Page 96 of Deadmen's Queen

“I knew you were special, Paige.” Keeping the blade at my throat, he reached between us and I heard the zip of his trousers. “I told you, I love it when you girls fight back. No one’s ever made it this far. And now I get my reward.”

Chapter Thirty Five

BAST

Isat bolt upright, as the sound of my phone cut through the quiet darkness of the hotel room. We’d checked in a few hours ago, to shower, shave and catch a couple of hours sleep while my contact checked some details about that van and the name Susanne had given us, and got us an address. Nate had managed an hour of sleep before the nightmares had arrived, leaving him sweating and in need of another shower, but I’d forced myself to sleep, knowing I’d need every faculty I could in the next few hours.

I reached for the phone, and just as I answered, Nate came through the door, wearing his combats, but shirtless. He’d clearly heard the phone.

“Blake. Good, good. Great. Money will be in your account within the hour, detective. I appreciate the help.” I hung up and swung my legs out of bed.

“Well?” Nate demanded.

“David Warner, Hyacinth Cottage, Waldrow Gardens. Just outside of Blackvellyn, five minutes walk from the university campus. Works as an art assistant. Didn’t show up to work today.”

“Nice to finally know the name that will be going on the gravestone,” said Nate. I reached over for my shirt and pulled it on.

“If he’s hurt our girl in any way, when I’m done with him, there won’t be enough of him left to bury,” I said darkly.

“Amen,” growled Nate. I glanced over at him, wondering about his state of mind and whether he could keep it together with Paige in danger. The shadows cast by the dim lights danced over his muscular, tattooed body, the skulls grinning back at me, and my eyes settled on the Reaper tattoo on his forearm.

“He had a Reaper mask, Nate. How many times did he get into the club to watch her? How did we not figure it out?”

“We'll ask him,” Nate said, giving me a cold smile, and I nodded.

We finished dressing quickly, and made our way downstairs and out to my car. I sped out of the centre of town, heading towards the university as Nate entered the address on the GPS. We were nearly at the campus, not far from Paige’s old dorm room, when we turned off, following smaller roads into Blackvellyn Forest. The closer we came to our destination, the tighter my grip grew on the steering wheel and Nate's fists clenched in his lap.

The GPS announced our arrival, but there was nothing to be seen, and I cursed, following the road further down. The road became a track, but another mile along and Nate pointed ahead.

“Van,” he said.

I nodded, and pulled up next to it. About twenty feet away stood what the address had kindly called a cottage, but was basically a small 1960’s house with brown pebbledash. A large garden surrounded it, looking like it had once been well tended, but now was completely overgrown. No one was tending it now, although in one far corner, there was a long patch over recently turned earth.

We got out of the car, closing the doors quietly. I left the key in the centre in case we needed to get away fast. The place was quiet, birds singing. At any other time it would have felt peaceful. Right now it felt fucking ominous.

The screaming shattered the eerie serenity.

We were at the front door faster than my thoughts could process the fact that it was Paige we had heard scream. I grabbed the handle and twisted it, but it was locked.

“Move,” snarled Nate, and I stepped aside as he ran at the door, hitting it hard with his shoulder. It didn’t stand a chance against his brute strength and collapsed under him. We shoved through the doorway into the hallway.

“Don’t fucking move, or she’s dead.”

I froze, my stomach sickened by the sight in front of me. Paige was on her hands and knees facing the door. She was naked, and her body was covered in blood, both dried and fresh. Droplets of blood peppered the floor beneath her, and her body was covered in vicious cuts and slashes. Behind her, kneeled David. He held a knife to her throat with one hand, and with the other, he gripped her hip, pulling her back onto his cock as he fucked her.

I fucking knew this guy. I’d seen him talking to Paige that time in town. He’d been fucking dancing with her when I’d taken her from the ball. I’d wanted to kill him then, for just fucking looking at her, and now I really fucking wished I had.

“Bastard,” hissed Nate beside me, taking a step forward. I grabbed his arm quickly, and David’s eyes narrowed. He released her hip, grabbing her hair and yanking her up against his body, pressing the knife harder against her throat. Blood welled and ran down her skin.

“We’re not quite finished yet,” sneered David, letting her hair go. Wrapping his arm around her waist so he could drive into her harder, a vile grin on his face as he continued to violate her. His eyes were wild, glinting with an almost psychotic satisfaction at seeing us stand there helpless. But beneath that satisfaction, I could see fear. He knew he was cornered.

Rage built inside me, only the danger to Paige’s life keeping me from charging at him and tearing his fucking head off. Paige’s eyes flicked up to Nate’s and then mine, locking on to my gaze. They wrenched at my heart, as her pain, fear and despair hit me hard. I’d sworn to protect her, to find her stalker, and now I stood here completely helpless as he violated her.

“It's okay, princess,” I said softly, my voice shaking. “We're here now.”

David laughed, a high unhinged sound. “She doesn't need you anymore,” he said, his voice shaking with effort as he thrust harder into Paige. “She's mine.”

“Paige, eyes on me, baby.”

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