Page 57 of Sweet Touch of Venom

Photos of young girls and boys with blue and red dots on their heads. Different locations on the map. Cities, states?…?countries. Defeat lies in my chest for a split second. Each with a red X across their face. Either they’re preparing for the kidnapping or worst-case scenario. Someone already took them.

“It’s a map of every victim set to get kidnapped,” Mal answers for me, walking up to the wall.

“Or potential. We don’t know if they are actually marked,” Anita says, eyeing the map.

I couldn’t answer because once you think you are one step ahead, you’re not, and that makes me sick to my damn stomach. How did I not see this coming?

Anita walks to the wall, jabbing a finger at another picture. “Why are you on this wall?”

My gaze follows to where it lies. Studying the blank picture with a question mark above it. Only thing presented is the name.

“Poison,” Anita speaks.

That means they still have no clue who I am, just the name that’s circulated around for years, never figuring out my true identity. This can be a good thing. As I shift to walk out of the room of doom, my eyes flicker down to the table; something shiny and gold stands out. My brows furrow, narrowing in for a moment before snatching it up and heading out of the room.

“Boone, take the map. Mal, grab anything you see in here that can give you any clues on the next targets. We keep an eye on them.” I walk out of the room, theories, and ideas rummaging around in my head about when and where to start. First things first are getting their photo in the database and taking it from there.

Trepidation slick in the pits of my belly like the wounds inflicted in my chest. I have no control over this situation. No matter how many people I save, these fuckers are always after more. But I’ll kill every last person on this earth that’s involved in shit like this if I have to.

“If they are on the wall, that means their names and locations have been passed down and added to their rosters. It doesn’t stop here.” Dread is overpowering my senses. Like a natural disaster destroying everything in its path.

I was so caught in thought that I didn’t notice Anita whip in front of me. Her palm flat against my chest ceases my steps. She watches me for a moment, studying my face.

“We’ll figure it out,” she says softly, her head tipping to the side. The heat of her hand snapping me back into reality. This calamity in her gaze sort of extinguishes the burn. Until something flickers behind her calmness and stiffens again, catching a boundary, I presume. She instantly drops her hand, stepping back a few inches. “What’s the plan now?”

I step away slowly. “We search for this asshole. Let’s look for a trail of blood; we know he’s wounded.”

I divert my attention to Mal, who throws papers off the table searching for more information and Boone, who’s carefully rolling up the large map. “I need you two back at the compound with Bedford and the others. We need all the information on each and every one of these potential victims. All hands on deck.” Never questioning me, they nod with stern faces.

I began to search around; this big ass room has more hidden rooms than it presents to be. “Look for something out of the ordinary. There’s a secret escape.” It has to be.

A large ceiling to floor bookshelf is against the wall. These assholes read books? I doubt it. I step closer, examining the books. All the hardcovers are neatly arranged. Anita comes beside me, noticing what I’m seeing.

There is a bloody print on one of the books. The book is a burgundy color, so it would be hard to detect it at a far distance. Smart. Not smart enough.

I look over my shoulder to see Mal with a folder under a shoulder, heading out the door with Boone. “Anita and I will go find him. Meet you back there.”

Mal almost looks warily at Anita, then she nods again. “We’ll keep you updated.” Then they head out. “Chris, we’re coming.” Her voice trails off down the hall.

“That’s not suspicious at all.” Anita points her head at the book. She raises to touch the book, but I shoot my hand out, stopping her.

“Come behind me.” I nod my head to the back of me.

Her head cocks, and her brows lower. Knowing she’s mostly always taking initiative, which I don’t mind, it’s sexy as hell to me. I glance back at the shelf, following each part and crack. “If anything shoots out, I don’t need you getting hit. I’ll rather it be me than you.”

From the way her eyes soften following a one up on me, she pulls up her dagger from the holster. “And I told you if anyone oranythingis going to kill you. It’s going to be me.”

She was just spitting fire at me downstairs, and now something has changed. Her attitude shifts so much that it gives me whiplash and on top of confusing the shit out of me. But I’ll take it any day.

I smirk at her subtly. “Touché. My death will be in your hands.” I wink before facing the decoy shelf again. “Now get your ass behind me.”

She doesn’t argue with it. I raise my hand, gently pulling down on the book. And there it is. A hollow, deep sound from the end of the shelf opens up wide like a giant’s mouth.

I bring up my gun, pointing at the black space. We stroll to it, finding an open door on the floor. “It goes underground,” Anita says, walking around the circular hole.

“I’ll meet you down.” She hums out with that eerie wave she did the first night we met.

Drop.

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