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9

IRIS

I saw them the second they entered the coffee shop. They’re hard to miss.

Elijah Walsh

He is the mastermind behind it all, the one who calls the shots—Crimson Ghost.

Kai MacLeod

Viper is the death personification, digging his fangs and craving for blood.

Archer Blackwood

Don’t be fooled by this Angel's face. Master of technology, his fists blur with incredible speed, leaving you unable to see their strikes.

It’s not for nothing people call him Strike.

After the events of last night, I had a feeling Angel wouldn’t be able to stay away for too long.

I knew he was in my flat from the moment I locked my door.

I was also aware of him hiding in my dressing room. His eyes were practically burning a hole in me as I undressed. And when he moved closer to my bed and began touching himself before putting his cock in my mouth, thinking I was asleep... I was also aware.

I didn’t think my Angel had it in him, but he surprised me.

Am I deranged for having let him do it?

I think we established I was.

Was I wet after he forced himself into my mouth?

Yeah, I fucking was.

While Will prepares my order, I glimpse Kai’s presence looming behind me on the reflective surface of the metallic napkin holder.

Perfect.

“Here you go, love.” With a playful wink, Will hands me my iced matcha, the glass covered in condensation that drips down the sides. I’ve been coming here for years, and Will has been one of my closest friends, aside from Wolf.

A non-killer friend.

“Thanks, hun.” As I pivot, I ‘ accidentally ’ collide with Kai, causing my drink to splash over his black T-shirt and eliciting a growl from him. The glass slips from my hand with a loud crash, causing the remaining contents and ice to spill onto the floor.

Oopsy .

“What the fuck?” He groans.

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry. I didn’t look where I was going.” My voice breaks with each word. Damn it. When am I going to have my voice back?

“Clearly, you didn’t. It’s not complicated to look in front of you.”

Oh, he’s not happy.

“Is everything okay?” Will silently joins us, handing me a couple of towels so I can clean Kai’s T-shirt. Just as I reach out to help, Kai swiftly intercepts my wrist, blocking my hand from making contact.

“Do not touch me.”

Okay, then.

The moment our eyes meet, my gaze is irresistibly drawn to the scars on his cheek and nose. It then follows the striking scars that trace a path from his neck, disappearing beneath his T-shirt and finally resting on his hand, which captivates me.

What happened to his finger?

Sensing my gaze, he hastily pulls his hand back.

“I can pay for the clean and dry,” I suggest with a shrug.

Kai brushes off my hand, grabs the towels, and proceeds to clean himself.

His piercing gaze locked onto mine, his emerald eyes penetrating my very being, and still, I find myself unable to break free.

Just as he is about to speak, Angel appears from behind him and rests a hand on his shoulder.

“Vixen. Funny seeing you here.” I observe him firmly pressing down on Kai’s shoulder, ensuring that he remains quiet. What a shame; it started to get interesting. “Don’t mind this grumpy ass. He hasn’t slept well these past few days.”

I refrain from chuckling. For someone his size, being affected by a tiny threat is comical.

“It was my fault. I didn’t watch where I was going.” I glance at Kai. “Your drink is on me. Take it as my way to apologise.”

Angel presses his hand once more when Kai opens his mouth.

Interesting. I would’ve never guessed that he would be the one meticulously keeping them in order.

“No need,” says Angel. “Why don’t you join us?” His finger gestures towards the table, where Elijah’s gaze is locked onto us.

Who am I to refuse when someone presents you with exactly what you need on a silver platter?

“What happened to your voice?” He raises his brow.

Should I tell him the truth in front of his friend? Since he was present during my conversation with Wolf last night, he is fully informed about what happened. Something is telling me he imagined the scene more than once.

“I think I’ve been partying excessively, and now my voice is gone,” I lie.

There’s a glint in his eyes as his mouth forms the perfect O.

He’s enjoying it.

“I’m Archer, by the way. It seems like we never had a proper introduction.”

I smirk at him. “Iris.”

“And this one is Kai.”

Kai says nothing, but his eyes tell me he’s plotting to kill me and bury my body somewhere.

“Shall we?” Archer gestures towards the table, and I silently trail behind them, observing and analysing their every move.

They’ve crossed my path on several occasions, but I’ve never been as near to them as this.

We make our way to the table, and I find myself sitting across from Kai and Elijah while Archer heads off to order the coffees.

Elijah takes a few seconds to speak, his eyes carefully assessing me.

“I’m Elijah.” He extends his hand towards me, waiting for me to grasp it.

“Iris.”

