That Emerald Vow (The Crimson Creed #2)

1. Chapter One

I swipe down to smooth my dress as I walk to the bathroom mirror, enjoying the feel of the silk on my fingertips. Looking at my reflection, I reapply my deep wine lipstick and rub my lips together to make sure it’s even. Once I’m satisfied with how it looks, I smile with a big, beaming grin. “Perfect.”

Now that I am flawlessly presentable, I head out of the bathroom to the man who I’ve had my eye on for the past hour at the pub. He has black hair with a physique that would have Jack Reacher weeping. His brown eyes have been roaming the area to find his next conquest, never landing on me, as I have been keeping to the shadows until I was ready. I can feel his eyes roam up and down my body as I walk past him back to the bar, making sure to sway my hips.

I scoff internally. Boys. They are so fucking easy to control.

Sitting next to him, I lean over to make sure my breasts are further accentuated in my low-cut dress as I flag down the bartender. From my periphery, I see the guy’s eyes widen with desire.

Once the bartender gets to me, I whisper my drink order to him, making him smirk. “Nice choice,” he says as he places a coaster in front of me. “ Coming right up.” He chuckles as he goes to make my drink, earning a giggle. I appreciate a man who knows to be playful but not pushy .

“Hello, sexy,” rasps Jack 2.0 after waiting a few beats to approach me. “Can I buy you a drink?”

The bartender returns with my drink a moment later. “One Absolutely Horny for the lady.”

Picking up the cocktail glass, I turn to Jack 2.0 and his lust-filled eyes.

“Absolutely horny, huh?” he asks predatorily.

I smirk at him. “You can pay for this drink.” His eyes light up at the thought. “But you have to help me with the other part too.” I trail my hand up my thigh, letting my dress slip upward just before reaching my core as I seductively take a sip of my drink. Mmm, it’s actually really good.

He licks his lips before saying, “That can definitely be arranged. My name’s Landon, by the way.”

I giggle in response. Little does he know that was information I already knew. Little Landon has been a bad, bad man, and I’ve come to put him in his place.

His eyes continue to roam my body as I see him shuffle to conceal his forming semi.

Refusing to give him my name, I say, “Good. How about we get you another drink”—I nod towards his empty whiskey glass—“while I finish this one.” He just wants sex, and I plan to use that to my advantage.

“Sounds like a plan, darling.” He puts his hand on my knee, and I smile at him even though my insides feel like there are maggots crawling around in them.

“Charlotte, darling. How’s my favorite girl?” I hear a voice call as the floorboards squeak with each step he takes into the room.

I rapidly blink my eyes, trying to get my vision to adjust, as the room is dark. “Uncle Demetri? What time is it?” I ask, my voice coming out groggy. My parents and my uncle went to some big banquet. Being ten years old, I don’t remember the details very well.

“It’s almost midnight. I came back to relieve the babysitter and relieve . . .” He mumbles the rest under his breath. “Your parents decided to stay behind for a bit longer. But I figured we could have a chance to play together.” I feel the edge of the bed dip under his weight. My eyes start to adjust, and I can see he’s wearing one of those fancy suits, but he took his jacket and tie off already.

“But I’m tired,” I whine as I cuddle my teddy bear harder, feeling the exhaustion of running around in the backyard all day.

“I know, darling. But I have a special gift for you. I think your teddy bear needs a friend. Don’t you?”

I quickly open my eyes and squeal, “Yes! She’s so lonely.”

He chuckles. “That’s my girl. I’m lonely too. And I think you can help both of us.”

“I love to help! I don’t want you or Teddy to be lonely,” I say honestly.

“That’s what I like to hear.” He pulls my covers off. The sudden cold air makes my body shiver. “First, we’re gonna help with my loneliness”

I turn my head, confused as I see him unbuckle his belt. I scrunch my eyebrows, trying to make sense of what is happening. We usually don’t change in front of others. That’s when I realize there is a rather large lump in his pants. He must’ve got something stuck there and needs help taking it out.

