My Soul For You

by Morgana Phoenix

  Katie started to shake her head, still completely lost on what was happening.

  “Both your families will be informed in the next few hours of your demise,” Simon went on.

  “How is that possible?” Katie finally blurted. “We’re right here.”

  “But no one else knows that,” Simon replied. “Except Larson, but I already have plans to make him disappear as well. The boy is becoming quite bothersome.”

  “What?” Katie would have leapt out of her seat had Kaleb not grabbed her. “No! Leave him alone.”

  Simon looked at her. “Do you know why I have yet to be caught? Because I don’t leave loose ends. I don’t leave witnesses and I don’t take chances. It’s your fault you decided to divulge our secret to Larson in the first place, putting him in the middle of all this with you.”

  “Please don’t—”

  Kaleb took her hand, stopping her. “Our families won’t believe we’re dead, not without bodies.”

  “Please don’t doubt me,” Simon said wearily. “I have been doing this for a very long time. Trust me. No one will expect a body.”

  “I don’t understand,” Katie breathed, her heart clapping loudly in her chest.

  “Your aunt,” Simon stabbed his fork towards Katie. “Believes you’re spending the night with Kaleb at his apartment. At least that’s what the text you sent her from your phone told her. In a few hours, when the police have run the plates on her SUV, which has been parked in the guest area in Kaleb’s parking lot, they will contact her, to let her know that you have died in a gruesome apartment fire.”

  “You set my apartment on fire?” Kaleb growled, showing his rage for the first time in the violent fists balled on his thighs. “You son of a bitch!”

  Simon put up his hands. “Please calm yourself. It doesn’t matter because you’re going to be dead by dawn anyway. Your apartment is the least of your problems. This way, your families will at least have closure.”

  “Closure?” Katie nearly choked on the word.

  “Well, they won’t keep looking for you. They’ll think you died. They’ll have a funeral, say their goodbyes and all will return to normal.”

  Whenever Katie thought about dying, she had always thought it would be in bed, at a very old age with her family around her. Of course she had always wondered what she would do if she ever died young of something uncontrollable and unforeseen, like cancer. She knew she would cry, probably rage by breaking everything in sight. She knew she would be sad. But sitting there, with death hovering inches from her face, she didn’t know what to feel. She was unnaturally numb. But she couldn’t stop shaking. She felt cold as though a chill was rising from deep within her.

  “You should really eat something,” Simon said, gesturing to their untouched plates.

  “Why?” Katie looked at him. “Why are you waiting until dawn? Why not kill us now?”

  She knew it was a stupid thing to say. Why give the psychopath any ideas? But the words were etched with a slow brewing anger.

  “Because I haven’t decided yet how I’m going to have it done,” Simon said evenly. Then grinned broadly “I’m hoping a goodnight’s rest will help my creativity.”

  “You’re sick!” Katie hissed before she could stop herself. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Because I can,” Simon said.

  “We won’t tell anyone anything,” she promised. “How can you be so blasé about killing people?”

  “I kill people who deserve it,” he said. “Which, I will admit, you don’t, but…” He shrugged. “Can’t be helped. You’re neck deep in this now.”

  “How does one deserve it?” Kaleb wondered. “And who are you to decide their fate?”

  Simon was quiet. It was surprising, because up until that moment, he had answered all their questions without an ounce of hesitation.

  “I’ll tell you a story instead,” Simon decided at long last. “Once upon a time, there was a boy who had everything. He had the perfect family, the perfect home, all the money, fame, and popularity he could possibly ask for. He was the king of his own world.” He looked down at his plate. “Then one day, a tragic riding incident took everything from him and the people he had once considered his friends, turned their backs on him like he was nothing, like the boy never existed. They continued with their miserable lives, squandering everything given to them on a silver platter while the boy was locked away from the world for something he had no control over because his family’s reputation was on the line. They had no idea how lucky they were while they whined and complained about not having enough.” His fist tightened around his fork. Then loosened. “One day, the boy decided someone needed to show them just what a pathetic bunch of nobodies they really were. So, he invented a game. Because he knew his friends always liked having more, he offered it to them—their greatest wish. Anything they could possibly want. Greedy, they leapt at the possibility, never once questioning the fine print. In the end, they all got what they deserved.”

