Peter knelt in front of the scared child. The small room she was in had a tiny desk and chair. There were cookies on a plate with a pitcher of juice next to it. The last thing he needed was a crying, snot-nosed kid to screw everything up. "Shh…hush now, sugar. He patted her on her round cheek. "It's alright, don't you worry you're pretty little head, everything will work out."

Starr lower lip trembled. "I want my Daddy!" She wailed. "You said I could see him." Big, fat tears rolled down her face. She clutched her doll and rocked back and forth, trying to comfort herself.

Peter gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to scream at the little brat. She was just like her father. She stared at him with the same hazel eyes, surrounded by wet little lashes. He pulled his lips back in a poor imitation of a smile. "Why, Starr honey…what's with the tears? I thought you were a big, grown-up girl?"

She bit her lip. "I am," she whispered. Then a little more forcefully, "I AM a big girl."

Peter spread his hands. "Well? Then you need to act like one. Didn't I promise you'd see you're daddy?"

Starr nodded.

"Okay, well you need to be a patient, grown up girl and wait quietly. Didn't I buy you books and crayons? And your Dolly? You just need to sit quietly in here and color for a little while longer. Then you and your daddy will visit. I promise."

Starr looked at him keenly and scrunched her nose. "My daddy say's you gotta make sure people back up their promises. What happens to you if you don't back up your promise?"

Peter shook his head in amazement. The kid was her father's child all right. A real smartass. "LOOK, I just will!" He snapped. He gritted his teeth and forced a smile. "I'm going to shut the door now. So color a nice picture for your Daddy…okay, Starr?

Starr sighed. "Okay, I promise to be quiet."

"Glad to hear it," Peter muttered in irritation. He shut the door.

Clarice watched the exchange with bated breath. Thank God Thomas's child was unharmed. She glared at Peter Manning. "You animal," she breathed. Her eyes were like black ice. "You make me sick."

He walked over to her and slapped her viciously across her face. "I'm crushed you feel that way," he drawled sarcastically.

Clarice gasped as an explosion of pain shot through her. She almost blacked out. She licked at a drop of blood collected at the side of her lip. Her eyes watered as tears threatened to fall. She drew a trembling breath and forced them back. She wouldn't give him the power or the satisfaction.

She stared stonily at him. It was amazing how such a beautiful man could be so rotten and decayed. His lean, tan face was unlined and youthful. He was extremely handsome. But, once you looked into those malevolent, pale blue eyes, the evil was there for all to see. They were cold and dead.

He leaned closer to her. His warm breath tickled her face. His tongue came out snake-like and licked the side of her face.

Clarice moaned in sheer terror, and twisted her face away.

He laughed in delight. The power coursing through him made him feel like a God. "What's the matter, baby? Don't I turn you on?" He lightly brushed his fingers over her belly, snickering when she sucked her breath in sharply. "I'm a much better fuck than that loser over there."

Todd's hair was hanging in front of his face. He was in control and alert. He cut his eyes sideways, but stayed still. He kept his breathing steady and slow. He needed to think, to plan.

"What kind of monster are you?" Clarice whispered, repulsed. "How could you do this to your own flesh and blood?"

"Flesh and blood?" Peter sneered. "You think that asshole's my real son? He's a bastard in every sense of the word. His Mother was a cunt who fucked a rich, old man and then spawned Todd. But, I fixed him though," he whispered.

Clarice could only stare horrified. "What are you talking about?"

Peter smiled evilly. "I hated him from the first day he was born. When he was a kid he was always clinging to me, wanting to play, wanting love and affection. That's when I started the game." He picked up slim cigar case from the card table and picked one. He closed the lid shut with a smart little snap. He fixed her with a cold look as he slowly lit the cigar, taking a long, satisfying pull.

Clarice stared at the cigar in terror. He had burned her earlier, for no reason. He just touched the tip to her breast and coolly watched as she screamed in pain. She was chained up and totally helpless. Then he kissed her lips gently. Tenderly brushing her hair away from her sweating face. "Just a little sample of what will happen if you don't do exactly what I say."

Peter pulled his lip through his teeth erotically. He knew what she was thinking. He could smell her fear, and he felt himself grow rock hard. "You wanna hear the rest of my little tale, before you and I get…acquainted?"

Clarice nodded quickly.

