Wild

by Meghan O'Brien

  “Okay.” She might be stubborn, but she wasn’t stupid. “Whatever you think’s best.”

  That elicited genuine satisfaction from Jac. “I like the sound of that.”

  “Well, don’t get used to it.” Eve bumped Jac back. “I say such things only during emergency-serial-killer-stalker situations.”

  “Well, damn. I intend for this to be the last one of those we deal with.”

  “Me, too.” Taking a deep breath, Eve shook off her lingering unease from the phone call. Now wasn’t the time to let fear sweep her away. She refused to let Kev win. She’d beat him by doing what she did best. “Let’s head back to the lab and prep for the autopsy. Maybe this time he made a mistake.”

  Jac gave a grim nod. “I’ll cross my fingers.”

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Armed with a brand-new knife, a lock-picking kit, and a handful of condoms tucked safely inside his backpack, Kevin leashed his dog and prepared for what he knew would be a challenging day. Going after Eve Thomas was a risk, no matter how good he was. At this point she had as much surveillance on her as the San Francisco Police Department could surely afford. It wasn’t exactly FBI-level protection, but Kevin would have to be very careful if he wanted to get close to her without being caught.

  He had set tonight’s plan in motion the day he left his little present on her doorstep. Before he left Eve’s apartment building he’d climbed the staircase to the top floor and located the roof-access door. Not surprisingly, it locked from the inside to prevent intruders from breaking into the building. As Kevin had hoped, Eve’s old building had equally old security—a simple mechanical lock and no alarm. He’d gone home that day confident that his bump key would do the job and get him inside. No problem.

  Tonight he’d find out.

  It was probably only a matter of time before the SFPD called in the feds to assist on the case—in fact, Kevin was surprised they hadn’t already—so this was as good a time as any to make his next move. Deep down, Kevin was confident he could slip past the layers of Eve’s protective detail and catch her alone. The only thing that worried him about tonight’s operation was that he might lose control and end their game before he was ready for it to be over.

  Right now he told himself that all he wanted was more of Eve’s fear—intoxicating as it was, the memory of her face and her shaking voice as she pleaded for her life had kept him going for weeks now. But it wasn’t enough anymore.

  The challenge would be holding himself back from just ending her life today. He had fantasized about it so many times now, lying in bed at night imagining the warm, red flow of her blood, the terror in her eyes when she realized her time was up. Fucking her tonight was more for her benefit than his. He didn’t care much for sex but sensed that violating her in that way would crush her spirit. Carving his name in her face would be the real pleasure. It would take everything he had to keep the wounds superficial enough that she didn’t bleed out.

  When he started this thing, the point had been to be the killer Eve Thomas couldn’t catch, the one who could outsmart both her and the police. That this whole thing had turned into an obsession with the woman herself was unsettling, but Kevin was long past trying to quell his desire to take things ever further.

  Today was an important day. And he wouldn’t fail.

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Selene had never been so exhausted. After almost two weeks of near-constant surveillance of Eve’s every move, she was running on only a few hours’ sleep and questioning her sanity. Technically what she was doing felt like stalking, though her motives were more pure than simply wanting to stay close to Eve despite no longer being welcome in her life. Still, Selene had totally disrupted her schedule—leaving work projects undone and grabbing catnaps only when she was absolutely certain Eve was safe—all so that she could stay hidden in plain sight on the periphery of Eve’s life: outside her apartment, at the morgue, everywhere she went.

  Not wanting Eve to sense her presence, Selene had made it a point to stay far enough away not to trigger Eve’s awareness while staying within range where she would be able to sense approaching danger. It wasn’t that Selene didn’t trust Jac’s protective detail to do their jobs. Selene was just in a unique position to watch without being seen and, if necessary, to attack with incredible force. If Eve’s stalker could possibly slip past the cops, Selene had to be there as a last line of defense. She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if something happened to Eve and she could have stopped it.

