Page 98 of Deadmen's Queen

I nodded, squeezing her hand tightly. “Yes,” I replied simply.

“He killed my mother,” she whispered. “He… hurt me. And Tristan… he killed Tristan. Bast!” She cried out in pain, and I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close to me, her frail body shaking violently against mine. Nate knelt down behind her, wrapping his arms around the both of us.

“Shh, baby, shh. It’s ok,” he crooned in her ear. “Tristan’s alive. He’s ok.”

She opened her eyes, looking up at me.

“Alive...?” she whispered, and I nodded.

“But he...David...”

She didn't need to finish the sentence. We knew what David had done to Tristan. The panic was clear in her eyes, and it killed me to see her in such a state. But at least now, the threat is gone.

“Look at me, Paige,” I said softly, tilting her chin up so she was looking into my eyes. “Tristan is alive. He’s in the hospital, and he’s awake, and he’s going to be fine.”

She blinked at me, tears streaming down her bloody cheeks. Her body was shaking violently now, the adrenaline leaving her system and shock setting in. Seeing her like this was breaking my heart into a million pieces. Her body collapsed against me, relief washing over her in visible waves. Her strength left her, and she sagged between us, relying on our arms to keep her up.

“We've got you,” I whispered into her hair, my arms tightening around her. Nate echoed my sentiment, his hands rubbing soothing circles on her arms, his breath a warm hush against the top of her head.

I glanced at Nate, our eyes locking in silent understanding. It was time to go.

“Paige,” I murmured, dipping my head to catch her gaze. Her eyes were glazing over, shock and exhaustion pulling at her consciousness. “We need to leave now.”

She nodded weakly. I released her into Nate’s arms, reaching down to grab the knife from the floor. I cleaned it off on David’s T-shirt. There would be evidence of Paige in the cottage, but my contact could deal with that. I just thought it might be easier for him without her prints on the murder weapon. I shrugged off my jacket, draping it over Paige as Nate carried her towards the door. Her eyes were closed and she snuggled against him. I smiled at the thought that one of the most feared enforcers in the country brought her comfort.

“Burn it,” suggested Nate.

Paige opened her eyes. “You can’t,” she pleaded.

“Nate’s right. It will destroy any evidence of you being here, or the police will want to know what happened.”

She shook her head. “But then they’ll never know about the others.”

“The others?”

She looked up at me. “The other girls. I wasn’t the only one, Bast. There’s been so many others. And Amy… her jacket’s hanging on the door upstairs. Bast, he’ll get away with it.”

I thought back to the bare patch of earth we’d passed on the way in and I closed my eyes. This was going to cost a fucking fortune.

“Bast?” Nate looked at me over her head, and I thought about the abuse he’d suffered in silence for so many years, and about the man who’d hurt him. The man who was next on our list after all of this was over.

I looked down at Paige.

“Please,” she whispered.

I sighed. “Anything for you, princess.”

For a moment, there was nearly a smile on her lips, and that was enough for me. I followed Nate out the door, heading back to my car. He set her in the back seat, then climbed in next to her, pulling her small body onto his lap, and holding her close. She cuddled into him. I shut the door, and pulled out my phone, taking a deep breath.

“Detective Channing, that tip you gave me this morning really paid off. How would you like one in return? Oh yes, it’s a good one. How about the identity of a serial killer and the location of the bodies of his victims? Good. I have a few stipulations before I tell you where he is. Congratulations, Detective. You’re about to become an extremely wealthy man.”

Chapter Thirty Six

PAIGE

My eyes fluttered open to a dark blue sky and the first few evening stars as Bast's arms enveloped me, pulling me from Nate’s embrace. I clung to Nate, wanting his warmth, but he helped lift me up through the car door into Bast’s arms.

“Easy, Paige,” he murmured.

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