Page 37 of XO Karma

Cardio and horniness are not friends. Every pound of my foot on the pavement sends vibrations through my body that should not have me this worked up.

I wonder if anyone’s ever had an orgasm while running before.

Girl, what the fuck is wrong with you?

Forcing the thoughts to the depths of my mind, I plot Aster Blake’s murder the rest of the run home.

I could chop him into pieces and leave him in his freezer. Too messy.

Maybe catch him off guard in an alleyway and pull a plastic bag over his head. Too risky.

A sickening thought creeps in. Perhaps a bit of poison in that caramel macchiato he loves so much would do the trick. Something slow-acting so they couldn’t trace it. I mentally run through a list of slow-acting toxins. Maybe anti-freeze?

When I round the street corner, my driveway comes into view, relief washing through me. Liam’s cruiser is gone. Rushing inside, I’ve never been so thankful to be alone. He told me to stop these late-night activities, and coming home in non-exercise clothes, dripping in sweat, doesn’t seem like something easily explainable. Once in my room, I slam the door, locking it for good measure.

“Fuck!” I shout to myself, pacing the room, clenching and unclenching my fists. My fingers stick to my palm, and I glance down, finding them stained with blood. Aster’s blood. I must have touched him without even noticing when making my escape. My heart rate sputters. I can’t believe I did that. Not only did I slice him up, but I also… enjoyed it? Energy courses through me, vibrating to my bones in a way I’ve never felt.

I rush to the bathroom, turn on the sink, and red liquid pools in the basin as I scrub my hands clean. Three times for good measure. Once the water runs clear, I reach for my dagger on my thigh, cursing myself when I remember I left it in his leg. Luckily, I have extras, but that one was my favorite.

None of that was planned, it just sort of happened, but I can’t find it in me to regret it.

My phone rings, and I pull it out, an unknown number flashing across the screen.

I grip the device so hard my knuckles turn white. Is it him?

Against my better judgment, I accept the call.

“Lily?” a rough, unfamiliar robotic voice says. It’s extremely deep. Definitely someone using a voice modulator.

I take a steadying breath. “Who is this?”

“You’ve been looking for the Kodak Killer.” It’s a statement, not a question. Goosebumps scatter across my body. Could it be Aster? Is he toying with me since I wounded him?

“Who’s asking?”

A laugh rumbles through the line. “That’s not relevant.”

“It feels relevant.” My body racks with a shudder. “What the hell do you want?”

“Why are you looking?”

What kind of idiotic question is that?! “Because I’d like to find the person terrorizing this city!”

“Terrorizing?” They seem almost in disbelief. “Don’t you mean protecting?”

“Are you delusional? Kodak is killing innocent people.”

There’s a pause in the line. “Is that really what you believe?”

“Of course?!” I pace the room as frustration courses through me.

“Tsk. Tsk. I’d think you of all people should understand the line between innocent and guilty isn’t always so clear.”

My heart stops. Do they know I’m Karma? “What would make you say that?”

“You’re involving yourself in things you don’t understand,” they reply, ignoring my question.

“I understand plenty.”