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It fit, she told herself. And that was the trouble. It slid so well into place it was as if someone had oiled the slot. All you had to do was leave out love—selfless, devoted, unquestioning love. Add that, and it scraped along the sides of that slot, screaming in protest.
If there was a chance it was a setup, and that she was being used to make it click, she was damn well going to find out. She considered calling Peabody, started to reach for her ’link, when she heard the scream. She was out of the car, her hand on her weapon, when she spotted the black-robed figure dragging a woman into the shadows.
“Police.” She rushed forward, drawing. “Back off.”
He did more than that. He ran. When Eve reached the woman, she was lying facedown, moaning. Holstering her weapon, she crouched down.
“How bad did he hurt you?” As she rolled the woman over, she saw the glint of a blade. It was pressed, keen-edged, against her stomach before she saw Selina’s face.
“All I have to do is push, just a little.” Selina smiled. “I’d enjoy that. But for now…” Her hand tapped against Eve’s throat. She felt the pressure and the sting an instant before her vision blurred.
“Now you’re going to help me to the car. Or it’s going to look that way if anyone notices.” Smiling, Selina put her arms around Eve, keeping close so it appeared she was being lifted to her feet. “And if you don’t do exactly what I say, your guts will hit the sidewalk and I’ll be gone before you realize you’re dead.”
Eve’s head was swimming, her legs like rubber as Selina led her down the sidewalk. “Get in,” Selina ordered, “slide over.”
She found herself obeying dully, while a part of her mind screamed in protest. “Not so smart now, are you, Lieutenant Dallas? Not so cool. We led you right where we wanted you. Stupid bitch. How do you set this thing to auto?”
“I—” She couldn’t think. Fear couldn’t get through the haze, nor could anger or training. She stared blankly at the controls. “Auto?”
Her voice was enough. The vehicle shuddered, then hummed discordantly.
“I don’t believe you’re in any shape to drive.” Selina threw back her head and laughed. “Give it the address. My apartment. We have a very special ceremony in mind for you.”
Mechanically, Eve repeated the address and stared straight ahead as the vehicle slowly slid from the curb. “Not Forte,” she managed, struggling to snap back. “It was never him.”
“That pathetic excuse for a man? He couldn’t kill a fly if it landed on his dick. If he’s got one. But he and that half-breed Wiccan are going to pay. You’ve seen to that, haven’t you? They thought they could save poor little Alice. Well, so did her stupid grandfather. See where it got them. No one challenges me and lives. You’ll find out just how much power I have very soon now. And you’ll beg me to kill you and end it.”
“You killed them all.”
“Every one of them.” Selina leaned closer. “And more. Many more. I enjoy the children most. They’re so…fresh. I walked right in on the grandfather, used his weakness for females. Sobbed, told him I was afraid for my life. Alban would kill me. Then I slipped the drugs into his drink and I killed him. I wanted blood but, well, it was nearly as satisfying to watch his eyes as he realized he was dying. You’ve seen how the eyes die first, haven’t you, Dallas? They die first.”
“Yes.” The mists were moving back to the corners of her mind. She could feel her legs and arms tingle as the nerves pumped back to life. “Yes, they do.”
“And Alice. I was almost sorry when we had to end that. Tormenting her day after day was so arousing. They way she would jump at a cat or a bird. Droids. Easily programmed. We used the cat that night, had it speak to her with my voice. We were waiting for her, we
had plans for her, but she ran into the street and killed herself instead.
“So we’ll do to you what we’d planned for her. Here we are now.”
As the car veered toward the curb, Eve tested her hand, forced it into a fist. She struck out, backhanded, felt the satisfying connection with flesh and bone. Then the door was wrenched open behind her, hands clenched around her throat.
And the world went black.
“She should be here by now.” Though her apartment was filled with people and noise and wildly spinning lights, Mavis pouted. “She promised.”
“She’ll be right along.” Roarke managed to avoid being butted by a red-robed bull, lifted a brow at the manic call of “Toro!” An angel spun by, desperately dancing with a headless corpse.
“I really wanted her to see what Leonardo and I have done with the place.” Proud, Mavis turned a quick circle. “She’d never recognize her old digs, would she?”
Roarke scanned the magenta walls with their uninhibited splashes and streaks of cerise and periwinkle. The furniture consisted of heaps of glossy pillows and glass tubes. In keeping with the event, streamers of orange and black swayed everywhere. Skeletons danced, witches flew, and black cats arched.
“No.” He could agree with complete honesty. “She’d never recognize her old apartment. You’ve done…wonders.”
“We just love it. And we’ve got the best landlord on planet.” She kissed him enthusiastically.
While he hoped her purple lipstick hadn’t transferred to his face, he smiled. “My favorite tenant.”
“Could you call her, Roarke?” With fingers tipped the same shade, she plucked at his sleeve. “Just give her a little goose.”
