Pushing through the sweaty bodies on the dance floor, I aim toward the bathroom while the club music blasting from the speakers creates euphoric emotions inside me.

I got the job! I got the freaking job!

Stepping inside the bathroom, I quickly wash my hands of the spilled beer and go out, ready to continue my celebration, knowing full well once the work starts I won’t have nights out. As I step out of the bathroom, I bump into someone.

His back is as solid as a rock, and I can’t help a giggle escaping me, as I mumble, “Sorry.” He swiftly turns around, and I blink several times as I drink in his handsomeness.

Holy hell, hello there!

My breath hitches as my hands slide to his shoulders, steadying myself, because these fucking shoes are killing me, even though Chloe insisted they look pretty on me.

An unfamiliar surge of energy sparks between us, creating an awareness that swamps me in a wave that awakens every little hair on my body. I’ve never felt anything like it, the instant attraction that people talk about.

Everything in me screams to step back and run in a different direction, because if someone has the power to have such an effect on me in the first minute of meeting, what would he be capable of in the future?

But I don’t move. Instead, he introduces himself to me. “Kierian.” His voice is husky, disturbing me in the most teasing way.

I nod, while replying, “Ella.” But then blab, “What an unusual name.” My cheeks heat up when I realize what I said to a stranger, but he just chuckles next to my ear, and it sends shivers down my spine.

Control yourself, Ella!

“It’s an Irish name.”

“Meaning?”

A sinister smile graces his face. “The dark one.”

I’m slightly taken aback by his explanation, or implication for that matter, but then it registers as I touch the silky strands of his black hair. “Because of your hair, huh?”

Something flashes in his smile while his hold on me tightens. Usually, it would send alarms going off in my system big time, but this time, I can’t look away from him.

“Would you care to have a drink?” he asks without answering my question, shifting us a little to the side so people can pass by without bumping our shoulders.

As a result, I end up pressed between his muscled chest and the wall, because we can’t take our eyes from each other.

“I’m here with friends.” As much as I’d love to say yes to him, this night is not about hot guys, but friendship. So even though every nerve in my body protests the action, I step back, freeing myself from his arms, and wink. “Thanks though.” With that, I quickly dart back onto the dance floor where Chloe and Simone jump to the beat of the music.

“That trip was long,” Simone says, but then glances behind me and smirks. “Hot stuff!”

Chloe follows suit, and her eyes widen while she winks. “Got yourself a hunk for the night.”

“Who talks like that, Chloe?”

She punches her chest with a fist lightly. “Me.” But then she whispers, which is still loud as she tries to do it over the music, “If you want to leave with him, we don’t mind. You need to get laid, girl.” Simone nods eagerly, and I barely contain myself from rolling my eyes at their suggestion.

Why does everyone care about my sex life? It’s not like having sex on a daily basis is a must.

And besides, ten months is hardly long. I just haven’t met anyone interesting to share the night with.

“Let’s vote,” Simone offers, and then adds quickly, “Okay, voted. You stay with the hot stuff while we head home.”

My brows furrow. “Already?”

Regret washes over their faces. “The guys are feeling a bit restless with our boys. So it’s better we go.”

Loneliness hits me hard, reminding me that my friends have moved on with their lives and have families of their own.

It shouldn’t hurt, but it does.

Maybe because I won’t ever allow myself to have it, so what is left for me in this life, then?

“Sure.” They kiss me goodbye as I stand in the middle of the dance floor, contemplating my next action.

Placing my hand on my chest, I hate the emotion that threatens to raise old nightmares, so I spin around, and thankfully Kierian is leaning on the bar, his entire focus on me.

Fire is blazing from his eyes as I come closer, and my breath hitches at the intensity of his gaze.

We can have a drink, chat, and dance around the inevitable ending of this night.

But why would I waste this opportunity if he has the ability to erase this loneliness, if only for one night?

So with a determination I’ve never felt before, I stroll to him and bump into his chest as he catches me swiftly, circling his arm around me while I fist his shirt and lift my head for a kiss.

He immediately complies, covering my mouth with his, and gives me the best kiss of my life.

I don’t know what the future holds for us, but for sure, he is perfect for the night.

Ella

A finger traces down my spine, tickling me as a soft giggle slips through me, and I bury my face deeper into the pillow, not wanting to wake up.

“Wake up, sleeping beauty,” Kierian murmurs next to my ear, his body pressed flush to mine, but I shake my head and try to cover myself with a blanket.