“Nice to meet you, Iris. So how do you know Arch?”

“We met once.” It’s not a complete lie. But do they really need to know their stalking skills are lacking?

“That’s interesting,” Elijah remarks as Archer comes back with our drinks, including my iced matcha.

“Thank you, Angel. You didn’t need to.” He takes a seat beside me and nonchalantly dismisses me with a flick of his hand, but I can sense Elijah and Kai’s eyes fixed on me, curious about the nickname I’ve given Archer.

“No need to thank me. So, what did I miss?”

Just as I’m about to open my mouth, “Girlfriend” by Avril Lavigne starts playing from my pocket.

I’m going to kill Wolf. What the fuck is that?

Archer and Elijah exchange amused chuckles while Kai maintains a stoic expression, though a subtle smirk betrays his amusement.

“Interesting choice,” Elijah says, amusement evident in his voice.

“Don’t. I didn’t put it,” I groan. Before anyone else can make a comment about this questionable musical choice, I quickly answer the phone.

“Oli. What can I do for you?” The security measures on my phone give me peace of mind, knowing that even at maximum volume, no one can listen in on my conversations.

Elijah, who is sitting right in front of me, carefully observes me as he takes a sip of his coffee. I have to say, he’s good-looking. They all are. Even the grumpy one.

“One. What the hell happened to your voice?”

I sigh. One day, only the truth will come out of my mouth, and they’ll regret asking me.

Actually, today is the day.

“Got fucked too hard.”

The room suddenly fills with the sound of three simultaneous coughs as Elijah, Kai, and Archer all choke on their coffee.

My bad.

“Christ. I didn’t need to know that.” I can clearly see him pinching the bridge of his nose.

Nonchalantly sipping on my matcha, I shrug and say, “Don’t ask if you don’t want to know.”

“Lesson learned.” He sighs. “Three days,” he grumps over the line. “I gave you this mission three days ago. What is taking you so long?”

I’m having fun? Duh.

He never specified that I had to kill them immediately.

Actually, his text was clear.

Eliminate The Order.

That’s it. I can’t be blamed for not receiving clearer instructions.

“I’m quite busy right now.” I pay no attention to the piercing stare from the guys in front of me.

“Iris!”

“You never gave me a timeframe. It’ll be done as always. Can’t you just let a woman enjoy herself and have some fun?”

“Do it, and fast.”

“I don’t make promises I can’t keep. Is that all? Because as I said, I’m quite busy. Except if you have something else for me.”

“I do, actually. I’ll send you that in a bit.”

“Alrighty then. Always a pleasure.”

“You need to have this done right away without wasting any time.”

“Alright, Dad.” That makes Elijah tick.

“You’re trouble,” Oli sighs.

“I know. Talk to you later.”

As I hang up, their eyes remain fixed on me, filled with curiosity.

“Is everything okay?” Archer asks, a crease appearing on his forehead.

“Everything is fine. Just my daily call.” I take another sip of my drink. “So, what are you guys doing for a living?”

They remain stoic, their faces revealing no trace of emotion, suggesting that they have prepared their responses meticulously.

Predictable for killers.

“Businesses,” Kai states, his gaze piercing through me with intensity.

So he does have a tongue.

“Hmm. I see.”

“What Kai meant to say is that we have several businesses spread across different branches, including security companies.” Archer tries to save his friend. “And several tattoo shops.” He smirks at me.

That would explain the comment about my thigh tattoo the other day.

“No, I meant businesses.”

Archer sighs beside me, probably done with Kai’s behaviour.

“It’s okay, Angel.” I gently bump my shoulder against his. “I got what Kale tried to say.”

Elijah tries to conceal his smile, but Archer’s chuckles grow louder as he observes Kai’s face turning red with anger.

“Kale?” Kai tightens his fist.

Did I poke the bear? I hope I did.

“I mean, I thought it was pretty fitting with your mesmerising green eyes.” I flutter my eyelashes, feeling the soft brush against my skin, before I raise my shoulders and let them drop.

Kai’s growing agitation only fuels the guys’ amusement, causing them to burst into laughter.

Alright, I guess it’s time for me to leave before he gets the chance to murder me before I can kill him first.

“If you’d excuse me, I need to use the ladies’ room.”

Ladies’ room? Seriously, Riss?

Leaving the table, I walk past the counter where Will is giving me a curious look, wondering which person I’m hooking up with.

I should probably fuck all of them before killing them. It would be a pity not to enjoy those handsome men.

Closing the bathroom door behind me, I check the message that Oliver sent me. Short as usual.

