“The way you’ve been eying him, I’m assuming something happened,” Ravin said.
“It’s nothing.”
“You mean it’s none of my business,” he announced casually and hid his smile.
She took a deep breath and tensed. “He went over the edge last night after that incident in the game room and was hell bent on protecting me from the ‘imaginary forces of evil’,” Devon informed him. “I was concerned he’d hurt someone or himself, so I--” She fidgeted.
Ravin raised his brows in question then replied, “--took one for the team?”
She sighed deeply and insecurely rubbed her arms. “Yeah, I took one for the team.”
†
The nearly seventy decomposing men and women in the dining room were still propped in chairs before the dining tables. It was gruesome and chilling to see them arranged as if they were having some sort of sick, undead party. Felicia’s reasoning for doing something so macabre even while drugged seemed unfathomable. Sonya, Gemma, and Harris walked along the tables and glanced over the decomposing bodies while attempting to keep from breathing the foul stench of decay. Harris carried a clipboard while following the women and grimaced his distaste.
“This has to be one of the more disgusting things I’ve done in my life,” Harris muttered.
“Did Ravin say Felicia arranged the bodies?” Sonya asked with disbelief.
“She wasn’t in her right mind,” Gemma announced and grimaced while looking at one of the decayed women. “We all went a little crazy in our own, special way.”
Sonya frowned then laughed softly. “From the bits and pieces coming back to me, I’m going to agree with that. I can’t believe I did some of what I think I may have done.”
“You and me both,” Gemma reported.
“You mean hooking up with Ravin?” Sonya asked and looked curious.
“That would be a polite way of putting it,” Gemma replied and glanced at another table of dead men and women. “I consider myself lucky we sought each other out. With the way I was behaving--” Gemma took a deep breath and shuttered. “Despite it all, he kept a level head. He’s probably the only reason I’m still alive. I honestly believe he kept me safe.”
“Yeah, Tyson was pretty levelheaded for the most part too,” Sonya remarked. “I’m lucky to have such a caring brother.” She looked at Gemma with wide eyes. “Please don’t ever tell him I said that.”
“I’m sorry for not caring,” Harris casually informed them. “Could you possibly save this little soap opera for a time when we’re not knee-deep in rotting corpses?”
Both women looked at Harris with surprise then appeared embarrassed.
Chapter Twenty-six
Tyson, Ravin, and Monica walked along the well-worn path through the woods in the direction of the trees where the bodies still hung. Monica carried the bloodstained baseball bat clutched firmly in her hand. She looked like a woman with a mission, a very dangerous woman with a mission. All three stopped and stared at the men still hanging from the trees. They grimaced simultaneously at the sight. Despite having seen it before, it didn’t have any less of an impact, especially considering the amount of decomposition with each passing hour. Tyson shook his head with disgust.
“It’s so disrespectful to just leave them hanging like that,” Tyson scoffed. “These people were my friends and neighbors. They shouldn’t be left hanging like that.”
“The less we disturb the crime scene--” Ravin began but was swiftly interrupted.
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Tyson muttered under his breath. “It’s still disrespectful.”
Ravin suddenly tensed while staring at the trees. Trent’s lifeless, gutted body was hanging from one of the nearby trees not far from the others.
“Oh, God, I found Trent,” Ravin said softly.
Monica and Tyson looked at the fresh corpse hanging by its neck. Monica frowned then shook her head. Tyson quickly looked around with concern.
“What about my father?” he suddenly asked.
Ravin looked as well. “No, I don’t see him,” he replied then looked at Tyson with some sympathy. “Maybe he wasn’t with Trent in the lounge when it happened.”
“There were two bloodstains in the lounge,” Tyson insisted. “They were drinking together. I saw them. He has to be here.”
“If he is,” Monica gently informed him, “that’s probably not something you want to see. Why don’t you let us have a look around first?”
Tyson looked at one of the trees, groaned softly, and frowned with disgust. “Ah, son-of-a-bitch!”
Monica and Ravin looked at the nearby tree expecting to see Cody. Instead of Cody, they saw Darlene in the same condition as the others.
“If I had known this would’ve happened to her, I never would’ve let her go off like that,” Tyson remarked. His sadness quickly turned to anger. “I don’t get it. She was riding away from town.” He looked at the others. “The girl was riding fast. How could this have happened to her? How did the bastard get her?”
“That’s a good question,” Monica announced. “Either you or Agent Hawk would have heard a rifle firing from a great distance after she rode off, so she couldn’t have been shot.”
“What about an arrow?” Ravin asked. “Do people still hunt with those?”
“Not much around here anymore,” Tyson replied. “They used to years ago. I’m sure someone has one, but our killer wouldn’t have known she was going for her friend’s horse. That was decided last minute while we were already out in the woods.” He shook his head with disbelief. “The killer couldn’t be psychic, and he certainly wouldn’t have been carrying a bow and arrow concealed in his pocket.”
Ravin looked around and appeared concerned. “Maybe the killer was in the woods the entire time.”
“You mean patrolling the area and watching us coming and going from the hotel?” Monica asked then looked around. “Like he’s hunting us?”
