Page 96 of Back In the Shadows

“I’m not sure I can say the same about the man that killed his parents, but on the other hand, you did free him from Martin.”

A soft laugh escaped him. “I see he tells you everything.”

“Usually, unless it puts me in danger.” The twigs and leaves crunched beneath our shoes as we continued to walk, the headlights from the van lighting our way.

Sweat beaded on my forehead, waiting for him to drop the bomb of why he wanted to meet me.

“I’ll get to the point. My time is valuable as is yours.” He slowed and turned to me.

“Death doesn’t know who I am,” he continued. “I honestly thought he did, but when I asked him who joined me while Martin was bleeding out on the floor, he didn’t remember. It makes sense. Sebastian was in quite a bit of shock. The first time you plunge a knife into a body and deplete the life from someone’s eyes, it’s terrifying and exhilarating at the same moment.” He paused, offering me a kind smile. “But you know all about that, don’t you?”

My heart caught in my throat. The Pied Piper’s words hung between us like a razor-thin wire, ready to slice through any pretense.

“How do I know?” He chuckled, a sound devoid of any real humor. “I know everything, Ella. Every move. Every breath.”

The headlights cast our shadows long and distorted against the forest floor. I could feel the weight of his gaze dissecting me.

“Sebastian believes he’s protected you,” the Pied Piper continued, “but protection is an illusion. Especially when someone like me decides to pay attention.”

I kept my voice steady. “What do you want?”

He stopped walking, turning to face me fully. “Verity,” he said simply. “Your daughter carries something … remarkable. A potential I’ve seen only a few times in my life. When she’s older, I want to teach her, groom her for her future just like I did Xavier, and a few select others.”

“Stay away from my child,” I warned, each word a knife’s edge.

“Stay away?” Another soft laugh. “I’ve been watching her since birth. The way she looks. The way she watches. Some children have a … darkness. Just like her father.”

My blood ran cold. Not because of his words, but because the dark part of me understood exactly what he meant.

“What are you saying?” My voice was low, dangerous. I refused to let this man, this killer, see my fear.

The Pied Piper’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. Cold. Calculating. “Genetics are fascinating things. Bloodlines. Predispositions.” He took a step closer. “Your daughter carries something … special.”

“I’ll say it again. Stay away from Verity.”

“Or what?” He challenged, his voice a razor-thin whisper.

As if on cue, the man who had taken Xavier from Kip moved slightly, revealing a glimpse of a holstered weapon. A silent reminder of the threat hanging in the air.

“I’ve been watching,” the Pied Piper continued. “Watching Verity. Watching you both. Some children are born with certain … inclinations. Potential if you will.”

My heart thundered in my ears, and I strained to keep my fear and anxiety under control. “You’re not touching my child,” I said, each word carved from my fury.

His laugh was soft, chilling. “Touch? No. Watch? Always.”

He leaned in, his breath warm against my ear. “Some bloodlines are meant to continue, Ella. And Verity? She’s going to be extraordinary.”

I attempted to step away from him, but with lightning quick speed, he grabbed my arm.

“I can see that you intend to keep Verity safe, but who says she won’t seek out Death’s instruction on her own?”

“What do you want? I’ll give you anything but leave my daughter alone. You gave Death your word that we would be protected.”

“And you will be, but I never promised that your children would be safe from my influence. Think about it, Ella. I can give you even what Death can’t. Freedom to follow your darkest desires, freedom from ever spending a day in prison, a relationship with your family and friends. I have the reach and the power.”

My legs trembled with his promise. “What do you want in order to leave my baby alone?”

A wicked grin spread across his face. “I have a proposition for you. I’ll reveal my true identity, and once you know, you’ll understand so much more. But if you utter a word to anyone, even Sebastian and Death, your daughter’s safety will be compromised and your years with her will be much shorter than if you kept that pretty mouth of yours shut.” His eyes gleamed with malice as he spoke, leaving no doubt in my mind that he was capable of carrying out his threat.

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