Page 34

CHAPTER 33

“ I f the soul is left in darkness, sins will be committed. The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but he who causes the darkness.”

—Victor Hugo

Sinner

“What the… Fuck. Who the fuck are you? Get out of my shed!”

His voice had been shaky, a typical reaction to seeing someone standing in dark attire while wearing a mask and holding a sharp blade in his hand. Only I wasn’t an intruder. I also wasn’t flesh and blood, although my foster mother had attempted to provide me with a home. There were things she didn’t know, horrific acts of violence that had gone on in her absence.

Or so I’d chosen to believe.

She’d been as much of a victim as I’d been.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

“Then I’m calling the police.”

The fucker had dared jerk his phone into his shaking hand, acting as if his attempt at dialing 9-1-1 would prevent the inevitable. Perhaps he’d known by then who’d cornered him inside the darkened shed, a beloved location that only he’d been allowed to enter.

Except when dragging me into the dark confines.

With a single drive of my fist, I’d not only knocked the bastard to the ground, I’d also dislodged the phone from his hand. While he’d still been writhing, I’d crushed his phone under my boot, grinding the shattered components into the dirt. The place had stunk of piss and gasoline, a combination I’d once loathed but had grown to appreciate.

The fucker hadn’t been any match for me physically, my recent growth spurt and the time I’d spent using weights creating a marked difference from the young boy he’d easily been able to manipulate. As I thought about how I’d easily locked the leather bands around his wrists, hoisting him several feet into the air, I pulled the Harley to a stop on the road perpendicular to her house.

That night had been the first time I’d worn a mask. The foray into anonymity had excited me. I’d been able to be the man I’d envisioned myself to be for months. Choosing the motherfucker who’d pretended he cared about me for social services had been an easy and natural choice. My very first victim.

I got off the bike, taking a few deep breaths of the night air as I scanned the street.

I would never forget the joyful sounds as the fucker had screamed, begging to be spared. As if I’d cared. After shoving the gag into his mouth, I’d taken my time introducing him to the same methods of torture he’d used on me.

In the end, I’d been covered in the man’s blood, feeling more joy than I’d ever felt.

But I’d given him a reprieve, yanking out his gag then lifting my mask, so he’d fully understand why someone was punishing him so severely. Just before I’d driven the blade through his eye into his brain, I would never forget what he’d said to me. His dying words.

“You’re just like your father, a fucking monster.”

I’d thought nothing of his proclamation.

Until tonight.

Had he known something about my biological parents? Maybe the man had been right, but what did it matter? Monsters weren’t born from DNA. They were created from acts of brutality.

Or so I’d believed the entirety of my life.

Perhaps Wilder was right and we needed to hunt down the man who’d spawned us. Maybe the knowledge would provide answers.

I laughed softly as I secured the helmet and pulled out my mask of choice. With it firmly in place, I pulled the single rose from the bag attached to the bike.

How many sins had I committed in my life? Enough I’d lost count twenty years before. Instilling fear and enjoying depravity were some of the greatest joys of my life. I’d used darkness to enshroud my activities many times, but had ultimately begun venturing into the light.

Perhaps that meant I was fearless or simply that I didn’t give a damn what happened to me. I wasn’t certain and had never taken the time to analyze my activities. Why bother? I was damn good at what I did and, in my mind, every act of violence and suffering was justified.

But tonight was all about sheer indulgence, a treat for the man. Whether Xander or Sinner, it didn’t really matter at this point. I was high on life and lust, a need so unbridled I couldn’t care less about the business at this moment.

What I needed was a strong fix, the only drug that truly squelched the demons. At least I’d learned something about myself over the last few days. I wasn’t unlike any other man.

Simply more powerful.

And more insatiable.

Countermeasures.

The thought was more than reasonable and I’d attempted to find Dorn for several hours, including slipping inside his modest and very messy home. While it had been impossible to tell for certain, it would seem the man’s private life had been interrupted by someone else unhappy with his article. But in the gaming magazine or in the spread in the Tribune ?

Perhaps someone else had been responsible for the man’s demise. Did I care? Only in that I hadn’t been allowed to enjoy the process of eliminating him my way.

The thought had brought out the worst side of me.

I’d followed my instincts my entire life. Doing so had kept me one step ahead of danger and members of law enforcement over the years. I’d prided myself in knowing when to quit whatever endeavor had furrowed into my mind and when to have patience. Tonight was something different altogether.

It was my attempt at throwing down an exclamation point.

