejaculated his healthy load of semen on her face, neck and breasts. Henry released a primal groan as he rode the orgasm to its conclusion.

"You liked that?" she whispered as Henry opened his eyes and smiled at her.

"Oh yeah," he laughed and watched her sit up, her pussy hot and wet against his cock as she repositioned herself. She cupped her left breast and looked at him. She brought it towards her face as she lowered her head, her eyes fixed on Henry. She licked the gobs of semen off her tit, from around her sensitive nipple and swallowed it. Henry could only watch, unable to continue his reach for the chalice.

"Fuck me," she moaned and wiggled her ass against him, "Fuck me like you fucked Ellen."

She leaned in and kissed him, raising her hips up just enough to allow his bulbous head to press against her moist vaginal lips. Henry kissed and her then began necking on her, keeping her face turned away from him.

"You're sweet to me," she murmured as her red hair tickled his skin, "You're so different..."

"Am I?" he licked her ear as his fingers touched the base of the chalice.

"My mother says all men are bad," she began lowering herself onto his shaft. Henry gasped as her impossibly tight pussy squeezed his cock and enveloped him. Marlene began kissing his neck and suckling as Henry grasped the chalice. She said, "You're gentle and kind..."

Henry felt a stab of guilt as he prepared to hit her with glass.

"... you're so tender," she smiled against his stubbled chin and looked at him.

And then a shot rang out that startled them both. Marlene jerked into an upright position, Henry's cock still deep inside her as she looked up at the ceiling.

"What the fuck?" she breathed, her breasts heaving up and down as she caught her breath

Henry brought the crystal chalice up in a solid swing that connected with the side of her head. Marlene yelped and then was driven off the counter as the chalice shattered and showered the kitchen with broken glass. Marlene tumbled to the floor and smacked her head hard on the floor. Henry got off the counter, being careful not to cut his feet as he stepped down.

He felt Marlene's neck for a pulse and found one, steady and strong.

"I'm so sorry," Henry said. He really meant it too. He had never hit a woman in his entire life, never once. He felt compromised. This whole situation made him like he had compromised himself beyond recovery.

Henry spied the duct tape Marlene had used to tie Mark up with and grabbed it from the counter. A few minutes later, the girl was securely bound and taped to the refrigerator door. He reached on top of the fridge and found his gun. Henry tossed the tape away and then hurried back through the living room, cautiously rounding the corner to the stairs. He was scared shitless and seriously doubting his mettle as a hero. He wiped his sweaty brow as his penis slowly deflated, the sweet aroma of Marlene's sex still powerful.

"Help me, Jesus," Henry whispered, "Please help me."

He looked back and noticed that the sun was beginning to come up. Faded bands of light were filtering through the blinds that covered the sliding glass door in the dining room. Henry took a breath and composed himself. He gripped the gun tightly and then began walking up.

***

Shannon Merele waited in the shadows of Maddie Gordian's bedroom.

Surprisingly, the gunshot hadn't woke the child up. After she shot Ellen, Shannon rushed to the child's room to see if all was well. The little girl was sleeping quietly in her SpongeBob SquarePants pajamas and drooling a little. Shannon felt a small measure of relief from this as she put a hand on the little girl's cherub face. Maddie stirred for a moment and then fell into sleep again.

Shannon positioned herself at the door and waited, watching to see who would come up the stairs. She had hoped that her daughter would be checking in any minute, her work with Henry finished. But the way Marlene had been looking at Henry bothered her. He was a distraction, and Marlene could not afford distractions. Shannon hadn't heard a scream from downstairs yet, so if Marlene had killed him she had done it quickly enough to give him no reaction time.

She hoped Henry met his end well.

And then the old bastard came walking up the stairs, silently and as craftily as he could. He had gotten the gun back from Marlene, and that meant that Marlene was either dead or out of commission. Shannon felt a surge of hot anger as she considered the possibility that her daughter was dead. Her eyes burned with vengeful tears as she cursed herself for leaving Marlene alone.

"You fuck," she breathed silently as she watched Henry quietly sneak into Ellen's room, his naked body smeared with blood.

Shannon looked over her shoulder at Maddie.

Once again, she cocked the gun.

***

Henry wanted to cry.

Ellen Gordian was sprawled out on her bed, arms thrown back and eyes closed. Her blonde hair was tossed and spread from her head in a fan of golden color across the white bedspread. A pool of crimson blood had formed near her head, just under the right shoulder. Henry's vision blurred with stinging tears as he slowly walked over to her. An ugly red wound was wrought into her chest just under the right clavicle. Henry sat down beside her on the bed and touched her hand.

"Ellen?" he whispered.

Ellen said nothing.

"Ellen?"

The whole world had gone silent around him in a thunderous absence of anything other than his grief. In this vacuum Henry's brain began to realize that Ellen was dead, though his heart could not accept the fact. He touched her face. The flesh was still warm as he caressed her cheek. Tears fell in fat drops from his eyes and splashed on her porcelain face.

In the distance, he could hear sirens. He remembered the cell phone and pulled it from behind the pillows. Henry placed the gun down beside Ellen and sighed. Holding the phone to his ear he said, "Hello?"

"Sir?"

Henry felt his heart jump, "Yes, I'm here."