  Tonight, curled up as a large Rottweiler on the welcome mat in front of Eve’s apartment door, Selene struggled to keep her eyes open. Falling asleep would be disastrous. She would almost certainly wake up naked and human, and if Eve found her like that she wouldn’t be able to explain except tell the truth. Selene was working up the nerve to do just that. She missed Eve. If the truth could help smooth things over between them, maybe it was worth taking that risk. Keeping this secret wouldn’t bring Eve back. After their miserable time apart, that was all Selene really cared about, even more than protecting herself from discovery.

  Selene opened her mouth wide and yawned, letting out a whine that was louder than she would have liked. She laid her head on her paws and went still, blinking sleepily as she listened to the quiet sounds of the building at night—the hum of an air conditioner, the gentle flickering of the light at the end of the hallway. There was only silence from inside Eve’s apartment, which didn’t surprise Selene at two in the morning. Eve would be sound asleep by now. If she was able to sleep, that was. Every day Selene saw her, Eve looked increasingly weary. Whether she was exhausted or depressed, Selene wasn’t sure.

  If Eve was going through even half the pain Selene felt at their separation, it was probably some of both. As much as she hated to see Eve suffer, Selene took her obvious torment as a sign of hope. Clearly Eve’s emotional turmoil didn’t result from having a serial killer stalk her, as if that wasn’t enough, but was due to the loss of their connection. Selene could only hope that if Eve missed her badly enough, maybe she wouldn’t reject Selene if she knew the truth.

  Exhaling, Selene closed her eyes for the space of two breaths before forcing them open again. She had to stay awake. She sat up and sniffed, shaking her head in an effort to chase away the urge to fall asleep. Mid-shake Selene froze, ears perking as she picked up an unusual scraping sound somewhere above her head. After so many long nights in Eve’s hallway, she knew which noises to expect, and this one was definitely out of place.

  She inhaled deeply, knowing her nose would pick up the scent of trouble if it was truly in their midst. Right now it was difficult to trust her instincts. It was entirely possible her sleep-deprived mind was playing tricks on her.

  There. Selene lifted her nose and sniffed rapidly. There it was, the unmistakable scent of the man who was hunting Eve. Selene popped her ears up, rotating them as she strained to hear his approach. Ceiling lamps lighted the hallway so she would surely see him coming, unless he somehow managed to enter Eve’s apartment another way—through a window, maybe, or the ventilation system.

  His scent grew stronger. Standing close to Eve’s door, Selene pressed her ear to the wood and listened for any sign that he was inside. Just as she began to panic, Selene heard the sound of soft footfalls approaching the end of Eve’s hallway. It was him. Somehow he’d managed to get into the building, apparently without arousing suspicion, and now Selene was all that stood between a psychopath and the woman she loved.

  Suddenly wide-awake, Selene bared her teeth in a silent snarl. She was ready for this, ready to kill this man if it came down to that, though she honestly hoped it wouldn’t. She wasn’t a murderer, even when her most animalistic urges drove her. Tonight her mission was to protect Eve and to assist the police in capturing this man so he could be punished.

  He came around the corner so quietly that Selene wouldn’t have heard him with human ears. He was pulling on a ski mask as he entered the hallway, so his face was covered by the ti
me Selene had her first good look. Disappointed that she still didn’t know what he looked like, Selene advanced a step and released the most menacing growl she could muster. The fur on her back stood on end, an unconscious physiological reaction to the threat the man presented.

  The man stopped, clearly surprised to find a dog guarding Eve’s door. Selene could see his mind working, and for a moment she wondered if he would just turn around and leave. Unfortunately, she had a feeling he was far too determined to let an aggressive dog stop him that easily.

  Moving slowly, the man eased his backpack from his shoulders and unzipped it. The thought that he could have a gun flashed across Selene’s mind and she raced toward him, hoping to attack before he could draw a weapon. When he pulled out a knife instead of the gun she had been expecting, she skidded to a stop. The closer she got, the better the chance he would slice her with his blade. Though she would heal quickly from most wounds, she wasn’t invincible. Caution was important.

