He heard the muffled scream and had to laugh.
“It won’t be long, witch. I promise. I just have to strip down and call my master. Then, he’ll have you for a snack.”
Raising his hands in the air, he began chanting in Latin. The words filled him as he let them spill from his lips with perfection. He promised the woman inside the circle for his master, and in return would be given Elizabeth Blackhawk and power.
When he was finished, he knelt beside her, her hands tied above her head and the ankles below.
This time he wanted to play a little with the offering. Slicing down her shirt, first he ran his hands over her smooth flesh, enjoying how it made his body heat.
“Usually, I kill the offering first, but Satan told me he likes suffering, so you need to pay. It won’t hurt for long. I would guess for only twenty minutes or so.”
With his warning, he began. With the tip of the athame, he began carving into her body.
She howled in pain and tears flowing down her face until the pain became too much. Passing out, she slipped into the darkness to die in peace.
He laughed as he picked up the little vial. “I knew you would insist on hiding,” he stated, waving it under her nose to bring her back.
When her eyes flickered open, the screams began again.
Once more, he continued on with the carving, only to stop and revive her again. As he carved into this one’s belly, he wondered if Elizabeth Blackhawk would scream as much for him?
Oh yes, she would.
* * *
Thursday Morning
Four days until Halloween
The hands sliding across her body were a dead giveaway. Having been with both men long enough, she knew one’s touch from the other.
To her, they were very distinguishable.
When Ethan would roam her body, it was with fingertips and gentle touch, as if she was something breakable. It was ironic, because when the three of them came together, he tended to be the wilder and more out of control.
With Callen, his touch was unmistakable too. He’d use the palm of his hand to feel the maximum amount of flesh as humanly possible. He greedily stroked and rubbed, with a roughness that was simply him. When it came to sex alone, he was far more aggressive but as their threesome, he backed down to his brother.
When he tweaked her nipple and followed it up by his mouth, she moaned. “Leroy, my husbands are in the shower. If you’re going to take me, you better make it fast.”
He laughed as he bit down a little to teach her a lesson.
The pain filled her and made her body heat with such want and need. “God,” she hissed, as he rolled with her to place her on top.
“Since you want to pretend that your lover is manhandling you, I want to pretend that I’m the boss,” he answered as he directed her head lower. “Take me in your mouth.”
Her body was awake, and she did what he asked.
Callen gasped, as he had an up close and personal view of her swallowing him whole. Elizabeth had a wicked mouth and tongue, in the bed and out. Now, she was showing him her well perfected skills. As her head bobbed up and down in his lap, he buried his hands in fistfuls of hair, enjoying the whimper she made. “So hot, angel,” he muttered, as she slid her one hand lower and cupped him.
The groan was from so deep in his chest, it was a rumble. “Shit, Lyzee!”
As his words became more heated, her mouth became wilder and pushed him to his limits.
Callen fought hard to not lose it. After all, it wasn’t easy with his woman. As he arched up into her mouth, he knew he wasn’t going to make it much longer. Already, he was fighting to keep his hips from driving into the warmth of her mouth. With his hands still buried in her hair, he dragged her up his body roughly, her hiss of pain making him insane.
Elizabeth gasped and forced herself to relax into it, as she knew Callen wouldn’t hurt her. In fact, she wanted more and more of what he offered.
As he rolled, Elizabeth lay trapped beneath him. “Callen, I want you to fu…” she didn't get to finish. Already, his mouth had crashed down on hers, and he’d thrust deep into the hot wetness of her body.
They both moaned, enjoying the invasion and pillaging.
When her hands found his hair, she shared his aggression and pulled roughly to keep his mouth locked to hers until she was finished with the kiss.
Callen couldn’t catch his breath. This was probably the roughest that he’d ever been with her, and he had expected her to put a stop to it. Yeah, that didn't happen. Elizabeth was enjoying it as much as he was and the knowledge that he could be himself with her was making him crazy. It made him want to see how far he could take it before being denied his prize.
Ripping his mouth away, he stared wildly down into her eyes as his lower body took and claimed her too.
“More, Callen! More!”
“God, Elizabeth,” he hissed, giving her exactly what she wanted.
And he needed.
Elizabeth felt herself break apart as the orgasm tore through her body. Her body bowed and wantonly accepted all of his aggressive thrusts.
“Can’t.last.any.longer!” he shouted, slamming into her one last time as he fell into the chasm after her. He floated in the darkness, until his vision cleared.
Lifting his body up, he stared down into her eyes. “Are you okay?” he asked, hoping that he didn't cross some line.
“Yee haw,” she muttered, still not opening her eyes. “Now I want to go back to sleep.”
He started laughing and was pleased that she enjoyed their lovemaking. “What if I told you that I had a present for you? Would that wake you up?
It had the desired effect.
“Hell yeah it would, Mr. Whitefox.” She perked up immediately. It was like an early Christmas. First, there was a ring from Ethan and now something from Callen. Her suspicion was piqued. Both men were very romantic and giving, but back to back?
Something had them in a tizzy.
