Page 48 of Slay Me

And now they’re dead.

Fiona emerges first, expression hard. She comes to stand beside me as Dante steps from the room.

“I want everyone gathered in the big top. Now,” he growls. “The hits just keep on fucking coming, don’t they?”

We both turn to leave.

“No. Fiona, you go. Liv, you stay.”

“With all due respect, Ringmaster, she doesn’t know anything aside from what I already told you.”

“I didn’t ask your opinion, berserker,” he snarls. “You go and gather everyone. Liv will remain behind. With me.” He shifts his gaze to me, almost challenging me to argue. But I don’t. Mainly because I truly don’t believe he killed them, and since I too seem to be a target lately, the safest place I can be is at his side.

Fiona shifts her gaze to me then nods and turns to sprint down the hall. I lean back against the wall again and take a deep breath. Then another.

“Are you all right?” Dante’s tone is low, and for the first time since we met, I detect a hint of emotion other than anger or lust behind the baritone.

“No,” I reply honestly. “They were good people.” Tears blur my vision, so I blink them away rapidly. “Sorry. I just—”

“Don’t apologize,” he says, planting a hand on the wall beside me as he looks down into my eyes. “I will find who did this, and they will pay.”

“They had a future planned,” I whisper, more for myself than him. “They wanted kids, a family.” Closing my eyes, I do my best to steady my emotion. Unfortunately, all it does is give me the opportunity to recall all the moments we spent together.

They say when you near death, your life flashes before your eyes. What they don’t tell you, however, is that, when you lose someone close to you, you see theirs.

“I am sorry,” Dante says softly.

“Boss.”

He turns away, and I shift my gaze to the door where Duncan stands, face grim. “What is it?” Dante questions.

“You’re going to want to see this.”

Dante pushes off the wall and crosses the hall, disappearing into their apartment. I slide down the wall, taking my seat on the floor and doing my best to steady my racing heart. Grief aside, no one but performers and staff are allowed in this building.

Dante is clearly not guilty, and I’d be willing to bet his security team wouldn’t have carried out these murders. I know Fiona and I are innocent, which leaves every other person in that circus as prime suspects.

Apollo.

Valentina.

Harriss.

Brad.

Kleo.

Ghrunt.

Silva.

Uma…though she wouldn’t be even close to the top of the list.

And Lex…the new shapeshifter who was just brought in. That thought has me standing. He is the newest of all of us. And with his abilities, he could have shapeshifted into anything, right? A beast of some kind, perhaps?

Without giving it the thought I should have, I rush toward the apartment. Dante’s massive frame blocks the dead from my view, but at my arrival, he turns. “What is it?”

“The shapeshifter.”

---