AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Our target tonight was Kent, but I really wished it was Jeremiah instead.
“We have to get her to come to us then,” Juniper said. The girl’s eyes flickered toward us, as if she could feel us watching. She looked a little too long to hide her interest, and Juniper smiled. “I got this.”
Juniper was a natural. I’d seen her flirt before — in those years when I’d stalked her, keeping my distance, I’d seen how quickly she could turn on her charm to get what she wanted. It had been my own self-inflicted pleasurable torture, to follow her into clubs and watch her dance, or lead a stranger to the bathrooms for a hook-up. I’d never been one for jealousy — few demons were. I was possessive, but I liked watching.
The smaller woman was instantly flustered by Juniper’s approach, her cheeks going pink as Juniper leaned close to her ear, smiling, and lightly touched her arm. They both glanced back toward me, and I picked up the remote for the television so I could flip through the music playlists.
They were coming back, Juniper leading Rae by the hand. Rae’s eyes moved over me appreciatively, but it was Juniper who’d captured her attention. As the song I’d chosen began to play, Juniper moved Rae between the two of us, her arms around the smaller woman’s neck, their bodies close as the three of us danced. My woman couldmove. Her hips swayed, her body teasing close to Rae’s as Raelynn moved closer to me.
Juniper whispered in Rae’s ear, too softly for anyone else to hear over the music, “You need to stop drinking that, babe.”
But not drinking didn’t seem to be what was on Rae’s mind, because she took another heavy sip. Juniper’s eyes darted up to mine. I nodded, and Juniper tugged Rae by the hand, winding her through the crowd as I followed close behind. We found a bathroom around the corner and crowded inside, and I used my body to block the door as Juniper moved a very confused Rae over to the toilet.
“What — what are you —”
“I told you to stop drinking it,” Juniper hissed, gripping Raelynn by the back of her neck as the girl stared at her with wide-eyed confusion. Juniper snatched the cup from her hands and set it next to the sink as she said, “Sorry, babe, it’s for your own good.”
Then she had her fingers down Raelynn’s throat, and even I winced as the girl gagged, vomiting into the toilet. She was fighting, weakly, but Juniper was easily able to keep her bent over, gagging her again until nothing came up but a weak heave. Juniper let her go, and Raelynn sunk down against the wall, looking between us with wide, terrified eyes.
“What — what the fuck — is wrong with you?” she gasped, clutching her throat. She’d likely be sore for a few days; Juniper hadn’t been gentle. It had also been hot as hell to watch my girl choke another until she gagged, and it made my human disguise slip a little.
Juniper was rinsing the cup out in the sink, filling it with tap water. “You’re gonna need to get a hell of a lot smarter if you’re gonna live, Raelynn,” she said, shaking her head. “Don’t you ever,everconsume anything Jeremiah Hadleigh gives you.”
Rae sipped the water Juniper offered, looking at us like she expected us to attack her again at any moment. We needed to wrap this up. If the Hadleighs saw us hanging around their next victim, they’d be suspicious, and this entire thing could be ruined. Rae was really staring at me now, and recognition spread over her face.
“Zane,” she said softly.
“Took you long enough to recognize me,” I said, pouting. “Fucking hell, Leon wasn’t lying about you being a chore to keep alive. Sucking down roofies like you don’t have a care in the world.”
“Roofies?” Her voice cracked in alarm. “What —”
“Your drink was drugged, babe.” Juniper sighed. “The Hadleighs don’t intend for you to leave this party, let me make that perfectly clear. And I’ve got shit to do so — keep drinking that water, get your head straight — I need you to get it together and leave.”
As Rae gulped her water, looking utterly bewildered, I suddenly caught a familiar scent. Leon had finally decided to show up. His girl would have been passed out by now if we hadn’t intervened. But Leon was built for killing things; he’d have a hard time keeping a pet rock alive, let alone a woman who seemed determined to throw herself into danger.
He was coming closer, and rapidly. He was searching for her. Best not to keep them separated.
As if something in her sensed him, Rae looked up at me suddenly and said, “Is Leon here?”
“He’s around,” I said, and nudged Juniper’s arm. “Not watching you closely enough, that’s for certain.” I lowered my voice, leaning down so Juniper could hear, and said, “We need to start moving. Leon is here. He’s looking for her.”
Her eyes locked on mine, hard and instantly angry. I’d really been hoping I could continue to keep her and Leon separate, but it seemed that was no longer an option: Leon was right outside the door.
Oh, this was going to besofun.
Juniper leaned down and grabbed Rae’s arm, pulling her to her feet. “Look, we’re gonna call you an Uber and you’re gonna go the hell home. Or get the fuck out of town, preferably. I’m not about to have everything ruined because the Hadleighs’ next sacrifice is ready to just lay herself at the altar.”
Juniper didn’t know Leon was close. Perhaps I should have warned her. But she nodded at me, and I opened the door — only to watch pure rage fall over her painted face.
36
I knew him instantly. His face was covered with a black ski mask, but it didn’t matter. I didn’t forget. I couldn’t forget.
Leon. The monster in the woods. The one who’d chased me in the dark. A living part of my nightmares.
Raelynn ran to him, throwing her arms tightly around his neck and drawing close. I didn’t know her, but it was like watching a child get too close to a fire: it was instinctual to snatch them away. I wanted to jerk her back, I wanted to yell that he was dangerous. Who could possibly want to be close to a monster like that?
But Zane was a monster too. I’d seen a monster the first night I met him, and the first time I’d fucked him, and when I’d let him cut me. As much as I hated it, Zane’s words to me about Leon hadn’t been forgotten:summoned by force — against his will — never had a choice.
