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“Here are my conclusions based on his actions thus far. We’re looking for a white male between the ages of thirty-five and fifty-five.

I am leaning toward the high side of his late forties.

He has had years of being pushed around to fuel his anger.

He will be small in size and his animal will also be small, probably a prey animal.

He blames others for his own unhappiness, which he attributes to a lack of respect, which in his opinion is due to his height or animal. ”

“He probably works in a medical field. He is draining and storing blood, which takes medical training and equipment. He was probably bullied or abused as a child. I have no proof, but I am willing to bet that the first victim was an accident, the elementary school teacher. I believe that he saw the teacher either hit or abuse one of the children, which made him a target. It also explains why none of the victims are children or have children with the recent exception of Stanton.”

“He is using these deaths to support his Shifted Death habit. He kills the shifter, drains them, and takes the blood to a local dealer for processing. He only gets a fraction of product for the quantity of blood he is taking. But, he is a user, and he is starting to make mistakes, which is why you found traces of vampire blood at the last scene before Stanton. It wasn’t the blood of the attacker, but blood from the drug.

He is experiencing highs and lows, manic and depressed states.

In his manic state he rages and loses control, consumed in jealousy.

He feels as if the victim has somehow taken something from him.

He either beats or rapes his victim to extract revenge, to put himself above them, to control them.

It’s a power play. In the depressed, paranoid state he removes all traces of himself from the victim.

He is working outside the drug ring operations.

There aren’t enough bodies for this to be a small faction.

He is doing this to support his own habit.

One, maybe two kills a week, I estimate. ”

“That just leaves Stanton. The anomaly. The statement. The killer knows he has our attention. Stanton was part anger and part satisfaction, as if he feels like he is finally being seen. I hate to ask, sir, but was Stanton raped?” Connor asked and held his breath.

He really didn’t want to know. Tears filled the older man’s eyes and he nodded.

“How could you possibly know that? We have kept that under wraps,” Davidson asked.

“Because if I were him, that’s what I would do.

It was a message to us. He is saying ‘Fuck you. You can’t beat me.

I am better than you, I own you. Look what I can do and you can’t stop me’,” Connor had to take a deep breath.

This was the part of the job he hated. This was the part that scared him.

He feared how he well he understood these monsters.

“He’ll be celebrating tonight. Manic state. Flying high. He has stuck it to ‘the man.’ Literally. We may get lucky and catch him at a bar or club. He may get sloppy and start bragging, but it’s a long shot.” Connor let his head drop back. He was exhausted.

“Griffin was right. You should have been called in at the beginning. Wendall, I will also be including that in my report to the council. I will also take Ms. Claybourne-Arkadion’s advice and make the suggestion to Elder Ora that your cases be reviewed.

Your narrow-minded bigotry has gotten a lot of people killed.

Connor Arkadion is under vampire control about as much as I am.

” Davidson looked at the director of the Agency in contempt.

“Now, see here,” Wendall began.

“You are dismissed, Director. I am moving this case where it should have been all along. Under Sentinel jurisdiction. Pull your agents from this case immediately,” Davidson ordered.

“Blood fuckers!” Wendall snarled and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

“Commander, I am sorry for your department’s loss. Arkadion, you have done good work here. I hope that we can continue to come to you for assistance,” Davidson asked.

“We’ll talk later, Jeffrey,” Madison said, speaking up.

Connor rolled his eyes.

“I wish that bastard wasn’t so damn slippery. He approached the van where the closed circuit television from the shop across the street couldn’t see him.” Griffin growled.

Connor froze. Stanton was taken at Purgatory. David and Daniel had that placed wired like Fort Knox. He quickly pulled out his cell phone and dialed Gabriel’s number.

“Gabriel speaking,” the smooth, musical voice answered.

“Prince Gabriel. This is Connor Arkadion. I’d like a word in private if you can manage it,” Connor said. He could hear people’s voices and laughter and knew that Gabriel was at the diner.

“Connor? Are you being coerced? Are you able to speak freely?” Gabriel asked, and Connor nearly groaned out loud when all the background noise stopped. Knowing that his Ma wouldn’t let Gabriel leave the diner until she knew he was okay, he sighed and continued.

“Prince Gabriel, I am sitting with Commander Terrance Griffin from Sentinel and Jeffrey Davidson, trusted liaison from the shifter council. We are reviewing notes regarding a string of murders that have been taking place around Brighton. The last man who was killed was kidnapped from Purgatory’s parking lot last week.

Can you see if David and Daniel have anything on video surveillance?

It would have been a parked, unmarked, black van,” Connor explained.

“David, Daniel,” Gabriel said.

“On it.” They replied.

“Connor, are you safe? If you are in Brighton, I can have my coven members to your location in under ten minutes,” Gabriel offered.

“I’m safe. Tell my Ma to bake me an apple pie and have the coffee ready. Oh and tell Aleks to calm down before he bursts a blood vessel,” Connor said, smiling.

“Blood vessel, my ass. What in the hell is my baby brother doing at the Sentinel head office?” he heard Aleks roar.

“Connor, I would feel better if you would allow Kurt and Lauri to come to you,” Gabriel said.

“Really, everyone, Madison and I are fine. We’ll wrap up here and be back home in a couple of hours,” he reassured the prince.

“Connor Christian Arkadion, you bring your ass back to this diner. You have two hours before I send your brothers to come get you,” his Ma said, growling between each word.

I’m in for it now.

“Gabriel, if you could have the twins email me anything they find I would appreciate it,” Connor said.

“Are you sure you don’t need an escort?” Gabriel asked again.

“I’m sure. Thank you for everything.” Connor ended the call and let his head fall onto his arms on the table.

“My ma is going to kill me,” he whispered.

Madison giggled. He looked up and Griffin and Davidson were struggling not to laugh.

“Now, I see why I don’t intimidate you,” Griffin said, smiling wide.

“Sir, she wasn’t kidding. I better leave now to make it back to Arkadia in under two hours. Knowing her, she’ll jump the gun. I’ll forward anything I get from David and Daniel to you. Come on, honey,” Connor said, standing. He fought the need to run to the truck to get on the road.

“She doesn’t know that Sentinel asks for your help on cases does she?” Madison asked.

Griffin started laughing. “Ms. Claybourne-Arkadion. Connor doesn’t just help with cases, he works them. Connor is a Sentinel,” Griffin explained. Madison’s eyes narrowed.

“Son of a bitch,” Connor murmured.