His blond hair is in bloody tufts near his ear and chaotically spiked where I’ve tied the shirt. His eyes are confused and wary and scared and full of hatred all at once. But the photos and article didn’t do him justice. There’s a something around him that he doesn’t need a leering skeleton mask to produce.

“You can go now,” he grits out.

I’m about to do exactly that before I remember that I can’t let him waltz off into the night. “Actually, there’s one more thing.”

He looks ready to hit me again.

“Have you ever heard of a pinky swear?”

CHAPTER SIX

ST. CLARE

I run. Hard. Ignoring that I’m shirtless and bleeding. Ignoring the way people stop and stare and one woman calls out Are you okay? as I bolt past her. My heart is hammering so fast I feel like I’m about to vomit it up, and I’m pretty fucking sure that’s not a good thing when you’re trying to stop the rapid bleeding.

I need to get to Saint Clare’s. To Lars. Until then, I can’t stop in case this is some sick game. Nearly kill me, set me free, then hunt me down like prey.

My ear is fucking burning, and I don’t know if the bleeding has stopped, but I’m woozy from the adrenaline flooding through me. The through road behind my building comes into view, but I don’t feel any better running down it. It’s as empty as the alleyway was, and every second that passes, I expect to be shot in the back.

I can barely process what happened; my brain is too full of run, run faster, and that’s what I do.

The courtyard gives me an illusion of safety, and I think I take my first breath once I get back inside. I don’t stop running though, just fly along the hall, then sling myself up the stairs two at a time.

Even my office door can’t bring me relief, and my hand is trembling and sticky with blood as I try to get the door unlocked. It finally clicks open, and I stumble inside, then slam it, lock it, and the relief hits all at once. I stagger toward my desk, and the last of my energy leaves me as I sag to the floor, leaning back against the wall.

What. The fuck. Just happened?

I pull out my phone and quickly text Lars to get his ass here now. He’s going to be pissed I went alone, but I doubt it will come close to how pissed I am about being shot.

And then … everything that happened afterward.

I close my eyes, and the masked man flashes in front of my face. He was … that was … I don’t even know what to make of it.