Page 469 of Dark Love

That many. Wait. “The serial killer they talked about on the news. That’s him. The man that tried to take me.”

Vex nods.

“They have a manhunt out for him.” They’ve plastered his face up everywhere.

“A fruitless hunt.”

My hand trembles a bit not from fear, because Vex just reminded me that the evil was permanently taken care of, but for the mark that lingers on Vex’s soul. It’s tempting to lean over and kiss him. To thank him in a simple but meaningful way.

But our first kiss shouldn’t be haunted by memories of evil. “Thank you.” I reach out and squeeze his hand.

“Don’t thank me until you hear the rest.”

The rest.

One survivor. “Someone survived.”

“Yeah, Dahl, someone survived.”

There’s a woman out there that understands. “The news didn’t mention her.”

“That’s because the police never found her.”

All the pieces fall together. “You did. You saved her. Because of me.”

A somber frown mars his face as he nods.

“I want to meet her. To talk to her.”

His head pops up, and shock replaces sadness. “What?”

“You said there was only one survivor, but there’s two, her and me. I can’t understand fully what she went through—”

“Dahl, no one can understand. She’s broken. What that filth did to her can never be fixed. And I don’t want you to be—" His eyes fall away as they fill with moisture.

His pain radiates through to me. “Is that what you’ve been worrying about?”

“The doctor said it might be good for the two of you to meet. That you might be able to help each other through it. But if it hurts you in any way—"

“The doctor is right. I’d like to meet her.”

“Are you sure? Be very sure.”

Am I? No. But I’m doing this anyway. The only way is with Vex’s help. “Tell me about her.”

“Her name is Imogene and Payne is taking care of her—"

Payne? “That doesn’t sound like a doctor’s name.”

A rough chuckle burst out of Vex. “Payne is my best friend. He pulled her out of the pit—“

“Pit!”

“Yeah, Dahl, he left them in pits.”

They showed the burial markers on the television, but they didn’t mention that detail. “Why is she with Payne?”

“It’s either she stays with him, or we admit her into a facility.”

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