“It’s too early.” He laughs behind me, the sounds vibrating on me as he sucks on the skin in the crook between my neck and shoulder, and I angle my head, so he’ll have better access.

“It’s almost noon.” His hand slides down my hip as he squeezes it, sending jolts through me, but I don’t budge.

With a growl, he flips me onto my back, covering me with his body, and tugs on my hair so I have no choice but to gasp, and that’s when he goes for my mouth.

The kiss is wet and deep, as he devours me as if he hasn’t had it for days instead of several hours, like he is reclaiming me all over again.

Although I could kiss him for hours, I push him back as my lungs demand air, but it doesn’t sway him from his intentions.

He licks around my collarbone, traveling down to my breasts and lavishing each of them with attention, enveloping them in his hot mouth and pulling with little bites. My hands slide down his back as I make a place for him between my thighs, but he stops and blows on my nipples softly, which brings more awareness to them, transforming them into hardened peaks that could set me off any minute.

He slips his tongue lower, biting my stomach and leaving hickeys on his way to my core, where I feel wetness coating my skin. I pulse with desire to feel him inside me.

Each time with him only makes me more addicted to his brand of torture, more desperate for his every touch and lovemaking.

Kierian is always so hungry for me, being able to go at it for hours and demand complete submission. In these moments, he is not a compatible boyfriend who understands me; he is a raging beast who wants to own his woman.

“Mine,” he growls right before placing my legs on his shoulders and grazing the walls of my pussy with the tip of his tongue, barely touching me, but it’s enough to send electricity through me and my moan fills the space.

He rubs his five o’clock shadow on the skin of my inner thigh, scraping it lightly, and sucking because he knows it’s my sensitive spot. “You are so beautiful.” His voice is filled with lust, as he grabs my ass cheeks and scoots me closer, his breath fanning my core and finally giving it his whole attention.

He ravages me with his tongue, licking me and biting on the flesh, scraping with his teeth against my sensitive skin.

A sob escapes me as I grab the pillow nearby and muffle my moans with it, not wanting the neighbors to hear me. They’ve already complained once, and Kierian hated it because they heard my moans.

I was just mortified.

He continues to lap at me, enveloping my clit between his lips and sucking on it, and an electric charge bolts through me. I keep repeating his name and gasping for breath, needing more, but at the same being afraid of what comes next.

He pushes his tongue deep, sweeping at my walls and tasting me as deep as he can.

He is hungry, domineering. I lock my legs around his neck, my pussy clenching, but it’s not enough.

Kierian needs to get on with the fucking program before I lose my mind!

My hips jerk, lifting to his seeking tongue, as I pull at his hair, shamelessly rubbing myself on his mouth, and he welcomes it.

His fingers push inside me as he holds me down, his arm thrown over my stomach—not that I’ll go anywhere.

It feels as if fire flickers over my skin, the release coming closer and closer, needing just a little friction that he denies me.

He rises as a whimper of protest leaves me, but he just murmurs, “I told you not to tease me. Now you get your punishment.”

My brows furrow, my body still hungry for his touch. I’ll go insane without him finishing what he started. “If you don't want to help me—” I warn, and yelp as he flips me to my stomach and grips my hips, sitting me on my calves as he makes a wider space between my legs.

And then a loud whack echoes as he slaps my bruised flesh, making me hiss in pain, and pleasure too, as it sends awareness through my entire body, alerting every nerve. He ignites my skin with each touch.

I bite the pillow, enjoying the game as he slowly slides a hand up my back to my hair, fisting it and bringing me up while his other moves to my core, seeking entrance to the wet heat he created.

Kierian dips his head to give me a hot kiss, practically eating my mouth as we share each other’s taste. His fingers sink into me and we both groan, as I take my mouth away and rest my head on his shoulder, needing more.

He lets go of me again. I huff in frustration but return to my stomach as he trails kisses down my back, licking and sucking on the way, leaving his marks everywhere.

Whoever sees me naked will know I’m taken.

He bites on one ass cheek and then the other, but before it can sting, he dusts kisses on them, soothing the skin and driving me freaking crazy.

He even manages to give me a lick from behind, and my core clenches around his tongue, but it’s not enough anymore.

My ragged breath is a warning that I’m close, so close, but I don't want to come like this.

I need him.

“Kierian,” I cry out, and this time he complies, probably having enough teasing himself.

Smoothing his hands along my ass, he grips my hips as he thrusts deep, pushing me forward on the bed, and I fist the sheets for a source of steadiness.

