True Valentine

The FTD guy tried to run after placing the vase of roses on Amanda’s desk. She wouldn’t let him get away that easily.

“Who sent these?” she asked. She put down the cupcake she was eating; frosting still smeared her lips and chin.

The deliveryman gave an irritated look. “There’s a card. I’d look there.”

Wiping her hands on the front of her shirt, Amanda reached for the little red envelope tucked into the rose stems.

Amanda,

Be mine, tonight.

Meet me at 9 p.m. in room 1313 of the Clairemont Hotel.

Your hopeful Valentine,

V

Amanda’s face flushed and she hyperventilated. Looking up to the ceiling, she intoned, “My Lord Jesus, thank you for answering my prayer.”

“What was that, freak?” a voice startled Amanda. Lydia Bender hovered over her desk, her pretty face sniffing the flowers. “Someone likes you? I find that hard to believe. I know there are chubby chasers, but ugly chasers, too?”

Amanda didn’t want Lydia to see her tears. She thought of happy things like church, and Bible study. In the end, a solitary drop betrayed her.

“Why do you have to be so mean?”

“I’m not mean, Porky. I’m just a realist, as you should be. Let’s see who these are from.” Quick as lightning, Lydia snatched the card from Amanda’s hand.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Lydia laughed as if she just heard the greatest joke in the world. “Is this from Val Smith?”

Amanda reached for the card. Lydia held it out of reach of her pudgy white arm. “Let me have it. Don’t be jealous.”

“Me—jealous? Why would I want to be the brunt of his joke?”

The thought had occurred to Amanda for a flicker of a moment. She reasoned it out for Lydia. “Maybe he’s just a romantic. He heard how much I love Valentine ’s Day and saw something special about it. Maybe if you weren’t so anti-love, he’d want you, too.”

“Been there, done that—wanna see the tee shirt?” Lydia flashed that smug look that always irritated Amanda.

“Maybe there are flowers on your desk, too. Then maybe you would know how good it makes someone feel.”

“Valentine’s Day is for suckers who fall prey to the phony marketing of the greeting card companies. If more people like you smartened up, maybe we could all be happy all year long.” Lydia turned and marched away, swaying her perfect ass.

“You can never be happy without love and God in your life,” Amanda whispered.

*          *          *

Amanda gasped when she entered the Clairemont. Designed for the tastes of the wealthy and over-privileged, the lobby reeked of money.

She shuffled towards the elevators, whirling around to absorb all the magnificence, and nearly toppled. Her hands shook as she reached for the button for the thirteenth floor. She had to press it hard, as her fingers were wider than the lighted number.

A bell rung and the doors slid open, revealing a long, dimly lit hallway. Amanda’s legs wobbled like jelly. The first door was marked with the number one. The long walk was daunting and her mind started to drift towards possible outcomes to this foreign effort of bravery she was exhibiting.

What if this really is a joke? But maybe the Lord is finally giving me a reward for my undying faith. Could a dreamy guy like Val go for a girl like me? I bet he likes the romantic side of me. This will be like one of my Danielle Steele novels.

She stopped in front of room thirteen. The door loomed over her, judging. She raised an unsteady fist and knocked.

“Come on in.” His voice was rich and velvety like Dutch chocolate cake. Amanda imagined licking the sweet frosting from it.

Amanda struggled to turn the knob; her muscles worked as tenuously as her nerves. She finally managed the task and stumbled into the room.

Val was on the bed, splayed out like a Greek statue. A black and red robe barely covered his unmentionables. Amanda dropped to her knees. “Um …hi Val.”

Val’s white teeth fairly glowed in the dim light and against his bronze skin. “Thank you for coming. I was afraid you might stand me up.”

“I could never do that,” Amanda blurted out. “You should—I mean—could you put some clothes on? I don’t know what you think of me, but I’m not the type of girl to jump right in bed with a man.” Jesus be damned, tonight I will.

“I will try and behave. Come sit here. Look what I’ve got for my Valentine.” Amanda’s eyes tore away from his beautiful body to look at the gift—a heart shaped box of chocolates.

Amanda’s legs strengthened and she nearly jumped onto the bed beside him. “I do love chocolates,” she mumbled, her mouth already filled with candy.

“Who doesn’t? I had two boxes, but I couldn’t resist.”

Amanda’s eyes narrowed and she suppressed the growing anger. Her eyes lingered on the spot where his penis was covered and the emotion subsided.

She devoured the last chocolate and lay back with contentment. “Thank you.”

“That’s not my only surprise.” The voice wasn’t as appealing as before. There was something mixed in with the lusciousness—like the nasty aftertaste of a fruitcake.

“What kind of surprise?” she asked as Val rose from the bed and let the robe fall from his naked body. “Are we going to have sex, now?”

Val laughed and turned around. His erection stood straight out as if accusing Amanda of her sinful thoughts. “Do you feel up to it?”

Amanda felt a tingling between her legs. She was ready for Val. She sat up and her whole body shuddered. She fell back down on the bed, unable to move a muscle.

“What’s happening?” she asked, fear tightening around her insides.

“Having some trouble moving?” Val asked. The tinge of tartness was even more prevalent in his voice.