  Katie stared. She didn’t know what she was expecting him to tell them, but that certainly wasn’t it.

  “Does your mom and sister know of your afterhours activities?” Kaleb ventured calm once more, but there was steel beneath his casual words.

  Simon smiled. “My mother’s too busy squandering my father’s hard earned money on starving children and three legged mountain lions, and rarely remembers she has a son and my sister, well, I doubt she knows whose bed she wakes up in every morning let alone that I exist.”

  His gaze wandered past them to the trio of men standing there, stock still. The one in the middle gave an almost inconspicuous nod, but said nothing.

  “How did you get into my aunt’s shop?” Katie asked.

  Attention deterred, Simon turned his attention back to her. “There are very few places I can’t get into.”

  Somehow, despite his words, Katie just couldn’t picture him donning a ninja suit and slithering in through cracked windows. He didn’t seem the sort. Although, he did seem like the type to hire someone else to do the dirty work for him.

  Simon sighed and sat back. He patted his belly like he’d just had a seven course meal. “I think it’s time we all turned in. We have a very busy day tomorrow.”

  “Polo match between murders?” Kaleb challenged.

  Simon laughed. “Hardly. Polo is a tiresome game.” He nodded at the trio behind Katie and Kaleb. “Take them upstairs, make sure they’re comfortable.” He glanced back at Katie. “You’re safe for the night. I assure you. No one will bother you.”

  “And in the morning?” she countered.

  “In the morning, someone will come get you. You’ll join me for breakfast and then…” he trailed off.

  It amazed her how lightly he was going about discussing their demise, like it was nothing more than discussing a picnic they may or may not have, depending on the weather. Katie didn’t like it. She didn’t like that he was taking it so casually. She wanted to yell and scream at him.

  Kaleb touched her arm. He helped her to her feet. Together, they walked to the door, following the three guards.

  Katie glanced back once, just in time to see the tray being removed from in front of Simon and a hulking man bend down and scoop Simon into his arms as though he were a child ready for his nap.

  “I don’t think he can walk,” Katie whispered for Kaleb’s ears alone.

  Kaleb said nothing. But it certainly explained why Simon’s legs had seemed so odd to Katie. They were much too thin for the rest of his body. They were the legs of someone who wasn’t accustomed to using the muscles.

  The guards took them up a flight of stairs to a second story landing. They were shown into a beautiful room with floral décor and a lavish, king sized bed. The door was locked behind them with a resounding click.

  Kaleb moved to the window and peered outside. “Third floor,” he said out loud. “West corner.” He turned towards her and caught sight of her still standing where he’d left her. “It’s going to be okay,�
�� he told her, going back and pulling her into his arms.

  “We’re going to die,” she whispered into his collarbone.

  He shushed her softly. “Trust me, Katie,” he murmured.

  She raised her face and peered into his eyes. “I’m so sorry about your apartment.”

  His eyes darkened. “It’s not important. I can find another.”

  Optimistic thinking. Katie had heard people went through different stages of grief when faced with death. Acceptance was one of them, although, it had come a whole lot faster for him than it had for her. She was still in the angry stage, in the defeated and scared level.

  “What do we do now?”

  Kaleb looked to the bed. “Get some rest, I guess. There’s really nothing else we can do but wait.”

  But that was too much like accepting, just lying down and willing the bad stuff to happen.

  “We should try to escape,” she said. “You said the ground wasn’t very far, we could—”

  “Odds are there are dogs below,” he said. “Not to mention, we have no idea which way leads to the front gates, or if there are guards watching the grounds, or even an alarm.” He took her face in her hands. “I want to hold you.”

  Katie shook her head. His features blurred behind the tears. “I don’t want to die.” Her voice caught. “I don’t want you to die.”

  He pulled her close. “Me neither, baby.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Just trust me, okay?”

