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Her transformation into something evil happened as her face morphed into a sneer. “Get up!”
I stood without question.
Her lips finally tipped up at the corners. “You must be wondering why, right? Why those women?”
My mouth opened, but no sound came out.
She narrowed her eyes and focused on me. “It’s my fucking turn, Phoebe! I’m not too old. I still look young and it’s my turn to shine. The more models I get rid of, the sooner they’ll turn to me. I’ve been in this industry long enough that it should be me getting those contracts. With a few more of them out of my way, they’ll come flocking to me! Now, go over to the window.”
I took deliberate steps across the room to the window, turning to await further instructions.
She leaned against the wall looking proud. “But you? You exposed the whole thing. Your article made people think there was a killer and got someone arrested for it. I can’t finish disposing of the bitches in my way without being noticed. But if you jump, they’ll think you were unstable and drop the whole thing. Then I can keep killing these stupid women everyone wants instead of me until they have to use me as their cover model!” She tore off her mittens and stuffed them in her pockets. “It was easier than you’d think. No one saw me as a threat. I came to the models gushing about how great they were and asking them how they made it, so they invited me in. Dosing them was the easy part. Just blew a little powder in their face and told them what to do. After the first few times, I figured out it doesn’t leave a trace.”
“Trace,” I repeated.
She came over and patted my face until her pat turned into a slap. “Of course, and once they were dosed, the effects are almost immediate. That’s when I turned on them, asking them how they got the job when they had such jiggly arms, or a dimple on their thigh they never noticed. Pointed out their flaws. Whatever it was, I suggested they not ruin everyone else’s day by showing their body to the world. I convinced them the best way was to jump to get out of my way. And this little substance here, The Devil’s Breath? It helped me gain their cooperation. Just like I’ve got yours.”
All I could do was stare at her. She wasn’t wrong. I’d done everything she told me to do. I had no choice.
She leered at me. “You tub of lard. Of course, you should jump. You have no value in the world. You’re too big for it!”
A tear wandered down my cheek. Not because she was trying to fat-shame me but because she was the serial killer. I had the Shadow Reaper standing in front of me. And there was nothing I could do to stop her.
Jerika sneered. “That’s right. You cry, little girl. No one will ever love you. No one will ever want you. You’ll live alone and die alone.”
Visions of Ransom danced in my head. I missed him so much. All I could think about was the easy way we used to be together, our life-long friendship, when it turned to more. But she hadn’t told me to speak, so I couldn’t. I just stood there awaiting her next instructions.
She circled around me like a creepy skeleton. “You know, the other ones made a big crack when they fell. Mostly bones. Yours is going to be more of a splat!”
Her shrieks and cackles sickened me, but I was still under the effects of this damn drug.
“Open the window,” she commanded, so I opened it a few inches. Pushing the window up further, she stood in the open window breathing in the cold air and peering down to the concrete below. “Nice drop here. Four floors should be enough to kill. I usually prefer a little higher so you don’t just scramble your brain, but with you I don’t really care. Being in a vegetative state the rest of your miserable life would be fine with me too.”
Another tear slipped down my cheek.
She blew out a breath. “So, now it’s your turn, bitch. You thought the serial killer was the guy who sexually assaulted models. It was a nice try. Really, it was. He was a killer of sorts, a killer of spirits. But you were wrong about why those women jumped to their deaths. You think you’re going to take the credit away from me? Not gonna happen, fatso!” she said spitting at me. “I’m reclaiming my true calling. To kill anyone who gets in my fucking way! Now, stand in front of the window.”
I did as I was told standing in front of the window. The wind pushed my hair behind my shoulders, cold and biting.
And then I heard it. Heavy boots running down the hall and someone pounding on my door. “Raven!”
I took a deep breath and then another one. Even in this weird suspended animation-like state, his voice alone did something to me. Gave me a visceral reaction. Something between my stomach falling on my shoes and lust so strong it made me ache.
There was a knock at the door. “Raven, I love you! You have to let me in!”
“Get rid of him!” she hissed. “Get over to the door and tell him to go away.”
I went to the door and shouted. “Go away, Ransom.” It sounded mechanical. Not really like I meant it.
He pounded on the door this time. “I can’t! Look, I’m sorry, Raven. I’m so fucking sorry. I know I’ve said that a lot, but I mean it. Let me in!”
Jerika came up to me. “Go back to the window.”
I did as she told me.
Ransom pounded on the door again. “Raven! I’m gonna knock this door down if I have to! Let me in!”
I turned to get the door to do as I was told.
