“Okay.” Eve nodded determinedly, tugging a dark hooded sweatshirt over her head. She completed her outfit by tucking her hair under a Giants baseball cap. The uncharacteristic clothing did the trick; at a glance, she looked nothing like her normal, immaculate self. “I’ll meet you there.”
“Yes.” Selene pulled Eve into a quick hug, moaning helplessly at how good it felt to have her close. “I’ll see you in a few minutes. Be careful.”
Selene hated to let Eve out of her sight and only did so because she’d sense if Eve got into trouble. As long as she had her human consciousness, Selene was tuned in to Eve on a cosmic frequency. That would have to be enough.
Making sure she was out of the line of sight of the open window, Selene shifted into a small sparrow. She wouldn’t be able to create much of a distraction in this form, but it was the best and sneakiest way to get down to street level. Glancing at Eve, Selene felt pleased rather than insecure at the slack-jawed look of wonder on Eve’s face.
Eve had tried to explain just how mind-bending Selene’s ability was, from a scientific standpoint—something to do with mass and the laws of physics—but Selene hadn’t understood half of what she was saying. All Selene cared about was that Eve seemed genuinely excited about what she was. After both her parents and Carla accused her of being a monster, Eve’s enthusiastic acceptance was beyond her wildest hopes and dreams.
Selene chirped at Eve, then flapped her wings to take off, soaring out the window to dive to the ground below. She tried to imagine Eve’s movements inside the apartment building, desperate to get the timing right. Flying over to land on the banister outside the front entrance, Selene watched and waited for Eve’s arrival in the lobby. They were lucky that Jac had agreed to remove the officers stationed inside now that the cops were watching Kevin Pike. Jac had made it clear that the officers would return if they lost track of Pike, but the slight loosening of security definitely made tonight easier to pull off.
Eve stepped off the elevator and walked to the front door. She stood beside the window, out of sight of the detectives on the street. Satisfied by Eve’s position, Selene flew across the street into an alley, landing behind a Dumpster so she could move to part two of her plan. She wanted to get the attention of the police officers without causing a panic, so doing something like unleashing a tiger in the middle of the city street was out. Likewise, she didn’t want to become a creature they were likely to open fire on if they feared for their safety.
That’s what made a bald eagle the perfect choice. Unusual enough that people didn’t see them every day, such a spectacular bird was sure to capture the detectives’ attention. And they sure as hell wouldn’t decide to shoot at her even if she did startle them. Her second shift—from sparrow to eagle—required more effort than the first, and took her a little further away from her human self. But it was exhilarating to occupy the large body of the majestic bird.
Selene flapped her wings and rose into the air, swooping out of the alley and across the street to land on the hood of the black sedan. She watched the detective in the driver’s seat spill his coffee on his lap, while his partner grabbed at his chest, going round-eyed with surprise. Extending her wings to their full width, Selene tipped back her head and cried out three times. It was her signal to Eve and also a wild, triumphant sound of unrestrained joy.
Never before had she voluntarily shifted on a full-moon day, and it was glorious. Nearly as good as sex. Hopping around on the hood of the car, Selene flapped her wings and jumped from side to side, glancing at the front of Eve’s building. Now was the time for Eve to make her escape—her performance had completely enthralled the detectives. Eve could probably tap-dance down the street without them seeing.
When Eve slipped out the front door and skulked down the block, Selene launched into her grand finale. She lifted herself into the air, then came down hard on their windshield, drawing shouts from inside the car. The detective on the driver’s side laid on the horn, startling Selene backward. She glanced down the block just in time to see Eve round the corner and disappear from sight.
Satisfied that she’d accomplished her mission, and wary of the attention she was drawing from onlookers gathered on the street, Selene pumped her wings and took off. She coasted over Eve’s building to the place they’d agreed to meet. Landing in the narrow passage between two buildings, she pulled off yet another shift—this time into Luna the Rottweiler, Eve’s canine protector. Selene trotted out onto the sidewalk, zeroing in on Eve’s location immediately. Drawn to her partner’s side, Selene tore down the street to meet her.
