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CHAPTER1
“Monsters do exist in every shadow, dangerous beasts hungry to feast and ravage. A monster found me one moonlit night and he’s determined to keep me locked in a cage.
My creature of darkness is the devil himself, a beautiful, dangerous man who plans on stealing my body as well as my soul.
But he will never claim my heart.”
—Emily Shephard
Emily
“Mr. Falco. I’m going to finish stocking the walk-in before I leave.”
“How many times have I asked you to call me Eddie?” The kind, older man gave me a sly grin as I placed the last of the items needing refrigeration into the crate.
He’d been good to me since my sudden return to New York, offering me a job after less than five minutes of an interview. My mother had told me he’d be kind. I’d never waited tables before in my life, but he’d liked my style, or so he’d said. He knew this was a temporary gig for me, hopefully no longer than three months, but that was dependent on my mother’s health. The uncertainty had forced me to quit a job I loved. “Eddie,” I repeated as I lugged the last items around the counter, grateful it was closing time. I was exhausted, the late evenings taking a toll.
And it was only my third night.
Eventually, I’d get another job in my field, but not in New York. I loathed the city and always had. At least the diner allowed me flexibility. And free food. I laughed as I struggled to throw open the latch, slapping my back against the frigid steel door to steady the crate before walking inside. The blast of cold air instantly forced goosebumps to skitter down both arms, the ugly short-sleeved shirt doing little to provide warmth or comfort.
I eased the crate onto one of the produce boxes, placing the containers in their required space, eager to climb into a warm bed. Within seconds, my teeth were chattering, forcing me to pick up the pace. As I turned to leave, I tripped over the edge of one of the boxes, throwing out my arm just in time to slam my hand against the door latch, almost tumbling onto the floor of the kitchen.
Pop! Pop!
The sound was distinct.
And terrifying.
Gunshots inside the diner.
The horrific reverberation immediately echoed in my ears, the vibrations jarring as my eyes caught the muzzle flash. As Eddie was pitched backward by the force, I realized the two bullets had gone clean through, blood and brain matter splattering across my face, neck, and chest.
In slow motion, the sweet, older man crumpled to the floor in front of me, a portion of his skull shattered by the bullets.
That’s the moment all time seemed to stand still. I was instantly paralyzed as I slowly lifted my head, startled from the sight of the assailant standing in front of me.
While bathed in shadows, it was easy to tell he was a large, muscular man dressed in all black. He exuded raw power, his chest rising and falling.
Now he had his weapon pointed directly at my head.
I took several deep breaths, trying to process what I’d just witnessed, the spots dancing in front of my eyes making it impossible to see clearly. But I knew exactly what had occurred.
My boss, the man I’d known for less than a week had been shot, two bullets entering his frontal lobe, rendering him dead within two seconds. The assailant had entered through the front door before Eddie had a chance to lock up for the night, the assassin turning off the main lights to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.
I lowered my gaze, still trying to process what had happened when I realized the assailant had moved around the counter, headed in my direction. When he pointed his weapon in my face, I finally took gasping breaths.
You need to get away. Move. Move!
But my body refused to cooperate. Besides, it was obvious I wouldn’t make it a single foot without being shot.
“What do you want?” I managed, my voice shaking.
“A very loaded question that you wouldn’t like the answer to. However, we don’t have to make the situation any more difficult than it is.” His voice was deep, husky.
And very much in control.
The killer also had an accent, although so slight I couldn’t detect from what country. The darkness of his tone was sensual, dominating. I concentrated on the rapid thumping of my heart, counting the beats as he moved even closer. Now I was able to gather a strong whiff of his aftershave.
