Page 35 of Beautiful Prey

I smiled. “You’ll live to see another day.”

“And some bad news.”

I wanted to smack him on the shoulder, but I just scolded him instead. “Don’t be overdramatic.” I folded the bandage, looking to throw it away somewhere when I felt something brush against my knee just below my skirt. Emery’s knuckles had just barely grazed against me.

The only thing between his skin and mine was my thin pair of stockings. I didn’t gasp or move away, but my heart did flutter at the sudden contact. He didn’t try to grab my leg or hurt me by pinching or scratching. He was surprisingly gentle in his caress.

I kept still for a second longer, then swiftly stepped away, pretending like I hadn’t noticed. The place where he touched tingled, spreading up my thigh, making my skin feel warm.

“How about a game?” I offered, hoping he didn’t notice the slight tremble in my voice.

I took the games off the table and set them by my chair, then I moved the table between us. “Care if I pick?”

“Not at all.”

I went over which ones could be played without him having to use his own hands and decided on Zombies. One I had playedwith Lena and Jamie after a winter storm. I told him the rules as I set up the board, placing army men and zombies across the board that served as a city center.

We started the game and played a few turns just in each other's company, me rolling the dice and moving his pawns for him where he asked.

“What movie did you pick yesterday?” I asked on a whim as I moved my pawns next toward a hospital.

“The Crow.”

“The original one?”

“Of course.”

“That’s a good one. Have you seen it before?”

“Yes. And I’ve read the book too.”

I glanced at him, confused. “Do you mean the comic?”

He shrugged. “Same thing to me. But yes, the comic.”

“You must really like it. I’ve only ever seen the movie once.”

“It’s a good story,” he said.

I rolled the dice. A six. “It’s also sad,” I stated. “And dark.”

“That’s what makes it so good,” he said, leaning forward. “The perfect revenge fantasy. He takes out all those who wrong him until he can finally rest in peace. And not even death can stop him from avenging his lover. It’s beautiful, really.”

I shifted in my seat. “What happened to his fiancée was awful,” I said, softly.

“Yes,” he said. “It was. I know I wouldn’t have hesitated to do what Eric did. I probably would have done worse. I would have made them beg for death for what they did.” He tipped his head toward the board. “Three soldiers toward the warehouse.”

I moved his pawns and killed two zombies, then took the items from inside. “I wonder what he would have done if his fiancée had gotten through that night but had been left a shell of herself. Or, worse, they took her and continued to play with her.”

“If she were a shell…he would still avenge her. If she were taken…I imagine he would do what I would have done,” he said in a low voice.

“What’s that?”

His chains clinked against the chair. “Tear the city apart and kill anyone who got in his way until he found her.”

I glanced at him and found him watching me. It was a look he’d given me before, a longing sort of look but also partly hopeless. Like he would never reach what he wanted. Yet, still he tried.

“Even innocent people?” I asked.

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