"Come out, come out, wherever you are."
The voice is male. Low and cruel.Amused. The kind of voice that's used to inspiring fear and enjoys it.
My finger finds the trigger.
"I'm going to find you anyway." The boots take another step. Then another. "It's only a matter of time."
He's circling the room. Moving slowly.Hunting me.
"Holly."
My name in his mouth is like ice water in my veins.
He knows who I am.
How?
"Your boyfriend put up quite a fight." The boots stop beside the dresser. I hear a drawer open, then close. "But I'm afraid he wasn't quite good enough."
No.
He’s lying.
"Nikolai is dead, Holly. I did it myself. A bullet between the eyes."
His words hit me like a physical blow. My vision blurs with sudden tears, and I have to bite down on my lip to keep from making a sound.
He's lying. He has to be lying.
"No one's coming to save you now." The boots start moving again, closer to the bed. Closer to me. "It's just you and me."
I can see his legs now, black tactical pants tucked into those black boots. He's standing at the foot of the bed, probably looking down at the space where Nikolai and I made love just hours ago.
"I'm going to find you," he says, and there's a smile in his voice. A terrible, hungry smile. "And when I do, I'm going to enjoy what Nikolai enjoyed."
Bile rises in my throat.
"Except you won't like the way I take my pleasure." He moves around the side of the bed. "I like the pain. I like the screaming."
I can barely breathe. Tears roll down my cheeks, and I have to use every ounce of willpower not to let out a sob.
"And I promise you..." He stops. His boots are right there, inches from my face. If he bends down, he'll see me. If he lifts the bed skirt, it's over. "You're going to feel pain when I'm inside you."
He laughs.
And it's the most evil sound I've ever heard. Cold and delighted and utterly devoid of humanity.
I grip the gun tighter, ready to fight.
Because if this is it, I’m not going to die without putting a bullet in him first.
He knows where I am. He’s just toying with me.
When he looks under the bed I will shoot him in the face.
I hold my breath.
Then I hear a shot.