  He kept saying that.

  Reluctant, she let herself be led to the bed. She sat when he nudged her down and began stripping her of her shoes and coat. He shrugged out of his own shoes, but kept his coat on and crawled into bed alongside her. He pulled her into his arms. His fingers gently stroked through her hair as his breath fanned across her cheek. Katie closed her eyes, but she was too consumed with dread to sleep.

  “Kaleb?”

  “Hmm?”

  “If this is our last night,” she raised her face and searched his face in the semi darkness. “Make love to me.”

  Something sparked behind his eyes, but he shook his head. “This isn’t our last night, Katie, and I sure as hell won’t give that sick fucker the satisfaction of watching us.”

  Katie had thought of that, but it didn’t matter. If they were going to die in a short few hours, she wanted to be with him one last time.

  “I just need you right now,” she whispered. “Please.”

  A muscle coiled in Kaleb’s jaw, but he didn’t argue with her again. Gingerly, he pulled the sheets up and over them, enclosing them in the light fabric as he removed only their bottoms. He held her close through every moment, murmuring how much he loved her and he wouldn’t let anything harm her. Katie closed her eyes and let her mind forget everything but the feel of him in her arms, the weight of him pushing her into the mattress and his scent rubbing off onto her skin. When it ended, they dressed quickly and went back to curling together on the bed. Katie cried softly into Kaleb’s shoulder until she fell into a fitful asleep.

  “Katie.” Something shook her lightly. “Katie, wake up!”

  Katie came awake with a strangled gasp. She bolted upright and scurried away from the hand holding her, hitting the headboard in her haste.

  “Shhh.” Kaleb gathered her up into his arms. “It’s me.”

  Heart racing in her chest, she looked towards the windows, choked with terror. “Is it morning?”

  He shook his head. “No, but we need to get ready.”

  Her gaze shot back to Kaleb. “Ready?”

  Throat filled with a sticky, slimy paste, Katie willed her heart to slow just enough so she could hear over its pounding. Sure enough. In the distance, she could just make out the sound of raised, angry voices.

  “It’s okay. I—”

  The bedroom door flew open with a resounding bang that made Katie scream and nearly tumble off the bed. No less than five men barged in, fully clad in black SWAT uniforms, carrying big guns.

  “Hands!” one of them shouted. “Show me your hands!”

  Katie’s hands shot up into the air. As did Kaleb’s.

  “Alpha tango one-six,” Kaleb said, voice calm and even. “O’Reilly, Kaleb.”

  Before Katie could ask him what the hell he was talking about, the gun was trained on her and her question stilled on her tongue.

  “Kaitlin Claremont?” the same voice demanded.

  Katie nodded.

  Relaxing one hand off his gun, the man reached for the radio attached to his shoulder. “Found them!” He dropped his hand away and faced them once more. “We’ve been searching for you,” he told them. “Come with us.”

  “It’s okay,” Kaleb told her as he hoisted her off the bed, supporting her weight when her knees buckled.

  “What’s going on?”

  “We need to go now,” the man said firmly. “There’s a car waiting outside to take you both back to safety.”

  It was too good to believe it. She didn’t even care to ask how the SWAT team knew where they were or why they would be looking for them. All she could think was that they were alive and getting the hell out of there. But even then, she held her breath until they were struck by the freezing, predawn morning.

  They were swept up in blankets and ushered to a nearby cruiser and pushed inside. Katie looked through the fogged window as the magnificent manor was washed with the red and blue flashing lights. SWAT and police were all over the manicured lawn, dragging one guard after the next from the house. But it wasn’t until someone came out, pushing Simon ahead of them in a wheelchair and placed him into the back of a cruiser that Katie relaxed.

  “It’s not over,” she whispered. “It can’t be.” She turned to Kaleb. “What if—”

  “It’s over,” he promised her. “Simon’s going away for a very long time. We got enough on him to send him away for life.”

  Katie blinked. “We?”

  A second later, the cruiser door opened and a female police officer poked her head inside. She looked from Katie to Kaleb.

