Page 54 of Stalker

“Soon, Lady Butterfly, you’ll have everything you want. Very soon. Just be my good girl and have patience. I’ll come for you when you’re ready.”

Sadly, that was the moment the magical moment needed to end. I backed away into the shadows and out of the line of sight.

But not before issuing another primal howl.

CHAPTER14

Stalker

Being held captive was entirely different than being captivated.

Yet at this moment, the two felt remarkably the same.

The reason was intoxicatingly simple.

Her beauty had captivated me, but her charm, her rebellious nature, and her lust for the savage sins only provided in the darkness had rendered me her captive.

To some, my almost instant obsession would seem odd, perhaps toxic.

To me, the burning desire sweeping through every synapse and tendon was raw and pure, a fiery birth of filth that refused to be denied.

But with all things in my life, I was a cautious man. I’d been required to be, learning from my mistakes.

And there had been a few of those.

However, in the few days since the hunt, I’d come to realize the seemingly innocent woman stirred a hunger inside that refused to be tamed.

A beast that couldn’t be stopped.

As I pulled up to a light, I pulled my phone into my hand. The single screenshot I’d taken of the sweet Lady Butterfly had been from her company’s website, her true identity a pleasant surprise.

In the photograph, she’d had a blank look in her eyes, her smile practiced and polite indicating trustworthiness. Even the white blouse with only two buttons undone, the dark gray wool suit jacket, and the choice of a muted rose lipstick had offered an air of dependability.

Yet she hadn’t fooled me.

While a prominent prosecuting attorney, I could easily see through her mask of steel. She was as bored with the traditional aspects of life as I was. Perhaps even more so. Ingrained in her was a due diligence to do right by others, to follow the golden rule and all laws. But inside, she was burning with need to break out of her shell.

If what I suspected was true, she’d found the perfect method of doing so.

“You naughty little girl.” I chuckled and wiped the pad of my index finger across her smile. She and I were more alike than she’d ever admit. We both practiced good will when necessary. We both eliminated useless scum, even if her methods of doing so was less physically violent than mine. She’d taken down Baker the Butcher, a monster on a completely different level than I considered myself. He’d taken precious lives for the sheer fun of it.

And she’d taken him down. Somehow, I knew that hadn’t been enough for her. If I knew her at all, my instinct told me she’d longed to handle the judgment of his crime herself.

Perhaps I’d offer her that opportunity.

We both yearned for the heady rush and exhilaration that could only be provided by a hunt.

That’s exactly what we were already playing, a dangerous yet sensual game of predator and prey. Although much too vanilla for my tastes. I wondered if they were also too pedestrian for my lovely Lady Butterfly.

I’d thought her so innocent, a respite from the bloodthirsty monster created almost forty years before, but I certainly wasn’t disappointed in discovering the truth. Why should I be? She was perfect for me in every way.

I pulled on the pair of gloves before selecting the half skeleton face. Tonight I didn’t want my eyesight hindered by a full mask, but this would do. With dark clothing without any indication of brand, including a hooded sweatshirt and boots a size and a half too large, I would remain anonymous as well as blend into the shadows.

I’d call tonight nothing but reconnaissance.

I’d been waiting as patiently as possible since she’d arrived home. She’d enjoyed spending time downstairs, the warm glow of lights indicating she’d remained up long past what should be considered her bedtime. I’d remembered every placement of her furniture downstairs and in her bedroom, a trait I’d also acquired early in my teens. One could never have enough information.

It was well after one in the morning, the area mostly devoid of activity.

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