Sinister Shadows

by Brittany Cournoyer

  Quiet moans filled the room as Pierce ran his hands up Lucas’s side, and Lucas kept his arms latched around Pierce’s middle. Pierce broke the kiss and buried his face against Lucas’s neck, breathing heavily as his hips pumped faster. Lucas let out a moan as Pierce’s lips brushed against the pulse that beat uncontrollably in his neck, as Pierce slid his hand up to wrap his fingers around Lucas’s throat. Then…he started to squeeze.

  “Pierce?” Lucas wheezed out as he looked at Pierce with wild, scared eyes. Fear seized through his body when he saw the evil look that stared back at him. “Wh-what are you doing?”

  “Do you really think I’m that fucking stupid, Duncan?”

  Lucas’s entire body was tense, and his mouth had gone dry. It was a struggle to talk, but he finally managed to get the words out. “What do you mean?”

  “You don’t want me. You’re setting me up to try and get away, aren’t you?”

  “N-no!” Lucas reached down to wrap his hands around Pierce’s wrist. “I…I want this.”

  “Liar!” Pierce spat out, and Lucas flinched at the spit that hit his face. “I’m not a fucking idiot, Duncan. Do you really think I believed you changed your mind about us that fast? You went from flinching at my touch to wanting this?”

  Lucas opened his mouth to deny everything, but Pierce added a bit more pressure. Lucas wheezed as he tried to suck in air, and his eyes watered. His legs started to flail as he struggled to break free, but Pierce repositioned himself to hold Lucas still.

  “Stop. Lying.” Pierce used his free hand to reach between them and cup Lucas’s crotch. “You’re not even hard, Duncan.”

  “I w-want you, Pierce. I’m j-just n-nervous,” he stammered.

  “Enough!” Pierce screamed. Lucas closed his eyes and tried to jerk his head away, but the grip on his neck kept him in place. “This ends now.”

  Lucas wanted to fight. He wanted to kick his legs and claw with his blunt nails, but he couldn’t move since Pierce held him down. Instead, he was forced to lay there, his hands still wrapped around Pierce’s arm as a single tear escaped the corner of his eye and began to trickle down his cheek.

  “Goodbye, Duncan. I’ll always love you.”

  With those chilling words, Pierce began to squeeze even harder.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Pierce didn’t know whether to be insulted or laugh over the fact Duncan had tried to trick him, but he went along with it as long as Duncan was willing to keep up the charade. He had a small inkling Duncan was up to something with how fast he’d changed his tune about them being together. His willingness to go on a date and eagerness to kiss him should’ve been the first clue, but Pierce had been willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. But the more questions Duncan asked, the more Pierce began to question his sincerity and wonder what he was up to. The final clue Pierce needed was when Lucas was responding with all the right noises and movements—except for his dick. The way it remained flaccid told Pierce this was all a ruse. And he’d had enough.

  Pierce had so much hope when Duncan first seemed to want their marriage to work. Going on the date had been just what Pierce believed they needed, and the fact Duncan wasn’t shying away from his touch had been such a huge step forward. He’d finally been able to pull Duncan in his arms and learn how he tasted. But to realize it was all so Duncan could possibly escape had been painful. Just how far was Duncan willing to take it, had Pierce not put a stop to it? He didn’t want to know that answer, and he decided if he couldn’t have his husband the way he wanted, he’d make sure no one would have him.

  The single tear escaping from Duncan’s eye didn’t make Pierce pause. Instead, he kept his gaze locked on his husband’s before leaning down to run his tongue along the trail the tear left. The saltiness exploded on his tongue, and he groaned in appreciation as he savored the essence. The flavor made Pierce wonder if any other parts of Duncan would taste just as good, and he briefly mourned the fact he’d never find out.

  The quiet gags as Duncan tried to suck in air filled Pierce’s ears, and the noises made his cock even harder. Once Duncan had stopped struggling, Pierce repositioned himself between Duncan’s thighs, and as he continued to press against Duncan’s throat, Pierce couldn’t help but press his groin against Duncan’s. Duncan’s eyes grew wild, and his grip around Pierce’s wrist tightened a bit, but just barely. He was weakening, and Pierce knew it wouldn’t be long before Duncan’s life would fade from his eyes. Pierce basked in the fact that that he’d be the one to have taken it with his bare hands.