I turn my head, fawning to flag down the bartender as I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to will the memory from my mind. My Uncle Demetri gifted me teddy bear after teddy bear for years in exchange for helping him whenever he was in town babysitting me. After the first few times, I gave up fighting and let it happen because crying and screaming did nothing but make it worse. He is, to this day, the one person I am afraid to face. The one demon I can’t slay, no matter how many others I take down. Just the thought paralyzes me like I’m back in that tiny child’s body.

We order Landon another drink as I quietly pull the tiny vial from my jacket pocket when he isn’t looking. When the bartender puts the glass down, I lean towards Landon. “You gonna show me a good time? ‘Cause it’s been sooo long, and I could use a big, strong guy like you.” I stroke up and down his chest as my other hand quickly pours the contents of the vial into his drink when no one is looking.

“Oh, darling. Yes, I will.”

I take the whiskey glass and bring it to his lips. “Then drink up, big boy. I’m ready to go somewhere more private.” I wink at him. I gave him just a small dose of something to slowly make him groggy. Giving me just enough time to get him somewhere secluded.

I take Landon’s car, with him stashed away in the trunk, and head to an abandoned psychiatric hospital that has acres upon acres of abandoned buildings and land no one has used in over a decade. Even the homeless don’t come here for fear of the ghosts of the poor patients who died from the mistreatment of the old practices.

But the only person to fear here is me.

The one good thing about this hospital is that there is a lot of equipment left, just waiting to be used. I especially love the rusted and dull ones, which are extra fun for torture.

My muscles scream out from use after dragging him here. It was a bitch to do it, but this is why I go to the gym at least five days a week. I refuse to have any limitations to hinder what I need to get done—like dragging a dead or unconscious body.

I’m organizing all my tools on a tray as I think of creative ways I can prolong his pain, when I notice him starting to move his bowed head.

As he slowly comes to, his furrowed eyebrows quickly turn to widening eyes as he takes in his surroundings—the fear overtaking his senses. The only similarity between me and my prey is that we both enjoy that fear in those we target. The main difference is I only chase those who deserve it, people like him who prey on the innocent.

“W-where am I?” he asks as he starts to yank on his restraints. “What the hell are you doing?! Why am I tied up?”

“Oh, did you think we were going somewhere private so you could rock your balls off?” I grin at him mischievously as I pick up a scalpel. “No, no, no! I’m the only one who’s going to be enjoying tonight.”

“You bitch!” he says as he struggles to pull off his restraints.

I laugh. “You won’t be able to get those off. They’re for wilder patients than you.” Putting the scalpel back down, I grab the syringe and a bottle. “But this is for added precaution.”

Landon thrashes his arms and legs to no avail. “Stop! I’m going to fucking kill you as soon as I get out of—”

“As I was saying, this is only to take the edge off. But don’t you worry. You’ll still be fully lucid for the fun I plan to have with you.” I giggle as the needle pokes into his vein.

“Why the fuck are you doing this?” he asks. “I never did anything to you.” His energy is slowing down a smidge.

“You’re right, you didn’t do anything to me. But what about Lana? Whitney? Jane? Penelope? Jose? Alina? Mere—”

“H-how do you . . .” His words trail off.

I furrow my eyebrows in concentration as I pick my next tool off the tray. “Well, you see, my best friend and I, we started this amazing duo called the Furies. We go around ridding the world of meatheads like you who just take, take, and take .”

“I’m g-gonna get out of this. You won’t get away with this,” he promises.

“Promises. Promises.” I grab something that resembles a mini ice cream scooper and point it at him. “Actually, I will get away with this because no one is going to miss you . . . or even find you, for that matter, if they did.” I pause. “You only need one good eye for the rest of tonight,” I sing-song. “So let’s take care of the other.”

“Wait! Wait! Don’t! What are you going to do with that thing?” Landon screams as I saunter towards him. I use a speculum to keep his right eye open. “Stop!” With stealth and precision, I use the other tool to scoop his eyeball out. The drug is in full effect, and he only has so much ability to thrash around, but it doesn’t stop the musical screams that echo through the chambers.

“I hear you make your victims keep their eyes on you the entire time you assault them. So I thought it’d only be fitting to take one of yours to start. But don’t worry, you can keep the other one open as I continue.” I laugh, which beautifully melds with his yelling. “Yes, Landon. Scream for me.”