Challenge Submission Death's Door Interview

[Rose Thorne]

Character Link: Valerie Vixen (Modern Cartel Plot)​

Trigger Warning: Death, Blood, Murder, Cartel.
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A pained growl rumbled through my chest as my hand weakly grabbed at my stomach where the stab wound leaked red against the onyx hoodie. Peering down at my leg where a large gash had barely clipped a major artery, I realized that without help, I would eventually bleed to death. The poison on the blades slowly started to kick in, making my arms, useless appendages laying on either side of me, covered in dark red blood. My phone lied just across the alleyway, the screen lit up with false hope that help would find me. Even if there had been a shred of hope for me getting the phone, it was taken away. The last few rings were cut off by a black boot coming down hard on the screen, shattering it. A gloved hand-picked up the remaining pieces and tossed them off the peer in at the end of the alley way.

"Ever been hunting, Valerie? I'm not talking about people either, I'm talking about animals, more specifically deer." A dark, sadistic purr ranged through the otherwise silent night. He had the confidence of a wolf who was circling an injured deer, taking his time, knowing there was nowhere for it. . . I to go.

I didn't give him the satisfaction of an answer, my lips pressed into a thin line as I stared straight ahead at the wall of the opposing building I was leaning on. A disappointed series of tsk was heard as he paced back and forth in front of me, yet I remained silent and staring forward. Without an answer from me, he decided to continue with his point. "You were easier to find than any deer I have killed when hunting. You see, if you don't aim correctly the bullet will wound them, giving them plenty of time to get away from the danger. Though, do you know what the similarity is?" Assuming I wouldn't answer, he answered for me. "The injured leaves a trail anywhere they go." He approached me, grabbing a handful of my black hair and forcing me to stare down at the long blood trail that I had left on the pavement. I had led him right to me. How could I have been so stupid. Though in all honesty, what could I have done to prevent leaving a trail.

The realization of my mistake that had led to this moment must have shown in my eyes, or facial expression because that coy smile curled at the corners of his rosy lips. He allowed my head to fall back against the wall as he kneeled down to my level. "Why have you not finished the job? You of all people should know how stupid it is to play with your enemy." I spat out, my voice weak, and my vision slowly becoming more and more blurry as the poison continued to attack more than just my motor skills.

"Its simple really. I have questions. Lots of questions to be precise, and I figured since you are not getting out of this one, you would be more than happy to talk till the inevitable happens." He said the words with no sympathy, but rather confidence that he was right. Perhaps he was. "How many estates did you end up having? Two? Three?"

"Six." I groaned out, the poison did nothing to help mask the pain, sadly.

"Why so many for a girl who refuses to share herself with anyone? It's not as if you have a family."

"My family is my cartel. I take care of my own, unlike some. What about your family, Levi? You really are not one to be talking about my family choices when you stabbed all of yours in the back to take control of the Aces." I spat out, my eyes rolling to meet his darkened gaze. In that moment I could let myself admit he was gorgeous and dangerous. Perhaps I was a fool to turn down the offer of marriage and combining our cartels, tall, dark, and handsome had a reputation for murdering those he supposedly loved if it meant gain, with that reputation I would have been an even bigger fool to accept.

"I'm the one asking the questions. It's not as if the information will help you any in death." He paused, glancing away from me, those dark brown eyes peering down the alley to the water at the end. "Why did you choose to risk your life for people less important than you? It doesn't make any sense, you are dying to save one pathetic drug dealer and if we are being honest, he has fucked you over more times than I can count on both my fingers and toes. Why?"

I let out a shaking breath and allowed my eyes to close for a brief moment as I thought over my answer. Hos had fucked me over time and time again, but he wasn't a bad man, just made bad choices, but I truly believed that eventually he would prove to have some use to me. I held out that much hope. "Promises." I said simply, my voice barely coming out a whisper. "I promised to give him a chance, I knew he would fuck up, time and time again, when I brought him into the family. I always held out hope that he would prove to be useful in some aspect. It seems my optimism is my biggest downfall."

"You became too soft, that was your downfall." He said in a stern voice, though an odd solemness fell over him and hesitated for a moment, the beginning of a sentence just at the tip of his tongue. Finally, after a few moments, he asked it, knowing that my time for answering his questions was dwindling. "If you could do it all over again... had a different life, different path, would you have?" He asked, a solemn look on his face as his gaze met mine again. We both knew the answer to that. Neither of us choose this life, we played the cards we were given and never bothered to ask for a different hand, or even steal different cards.

A sad smile crossed my lips. "Yeah." I said in another whisper. "You would have too." I stated, copying his confidence in my statement, just as he had earlier.

There was neither a denial nor an agreement that I was correct, which was answer enough. A silence passed between us before he took a much softer tone, one that held more curiosity than malice or pleasure in my situation. "What would you have been? What would you have done?"

It was a question I had asked myself a thousand times and the answer, throughout my entire life, had never changed. "I would have been a dancer, traveling the world to dance in various places. I would have found love, had a child, showed her how to dance. Showed her the world, how to love, how to feel." A tear ran down my cheek as my eyes closed again. "I would have been a different person, a better person. I wouldn't have waited so long to protect the ones helping me. I would have taken more time to enjoy nature, enjoy life, not fear it."

Another long silence passed between us and I could feel my world slowly starting to fade to black, it was becoming more difficult to keep my eyes open and focus on anything other than the distant sound of the waves. I didn't even hear him stand up before his arms scooped me up, and he carried me towards the water. Sucking in a pained breath as I was sat back down, facing the water. His voice broke through the peace of the ocean. "What advice would you give someone in your position. More specifically me, since I'll be running your cartel now, as you have no blood family and no heirs to take it."

"Take care of them, and they will take care of you." I was too weak to add that he would never be taken care of by them due to killing me. He would never gain their respect. At least not for a long while. "My best advice." I said, my voice becoming unsteady as I felt sleep creeping up on me. "Enjoy... Your life... Before it's... taken from you too young." Each word was a pained gasp for life, just long enough to finish the sentence.

"I hope your next life, if there is such a thing, you live that life you talked about. After this one, I believe we all deserve something better than these cards." He would sigh, his voice slowly being drowned out by the waves, but I could just barely make out him whispering, "Rest now, Valerie." The deafening sound of the waves crashed around in my head till slowly, I slipped off into a peaceful, and permanent sleep.