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ELLA

A mix of agony and desire twisted my insides, threatening to tear me apart. But I couldn’t deny the truth any longer.

“I want to …” My voice shook with fear. As I gazed at Death, a wave of darkness engulfed me, drowning out all rational thoughts. It was the same darkness that had consumed me as I repeatedly stabbed John’s broken body.

Gritting my teeth before I spoke, I found the courage to share my secret. “I intend to hunt him down like a rabid animal, ripping his secrets from his throat one by one. I will use every method at my disposal, no matter how brutal or cruel, to extract the truth from him. Why did he target your parents? What drove him to that fateful night? But once I have all the answers, I will make him suffer. Slowly and mercilessly, I will carve into his flesh until he feels every ounce of pain and regret. He’ll never know a moment of peace until his final breath escapes his wretched lungs. And then, only then, will justice be served.”

He froze in place, his eyes locked on mine as my words pierced through the air like a sharpened dagger. A shiver traveled down my spine, knowing the weight of what I said and its impact on him.

Abruptly, he placed the candle and knife on the nightstand, positioning himself between my legs with a predatory grace. His tongue grazed along my thigh, then his teeth sank into my flesh with a ferocity that made me writhe in both pleasure and pain. “Tell me more, Ella,” he growled, his hot breath tickling my core as he trailed kisses up my trembling body. “Tell me how you plan to destroy him.”

Every inch of me quivered under the skilled touch of his mouth, my hips arching off the bed in search of release. But he held me firmly in place, his fingers digging into my sensitive skin as I gazed down into his intense stare.

I licked my lips, trying to form the words he wanted to hear … and I needed to say.

“I would slide the knife into his thigh and mangle him so he couldn’t run. When he stumbled to the ground, I would target the areas to inflict the most pain, but not death. Not yet. I would make him suffer just as he made you.” I took a deep breath, my heart and mind racing with the images that bombarded my brain.

“He would scream in agony, writhing on the cold, hard floor. This is payback for everything he’d done to you. Every tear shed, every sleepless night, every moment of fear and uncertainty. He has to pay.”

“Keep going,” Death urged.

“I would laugh at the pain etched on his face, his eyes wide with terror as the knife digs deeper into his flesh. I assume he would try to fight back, to scream at me to stop, but his whimpers would only be pitiful sounds that add to my fury. With each slice of the blade, with each new wound inflicted, it would be harder and harder to resist the urge to end his life completely. And then, just as suddenly as it started, it would be over, and the man will lie motionless on the ground.” I cleared my throat before I continued. “I sometimes wonder though. Will it be enough, and will I feel as though justice has been served? Or will my rage cloud my judgment?”

Honestly, I didn’t know and didn’t care. All that mattered was the knowledge that Sebastian’s parents’ murderer had paid for what he’d done. And maybe, just maybe, my husband could find some peace.

“My queen has arrived,” he said against my core before he climbed over me. He rubbed the tip of his hard cock over my slick pussy, then slowly pushed inside me.

Pleasure shot through me like lightning, splitting the sky as he rocked his hips against me. I wrapped my legs around him, holding his gaze as he stared into the depths of the darkest parts of my soul.

“I want to watch him bleed.” I dug my fingers into Death’s back, teetering on the edge of losing my body and my mind to him.

“Let it consume you, little lamb. It won’t help to fight it. It’s always there. Always clawing at your soul until you no longer recognize yourself. But I have always known who you are.”

His words calmed me as we connected on a physical and emotional level.

“I will protect you even during the darkest moments.” He leaned down and kissed me roughly as if our souls were merging, and he couldn’t risk letting me go.

Death quickly rolled over, and I straddled him. Taking my time, I slid up and down his thick, long shaft and moaned.

“Ride my cock, my little whore.” His fingers wrapped around my throat and tightened until I could no longer breathe. Death slammed into me and massaged my clit with his other hand as he fucked me.

“Once you kill him, I’ll force you to your knees in his blood. My dirty slut will suck me off and milk me dry.”

I clawed at his arm, black dots dancing in front of my vision as my pussy clenched around him. He released me seconds before the orgasm ripped through me. I groaned and then screamed his name as I leaned forward and dug my claws into his chest.

“Goddamn, your cunt is so good.” He lifted me off his dick and sat up, a wicked smile curving his mouth. He climbed off the bed and stood.

“On your knees.”

I quickly obeyed even though my orgasm left me weak. He fisted my hair and jerked my head back. With a quick move, he shoved himself into my mouth until he hit my throat, and I choked around him.

“You’re so beautiful with tears streaming down your cheeks, your mascara running, and my dick between those pretty little lips.” He ran his knuckles down my face.

I struggled to breathe, but he held firm.

“Suck it. Worship me like it’s the last time you’ll have the chance. Show me how much you want my cum.”

He pulled back enough for me to drag in a lungful of air, then he slid in and out. His gaze narrowed, and his lips parted. I prepared myself for his release. I sucked and stroked his shaft until his eyes slammed shut, and his hot, sticky substance filled my mouth.

Death stilled, then stared down at me with pride in his expression. He pulled out and knelt in front of me. He wiped my tears away with the pad of his thumb, and I swallowed over the soreness in my throat.

“So beautiful.” He kissed my forehead, then dipped his head to my ear. “Tell me, little lamb. Have you found him? Is the man who murdered my parents still alive?”

The air was thick with tension as I struggled to find my voice.