He smirked knowingly. "I thought so. As I was saying, Toddy was such a pathetic little sissy. The more he grew, the more I hated him. The more he loved me, the more I beat him. Ever hear of DID?" He asked innocently.

Todd looked up and tensed. Goddamn Peter Manning to hell. He kept silent. He needed to hear, really hear this. This was his life.

Clarice shook her head. "No," she whispered. Her heart bled for Thomas, and the small child he was.

"Dissociative Identity Disorder. It means you're boyfriend here, is fucked up. He has split personalities. Pete, Tom, and Rafael. I'm sure you've met them all, honey."

She closed her eyes. Yes…it explained everything. All the times he seemed to change, and become someone else.

Peter smiled nastily. "I can see from you're expression that you believe me. And you should, not that the folks back in Llanview did. They thought he was faking it to get outta goin' to jail. Todd thought so too…but he knew. Deep, deep down he knew he was completely screwed up." He leaned in closer to Clarice. "And you know what? I'm the one who made him that way," he said in a soft menacing voice. "I knew exactly what to do… to make him split. I created him and I'm gonna destroy him."

Todd was trembling as if he had palsy. To actually hear the words coming out of his father's mouth was debilitating. Peter Manning did this not just because he was a sick, monster. He did it deliberately. He wanted to ruin him, destroy him as a human being and he did it on purpose. His breathing was light and shallow, and he felt as if he could faint at any moment. He hung his head and tried to fight for control. Something was happening to him, some fundamental shift in his personality.

Peter Manning ran his tongue over his lip. "I started screwing Todd on his fourteenth birthday. That was my present to him…and to me. He was and still is beautiful to behold, but you already know that, don't you? Tom was born on that night. Shy, malleable, stupid, Tom. A pathetic little pussy that made me sick to my stomach."

Clarice stared hypnotized in a trance-like state. The evil pouring out Peter's mouth was the blackest, vilest of poison. It was toxic and foul.

"I only had the pleasure a handful of times. Just enough at key times to keep Todd in line. He'd get so angry and frustrated; it was really quite lovely to watch. Pete was then born. You see…I carefully cultivated his alters, got to know each one…intimately."

Clarice had her eyes locked on Peter Manning. "You Goddamn sadist," she spat. "What you are is not even human. You are a disgusting piece of garbage," she said in a clear strong voice. She leaned forward and spit in his face. Her black eyes were hard and filled with fury. "Did you think I'd turn away from Todd in disgust?" She screamed.

She jerked against the chains; her hands were in instinctive claws. "The shame is all yours, you filthy SCUM! I love him; I WILL ALWAYS LOVE HIM! You don't win…you don't win!" She bent her head down and sobbed uncontrollably for Todd. It was heartwrenching, broken, and splintered.

Peter clapped his hands. "Wow, honey. I am impressed." He wrapped a fist full of her hair and jerked her head up. "But, guess what? I don't give a shit about your opinion."

Clarice struggled against the hold on her. "So? Why did you come back? Haven't you done enough damage?"

"You think I came back, because I cared enough about Todd to fuck with his mind again? I came back because I need money, and Todd has lots of it," he yelled.

"Are you insane? He wouldn't give you a dime!" Clarice cried.

"Oh, he will. He will. You see…I plan on becoming executor of his estate. Tommy will agree to it. After he's committed of course. He is fucking nuts. Look at him. He's already halfway there. When he sees what I'm gonna do to you and his kid…" Peter laughed darkly. "Well, I'm sure you get the picture, it'll finish him off. I made sure I planted a lot of evidence back in Llanview connecting Todd to the kidnapping of his kid. Their gonna throw his ass away forget the key. And I'll be long gone, with all his money."

Clarice felt the floor lurch sickeningly under her feet. She was with the Devil. He was standing before her in human form. She was paralyzed with fear. She knew she was going to die. She hung her head in defeat and choked back a sob.

Peter caressed her cheek. "Shhh…don't cry kitten. You are so very lovely and desirable. I've waited a long time, and have been very patient, but I want you…badly." He pushed her head up and roughly slanted his mouth over hers in a bruising kiss.

"Well guess what Manning? You're gonna have to wait a little while longer. It's my turn now." Pete was standing with his arms folded. He looked dark and dangerous. His hair was tangled wildly around his face and his eyes glowed in his face like a tiger's. "She is one fine piece of ass and I get first crack."

Peace and Love,

VTW