  The gasps grew less frequent, and the grip on his arm loosened even more. Duncan’s gaze never wavered until his eyes rolled into the back of his head as he let out a choked breath. Then, his hands dropped from where they loosely gripped Pierce’s arm. His eyes closed, and his head fell limply against the pillow. Pierce sighed as sweat dropped off his forehead onto Duncan’s, and he noted how his jeans were wet and sticky where he’d come as he took his husband’s life.

  Pierce released his grip from around Duncan’s neck and hummed in satisfaction as bruises began to form from the pressure of his fingers. He ran his thumb over the marks before skimming his fingers up Duncan’s chin, over his parted lips, and through his light brown hair. He’d miss his husband and regretted it had to end this way, but Pierce knew deep down it was for the best.

  Closing the distance between them, Pierce pressed his lips softly against Duncan’s, giving him one last kiss before moving to sit up. With his back to Duncan, he sat on the edge of the bed and ran his hands through his hair, mussing the dark locks. Sweat had soaked his shirt, and his jeans were beginning to feel sticky and uncomfortable as they started to dry. He needed to get changed, but all he could do was sit there and stare down at his hands in disbelief. The appendages looked so unfamiliar to him, and with as many lives as he’d taken over the years, this one was the hardest to justify.

  Duncan was the only man who’d ever meant something to him—the man he considered his husband—and the fact he was gone was almost heartbreaking. Almost, but not quite. He’d mourn the loss for a suitable amount of time, and then he could move on to another state. Maybe then, he’d find someone else, someone who’d appreciate what he had to offer and not ask so many questions. Someone who wouldn’t need a nursemaid and use him until he was healthy again. Someone he could love and who would love him in return—not a phony like Duncan.

  The longer Pierce sat there and stewed over Duncan’s mistreatment of him and how ungrateful and unappreciative he was, the gladder Pierce became that he was dead. Duncan was a cold man. A selfish man. And he deserved to die. Pierce had done the world a service by getting rid of him. Pierce was a goddamn hero. A vigilante. The world will be thanking him by the time they heard what he did.

  Pierce was too caught up in his own thoughts to pay attention to anything else in the room. As he stared down at his hands with a wide, wicked grin on his face, he didn’t notice the activity behind him. Not until he felt something slam into the back of his neck, knocking him down to the floor.

  “What the—” Pierce managed to choke out before Duncan pounced down on top of him. How was he still alive?

  With a loud, guttural scream, Duncan grabbed a handful of Pierce’s hair and jerked his head up before slamming it down onto the ground. Pierce’s head ached as it cracked open from the force as it hit the floor, and he felt blood seep out from the wound and run down his neck. Stars danced in front of his eyes, and his ears rang, but he reached out and pushed against Duncan’s chest and face.

  “Oh, are you going to fight me now?” Pierce taunted. “Are you finally going to show me how you’re a real man instead of whiney bitch?

  The two men wrestled on the floor, and even with his head bleeding profusely, Pierce managed to overpower Duncan. Soon, Duncan was flat on his back again, and Pierce’s hands were wrapped around his throat. Even with hands wrapped tightly around his throat, Duncan let out a loud, guttural scream.

  “No one is going to hear
you, Duncan. All you’re doing is pissing me off more,” Pierce growled. He drew back one of his hands before connecting it with the side of Duncan’s face. “Shut the fuck up!”

  Blood started to gush from Duncan’s nose, and his cheek was starting to bruise from the impact of Pierce’s fist. But Duncan didn’t stop trying to claw at Pierce’s arms and face as he struggled.

  “You’re supposed to be dead.” Pierce wrapped his other hand around Duncan’s throat and used all the strength he possessed to strangle Duncan again. From the corner of his eye, he saw a shoe on the ground and realized that must’ve been what Duncan had used to hit him.

  Duncan’s breath was coming out in short bursts as he struggled to pry Pierce’s finger’s loose. “Fuck. You!” Duncan wheezed.

