Page 48 of Death Raiser

Deep breath, Lark. It’s going to be okay.

The bass kept pounding, and I kept swaying, but a headache began to bloom behind my eyes.

I was about to lean over to Estelle and call it an early night when my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled out the device and read the text message on the screen.

“I have to go,” I shouted over the music.

“What?”

“I have to go.” I waved my phone at Denise and Estelle.

Estelle smiled and nodded. She glanced over at Pierre and tilted her head.

Denise’s gaze flicked between the three of us and her mouth turned down in a pout.

“It’s Kang.”

Denise perked up at that. Her body smacked into mine, all hot and sweaty, without warning and as fast as she trapped me in her toned arms, she released me and stepped back. She circled her finger at the three of us. “We should do this again.”

“Yeah, totally.” I waved goodbye and walked over to the edge of the dance floor where Pierre waited.

“I’ll walk you out.” He held out his arm.

“Thanks.” I took his arm, and he led me to the exit. I made one last glance over my shoulder to see Denise and Estelle dancing and laughing together while Antonia surveyed the throng of drabs for potential danger. “She can’t know.”

“Pardon?”

“My friend who’s currently dancing with Estelle. She’s my work supervisor. She can’t know about my involvement with Gregor.”

Pierre patted my hand. “Estelle will protect your secret. Gregor has sworn us all to secrecy. You are his and he will protect you.”

Somehow, that didn’t make me feel better.

Chapter Fifteen

I blinked down at the red-stained floor and swallowed the involuntary response to gag. The placement and sheer volume of the blood suggested at least five victims had died in a circle in the middle of a living room, blood pooling under their bodies and soaking into the trendy area rug. The nearby couch and wall on the one side were covered in blood spatter as were the television and framed family photographs on the other wall.

When I’d arrived, Kang had dismissed the lingering analysts so we had the apartment to ourselves to stare at all the bloody chaos.

“Are you going to be okay?” Kang asked. He stood at my side, his silent presence offering a weird sort of comfort that I’d grown accustomed to without realizing it.

“I’m fine.”

“You look green.”

“I’ll be fine,” I amended.

He leaned in, his hand trailed up my arm and he whispered in my ear, “You’re such a liar.”

I swatted his hand away and swayed on my feet. “Stop distracting me. What exactly am I looking at? And where’s Jacobs?”

“You’re looking at evidence suggesting five bodies had been arranged in a circle, and Jacobs is still finishing up at Odette’s apartment.”

“Lucky bastard.”

“I’ll tell him you said so.”

“You’re just trying to sabotage our relationship.” I lifted my chin.

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