  “That’s right, pup. Back off.”

  Selene growled again. Beneath the sour smell of fear Selene could pick up the lingering scent of his excitement. His adrenaline was flowing, just like hers. Saliva dripped from her mouth, a primal response brought on by her urge to tear him apart. She knew it looked intimidating and so she played it up, snapping her jaw at him as she lunged forward then danced back.

  “Goddamn it.” The man grimaced, stumbling backward. He was obviously nervous, no doubt remembering the last time she’d sunk her teeth into him. Selene had no qualms about doing it again, and causing damage this time. “First a wolf, now this.”

  Pulling back her lips, Selene barked loudly. That would wake some people up. Maybe even get the cops in here. Clearly alarmed, the man came at her swinging his knife. Unprepared for the quickness of his reaction, Selene yelped when the edge of his blade sliced into her back. The wound was shallow and would heal before the night was over, but she drew back a few steps to get away. Then she barked again. She barked her fool head off.

  “Fuck.” Leaving her with a murderous glare, the man took off running even as Selene heard a door open behind her.

  Selene turned to see Eve poke her head out into the hallway, tentative and confused. Horrified that Eve would leave the safety of her apartment for even an instant, Selene growled and barked again, pleased when Eve disappeared inside quickly. Knowing that Eve would surely alert the police of the disturbance in the hallway, Selene ran in the direction the killer had gone, following his fresh trail with ease.

  She ran up the stairs, until she got to a door that said Roof Access. The door was closed so Selene shifted into human form just long enough to turn the knob, then she changed into a bird as she threw herself outside. As tired as she was, every shift took enormous effort. But she was determined not to lose him this time. If she had to go through her entire wildlife repertoire to make sure she could follow him home, she would.

  She needed to know where this fucker lived.

  Flying high into the sky, Selene spotted the killer hurrying along the roof of the building next to Eve’s. He hopped from that one to the adjacent building, making his way farther down the block. Eve’s street was lined with buildings that stood so close together they practically touched, a San Francisco staple. It made sense that he would choose to use the crowded architecture to his advantage. The cops were watching the area at the street level, and only on Eve’s block. No wonder he was able to get into her building undetected.

  Selene followed him to the roof of the corner building, where he escaped inside via the roof-access door. Rather than follow him inside where she might get trapped, she swooped down to the street, taking note of the two doors from which he could emerge. She guessed he would take the side door since it couldn’t be seen from Eve’s street. Perching on a wire that powered the Muni electric trolley, she held her breath as she waited for him to appear. It occurred to her that there could be another way out of the building she wasn’t able to see, but just as she started to worry that she’d lost him, the door opened and he stumbled outside.

  The ski mask was gone. What struck Selene first about his appearance was his total lack of hair. His bald scalp shone in the moonlight, making him look sinister in a way that turned her blood to ice. She estimated he was in his mid thirties and guessed that the hair loss wasn’t natural. Light stubble gave away his head as shaved.

  Selene flapped her wings and took off from the wire, swooping low enough to stay close. She didn’t want to risk losing him if he suddenly descended into an underground BART station. He adjusted his backpack, looked around, then pulled a baseball cap onto his head. He kept his steps deliberate and measured, as though he was merely taking a late-night stroll instead of escaping from the scene of an attempted crime.

  The killer crossed the street at the corner, detouring into a small neighborhood park. Selene expected him to cut across to the other side, but instead he stopped at a play structure and bent down low. Shocked, Selene realized that he was untying a small dog that wagged its tail in excitement. He yanked hard on the leash, practically dragging the poor mutt back onto the sidewalk.

  Clever. He’d walked into that park as a man who was out suspiciously late, conspicuous in a hat, wearing a backpack. And now he was leaving as a responsible pet owner who’d taken his dog out for a late-night potty break. Even if the cops drove by now, they wouldn’t necessarily decide he looked out of place. The only thing out of the ordinary about him was the anger Selene could practically feel emanating from his large frame.

