Page 2

CHAPTER 1

J essica

“I’m coming for you!” His gruff voice managed to echo in the dense forest just before he howled.

I did so adore a man with a deep, husky voice. “You will die.”

The loud breathing surrounding me matched the rapid thumping of my heart. There was nothing like the electrifying rush of pure adrenaline.

“No. No! Run.” The girls scattered, running in all directions. Typical, but at least they hadn’t tripped. Whoops.

There went one, her face pitched into the thorns. Ouch. That had to hurt. I almost laughed at the ridiculousness, but my enjoyment was still eight out of ten.

And my scale was tough.

I shifted forward, my pulse increasing just as he caught one of them around the throat, lifting her several feet off the ground.

“Oh, God,” Stephanie moaned from beside me.

The monster held up the butcher knife, his entire body arched as if hit by a bolt of lightning. He brought the sharp blade down into the girl’s face, yanking it out immediately afterwards, the moonlight reflecting across the blade’s bloodied surface. And the murderous beast thrust it down again. And again.

And again.

Screams pounded the room, several people jumping as they shrieked.

When the killer immediately turned toward the other two girls, I was certain Ashley might faint. The brutal beast wasn’t any nicer to the others either, almost cutting one girl in half.

I sat back in the theater seat, still munching on popcorn. My besties had given up struggling to keep down the goodies when the anti-hero in the movie had used a chainsaw on one of the guys.

Ashley suddenly clawed my arm, digging her sharp nails into my skin.

“How can you stand this?” Stephanie moaned.

I giggled. Because the vicious violence sparked and fed the twisted depths of my soul.

With blood covering every inch of him, the serial killer headed deeper into the forest.

Yet he would kill again.

And again.

When the movie ended only a few minutes later, Stephanie hissed at the screen. “What kind of shitty ending was that? Shouldn’t he be arrested? Hell, no, the fucker should have his arms and legs cut off very slowly with a rusty blade. Yeah. That’s what he deserves. Then maybe the girls aren’t really dead and they can be healed. Imagine doctors falling in love with them.”

Ashley choked on her Diet Coke.

I leaned all the way forward in the seat, cocking my head in her direction. “You do realize this is a horror movie and that there are never happy-ever-afters in them. Right?”

Stephanie was genuinely pissed, jerking to her feet. “I don’t give a shit. That was no ending.”

“It just means there’s going to be a sequel,” Ashley insisted.

“It’s an entire series. You know that.” Sighing, I rose to my feet. Both my friends were sweating. We certainly didn’t have the same tastes in movies and undoubtedly in men by a long shot. “Come on. It’s late.” Very late. I checked my watch as the credits continued to roll, and the lights slowly began to fill the theater.

It was well after midnight. At least it was Saturday night, so I’d have a chance to sleep in the next day. The entire crowd of people had managed to jump up from their seats, heading toward the exit before we had a chance. What were they afraid of? The boogeyman?

I chuckled from the thought. At least I’d gotten a few pointers I could use in my designs at work. That was worth sitting through the cheap thrills.

As we lagged behind the remaining crowd, I rolled through the special effects in my mind.

“Well, I loved it,” I told them both. “In a professional way, of course.”

“You would. You’re kind of creepy like that,” Stephanie teased.

I slapped her arm. “I’m not creepy. I told you this was for research.”

“Great,” Ashley groaned. “As if I want to play a video game where a man in a creeper mask chases me around with a big knife.”

“They’re virtual reality games, darling,” I told her.

“Whatever. They’re games. Not real life.”

They were my life anyway. As one of the designers for a small but profitable gaming company, we had challenge sessions every Monday morning where we tossed out ideas for possible future game development while sipping on lattes and bouncing on huge rubber balls used as chairs. While I had a sizzling list of ideas I kept locked away for security purposes, I thought a horror flick might generate the darker, more creative side of me.

The city of Chicago offered promise, even if the reason I’d moved here wasn’t entirely about accepting a position I’d gone after with tooth and nail. No, my reasons for abandoning my home in Baltimore were very personal. Much to my father’s anger.

But I was a big girl determined to live my life.

And right the wrongs that had occurred within my family.

We finally made it out of the building, the crisp air a welcome change to the recent weeks of sticky humidity. “That was… disgusting,” Stephanie said before bursting into laughter.

“It was made on a dollar budget too.”

I glanced at Ashley and shook my head.

“Baby girl. You don’t need to worry about money so stop complaining.” I told her.

She gave me the finger as I’d anticipated. The girl had balls, but a hell of a lot of brains too. Plus, she was the most gorgeous of the three of us.

“At least we managed to squeeze in some time together.” Stephanie threw open her arms. “Group hug.”

I groaned. She always did this as if we didn’t try to see each other at least once a week. “We’re going shopping tomorrow. Remember?”

Stephanie pulled away. “Shit. I can’t. My mother is insisting I go to brunch with her and dear ole Daddy.”

“Pooh,” Ashley chimed in. “We’ll miss you. Well, maybe not that much.”

We all laughed. “Where did you park, girlie?” Steph asked me.

“Over there.” I pointed behind me. The parking lot had been slam full when I’d arrived, but the other movies had ended around eleven so there were few cars left.

“By the forest?” Ashley made a face. “I will say this. You just had to pick a theater far removed from civilization. There’s like nothing else around.”

She was right about that. With one road leading away from the theater, it took a full mile before hitting a two-lane road heading for the highway. “This is the only location the movie was playing.”

“Gee. I wonder why. A dungeon,” Stephanie growled out and acted out a scene from the movie.

Shadows. The moon. The stars. They were both right in that this was a perfect location for a crime scene. Maybe that’s why I’d selected both the movie and the theater.

