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THE FAMILIAR BURNING ache simmered deep inside of him. The need to hunt became overpowering. It was too soon after his last hunt; he shouldn’t submit to it. He must stay in control. The need to kill had turned into an addiction; the desire for the exquisite physical release deep seated. The only way for this thirst to be quenched was to kill.
Unable to sleep, he took the taxi cab out. He found a young woman that looked perfect for him at the airport hailing a cab. A smile formed across his face. He couldn’t believe his good fortune. This one may be just what he needed to tide him over for a while.
He helped her into the car, “Where to ma’am?”
“I have a reservation at the Chateau ‘Orleans.”
“That is a mighty nice hotel. It will take a few minutes to get there. Have a seat and enjoy the ride.”
She smiled up at him, “Thanks. I hope I can keep my eyes open long enough to get to the hotel.”
“You have nothing to worry about. I will wake you up when we get there. Just sit back and relax. The roads are fairly light at this hour.”
***
HEATHER GUILLORY WOKE suddenly from a deep sleep. She waited for her vision to adjust to the darkness that surrounded her. Terror coursed through her like molten lava. She needed to remain calm and figure out where she was. Complete horror gripped her as she realized the taxi driver never brought her to the hotel. What the hell? An eerie silence surrounded her. She went to open the door and to her horror, she found there were no door handles or locks in the back seat.
In the faint moonlight, she saw a shadow coming towards the door. Someone was out there. “Please let me out.” Fear quivered in her voice. There was still complete silence.
Her apprehension intensified. Her skin tingled with fear. “Please, you don’t have to do this.”
The door opened, and the taxi driver grabbed her. Terror had her paralyzed. What kind of game was he playing?
He grabbed her from the car and dropped her to the ground unceremoniously. He straddled her body and peered down at her through veiled eyes.
Oh dear lord, what did he have planned? Her mind raced with images of the vicious, vile things he could do to her. Fear reignited her attempts to escape; she struggled desperately against his weight. A dozen promises and resolutions ran off her lips as she bartered with God to save her miserable life. She vowed to change her ways and go on the straight and narrow if she lived.
A sneer formed on his face as she continued to fight him. Her stomach coiled in surprise as he wielded the knife over her head. She screamed in horror as he peered at her through dark, soulless eyes. She screamed so hard that her throat was raw and burning. Her heart beat so hard against her ribcage; she swore the bones would break.
White hot pain screamed through her body as the knife entered her body repeatedly. Her lungs were on fire. She struggled to gasp for air and prayed death came quickly.
She felt the strength leaving her body. She became extremely weak as blackness enveloped her. The pain was excruciating.
There was so much blood. She never imagined that much blood was in the human body. Surely, with losing this much blood, she should be dead. There would be no white knight in shining armor; no one came to her rescue. Death couldn’t come quick enough. There were so many stab wounds on her body. Her tormentor was relentless. She felt the stickiness of the blood on her skin and the coppery smell it emitted.
***
THE FAMILIAR THRUM of excitement hummed inside of him like a high voltage electrical current. He sensed another presence teasing the periphery of his senses. A wicked smile formed across his face. Was it her? Was she here to watch? At first, he found it disturbing that an unknown entity watched his every move. “Stop watching me.” He called out. “If you know what’s good for you, you will leave now.” Detective Grace Hutcherson was becoming a liability – one he couldn’t afford to have.
He heard the voices echoing through his head; they must be silenced. He could no longer ignore the voices, but he must have fun first. If he killed her now, there would be no enjoyment?
With slow deliberation, he slid the knife’s blade along her body. Too much time had passed since his last kill. The need clawed its way through his veins. He needed his fix just like a druggie. He took in a deep breath, not ready to lose control. He wanted to relish in the moment and to not rush it.
***
HUTCH SQUATTED DOWN beside the body and replied, “This killing wasn’t planned. It was a spontaneous kill. The hunger became too much for him. He is starting to lose control.”
As Hutch read the energy around them, she sensed their killer was aroused and excited by this recent kill. She was nothing more than a spur of the moment kill and only brought him a quick release.