  Unfortunately his dog bore the brunt of that rage. Every so often the man would pop the leash hard, seemingly for no other reason than to make the dog whimper in discomfort. Selene kept up her silent vigil overhead, worried for the little mutt. The man was obviously furious that his plans had been thwarted, by a fellow dog, no less.

  Selene’s mind raced as he turned down a residential street. She assumed he was parked somewhere nearby and worried about her ability to follow him once he got into a car. At this time of night, traffic would be light, and if he chose to speed away, she could have trouble keeping up.

  At once an idea occurred to Selene, one so crazy she knew it had merit. If it worked, she would solve two problems at once: discovering where the killer lived and rescuing the man’s unfortunate pup from what she imagined would be a gruesome fate once they got there. Without allowing herself to second-guess her instincts, she descended onto the sidewalk just behind the man and, when he didn’t react to her presence, she shifted into the biggest, meanest dog she could imagine.

  Sending out a silent apology to the little mutt she was about to terrorize, Selene took off running after the man and his dog with a low snarl. Immediately the little dog went on the defensive, yapping noisily as Selene closed in. The man watched her approach with wide eyes, as though he either didn’t understand or didn’t believe what he was seeing. Prepared to wrench the leash from his hand with her teeth, Selene was thrilled when he simply dropped it and the little dog tore off down the street. Selene gave chase, feeling simultaneously guilty and overjoyed at being able to give in to her natural urge to pursue.

  As soon as she and the dog ran around a corner out of the man’s sight, Selene forced herself to stop. Breathing heavily, she checked to make sure the street was still deserted, then ducked into a narrow alley to shift into yet another new form, that of the man’s little dog. She trotted out quickly, worried that the man would reach his car before she could make her way back to him.

  Her legs were shorter now so she had to run at top speed to catch up, but luckily she was able to close the distance between her and the killer without a problem. Her exhaustion returned swiftly as she circled in front of the man, whining to be picked up. She wore no leash and hoped the man would accept the idea that she’d slipped out of her collar during the altercation with the larger dog.

  The man stared down at her, clearly surprised that his dog had returned. He glanced back over his shoulder, undoubtedly checking to see if
the big dog was still in pursuit. The sidewalk was empty. Selene whined again and danced around, hoping he wouldn’t just decide to abandon her here.

  “Stupid mutt,” he muttered, bending to roughly grab the scruff of her neck and lift her into his arms. “Thought you’d be dinner by now.”

  Selene pushed back the desire to vomit at the sensation of being carried beneath his arm, surrounded by his pungent scent. She stayed very still and didn’t wiggle, afraid that his patience was worn too thin to allow him to put up with a difficult pet. She needed him to take her home, at the very least. Once she was there she’d figure out how to escape, making sure she could retrace her steps and lead Eve and the police to his door.

  He carried her two more blocks before walking to the driver’s-side door of a nondescript Toyota, using a fob to unlock the car, then practically tossing her into the passenger seat. He threw his backpack on top of her, unzipping the largest pocket to stuff his baseball cap inside. Then he started the car with a quiet curse.

  “I should be fucking her right now.” He threw the car into drive with an angry jerk of his wrist. “I should be torturing that bitch, but instead a goddamn dog ruins everything.” As he pulled away from the curb, he pinned Selene with a murderous glare. “Stupid fucking dogs.”

  Selene avoided his gaze and sat very still, pretending to be a statue. She sensed that one wrong move would provoke violence, and her options for evading injury were limited inside a locked car. Hoping that he would be satisfied with ranting and raving, at least until they got home, Selene watched him from the corner of her eye as he ground his teeth together.

  Angling her head so she could peer into his backpack, she spotted his knife and a foil packet that turned her stomach. From his words and the objects he carried, she had a good idea what he’d planned to do at Eve’s apartment tonight. Her muscles weakened and she slumped against the back of the seat, overcome by intense gratitude that she’d been able to stop him.