Page 47 of The Vigilant

I sat on the edge of the bed and tapped out a reply.

It made me feel alive.

User923X: The things I would do to you before fucking you would pale in comparison.

A chill raked over me. This guy wasn’t as overtly seedy as all of the other messages I’d received; many of them jumping straight into a request for a photo of my pussy or a video of my feet.

I guess it’s too bad then that you’re not here to show me.

User923X: Yes, it is.

A defeated sigh bled from my lips at his reply, expecting…something more than confirmation.

I waited another second before leaving the message window, unsure why I’d gotten the feeling in my stomach that this guy was…important. Connected to Mara’s disappearance.

Annoyed at the feeling of hope that suddenly died, I flipped back to camera mode and grabbed my single ivory-handled knife. Irritation pricked at me like a bee sting, knowing the mate was probably still left in that dirty alleyway covered in Kang’s blood.

Holding my phone in front of me, I positioned the tip of the knife near the pinchers of the small scorpion curling under my right breast. Inspired by the fruitless conversation, I let the tip of the knife sting my skin, drawing a dot of blood. I tapped the shutter button, capturing the wound under my bare breast with just a hint of my nipple piercing showing.

I captioned the image:Made for those who like a bite.

Not even thirty seconds after the image was posted, my message box lit up with a new message.

User923X: What is the wasp for?

Again, he surprised me with what he was focused on, though I wasn’t surprised at all he didn’t catch its significance. He was one of many who made the wasp significant in the first place.

I prefer creatures who have a violent sting.

User923X: You’re not the only one.

Another thing we have in common.

User923X: Not me. Another woman I met on here also had a wasp tattoo.

Mara.

I practically collapsed on the bed, relief thundering through me like a freight train. I was right about him.He did know Mara.Whether he was involved in her disappearance though was another thing.

User923X: I prefer creatures who think they like the taste of violence.

Think?

User923X: They don’t know until they meet me.

I inhaled deep, tapping out my next message carefully, and then held my breath as it sent.

And did this other woman get to find out?

It wasn’t until my heart pounded heavy against my chest, like a fist trying to slam through water, that I realized I’d held my breath for too long waiting for his answer.

But I couldn’t give up the conversation. Not now that I had confirmation he’d contacted Mara.

My teeth pinched my bottom lip.

Perhaps we could find out together. A group punishment.

If tits weren’t the way to scramble a man’s brain, then the suggestion of a threesome or at least some girl-on-girl action was.

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