Eve greeted her with a gentle pat on the chest. “Good girl.”
Selene walked close to Eve’s side, hoping not to attract any attention with their failure to adhere to the leash law. Eve rested her hand on Selene’s head, sending a wave of contented pleasure through her entire body.
“That was pretty impressive stuff back there,” Eve murmured under her breath. She ruffled Selene’s fur. “There’s no way they saw me leave. Not with the show you put on.”
Eve’s cell phone buzzed inside her pocket. She pulled it out and glanced at the display. “Well, I guess we’re about to find out.” She answered with a casual, “This is Eve.” Selene listened to the detective check in while attempting to explain the very unusual thing that had just happened. Eve did a perfect job of playing up fake surprise. “You’re kidding me. I thought I heard a commotion down there, but I never would have guessed that.” She listened, then laughed. “Well, good luck with that. Glad I’m safe up here and not at the mercy of a crazy bird. Okay. Bye.”
Clicking off the phone, Eve murmured under her breath, “Don’t you love it when a plan comes together?”
Selene whined in agreement. Her skin tingled with excitement and her animal brain threatened to take over as she struggled to pay attention to their surroundings. As difficult as it was to concentrate, she was now the last line of defense between Eve and Kevin Pike. Without the cops as backup, she needed to be at the top of her game.
Eve unlocked Selene’s car as they approached, opening the driver’s side door to allow Selene to jump inside first. They’d decided that Selene wouldn’t change back into her human self until they reached her apartment—cutting down her risk of exposure as much as possible. Selene curled up on the passenger seat and exhaled deeply, trying to relax. Three shifts had her adrenaline pumping. She wanted to go home, get strapped down, and ride out the rest of the night in the safety of her apartment.
Clearly sensing Selene’s unspoken urgency, Eve broke the speed limit on the drive back to Selene’s house. As soon as they pulled up to the curb Eve threw the car into park, then opened the driver’s side door quickly and let Selene jump out of the car behind her. They jogged across the street together, Eve leading the way. Selene circled Eve’s feet excitedly as she unlocked the door, then dashed inside, shifting back into her human self as soon as Eve shut the door behind them.
The moment Selene returned to her body, hot lust surged through her veins. Thinking became impossible as the air molecules surrounding her tickled her skin like a thousand tongues lapping at her clit. Selene groaned in agony, zeroing in on the beautiful, fragrant form of her lover standing not five feet away.
Eve must have seen the struggle in her eyes. “It’s okay, darling,” she said, taking a step closer. “Do what you need to do.”
Selene closed the distance between them and grabbed Eve’s shoulders, walking her backward into the living room. One desperate, recurrent thought cut through the noise in her head. Don’t hurt her. Frightened by her single-minded need, Selene spun Eve around, then bent her over the arm of the couch. Hands shaking, Selene unbuttoned and unzipped Eve’s jeans, yanking them down around her ankles. Then she grasped the waist of Eve’s panties in both hands and lowered the silky material to expose the firm, bare flesh of her ass.
Eve glanced back over her shoulder, meeting Selene’s eyes. “I want you, Selene. Take me.”
Emboldened by Eve�
��s words, Selene used both hands to spread her open, whimpering at the sight of her slick pink pussy, the delicate pucker of her anus. Stepping forward, Selene pressed her center against Eve’s soft warmth. She used her fingers to expose her distended clit, grunting as she rubbed and thrust herself against Eve in a mindless, animalistic pantomime of rear-entry sex. Once she settled into a satisfying rhythm, clit perfectly positioned against Eve’s wetness, Selene reached beneath Eve’s sweatshirt and cradled a hard-nippled breast in each hand.
“Pinch them,” Eve gasped. Despite the lack of clitoral and internal stimulation from Selene’s attentions, she sounded as though she was building toward a crescendo. “Twist my nipples. Don’t be afraid to get rough.”