“Are you afraid of the dark?” I made a sound like a ghost. Steph hated the dark while I thrived in it. Darkness was when I was in my most creative spirit.

“You’ve been spending way too much time alone, girlfriend. Maybe you should get out in the light more often.”

They loved to call me a vampire. “Funny. Ashley. Eleven tomorrow. Don’t be late.”

“Me? Late? Never.”

“Always,” both Stephanie and I said with singsong tones. I backed away, waving to them before taking long strides toward my little car. Getting out for a change had been a great idea. I’d been working so many long hours that days had gone by without me knowing.

But I had plans.

Big plans.

And they would put me on the top of the gaming world. Plus, I could finally act on the biggest need I’d had in my life.

Destruction.

I obviously had a slice of evil lurking in the abyss of my mind.

There was nothing wrong with my devilish ideas. Nothing at all.

Ping.

I was halfway across the parking lot when I heard a sound. The girls liked to try to scare me every chance they got. I spun around. “Stop it. I know what you’re trying to do.” I craned my neck, scanning the parking lot and surrounding area.

There was no one there. Not a single soul. There were also maybe four vehicles and none of them close. I knew this side of town wasn’t a hot spot, but I’d never expected it to be so desolate. I stopped briefly when I couldn’t find my keys in my purse easily, surprised I felt anxious. I heard another sound. Was that a whistle?

My nerves instantly shot to the edge and I didn’t bother turning around, heading quickly and directly to my car. Still searching for the keys. The moment I managed to grab them I felt a presence behind me, but didn’t have the chance to cry out before a hand was slapped over my mouth. I was jerked back by several inches, fighting to free myself. Somehow, I had the resolve to fist my hands, even cracking a hard punch against the assailant’s face.

“You fucking bitch.” He squeezed his hand around my throat, his stale breath stinking up the air around me.

Stars floated in front of my eyes and I did what I could to remain calm. I stopped struggling on purpose, hoping he’d make a mistake and I could escape.

“That’s more like it. You’re looking awful lonely, princess. I think you deserve some company.” The man’s voice was raspy, his hot breath tickling my ear. I wasn’t prone to panic attacks, but knew I was in a very bad position. I started struggling in his hold, my instinct telling me if I didn’t break free, I’d be kidnapped or worse.

His hold was strong, so much so he lifted me off my feet.

No. No. No. This couldn’t be happening.

Another strange noise assaulted my senses and seconds later, I was freed. Had I heard a whooshing sound? Gasping, I spun around, noticing a flash as the man who’d attacked me was yanked several feet into the air. I didn’t have time to react and a scream stuck in my throat.

As if waiting for the moment of utter horror to sink in, the man who’d come to save me lifted his arm. A sharp blade glistened in the overhead light, capturing my attention just seconds before he brutally dragged the knife from one of the man’s ears to the other.

There were no gurgling sounds, no noise whatsoever except for my labored breathing. The assailant’s neck had been cut almost clean through, blood spurting from the horrific gash. I was stuck in a frozen moment, unable to think or breathe.

Finally, my savior slowly turned his head, allowing me to see his face. A mask. His entire head was covered with a mask, the ominous shadows of the forest allowing the black material to fade into a wall of oblivion. He was wearing all dark attire, yet the bleak clothing couldn’t conceal the bulky thickness of his muscles. The man was huge, towering over me by several inches.

The material covering every inch of his face was marked with neon green x’s for his eyes, and a strange evil grin, every line illuminated in a greenish glow as if from a blacklight. His aura reeked of power, a dominance that went far beyond anything traditional.

I couldn’t stop trembling, my pulse racing as my heartbeat ticked a solid rhythm in my ears.

In seeming slow motion as if direct from the earlier movie, he opened his fingers, allowing the dead man’s body to slump to the pavement. Then he turned his full attention on me.

There was no chance of unlocking my car, getting inside and slipping away.

Instinct.

Intuition.

Terror.

My heart hammered between my temples, my blood pumping with such ferocity I was lightheaded. I couldn’t make a single noise because I couldn’t fucking breathe. Terror clamped down on my vocal cords and my body refused to obey my internal commands. I studied him, taking in every inch of his massive form.

Even with his face covered by the mask, I could sense the savage’s excitement by the rise and fall of his chest. A body was draped around his feet yet the powerful man with broad shoulders remained still. I was drawn to him. His power. His strength.

His cunning.

“Why?” My question seemed like something a stupid victim would do in the very movie I’d just convinced myself I’d enjoyed. Yet right now, I made myself a promise I’d never watch another horror flick again if only I managed to escape unharmed.

The stranger took a step closer and every inch of my body became electrified. It was a nauseous reaction I’d question later.

“Because a beautiful woman should never be allowed to be accosted by an asshole.”

His voice was deep, more so than any male I knew, but raspy as if an attempt made to hide his real tone. It was possible it was electronically altered. I couldn’t be certain. A strange warmth spread between my legs from the sound of his voice as well as from the intoxicating scent of him. The fragrance of exotic wood and spices was a far cry from the stench of blood.

“But… But you killed him.” Why was I stating the obvious? Blood was splattered against my shoes, my arms.

“Yesss…” He elongated the ‘s’ as if a snake and I blinked several times, fighting with the need to stare down at the bloodied dead man. Static electricity remained in the air, swirling around us as if ready to drag the both of us into the fiery depths of hell.

I knew the bastard was staring at me, daring me. Watching me. Hungering for me. Even if I couldn’t see the whites of his eyes, only the evil glow penetrating my fuzzy brain.

An endless quiet stretched between us, no other sound capable of penetrating the crisp air.

Seconds, maybe minutes passed.

“Who are you?” I managed.

“Your savior.”

The words jogged something inside of me, a deep-seated need to survive. There were few choices, few options for protection or safety. So I did the only thing I could do.

I ran.