For a second, he doesn't move as he adjusts himself inside me, and I gasp, wiggling a little, because I can’t take it anymore.

Kierian’s nails dig in my skin as he pulls back and then thrusts forward. The bed moves right along with him as he repeats the action again and again, causing my pussy to pulse around him. My breasts heave and my stomach sinks as fire spreads through me, awakening every nerve in me and sending me into a pool of sensations that makes the outside world disappear.

Yanking my head up, he gives me a harder push while he thumbs my clit, pressing it lightly, and it’s enough to end me.

The fire burns and burns within me, demanding an outlet, and finally everything explodes, and with a loud cry tearing from my lungs, I clamp around him. He groans above me, still moving back and forth while I breathe heavily, trying to snap back to reality.

He spills inside me with a loud roar. He settles me on my back gently, and we both gaze at the ceiling, our bodies coated in sweat as the morning sun slips through the window.

“I’ve changed my mind. I’m so awake.”

He laughs and slaps me on the ass, and I glare at him, rubbing it since the skin is still sensitive.

“I’m here for your pleasure, Ella.” It warms my heart that he doesn’t use stupid nicknames on me, since he knows I don’t like it. Nothing is better than your man saying your name; at least you don’t have to wonder how many other women he’s called by the same name.

Giving me a light peck on the lips, which seems so chaste after what just happened, he rises, grabs his sweatpants, and goes to the kitchen.

Sighing in pleasure, I stretch my arms wide as a smile permanently settles on my mouth.

I get up and quickly go to the bathroom to wash off all the sticky and sweaty mess, even if I love his smell on me.

Stepping inside the shower, I turn it on and groan as hot water touches every sore muscle.

We’ve had three very eventful, intensive days at work, where a child was kidnapped and all the BAU analytics had to come in and help. Hopefully the child has survived the fifty-hour mark. We managed to locate a prostitution ring that operated in a different state. They collected kids all over the country and sold them to the highest bidder.

A shudder runs through me just at the thought of what could have happened if the police didn’t manage to get to the ship on time.

Shampooing my hair, I think back on all the things that have happened in the last month and wonder how my life has managed to change so drastically in such a short time.

We’ve had many different cases to work, including a serial killer who murdered beautiful blonde women, and one man who liked to torture his victims then release them after cutting off their ear as his trophy. We assisted the police as much as we could and rarely made any mistakes in profiling, although our profiles weren’t always the major factor in catching the killers.

Police even solved the Blake case; turned out his so-called secretary killed his wife in jealous rage. It felt good to know that my first impression of the man was correct and he wasn’t a killer.

The team has finally accepted me, and we usually hang in the bar after work. Jacob held a barbecue at his house a week ago, where he and Andrea announced their engagement.

That came out of the blue, considering I had no clue they were even dating.

Kierian and I have given this thing between us a shot, so he practically lives here. He goes home only for clothes or when his family visits.

I haven’t met them, and I’m not ready for it either. We go on dates and normally have interesting conversations. I had no idea there could be such harmony between partners. He understands me and my passion for this job, and slowly, with each day, he convinces me more and more that this thing between us can work.

Chloe and Simone like him too. We’ve even had a night out where we went together with the guys to a bar and danced the night away.

This is all so surreal to me, and sometimes I wonder what the catch is… although it quickly passes.

The problem is, nothing in my life ever goes according to plan, and if good things happen, inevitably someone or something bad comes along to snatch it right out from under me.

After getting out of the shower, I quickly blow dry my hair and put on a white fluffy robe. A smile pulls on my lips from the smell of freshly made coffee and toast.

I pad to the kitchen, where Kierian flips the eggs in the skillet and then places them on plates while grabbing the toast on the way to the kitchen island. “You’re never going to accept the fact that I don’t eat breakfast, are you?” I ask, and jump on a barstool, moaning as the first taste of coffee hits my tongue.

“We both know you’re lying. You’re just too lazy to cook it,” he replies cockily, and I burst out laughing, because it’s so true. Since most of our mornings are spent together, he’s made me a fan of breakfast. Now I look forward to those special moments in the morning when it’s just us.

“So we have an entire two days for us!” The last case was brutal, so the team got two days off to get some sleep and regroup before going back to work. “You have any plans?”

He occupies the seat next to me, munching on toast. “I have to meet my family for dinner; there’s some news they want to share.” He doesn’t sound happy about it, but I don’t dig for details.

