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“A missing person’s report?”
He nodded.
Charlotte touched the school photo of an eight-year-old vampire boy. “How do you know the killer has him?”
Willem ground his jaw. “I just know. It’s the only realm gift I have that applies to this case, that I know when the killer is the abductor. My other abilities seem to falter in the face of his crimes. I’ve suspected for a long time that some kind of fae charm has kept me from discovering his identity.”
“So you can pay for that kind of thing? I’d heard it was true but I’ve never known anyone who’s had it done or even wanted to.”
“Absolutely, though I don’t necessarily blame the fae involved. The killer may have requested the spell while stating purposes that the fae would have found acceptable, like extra security because of recent break-ins, that kind of thing.”
A vibration flowed through her, different from her mating frequency. She knew the world of the Nine Realms had a variety of vibrations like the purely sexual ones Willem had shared with her earlier, as well as her mating frequency that had already forged the bond with Willem’s corresponding vibration.
But this felt similar to the fae vibration she’d experienced when she’d first detected Willem’s aura.
“Do you mind if I touch the photo?”
“Sure. Are you feeling that vibration again?”
“Yes, and it’s especially strong right now.”
She felt Willem grow tense, but this time with excitement. “Go for it because I can feel your frequency now. It’s all lit up.”
She placed her hand flat on the boy’s picture and let the fae vibration flow. The blood rose bond she shared with Willem, even though it had moved to an in-between and less complete state, had changed her somehow, strengthening her fae abilities. Knowledge of a specific nature flowed through her mind and she removed her hand as she turned toward Willem slightly. “You have a personal connection to this killer, don’t you?”
She knew that a critical moment in their relationship had just arrived, the real reason he’d brought her into his office to show her this file.
He compressed his lips into a tight, grim line, then drew a
deep breath. “I do.”
“Will you tell me about it?”
“Actually, I’ll show you.” He removed the wide leather bracelet from his left wrist and turned his arm over exposing the brand that she knew had filled him with terrible feelings of unworthiness his entire life.
Charlotte stared down at the burn in the shape of the infinity symbol. The brand represented the source of Willem’s anger and shame, maybe even the reason he was so adamant about not bonding with her. She also knew how difficult this was for him, to show her the horror of his childhood.
And Davido had known how hard this would be for him as well.
She saw it all in a sweep of profound realm understanding, that Willem had been abducted and abused by the same killer he now hunted. Yet he had survived while all these other boys hadn’t.
“You escaped?”
He shook his head, his complexion paling. “He let me go. I’ve come to believe I may have been his first, that he hadn’t finished growing into his crime.”
“He hadn’t yet escalated.”
“That’s the exact word for it.”
She pondered the whole situation. “He must have blindfolded you.”
“Yes.”
“And found some way to disguise his voice.”
“He did.”
She tried to understand, to get as clear a picture as possible. “How and where did he abduct you?”
