She struggled wildly, not one muscle moving, and felt his hand begin to stroke her. “Now, Sister Ariel, it’s time,” he said, bending close, so close that his hot breath slid over the bare skin of her neck and she felt herself tingle. With anticipation? Or terror?

No! No, no, no!

His lips brushed against her skin.

“You know who I am,” he whispered, and she did. Oh, Lord, she knew who he was and there had been times when she’d fantasized about him. But not like this…not with…with an audience. Not when fear and seduction were mixed, when she was unable to move, to speak.

There was just the hint of a smile in his voice when he said, “Don’t be afraid.”

But she was. Oh, God, she was afraid.

He bent his head to her and she felt a white hot prick, like a needle into her neck. Her heart fluttered wildly. She tried to cry out but only a moan left her lips.

His mouth held fast to her.

The blood began to flow, even and warm.

Oh, yes. She was afraid.

She was paralyzed, consumed, stricken with fear.

God, help me….

CHAPTER 24

K risti decided to stop at her apartment for a change of clothes. Once again, it seemed as if nothing inside had been disturbed. Maybe they’d scared the voyeur off. “Good riddance,” she said to the empty room as Houdini, who had been perched on top of the bookcase, dropped down and looked as if he wanted to do figure eights between her ankles. He wanted to trust her but hadn’t quite made that leap of faith yet.

“I’ll be back tomorrow,” she promised him, then headed out the door and drove to Jay’s aunt’s mess of a cottage.

Jay was just getting out of his truck when she pulled into the cracked drive, and Bruno was already marking every bit of shrubbery on the way to the front door. Jay grabbed her and kissed her hard enough to make her mind spin.

“Miss me?” she asked when he finally released her and she could catch her breath.

“A little.”

“A lot,” she teased.

“I’m just glad you’re here,” he said seriously, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and shepherding them both around a dripping gutter as they made their way onto the front porch.

Once inside, they checked the taped feed from her apartment but there was nothing other than the cat coming and going.

“You think he’s ever going to show?”

“In time,” Jay said grimly.