Iris Loganna
Chapter Three

“No, no, no. Get her out of here. She’s going to be here any minute. My time’s up.”

“Dude, calm down. It’s not like she’s a monster.”

The guys started to laugh, and that made him mad, so he grabbed him by the collar, and brought him close to his face.

“You have no idea what this girl is capable of. Okay? She’ll make you think she’s going to love you and then turns on you with cold truth and becomes what I described.” He pushed him down, and then said, “Do not underestimate her,” turning to the others. “She’s evil.”

The smaller man stood back up, and having known him for years, he apologized. “Alright, Chris. I’m sorry. We’ll do as you say.” He looked to the man who held a young girl with a knife to her neck and motioned for him to release her. He let her go, and she ran out the door.

“She’s gone. We’re gonna be okay.”

Just then, they heard something unnatural and turned sharply to investigate. The leader then leaned towards the small man’s ear, and whispered, “She’s here.” The small one gave a signal, and four of the men started to head to search the shelves in the warehouse they were in.

“If you’re looking for me, you’re wasting your time,” Iris said from the other side of the room. They all turned to face the voice but saw nothing but shadows. Then Iris took one step forward, revealing one of the stilettos she wore. She took another step, and then another, and then she was entirely visible. She wore a pair of Daisy Dukes, and an over shirt that was tied at the hem, exposing her stomach. Her hair was tied back, and she wore heavy mascara, eyeshadow, and vibrant red lipstick. They had fallen under her spell, tricked, and unaware.

“Ho, ho, ho dude. What were you talking about? This girl’s nothing like you described,” a tall black man said to the leader.

Iris spotted a stereo that was out on a tool cart and flipped it on as she passed by. Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” was playing, and she walked over to the man who spoke. She turned her body outward to lean against him and brought a soft hand to the side of his face “Guys! Snap out of it! It’s a trick!” but the others didn’t hear him, for the music seemed to grow louder in their ears, and they took turns enjoying her presence and danced with her. Little did they know that they were playing right into her hands.

The open space in the warehouse had turned into a dancefloor, and the music got to its max volume. Jeremy, the leader, had limited choices and then got the idea of turning the stereo off. He rushed over it, hoping to turn it off, but as he continuously pressed the power button, he realized her powers were beyond what he witnessed. Then Iris came over to bring him to the fun. He wanted to refuse, and not fall, but he fell. Oh, did he fall. All it took was her touching his hand. So, she brought him over to join the party, but the song was drawing to an end, and she needed to make a move, and fast. Then, though it wasn’t going to be pleasant on her part, she thought of something. She motioned for the man who wasn’t doing much, Dominick, to come over to her. He did so, and the guys started to “Ooo” in approval. The song ended, and then Thom Yorke’s “Hearing Damage” played as she brought him to her lips. The guys stopped and gawked in admiration as they kissed. Everything seemed to slow as the song continued, and then Iris allowed him to kiss her neck and shoulder as she leaned forward and put her head on his shoulder and her arms bent behind his head.

She rolled her eyes back and closed them. The song was seconds away from stopping, so she rocked back and forth, waiting for the opportune moment. The moment it ended, she forced her eyes open. They beamed green again, and Jeremy came to.

“Oh no,” he thought, but a moment too late.

She jumped up into shadow, confusing Dominick. They all looked around, also confused, and then Iris landed on the other side of them, dressed in a completely different outfit. Skinny Jeans, thigh-high leather boots with dagger heel, and a zipped up leather jacket - all of which were black, except the jacket; which was chocolate brown. Her hair was let down, and she wore the wings she had on before she got there. Only this time, they looked like black, distorted, angel wings. She made her claws come out slowly, just for laughs, then her fangs, and waited for the fear and the truth of the situation to settle. With her telekinetic powers, she turned off the stereo and began her assault.

Jeremy tried to run, but ended up behind a case of shelves in his best attempt of hiding as most of the other 12 were killed. She did, however, leave Dominick, and went to replace Jeremy. It didn’t take long for her to notice the wording on Jeremy’s jacket, so she flew up and over the giant stand of shelves, and grabbed him up.

“Ah!”

He almost sounded like a little girl, but Iris ignored it and flew to the highest point in the ceiling, which happened to have the open space under it and hovered a moment.

“Okay, okay. Please don’t kill me. I did what you asked. They’re all released and at home. Don’t kill me. Please!”

