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IRIS

Clink, clink, clink.

This sound is fucking annoying.

I turn my head to watch the guy desperately struggling to free himself from his chains, his wrists contorting and writhing in pain.

Of course, he won’t succeed. After all, I’m the one who tied him up.

“Could you stop? This noise is really getting on my nerves.” I groan.

My eyes are fixed on the gruesome sight of blood dripping from his chin while his wrist begins to form a small pool of blood.

Ahh, I love this sight. Blood and fear—my two favourite things to see.

I pick up a rough rock from the ground and begin sharpening my knife, never taking my eyes off him.

“See,” I tell him, my knife glinting dangerously as I point it at him. “That’s what happens when you don’t want to play.”

With my knife in hand, I lean closer to him, the sound of metal against metal filling the air as I continue sharpening it. His throat has already been slightly sliced, yet he remains conscious, gasping for breath.

What a shame.

Sporting smudged black eyes, black lipstick, and my hair tightly pulled into two ponytails, I am well aware that I don’t appear like most women... or someone who is mentally stable.

I’m neither.

I crouch down and whisper into his ear, “I think you must have done something really, really bad for them to want you six feet under.”

“I-I…”

“Please, don’t. I have no interest in hearing your excuses.”

Tossing the rock aside, I forcefully yank on his hair, directing my gaze towards him. “Are you sure you don’t want to play?” My excitement spills over into my voice, but all I receive in return are his tears. Why are people boring? “You know what? I sense that you’re not really in the mood, so here’s what we’re going to do. I’ll free you, and you’re going to run. If you can escape,” I say, clapping my hands together and making him jump. “You’re free to go. If I catch you...” I let the threat hang in the air, observing the glimmer of hope reflected in his eyes. The hope to survive. This won’t happen. “Well, if I catch you, I think you know what will happen.”

The metallic sound of the chain being unlocked fills the air as I remove it from his wrists, leaning in to whisper, “You have just ten seconds, my little prey. After that, I’m coming for you.”

Once he manages to stand, he stumbles like a newborn fawn, finding its footing.

“A little advice.” I fidget my knife from one hand to another. “You should run.”

He let out a squeal before he began to run, his eyes darting back and forth with every stride.

Wait. He squeals? What the hell?

I tightly grip my spiked bat from the ground, feeling the cold metal against my palm, and begin counting.

“Oneee,” I bell out, my voice echoing through the wood. They’re all the same—even if you can’t see them, you can feel their fear in the air.

I start to dig into my bag. It’s insane how much stuff you can fit into a regular backpack.

Rope - No.

Screw - No.

Hammer - No.

Clamps - Clamps? Why on earth do I have clamps?

I don’t think I need anything else besides my knife and the spiked bat.

Even though Medusa alone would be enough. Yes, my bat has a name.

The bat is encircled by metallic spikes, creating the illusion of a snake-infested trap, as if the reptiles are biding their time to pounce on their unsuspecting prey.

A true beauty.

I zip up my backpack, the sound echoing through the stillness, and take a moment to stretch my back before resuming my countdown.

“Seveennn… Eiighttt… Nineeee… I hope you’re ready for me. Tennn. I’m coming!”

I carefully follow the same path he took, and it’s not long before I come across bloodstains on the ground.

Exactly what I said. Easy to find them.

As I walk into the woods, my steps are light and barely make a sound, blending with the peaceful atmosphere.

It’s safe to say he ran for his life pretty fast.

My head swivels to the side, and a sly smile forms at the edge of my lips.

I have to admit, he’s difficult to spot, but his strong breathing betrays his presence.

On the tip of my toes, I quietly make my way to the concealed alcove nestled behind a tree, angling my head to see inside.

“Hello.” My voice causes him to jump in surprise and let out a piercing scream. The woods are eerily empty, with not a soul in sight. It’s unlikely that anyone would be here at this time of the night, but you never know. “Shhh. Not really smart to scream like that.” I firmly grip the collar of his jumper, forcefully hurling him to the ground.

“Ple-please,” he begs.

“Now, now. What were the specific rules of the game?” I tilt my head, feeling the weight of Medusa as it rests on my shoulder. “If I catch you, I get to kill you.” I remind him of the rules, even though letting him go was never in the plan.

“My… my friends won’t be long.”

Ah, they all make that claim.

“Oh?” I crouch down to meet his eyes. “You brought me meat to play with? How nice of you?”

Just as he opens his mouth to speak again, I quickly intervene and silence him.

