Page 124 of The Cute Psycho

"Are the kids safe?"

"Yes. They've been successfully returned to their parents. I've offered to relocate them in case those people look for them again. Sometimes I amaze myself." I sigh deeply. I'm losing my mojo if now I'm helping people instead of harming them.

And where's the fun in that?

Seth nods at me, back to typing.

"Regarding your promise," he starts, and I motion for him to continue. "I want to end Arsen Aliyev."

"The Azerbaijani mogul?" I raise an eyebrow, surprised he'd be the target of his revenge. "Why?"

There's a flash of pain in his eyes.

"He made me who I am," he pauses, closing his eyes briefly, "and he stole what I loved the most," he says cryptically, but I can read between the lines.

"Fine by me. I've only met him a couple of times, but I don't think we've exchanged more than a few words." I shrug. I'd promised him revenge, and I shall deliver. "All my resources are at your disposal, and everything you need."

He narrows his eyes at me.

"Why?" he asks, his features drawn in suspicion. "Aliyev is a powerful man. Why would you risk it?"

Opening the drawer of my study, I pick up a pack of gum, popping it in my mouth.

"Because there are very few people I havenotupset so far. What's one more? Besides, I have a more important job for you."

"What job?"

Opening my computer, I turn it to him.

"I think you've noticed that this compound is a little differently structured."

He nods, studying the layout.

"There's a reason for it." I lean back in my chair, not relishing the fact that I have to make my weakness public. "I have some episodes... crises if you will, and I become extremely unpredictable."

He raises an eyebrow questioningly.

A few buttons and I replay one of my episodes from last year, when I'd finished off half the staff. Not my greatest moment, but the attack had been so sudden, I hadn't been able to see it coming, least of all control it.

Seth watches attentively, studying my movements. I already know what he's seeing. A creature wearing the skin of a man, but that is neither. I'd watched the tape enough times to know just how much damage I'd caused as I'd cut everyone to pieces.

I hear screams in the video and I know it must be the moment Istart washing the hallway walls in blood, breaking absolutely everything in my path.

Seth is silent when the video ends, slowly raising his head to meet my gaze.

"As you can see, I'm not exactly a walk in the park. In fact, it usually takes about ten people's efforts to immobilize me, and even that is not without casualties. You, on the other hand, have the skill I need."

"You want me to kill you?" he asks and I shrug.

"If it comes to that. I certainly want you to stop me before it gets too far. Usually I recover after a while but..." I trail off. "For some time now my episodes have been worse and worse, some lasting for days. If I don't come out of one..."

"I understand," he states.

"I must warn you, though. For all your skill, which is great by the way, awesome match," I praise him with a smile, trying to alleviate some of the doom in the air, "I won't go down easy. How long have you trained for?"

"Fourteen years," he replies.

"I have more than two decades of experience," I simply state so he can see what he's getting into.

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