Page 74 of Power of Shadow

Out of the corner of my eye, I glance at the Jackal and see exactly what he thinks about it. He nods in agreement. “Who is this Vlad and where can I find him?”

The next few minutes are crucial for the man, who tells us everything he knows. He thinks he’s smart enough to direct our attention to the next victim and walk away freely.

Not so fast.

When he finishes, I give him a friendly smile. “Thank you. That wasn’t so bad, was it? Why all the drama?”

I straighten up and look down at the guy. His eyes widen when he notices how my friendly attitude turns to hatred in a matter of seconds. With disgust, I look at this creature lying a step away from me.

“We still have one more score to settle,” I growl and spit in his face.

The Jackal looks at me, his face showing undisguised surprise. I didn’t tell him earlier what I’d discovered on my own. Still, he trusts me and complies with my request when I say firmly, “Please hold his head and arms down.”

Ryker falls on our victim, pinning his hands with his knees, and puts the knife to his neck. The guy beneath him just trembles with fear, no struggling, no fighting us.

I glance at the knife in my hand and turn it several times. The light from the lightbulb reflects a delicate glow on the metal.

Beautiful.

“Isn’t she dazzling? The hottest woman in the world. And she’s all mine. I’m a lucky bastard,” Ryker whispers into the degenerate’s ear, his eyes never leaving me.

Glancing at the man’s exposed chest, I know what I want to do. It won’t bring justice or even relief to anyone, but at least there will be one less piece of trash in this world.

I crouch down next to them with one last look into the gray eyes that don’t judge me and get to work.

Accompanied by screams, I carve an inscription on his chest. Letter by letter. When Ryker realizes what bloody inscription will appear in a moment, his breathing deepens and he curses under his breath.

“A little deeper, baby,” he encourages me. And after a moment, he adds to no one in particular, “I think I’m in love.”

C H I L D R A P I S T

Maybe that’s why my hand doesn’t tremble once as I carve out letter after letter. When I finish, I also take a deep breath. Not from exertion, but from anger.

“I have a favor to ask,” I whisper, looking up at my partner. “I want to watch you take care of him. Please do your best to make him suffer in a special way.”

Ryker leans over and kisses me lightly, then a sinister smile appears on his face. “Your wish is my command, my Little Killer.”

I walk away from them, approach the wall, and slump to the ground. Leaning against it for the next hour or more, I watch with fascination as the Jackal creates his art. Amid screams, whimpers, and pleas, he creates a bloody masterpiece.

And it’s fucking beautiful.

When he finishes and the man in agony comes to the end of his life, Ryker walks up to me. He crouches between my legs, puts his bloody hands on my cheeks, and looks deep into my eyes.

We’re both excited and for a moment, our thirst for blood is satisfied.

He was absolutely right about me.

To make things easier, Ryker rents us a room at a seedy motel. We’re a long way from the city, so it makes sense. After all the fun in the warehouse, I dream of freshening up, even though I like having someone else’s blood on me.

Unfortunately, others don’t really share my point of view, and I could end up in jail faster than I can say, “I’m innocent.”

Our fun was bloody exciting, and that loser got what he deserved. However, when it’s all over, I’m exhausted.

I don’t object when Ryker leads me to the car, opens the passenger door, and waits for me to get in. I’m extra quiet, and he doesn’t push to talk. That’s how we spend the ride to the motel.

We leave the car in the darkest parking spot, and when we get out, he takes my hand, intertwining our fingers. The warmth he radiates draws my attention until he pulls me gently behind him.

The motel is like most places of this type. The same brown door leads to a row of rooms. Some windows are covered with curtains.