Iris adjusted him so that she was holding him by the front of his jacket.

“Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa.” He looked at her face with a very pitiful expression.

She returned his gaze but wasn’t about to show any mercy for the crimes he had committed. “You upheld your end of the deal, and I respect that.” He sighed and went limp with relief for a moment, which made him heavier.

She yanked him back up and continued. “However,”

Fear grew in Jeremy’s eyes.

“You still have committed crimes that have gon unpunished.”

“No! No! Please don’t, please don’t!” he squealed. Iris spiked as best as she could, and then plummeted the same way she did in the park. Jeremy screamed, and Dominick watched as they travelled at about 80 mph down what seemed to be 7 stories.

However, just like she had done in the park, she opened her wings to the fullest and slowed just enough that the blow wouldn’t kill him. By the looks of it, they were still going too fast, so she quickly changed her wings to what looked like large dragon wings, and that slowed them down just enough that the floor wouldn’t get dented and cracked. As they landed, Jeremy fell unconscious, and Iris placed herself so that she was kneeling beside him, still holding the center of the jacket. Dominick had turned, expecting the worst, but then looked back, not hearing the concrete crack. There was dust though, and as it settled, Dominick carefully walked toward the wreckage and coughed once or twice before he could see Iris with Jeremy. She had already folded in her wings so that they weren’t noticed, but still had her claws out. She turned, feeling his eyes watching, and made Dominick jump as he saw her dark shaded eyes that glowed.

“What are you?” he asked, being cautious.

She stood, and started walking towards him. He stepped back as she came forward rather quickly, but he didn’t move any further. She just spoke softly as she reached him, and didn’t hurt him.

“I was hoping you could tell me.” She backed up enough for him to look straight at her, for he slightly turned his head. “I don’t know what I am,” she said, looking down and to the side. Dominick brought his back off the wall, and she turned around to face the other direction. “I came here tonight knowing that I had to bring him in. Just to keep the streets safer.” Iris felt something that she never felt before but shrugged the thought off.

“Then why did you spare my life?” he asked coming up behind her.

It was hard for her to put words to it, but turned as she dimmed her eyes, and retracted her claws and fangs. “

I’m not sure,” she told him while looking into his light brown eyes. “I’ll tell you one thing though.”

“Hmm?”

“I didn’t mind that kiss.”

“Really?”

She shook her head. “Tell me something though.”

“What?”

“While I was being flirty earlier, what did you see?”

Dominick was silent a moment, trying to think of words that described what he saw. Then he took his hand and moved a strand of hair behind her ear.

“I saw a beautiful young woman that I fell for as soon as she walked in the room.”

“Really? Not the monster you just witnessed render a man unconscious after free falling 7 stories?”

“Well, technically you didn’t fall freely the whole way. I saw your wings change so you wouldn’t kill him.”

“Oh. You noticed?” She turned her head, but Dominick brought her glance back with his hand, and said, “I notice everything a woman does.” Iris almost cried, and he saw this, so he took her in his arms. It took her a moment, but she brought her hands under her chin and on her chest so that she felt more at ease. Dominick cradled her, and gently placed his head on hers, for he was taller, and continued to stand there.

“Hey.”

Iris looked up, and he moved the same strand of hair again.

“You’re okay. You’re just doing what you think is best for the people.” This comment confused Iris, so she asked, “Then why were you in the trade?” “Oh…well, I actually just came in because one of the guys you killed asked me to come in.”

“Oh?”

“Mm-hmm. It was just a one-night thing, and it happened to be the last night the trade stood.”

“And why should I believe you?”

“Because I’m an honest man.”

Iris needed no further information and stayed quiet. Dominick then took the back of his fingers and slowly, gently slid them down her cheek.

“May I?” he asked with courtesy as his hand slid down her neck to rest on her shoulder. Iris didn’t need to say anything, for her eyes spoke for her, and then he kissed her.

Dominick brought her with him as she backed up diagonally and sat down on a square crate, still kissing her. Iris put her knees on the edge of the crate as she held the sides of his head, and he put his hands on the sides of her torso, just above her hips, but then a groan made them stop and look at Jeremy. Catching her breath, and putting her hair behind her ear, she stood back up. “Um…I think I should,” “Yah.” She held her arm, and Dominick sighed, kind of disappointed. She started walking toward Jeremy, and then Dominick stood, about to say something. “What’s your name?” Iris turned and didn’t hesitate in giving it to him, for she felt like she could trust him. “Iris. My name is Iris.” She said with a slight grin. “What’s yours?” “Dominick.” Jeremy groaned again, and she knew it was time to get going, so she turned again, let out her wings, and grabbed him up.