  “We’re going to transport you back to the station,” she told them. “Someone there will take your statement.”

  The moment the door shut behind her, Kaleb turned to her. He took her hands, his were unusually cold despite the warm interior of the car. His eyes were unusually bright against the shadows.

  “Katie, I need you to trust me.”

  Katie stared at him. “What? Why—?”

  “I can’t explain everything right now, but I swear, I will once this is over. I just…” he squeezed her fingers. “I just really need you to let me explain. Please.”

  Afraid all over again for an entirely different reason, Katie agreed reluctantly.

  They reached the station and the first thing Katie did was call her aunt, who had already had a visit from the police about Katie’s death and fell to pieces on the phone. It took twenty minutes to calm her down, but even then, Aunt Hannah kept weeping uncontrollably. She hung up only once she had made Katie swear not to move until Aunt Hannah had come to pick her up.

  After hanging up, Katie was taken into a backroom and told to wait, the lead detective on the case would be by to take her statement in a moment. She started to ask the officer where they’d taken Kaleb, but the door was shut behind him and Katie was left alone in a small office.

  She was pacing the thin strip of carpet between a desk that took up half the room and a leather sofa that took up the other half, when the door opened and a figure stepped inside. Katie spun around and her jaw slackened.

  Shawn O’Reilly smiled at her, his gaze sympathetic. Behind him, someone else followed at his heels and Katie’s heart stuttered in her chest.

  Kaleb, dressed in a black t-shirt, black cargo pants, black boots, and a leather holster strapped to his chest with two guns tucked beneath each rib. His brown eyes met hers and they were dark with pleading and something else.

  “Katie,” Mr. O’Reilly said kindly. “How are you?”

  Gaze still darting betwe
en him and Kaleb, Katie shook her head. “I don’t know.”

  Mr. O’Reilly nodded like that made perfect sense. “Why don’t you sit and we’ll talk.”

  Bemused, and still stealing glances towards Kaleb, Katie sat in the seat on the other side of the desk.

  Mr. O’Reilly rounded the table and sat across from her. Kaleb remained by the door, keeping the wall in place.

  “Let me first officially apologize for the pain and suffering you have experienced in the last few days.” He smiled patiently at her when she opened her mouth. She shut it. “I know you must have a lot of questions, but I ask that you save them until after I have explained things. If that’s all right?”

  Katie nodded, dampened her lips. “Okay.”

  Mr. O’Reilly sat back in his seat, making it groan beneath his weight. “I don’t know how much Kaleb has told you about what we do…”

  She shook her head. “Nothing … he’s told me nothing.”

  He didn’t seem surprised, or annoyed. “We’re part of a special underground task force, Katie. In the last two years, we’ve been investigating the mysterious disappearance and deaths of more than twenty people.”

  She hadn’t been expecting that, but she said nothing.

  Mr. O’Reilly continued, “It was our job to locate and stop the person responsible, but it wasn’t until tonight that we were able to capture him and it was all because of you.”

  “Me?” Katie glanced quickly at Kaleb, who offered her an encouragingly half smile. “What did I do?”

  “You helped us in the apprehension of Simon Towle,” Mr. O’Reilly said. “A man who spent the better part of a decade killing and torturing dozens of people while transporting weapons and drugs into our country. But we captured him and it’s thanks to you.”

  “I don’t know what I did to…” Her head was beginning to spin.

  “Perhaps I should tell you a little more about what we do.” He gestured between himself and Kaleb. “We are a small unit hired by the government to infiltrate and dismantle threats. Normally, we would be investigating terrorists and smugglers. For the last five years, we’ve been following an underground movement transporting opium and heroin through funeral parlors using cadavers. It wasn’t until we were able to intercept a shipment that we came to discover that the bodies used were people already presumed dead. See, a lot of the people who were murdered were the sons and daughters of very powerful and influential pillars of society who had seemingly died in freak accidents. Something like that really sets a fire under the big wig’s asses. We were told to look into it, to find the people responsible.”