He slid off her body and crossed to his messenger bag. Pulling out the box, Callen carried it to her. “I saw this and thought of you.”
Elizabeth noticed it was in a similar box as the ring Ethan had given her. Opening it, she stared down at the spiral pendant with the blue stones. “Oh Cal, it’s gorgeous.”
“It’s for protection.”
And then she got it. Yeah, they were both worried about her making it out of Circle Rock alive. “I love it, and it matches the ring Ethan gave me,” she added, pulling open the other box to show him.
The man laughed. It certainly did. “We didn't plan it.”
She gave him kisses. “I love it.”
“Can I help you put it on?” he asked, taking it from her hand. At that moment, they both glanced up as the bathroom door opened.
“It appears I timed that perfectly,” he said, walking to the side of the bed and taking a seat. He touched the bauble his brother was hanging around her throat. “You have truly excellent taste, Callen. It’s really pretty.”
“I agree,” she added.
Ethan picked up the box with the ring and slipped it onto her middle finger on her right hand.
Holding her hair, she waited for Callen to do the clasp. “I’m a very lucky girl.”
Both men laughed at her comment.
“What?”
Ethan leaned in to kiss her. “You’re a hellion in bed, and that’s why we’re very lucky men.”
Callen continued for him, “Who have no problem buying their wife jewelry,” he finished, “As bribery for hot sex.”
She kissed him next. “If you think I won’t use that to get sparklies, then you’re dead wrong.”
Ethan’s phone began to ring. As he answered it, his face said it all. “We will meet you there.”
“Oh boy,” Elizabeth muttered. She already knew where it was heading. She’d been an agent for a long enough time.
“We have another body,” he answered, hopping off the bed.
The sick feeling in the pit of
his stomach was bubbling back up again. “He’s escalating.”
Didn't Ethan know it? “I’ll have that profile worked up for you tonight, baby,” he stated. “I know that you were going to bring it up.”
She raced towards the bathroom.
“Where are you going?” Ethan asked as he dressed and zipped up his fly.
Elizabeth stuck her head out. “Thanks to Callen, I am a crime scene. I was mauled by some sex crazed maniac and need a shower before someone tries to check me for evidence.”
Callen was more than proud of that one statement, and he offered up a very telling, smug grin.
“Hurry!” Ethan said. He turned and gave his brother a fist bump. He was sorry that he missed participating. “It must have been a good one.”
“Yeah, it really was.”
Cyra woke in bed alone. Even though she fell asleep just fine, she had a night filled with a few nightmares. In each one, her partner was killing Chris and stealing him from her. Every time she woke with a start, he was there to comfort her. Now she didn't need to open her eyes to see that he was gone.
“I’m here, sweetheart,” he answered, as if he knew what she was thinking. “I had some reports come in, and I needed to go over them before I meet with the Blackhawks.”
She rolled over to already find him dressed and ready for work. “Did I sleep in?” she asked, staring down at her watch.
“No, it’s early. I couldn’t sleep.”
“I’m sorry.”
He glanced up from his tablet. “For what?” He wasn’t able to sleep because all night he was filled with such fear of being too late to save her. What if he’d stopped in his room? Or stayed to talk to the Blackhawks longer? Those thoughts filled his mind and caused the night to be nothing but torturous.
“I kept you up.”
He shook his head. “No, my brain kept me up. It happens sometimes.”
Cyra climbed out of bed, her body screaming in pain. “How’s your side?”
He patted it. “I have a high threshold for pain.” Standing, he crossed to her. “I should be the one apologizing to you, Cyra.”
Now she was confused. “Why?”
“I almost didn't get here in time. If I had been a few minutes late, it may have been far worse.”
Cyra went against his body and clung to him. “But you weren’t, and ultimately that’s all that matters. You saved me, Chris,” she whispered as she gazed into his eyes.
“Move in with me.”
That caught her totally off guard. “What?”
“When we go back home, I want you to pack your things and move in with me.”
Cyra didn't know what to say.
“You told me you didn't want me to ever go, and I’m telling you that I don’t want you to either. We have two separate houses and can’t live in both. Rent yours out and stay in mine.”
It was hard to even catch her breath.
Her silence was terrifying. “It’s not really a mausoleum,” he tried to reassure. “It’s just a big, old, lonely house that I don’t want to spend another night in without you.”
She refused to dwell or over think it. If she could honestly say that she loved him, then how could she not move in with him?
“I’ll move in with you, Christopher, but maybe we should live in my house. You did say that you hated yours.”
He couldn’t believe it. “Seriously? You’re saying yes to me?” Shit! He should have gone with a bigger question bouncing around in his mind. Had he known she was going to be so agreeable, he would have. This was far easier than he ever thought it would be.
She laughed. “Yes.”
“We should stay in the bigger one to have more space. Women like shoes,” he teased, even as he began analyzing and thinking. What he wasn’t prepared to say out loud was that when they had kids, there’d be more room at his place.
“I have three bedrooms,” she offered.
