CHAPTER ONE

 

 

"You are perfection spoiled by your own stupidity. Your actions have consequences, you belong to me. Your screams bring me pleasure." Her slender body felt like silk beneath calloused hands. The muscle tension in the woman caused a smirk to cross his face. The bowie knife traced down her neck. "Sensual pleasure can be mixed with a little trepidation." He rested his lips beside her ear, tongue traveling over the outer cartilage. Remind her who retains control. She submits to you. Scarlet blade of the knife raised and her pleas added to his fantasy.

 

"No, don't." Tracy did not understand what had gone wrong. She'd been enjoying the sensation of taking him to bed, before he'd changed his tune. Tracy followed the blade glimmering in the moonlight. Sensing the pain of death, she prepared for the knowledge of death looming over each puncture wound. The amusement placed on the man's face, she couldn't escape the pools of her own blood. The screams strangled into the still air until the life left her body.

 

"Such intricate beauty even in death. Pity." Fingers trailed over her cheekbone before giving her one last sensual kiss. Sweet metallic taste of blood collided against his wind chapped lips."It's time to go home." Wiping the knife of the scarlet liquid, he placed back into his pocket.

 

Quick breaths and Michael shot upright in the bed. Sweat beaded over the stubble of his dark beard. "Cassie," he chocked the name out to the empty room, vomit threatened to join the rapid heart beat. A second to gather the pieces of nightmare before his cell phone vibrated against the top of the antique nightstand. "Meriton." The answer came short of breath when his feet hit the oak floor. Without slippers, his feet stuck to them when he moved closer to the nightstand.

 

"Douglasville PD found a body. You might be interested in this particular one." Michael's brain processed the message but not the messenger.

 

"Thanks for the heads up. I'll be right over." After obtaining the address, he crawled the rest of the way out of bed. Michael splashed cool water on his face before changing into work appropriate clothes. While he donned his undershirt, he stole a glance at his wedding photo. An exacerbated release of emotion cascaded and he swallowed the fury threatening to spill. Left hand curled into a fist before slamming onto the table. The same anger burning as the night he found her. Grabbing his keys off of the wall, he shuffled out the door to the crime scene. Coffee, he wanted a coffee.