  Pierce laughed cruelly. “I tried, but you couldn’t get it up. Let it go, Duncan. Your life is mine, and I declare it’s over.”

  Duncan’s eye narrowed as he brought up his knee and slammed it hard into Pierce’s crotch. The pain Pierce felt in his head was miniscule compared to the agony that shot through his cock and balls. Acting on reflex, Pierce released the hold he had on Duncan’s neck to reach down and cradle his crotch, and in doing so, Duncan was able to wrestle Pierce off him.

  Gasping for air, Duncan scooted across the floor as far away from Pierce as the tiny spaced allowed. Pierce lay on the floor, willing the pain in his groin to subside, and slowly tried stretched his legs out as another burst of pain crashed through his body. He made an attempt to climb to his feet, but the agony had him moaning as he writhed on the floor, and after closing his eyes to take in a few deep breaths, he opened them just in time to see Duncan struggling to his feet.

  Pierce tracked Duncan’s movements as he walked closer to him. The collar of Pierce’s shirt was stained with blood, and the pain in his head was starting to match the pain in his groin.

  “Duncan?” Pierce gasped and reached out a hand. “Please, Tiger, stay with me.”

  A sharp kick to the abdomen had Pierce clutching his stomach as he began to cough violently. Even though it pained him to do so, he managed to curl his body into a fetal position, before another kick landed on his nose.

  As more stars danced behind his eyes and his ears rang, he managed to hear Duncan’s defiant words. “My. Name. Is. Lucas.”

  When Pierce’s blurry vision finally cleared, he was the only person in the room.

  “Son of a bitch!” he screamed as adrenaline surged through his body. Pushing past the pain, he managed to climb to his feet.

  He’d found Duncan before, and he’d do it again. Duncan could run, and maybe he’d hide, but Pierce knew the area better than he knew any place else, so it’d only be a matter of time before he had Duncan in his grasp again. And when he did, Pierce would finish what he started.

  Chapter Thirty

  Twigs snapped under Lucas’s feet as he ran through the woods. His ankle protested, since it still wasn’t fully healed, and he didn’t pause long enough to put his shoe back on, but he still ran. He had no clue where he was going, or even where he was, but he allowed his intuition and fear to be his guides. Every other step had him wincing in pain, whether it was from his weakened ankle wanting to collapse or stepping on something sharp, but he refused to slow down.

  Branches slapped against his face, leaving stinging marks, and he snagged his shirt as he ran through the thick trees. When he couldn’t push himself anymore, he was forced to make a hard decision and stop. Leaning against a wide tree trunk, he rested his head against the scratchy bark and sucked air into his struggling, overworked lungs. He took some weight off his ankle and placed his hand against his chest, as if it’d help calm his racing heart. But just when he felt like he could breathe again, the sound of a breaking twig sent shockwaves of fear down his spine. He didn’t allow the rational part of his brain tell him it was only an animal, because he knew that wasn’t the case. Fear told him it was Pierce and that he’d rested long enough. It was time to keep running.

  Taking a deep breath, Lucas took off in the opposite direction from where the sound came. As he ran, more branches whipped against is face, and one hit was so hard he felt the skin on his cheek break open from the force. But he didn’t stop to wipe away the blood that trickled down his cheek. Instead, just like the blood that seeped from his nose, he left it as he continued to flee through the woods.

  The faster he ran, the louder the breaking twigs behind him got, and Lucas forced himself to stop running and just listen. He needed to hear which direction the sounds were coming from, so he would know which way not to run. Closing his eyes, he allowed his other senses to take over, and when he heard the noises again—this time, much closer—Lucas’s eyes flew open and he took off, veering in a completely different direction.

  Even though Lucas was worried he was running in circles, he kept going and had to bite down hard on his cheek when he stepped in a hole. His already tender ankle rolled out from under him, and Lucas went crashing to the ground. Blood filled his mouth from how hard he bit down on the tender flesh, and his palms were scuffed and bloody from where he’d held out his hands to break his fall. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself back to his feet and fought through the pain as he continued on his way.