Selene obeyed Eve on instinct, tugging and squeezing her nipples as she continued to drive her hips into Eve’s bare bottom. Arching her back, Eve moaned loudly, then shook as an unmistakable orgasm tore through her body. Eve’s climax sent Selene into screaming release, delivering white-hot pleasure to the tips of her toes. The more she came, the easier it became to think, until finally Selene collapsed onto Eve’s back, exhausted but blessedly lucid.
Eve chuckled weakly, patting Selene’s thigh. “Well, that was a new experience for me.”
Embarrassed, Selene stood on shaky legs. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…” Selene cleared her throat, unsure how to label what she’d just done. Eve might have been willing to service her for the sake of keeping her comfortable and focused, but Selene worried that she’d crossed a line. Allowing Eve to use her fingers and tongue was one thing—degrading her was something else entirely. “Shifting got me really worked up. But I shouldn’t have done that.”
Eve rose to her feet, giving Selene a dazed laugh. “Are you kidding me? I just came from having my nipples touched.”
“Yeah, well…” Selene pulled up Eve’s pants, buttoning them clumsily. “I could have probably made that more comfortable for you.”
“That was incredibly hot, Selene.” Eve touched her face. “I’m pretty sure I had a fantasy along those lines once.”
Selene managed a smile that felt a lot like a grimace. She could feel the late hour in her bones—soon she would be totally unsafe for Eve to be around. “It’s getting close, darling. We need to go over the instructions now.”
“Okay.” Eve casually arranged her clothing as though she hadn’t just been ridden senseless. “You seriously never fucked those call girls? I’m asking without judgment. It’s just that I can’t imagine how you could have held back when you felt like this.”
“Honestly, you might be intensifying those feelings just a bit.”
“Really?” Eve looked strangely flattered.
“Absolutely. And no, I never did anything with the escorts. Didn’t want to get attached. But, believe me, it required a lot of willpower.” Selene grabbed Eve’s hand and led her to the guest bedroom, where her trusty steel table sat waiting. “Which is something I seem to lose when you’re around.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Eve stroked her thumb over the side of Selene’s hand, sending another orgasm rolling through Selene’s body. At Selene’s tormented groan, Eve murmured, “Sorry.”
Shaking her head, Selene hopped up onto the steel table and lay down in the center. “I’m guessing I’ve got just over an hour before I change. We need to get started if you’re going to be able to leave before dark.”
Eve nodded solemnly. “Tell me what to do.”
Having someone who knew the stakes was an entirely new experience. For the first time, Selene faced the prospect of her full-moon transformation with a sense of comfort. She had someone looking out for her interests. Someone she could trust. Someone who didn’t want her to escape and would do whatever it took to ensure she wouldn’t.
Selene had a partner in the truest sense of the word.
Nostrils flaring as her emotion rose, Selene gave Eve a tender, lingering kiss on the lips. It took everything she had not to deepen it. Drawing away, Selene whispered, “Just don’t be afraid of hurting me, okay? You won’t. I promise.”
“I’m not afraid,” Eve said bravely. And, indeed, she had no fear in her eyes. “I promise.”
Selene wished she could say the same.
Chapter Thirty-four
The cops had been watching him for at least eleven days now, maybe longer. Kevin noticed them first while sitting at the coffee shop near Eve Thomas’s apartment, two men in the dark sedan who sat parked nearby. They watched him without watching, obvious in the way law-enforcement types always seemed to be. They clearly underestimated his intelligence, because after he picked them out the first time, they were consistently easy to spot.
Kevin didn’t let on that he knew. Since they’d already seen him visit the coffee shop, he continued his daily trips. He stuck to the habits that wouldn’t incriminate him, not wanting a change in behavior to raise any alarm. It was better for him if they didn’t know he realized they were watching. He figured if they thought he was ignorantly doing nothing wrong, maybe they would look elsewhere.
They had to have a reason for placing him under surveillance. But no matter how many times he retraced his movements and actions over the past couple of months, he couldn’t figure out how they knew who he was. He’d given Eve his first name, but he couldn’t imagine that would be enough to find him. He wasn’t on anyone’s radar. No criminal record, nothing to suggest anything off about him.