“Yes,” I managed to utter in a faint whisper.

In an instant, Death scooped me into his arms and rose to his full height, his gaze blazing with vengeance.

“Who is he?” Death’s grip tightened like a vice around my waist as he carried me to the bathroom, a sense of primal urgency driving his movements. He sat me on top of the counter and turned on the shower.

Despite our rough sex, Death always made sure to take care of me afterward. It was a twisted but deliciously necessary part of our dynamic.

He tested the water with his fingers before lifting me off the sink and pulling us under the hot spray. His lips crashed onto mine in an intense kiss, his hold on me unrelenting as he sat me down.

“I’m not sure. He has several aliases. I haven’t been able to learn much more than what you already found.”

He gripped my jaw and leaned my head back, allowing my hair to get wet.

“No more secrets, little lamb. I want to know everything you find out as soon as you do. If he’s truly alive, then we will hunt him together.”

My mouth went slack as my brows rose in surprise. “You’ll let me join you in the……kill?” My breasts brushed against his chest as excitement bubbled to life inside me.

His eyes sparked with deadly ferocity and eagerness.

“As long as you’re not in danger, you will be by my side.”

His lips captured mine, and a surge of adrenaline coursed through my veins. The thrill of the chase and the hunt consumed me as his words sank in. I would finally experience what Death did, and I couldn’t wait. I tightened my arms around his neck, pulling him closer as I eagerly surrendered to the unknown.

Each time Death left, my heart broke a little more. Thoughts bombarded my brain as I watched him vanish into the dense, foreboding woods. The babies would return soon, and I couldn’t risk Lulu discovering the truth about Death and Sebastian’s hidden identity. With every fiber of my being, I vowed to keep my husband and children safe. Lulu would only know the man who adored me and protected us with his life.

I rubbed my arms, trying to shake off the sadness that threatened to engulf me. He would return later that evening, but a sense of dread lingered in the back of my mind. The constant worry of him getting caught never left me. Thankfully, the kids would keep me occupied until he returned, which would ease my anxiety a little.

As much as I loved seeing Death, I was often a single parent due to his absence when he was eliminating sick, twisted men. Maybe I should give Lulu more hours this week and see how it went. I could use the extra help.

The soft hum of a car engine drew me away from my thoughts. My heart raced with eagerness to see the babies as I waited for Lulu’s black Kia to appear in the driveway, but my frown deepened when a strange vehicle pulled up instead.

I squinted at the sleek vehicle as it parked, my senses on high alert. The door swung open and a tall, dark-haired man emerged, his expensive suit jacket perfectly tailored to his muscular frame.

“Hi, can I help you?” I placed my hands on my hips. No one had any business being here other than family and friends.

“You sure can.” His broad smile reflected his cheery voice, and I tried to relax a little. “You’re Ella McCloud, right?”

I gave him a tight smile. “McCloud was my maiden name. It’s Fletcher now, but how do you know who I am?”

He tipped his chin up while he sauntered towards me with an air of confidence, the sunlight bouncing off his designer sunglasses and temporarily blinding me. My gut twisted with unease as he grew closer, an unfamiliar aura of danger emanating from him. He only met my question with an eerie silence.

I cleared my throat, my pulse pounding in my neck. “What can I do for you?” I mentally reminded myself not to mention that my husband wasn’t home.

He swaggered up the porch steps, stopping mere inches in front of me. The overpowering stench of his cheap aftershave choked me as I saw my stern expression reflected back at me in the dark lenses of his sunglasses.

“A friend sent me.”

His cryptic reference to a friend had me nearly bolting into the house and grabbing the gun.

“Please tell me why you’re here or you need to leave. This is private property.”

He chuckled softly, his gaze darting around as if he was searching for someone.

“I personally don’t mean you any harm, Ella.”

I didn’t miss what he said, personally, which meant someone else did. Taking a few steps back, I edged toward the open front door.

“Then who wants to cause me harm?” After working at the law firm, I was aware that I’d made some enemies since my bosses represented several big criminals. I could easily be on someone’s list, but the Horizon Society could also cause issues for any of us helping to relocate families to safety. Hell, it wasn’t that long ago that one of them had tried to kill me, and Death had stepped in and ended Stephen on my kitchen floor.

The man tapped the side of his head. “Smart girl, listening to what I’m saying and not just what you want to hear.”

Each muscle in me tensed, and I became acutely aware of every sound. Suddenly, a chill slithered down my spine and goosebumps dotted my skin. The tiny hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as a feeling of unease consumed me.

My fingers curled into tight fists, knuckles white as I prepared for a potential fight. “Get out of here,” I barked through gritted teeth.

The loose wooden board of the porch creaked ominously behind me. I whipped around to see a hulking figure looming over me. Run! My body instinctively kicked into flight mode, but before I could make a move, a meaty hand clamped down on my arm with a vise-like grip, trapping me in place.

Suddenly, a searing pain shot through my entire being like a hot needle piercing my skin. My eyes bulged in terror as I stumbled backwards, grasping for the railing to steady me. But my legs betrayed me, buckling under the intensity, and I crumpled onto the porch, helpless and at the mercy of the drug that pulsed through my veins.

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the yard as my vision blurred and faded in and out of darkness. With a last burst of strength, I turned to face my attacker, their twisted features taunting me as the world began to spin out of control. I desperately tried to fight unconsciousness, but it swallowed me whole as it sent me spiraling helplessly into the depths of oblivion.