“I found some weapons,” Tyson announced then glanced at Vander, who continued to pace. He looked at Devon and indicated Vander with a nod. “Did his date stand him up?”
“He’s waiting for Novak to return with Monica,” she informed him.
“Monica’s probably in the next county by now,” Tyson muttered.
“I don’t like this. He should have been back by now,” Vander remarked while keeping close watch out the window.
“Maybe he hasn’t found Monica yet,” Devon announced. “Perhaps she decided to ride the entire distance to the next town. If he’s stubborn enough to keep looking--”
“Yeah,” Vander muttered, “he’s stubborn enough.”
Ravin hurried into the lobby and looked at the others. Something had him disturbed. “I can’t find Gemma anywhere,” he announced with fear in his eyes. “It’s not like her to be gone this long.”
“I thought she was with my Uncle Dino, Sonya, and that Harris character taking names,” Tyson remarked. “Did you check the death rooms?”
“Yes, I did,” Ravin retorted tersely and glared his displeasure, “and please don’t call them that.”
Vander turned to Devon with his own look of concern. “I can’t just sit here,” he informed her. “I have to find Novak before it gets dark.”
“You can’t go back out there,” Tyson insisted. He shook his head in disbelief. “If something happened to him, what makes you think you’ll survive?”
“He’s my partner and my friend,” Vander announced sternly. “I can’t just let him fend for himself.”
The thought of him going off on his own chilled Devon. “I’ll go with you,” she offered.
“Absolutely not,” Vander announced sternly. “You’re staying here, where it’s safe--” He hesitated and reconsidered. “--safer.”
Tyson groaned with a defeated sigh. “I’ll go with you to find Agent Delano.” He turned to Devon. “You can help Ravin find his little playmate.”
Devon looked at Vander, uncertain what to do, and silently questioned him with her eyes.
“Stay with Ravin,” Vander informed her with a reassuring nod. “I’ll be back before dark.”
Vander quickly kissed Devon, pulled away, and left before she could protest. Tyson grabbed one of the pool sticks they’d collected for weapons and hurried after Vander.
Chapter Thirty-one
Cody punched Novak in the abdomen then across the face. Novak fell against the Corolla with a loud thump. He was badly beaten and barely stood from the severity of his injuries. Cody straightened, grinned deviously, and took a picture of Novak with the cell phone.
“That’s a keeper!” He replaced the cell phone to his jacket pocket, removed his Bowie knife, and moved closer to Novak. His psychotic grin mocked him. “I promise this will only sting for a second.”
Cody moved the knife closer to Novak, prepared to slash his throat. A loud scream like a war cry was suddenly heard, startling both. The baseball bat struck Cody on the shoulder, throwing him sideways. Monica swayed while clutching the bloodstained baseball bat. She appeared disoriented and was barely able to focus, but the sinister look in her eyes was frightening all the same. Cody clutched his arm and the knife while staring at Monica with astonishment.
“How the hell are you still standing?” he demanded.
Monica swayed and attempted to focus on Cody while clinging to the bat. Her expression was cold and fixated. Her lack of response was chilling, but her labored breathing indicated she was in trouble and might soon pass out. Cody sneered and lunged at her with the knife. Monica cried out and swung the bat. She missed his head and struck the side window of the Corolla just near Novak, shattering the glass. The knife narrowly missed her. She swung in the opposite direction and struck Cody on the side of the head with a mild hit. He was tossed away from the car but quickly recovered. He turned toward her with the knife. Monica swung without aiming, struck Cody just under his arm, and knocked him to his knees. Before he could even react, Monica struck him across the face with the bat. Cody dropped to the ground and didn’t move. Monica raised the bat above her head for another strike. Novak suddenly grabbed her around the waist and stopped her.
“Whoa! He’s down! He’s down!” Novak cried out with surprise to her hostility.
Monica swayed and attempted to relax while lowering the bat. Novak clutched both his bleeding leg and arm and fell against the Corolla. Without warning, Monica suddenly cried out and struck Cody’s motionless body. She straightened and met Novak’s stunned gaze.
