Demons [Eddie Brock] Venom

22. Demons

Rory held the door shut for ten minutes, having sent Eddie out. Her heart hammered in her chest so hard that it ached, her throat closed up and her breathing came out as a wheeze. Flipping around, she leaned her back against the door and sunk down in, sliding her head between her knees and wrapping her hands around the back, locking in her hair, which she began to tug. A strangled cry emitted from her lips, but in her head she was shrieking. The tunnel vision made her shut her eyes to try and drown it out, but the panic attack hit her at full force.

How did he still have so much power over her?

Because you're worthless.

She was shaking violently, unable to get a full breath, until her mind shut her down. She curled up on the ground, hands still clutching her head as the lack of oxygen forced her to unconsciousness, where she was relentlessly haunted by the demons of her past.

"It's a business meeting, so please don't discuss your little hobbies, okay?" Carlton scolds.

"My art?" she asks, a pained tone to her voice; she's offended.

"Yes, your drawings and doodles. No one wants to hear about it, so please don't bring it up. In fact, most of what we will be discussing will be beyond your understanding, so do what you do best and just look pretty, alright?" He steps towards her, hand under her chin. "And please don't speak to me in that tone."

She bites back a retort, and she hates herself for it. She knows she should push him aside and walk out, but she can't. She knows she can't. Where would she go? She heard horror stories about women who left men like this, she heard about women's shelters and the stories of the women who ended up there. Her story was not like theirs, no, she was just being uptight. Carlton treats her right, he gives her everything she could ask for, even things she doesn't ask for, because she asks for nothing.

She is too scared to ask for anything, because the only thing she wants is to be free of him.

"You look stunning, by the way. I hope you like the dress I had picked out for you?" he asks, his condescending tone making her feel like a child.

She's perfectly capable of choosing an outfit for herself, but Carlton dislikes her wardrobe choices, her fashion sense. He likes brilliant red dresses, ones that make her stand out in a crowd. She would much rather a simple black dress, with less of a plunging neckline, black flats instead of heels that make her feet feel like their going to snap. At least dinner means she can stay seated, though she knows it will still be a long, boring dinner where all she is expected to do is smile and occasionally speak to another woman at the table.

"Aurora," Carlton says as they start to depart for the dinner. He says her name like a slightly irritated parents might to a disobedient child.

"Yes?"

"Where is the necklace I bought you?"

"Oh," she exclaims, touching her hand to her bare throat. "I must have forgotten it, is there time to turn around?"

He inhales deeply, sharply. So much is being said with that disappointed sigh. "No, Aurora, there isn't time. I didn't expect you to be so careless, you can't even remember a simple thing. Sometimes I wonder if you're as useless as you seem."

The words dig under her skin as her fingernails dig into her palms. She stops just before the skin breaks, for wounded hands and bloody fingers would lead to even more of a disaster than tonight already is. She glances out the tinted window and watches a dull version of the city whip by. They arrive at the restaurant, but before they step out Carlton grabs her wrist.

"Promise me you won't act as ridiculous as you do at home?" he asks.

"I will smile, be polite, eat with ladylike manners, and be nothing more than a pretty face to boost your reputation as a successful man," she tries to keep the patronizing tone from her voice, and hopes she succeeds.

"I wouldn't put it that way, but that's exactly what I expect. Perhaps you're not as dumb as you seem sometimes."

Rory woke up on the floor of her apartment, sunlight beaming through the window. Sitting up, she rubbed her head and took a deep breath, thankful she can breathe again. She got up and walked over to the coffee maker, hands still shaking. She poured out the remains from yesterday's coffee, too stressed and headache-filled to make a new pot right now. After she drank some luke-warm microwaved coffee, she collected her thoughts.

First and foremost, packing to begin her move.

Secondly, apologizing to Eddie for her freak out, and getting him some help. Her mind travelled back to his appearance, he truly looked like he had been hit by a car or something, and she couldn't leave him in that state. Yes, she had to go somewhere, perhaps just for a short amount of time, but now she was considering taking Eddie. They could split from the city, leave all their troubles well behind them, hope Carlton wouldn't go too far to find him.

She was still mad as anything, but she cared too much to leave Eddie to whatever Carlton might bring upon him. Opening her closet, Rory pulled out the backpack she has had ready since the day she moved in, packed with a few day's worth of clothes, toiletries, a few important documents and a wad of cash. She brought it to the door, ready for her to grab and go. Then, she stepped out of her apartment and knocked on Eddie's.

There was no answer and worry filled her up. She knocked again, her heartrate rising again.

"No," she muttered to herself, trying to stop another panic attack. Calming herself with deep breaths, she unlocks Eddie's door, preparing herself to find the worst. The mess is the first thing she sees; a trash can on its side, garbage spilling out, thawed tater tots all over the floor. Her nails dig into her palms as she investigated further, but she didn't find Eddie anywhere in the apartment. The bathroom is a mess, shower curtain torn down, and Rory suspects the worst.

She dialed his number, but the phone line came up as busy, again and again.

"Eddie, where are you?" She asked herself, running her hands through her tousled hair. Regret rams into her, like a bull, nearly knocking her off her feet. She should have let Eddie stay at her place, she should have let him say his piece, but she was so terrified of what ramifications would come from him breaking into the Life Foundation that she just wanted to flee, to run from her past again. Now, now all she wanted was to make sure Eddie was safe.

She lost herself to Carlton Drake, she wasn't going to let him take Eddie from her. 

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Hey guys! Sorry for the later post, I went to a Halloween party last night (albeit it was for children and ended at 8 and I was home at 830, but kids are fucking exhausting) and I was dressed up a Beetlejuice and I still have black make up in my eyeballs, so not only am I tired, but my eyes feel like they're falling out of my skull. Also I spent 2.5 hours getting tattooed yesterday too, so I had my ass kicked in all ways. 

Did you do anything fun for Halloweekend? 

So, now that you've seen Rory's terror of Carlton in full, do you understand her reaction from the last chapter better? She collected her thoughts, and realized that it's in her nature to help Eddie, but now Eddie is gone. 

(also I've only ever had one panic attack and it was years and years ago so I hope I conveyed it okay, feel free to fact-drop so I can make it more realistic)

Comment your thoughts! 

This story is almost at 30K <3