She stepped forward, casually taking my other glass, helping herself to the wine. Her boots crunched the broken glass on the floor. "What a thoughtful hostess." her voice had a sound I didn't like, and I felt fear welling up inside of me. "What do you want?" I tried to match the tone in her voice, but mine trembled as I spoke. "Amazing. You weren't worth killing before, and now you've troubled me twice." She waved her other hand at me, and I saw a gun. I jumped backward quickly, stumbling along the counter. She followed me, sipping her wine, twirling her gun casually as it were a baton, not a weapon. My back was against the counter corner; unable to escape, I drew myself up and tried to stop shaking. "I killed you. You were dead. But somehow you've come back, and ruined everything again." She placed the empty wine glass down on the counter with an air of disgust. "I would like to know how you did it." The gun stopped twirling and was now pointed at me. My mind went back to the conversation in my car. I remembered what the man had said: What I'm saying is that you, being a..... a special interest of Madlax, should not expect any sort of help if you find yourself in trouble. Do you understand? Help would not be coming. I was alone, I was unarmed, with nothing at my disposal except for...words. I made my living using words, my life was built around words. Think, Vanessa. "As if I would tell you." I honestly couldn't, so it was easy to look her in the eye. Her lip twitched and her eyes narrowed further. "You're going from annoying me to making me truly despise you." her voice was low, as if she was trying to control her temper. "Before I kill you I want answers." "Then I guess you'll just have to ask me again next time." I said with all the bravado I could muster. I saw her face become puzzled and seized my opportunity. "You can't kill me. As you see, I just keep coming back. It's useless." She shook her head in disbelief, but said nothing. I could see she was thinking. "But maybe next time you won't take Madlax from me." Her voice was edgy and unsure now. "Next time- she won't find you." "You know that's not true." I countered gently. "This is one you can't win, Rimelda." "No!" she cried out, striking me across the face. I fell forward and she grabbed me, throwing me face first into the refrigerator. I hit the door and felt the blood fly from my mouth. She grabbed a handful of my hair, twisting it so I cried out. "How dare you pity me! You don't deserve her. Look at you. All weak and...and-" she poked my sides with the gun "and no muscle. No anything like me. Nothing like me." "That's just it!" I gasped out, pained tears stinging my eyes. "She doesn't want someone like you! A killer who attacks people in their own homes!" She let go of my hair and turned my face with her hand, so she could look at me. "But you see, Madlax is a killer too. We're perfect for one another." She looked triumphantly at me. "No. You're wrong. Madlax may be a killer, but she's not cruel. Look at you. Look at what you've done to me." The blood had a bitter iron taste in my mouth as I spoke, and dripped quietly off my chin. "She doesn't have the heart to love cruelty." Her mouth opened in surprise and she stepped back, letting go of me. "I... I'm not cruel. I'm willing to kill for what I want, which is more than I can say for you." She retorted with a defiant air. I sank down to the floor, wiping my mouth with my robe. A large crack of thunder made us both jump and the lights flickered. "A nasty storm. I guess that will make her a little late coming home to find you." She arched her eyebrows. "Madlax is coming home tonight!" I exclaimed, my chest tightening sharply so it was hard to breathe. "Shame you won't be alive to greet her. I'm finished here." Rimelda pointed the gun down at me. "Any last words? I'll be sure to relay them for you." The building seemed to shake with another round of thunder, and there was a bright flash and then the lights went out again. I could feel the blood pounding loudly in my ears, almost in some sort of thundering chant. I could hear it, I could hear it go... "Elda Taluda." I said the strange chant out loud. Images flashed before me, and I felt dizzy. "Elda...Taluda." "What the hell?" I heard her voice, then the lights came back on. I saw something move behind her, then a streak of long brown hair flying. "Madlax!" I cried out.
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