“I prefer dead.” Monica stared at Novak and attempted to focus. When she saw his injuries, her hostility turned to concern. “You’re injured.”
Novak removed his hand from his leg wound to reveal a large amount of blood. “Yeah, he got me good.”
Monica removed her belt and tightened it securely around his thigh to control the bleeding. She straightened weakly and nearly fell over. “We need to get to the vet’s office.” She grabbed his arm, half leaned on him, and pulled him away from the ravine.
“Town is that way,” he gently indicated while pointing toward the ravine.
Monica stopped with disorientation, turned while severely swaying, and pulled him toward the ravine. She dragged her bloody baseball bat listlessly behind her. Novak stared at her while clinging to his less serious arm injury.
“What did he do to you?” he asked.
She panted heavily while attempting to remain on her feet and see straight. “Tranquilizer dart,” Monica muttered.
He appeared stunned. “How are you still standing?” Novak suddenly asked as they stopped before the car standing on end in the ravine.
She looked at him and attempted to focus. “Adrenaline,” she gasped softly. There was the distinct possibility she didn’t even see him despite staring directly at him. “You’d be surprised what your body can do after serving two tours in Iraq.”
“You would have made one hell of an interrogator,” Novak remarked.
She raised a brow while attempting to stare at him. “I did,” Monica announced. “How do you think I learned to resist the effects of drugs?”
Novak clung to the remains of the car standing in the ravine while staring at Monica. “Okay, now I’m frightened.”
†
Sonya and Gemma sat on the bench in the steam room as steam flooded the entire area, allowing for limited visibility. Both were drenched in sweat and looked exhausted from the heavy humidity. Gemma held the ax across her lap while both women rested their heads against the back wall. Sonya glanced at Gemma from where they listlessly sat.
“Do you think he’s gone?” Sonya asked.
“I’m afraid to look.”
Sonya slowly straightened and moved closer to the door. She peered through the small window and strained to look out through the steam. The hammer struck the shatterproof glass. Sonya let out a terrified scream and leaped back onto the bench alongside Gemma. She clung to her friend’s arm.
“Definitely still there,” Sonya gasped. She finally released Gemma and looked back at the door. “It’s been an hour. Doesn’t he have anything better to do?”
“I guess we’re first on his ‘to do’ list,” Gemma muttered and returned her head to the wall behind her.
“My uncle will come looking for us, I know he will,” Sonya said while staring at the small window beyond the thick steam. “He knew where we were.”
Gemma stood and paced the steam room with the ax securely in her hands. She suddenly seemed concerned. “We have to get out of here,” she informed Sonya. “We can’t wait for a rescue. He’ll ambush anyone who comes along. Even your uncle won’t stand a chance against him.”
“What do you suggest we do?” Sonya suddenly asked. “He’s right outside the door.”
Gemma looked around the room then to the ax she held. She indicated the back wall. “Do you know what’s on the other side of this wall?”
Sonya shrugged. “The indoor pool, I think,” she replied.
“You can’t possibly be thinking about hacking your way through. He’ll hear us and be waiting on the other side.”
“I know, but he can’t be two places at once,” Gemma replied. “You stay by the window and watch for him to leave. When he does, we’ll make a run for the fitness room.”
“Why hadn’t I thought of that?”
Sonya moved to the steam room door and peered out the window. The hammer struck the small window. Sonya ducked and instinctively screamed. Gemma swung the ax for the back wall and splintered the wood with the first blow. Sonya sheepishly looked out the window. The masked killer looked through the window at her. Sonya screamed and moved to the side of the door.
“I really want to go home now,” Sonya muttered.
Chapter Thirty-two
Ravin and Devon walked along the back corridor, each carrying a pool stick for a weapon. Ravin duct taped a filet knife to the thick end of his pool stick as they walked. Devon glanced at him several times and watched him skillfully construct his weapon. His look was serious and determined.