The timing was suspicious—he’d spotted his surveillance detail not long after that damn dog had chased him away from Eve’s apartment. He hadn’t left any evidence behind. He hadn’t spotted any potential witnesses during his escape. Despite his failure to get to Eve, the mission hadn’t been a total disaster. He’d gotten away without being seen.
But his head hadn’t been right since that night, and he was starting to second-guess his instincts, maybe even his sanity. Because as angry as he was, he still didn’t understand where his little dog had gone.
He remembered being enraged, knowing he would take it out on the dog, who ran under the bed and hid. And then the dog was gone. Disappeared.
Now the cops were tailing him. That meant he’d done something wrong, even if he couldn’t figure out what. Maybe he was losing it—maybe he’d made a mistake with one of the bodies, or with that phone call to Eve Thomas. His present. The clue. He’d gotten cocky. Over-confident. Most regretfully, he’d become obsessed.
He was positive he wasn’t leaving behind any usable evidence at his scenes or on his victims. His biggest risks were when he attempted contact with Eve. That’s when he bent his self-imposed rules, the basic tenets to which he’d sworn to adhere lest he be caught. Be smart about forensic science. Don’t make hair evidence available, so shave your head, eyebrows, and body. Don’t take trophies. Don’t stash evidence. Use a new weapon every time. Above all else, don’t do anything stupid. Act from the brain and not the heart.
With Eve he’d thrown not being stupid out the window. When he’d imagined this game before it started, he fantasized about leaving a trail of victims behind him, perpetually unknown, slipping out of the shadows only to kill before disappearing into them once again. As soon as he attacked Eve the morning of his first kill, he’d changed the game. He’d allowed his desire to inflict fear and pain on Dr. Eve Thomas to overwhelm his sense of caution and his intelligence.
Not anymore.
Kevin didn’t plan on getting caught. Tonight two detectives were parked outside his apartment building, but tomorrow was a new day. He’d leave tonight, go somewhere else. Do what he loved to do but make it about himself next time—not about some goddamn best-selling author / forensic pathologist. Just about him and the women he chose, the ritual, the pleasure it gave him.
He’d get back to the basics.
Just as soon as he finished here.
Kevin couldn’t just leave Eve Thomas without some kind of closure. He wasn’t suicidal—going after Eve directly was no longer an option. It was too dangerous when the
cops had their eye on both of them. So his original endgame was, tragically, aborted.
But that didn’t mean he couldn’t still pull off a closing move with a flourish.
A couple of days before he discovered the cops’ presence, Kevin had been doing his own surveillance of Eve’s block, noting the comings and goings at her apartment. To his surprise, her old friend showed up. Selene, according to the mail he’d intercepted one day at her house. Kevin had written off their relationship as over after their shouting match a couple of weeks prior, but it appeared that they’d rekindled something. Selene had entered the apartment in the morning and still hadn’t emerged by the time he packed in his surveillance.
Unfortunately Kevin hadn’t been able to monitor Eve at all since making his tail, but he suspected that Selene was still important enough to Eve that her murder would be devastating. If he was lucky, Selene might be home alone in her apartment tonight. Even if she wasn’t, he should be able to break in and lie in wait. When Eve went to work tomorrow morning and Selene returned home, Kevin would deliver his parting shot. He’d give Eve something to remember him by.
Then he would disappear. He would win.
This Plan was even better than his original—this way he wouldn’t kill Eve. He would destroy her spirit, but let her body live. A new concept for him, admittedly, but he appreciated the poetic nature of this ending. Never-ending torment for Eve Thomas. Because of him.
And who knew? Maybe he’d come back for her someday.
Chapter Thirty-five
All day Eve told herself she’d keep her promise and leave Selene before dark. She wanted to prove that she was worthy of Selene’s trust. The best way to do that was to follow Selene’s instructions exactly. This monthly ritual was something Selene had perfected over time. Years of experience had taught her what needed to happen to keep everyone safe. Yet when the moment came and Selene told her to go home, Eve couldn’t.
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