“It had to be an ambush,” Tyson announced. “Someone’s hiding out there just waiting to pick us off.”
A faint, strange sound caught Monica’s attention. She apprehensively looked around in an attempt to pinpoint its location. The other two didn’t seem to notice anything and became alarmed to her sudden alertness.
“Did you hear that?” she whispered.
Ravin and Tyson quickly looked around the area, scanning for any sign of would-be killers. One of the bodies separated from its head with a hideous ripping sound and fell to the ground with a dull thud. All three grimaced.
“I wish I hadn’t seen that,” Tyson grumbled.
There was movement within the woods, alerting all three and spreading fear through them. It was the sound Monica had originally heard.
“I heard that,” Ravin gasped softly.
Whatever the sound, it was bigger than a dog. The rustling within the woods alarmed all three as it got closer.
“It sounds big,” Tyson responded while quickly scanning the woods.
All three moved closer together with their backs to one another and kept watch in every direction surrounding them. Monica clutched the baseball bat and prepared to fight whatever came at them. The rustling grew louder not far from the bodies near some thick brush. All three spun in the direction of the sound and stared with anticipation. The saddled horse appeared from the woods and hobbled onto the path. The reins were tangled around its front legs, limiting its mobility. Monica lowered the bat while groaning softly. Ravin and Tyson exhaled softly.
Tyson snorted an uneasy laugh and raked trembling fingers through his hair. “I damned near shit my pants.”
Monica ignored Tyson’s comment and slowly approached the horse, so she wouldn’t frighten it.
“Oh, you poor thing,” she said sweetly to the horse.
The horse greeted her without hesitation and snickered its pleasant reply. She patted the horse’s neck then gently untangled the reins from its legs. Once she had the horse free from its reins, she checked the saddle and tightened the girt
h. Both men watched her with curious looks.
“What are you doing?” Tyson asked.
Monica placed the reins over the horse’s neck and looked at Tyson with a cocky expression. “What does it look like I’m doing?” She swiftly mounted the horse without releasing her baseball bat and situated herself in the saddle. “I’m heading out to the main road and see if I can get a cell phone signal or flag down some help,” she informed them.
Tyson indicated Darlene’s body, gutted and hanging from the nearby tree. “That was Darlene’s big plan too,” he scoffed, “and look what it got her. You don’t know what’s out there.”
“There are no monsters out here, and it wasn’t ghosts who killed these people,” Monica growled with irritation. “Since you never heard a rifle being fired and no one has been shot, I’m going to assume our killer doesn’t have a gun, which gives me the upper hand.”
“How do you figure?” Tyson asked.
“Because,” she snapped in response, “that makes me the more dangerous predator. Now get out of my way or I’ll run your ass over.”
Tyson was surprised by her tone and quickly stepped out of her path. “Yes, ma’am.”
Ravin joined Tyson on the edge of the path as Monica sent the horse into a slow canter and rode past them with her baseball bat casually reclined across the saddle in front of her. Both watched her ride toward town with all the confidence of an entire Marine platoon. Ravin slowly shook his head while staring after her as his mouth hung open.
“That’s one scary woman,” Ravin muttered.
“Yeah, she’s kind of hot.”
Ravin’s brows knitted as he turned his head and glared at Tyson. Tyson chuckled softly and slapped Ravin on the chest.
“We have work to do,” Tyson announced and indicated the bodies. “Let’s take roll call and get the hell out of here before someone does the same to us.”
Chapter Twenty-seven
Vander and Novak leaned against the wall within the spa just outside the ladies’ restroom while waiting for Devon. Both men were lost in their own little worlds and were awkwardly silent. Novak finally straightened, tensed, and looked at his friend.
“Let me ask you something,” Novak suddenly said in a firm and serious tone. “If you were drunk or, oh, let’s say unwillingly drugged, and you’d spent the night with a woman. What would it mean if the next morning she acted like you barely existed?”
“I would assume it meant you’d slept with Monica,” Vander announced then gave him a puzzled look, “but I thought she couldn’t stand the sight of you.”
“I know, right?” Novak blurted out and vigorously shook his head. “Something definitely happened. I know we had to have slept together last night, but then she blows me off--and not in the way I would have liked.” He was now unable to stand still. “I mean, I’m usually pretty dynamic in the bedroom, so I don’t understand her behavior.”
“I think it’s pretty simple,” Vander replied. “She got what she wanted, left money on the dresser, and slipped out while you were asleep.”
Novak sneered at him.
Devon appeared from the bathroom and casually walked past them. “Or maybe you didn’t satisfy her.”
Both men suddenly looked at her as she passed and shared the same expression. “What’s that supposed to mean?” both suddenly demanded.
Novak glared his disapproval at Vander. “Why are you so defensive?” he demanded. “I’m the one she insulted.”
Both men followed her, hounding her like defensive, little boys. She didn’t bother looking back at either.
“I assure you, that’s not the case,” Novak informed her while keeping stride. “I’ve never been a one-hit wonder in my life.” He seemed a little too proud of the fact and wasn’t about to let it go. “Every woman I’ve ever been with has always come back for a repeat performance.”