“You had your shot at freedom,” I say casually. “And if I’m being honest, I have a multitude of other obligations to attend to. Should we wrap it up quickly?”

Just as he opens his mouth, the bat in my hand darts towards his head, and as it swings, it creates a whooshing sound. The spike violently penetrates his skull, causing a gruesome eruption of blood that drenches my face and body.

As I try to remove it from his temple, I groan in frustration, feeling the spikes firmly lodged in his skin.

Seriously?

With force, I press my foot against his side, exerting pressure until Medusa finally comes loose and rests in my hand.

Ahh, finally.

As I scrub the blood off my hands, the voices of others draw nearer, interrupting the silence.

I guess he wasn’t lying when he spoke about his friends.

Alright. That wasn’t the plan, but I can’t deal with that.

Fuuuuck. I just have one black bag.

With Medusa in hand, I pace back and forth to try to find a solution.

Riss, you know it, always be prepared.

In my defence, I didn’t plan on killing four people tonight.

Ohh, Oli won’t be happy. Will it be the first time? No. Would it be the last? Knowing myself and my impulses, definitely not.

I cast a quick look around, my eyes darting in every direction, hoping to spot something. Anything at this stage. But everything is empty.

Yeah, that’s why you picked this place, you idiot.

Ugh. I’m not an amateur.

My phone buzzes in my back pocket, signalling nothing good.

Before answering, I take a deep breath, preparing myself for what’s coming.

“What the fuck is taking you so long?” Oliver’s voice booms through the phone.

“Oli,” I try to coax him. “Are you questioning my abilities?”

He shouldn’t, but he should definitely know that nothing goes as planned with me. One kill turned into four… Not a big deal.

I glance at the four lifeless bodies sprawled at my feet.

Ugh.

They sure won’t fit into one bag.

Oli sighs over the line.

I’ve been working for him since I turned 18, and I’ve honed my skills to perfection.

I’d even add that I have a reputation for being the top hitwoman in the country.

After Miss Rose took me under her wing and helped me navigate through various rebellious stages, she eventually introduced me to Oliver.

I finally understood why my mother never mentioned her and why she held such deep affection for her.

Even after her passing, I received letters from her that spoke fondly of Miss Rose, praising her in every way.

There was no need for me to resort to selling my body; my sheer determination to survive was fuelled by an intense rage. Even today, it remains unchanged.

Although Oliver can be seen as my pimp. I mean, in a way, he’s essentially paying me to take lives. Kinda the same thing, if you ask me.

I watched my father for years from afar, his eyes filled with sorrow, as he dedicated himself to collective ‘research.’ It was ‘heartbreaking’ to think that his daughter had vanished after our house was broken into and my mother murdered.

Until he declared he found my lifeless body.

Fucking lies.

I have to say, he was convincing. But he left me for dead, with nothing but a burning thirst for revenge.

I was only 16.

Oliver guided me, trained me, and assured me that vengeance would soon be mine. I just need to be patient. The time is close—I feel it. But I knew I needed to build my strength for this day.

“Are you listening to me?” Frustration seeps into Oli’s voice as he grows increasingly impatient over the phone.

“Of course I am.” Peering through the darkness of the night, I squint my eyes to see the details of the woods and the farm that lies just beyond. Think, Riss, think and fast.

Maybe if I dig enough, I’d be able to bury them?

There’s no way I’m cutting them into pieces and feeding them to the pigs.

You should’ve thought about it before, smartass.

“Nooo.” I groan to myself.

“What was that?” asks Oli.

“Nothing. Listen, I have to go. Let me call yo?—”

“Don’t hang up on me, young girl.” Ugh, I hate when he patronises me. “You had one kill. What is taking you so long?”

I let out a heavy sigh, sinking down among the lifeless bodies. “He wasn’t alone.”

The sound of his groan echoes through the line. “So you killed two of them?”

“Four,” I mutter under my breath, my voice barely audible.

“Excuse me, what?”

“Four, okay? There were four. It was them or me.” Probably a lie. They wouldn’t have any chance against me.

Wow, I really outdid myself. I’m quite impressed with my own performance.

An exasperated sigh escapes his lips as he quietly curses to himself. If we didn’t have secured phones, I’d be worried about the cops tracing me.

“Alright, let me send Wolf.”

“No need. I can handle it myself.” Even though he can’t see me, I can’t help but roll my eyes. I love my best friend, but I don’t need him to save the night. I can handle it on my own.

You know what it means, right, Riss?

Ugh. I’ll have to cut them into pieces, won’t I?

Damn it.