Chris didn't think that would be enough for what he planned. Since he had grown up without siblings, he wanted to have at least four or five children of his own.
“I have six bedrooms.”
She stared. “Chris, how big is your house?”
“Well, it’s fairly large, and I also have a pool. I’ve don’t really use it, but I have one.”
Now, Cyra was laughing. “Sold. You had me at swimming, because ultimately I’m easy.”
Chris grinned. “I do feel obligated to tell you that it’s haunted.” She might as well be warned up front, so Cyra couldn’t blame him for not giving her the heads up later.
“By what?” Now, she was wary.
“My mother. I can’t seem to keep her out of it.”
Cyra was entertained. “How can I say no to a pool and a mausoleum that has its own witch? This is going to be an adventure.”
He was about to agree, when his phone began beeping. The familiar code filled the screen. “We have a new body. You should be getting a call…”
He didn't get to finish.
“Agent Austin,” she answered, pulling out work clothes. “Okay, we’ll meet you there.” Hanging up, she glanced over. “We have to meet them at the station. Once again this place is out of the way and we need an escort up to the scene.”
Chris began packing his things and then looked up. “Are you really going to move in with me?”
“Do you really want me to?”
“Yes, I do.” How could he not? He was getting a blonde Goddess to move into his haunted mausoleum. This had to be some record for geeks everywhere.
“You’ll have to help me move. Oh and I have a dog. He’s a really big lovable German Shepherd. ”
Chris pulled on his jacket and was thinking that a dog might make the place cozy and warm, instead of cold and dead. “I always wanted a dog.”
Cyra smiled. “Rex is very well trained. He can bring you the newspaper if you bribe him with something tasty.”
“Deal, oh and I have a pet too.”
That intrigued her. She didn't take him for a pet kind of man. “What do you have?”
“I live with a tarantula.”
She stopped in her tracks. Certainly, he didn't just say that he was buddy-buddy with a hairy, vile, disgusting spider. “Really?”
“Yes, but it’s not actually mine. It’s more my mother’s pet. She keeps it at my house so it can have a change of scenery every now and then. She swears it gets lonely, and that might be true, since it sometimes gets out of the terrarium and ends up in bed with me. Don’t worry though, he’s been defanged. Igor doesn’t bite.”
“Chris.”
He looked over at her. “Yes, sweetheart?”
“Are you trying to freak me out, or do you really have a free roaming spider in your bed?”
“It’s not every night.”
She shuddered. “And waking up to that that doesn’t scare the bejezuz out of you?”
He looked at her like she was crazy. “Cyra, I dig out people’s spleens and brains. I’ve seen eyeballs pop. Trust me, Igor is nothing compared to my day job.”
She was horrified.
“We better hurry,” he said grinning. When she stood there and stared at him, he wanted to laugh. “I told you that it was a haunted mausoleum.”
Cyra wasn’t sure if she should freak out or try and convince herself that he was yanking her chain.
Either way… she really hated spiders.
~ Chapter Ten ~
Thursday Mid-morning
As they pulled up to the station, there was one cop leaning against his cruiser waiting for them to arrive. When he saw them, he hopped into his vehicle and led them to where the killer had left his last victim.
The location this time was of a field-like area, with no trees and lots of open space. Elizabeth was beginning to wonder why they had three very different locations. Was the killer trying to convey something with that too?
Walking up to the police chief, she stood alongside her employee. Officer Marsh wasn’t in work clothes at the time, and must ha
ve been off duty.
“Morning, Directors. It looks like your killer is picking up the pace on this one,” Gena Lowry stated.
It wasn’t hard to detect a little snideness in her comment. Yeah, they were up to their neck in killings, and she wasn’t exactly sorry to see them dealing with it. Elizabeth would like to say she was surprised, but she wasn’t.
“Did we get another note?” Ethan asked, trying to intercede between the two women. Gena Lowry was heading down a dangerous road. Elizabeth would chew her up and spit her out.
“We did.” She handed her the sealed up note. “It was found on Officer Marsh’s vehicle.”
Elizabeth inspected it.
I’ve left another gift.
The directions were beneath, and this time the letter was typed and not printed by hand. Again, it was one more thing that the killer had changed up.
She passed it to her partners, waiting for them both to read it. “Were you at the coffee shop?”
Marsh shook his head. “No, I was at the gym. We don’t have an in-house facility, so I sometimes go there in the morning before my shift to get my workout in for the day.”
Add that to the list of changeups too.
“Do we know who she is?” Callen inquired.
Neither local cop was going to be of any help in that area.
Well, so much for making it easier. It looked like they were starting at the beginning on this one. Elizabeth turned at the sound of her name being called a short distance away. “Yes, Doc?”
“I need you to see this!”
The three directors and the police chief all crossed the field, stopping just outside the circle of salt.
“Look,” he said, pointing.
It was the pentacle that was carved in her body.
The police chief spoke, “What about it? It looks exactly like the other two he created.”
Chris traced his finger over the raw, angry slashes. “Look at the pooling of blood. I’m going to give my preliminary estimation that this was done while she was alive.”
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