Page 91 of John’s Yearning

Logan nodded gratefully. “Appreciate it, man.”

Then John leaned closer to Logan and dropped his voice, “Make sure Savannah and Buffy don’t see what I’m about to do.”

“Sure thing.”

Logan walked past him to take care of the two most important people in John’s life. Soon, he would be able to take care of them himself, but first, he had to deliver justice to a man who was pure evil.

John glared down at the man and extended his fangs. Shocked, Viktorov stared at him and tried to crawl backwards, hoping for escape. There would be none. John’s gaze fell on the dead man’s switch that lay nearby. He focused on it. It had broken apart when Logan had dropped it. It was a fake. Viktorov had never planned on killing Buffy. He’d only used the suicide vest as a threat so Savannah would comply.

John glared at Viktorov. “Only place you’re going is to hell.” He put the safety on the gun and dropped it behind him, then jumped onto Viktorov. The predator had just become the prey.

Viktorov screamed. “What are you?” He lifted his hands, trying to shield himself.

John growled. “I’m your worst nightmare.” He swiped his claws across his victim’s torso, leaving four long bloody cuts that laid bare muscle and sinew.

“Ahhhhh!” Viktorov screamed in pain.

“Since I’ve got your attention now, let’s talk! Where are the names and addresses of the people who were to take delivery of the kidnapped girls?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he claimed.

Another swipe with his claws, this time in the other direction, and Viktorov yelled out in pain again.

“Your torso will look like a checkered tablecloth when I’m done with you,” John warned. “Now talk! The names! The addresses! Give them to me, and I’ll let you go.”

Viktorov whimpered. “On my phone. There’s a list.” He motioned to his jacket pocket.

John reached inside it and pulled it out. The screen was locked. He reached for Viktorov’s right hand and pressed his thumb on the button, unlocking the cell phone. “Where?”

“In the notes.”

John navigated to it, and scrolled through the notes. Dozens of names and addresses, all in Russia, were listed there together with the names of the girls and a dollar amount.

“You sick fuck!” John hissed.

“It’s all there. Now let me go.”

“You’re right, it’s all there.” He shoved the phone into his pocket, then pressed Viktorov’s right hand flat onto the ground, palm up and sliced off his thumb with his claws.

Among Viktorov’s screams of pain, John explained calmly, “So I can unlock your phone again later. You know, when you’re dead.”

“No! You promised!”

“Oh, yeah, forgot to mention: I don’t keep all my promises either.” He leaned closer, holding the struggling asshole to the ground. “I should let you suffer longer, but you’re lucky: there’s a woman here and her child, and I don’t want them to have to listen to your screams for much longer. But then, you wouldn’t understand that, would you? Because you love to see women and children suffer.”

John sliced through Viktorov’s torso with both hands now, the sharp barbs at the ends of his fingers leaving deep cuts until he hit bone. Viktorov’s screams were blood-curdling, but John couldn’t stop. He had to make him pay for the pain he’d caused those children and their families, for the pain he was still causing some of them.

When he felt Viktorov’s ribcage, he ripped it open, bones cracking. Then he plunged his claws into the cavity and grabbed the bastard’s still beating heart. He squeezed it, then ripped it out. Looked at it, then dropped it.

It was done.

John sat back on his heels, his heart pounding, adrenaline flowing, his chest heaving, when he suddenly felt a soft hand on his shoulder. He whipped his head to the side. Savannah looked past him at the mutilated corpse.

“Thank you,” she murmured. “Thank you for saving Buffy. And for killing him.”

He turned his body fully and wrapped his arms around her legs, pressing his face into her thighs, while he took several steadying breaths. Her hand was gentle, when she stroked his hair. After a moment, he lifted his face to look at her.

“You shouldn’t have had to see this.”