Devon pushed open the steam room door and peered inside. It was empty. She continued through the spa without looking at him and showed little interest in the conversation.
“No offense, but I think she’s more into the big, tough, burly Marine type,” Devon replied dryly.
“If I’m not manly enough for her, then why did she sleep with me in the first place, Miss Smarty-pants?” Novak demanded while directly on her heels.
Devon shrugged. “Scratching an itch?” she suggested without care.
Novak glared at Vander and was annoyed. “I’m really starting to not like your girlfriend.”
Devon suddenly stopped and spun around, staring at Vander with a horrified look. “You told him?”
Vander stared at Devon with the surprise evident on his face. His mouth slowly dropped open in an attempt to respond but no words came out.
Novak suddenly gasped and looked between the two. “No way! You two?” he suddenly demanded then glared at Vander and frowned. “You never tell me any of the good stuff.”
“Nothing happened,” Vander muttered, although it was obviously too late to play dumb.
Novak was humored. “Between her blushing and your guilty look, I’d say plenty happened,” he said then grinned. “I think I’ll check out the men’s locker room. You two can check out the steam room.” He raised his brows lustfully. “Take as long as you need. I’ll wait.”
Vander attempted to speak but Novak was already heading across the spa. Devon slowly shook her head and felt the color burning her cheeks.
“I am so sorry,” she said softly. She felt like an idiot for having blurted that out. “I assumed you told--”
He stared at her with surprise and shook his head. “You honestly thought I’d brag about what happened? Give me some credit. I’m not some horny, teenage boy.” He hesitated and then considered. “Or Novak.”
Devon frowned as they continued to walk more slowly across the spa together. “I wish you’d stop acting so uncomfortable around me,” she said gently.
“Maybe if you weren’t so tense around me--”
Vander opened the women’s locker room door, peered inside, and then entered. Devon followed him inside. They crossed the small locker room and approached a set of elegant, frosted shower stalls. Vander checked inside each of the stone shower stalls. When they found no one, they headed back toward the entrance.
“I’m only tense because you’re so uncomfortable,” she replied gently. “Why can’t you just let it go?”
Vander paused by the locker room door and turned to face her. “I was a mutt in heat and you were a virgin. That’s not something I can just let go. Just admit it bothers you. Get mad. Yell at me. Do something.”
She stared at him a moment in silence then groaned with annoyance. “Fine, it bothers me.”
He appeared surprised by her bluntness. “It does?”
“Yes, of course it does,” she suddenly lashed out and stared at him with disbelief. He was being oddly dense for someone who felt so guilty. “Do you actually think I wanted my first time to be a one-night stand with some guy I barely know? How dense are you?” She took a deep breath and attempted to relax. “But it’s not your fault that it bothers me. I made that decision. I let it happen. Can’t we just forget it and go back to the way things were, Agent Hawk?”
“You want to pretend nothing happened?” he demanded with a look of surprise.
“Don’t you?”
He vigorously shook his head without taking his eyes off her. “No, I don’t. It happened, and I’m glad that it happened. I wanted you the moment I saw you at the fundraiser,” Vander informed her possibly louder than he’d intended. “No matter what you think, we shared something special and passionate, so stop calling me Agent Hawk, it’s insulting.” His irritation was escalating. “And you might think last night was a one-night stand, but I doubt you’ll be able to get rid of me that easily.”
Devon stared at Vander with surprise. A thousand thoughts raced through her head. There were a hundred things she could say to him at that moment, but only one thing came to mind. She moved past him for the door. Vander frow
ned and looked away. Devon locked the door and turned to face him. She took a deep breath and stared into his eyes.
“Those showers looked very inviting,” she announced.
Vander stared back at her with surprise then suddenly groaned. “You read my mind.” He pulled her against him and kissed her passionately.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Nearly twenty minutes later, Vander and Devon exited the woman’s locker room while affectionately clinging to each other. The general mood between them had changed, and both were more relaxed than they had been all day. Devon was glad they’d aired their differences over a hot shower together. Their hair was slightly wet and smiles were permanently chiseled on their faces. They stopped when they saw Novak leaning against the nearby wall with his arms folded across his chest and a disapproving look on his face. Devon immediately blushed and avoided looking Novak in the eyes. He shook his head with disgust.
“You take me far too literally,” Novak snapped.
Vander attempted to conceal his boyish grin. “It’s not how it looks.”
Novak rolled his eyes and straightened. “Yeah, I’m sure it’s not. If you two are finished screwing around, I’d like to get back to our search. We do have three missing people and a lot of ground to cover.”
All three headed across the spa. The door was suddenly thrown open, alarming them. Novak and Vander had their guns drawn almost immediately to the sound of the door. Dino hurried into the spa and approached them. Something obviously had him bothered. Vander and Novak relaxed and replaced their guns to their shoulder holsters.
“I thought you’d like to know, they found Trent hanging in the woods with the others,” Dino announced with disgust. “No sign of my brother or Felicia though.” His irritation was evident by the look on his hard face. He wasn’t holding it together as well as he had the last few days. “My nephew said that militant type woman took off on the horse toward the main road to find help. Stupid girl’s going to get herself killed.”
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