“You know, for a seemingly quiet guy, you can be a little scary,” Devon remarked.
“Most sociopaths are seemingly quiet.”
She stared at him a moment in silence. “Okay, now you’re just being creepy,” Devon informed him.
Despite the lifted cloud of hallucinations, Ravin was still a mystery to Devon. She sensed his reserve, but he still seemed to be hiding something. Whatever secret he harbored, it almost certainly had to do with the hotel. Most people had secrets, but he kept his hidden even from her highly tuned perception. It felt odd not being able to get much of a read on him.
Devon indicated the doorway toward the end of the corridor. “Let’s check the pool area.”
“I can’t imagine what she’d be doing in there all this time,” Ravin announced and cast the roll of duct tape aside. He slashed the air with his newly created weapon.
“Hiding from a psycho killer comes to mind,” Devon replied simply.
“That’s a dismal thought.”
“Just sticking with the theme of your hotel,” she informed him. “Helter-Skelter meets Jack the Ripper.”
He gave her a stern look. “I have to be honest, Devon, I liked you better when I was flying high on ecstasy.”
“Funny; I don’t notice any difference in you,” she teased while casting a glance at him.
He studied her a moment as they walked. “Do you really see ghosts?”
She rolled her eyes and groaned. “Sure, the one thing you do remember.”
“I believe you,” he replied and casually looked around as they walked the long, wide corridor.
“You do?”
“Why would you lie?” he asked. “I’ve seen and felt things within this hotel I can’t explain, and it’s gotten worse since the mass killings. I always thought the hotel was haunted from the day we broke ground.”
“You were here before the hotel was built?” she suddenly asked and appeared curious.
“Since you told me your secret, I suppose I can tell you mine,” Ravin replied.
Devon suddenly stopped him in the hallway and turned to look at him. A flood of emotions hit her in a tidal wave. Everything he was hiding suddenly surfaced and all it took was for him to open his mind.
“You own the hotel?”
“How did you know?” he suddenly demanded with a strange look on his face.
“That’s what you were about to say, wasn’t it?”
“Well, yes,” he replied and continued to stare at her. “Is there something else you’re not telling me?”
Devon fidgeted but saw no way around hiding her secret any longer. “I’m mildly psychic,” she said gently. “I can feel emotions and sometimes read people’s thoughts. It’s not an exact science, and I can’t always translate the vibe someone is sending.”
“Sounds like a neat parlor trick,” Ravin teased. His look turned serious and his head cocked to the side. “Can you see Gemma? Are you able to find her telepathically or something?”
“I’m afraid it doesn’t work that way,” Devon replied. “I’ve heard of others who have amazing abilities, but I don’t know that I want that sort of responsibility.”
“So maybe you can, but you’re unwilling to try,” he announced while studying her. His anxiety was escalating. “This is important, Devon. Is Gemma in trouble?”
“I don’t do those sorts of parlor tricks, Ravin,” she protested. “Nor do I want those abilities.”
“So it’s not that you can’t, but you won’t,” he growled and turned angry for the first time. Ravin grabbed her arm and stared into her eyes. “Devon, where is Gemma?”
His sudden hostility startled her. It was completely out of character for him, and she didn’t need psychic abilities to know that. Devon stared into Ravin’s eyes and attempted to empty her mind, but she couldn’t stop the flood of emotions pouring into her. She saw Gemma holding her bleeding head while staring at an ax about to strike her. Devon suddenly gasped and clutched her head from the tremendous pain pounding in her skull.
“What did you see?” Ravin demanded with concern.
“It was Gemma,” Devon gasped softly. “There was an ax. We need to check the steam room.”
Ravin pulled Devon along the hall. She ran after him while clutching her head. Now that the gates had been opened, her mind was flooded with thoughts and images that she didn’t want to see. She saw Sonya clutching her bleeding face while screaming. She saw images of Felicia’s split skull as blood collected in a pool on the floor. She saw an image of Monica with bloody hands. The more she allowed herself to see, the faster the images came to her. She attempted to keep up with Ravin, but her head was pounding so hard, she thought it would split open.