“Alright, boss. Not that your company is unpleasant, but I have work to do.”

“Be fast.”

And with that, he hangs up. Great.

My eyes quickly dart to the blood that stains my clothes and then to the bodies lying before me.

Fine. Pigs it is.

It’s past two in the morning, and I can barely keep my eyes open from exhaustion.

What a night. It did not go as I planned… at all.

I don’t think anyone has “cutting human bodies into pieces and giving them to the pigs” on their to-do list. And that was… disgusting.

I’ve encountered my fair share of bizarre things, but nothing compares to this one.

And what’s this smell? I instinctively reach for a strand of my hair and bring it close to my nose. Yup, that’s me.

God, I need a shower. Burning hot one.

I push my door open and flick on the small lamp in the hallway, but my hand froze in mid-air.

Something is not right.

Carefully, I drop my bag on the floor and extend my hand towards my Sebenza. I rarely go anywhere without my blade.

As I tiptoe into my flat, I enter the living room and notice that everything is exactly as I left it.

Weird. I could swear someone is here. Or, at least, has been here. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

Call it my 6th sense. That’s why I’m good at my job.

The place is not spacious; it has just a small living room, an adjacent kitchen, and a bathroom and toilet combined in the same area.

My bedroom.

Instantly, a wave of dread washes over me, suffocating my senses.

I tread lightly with every step towards it, attempting to create the least amount of noise possible.

Damn it. The door is half open, and I distinctly remember closing it before I left. I always close it.

Breathe in, breathe out.

The door makes a slight creak as I open it, and I cautiously step inside, my feet barely making a sound.

My eyes squint in the darkness, trying to make sense of my surroundings, but everything appears ordinary... until the door ominously closes behind me. Shit. The beating of my heart matches the intensity of the adrenaline surging through my body.

In a split second, I launch myself at the intruder, the sharp edge of my knife pressed firmly against his throat.

“Took you long enough.” A low chuckle reaches my ears.

“Bloody hell!” With the flick of a switch, the room is illuminated, revealing the sly smirk on his face. “Do you want to get killed?”

Amidst his laughter, he playfully says, “You would have missed me,” his voice filled with amusement.

“What on earth are you doing here, Wolf?”

If he wasn’t my best friend, I would have ended him right this second.

“I heard you had a little...” he trails off, searching for the right words. “Complication.”

“It wasn’t a com—” I start, but his nose scrunches up in disgust.

“What the hell is this smell?” He glances around him before taking a deep sight of me. He leans in and… did he just sniff me? “You fucking stink.”

“Thanks,” I groan.

“Oh, but for real. You smell as if you spent your day around animals.”

Kinda did.

“Long story,” I sigh.

“Shower,” he says, gesturing towards the exit with his finger. “Now. And scrub it all. There’s no way I can sleep beside someone that smells like...” He throws his arms in the air in exasperation. So dramatic. “I don’t even know what you’re smelling of.”

For a killer, he is easily disgusted by the smallest things.

Wait. What did he say?

“Hold on. Did you just say ’sleeping’ beside me?” Ugh. As much as I love him, all I craved tonight was the comfort of spreading out in my bed. Alone. It’s not unusual for us to share one, but I’d kill to be able to sprawl by myself.

“I did. Now, chop chop. I want to know every sight, sound, and detail of what happened tonight.”

Silently, I obey and make my way towards my wardrobe to retrieve my pyjamas. Wolf sits in the middle of my bed, his fingers grazing the cover of my book on the bedside table.

Uh-oh.

Before I have time to stride myself at him, he quickly raises his arm and shakes his head, a sly smile playing on his lips.

“Don’t even think about it, Starling,” he warns. “Go take your shower while I’m checking out what will apparently be an interesting read.”

My mouth hangs open as I stand there, utterly speechless. I could easily kill him for that.

“You know what,” I shrug. “Maybe you’ll learn a thing or two.”

I’ve known Wolf for what feels like forever; he took me under his wings when I started to work for Oliver, and we’ve been inseparable since. There was never any spark between us, and I’m almost certain that he’s playing for the opposing team. Which is totally fine. It doesn’t mean I don’t have eyes. My best friend is incredibly attractive and is fully aware of it. With his silver eyes, tattoos, and brown hair… Can’t blame a girl for looking. And I’m pretty sure he has an eight-pack beneath his clothes.

Not that I counted them.

“Shower, Starling.” He cuts me in my thoughts, which is probably for the best. I don’t need to imagine the glistening sweat on his exposed, muscular chest… No… Bad Riss. Very, very bad thought.