His family is a sore subject for him, and although it’s hard for me to understand, I don’t push him. I’d give anything to have my family back and enjoy time with them. Each one of us has our own story, so there it is.

“Cool.”

He tugs on my robe, giving me a soft kiss on the nose. “I can stay if you want.”

Shaking my head, I palm his face and rub his cheek. “I’m fine. We saved those kids, and that’s the most important thing.”

He nods, but then his eyes narrow and he sways to the side, and I curse inwardly.

Why did I leave it on the coffee table?

“You have to be kidding me,” he mutters, and then gives me a harsh stare. “This fucking book again?”

“There is nothing wrong with reading it. You did!”

“Yeah, because I had to. Not because I was obsessed with a serial killer!”

“I’m not obsessed with him, Kierian.” But he was my first case, and we failed. Plus, the killer sent me that book! Surely it meant something. Even if he killed the abusive jerks, it didn’t make his crimes any less bad. “I just want to find the clue he spoke about.”

He gets up, his food half eaten. He grabs the counter and leans on it, and I wait for the fury to blow, because we’re going to have the same argument all over again that we’ve been having for weeks now.

“Let go of this case, Ella.” Crossing my arms, I shake my head and he growls.

Too freaking bad for him. “I can’t.”

“Why?”

I blink, surprised by his question.

Because there is something bothering me about this, like I’m missing an important piece of information.

I constantly feel like there is doom looming over me, and I don’t know when it will hit the target, aka me.

I can’t say all those things out loud though, so I settle for, “It’s important to me, because it’s my first case.” He exhales heavily, but then hugs me close, kissing me on the head.

“Then if it gives you peace, continue, but I don’t think it’s healthy.” And then he asks again, “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay here with you tonight?”

Why does he keep on insisting?

“No, I don’t.” He must read the conviction in my voice, because for the rest of the day, he doesn’t push; he jokes around and packs his stuff for the weekend with his fam.

Once Kierian leaves the house, I message Preston.

<Me> Did you find anything?

<Preston> Yep. E-mailing it to you now. FYI, it’s so fucked up. Not sure if it’s him, but it’s the only case that matches.

A second later, my phone dings with a new e-mail and I read the information there.

And all the blood drains from my face once I discover what he had to live through as a child. Not that it gives me a clue what name he operates under now, but it gives me a better understanding of what drives him.

A conversation from a week ago with Preston plays in my mind.

“Andrea, have you seen Preston?” I ask, and she points at his office. With a thankful nod, I rush inside to see him humming a song while he types information from some files. Clearing my throat, I wait for him to spin around in his chair. His brows lift in surprise as I rest my back against his table.

“Ella? Something happened?”

Biting my lip, I contemplate my thoughts before speaking up. “I need a favor.” If it’s possible, his brows rise even higher.

“From me?”

“Yes.”

He frowns. “Why me?”

“You are the only computer wizard I know.”

He grins at that and puts his hands behind his head. “That’s true. What do you need?”

Okay, here comes the hardest part. Technically, I shouldn’t go around digging for information, but it might help the case, so here goes nothing.

“I’ve been thinking about our Hudson River unsub lately. The violence and stuff. If he kills his father all over again, what if he was his first victim?”

Preston blinks a few times. “That’s a possibility, but it’s vague.”

Grabbing the chair nearby, I place the file in front of him. “I narrowed it down. He should be in his thirties now. We can search any crimes that involved father and son. Maybe they are still searching for him.”

“I don’t have unlimited access to various databases, just saying.” His sarcasm is not welcomed much.

“It won’t be secret information, just the police report.”

“In what state?”

“Southern states, because both Greece and Troy are located in the south.” Even though it sounds insane, he shrugs and types that in.

“What else?”

“Suburbs, no big cities. Most probably an only child.” He runs his fingers through his hair and gives me the look. “It sounds vague again, but listen further. Highly intelligent kid. Maybe weird bruises. Along those lines.”

“Hundreds of cases will come up, just so you know.”

There is one more thing that I think will help narrow it down as much as possible without any key factors. “His mother either committed suicide or died at home, before he became a teenager.” Something must have triggered his tendencies.

“Fine, once I have more info, I’ll let you know.”

Preston is the freaking sweetest!

I hug him closer and give him a light peck on the check while he groans, not liking the contact much.

Well, I have the name. But to learn the rest, I need to find out about him.

Good thing I have an entire weekend for that.

Psychopath

It ends tonight.

