Page 32 of The Last To Know (Hallowed Halls Series #2)

T hey’d found his family. He watched federal agents walking around his special place and realized he wasn’t angry. In fact, it was almost freeing. Mentor was gone from his head. He was completely in control.

He clicked off the video screen. They were his past. The future waited. She waited for him. Now, there would be no more Mentor pointing out everything he did wrong.

Finding them hadn’t been as easy as Tonya. She’d been close to him since they’d ended up at the same orphanage, even though they lost touch for a while.

Before he’d reconnected with Mentor, he’d carefully tracked each one down. Most had been happy to see him. They were just as twisted as their old man. Oliver might have made a name for himself as the Embalmer, but he certainly wasn’t the first. Their father had perfected the art of torture on his children. Until he’d taken him out.

The space that he’d created for them to rest was exactly like their old homeplace but different because it lacked the devil who had lived there.

No! He wouldn’t let Mentor back into his head. He’d taken care of his father. His mother lived because she was just as broken as the others .

He’d felt sorry for Tonya. They had a connection. She’d needed him to survive when they’d both ended up at the same orphanage. He’d done his best to protect her from their past through the years, but she was just too damaged, and she’d gone to the FBI to turn him in. And so, he’d killed her and gave her a final resting place with the others in his family. Now that he was truly free of his ugly past, he’d set about finding more suitable family members.

Stopping in front of the two-way mirror, he noticed her waking. So pretty. She would make a wonderful addition to the family. He’d feel protected with her close. Now that he had her, there would be only one sister missing to replace his real sisters. Next, he’d search for brothers.

Inside the secured room, her eyes popped open. She yanked against her restraints. He hurried to unlock the door before she injured herself.

When he entered the room, she stopped and tried to understand where she knew him from.

He smiled to reassure her.

“How are you feeling?”

Her eyes widened as if she couldn’t believe he’d ask her the question. “I know you.”

She recognized him. That made him happy. “That’s right. We’ve met several times.” He came over to where she sat in her chair.

“You were at the restaurant the other day.”

He chuckled in delight at her memory. He’d left an impression. So had she.

“We have a lot to talk about. I hope you’ll be comfortable here.”

Once more she tried to free herself. “Do you have any idea how much trouble you’re in?”

He knitted his brow, her anger confusing. “No, there’s no trouble.”

She leaned forward. “I’m a police officer. There are dozens of law enforcement officers looking for me right now.”

He shook his head. “They won’t find you. Now, let’s not talk about such things when we should be getting to know each other.”

She wouldn’t give up so easily. He looked forward to the challenge she’d present.

He pulled up a chair. “Are you hungry? I made us dinner.”

She stared at him as if he were some strange bug who repulsed her. “Let me go while you still can.”

He made a tsking sound with his tongue. “That’s not going to happen. We’re going to get to know each other better, and then I’m going to make you part of my family forever.”

Her eyes flashed shock. “I will never be part of your family, you sick—”

Fury rose inside him at the insult that matched his father’s ridicule. He grabbed the syringe from his pocket and jabbed it into her neck. Surprise turned to fear as she stared at him in horror.

He’d been wrong. She wasn’t worthy of immortality. She was just as bad as his sister. The unworthy had no place here in his perfect family home.