Dominick stood and watched as she flew gracefully through an opening in the roof, then quietly said her name to himself. “Iris.”

Iris flew past the tracks of the old train station, and over the city that was barely lit now that it was past midnight. She couldn’t stop thinking about Dominick or what it was about him that intrigued her, but she soon started to fly over the water tower. Justice and the assassin were still there, trying to replace a way off. She shook her head and made her eyes glow again. They saw this and started to make their way to the edge, but then she used Jeremy to just give them a little push, and they fell to the ground. She continued on and soon found herself above the police station. Iris straightened her body so that she was in a vertical position, and slowly made her way down to the front door.

Since she always carried zip ties, she decided to tie him to the lamppost that was in front of the entrance. When she finished tightening the tie, she looked at the glass doors. She noticed a small light shown from the hallway, but not much else. She looked back to the sidewalk, then to the sky. The stars burned bright, and there seemed to be more than there usually was. She didn’t know what it was about the stars she liked, but she knew that she liked them. It was almost like the feeling she felt with Dominick. Iris started to walk back into shadow so that she wasn’t seen and then heard the hinges of the door squeak. She turned with a jerk, and the woman who held an arm full of files stopped, and stared. Iris stayed but a moment, and as the woman took a step forward, Iris took to the sky in a flash. The woman, Jackie, was the one who showed the chief the clip from the security camera above the counter a few nights ago. Now, she had more info on what this “creature” looked like, so she went back inside.

“Chief! Chief!” She called down the hall. He looked up from his desk that was lit by a single work lamp and set down his pen as she entered the door. “What is it?” “I think I just saw the culprit outside our door.”

“Did you see her face?” Jackie fell silent, regretting to give her answer, but she didn’t need to. The chief put his hand to his forehead. “You start to go home, but stop because you see our culprit, yet you hesitate to look at her face or grab her even?” She stayed silent, and he dropped that fact. “Well other than that, what did you see?” “I saw that she was around five 6, five 7, and I saw that she had…”

“She had what? Say it.”

“Wings, sir.”

“Wings?”

She nodded, but he didn’t believe her story.

“Jackie.” He came around the desk. “I think you’re tired and need a good long rest.”

“But sir, I know what I saw.”

“I’m sure you do. But I also think that you’ve been dreaming a bit early. You go home and rest. Okay?”

Not wanting to do so, but knowing she had to, Jackie turned and started out. “There is one thing you should know though, sir.”

He looked at her, and she finished her thought.

“That man who was selling girls is zip tied to the post outside.”

He sighed. “Alright. I’ll bring him in the morning. I need to think right now.”

And with that, Jackie left him to his work and went home.

The hole that Iris had exited of on her departure from her room opened and Charles greeted her warmly. “Aw, welcome back mistress. Nice flight?” She hesitated as she took her flight suit off. “Rejuvenating, thank you, Charles.” She said distractedly. “Are you alright, miss? You seem different.” “Hmm? No, I’m fine.”

“My scanners say that you are not. You’re confused, yet understanding. Sad, yet overjoyed. What happened tonight?”

She plopped on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Charles, being the cybernetic empath he was, then understood what she was feeling. “Okay, what’s his name?” Iris lifted her head. “Huh?”

“What’s the guy’s name?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She said dropping her head back down.

“Yes, you do. Your pheromone levels have spiked. You obviously had some sort of romantic encounter. So, what’s his name?”

“Why do you, a computer, need to know?”

“Ah! JUST a computer?! I jest! I wish to know why it is the way you act.”

“Oh, right. Like his name is going to help you with that.”

“Alright…I guess I’ll just tell your uncle you went out after hours again.” This made Iris sit up.

“Okay, fine. If you must know.” She sat crisscrossed and put her hands in front of her legs. “His name is Dominick.”

“Dominick who?”

“Must you be so specific?”

“Just asking.”

“I couldn’t tell you because he didn’t say.”

“Line of work?”

“Charles!”

“Sorry.” He said as his final word, and then said, “Good night Iris.”

“Good night Charles.”