Ella

Placing the book on the table, I get up and a groan slips through my lips as I stretch my back. It’s stiff from constantly bending my head over the book, searching for any trace that can help me catch the unsub.

Why did Homer have to use such a hard language? Half the stuff I had to google to figure out.

Turning on the coffee pot, I rest my back on the counter and think back over all the information I’ve found so far.

The Trojan War lasted for ten years and the Greeks won. Logically speaking, the unsub is a narcissist who would associate himself with a winning side.

Using this train of thought, I gather all the information possible on Achilles, as he seems to be the only logical person on the winning side, but nothing in his life or book or wars connect to anything with this case.

Pulling my hair in frustration, I’m about to pour coffee in my cup when three swift knocks at my door grab my attention.

“Open up, Ella. I know you’re home.” Chuckling, I do just that, only to see Chloe in all her glory holding wine and chocolate in her hands, along with a copy of The Iliad. “Since you are so busy with work, I decided to help you out.” My brow rises and she rolls her eyes. “No need to be so surprised. It was one of my favorite books in high school.”

“Right,” I mutter as she enters, removing her shoes and placing her gifts on the table. She plops on the couch, kicking her feet over an armrest. “You forgot we went to high school together. And who helped you pass English literature?”

She laughs, and I pick up two glasses while sitting down on the carpet opposite her.

“True, but then again, I had a crush on Billy Jenkins.”

I choke on my drink, and she giggles again. “What? The nerd from second period?” Not that I judged or anything, but the guy always said some weird shit and considered everyone stupid because they didn’t know the periodic table of elements by memory. It’s hard to like a guy like that, hence why he never had friends. So in time, his parents transferred him to another school.

“Hey, he had beautiful eyes. But that’s beside the point. He was obsessed with the whole Troy war and I wanted to impress him, so I read those two books.”

My brows furrow. “Two?”

She nods eagerly. “Yep. The Iliad and The Odyssey. You know what happens with Odysseus after the war.”

Right, the king of Ithaca, who loved his wife Penelope a lot. For twenty years, she kept her vow to him and never married, despite other men approaching her. It took him another ten years to get back home, but the two lovers reunited at last.

“What do you have so far?” Chloe asks, popping a chocolate in her mouth, and I exhale heavily, scrambling through my notes scattered all over the place.

“Not much. There must be some connection, since he sent me the book. But it escapes my notice, you know?”

“Maybe it’s not about the character.” She grabs the maps of the wars mentioned in the book. “Maybe it’s about a victory that someone accomplished? He is a psychopath, right? This can be his driving force.” After her father was outed all those years ago, she learned as much as she could about them. It brought her peace, as she explained it. So whenever I had exams at the university, she’d study with me just to learn more. Maybe I shouldn’t have shared my case with her, but I’m drowning in this stuff.

I need to find answers soon, and my best friend is trained enough to help me, at least in the researching process.

“Like something he would admire?”

“Yep.” Nibbling on the pen in my hand, I rack my brain, scanning all the information I’ve found so far, but come up blank. “The only event mentioned in The Iliad, and I have to concentrate on this book because he sent it, is the Trojan War.” Pointing at three thick piles of books on the floor next to her, I say, “And trust me, my mind knows everything on the subject at this point.”

Chloe goes “Hmm” and then clicks her fingers. “Then themes.” One of the reasons I love Chloe so much is that, due to her artistic brain, she has the ability to look at every situation from different angles and never gives up.

“Themes?” I repeat, and she puts a blank ledger-size piece of paper in front of us while removing everything else from the table.

“Yes. You didn’t go into details of the case, since it’s work and shit, but let’s break down the story into themes and see which one could be the most applicable to him. It might hold the hint you are desperately seeking.”

I deposit a few different markers next to us, and say, “Great idea. So red is the theme, blue is an explanation, and green is the likelihood of it happening.”

“You and your notes obsession,” she mutters, but writes love, family, friendship, war, victory, and deception. “Let’s do illumination, shall we?”

And although I’m tired as hell and know that this probably won’t bring many results, I can’t resist sitting next to her and hugging her close. “Thanks, babe. Great to have you on my side.” She winks at me and squeezes me too. Although I love Simone to pieces, Chloe and I always shared a special bond that nothing, even our history, could break.

“Anytime. Then you can tell me about the new relationship developing between Kierian and you,” she adds mischievously, and my laughter is a nice break to the silence I had before she came along.

Psychopath

Placing the blanket on the mattress, I step back to admire the carefully created place for Ella for the last time before I end our game once and for all.

