Page 13 of The Last To Know (Hallowed Halls Series #2)

“S he’s not the right one.” Mentor’s angry voice penetrated his deep concentration.

“She is right. You’ll see.”

The chilly silence that followed proved Mentor didn’t agree.

Sitting in the car, he watched and waited for the lights to extinguish. Judge Veronica Turner had a stellar record on the bench. She’d risen through the ranks going from clerking for a judge to having her own gavel by the age of twenty-eight. One of the few African American judges in the county, she dedicated herself to being a fair judge. And because of it, she’d gained celebrity status. Her face had been on the cover of dozens of national magazines. The up-and-coming face of the judicial future.

And she would be the perfect addition to rest eternally alongside Tiffany and the others to come.

Excitement coursed through his veins.

“You have the syringe?” Mentor barked out the question. Mentor’s stern tone pulled him back to earth.

He patted his pocket. “I do and an extra one in case. I’m all set.”

“You will have to pull the car up around back, but first kill the security feed. If they catch a glimpse of you everything will fall apart. ”

He tamped down his anger. “Yes, I know.” He’d watched his mentor when he first killed. Learned from everything he said. He knew what he was doing.

The living room light went out. He leaned forward in anticipation, watching as first the kitchen light then the other lights in the house disappeared.

Minutes ticked by while the exhilaration grew inside him.

“It’s time.”

His jaw set. “I can see that.” The words snapped from his lips as he got out. He could feel Mentor’s displeasure following him as he eased close enough for the program to activate on his tablet.

Soon, the security system turned off. She would have no idea she slept unprotected.

This was the part he loved the most. Slipping inside the house. Touching things that she had touched. Her perfume lingering in the air. Seeing her sleeping peacefully in her bed unaware eternity was so close.

In the living room, she’d left work lying on the coffee table. He sat and picked up one of the documents, holding it close to make out the words. A case of a teenage girl who had been raped by a football player. The type of case that would be right up her alley. Veronica was a champion of the underdog.

He could almost feel Mentor’s disdain at how long he was taking. A slow smile spread across his face. Good. He wouldn’t rush this part. It was his favorite.

In the kitchen she’d left a glass of wine half-finished on the island. One of the things he’d admired about her was how she had control over her faculties. Veronica never once got drunk in public. Not like Giselle.

He lifted the glass to sniff the wine. Sweet. Perfect for her.

It was time. He eased toward the bedroom where he knew she would be sleeping by now because he’d watched her sleep before.

The door stood ajar. She left it that way because she owned a cat. A furry little tabby who was pictured in photos around the house.

The cat meowed before jumping from the bed. Veronica moaned and turned on her side without waking.

He removed the syringe from his pocket. Veronica was fit and a blackbelt in martial arts. Mentor had trained him well. Act quickly. Get her disabled and then remove her from her home. Once she was under his control and safely in her final resting place, he’d enjoy her company before she became immortal.

Mentor told him never to deviate from his instructions. They’d been drilled into him from a young age.

What did it hurt to enjoy a few more moments to watch her sleep? She would be even more special than Tiffany. He wanted to spend more time with Veronica. Get to know her beyond the facts he’d read.

He sat down on the bed, careful not to wake her. More than the ten minutes Mentor demanded he adhere to had passed. Once he returned, there would be the wrath of Mentor to deal with, but he didn’t care.

He reached up and touched her hair. So glossy. Her skin flawless. Not a single blemish. Tiffany had been close to perfect, but Veronica . . .

Her eyes shot open. Surprise turned to horror, and her mouth opened to scream.

No, no, no.

He clamped his hand over her mouth, stifling the scream. He jabbed the syringe into her neck.

She shoved him hard. The force took him by surprise. He lost his balance and tumbled to the floor then jumped quickly to his feet.

Veronica opened the drawer of her nightstand. She had a gun.

Why wasn’t the medicine working?

He retrieved the second syringe from his pocket. An angry growl escaped as he lunged for her, the syringe pointed like a weapon. He hit her before she grabbed the weapon. He jabbed the second needle into her neck near the first injection.

She didn’t go down easily. Veronica continued to fight him with everything she had until the medicine took hold and she relaxed her grip on him as she lost consciousness.

He lowered her onto the bed, struggling to get his breath back. She had proven a formidable opponent. He looked forward to more challenges during their time together.