Page 5

5

DEATH

"White wool, black thoughts—a lost lamb carries both until one outweighs the other." ~ Anonymous

The dried leaves crunched beneath my booted feet as I hurried through the forest toward my car. I’d jogged a couple of miles after I’d left Ella, and soon, the sun would set, allowing me the cover I needed. Until then, I would remain hidden.

As badly as I wanted to return to Ella and my children, I had to extinguish the fire burning inside of me. Months had gone by since my last victim, and my bloodlust had returned full force. I needed to kill, to watch the life drain from some pathetic bastard’s eyes. I had the power, the ability to play God when necessary, and I was ready. It was easy to murder a twisted son of a bitch for hurting his children, especially since I had my kids. Even though I had to be careful not to get caught, the urgency to kill faster and to rid the world of evil had started to consume me.

I slowed my pace and listened to my surroundings, but only silence responded. Reaching inside my jacket pocket, I retrieved my burner phone and tapped out a text message.

Me:

Do you have a target for me?

I waited impatiently for a reply, keeping an eye out for anyone that might accidentally stumble across my hiding place. It would be a very bad day for someone if that happened.

My phone vibrated in my palm, and I stared at the screen.

Dope:

Are you sure you want one in that area or a bit farther away from your home base?

I knew he was referring to Ella, and he had a point, but I wouldn’t kill tonight. Not yet. I would stalk and prepare, drawing out the excitement and anticipation, then remove the victim from the vicinity. My cock hardened at the thought of taking my time before I devoured my prey.

Me:

Give me the information. I’ll draw it away from base.

Dope:

I’ll get details together and message shortly. Hang tight.

A wicked smile eased across my face as I waited for the darkness to descend. Dope, aka Hal, along with Kip set up my kills for me. It not only saved me time, but they helped me space them apart and across the country. But as the days moved on, I was finding it more difficult to leave Ella, Alaric, and Verity. I had to remind myself that I did this for them, and for all the families who were suffering at the hand of a maniac.

A dark chuckle slipped from me while I toyed with ideas of how I might torture my next victim.

My cell vibrated again, and I looked at the screen, weeding through Dope’s message with coded keywords. A burner phone only protected you so much, but with Dope’s hacking skills, we stood a better chance of not getting caught. Even then, he wasn’t the best out there and we weren’t ever one hundred percent safe. If I was ever arrested, charges would never stick without evidence, and my men made damn sure there wasn’t anything traceable.

Dope:

I’ve let Kip know you’re on a bender. Let me know when to send him your way.

Kip had been going off radar occasionally, and I had my concerns about his activity, but as long as he didn’t land himself in hot water with the police, I wouldn’t jump to conclusions … for now. For my peace of mind, I wanted backup, though. Over the years, my good cop friend, Ryan, had helped clean up after my kills and also pointed the detectives in the wrong direction, throwing them off my path.

Me:

Will you be available in a week on the east coast?

Ryan:

As long as you fly me out, I’ll be there. Give me a heads up though.

Me:

Always. See you soon.

I tucked the phone into my jacket pocket and pressed my lips into a thin line. Ryan had been one of my closest people since college when he tracked me to one of my early kills. I was young and dumb, and when he confronted me about my activity, I took him hostage. It didn’t last long. He was on board with helping me anyway he could since he believed in the cause. Ryan majoring in criminal justice and landing his first job as a cop was icing on the fucking cake. He watched my back and was a key player in my investigation. I just wondered how long he could keep it up without being exposed.

Once the sun painted her canvas with blue, purple, and wisps of gold, I slipped from the tree line and jogged up the dirt road to my car. I climbed inside and started the engine, my phone vibrating again. I retrieved it, glowering at the screen before I answered.

“What?” I snapped at Dope. He knew better than to call when I was out. The sound of the phone could give me away at any moment, jeopardizing my safety. At one time, I used to turn it off, but if Ella ever needed me …

“Man, you know I wouldn’t call if it weren’t an emergency,” Dope said, his voice frantic.

My shoulders pinched as I spoke. “What is it?”

“I was just scrolling through the video footage at Ella’s house like you’ve asked me to, and normally it’s boring shit I see.”

“Get to the point, Dope,” I snapped, losing my patience.

“Death, man, she’s gone.”

