Page 19 of Cause Of Death

“I’m sure you’re wondering how and why I know all these things, Kieran. I’ll be honest with you, I was contracted to infiltrate your home and end your life. The only criteria I had to fulfill was to make it appear that you died from natural causes. Knowing your medical history as I now do, it wouldn’t have been that difficult a task to achieve.”

Kieran’s scent turns bitter with fear, the sweetness of the orange turning sour and acidic in my nose and on my tongue.

“There’s just one little problem with the contract I accepted. You see, Ialwaysdo my own research on my targets, as I refuse to kill those who are innocent. It didn’t take much digging to discover that you were being set up, that you don’t deserve sucha fate. So instead of eliminating you, I’ve decided that I’ll find the peopletrulyresponsible for the heinous acts you’re being accused of and end them instead. If that means I also have to protect you from their goons, then so be it.”

“Whoareyou?” Kieran whispers with dread-filled awe, and I smile wickedly.

“I’m your fucking fairy godmother, your guardian angel in disguise. But you can call me…Wisp.”

My revelation has stunnedKieran so completely that he doesn’t even register when Tweedle Dum finally rouses. Unfortunately for the newly-conscious sigma, he won’t remain awake for long.

I squat over the sigma’s stomach like a malevolent little gargoyle, a deliberately unhinged grin splitting my face. My eyes light up with unholy delight as he blinks up at me, and I cackle with glee as he flinches away. But there’s no escape.

Notforhim. Not from me.

“Well, hello there, Conroy Nolan,” I purr, having gleaned Tweedle Dum’s name from his driver’s license. “You seem to have been averynaughty boy, and I’m here to make sure you pay the piper for your actions. Now, we can either do this the easy way, or the hard way, but that decision is entirely. Up. To. You.”

I punctuate my last four words with a finger boop to the tip of his nose, each tap causing him to jerk at my touch and cringe as far away from me as he can.

Spoiler alert: it’s not that far.

“Wh… what do y… you want?” Conroy stammers out, and I wrinkle my nose as his already pungent scent becomes even more odoriferous.

“Information, Conroy. Information. I want to knoweverything. I want to know the name, address, and other contact details of your employer. I want bank transaction and account details. I want to knowwhyyou were sent after the princeling over there, and what your end game was. I don’t appreciate it when other people poach my targets, and unfortunately for you, an example needs to be made.”

Conroy gulps, his Adam’s apple bobbing convulsively as he swallows.

“Who… who are you? Why do you think Prince is yours?”

I lean down further, my voice soft and low, but still loud enough for Kieran to hear if he’s listening in.

“I’m the thing that goes bump in the night. I’m the monster of your nightmares, the blade in the shadows. I am the bitter end you never saw coming. I am death disguised as beauty and seduction, and I am sex personified. I’m known as The Wisp, and I’m an initiate of The Guild.”

The acrid stench of piss floods the air as Conroy loses control of his bladder. I lean back, my smirk even broader than before.

“Oh, you’ve heard of me then? Or if not me, then my organization? I’m afraid you’ve been duped, Conroy. Kieran Prince’s life ismineto take and should anyone else try to steal it away from me before I’m done with him, then it’ll bemyblade at their throat. If they’re lucky.”

“A… and if they’re n… not?” Conroy stammers out, and my expression darkens with both threat and promise.

“If they’re not, then they’ll never see me coming. Just like you and your friends never saw me coming. I can face them, just like I’m facing you, and take their life without them knowing I’m there. So, knowing that your life will be ending today, do youwant to see it coming, Conroy? Or do you want that uncertainty, the fear of the unknown to be the last thing you experience before you die? Choose wisely, because one will be granted with mercy, while the other will be laden with your suffering.”

Conroy chooses. Wisely.

Smart man.

Deadman.

I wipethe blade of Conroy’s knife, removing all traces of the sigma’s blood. It’s a shame, really, having to eliminate him. He proved to beveryuseful to me in the end, giving up more than I originally asked for, although that’s probably because some of his other information is sorely lacking. His cooperation ensures his death is instant and relatively painless as I sever his brain stem from his spinal cord with a single plunge of his blade.

With the plethora of phones on hand, I not only recorded my interrogation, but also made copious notes to provide Kimberly and Leslie with once we all catch up to each other. That’s the next step in this whole process.

I stand up and stretch, reaching my fingertips up toward the ceiling. My joints pop and crack as my spine realigns after spending so much time hunched over while questioning Conroy. I look over to where Kieran is huddled against the wall, and a twinge of pity as well as concern spears through me.

Have I scarred the handsome omega for life? Is he regretting putting his trust in me?

Does he think I’ll betray him as well?

“Kieran?” I quietly ask, a knot of tension unwinding as he immediately faces me, his expression open and calm.

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