With her.

With the woman I’d been unable to get off my mind.

I was certain Jessica had somehow convinced Dorn to retract his scathing article. The how had been easy to formulate.

Because she was more like me than I’d originally believed, even more so than when I’d shared the exact words with her.

Her brilliance and cunning were as attractive as her stunning, rounded body.

My visit was necessary and the only thing I’d been able to concentrate on.

It was late, her car not in the driveway as I’d expected. A strange and suffocating feeling of jealousy rolled into my system. She was mine. Wasn’t she aware that our lives were now forever intertwined?

The locks were in place, the keys I’d had made allowing me to slip inside within seconds. Once standing in the darkened interior, I listened for any sounds, breathing in the sweet scent of the various fragrances she’d placed around the house. As I moved from room to room, I fingered the appliances in the kitchen, still marveling at her organizational skills. I even stopped to plump a pillow on her cozy couch before brushing my fingers along the back edge of the sofa.

There was no need to wear gloves. The woman had already been imprinted with my DNA from my earlier touches. Soon she would be painted with my cum.

Even though I wondered where she’d gone, the wait wouldn’t bother me. With her, having patience was worth every moment spent.

I finally headed into her bedroom, taking a full minute to savor standing in the shimmer of moonlight highlighting her bed through the partially open blinds. I’d never forget the first time I’d stood in this same place, experiencing a true joy that had eluded me for so long.

I pulled the rose to the slits in the mask, taking a deep whiff of the sweet fragrance. She deserved bouquets of roses every day. My mind wandered to the intense hunger that never abated. I longed for another taste of the discomfort and fear radiating off her skin.

Just like before.

The hunt.

The chase had been magnificent in every way.

Sadly, we were past that stage now. Although I would continue surprising her in methods she couldn’t predict.

Like tonight.

I’d ignored her, something that had seemed necessary, yet my body had ached the entire time I’d followed my conscience. When had I done that before?

With methodical steps, I advanced toward her bed, taking the time to turn down the covers. As I placed the rose on her soft pillow, I took another deep breath and held it. This was even more intimate than the primal acts we’d performed together.

Now I would wait for her return.

Then I would take what my little lamb already knew belonged to me.

All of her.

Before I had a chance to turn away from her bed, I heard a slight noise and smiled.

“You knew I’d come for you,” I told her.

“You’re entirely too predictable,” Jessica whispered in a husky tone.

“I’ll need to keep that in mind. I wouldn’t want you to grow bored.”

“I doubt that will ever happen.”

I slowly turned all the way around, laughing softly from the sight of the crude yet effective mask she was wearing. It was similar to one of mine, although the eyes were bright red as if the woman was attempting to appear like the devil.

She was far too innocent, too precious to be a demon yet her attempt at roaming the depraved depths of my world excited the hell out of me.

Also dressed in all black, the attempt at parodying me was amusing.

It also fueled the yearning.

She’d laid in wait as I’d done with her many times before. My cock was twitching from the thought of her decadently degenerate aspects.

The truth was that in craving her, in needing to taste every inch, I was letting go of years of hatred and rage. Did she know how much she’d affected my life? Did she truly understand that she’d tempered the beast born of violence?

“Come here, little lamb,” I commanded.

“No.”

“No?”

To prove her insolence, she took a step backward and further into the shadows, only the glow of the crude X’s cut into her mask providing any indication of where she was.

“No,” she reiterated.

“Hmmm… I think you forget who you belong to. Come to me.”

“You’ll need to catch me first.”

My little lamb was quick on her feet, rushing from the room in her attempt to hide.

I trailed behind her, enjoying the ridiculous chase. She even rushed right past me, her body only inches away. While I managed to snag her hair, she twisted as she laughed, able to pull away from my tenuous hold.

Laughing, I simply turned my head, catching a few slight noises in her attempt to scurry away. My mind was drifting to the forest. There were dozens of delicious tools to be used outside in the wild.

I’d need to improvise. Maybe this was her test of me for a change.

How enticing.

I waited a few seconds before leaving the bedroom, finding her mask in the pathway leading from the room toward the kitchen. “You know you can run, but there is no chance of you being able to hide for long.”

My words cut through the stillness.

Did she not know she was enticing a beast and what the creature would do once he caught her? My balls were tighter than they’d ever been as I searched the darkness. I detected a hint of warm peppermint, the scent drawing me close to where she was hiding. My eyes were used to the shadows, the furniture no hindrance. While this wasn’t a fair hunt, my blood was boiling from the adventure alone.

