Page 25

Chapter 24

Eve

Two days later, and after an intense interrogation Eve and Cyrus emerged from the police station, tired and groggy, flanked by the ever-loyal Ian, who had still maintained his facade as their lawyer just in case. The weight of the recent events hung in the air, palpable and unspoken.

Andy and Bonnie had endured the gruelling process of taking their depositions, their expressions revealing the shock still gripping them. Didn’t see that one coming. It was more than just solving a case, it was finding out that one of the people you trusted the most in this world was a monster.

Outside the station, journalists were already buzzing around. An “anonymous” tip had been received, implicating the Commander and an unfamiliar officer as the two psychopaths behind the murders. Zorfield was quite bored at the hospital and thought it would be funny to throw some gas on the never-ending fire.

Hopefully this will keep them busy a while, Eve thought, not forgetting her own troubles that came with her particular hobby.

Zorfield was waiting at the car, a proud smirk directed at the hive of reporters. Eve was so glad he had been found alive and well.

Eve would have much rather kept everything silent and just burned the damn boat and body, “no body, no crime,” but her and Cyrus didn’t have time to think about it with the Dynamic Duo already on site. Eve wasn’t the kind to cry a lot, but when Bonnie rushed to her, hugging her tightly in her mist of orange and cinnamon smell, she felt the tears flow freely unable to fight them.

Too bad her misadventure didn’t help the whole “you’re fired” situation. According to Cragnum the fact that her boss was a psychopath apparently didn’t compensate her lack of duty and the shame of her relationship with Cyrus. The same Cragnum who had been glowing with joy when he saw her leaving the station with a box of her stuff. He didn’t seem to care much for her various bruises, and at her surprise, didn’t care much about the two bodies left behind. Eve’s guts were screaming that Cyrus had something to do with that.

But it was still satisfying to see Cragnum step out of the station, his eyes scanning the crowd of journalists, to then yell at the poor policeman on duty. “Who the hell tipped off those fuckers??” Cragnum's gaze shifted towards Cyrus and his friends, who stood a short distance away, and Eve could see his furrowed brows raise in anger as he watched Zorfield playfully showing him his phone.

Eve's lips curled into a wry smile as she observed the hordes of eager journalists swarming. She spotted Andy and Bonnie peaking their head out the front door before heading back inside, neither were big fans of journalists. She joined them in a few steps, Andy was grumpy as usual, but Bonnie had tears in her eyes. She caught Eve’s hand, holding it for a few seconds.

“You take care of yourself chica, and if this big boy is annoying you—” she moved her chin towards Cyrus “—you come and talk to me.”

That made Eve laugh, that was a fight she would love to watch, she threw herself at the Detective and hugged her. “Bye guys, sorry for the trouble”.

Andy groaned. “You’re lucky you almost fucking died or else I would kick your ass.”

Eve chuckled, and without further ado she went to her boys, waiting to escort her home. She wanted to stop first by her flat, mostly to pick up some clean clothes, but also her weapons. Some deep instinct was screaming to her she was going to need them.

Head laying on the top of her seat, watching landscapes transforming from buildings to grass and rivers, Eve was finally resting, she had been given an insane amount of pain pills for her cut and was feeling high. Ian was behind the wheel, while Zorfield's bandaged head rested on his seat. Poor Zorfield attempted a conver sation as the car started moving forward but he gave up quickly at the heavy ambiance in the small space. Turned out even he knew when to stop.

Back at the mansion, Cyrus wasted no time marching straight in, leaving Eve and the others behind. During the half-hour drive, he hadn't uttered a word, leaving an uneasy feeling in Eve's stomach. He had spent some time at the hospital with her but not as much as she would have liked, and she hated herself for it. She would have appreciated a bit more care following the tough days she had, and Cyrus’s coldness was flipping her stomach, agitating the butterflies inside. She knew he was busy with covering Erik and Johnny murders and stuff, but still.

Eve sighed, turning to Ian for answers. “What in the hell is he in a bad mood for? We’re alive!” Which as far as she was concerned, was the best news of the day.

“Maybe it's best you ask him directly. He'll be in the gym, venting on a poor sandbag.” Ian’s emerald eyes shone in the late afternoon sun, a knowing light in them.

Before heading to the gym, Eve felt she needed something as a safety measure prior to facing him, and started climbing the stairs leading to Cyrus’s room with determination. Something was up and her instincts had rarely steered her wrong.

Let’s not mention the whole Erik and Johnny situation thing, thank you very much.

She was now scared Cyrus knew about her whereabouts and hobby, she was rewinding the movie of the last 48hours in her head and the possibility that Cyrus heard her spilling the beans about her passion for murder. At the hospital he spoke quickly about how they found her, and once they could spot Johnny on the videos from the gala it was quite easy to put one and one together. It was his boat. Cyrus asked Ian to distract the Duo long enough to give him an advance and he had hurried to rescue her. Cyrus was not exactly an angel either, but he was not like her, going around and slashing dicks because he enjoyed it.