“Are you ever going to stop calling me that?” I grump.

“Nope.” He pops the ‘p.’ “Pretty fitting with your hair colour, now go. I want to know every detail of what happened.”

Reluctantly, I drag myself towards the bathroom, emitting a low groan. “My hair is purple. Nothing to do with this bird!”

Just as I’m about to close the bathroom door, his contagious laughter reaches my ears, accompanied by a teasing “Smartass.”

As I turn on the hot water, a soothing warmth envelops my shoulders while the steam slowly fills the bathroom.

Stripping off my clothes, I eagerly step into the shower, feeling the invigorating rush of water enveloping me.

Damn, it’s good.

With each scrub, I feel the tension leaving my body as if every thought is being rinsed away along with the soap. A shiver runs through me as I think of the maddening pigs’ eyes as they ate the bodies.

Ugh, I really don’t like pigs.

Dropping my gaze, I watch as the water keeps turning red.

Damn, that was a lot of blood.

I wish I could see Wolf’s face when he reads the passage about the girl getting chased through the woods. I’m sure he’ll learn a thing or two.

As I stand in the shower, the water cascading over me, I can’t help but sigh, “Hmm, so good.”

I stay longer than necessary until my skin becomes creased and wrinkled. Nobody can blame a girl.

With the water turned off, I step out of the shower and immediately feel the warmth and comfort of my fluffy towel enveloping my damp hair and body.

Taking my time, I outstretch one leg and delicately spread the body cream onto my skin, savouring the sensation as I meticulously cover each of my tattoos.

Hmm, this scent is heavenly.

Warm lavender and vanilla. The perfect combination.

Ugh.

Don’t tell me I forgot my top in the bedroom. Fuck my life.

Putting on my pyjama shorts, I carefully wrap a towel around my hair and body before leaving the bathroom.

Wolf remains rooted to his spot, the book tightly clutched in his hand, nervously nibbling on the skin of his thumb. It might be a good part of the book.

“Enjoying your reading?” I half tease.

As he lifts his head, his intense gaze remains fixated on my body, unyielding.

“Never seen someone out of the shower?” I lift my brow.

“I did. But why are you only wearing half of your clothes?”

He’s cute when he’s embarrassed, but he should be used to it by now. I’m not known for my modesty when it comes to clothing.

“Forgot it,” I shrug. I uncover my head, letting the towel fall to the floor, then move on to the towel wrapped around my bust.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

I shift my gaze towards him, only to find him immediately looking away, unwilling to meet my eyes.

A laugh bubbles up inside me at the ridicule of the situation. “I’m sure it’s not the first pair of tits you’ve seen. No need for the dramatics.” I roll my eyes.

“I have, indeed, seen my fair share of tits, but you could warn me next time.”

“Next time, uh?”

He lifts his head, a slight grin on his face, and holy crap, his stare is scorching me. Didn’t expect that, did you, Riss?

“Yes, next time,” he says, his gaze locked onto mine. “Now, be a good girl and get dressed.”

Yes, sir.

Without uttering a sound, I obey and reach for my top, aware of his gaze exploring every exposed inch of my flesh, and damn if it’s not pleasant.

“That’s an interesting book you have here,” he says once I’m fully dressed.

“Oh, hush.” I jump next to him, but this man is far from being small. “Scoot over.”

While he does, I bury myself beneath the covers and let out a contented sigh. Ahh, that’s good.

“So, what happened tonight?”

Leaning on my back, I yawn and mumble, “There were more than I expected. I had to chop them up into tiny fragments.” Just the thought of it is enough to make me feel a chill run down my back. Cutting them poses no problem for me, but what transpired afterwards?

“Okayyy?”

“And gave them to the pigs,” I groan.

His body shakes violently, causing the bed to rattle beneath him.

“Ah, so that was the pungent scent wafting from you.”

If my gaze possessed lethal power, it would sear through his chest.

“Not funny. That was…” Ugh. Yes, I’m a killer, and yes, it’s my job. But pigs? Seriously? Even for me, it was too much.

“Why didn’t you call?”

“Handled it on my own, didn’t I?” I struggle to keep my eyes open as his breathing lulls me to sleep.

“You don’t have to do everything by yourself,” he murmurs softly, shifting to find a more comfortable position.

My mission, my kill, my problem. We don’t get mixed up in each other’s businesses, and he knows it.

“Can we discuss it in the morning?” Another yawn escapes my lips.

“Of course, Starling. Night.”

“Night.