After putting on a hoodie and gloves, making sure not to leave any traces, I leave my secret house. I inhale deeply, filling my lungs with much-needed air.

I’ve given her all the fucking time in the world, but she still hasn’t figured it out. And although playing with her mind has become one of my favorite hobbies, it’s not enough anymore.

This needs to end tonight so we can finally start the final chapter in this challenge we’ve thrust upon each other.

All my devices are clean and ready for her beautiful skin. I’ll break her spirit piece by piece until she gives up.

Her giving up will be her ultimate downfall.

Unfortunately for her, it’s inevitable, as none of them stuck for long.

And although the unfamiliar emotions in my chest nag my mind, reminding me she is innocent and doesn’t deserve what I’m about to do, it doesn’t stop me.

I lost my soul a long fucking time ago.

Ella

Shifting on the bed one more time, I give up on sleep altogether, and with a loud huff, I move the blankets to the side and get up. My toes curl in the fluffy white carpet, welcoming the warmth it gives me.

I turn off the AC as a shiver runs through me and pad softly to the kitchen. Grabbing the carafe, I place it on the coffee machine and turn it on.

I resist the urge to message Kierian and distract him from his family reunion. Considering I practically pushed him to go, calling him now would be a stupid move. The last thing I need is for him to worry about my safety.

When the machine dings at its completion, I pour myself a coffee while my mind instantly wanders back to the conversation I had with Chloe about the book. We drank all the wine and ordered Chinese, but it didn’t help us in searching for the truth.

We discussed the themes and book to hell and back, but nothing suited the unsub. We even studied the moments leading up to the war and after, but came up blank. She left only a few hours ago, when David came to pick her up.

Something is not adding up for me. The connection between the unsub and the book is clear, because he sent it to me. But how can it hold a hint to his identity?

He uses surrogates for his father, but the Trojan War is not about a family relation. It’s a love story gone wrong. Why is he so fascinated with it?

Then Chloe’s words echo in my ears.

I mean, the Trojan War was no joke, but I truly feel bad for Odysseus. He came up with this plan for the horse, but it took him the longest to get back home to his wife. Kind of ironic if you ask me.

The cup pauses midway to my mouth as all the memories assault me at once and realization hits me like a ton of bricks.

This is a great book.

We all read it.

We all have this tattoo.

I did my research for Achilles and Hector, the two most important warriors in this story. They were strong characters, loved by people, and arrogant in their nature. Psychopath admires only people who he can associate himself with, no one else.

Among all this mess, I’ve never considered Odysseus, the one man who came up with the Trojan horse that won the war.

A deceit, something that looked like a god’s gift when in fact it was a weapon to kill.

The cup falls on the marble floor, shattering into tiny little pieces as the wet pool circles around my feet.

The man we try so desperately to catch is one of us, the greatest deception of all.

Oh my God.

I turn around quickly to get to my phone, but I halt my movements when I see the man sitting on my chair, playing with a silver blade that glitters in the light of the full moon shining through the large window in my living room. The only other light in the apartment comes from the kitchen.

“I knew you’d figure it out eventually,” he says, his voice void of any emotion as he plays with the blade, shifting it through his fingers. “That’s why I chose you.”

I swallow. Taking a step back, I wonder how long it will take me to get to my gun located under the table a few feet away from me. I open the drawer next to me and take out a knife; at least I won’t meet my enemy empty-handed.

“You fooled all of us.” Oddly enough, I stay calm, not letting my fear get the better of me. The woman in me weeps at the cruelty of the situation, at the monster I haven't seen even though he has always been so close.

Maybe that’s my destiny, to be forever fooled by them. God, all those people who claimed criminal psychology was not for me clearly were right.

“One trait of a serial killer is high intelligence, and another is manipulation. But then again, you know that.” He rubs his chin as something flashes through his eyes. “But the game is over, the time has come.” Knowing full well I won’t get another chance, I dart to my room to activate the alarm and grab my gun, but he is next to me like lightning, knocking me to the floor where I land painfully.

I cry out in pain, but kick him hard in the stomach, crawling from under him to scoot forward, but his strong hands holding my hips prisoner don’t let me. I try to stab his arm with the knife, and he grunts but pushes me onto my back as we both breathe heavily. His hand rises, and I shut my eyes, expecting a harsh blow, but instead his fingers gently trace my cheek and our gazes clash.

And that’s all I remember before he plunges a needle in my neck that slowly drains my energy and everything goes blank.