Page 36 of The Cute Psycho

I don't know what it is about him, but he scares and intrigues me at the same time.

It's his smile. His very fake smile.

"Here!" I grab onto the material, taking it out and placing it on the table.

"It's vellum... mayhap human vellum." Vlad speaks first, procuring a knife from the inside of his blazer and using it to turn the piece of flesh around. Frowning, he takes out his handkerchief and removes the blood.

"Paying for the sins of others," Marcello reads, and Lina reacts with a sudden intake of breath.

"It's because of me, isn't it? Whoever is doing this, it's because of what I did..." she says, and Marcello is quick to comfort her.

I lean in to take a closer look at the piece of skin.

"Whose skin is this?" I ask. "Is it hers?"

"Probably not," Marcello replies with a grimace.

"How are you so sure?" I continue. As I move my gaze from Marcello to Vlad, it's obvious they know more than they are telling.

"Because whoever did this," he starts, giving Lina a sad look, "is not targeting you."

"What do you mean?"

"This," Vlad intervenes, swinging his knife around and pointing towards the C on Sister Elizabeth's forehead, "is the mark of a serial killer. The C by itself could have pointed to you," he turns to Catalina, "but the teeth confirm it's a serial killer we've been looking for."

"What...?" I narrow my eyes at him. Why do I get the feeling they are not telling us everything?

The conspiratorial looks that pass between Vlad and Marcello make it clear that they are familiar with this.

And it's only making me more intrigued.

"Let me get this," I place my hands on my hips, tilting my head to the side as I address them, "you're saying that the person who killed our Sister is a serial killer? Then what about Father Guerra? I don't believe it's a coincidence these things happened almost within a week of each other." Closing my eyes, I bring my hand to massage my forehead, trying to think about the connection between Father Guerra and Sister Elizabeth.

It's when I open my eyes again that I find myself face to face with Vlad. He's getting increasingly closer to me until we're mere breaths apart.

What...

My breath hitches in my throat as his presence overwhelms me. He's so close I can smell him. His scent is unlike anything I've ever encountered, a hint of burned sandalwood mixed with musk all over a faint layer of vanilla. It's fairly intoxicating, like darkness wrapped in silk, caressing my senses into overload.

I blink rapidly as I realize his gaze is focused on my forehead, right where my birthmark is.

"Vlad!" Marcello calls out, but it's like he can't hear him.

His features are taut, his smile completely gone and replaced with a pure predatorial look. We're not touching, yet I can sense the dangerous tension radiating from him.

Suddenly, I feel like a gazelle in a savannah, my only focus is survival as I will my limbs to stay still, hoping to avoid the detection of the predator.

"Don't move!" Marcello surprises me by whispering from the side, and I nod.

Vlad's nostrils flare slightly as his eyes caress my face in a slow perusal. He leans closer, inhaling.

"Vlad!" I hear Marcello's voice again, but it's like everything falls away. Everything becomes muted as Vlad turns his blank eyes toward me, his breath on my lips.

His hand moves slowly, gently, completely at odds with the big hulking man threatening me with his closeness. Then he does the most unexpected thing. He swipes his fingers over my forehead, taking some of the blood I'd smeared before with my hand and bringing it to his lips.

"What...?" I whisper, stunned.

His lips open to welcome the red liquid, his gaze still set on my face. My limbs feel heavy and warm next to his, his mouth shockingly alluring. I take a deep breath, my palms sweating.

---