I moved through the darkness, silent in my prowess. She’d managed to conceal herself carefully, but the single crackle of electricity alerted me to her presence.

As I entered the hallway leading toward the guest room and her office, she appeared at the end, her shadowed form providing more than a jolt of desire.

Her laugh was subtle and she darted into her office in her attempt to get away from me.

Instead of chasing, I removed my mask, tossing it aside and moving into the darkness of the guest room.

Now we were on an even playing field.

With my hunger only increasing, the seconds ticked by with no sound and no indication she was headed in my direction.

Until a single breathless moan assaulted my senses.

As soon as she crept into the room, I swept her off her feet, laughing at her delightful squeal.

“My beautiful Desdemona. When will you finally learn there is nowhere to run where I won’t find you?”

Jessica

The temptation was too intense, my blood pressure rising the moment he’d walked inside my house. I’d known my Sinner was going to arrive. It had only been a matter of time. He knew I was responsible for the article. Was he here to thank or punish me?

I didn’t need to wait long for the answer. Xander swept me into the adjoining bathroom, initially keeping the lights off. The pitch black was only offset by a slight stream of moonlight coming in from one of two rooms. He’d removed his mask and his silhouette should be intimidating if not terrifying.

But I was breathless with excitement. So much so as he drove my stomach against the hard edge of the counter, I moaned instead of wincing.

I didn’t know if it was the continued darkness or the fact he’d broken into my house for the umpteenth time, but goosebumps were floating along every inch of my arms, even crawling down my neck.

With his intoxicating scent, I was in a heaven few would ever allow themselves to experience. He pressed his full weight against my bottom, grinding his hips back and forth. As I’d known he would be, his cock was rock hard.

Everything about the darkness was evocative, the moment of his seduction adding to the intense fantasies I’d had the past two nights. I’d tossed and turned like usual, finally resorting to my vibrator to ease the dull ache left by needing him.

He pulled my hair away from my face, his hot breath scalding my skin.

“I guess my little lamb needs a lesson that I’m the hunter and she’s the hunted.”

His deep voice made me shiver, my stomach doing somersaults. I’d shoved aside, asking myself why he had this kind of effect on me days before. He just did. It was as simplistic as that, no need for complications.

The hard slap against my backside was jarring and, in the darkness, the slight pain was exacerbated. I shuddered the second he repeated the action, my fingers now digging into the counter.

Turning the tables on him had been thrilling, his reaction keeping me on a provocative high. I was so compelled by the shadows, the ominous yet tantalizing feeling of being in the dark that I gasped when he flicked on the bathroom light. It was bright enough I blinked several times.

Seeing his reflection in the mirror captured my attention, sending a rush of adrenaline as well as desire straight into my core. His eyes bore into mine, the wry smile I’d witnessed so many times keeping me sweltering inside.

He was mesmerizing, raw and sharp.

Every action he took was intense and angry, except with me. Yes, he was still calculated, always remaining dominant, but there was so much more tonight. I was used to the murderous glint in his irises, but on this night, his expression was entirely different. So much so my pulse kicked up in my chest and in my core.

In a tender move, he rolled his fingers up from the base of my spine and over my shoulders, taking his time crawling the tips down both arms. By the point he pressed his palms against the tops of my hands, I was trembling all over.

Seeing him in all black without his mask was even more daunting. He wasn’t hiding because it wasn’t necessary with me any longer. His beast could come out and play anytime he wanted and he’d be welcomed.

I laughed nervously when he nuzzled his face into the side of my neck. Why was it that his presence was more intimidating than before?

Why also was it that I knew this moment in time would change everything between us?

“My little lamb is a true vixen. Just remember playing games is very dangerous.”

“For whom?” I whispered.

He released my hands, slowly moving his to the black pants I’d worn, his eyes never leaving mine as he peeled the material over my hips, snagging my thong and sliding both to the floor.

I didn’t want to blink for fear I’d miss something. Every move he made was dominating yet sensual, the hard clench of his jaw sexy and inviting. His chest rose and fell as he slipped his hands under the front of my shirt, growling the moment he cupped both breasts.

The heated shivers continued as he squeezed them before pinching my nipples.

“I think you know the answer to that. You challenged the man you once called the devil. Now the man behind the mask has surfaced.”

“Meaning what?”

“Meaning…” he breathed into my ear before nipping my lobe. “Now that I’ve captured you, I’m never letting you go.”