Rob Smith - 30 years old. 36 Camden Road - He usually frequents Jolie’s four times a week.

Sam Hamilton - 42 years old - this is your top mission.

I thought he said one mission.

Jolie’s… That should be easy. They have a motel just behind the club, which would allow me to do the job with no issue.

Another text pops up.

You have until Sunday to accomplish your three kills. That shouldn’t be too hard for you.

Ugh. Can’t you let me have some fun?

Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, I take a moment to fix a smudge of mascara that has appeared under my eye before washing my hands.

My hair colour definitely needs a redo; the vibrant purple is starting to fade.

Deciding that I had spent sufficient time in that place, I make my way out, only to find myself cornered by Kai.

“What is your game?”

I lift my head to glance at him. He’s very good-looking. I want to taste him on my tongue . I’m sure he’s the type of guy that would tear you apart.

But I prefer him when he’s sleeping.

“I’m afraid you need to be more specific.”

He pushes me against the wall, his face inches from mine.

It’s a shame I don’t have Medusa with me. I’m sure he would appreciate the prickly sensation of her spikes against his skin.

“Do not play with me, Iris. I know it was you.”

“Me that what? Again, you need to be more specific.”

I don’t take my eyes off him. Among the three, I knew Kai would be the most alert.

“If you want to play with us, you’ll lose.” His head inches closer, whispering in my ear. “I’m the hunter, not the prey.”

It’s my turn to inch closer, my breath barely a whisper. “If you’re trying to turn me on, you’re almost there.” I tap on his shoulder. “I love a good game.”

I forcefully nudge him out of the way, determined to regain my spot at the table. The guys are still present, but Elijah’s concentration is solely on his phone, causing a frown to appear between his brows.

I know this gaze. It’s the one when your mission is not what you expected.

Kai follows closely behind me, his anger palpable in every step.

“Sorry, but I have to go.” Leaning in, I plant a gentle kiss on Archer’s cheek, my voice cracking as I strain to make it higher with my hoarse voice. “See you later, Angel.” I turn to face the guys. “Elijah, Kale,” I grin. “It was a pleasure.” Ignoring Kai’s groan, I wink at him before making my way out.

I carefully check the cameras, ensuring they are turned off, before installing the video loop and entering the house. It’s the middle of the afternoon, and they’re not here, but who knows?

Archer’s security is so tight that it took me quite a while to disable their defences, but once I discovered the vulnerability, it was a breeze.

He’s been unsuccessful in detecting any breach or cracking in the loop so far, but I’m confident that he will figure it out within a few days. It might be too late for them when he does.

Starting in the kitchen, I bypass the fridge and head straight to the coffee machine. Since they all enjoy drinking coffee, it shouldn’t pose a problem.

I reach for my syringe, feeling the cool metal in my hand, before moving on to the machine and mixing the liquid with the coffee grains.

A little sleep-inducing substance has never caused harm to anyone.

Unfortunately .

I carry on with my scheme of contaminating their food, incorporating a secret ingredient that will cause them to fall ill.

“What? Don’t judge me. I can feel your eyes on me.”

I turn my head to look at Sam, tightly bound to their sofa, his muffled cries stifled by the tape over his mouth.

I thought it would be a thoughtful gesture to leave them a small surprise.

Holding onto Medusa, I walk towards him, lowering myself to his level and peering into his eyes.

“There are a few matters I need to handle, but don’t worry, I’ll be back for you.” His tears wet my lips as I kiss him on the cheek before heading to the first floor.

Going into Kai’s bedroom first, I walk to the vivarium to glance at the beauty inside.

“Hello, you. Aren’t you a cutie?”

The name he gave her is pretty fitting. Carefully, I place my hand into the vivarium, and Bellatrix regards me with suspicion, weighing her options. But in a matter of seconds, she confidently slithers onto my hand and races up my arm. Her skin feels icy to the touch, but she is the most stunning white snake I have ever laid eyes on.

“Hello, you.”

With her presence weighing on me, I enter Kai’s bathroom and proceed to tamper with his body wash and shampoo, adding a skin-irritating substance. As I reach inside my bag, I continue, pulling out a handful of tiny needles that I discreetly tuck beneath his bed sheet. I make sure everything is in place and do the same with Archer and Elijah’s bedroom.

I cannot wait to hear the piercing screams that will fill the room once they lay down. Though they may be tiny, those needles deliver an excruciating sensation.

I return to Kai’s bedroom and carefully place the snake back into her vivarium, gently stroking her scales.

“This stays between you and me, okay?”

