The Gathering Dusk

by Cynthia Eden

  Don’t miss the heart-pounding prequel novella to bestselling author Cynthia Eden’s new Killer Instinct series

  When untried FBI profiler Samantha Dark is face-to-face with a killer, there’s no room for fear. Her best weapon is her instincts. Those same dark impulses that allow her to get inside the mind of a murderer, to locate victims—or to pull the trigger before she’s next. She can’t afford to have those instincts clouded by anything...especially her far-too-sexy new partner.

  Former SEAL Blake Gamble plays everything by the book. Except, of course, when it comes to the increasingly simmering attraction between them. But when a vengeful serial killer targets them both, Samantha once again reaches into the sinister, shadowed part of herself. Even as she begins to fear that the only way to catch this killer is to become one...

  Look for After the Dark, the first in the Killer Instinct series, from HQN Books!

  THE GATHERING DUSK

  Cynthia Eden

  AUTHOR NOTE

  Do you have a killer instinct? Can you look at a person and figure out that individual’s strengths and weaknesses? And could you use those weaknesses against your prey?

  Samantha Dark, the heroine of The Gathering Dusk, has spent years trying to understand the behavior of serial killers. She’s worked hard to earn the respect of her fellow FBI agents, and her profiles are always dead-on. In The Gathering Dusk, Samantha sets in motion a series of events that will forever change her life...and the lives of those closest to her. Because while Samantha thinks that she knows killers so very well, she’s about to discover that sometimes the most dangerous enemy can be the one that is closest to you.

  The Gathering Dusk is a prequel story. It will introduce you to Samantha and her FBI partner, Blake Gamble. To read more about the partners, be sure to look for After the Dark, available to readers in March 2017.

  Cynthia Eden

  Dedication

  Over the years, I’ve met so many wonderful romance readers—at conferences, at signings and, of course, online. I want to thank all of these readers for their support. Thank you for reading my books. Thank you for the kind words. Thank you for telling me that you were able to get lost in my stories—because I think a reader being able to get “lost” in a book is the best compliment that any writer can receive.

  Contents

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  CHAPTER ONE

  SAMANTHA DARK DIDN’T let her fear show. In her job, there wasn’t supposed to be any room for fear. FBI agents were tough and strong and they got the job done—no matter the circumstances. They didn’t let nausea twist in their stomachs. They didn’t let doubt bloom in their minds.

  An FBI agent didn’t hold a weapon with too tight a grip with a pounding heart.

  But I am.

  Samantha tried to steady herself. She forced herself to take a deep breath. Her eyes never left the house nestled so perfectly on the little cul-de-sac. The house with the tall, swaying pine trees in the front yard. The house that had all the blinds pulled down to cover every single window.

  It’s just a house. Just a house on a street.

  “You ready, Samantha?’

  At the deep, rumbling voice, Samantha gave a nod. Her new partner, Blake Gamble, was right at her side. He didn’t seem scared, didn’t seem to be filled with reservation and apprehension—but then, from what she could tell, Blake didn’t have room for those kinds of emotions.

  She tore her gaze from the house just long enough to send an assessing glance his way. Blake was tall, about six foot two—maybe three inches—and muscled. His wide shoulders told her that he might have played football back in the day, and his hard strength assured Samantha that her new partner worked out far more than the FBI required.

  He was handsome, in a rough, rugged way. Square jaw, high cheeks, sensually curved lips...and the greenest eyes that she’d ever seen. Those green eyes were a sharp contrast to his dark, almost perfectly arranged black hair.

  Tall, dark and dangerous. Only Blake wasn’t the bad guy...he was the good guy. The real true-blue sort. The kind of a guy that a person could count on... The kind of partner you need at your side when you’re worried the situation is about to go straight to hell.

  She swallowed down her fear and lifted her chin. “I’m ready.” They had the all clear to go into that little house, and waiting longer—well, that would just give the man inside a chance to either attack or flee.

  He won’t get away from me.

  George Farris lived in that quiet house on the cul-de-sac. George Farris...a twenty-seven-year-old software designer. A man who hadn’t shown up for work in the past two days and who had withdrawn from his friends and his family after exhibiting increasingly paranoid behavior. A man who...

  Fits my profile to a T.

  “You still think he has the victim in there?” Blake asked her.

  “Missy Johnson has been missing for two days.” Her voice was barely a whisper. “If he’s our guy...he has always kept the victims alive for seventy-two hours.” That was the reason they were moving in on the house. They couldn’t afford to waste time. This was it.

  “Then let’s do this,” Blake said, his voice little more than a growl. “I’ve got your back.”

  They advanced toward the house. She could see a car sitting in the driveway. Her left hand touched the hood, found it warm. Used recently, so our perp is probably inside. It was late afternoon, and there wasn’t exactly a way to hide their advance with so little cover. Those twisting pine trees weren’t going to cut it—

  “Movement,” Samantha whispered as her body tightened. “Curtain near the right front window just slid back. He’s watching us.”

  And he’d either panic and try to run...

  Or he’d attack.