A smart serial killer now would just run away, take a plane, and hide. Hide very well. But the idea of having someone like Cyrus, with his means and his damn s tubbornness, chasing her for the next few months or years was not as enticing as it sounded. Besides, she was not that smart.

She swiftly changed into a more suitable attire, slipping into a pair of yoga pants and her favourite wrists weapons. Two seemingly delicate gothic-kish bracelets concealing a lethal blade each, her chances against Cyrus in a direct confrontation were slim without a weapon. While some might call it cheating, she saw it as basic survival instinct. Eve pulled a light grunt of discomfort when her top brushed the cut on her breast, but the stitches would thankfully hold long enough. She grabbed her zip hoodie to hide her bracelets, guessing the total warrior look may send the message here-to-kill-you a bit too obvious.

“Long enough to do what?” she mumbled. “Kill the freaking giant?”

I kind of like him.

Armed and ready for any confrontation, she made her way through the maze of Cyrus's mansion, determined not to lose herself in its never-ending corridors, now that would look stupid. Eventually she reached the gym.

Cyrus was indeed pummelling an innocent sandbag with unrestrained intensity. Eve stood still, observing the raw power on display. Cyrus had stripped off his shirt, a sight that as usual woke up her primitive instincts. His multiple tattoos were moving in harmony with his muscles, covering most of his body, a sight she would never get tired of. Hopefully she was wrong, and he was just in a bad mood for no reason, and they would have passionate sex. Maybe they could even use his belt again. A girl can hope, right?

The powerful rhythm of his punches ceased when he finally spotted her from his corner. He turned to her, adjusting the bandages on his hands.

Eve walked towards him. “Why don’t we cut the bullshit, and you tell me what’s wrong?”

Cyrus snorted dismissively, cracking his knuckles with an air of defiance. “I know what you can do, I know what you do. I don’t believe in the tiny innocent girl anymore.”

“Because you seriously believed in it?” Eve retorted with a laugh. “We had sex in a fucking library for God’s sake. And in a garage. And don’t start me on with what you did to my poor butt this weekend.”

Dra wing closer to him, she moved sideways watching his every movement. Cyrus, however, remained motionless, his dark gaze tracking her every step.

“I had a look through your closet when you got attacked.”

Eve froze. “Maybe you shouldn’t have.”

Why the hell didn’t he say anything then?

Cyrus scoffed. “Oh I’m sorry, I was just trying to be helpful for my poor darling endangered girlfriend, packing some of your stuff so we could get out of that flat asap.” He paused, watching her moving, she must look like a tiger ready to pounce, but really she was more of a kitten. “I hid everything when your colleagues arrived. I wasn’t sure at first, I just thought that you had weird kinks.”

“Well, to be fair, I do.”

Cyrus chuckled. “Yeah that’s what I like about you.”

A heavy silence hung in the air.

“Do Ian and Zorfield know?” Eve's voice was barely above a whisper.

“Why? Are you gonna try to kill them too?”

“Only if you force my hand. I can’t go to jail Cyrus, I am way too pretty for that.” She didn’t mention killing him would be a tenuous task, but if she had to go and deal with the couple, she would definitely not survive that.

Without warning, she lunged at him, but he was prepared, deftly throwing her aside, and she hit the ground as if she was a simple doll, but sprang back onto her feet in a heartbeat. He was much faster than he looked despite his size.

There was a relentless exchange of blows, each move calculated. Eve struggled to keep pace, her martial arts skills tested as she evaded most punches while attempting to land her own hits, but she was not a puncher, that’s why she learned damn jiu-jitsu instead of freaking karate. He reach her face with his fist, which sent Eve to the ground, again, her head ringing. Getting the shit beat out of her was becoming a habit and she didn’t enjoy it one bit. She got up quickly, her many talents wouldn’t help her if he managed to stick her to the floor every damn time.

Eve breathed heavily, dazed. “I'm beginning to understand why everyone fears you.”

“You haven't seen the half of it,” Cyrus retorted, his eyes trained on her, his hands to his side but ready to jump.

“Nor have you.” Eve smirked. “I'm sorry.”

Cyrus looked at her, a question in his eyes, a sly smile appearing on his lips when Eve started taking off her hoodie, but he growled when she raised her wrists to her face, clenching both her knives.

“Come on Eve.”

“Just so you know, I am perfectly aware this is cheating.”

Kicks started again, faster and stronger, Eve heading for sensitive points, pretty excited to have found someone able to hold on to her. Cyrus was as stoic as usual, barely grunting when she finally reached his left arm with her knife. Eve held her breath at the few drops of blood now tainting the gym mat. Immediate remorse started eating her, but it was too late to stop.