Amanda closed her eyes and struggled. She could only move her head. She swiveled it to the sound of a door opening.

“Hello Amanda. Happy V-D.” Lydia stood in the doorway, her magnificent body barely concealed in skimpy lingerie.

“Why are you here?” Amanda asked. She turned her head towards Val. “What’s going on?”

“Should we tell her, Lydia?” Val asked, a playful note in his voice.

Lydia fairly glided to the bed and sat next to Amanda. “Yes, Valentinus, I do so enjoy when you explain their fates.” She stroked Amanda’s hair. The action was terrifying.

Val slid onto the bed and kissed Lydia. Amanda could hear their tongues exploring each other’s mouths. Val’s still erect penis was inches from her face. Despite her fear, she couldn’t control her body’s arousal.

Amanda felt relief when Val pulled away and sat cross-legged in front of her. “First off, let me explain why chocolates have become a staple of the Valentine’s Day holiday,” he said.

“There’s a substance—a poison if you will—discovered hundreds of years ago in Africa. It’s such a magnificently devious thing. It paralyzes the human body without interrupting its basic functions for survival.”

“And you gave it to me,” Amanda interrupted.

“How very astute of her,” Lydia said.

“The one problem with using it, covertly,” Val continued, “is that it has a very distinct taste to it. No one would willingly consume enough for it to have its full effect. That’s where chocolate comes in. Cocoa reacts with the poison to mask the flavor; ironically, the poison enhances it.”

“What do you plan to do to me, now?” Amanda asked.

“This wouldn’t be very dramatic if I just blurted it all out. Show some patience. It’s important that you understand why I created Valentine’s Day.”

“That’s preposterous. Valentine’s Day has been around since before you were born.”

Lydia snickered. Amanda swung her head back and forth between her captors. “It has, hasn’t it?”

Val smiled. “While in Africa all those centuries ago, I lived amongst some tribes there. They taught me things that no civilized man would want to acknowledge. They had the power to summon dark magics—voodoo if you will.

“When the Romans came, they didn’t care for the practice and forbade it. I couldn’t live with the lure of it, though. I scooped up my beloved wife and fled. We took shelter in a cave and lived there for years in peace.

“Then, a particularly malicious Legate found us. He sent his men out to take me in and execute me. He was no fool, though. He had heard of my arcane abilities, so they hatched a sinister plan.

“While I was out hunting, they entered our dwelling and murdered my wife—stabbed her through the heart with a spear. I entered the cave just as the act happened.

“I flew into a justifiable rage and used the forces of darkness to destroy the contingent, but in the end, Lydia was slain.”

Amanda’s eyes opened wide and she looked to where the other woman sat on the bed. Lydia smiled and waved her hand. “But, how...”

Val raised his hand to stay Amanda. “I told you. I was powerful in the dark arts. I summoned the most dreadful demon known. I struck a deal for my wife’s life. Once a year, I must restore her damaged organ with one from a love-struck fool.”

The implication was shocking. These people are truly insane, Amanda thought.

“You have no idea how difficult it was for the first few years. Then I came up with a stroke of genius. I created a holiday. Every year, on my birthday, people would seek love. They would give each other candy, flowers, and heart-shaped gifts— my little joke, by the way. The shape is not even close to the real organ.

“It’s so easy to lure pathetic creatures in who believe in the nonsense so much they would risk their existence—people like you, Amanda.”

Amanda’s leg twitched. The poison must be wearing off.

“Do you have it, Lydia?” Val asked.

Lydia reached behind her back and produced a deadly sharp dagger. She handed the weapon to Val.

Val cut into Amanda’s wrist and she screeched as it penetrated her skin. The blood gushed out. “You felt that?” Val asked, surprised. “I didn’t count on your body weight.”

Amanda leaped up and ran for the door. Lydia reacted with lightning speed and jumped on the girl’s back. “No, you can’t leave.” Her voice was raspy.

Amanda struggled with the weight of the woman. When Lydia’s arm covered her face, she bit it. Amanda coughed as dust filled her mouth and lungs. She collapsed to one knee.

A crash filled the room. Amanda felt an impact on her head and her vision filled with black dots. She saw the shards of a crystal lamp fall to the floor around her.

“Let’s get the pentagram set up before she recovers,” Val said.

“It’s already too late, Valentinus. I haven’t the strength to feed.”

Amanda’s vision darkened and she fell to the floor. “Lydia…no,” she heard as unconsciousness overtook her.

*          *          *

“Hurry, eat this.” The voice pressed Amanda with urgency. She opened her mouth. Someone filled it with a mushy substance. She chewed. The flavor of red meat was amazing and she swallowed. Strength flowed back to her and she opened her eyes.

“That was close,” Val said, staring down at her.

“What did you feed me?”

The attractive smile spread across his face. “Lydia’s heart. You are now my Valentine. I shall live another year with her.”

“But she was dying. How did you save her?”

“When the demon comes for your soul, hers will enter your body,” he answered. “I think I hear him.”

A howling filled Amanda’s head. She covered her ears and closed her eyes. The howl was replaced with a husky panting noise. She felt breath on her face and it smelled of rotted meat. She opened her eyes…

And screamed.



Word count: 1997