I heard murmurs upstairs, maybe one of the kids settling into bed, and took it as my cue to leave. I hoped I wouldn’t have to come back for them. I would if I had to. There was no doubt about that. I walked out of the house feeling nothing. No guilt. No satisfaction. Just numb.
I plugged in the next address into my GPS and started to drive. I hadn’t gotten far when my cell phone started to ring. I picked it up and glanced down at the screen. When I saw that it was Preacher, I answered, “I don’t have time to talk.”
“Make time.”
“You aren’t hearing me, Preacher. I don’t have time for this.”
“Where are you?” he cut me off.
“Get with Jenson. He has what you need to know. I’m heading for the lieutenant.”
“You’re playing with fire here, Sergei.”
“I have to get her back.”
“And you will. But…”
I ended the call before he had a chance to finish his thought. It didn’t matter. I already knew what he was going to say, and I didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t want to hear anything. Not the way she said my name. Not the rasp of her voice when she came. I just wanted the silence to swallow me whole.
I knew going in this one would be different. Zadora wasn’t a man who hired protection. He was the protection, and more than that, he was a trained killer with a thirst for theatrics. He killed for sport and liked to play with his prey. Tonight was a toss-up on roles. I wanted to think I was the predator, and he was the prey. But only time would tell.
I parked several houses down, got out, and did my best to stay in the shadows as I made my way up to the house. Only it wasn’t a house at all. It was more of a trailer with a gravel drive, small windows, and very little lighting. I scanned the area, checking for any onlookers, and when I saw no one, I continued toward the front door.
I was just a few steps away when I noticed the note taped to the door. It was about the size of my palm, and the paper had yellowed like bad teeth. The handwriting was crooked like something a child would write, only a child would never write something like this:
You want the girl?Come find her.
Don’t take too long. My patience is thin.
I will let her keep breathing. For now. But make no mistake, I will have her. I will kill her. And then, I will kill you with the same blade.
Don’t keep me waiting.
Z
His words should’ve rattledme. They should’ve made my blood run cold. They didn’t. It was almost expected that he’d pull something like this. It told me he was clever, he was cruel, and most of all, he was calculated. He thought he was the one in control. He thought he could bait me into a mistake with a note and a smile.
He doesn’t understand that the most dangerous thing about me was the fact that I knew how to play this game of his. I knew how to turn a man’s theater into his grave, and he was about to be six feet under.
24
ALINA
Idon’t know how long I’d been in that room. Maybe two hours. Maybe less, but it felt like a lifetime. I glanced up at the camera above me and quickly turned away. I couldn’t stomach the fact that someone was out there watching me, but that was the least of my troubles.
I was here for a reason. They were going to hurt me. I didn’t know when or how, but the pain was going to come, and it would be the end of me. They would be the end of me. I looked back up at the camera, and this time I didn’t turn away. I just stared at it, and the words started to come to me.
They’re watching me.
Fangs bared and eyes glowing.
Their shadows hover over me.
Waiting. Loathing. Conspiring.
They circle closer.
I can feel their breaths on me.