"We heard gun shots, is everything okay?"

"My friend has been shot," Henry choked.

"We've dispatched assistance to your location," the operator told him, "Can you stay on the line?"

"Yes," Henry nodded dismally.

"Put the goddam phone down!" Shannon shouted from behind him.

Henry jumped and spun around. Shannon was in the doorway, the small silver plated pistol in her hand and pointed at him. Beside her stood Maddie, looking sleepy and confused. Shannon held the little girl's hand tightly as Maddie recognized Henry.

"Where you clothes, Unca Hennie?"

Henry smiled, embarrassed, "I don't know, baby."

"Put your clothes on now," Shannon ordered him, "And turn that shit off."

He hit the phone number recall key on the cell and said, "It's off."

"Toss it."

Henry tossed the phone behind him, to the far side of the bed. He only hoped the operator could hear everything. As he dressed, he said, "It's over. The police will be here soon."

"Yes, I know Henry," Shannon said bitterly, "Thank you for that."

Henry zipped up his pants, "What did you expect me to do?"

"Where's my daughter?"

"Downstairs. She's indisposed."

"Are you trying to be funny?"

"No," Henry pulled his t-shirt back on.

Shannon looked at him, "Where is she?"

"I knocked her out and tied her up," he replied and stood. He looked down at the gun. From the doorway, Shannon's view of it was blocked by Ellen's arm.

"Okay Henry," she smiled hatefully, "Where's your gun?"

"Downstairs."

"Don't fuck with me!" Shannon screamed and pulled the trigger. Henry fell to the floor as the bullet passed through his left thigh. He fell on his side, cradling the wound to his chest as Maddie began crying. Her big blue eyes looked to Henry and then at Shannon. The nanny smiled half-heartedly as her control over the situation vanished. She let her grip of Maddie go and stomped over to Henry. The bloody naked woman knelt down beside him and jammed the gun in his face.

"Here's how it ends," Shannon growled and pressed the nose of the gun into his eye, "You all went fucking crazy and in the end, it was me and my daughter who protected Maddie. We were the only survivors of this massacre, Henry."

Henry closed his eyes.

"You're fucking insane," he whispered.

"I killed Mark, I killed Alicia and I killed Ellen!" she screamed as the sirens grew louder, "I'll kill you too, you rat fuck!"

"What example will you set for Maddie?" Henry asked quietly.

Shannon looked back at the little girl, huddled in the corner as she cried hysterically.

"Maddie honey," Shannon said sweetly and then glared down at Henry and cocked the gun again, "Cover your eyes, baby."

Maddie did as she was told.

"Good bye, Henry," Shannon whispered.

And then there was another shot.

Only it was Henry who opened his eyes again as Shannon Merele wavered above him. He looked up to see her eyes wide and blood pouring from her mouth and nose as she dropped her pistol to the floor. She looked surprised and confused as she tried to understand what had just happened. He saw that the right side of her skull was gone and splattered against the wall. Clumps of skull, gray matter and red hair were oozing down the wall slowly as she gurgled and then fell over to her side. Henry kicked her away and looked up.

"Ellen," he whispered.

"Hi," she smiled weakly as her chin rested on the edge of the bed. Her face was pale and sickly as she let Henry's handgun fall to the floor. It landed on Shannon's body and slid away as she looked at him. Henry got up and laid Ellen on her back. He covered her with a sheet and then turned to Maddie.

"Maddie," he smiled warmly as he scooped the girl up, "Hey there, sweetie."

"Unca Hennie," she wept hysterically as Henry took her to Ellen. Maddie curled up beside Ellen on the left while Henry sat beside her on the right. Henry looked at Ellen and smiled.

"You okay?" she croaked and kissed her daughter on the forehead.

Maddie nodded and continued to cry.

Henry squeezed Ellen's hand.

"Police are will be here any moment," he stroked Ellen's hair, "You'll be alright."

"Thank you," Ellen said, "For not leaving us."

Henry was quiet for a moment as the front door broke in downstairs.

"Police are here," she said distantly.

"I thought I lost you," he said.

Ellen shook her head.

"I love you," he kissed her gently on the lips.

"I love you too," Ellen replied and then looked at Maddie, "And I love you."

"Love you Momma," Maddie hugged her tight.

***

The two policemen who entered the Gordian house did so at just after six that morning. They found three people alive, Ellen Gordian, her one and a half year old daughter Madeline and Professor Henry Tyler, a friend of the family. They found Mark Gordian dead, decapitated and castrated. His head was found in the microwave and his penis and testicles were later found inside the refrigerator behind a carton of milk. They found a woman going by the alias Shannon Merele dead in the master bedroom, killed by a gunshot to the head.

The recording of the call placed by Ellen Gordian identified Shannon Merele as the killer in the house. It also recorded the confession of her involvement in the murder of Mark Gordian, Emma Sirtis and Alicia Keel.

Henry Tyler claimed that Shannon Merele's daughter, Marlene, had been tied up in the kitchen after a fight. Police found no sign of the second woman. They did however find duct tape, cut by a of broken crystal glass and large amount of blood in the kitchen, but no sign of Marlene herself. The only evidence she had been there was a single red orchid resting in the pools of blood in front of the refrigerator.