  I made the profile on this guy. He’s been deteriorating, losing his humanity more and more. He won’t go down easy. He—

  The front window shattered and the muzzle of a gun poked through the broken glass. “Go!” Samantha yelled. “Weapon!”

  She ducked and ran, even as Blake did the same. A bullet thudded into the ground near her foot, and she felt the heat of another as it seemed to lance across her arm. She ran fast and hard, and she got to that front door even as bullets kept flying. Blake was right behind her.

  “FBI!” Samantha shouted. “Put down your weapon!”

  If his victim was inside, George Farris could be turning that gun on her.

  She nodded toward Blake. One powerful kick, and he had that door flying inward as the lock shattered beneath his foot. She heard the frantic thud of footsteps running inside and then—

  Samantha slammed into Blake, knocking him down just as a bullet sank into the wood near his head.

  “Fuck,” his deep voice rumbled.

  “You’re welcome,” she said, then jumped back to her feet.

  George was rushing down the hallway—she could see the back of his red hair.

  “Farris!” Samantha yelled. “Stop! Put down your weapon—”

  He swung toward her, his eyes seeming to bulge from his face. Terror and fury strained the lines of his pale skin and—

  He’s firing.

  “Don’t,” Samantha ordered but he wasn’t listening. Please, don’t. He was going to shoot. Shoot her, shoot Blake.

  Her finger squeezed the trigger, two fast pops that came from a hand gone dead steady. George’s mouth dropped open in shock even as a red circle of blood appeared on his chest. His gun fell from his fingers and he staggered back. George slammed into the white wall behind him, and a picture frame fell
to the floor, shattering.

  Blake rushed forward and kicked the weapon farther away from the downed man. Samantha stood there, her gaze locked on George as he shuddered. Blood bubbled at his lips.

  “Where’s the victim?” Blake barked at the man. “Where is Missy Johnson?”

  Samantha shoved past the shock that had held her in its tight grasp. She rushed toward George. His bloody lips were curling. He was smiling.

  “Where is she?” Samantha demanded.

  But...

  George started wheezing. When she’d fired, there had been no time to think—she’d just reacted. He’d been aiming for her heart and she’d aimed for his.

  She hadn’t missed.

  The wheezing only lasted an instant, and then there was no breath at all. No gasps. No shudders. He was just gone.

  Her desperate gaze shot toward Blake. His face was grim, his green eyes flashing as he stared back at her. “Self-defense,” he gritted out. “You saved our asses. You—”

  Something crashed—a sound that had come from down the hallway. Her head jerked at the noise, but Blake was already moving. He raced down the hallway with his gun drawn. Samantha was right behind him, and she caught sight of the shut door on the left.

  There was a thump from behind that door. A pitiful moan and then...

  Blake grabbed the knob and thrust that door open. She was two steps behind him and when they got inside that little room, all of the breath left her in a quick rush.

  Missy Johnson was huddled in the corner, naked, her hands and feet tied, a gag in her mouth. Cuts covered her body, but she was alive.

  Alive.

  They’d gotten to her in time. “It’s okay,” Samantha said, voice soft. She put her gun in its holster and lifted her hands, palms out, toward the terrified woman. “We’re FBI agents, and we’re here to take you home.”

  * * *

  THE LITTLE CUL-DE-SAC was illuminated by a thousand lights.

  Samantha sat in the back of an ambulance, her gaze on the house. She’d protested—adamantly and, apparently, uselessly—but the EMT had insisted on checking out her arm.

  Turned out that one of George’s bullets had grazed her. Not bad enough for stitches, but the EMT had still wanted to patch the wound.

  Cop cars and FBI vehicles had swarmed. Yellow police tape was already up, sectioning off the crime scene. Neighbors were out, staring in that kind of numb, shocked horror. The kind that said, This shouldn’t have happened here. We live in a good neighborhood. It’s a safe place.

  When would people see? Sometimes, there were no safe places.

  News crews were there, too. Reporters who were broadcasting live, almost giddy with the rush of covering a story this big.

  A serial killer—taken down by the FBI. A victim rescued. A nightmare ended. Talk about a killer story.

  And right in the middle of all that chaos...well, there was FBI executive assistant director Justin Bass. The guy’s chest was puffed out, and his authoritative voice rang out clearly as he assured the reporters that his crack team had been confident of their success in locating Missy Johnson, that he’d known all along they would be bringing that victim back alive.

  Samantha just shook her head.

  “You’re all done, Agent Dark,” the EMT said, her voice cheerful, her brown eyes gleaming.

  “Thanks.” Samantha slid out of the ambulance, her movements slow. Bass was in charge of the circus out there, and she knew he liked to be the only one to handle the press. That was more than fine with her. Samantha didn’t exactly enjoy the limelight.

  The coroner had arrived earlier, and now she saw the black body bag being wheeled out. The reporters turned as one swarm to get video footage.

  Samantha sucked in a sharp breath, one that chilled her lungs.

  “You okay, Samantha?”

  His voice. A voice that she’d be able to recognize anywhere, anytime. Dark and deep, a voice that sank right beneath a woman’s skin.

