Dark reckoning

“Over my dead body,” he growled watching the slow track of tears leak from her eyes.

The full force of her words crashed down on him like a wrecking ball and his legs wobbled under him. The drugs crumbled what little composure he had and he fell to the floor under the hurricane brewing in his heart and soul. Anger, devastation, fury, sorrow, rage, and grief alternated, sweeping through him at an unparalleled speed. His harsh sobs echoed in the chamber in between curses and vows of violence spewing from him, drowning out the music still pumping from the headset.

Shadows danced on the floor, catching his attention, and his sobs caught in his throat. “I’m sorry, Jen,” he said, pulling himself to his feet and wiping his face.

Je

Steve shook his head. Even as high as he was, he knew it was definitely not okay. “It is as far away from okay as it gets. I need to sober up and get you out of here before it’s too late.” He sca

“Almost seven,” Je

“Jesus, you’re telling me I lost six and a half hours?” The room tilted.

“I thought you were dead when they first brought you in,” she whispered and her voice hitched.

He cradled her cheek in his hand, the mere touch sent tendrils of fire through him. “I told you, I’m not dying today and neither are you.” He sca

A giggle caught his attention and he glanced at her. “I know, I must be a walking comedy show right now,” he smiled in her direction and then focused back on his jacket. This time he was successful and he felt around in the pocket for his cell, but only his badge and wallet were still inside. “Fuck!”

He closed his eyes and focused, fumbling with the other pockets until his hand clamped down on a small square object. He yanked his cell out of the pocket and gri

“Shit,” he said, and looked at the phone again. “It’s dead.” He turned and kicked the headphones, sending them sailing across the room where they smashed into the wall and were silent.

“Check mine. It rang a few times earlier. It’s in my pocketbook on the floor.” She pointed her chin in the direction.

Steve picked up her purse and dumped it on the floor. He knelt staring at the swirling contents. Bright colors leapt out at him, capturing his attention.

“Steve!” she yelled sharply catapulting him back to reality.

Steve nodded and reached for the cell phone. He missed and glanced at Je

“Jen?” Tracy’s voice filled the line.

“Hey, Tracy,” Steve said and heard the shuffle of the phone.

“Hey, Steve, how’s it going?” Bill asked.

Steve didn’t react at first, but his blood pumped with poisonous venom. He stared at Je

“I see you found her. That’s good.” The phone muffled again as Bill put his hand over the receiver and asked Tracy to fix him a sandwich.

Steve saw red as he listened to the silence, imagining Tracy walking into the kitchen out of earshot. Moments later a small chuckle came over the phone line.

“I can’t wait to fuck her,” Bill taunted.

Steve roared and pitched the phone across the room, where it shattered against the concrete. He paced like a caged lion, muttering ream after ream of curses, the fury radiated from him, filling the room, with his echoing rant.

Chapter 36

“Who are you going to fuck?” Tracy asked standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

Bill closed the phone, his smile fading. “What?” he asked, scrambling for an answer.

“You heard me—who are you going to fuck?”

Bill stormed inside and put his hand over her mouth. “Stop yelling,” he snapped in disgust.

Tracy’s eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open under his hand.

He’d never treated her that way before, and confusion and fear filled her eyes. For a moment, he recoiled, dropping his hand. Then the nuance of change in her eyes, transitioning from fear to fury fueled his ego, thrilling him as much as Je

“Who?”

Bill tossed around whether to answer her or not, and decided it would be worth it to see her reaction. “Je

“Je

“Your roommate,” Bill gri

“Je

He cocked his head in a silent dare. “That’s what you think.”

“What did you do with them?” She took a threatening step forward and Bill took another step back.

“Nothing yet,” Bill answered with a cold calculating smile. “But that’s going to change in about an hour.”

“You can’t do this, Bill. You can’t!”

The last remnants of the man he used to be faded along with his humanity, shriveling up into a dry husk at the core of his being. “I can and I will,” Bill shot back, the excuses tumbling from his lips. “She was supposed to die two years ago. But no, Tom had to be the fucking white knight and trade his life for hers. This time, there’s no one to make a bargain and it wants both of them.”

“I can’t let you do that,” Tracy said, advancing another step. “I won’t.”

Bill laughed at her and she launched at him, a roar hissing from her mouth. He sidestepped, sticking his foot out and she tripped, catapulting, spi

Flipping open her phone, he dialed nine-one-one. “Someone just took a dive off the Brooksfield Heights apartment building.” He hung up, wiped it, tossed it on the couch, and left the building by way of the back stairwell.

Chapter 37

Je

Tracy.

Tracy falling through the air with Bill’s face smiling over the railing, getting further and further away.

Tracy screaming and then the scream cut off on impact, replaced by a silent black shroud.

“Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god!” Her breath wheezed with each repetition.

Steve stopped pacing, swiped his jacked off the floor, and stepped to her side. He covered her with the jacket and wiped her tears, staring at the wet droplets as they rolled over his fingers. He moved his gaze to hers. She still repeated the incantation, her entire body shaking. “What? What’d you see?”