  Lucas refused to look behind him as he made his way blindly through the trees. He’d never been to Boulder Lake before, and he could only hope and pray he would eventually find his way out. Otherwise, he wasn’t sure what would happen to him.

  “Duncan!” Lucas heard Pierce yell. “Come out, come out, wherever you are!”

  Lucas didn’t allow Pierce’s malevolent words to slow him down. Instead, he changed his path once again and made a dash in the opposite direction.

  “You can run, Duncan. But you can’t hide. I will find you,” Pierce called.

  No. He wouldn’t. Lucas refused to be caught again. His body ached. His throat burned. And he knew he was making his ankle worse than it initially was, but he didn’t care. He would not be caught by Pierce again. Not as long as there was still breath in his body and his heart still beat in his chest. He’d find a way out of those woods, and Lucas refused to give up hope just yet.

  It felt like he’d been running for hours, and every so often, he’d hear Pierce scream his name amongst the thick grove of trees. He’d only allow himself to pause for a matter of seconds to catch his breath, but then he’d press on. He felt disgusting, his entire body covered in dirt, sweat, and blood, and he nearly burst into tears when his eyes focused on something ahead. Skidding to a stop at the edge of the river, Lucas looked down at the water, which was moving rapidly thanks to the rainy weather the area previously had.

  “Oh, Duncan, I can smell your fear! Time to surrender yourself to me!” Pierce called out.

  Without giving it another thought, Lucas jumped into the river. The water was surprisingly cold, and it was moving faster than Lucas had originally thought, but he didn’t allow that tiny detail to worry him. The rushing waters pushed him down the river, and as he moved along with the riptides, he could barely make out Pierce amongst the trees. Not wanting to take any chances, he dunked his head under the water and held it there until he couldn’t breathe anymore, and when he broke above the surface, Pierce as nowhere in sight. Only then did Lucas breathe either. He might not be saved yet, but he was freer than he’d been in weeks. He just had to figure out what to do next.

  “Don’t worry, buddy. I’ve got you,” the unfamiliar voice said. “Just hang tight, okay?”

  Lucas was too exhausted to reply. He wasn’t sure how long he had been in the water, but it felt like hours. He had been knocked against various rocks and branches, and every time he tried to swim against the current to get to the bank, he was pushed farther down the river. Keeping his head above water as he tried to struggle to shore had drained him of energy, but as soon as he saw a few houses come into view, Lucas knew he needed to get out of the water. That proved too difficult as the water seemed to pick up speed rather than slow down. But finally, ju
st when he was about to give up hope, the water slowed down enough that Lucas was able to swim toward shore, where he instantly collapsed the second he touched land.

  “How’d you get in the water, anyway?” the man asked as he knelt beside Lucas.

  Lucas should’ve been fearful of the strange man who was talking to him, but something told Lucas the man could be trusted. And he was too exhausted to put up a struggle. All he wanted was to rest his eyes for a few seconds, but he knew he needed to get as far away from there as possible in case Pierce was close by.

  “Help me,” Lucas whispered.

  “I’ll do what I can, sonny. Just don’t fall asleep, okay?”

  Lucas managed a weak nod, and the small rocks on the bank scratched against his bruised cheek, but he couldn’t stop his eyes from shutting.

  “Get the truck,” he heard the man yell to someone else before he lightly shook Lucas awake. “Stay with me, buddy. We’re gonna get you out of here.”

  Lucas struggled to stay awake and focus on the man, but he couldn’t hear anything past the roaring in his head. Finally, a second person joined the older man, and then Lucas felt his body being lifted from the ground. A few minutes later, he was encased in the back of a truck with a scratchy blanket draped over him.

  “Sorry, it’s all I’ve got,” the man said before he shut the door and climbed into the driver’s seat.

  It didn’t matter to Lucas. It was the best blanket he’d ever felt.

  “Hang tight. I’m going to get you to the hospital as fast as I can.”

  Lucas closed his eyes, and he heard the stranger start speaking to the other passenger in the truck. He couldn’t be certain he was really going to the hospital, but he had to trust his gut that everything would be okay. After all, he was finally safe and alive.