Cyrus sniggered and jumped on her, accelerating his pace. She could feel the fatigue taking over, she was not used to this kind of fighting, her fights were usually short and sweet. Maybe attacking Cyrus while on meds was not the smartest idea of the year. She could totally see that now, but then she had been the Queen of Bad Decisions in the recent weeks.

Thinking about what losing would mean, she couldn’t stop herself and glanced a dark look at Cyrus, accusing him of all her troubles.

Cyrus used the moment to drop and extend his leg in a basic hook, sending her straight to the ground. Again. The shock stunned her for a few seconds, and she tried to catch up her breath, but Cyrus rushed over, pinning her down with his massive frame. He secured her hands and weapons behind her back, her body contorted uncomfortably

Eve pouted, breathless “I shouldn’t have cheated, should I?”

“Nope.”

She sighed loudly. “Well, you won then, happy? I am still not going to jail. Just be quick.”

Her lover’s gaze remained searching, his stare piercing through her.

“Pretty please?” she added, trying to look the cutest she could.

“How exactly do you expect me to be happy about that Eve? You don’t understand, do you? I DON’T CARE.”

“I am a killer Cyrus, and you don’t care? I am not a cute, accidental OMG-it-just-happened-killer. I hunt, I track, I torture, and I kill. And I LOVE it.”

“I’m a killer too, no big deal, we all have our demons.”

“You are talking about the war, I’m talking about my bloody hobby, I should be crocheting but instead I’m slashing dicks. I know you heard Erik on the boat, he was right you know…” her voice started breaking “I do like to kill, I can’t stop Cyrus.”

“So? You don’t know anything about me yet my Goddess, I love killing too. The blood, the feeling of taking the life of some fucker who deserves it, or not. We enjoy the same things, but different. Think about it like we both love pizza, except you like pepperoni pizza and I prefer pineapple pizza.”

Eve’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets as she rolled them. “Monster”

Cyrus laughed loudly. “But you know what gets me? You were planning to leave without a word, weren't you? To vanish without giving us a chance. That you could even consider me and my friends as your enemies. We are on the same side,” he said, speaking distinctly.

“We're not on the same side,” Eve protested, her voice shaking.

Cyrus locked eyes with her, emphasising every word. “We. Are.”

A heavy silence settled between them. Eve's mind raced, thoughts colliding.

“Anonymity matters,” she argued, her voice a mere whisper. “You can't comprehend the bigger picture.”

“I don't care about any bigger pictures, I only care about you. I have been taking care of the investigation on the 11's as well…Mark owes me a few favours.”

He shifted her onto her belly despite her complaints, extracting her weapons and discarding them. Turning her back over, he drew her against him, holding her close. Eve winced as pain radiated from her wrists, still under the hard clench of her lover.

“I'm sincere, Eve. You're safe here. We'll protect you. I’ll protect you. You're one of us. And if you have to go from time to time on a hunt, I am fine with it.” He paused, his mouth twisted as if he was thinking hard about something. “Of course, I would rather not find any dicks on the breakfast table. Unless it’s mine, still attached to my body, and ready to fuc k you.”

Eve’s eyes rolled, not wanting to believe him, there was no such thing as a perfect boyfriend, was there?

“Zorf even started making you a friendship bracelet. Just give us a chance” he urged, a glimmer of a smile crossing his lips. “We'll forget about the throat-slitting attempt.”

“Are you saying that because I kicked your ass?” Eve teased with a playful voice, inching a bit closer to him, moving her hips up and down the growing desire in Cyrus’s pants.

“You don’t look like you are in any position of kicking ass right now girl,” Cyrus chuckled.

“Oh shut…”

Cyrus crashed his mouth onto hers, finally releasing her from his tight grip, with caution at first, the man observing her reaction with carefulness. She immediately moved her arms around his large shoulders, positioning him between her legs.

He looked at her again with an ironic air and slipped his hands under her tank top, pulling it up, plunging on her mouth for a kiss. He settled himself between Eve’s welcoming legs, getting in a comfortable position, where he belonged. Her body finally let everything go, and while continuing to kiss and caress her, he pulled her top even more until finally removing it, paying extra attention not to touch her damaged breasts.

Quickly, he moved his body, contorting himself out of his sweatpants while Eve took care of hers, their eyes full of desire. The only thought Eve had was that she loved having his body glued to hers, no longer holding back her moan when she felt his finger creeping inside her, then two, deeper and deeper.

She clung to him like to a lifeline and in excitement whispered a vague “again” before he added a third, starting a rhythmic back and forth, stretching her drenched pussy, getting back to the old dance they knew so well.

On the verge of ecstasy, even faster than usual which was apparently a thing, Cyrus withdrew his fingers, earning him a grunt and a furious look that seemed to amuse him. Then, when she least expected it, he looked up, locked his eyes onto hers, pinned her wrists over her head, and in a violent thrust penetrated her.