I make my way back to the kitchen and reach into my bag to retrieve the bleach, its pungent scent filling the air. With a steady hand, I pour it into all their alcohol, watching as it mixes and creates a deadly concoction.

I think that should be enough for today.

After packing everything back into my bag, I make my way back to Sam, who is still sobbing.

Ugh.

“Okay, Sammy. This is your lucky day. You’ll be able to enjoy the fresh air before you die.”

I should probably end his life right here, but I’m more interested in witnessing their confusion at another break-in.

After untying the rope from the leg of the sofa, I assist him in standing up. Yet, he resists my efforts and makes a desperate attempt to escape, resulting in a fateful encounter with the handle of Medusa on his face.

“Now, now. Why on earth would you try to escape?” I shake my head, feeling the synchronised swaying of my two ponytails. “Let’s go.”

With blood filling his mouth, he struggles to keep up with my pace, stumbling with each attempted step.

“Can you make an effort? It’s starting to be really annoying.”

We walk through the woods until we reach the graveyard.

I meet Sam’s gaze, taking in the sight of his wide, blood-streaked eyes and tear-stained face.

Ah, I always loved the fear in their eyes.

The smell that reaches my nose is so strong that it makes my nose crunch.

“Did you pee yourself?”

Fantastic .

I push him to the ground, and he clumsily trips over one of the graves.

“I’d normally give you a chance to escape, but I’m just not feeling it today. Shall we start?”

I retrieve Bart 2.0 and lean closer. Wolf has been quick to make me a second one. After he broke my voice, that was the least he could do to make it up to me. My new baby is incredibly sharp, sharper than any other I had.

Taking Sam’s hand, I twist his fingers, and the sound of bones breaking reverberates in the air.

“It’ll be less painful for you,” I assure him, closing Bart 2.0 to his finger and pressing down with force.

The tape muffles his scream, his eyes rolling back in agony as a red flush spreads across his face.

“I’m not even halfway.” I chuckle, feeling the resistance as I apply more pressure on the knife until his finger detaches from his body. “Thank you for that.”

I place his finger into a plastic bag before taking Medusa in my hand.

Though he remains conscious, his eyes dart back and forth uncontrollably. I don’t know what he did for someone to want him dead, and I don’t care.

Just as I’m about to swing Medusa, I see him move, causing the spikes of the bat to pierce his stomach.

“What are you doing?” I groan, wiping his blood from my clothes. “You’re not supposed to move.”

With my foot firmly planted on his chest, I apply force to extract Medusa, causing me to stumble backwards as blood spills from his body.

“Don’t move,” I growl, my voice laced with menace, as I lift Medusa once more. I watch with grim satisfaction as the spikes pierce his skull, shattering it into two jagged halves.

Is that his brain?

I inch closer, captivated by the sight of the gooey texture splattering on the ground.

Oopsy. It is, indeed.

Oh, I need something else.

Retrieving my gloves from my back pocket, I pull down his jeans with Bart 2.0 and take a grip on his cock.

He really did pee himself.

Without wasting a moment, I swiftly insert my knife around his balls, feeling the resistance of the blade as I apply pressure.

My eyes are fixated on the gruesome sight as the skin splits open and thick droplets of blood fall onto my gloves. It takes me multiple attempts, applying increasing pressure on the knife until his genitals are separated.

Perfect .

I go for his dick next.

What? Can we really consider a meal complete without a generous serving of protein?

Following my usual pattern, I insert Bart 2.0 on the top of his shaft, gradually pushing it in deeper until blood splashes over my face.

Ugh.

A girl can’t be cute without blood on her, can’t she?

His muscles twitch beneath my touch as I pull with increasing force to detach it.

I rise to my feet, holding Sammy’s dick in my hand while scanning my surroundings.

The scene resembles a battlefield, with rows of graves scattered in the midst.

I don’t bother to take care of the body; the guys can handle it. It’s their place, after all.

Taking my time, I gather all my possessions and head back to their house. Once there, I meticulously wash the blood from my hand in their sink, ensuring no trace is left behind. I then drop the severed finger, his dick, and his balls into their mixer.

The room is filled with the sound of bones cracking into the mixer as I patiently wait for them to be thoroughly mixed, resembling minced meat.

That’s fascinating.

I’m sure they’ll enjoy it.

Finally, I combine this grisly concoction with the pre-existing mince stored in their fridge.

Perfect.

Wolf accused me of cooking him human flesh. Well, now, he has a good reason to say it.

I don’t forget to add my signature in the coffee machine before leaving.

My job is done here.

On to the next mission.