Jax’s eyes were thoughtful behind his black-rimmed glasses. “You thinking serial?”
I nodded. “Definitely. His patterns and rituals speak volumes. But here’s the thing. Serial offenders have cooling-off periods. Time between incidents, intervals where they reset and plan.”
Apex leaned forward, a thoughtful frown deepening his expression. “You want us to look for patterns that include a possible hiatus or pause in his activities. Focus on anything that looks repetitive. Financials tied to similar preservation activities, travel history, and funding that lines up with a cyclical pattern.” He looked up at me with a raised brow. “You said serial offenders tend to have a predictable rhythm, yeah?”
“Typically.”
Apex tapped a finger on my desk as he concluded, “He’d leave a digital footprint that matches it.”
Jax nodded. “I’ll dig into Magnus’s background again—any disappearances, missing persons reports, and unsolved cases around his previous locations. If there’s a history, I’ll find it.”
Two days of intensive digging finally produced some results—though we couldn’t tie him to any murders or even disappearances yet. Jax narrowed down a specific historical preservation site about fifteen miles outside town. It was isolated, historical, quiet, and linked directly to Magnus’s previous restoration projects. More importantly, it matched Delaney’s description of an old church.
We moved quickly, pulling together a small team consisting of Nitro, Century, Shifter, and Gauge. I rode out with my brothers toward the location Jax had pinpointed, tension coiling steadily tighter beneath my skin.
When we reached the site, the area was deserted. Overgrown trees and thick brush surrounded the abandoned church, the silence heavy and oppressive. Inside, we found evidence ofrecent cleanup attempts, where someone clearly worked hastily to erase any traces of incriminating evidence. But it was rushed, leaving plenty for us to find.
Scuffed wooden floors, fragments of rope fibers, traces of dried blood, and discarded herbs, matching what Delaney described, were scattered in the shadows. The remnants matched her details precisely, confirming the accuracy of her memory despite her drugged and terrified state. Shifter carefully photographed every piece of evidence, capturing it all so Delaney could review later. She’d likely notice things we might miss, given her historical knowledge.
By the time I got back to the compound, exhaustion settled heavily over my shoulders. Delaney waited for me, looking stronger now, her presence immediately grounding me again.
“Did you find anything?” she asked softly, her eyes cautiously curious.
“Yeah.” I was mindful of how much to share. “Your memory was spot-on. Magnus staged everything precisely, just as you described.”
Her breath trembled, but she nodded, steadying herself. “Do you think it’ll help?”
“It already has.” I stepped closer and placed my hand along the curve of her jaw. “It’s clear to me now that Magnus’s obsession is about completion. Every step and detail was about fulfilling something he’s been trying to achieve.”
She shivered beneath my touch, her eyes locked on mine. “When I escaped, I stopped him from completing it.”
“Exactly,” I murmured.
Her eyes widened in realization. “You think he’ll try to get to me?”
My jaw tightened. I didn’t want to tell her that I was sure he’d already tried. So I chose my words carefully. “Maybe. But it doesn’t matter. He can’t reach you here.”
She sank into me, her breathing steadying again, and her body soft against mine. My arms tightened around her, the fierce need to protect her burning in my gut.
Magnus Kinghorn might be meticulous, careful, and organized. But I’d spent my career hunting predators. And with the Redline Kings at my back, he’d never faced anything like us before.
9
DELANEY
Another meeting wrapped up in the office Soren shared with Shifter with a low murmur of conversation as the brothers gathered their notes. I sat beside Soren, my hands clasped tightly in my lap to hide the slight tremble in my fingers. Although I’d spoken only about the historical and symbolic aspects, it still left me emotionally raw. But I expected I’d quickly get past the feeling like I had each of the other times Soren had asked for my expertise in a particular area.
Soren turned toward me, his eyes steady on my face. “You did good.”
The pride in his voice helped me to manage a small smile. “I just didn’t want to miss anything important. If my knowledge can actually help…”
“It does.” He squeezed my hand. “More than you know.”
Jax gave me a respectful nod as he closed his laptop. “Appreciate you walking us through all that, Delaney. The Victorian ritual shit is creepy as hell, but it paints a clearer picture.”
One of the other brothers grunted in agreement before they began filing out. Soren stayed seated beside me until the room emptied, his hand resting possessively on the back of my chair.
When we were finally alone, I let out a shaky breath. “Thank you for including me again. I like being useful instead of just the girl everyone has to protect.”