  And made her think about things that—under the circumstances—she shouldn’t.

  Her head turned and she found herself staring up into Blake’s green eyes. Concern was on his face, worry in those eyes.

  Samantha made herself smile for him. “Barely a scratch. I didn’t even need stitches.” The sun was starting to set, and the sky behind Blake was a dark red.

  “I’m not talking about your arm.”

  She lifted a brow.

  “That wasn’t an easy scene.” He stepped closer to her. Instantly, she seemed to feel the heat that swept out from his body. “Taking a life is never easy.”

  No, it wasn’t. Her gaze slid away from him and went back to that house. Except for that broken window out front, the place looked so normal. But it isn’t normal. George Farris probably killed two women in that house.

  I killed him in that house.

  Blake’s hand rose and touched her shoulder, such a light, careful touch. “Samantha?”

  She swallowed. “It’s just a house.” She turned away from the house and began walking back toward the SUV that waited. They’d driven over together when her profile had paid off and she’d been so sure that George was the man they were after. So sure...

  “It’s just a house,” she murmured without looking back again. “Just a house on a street.” And I killed a man inside.

  She made it to the vehicle. Samantha was reaching for the driver’s-side door, but Blake’s hand rose, and his fingers—slightly callused—curled over hers. Startled, she glanced up at him.

  “Why don’t I drive?” He smiled at her, what she thought of as his million-dollar smile. The smile Samantha was sure had charmed too many women.

  She wasn’t in the mood to be charmed.

  Before she could speak, he leaned in closer to her. “It was...your first, wasn’t it?”

  Samantha gave a jerky nod. It was her first time to kill in the line of duty. She’d shot a suspect before, but it had been a flesh wound. Nothing like this. “I didn’t have a choice.”

  “No.” His voice was even rougher. “You didn’t.” His smile slipped away. “Why don’t you let me drive?” Blake said again.

  “You’re such a nice guy.” That was what everyone said about him. She knew exactly what he was trying to do. Take care of the agent before she falls apart. “I promise you, I’m in no danger of breaking.”

  “Never thought you were.” He held her stare. “But leaning on someone else isn’t a crime.”

  No, it wasn’t. “Drive,” she ordered and Samantha hurried around the vehicle. She jumped into the passenger side. Pulled on her seat belt, then she just shut her eyes. She didn’t want to see the reporters. Bass could keep dealing with them. She’d do her paperwork, close out the case, and she wouldn’t focus on the way George Farris’s eyes had looked when she shot him. The way the life had just drained out of them at the end. She wouldn’t think about that.

  A few moments later, she heard the engine crank. The vehicle backed up and moved away.

  “You’re wrong about me.”

  She didn’t open her eyes. Samantha felt so weary. The adrenaline in her system had to be crashing—and the crash was taking her down with it. “Haven’t you heard? I’m a profiler. I know people.” She knew killers.

  But then, she’d known all about killers for a very, very long time.

  Since she’d been thirteen and she’d survived a night of blood and hell.

  “You don’t know me, Sam.”

  Sam. Just the way he said her name was palpable. Her eyes opened. They were walking a very thin line, she knew it. The attraction was there, just simmering between them. But FBI partners couldn’t get personally involved. They couldn’t sleep together. They couldn’t give in to a hunger that had been there, right from the first touch.

  “You’re a former soldier,” she told him. “Enlisted when you were eighteen. Then went to college, studied criminal justice. You fought the bad guys in the war, then you came home to fight the bad guys on our own soil. You requested to
work in Violent Crimes because you’re not afraid of a challenge—you want to take down the worst of the worst. A good-guy mentality at its finest.” A hero mentality.

  He drove in silence.

  Her gaze slid to him, and she realized that his hard jaw was tightly clenched. A muscle jerked in his cheek. Uh-oh, someone didn’t like being profiled.

  Someone looked pissed.

  “Sorry,” she said. Sometimes, she just did that. Couldn’t turn off her brain when she met someone. “People are like puzzles to me. I always... I have this need to figure them out.”

  He pulled off the road—just pulled right off that quiet highway until they were sitting on the shoulder. He shifted the SUV into Park and then turned to stare at her.

  Her brows rose. “Blake?”

  “You have me squared away in your head, don’t you? The safe guy? The rule follower?”

  “Um...there isn’t anything wrong with that.”

  His fingers tapped along the steering wheel. His gaze had turned dark. Turbulent. And that hard stare of his drifted down to the bandage on her arm. “I don’t like you getting hurt.”

  “I don’t like being hurt.” She tried to lighten the sudden, thick tension between them. She could almost see the line between them—a line they couldn’t cross.

  “When I saw your blood, I wanted to rip George Farris apart.”

  Tread carefully.

  “The dead don’t feel pain,” she said. She’d given herself comfort with those words so many times over the years.

  “No, that luxury is just for us, isn’t it?” Now his gaze had come back to her face. “You’re damn good when it comes to killers. Don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone work quite the way you do. Bass and the other agents on our team—they weren’t looking at Farris.”