I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white, and I was sure that I would rip it out of the column.

“What the fuck do you mean by gone?” I placed the phone on my lap and tapped the speaker option. “I’m on my way to her place, so you better talk fast.”

I hit the accelerator, rocks and dirt spitting from my tires as I tore ass down the road.

“A Nissan Sentra pulled up and some guy in a suit was talking to her. There was another man too. He came up behind her and stabbed her in the neck with a needle. She dropped to her knees on the porch. A few men went into the house, but Ella was carried to the car and tossed in the trunk.”

A roar tore from my throat as I tried to process what Dope was telling me.

“I backed up and looked at more of the footage, and the only good news I have is that the kids went with Lulu several hours ago. I think they’re safe, but we need to make sure.”

The car bounced along the dirt road as I sped toward her home, panic ripping through me as I realized that my worst fear had manifested. I’d pissed someone off, and it had put Ella and my family in danger.

“We have to act fast. Call the men and get to the airport. You know what to do. I’ll reach out soon, but first I need to look for her. Maybe they didn’t take her. Maybe they photoshopped the video or some shit.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I winced. Why would anyone threaten me and not act? If someone pulled that crap, they would die the moment I found them.

As my mind raced with thoughts of worst-case scenarios, a tiny glimmer of optimism kept me going. Maybe they altered the footage or something. It wasn’t likely, but I had to hold on to any shred of hope.

Silence crept over the line. I knew I was reaching, but she couldn’t be gone. She fucking couldn’t be.

Seconds later, I saw it. The house, with its door wide open, taunting me with its emptiness. A surge of fury rushed through my body, igniting every muscle with blazing determination. My nostrils flared in contempt, and I gritted my teeth with a fierce resolve to prove Dope wrong.

“I’m here. I’ll keep you posted.”

“Yeah, we’ll see you soon. Hang tight.” Dope disconnected the call as I slowly approached the driveway. I pulled over and parked the car in the thick of the trees. I needed to note the tire tracks of the vehicle Dope mentioned, and if I drove over them it would be much more difficult to get what I needed. Proof for starters. My thoughts teetered on the edge of insanity as I hurried to Ella’s place on foot.

My knife strapped to my leg gave me little comfort as my mind and heart warred with each other. I refused to acknowledge Dope’s words that she was gone until I saw it for myself.

Quietly, I took the steps to the porch and slipped inside her home. My eyes widened in horror as I took in the sight in front of me. Verity’s stuffed bear had been ripped apart with stuffing bursting from its stomach. One eye dangled from a thread as the other stared directly at me. Alaric’s blanket had been shredded, and the pictures of Ella and my children had been smashed and broken. The couch and chair were turned over, and magazines were strewn all over the floor. I removed my weapon and crept into the kitchen, hoping to catch the son of a bitch responsible for entering Ella’s house without permission. A surge of primal satisfaction jolted through my body at the mere thought of carrying out my revenge, my fingers itching with anticipation. I forced myself to maintain composure, to stay laser-focused on the task at hand.

The sound of me clenching my teeth reached my ears while I took note of the kitchen—cabinet doors were open; food and broken dishes littered the floor. My nostrils flared as rage ignited inside me. No longer caring if I was quiet or not, I raced up the stairs and flung open the door to the kid’s room. Empty. Hopefully they were safe with Lulu, but I had to check the rest of the house before I called her. If the kids were okay, I didn’t want to scare the shit out of our nanny.

The beat of my heart pounded in my ears as I ran down the hall to Ella’s bedroom. The papers that had scattered the floor and bed previously were gone, but so was she. I searched the bathroom, closet, and every fucking nook and cranny upstairs, then downstairs. There was no sign of her. A sharp pain shot through my head as sweat coated my forehead, the fear and anger of losing her ripping through me. I returned to the living room as the blinding agony dropped me to my knees.

“This isn’t the fucking time for a migraine,” I snapped as I pounded on the fucking floor. A feral roar ripped through me as the truth sank in. Ella was gone. Fear taunted me as images of her lifeless body took front and center in my mind’s eye. I couldn’t allow myself to go there. My hands clenched and unclenched as I said, “You motherfuckers better run because I’m coming for you.”

I grabbed my head, groaning as the room faded from sight.