Page 56 of Back In the Shadows

I advanced towards him slowly, savoring the moment before delivering the last blow. His pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears as I struck without hesitation, ending his life with ruthless efficiency.

A soft bird call came from the back of the house, and I recognized it as Dope and Kip signaling that more men were approaching. Good, I hadn’t met my quota for the week, and I was ready. The thrill of the hunt was in full bloom, my entire being on edge, eager for more.

It was over in seconds. A swift blow to his head cracked his skull open like an egg, splattering blood everywhere. A rush of energy and the buzz of excitement surged through me, wild and untamed like a raging bull. The sweet taste of victory filled mymouth, and a sick smile spread across my lips as I watched him crumple to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Three more men came running towards me, their faces twisted into expressions of shock and fear as they witnessed the area littered with bodies. With a wicked grin, I signaled to Dope and Kip, who flanked the unsuspecting men in a well-coordinated move. It was like a dance—a deadly ballet of violence and death. One moment they were rushing towards us, the next they were pinned down by our merciless attacks.

My target turned to look at me. His eyes wide with fear as he realized he wasn’t going to walk away alive. He lunged at me with a desperate fervor, but I was too quick for him. With a swift motion, I slid my weapon between his ribs and into his heart. A satisfying crunch of bone reached my ears as I twisted my knife twice and then removed it.

“I think we’re all clear,” Kip said. “Once we got here, I only saw the original three, but they must have called for backup.”

I wiped the blood off my blade onto my pants, grinning.

“I’m going in. You two guard the door and fucking end anyone else that shows up.”

Kip grinned and rubbed his hands together. “It’s been a while, but it feels damn good to be back in the fight.”

I glanced at Dope, who was poised to attack again. “It’s a different high for sure,” he said, chuckling.

My skull throbbed as Sebastian weighed in on the situation, urging me to hurry. Even though he remembered the layout better than I did, and I needed it for our advantage, I wasn’t sure I would ever get used to hearing him talk in my head. He probably felt the same way, so I promised myself to give him a hell of a time with brutal ways to kill Xavier when it was my turn. The thought made me happy.

Go to the back of the house, there’s a door to the basement.

I would have to take Sebastian’s word for it. I didn’t remember the area very well or how to access the home. I crept around the corner, then spotted what appeared to be an entrance. Hopefully it would open without any noise, but I wasn’t holding my breath.

Spiders. Ella said they’re everywhere, so watch out.

“More things to kill,” I responded out loud to my other half.

A noise pulled my attention away, and Dope tipped his chin at me, signaling it was clear on his side. Seconds later, Kip appeared and gave the same signal.

We’d agreed that Dope and Kip would stand while I went down alone. There was no need to have them follow me into a spider’s den when I needed them to make sure we didn’t have any more surprise visitors.

As suspected, the door creaked open and the little remaining daylight spilled into the basement, illuminating the stairway that sloped downward. I scanned the area, waiting to see if anyone would appear, but it was deathly quiet. With my knife in my hand, I descended the steps one at a time. Finally, I’d reached a small hallway with a room to the right. Still not hearing any movement, I moved forward.

Sebastian’s thoughts entered my mind as I continued.Holy shit. This looks just like my childhood basement.

My cold, calculating eyes scanned the place, taking in the three lifeless figures slumped over a grimy kitchen table. The putrid odor should have made me recoil, but I was numb to such things after years of inflicting pain and terror upon my victims. I stomped through the kitchen, relishing in the crunch of spiders under my sturdy black combat boots. My gaze landed on a small glass cage that sat on the cement floor, hardly large enough for a small adult, and I knew Ella had been held captive in there.

In my mind, I could see Ella lying motionless, her porcelain skin marred with bruises and cuts. A surge of rage boiled withinme as I squeezed my fists, the anger pulsating through my veins like a raging river. How dare they lay a finger on her—my sweet, little lamb.

A guttural growl erupted from deep within my chest as I surveyed the room, the knife clenched tightly in my hand, eager to slice through flesh and bone. The sound of a low moan caught my attention, and I turned, my attention narrowing at the figure on the floor.

“Help,” the voice pleaded weakly.

My grip on the weapon tightened as I cautiously approached, unsure of the intentions of this intruder. “Who are you?” I demanded.

“I live here. Please help me. I was attacked and my knees are busted. I can’t get up,” came the pitiful response, filled with desperation and pain.

“What’s your name?”

There was a long pause before he finally answered, his voice scratchy and whiny. “Xavier. And I’m guessing you’re Death.”

I strode over to him and knelt, the light from the kitchen glinting off my blade.

“You’ll be begging for death by the time I’m done with you. You’ll be praying to me in your final moments for forgiveness for what you’ve done to my Ella.” My words dripped with venom.

Xavier whimpered, fear evident in his trembling voice. “I’m not the one you truly want. It would benefit us both if you spared me.”

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