†
Sonya slowly peeked out the small window on the steam room door. The ax repeatedly struck the back wall with a series of loud bangs. Gemma had a large portion of the back wall torn away. Sonya looked out the window and became excited.
“I don’t see him! He’s gone!” Sonya cried out and looked back at Gemma.
Gemma quickly turned toward Sonya and the door. She positioned herself with the ax, stared at the door, and nodded to Sonya. Sonya hesitantly unlocked the door and yanked it open. Gemma stepped into the spa with the ax and looked around. Sonya appeared behind her and looked around as well. Nothing moved. There was no sign of the killer.
“Let’s go,” Gemma said.
Gemma and Sonya ran across the spa and toward the fitness room door. Both looked at Felicia’s battered and bloodied body as they passed. Her head had been split open by the killer’s hammer and an enormous amount of blood covered most of the floor surrounding her head. The gruesomeness of the killing sickened both. Gemma and Sonya cautiously entered the fitness room, looked past the exercise machines, and then ran toward the door on the opposite side. Sonya stopped to grab a five-pound dumbbell. They slowed as they approached the door to the main hall. Sonya opened the door and jumped to the side. Gemma stepped into the doorway with her ax prepared to strike. Thankfully, there was no one there. Sonya moved behind Gemma and looked over her shoulder. The main hall was empty. Sonya suddenly hit Gemma on the head with the dumbbell. Gemma gasped and fell to the floor. Sonya tossed the dumbbell aside, picked up the ax, and forcibly rolled Gemma over with her foot. Gemma fell onto her back and didn’t move. Sonya sneered at her with a disgusted look.
“Bad news, Gemma,” Sonya snarled while spinning the ax in her hands. “Ravin belongs to me.”
Sonya raised the ax above her head, prepared to split Gemma’s head. Gemma slowly looked up, saw Sonya standing over her with the ax, and rolled out of the path of the crashing blade. The ax struck the marble floor and cracked it. Gemma scrambled to her feet as Sonya raised the ax with an evil, psychotic look.
“Sonya!” Devon was heard yelling from behind her just across the room.
Sonya turned with a startled gasp. Ravin slid across the floor just in front of Sonya and swung th
e bladed pool stick. The stick struck Sonya across the face and broke. She was thrown backwards and against the wall while dropping the ax. Sonya screamed hysterically, clutched her bleeding face, and ran from the room. Devon checked Gemma for injuries. Ravin quickly straightened, tossed his broken pool stick aside, and pulled Gemma into his arms. She clung to him and sobbed.
“Sonya?” Devon gasped with surprise. “How could it be Sonya?”
“She’s insane,” Gemma replied while attempting to control her sobs. “She said Ravin belonged to her. She was jealous or something. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Let’s get you back to our room,” Ravin said gently while clinging to her.
“What about Sonya?” Devon asked.
He glared sharply at Devon. “I’ll deal with her later,” Ravin growled lowly.
As Ravin guided Gemma from the room, Devon grabbed the ax along with her own pool stick and hurried after them.
Chapter Thirty-three
Vander and Tyson climbed the ravine by the wrecked cars and looked around for any sign of Novak or Monica. Vander immediately spotted the fresh blood near the back of the Corolla. He hurried to the rear panel of the Corolla and looked at the blood soaking into the ground. Tyson noted the blood, looked alarmed, and visually scanned the area for signs of a dead body or the killer. He looked back at Vander kneeling by the car.
“That’s a lot of blood,” Tyson said softly. “Someone’s in trouble.”
Vander straightened and looked around. “Whoever was injured couldn’t have gotten far,” he announced then looked at the party bus. “We should check the bus.”
Vander hurried toward the bus. Tyson skeptically eyed Vander as he walked away and then reluctantly followed. Vander cautiously entered the bus then suddenly stopped to stare at the carefully arranged bodies with a look of shock.
“What sort of whack job are we dealing with?” Vander gasped softly.
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