The Gathering Dusk (Killer Instinct 0.5)(19)

“I’m fantastic at poker.”

He propped his hip on her desk and stared down at her. “I think you’re probably fantastic at a whole lot of things.”

You have no idea. She rose from her chair and moved closer to him.

He caught her hand and stared at the bandages that still covered her fingers. “I don’t like it when you get hurt because of me.”

She just shrugged. “I can handle a few blisters.”

His head cocked so that he was staring at her. “I bet you can handle nearly everything that comes your way.”

Not everything. She still wasn’t sure how to handle him.

His fingers slid over her wrist, then his hand fell away. “When do I get to hear your story, Samantha?”

She should move back. But she didn’t. Her skin was still icy and he seemed so warm. “My story?”

“Yeah. When do you tell me about those secrets that I see in your eyes?”

Blake, you don’t want to hear about those nightmares. Our job is hard enough.

“When...” he murmured. “When will you start to trust me the way you trust Cameron?”

Cameron was different. Cameron— A knock sounded on their office door. She jumped back—almost guiltily—as she turned to find the FBI executive assistant director standing there.

Bass nodded toward her. “Heard you got the confession this morning.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Nice fucking job.”

From him, that was high praise, indeed.

“This was a high-profile case. You made the FBI look real good.”

She hadn’t really cared about how the FBI looked. She’d just wanted to do her job.

“Since you’re being cleared on the shooting, it’s time to start working on the next case.”

Her heart gave a quick jump in her chest. “Another case?”

He strode into the office and tossed a manila file onto her desk. He opened the file and she saw a picture of a pretty young woman staring at her.

“A girl’s gone missing from Georgetown University...”

*



THE KILLER STARED down at his prey. She was a beautiful girl, fit, in the prime of her life.

And she was terrified.

He held the knife in his hand, just watching her. Staring at that terror as it filled her eyes. Her fear seemed to fill the very room around them.

He’d gagged her. After all, it wouldn’t do for someone to hear her screams. “This is my first time, you see,” he whispered as he let the knife trail over her arm. “I have to be careful. Oh, I’m sure I’ll learn plenty as I go... There’s always a learning process...”

Behind the gag, she gave a pitiful moan.

“I’m not going to kill you...”

Hope filled her big blue eyes.

“At least not right away,” he told her. It had been so easy to get the girl. Georgetown was such a perfect hunting ground. So many women...all young, impressionable...so eager to help him with his new experiment.

Death.

Because he’d decided it was the ultimate experiment.

“I’m going to hurt you first,” he told her. It was important that she understood what was happening—every moment. It would enrich the experience for them both. “And you’ll tell me what that pain does to you.”

She shook her head. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

He let the knife cut into her arm. “You will tell me.”

Her body spasmed.

And he felt...a rush.

He pulled the knife back and saw the blood dripping from the blade. “Let’s try that again,” he said.

Her eyes were so wide. So scared.

He slashed her.

And the rush filled his body once more.

Finally, he was becoming what he’d always known he was meant to be.

A killer...