Chapter 2 SLASH
SLASH
How the fuck did we fall in love with this guy? I thought I was smart back then, just over a year ago, falling in love with Killian. Dark and Daemon didn’t rattle me too much. Finn was a bit harder to accept but I had. We had to accept Finn if we didn’t want to lose everything we had been through.
But Runo?
He might very well be just a little too terrifying to love.
Because who the fuck incites a chase under the guise of a date?
My lover does. And some part of me was loving every minute of speeding down the empty streets of Primrose, searching for the bane of my existence, Runo cackling in the passenger seat. I’ve been thinking of ways to strip Niles down and filet him with an art I’ve never used before.
I glanced over to see Runo leaning back in his seat, one leg propped on the dash like he owned the damn car. He caught me looking and shot me a wild smile, all teeth and terror. I had a craft, something to perfect, a method to my madness.
But Runo…
“Jesus Christ, we’re dating a lunatic,” I muttered, swerving around a pothole.
Runo’s grin just widened. “A gorgeous lunatic.”
Fucking asshole. I returned my eyes to the road, searching for any sign of Niles.
There was no way he got all that far but it was also damn near impossible to see this late at night.
The only good thing was that it was past the asinine curfew Chief Matthews set up so there was literally no one else out on the streets.
Bingo.
A silhouette passed through the car lights as I screeched to a stop, parking crooked across two spaces in an abandoned lot at the edge of town.
The fucker wasn’t even trying to hide if he was running this close to the streets.
There were no screams for help, just dirt being kicked up as I peeled out of the car, wondering how the fuck Runo planned all of this so perfectly.
“Is he still…”
“Of course, he is,” Runo mused. “I told you he wouldn’t get far. See, I like games just as much as the next guy but I’m not stupid.”
There was no time to deal with him so I took off in the direction Niles had, chuckling at how futile of an escape this truly was.
Moonlight illuminated my steps, bouncing off the scarce branches and almost giving me an easy pathway to my target.
This brought back years’ worth of memories when I truly did used to chase down my victims and skin them until I had my fill.
The way their screams echoed in the midnight air with no one to save them ignited a sicker, darker part of me that I hadn’t unleashed in a while.
I hadn’t needed to. Or at least I didn’t think so.
But watching Niles flail for freedom, his obvious terror from being hunted down by The Skinner himself reminded me I had no business judging Runo for his choices.
Maybe this chase would earn Runo a kiss. Some part of me wondered if he kissed differently than Finn or the others. Finn was more dominant than the others but Runo was…
Focus on that later.
I blew out a deep breath and hastened my steps. Niles was already running out of steam, his frantic silhouette weaving through the trees ahead. The direction he was headed led to a dead end anyway so there was no point in rushing toward him except to possibly make him piss his pants.
Not something I was into, though.
Niles had to have known that this was coming at some point.
After figuring out who I was, he had to have known he was on the list. The persistent bastard was always hounding me with calls and emails, thinking he could drag me back into that sterile cage.
Now he was darting in between the trees like a fucking rabbit and I was the wolf.
Funny how things changed.
I watched in awe as Niles continued to push forward, ragged breaths muffled by whatever was over his mouth. Branches snapped beneath his feet, giving away every desperate move. I let the gap between us close naturally, savoring the build, Niles’ breathing slowly turning into sobs.
“Keep running, Niles. It won’t change anything,” I pushed out, more to me than to anyone else. Niles’ foot caught on an exposed root, the man going down hard,face-first into the leaves.
He wriggled around, trying to sit back up as I stalked closer, realizing just how much Runo had planned for this game of his.
Niles’ hands were tied together behind him, a thick piece of tape slapped over his lips.
He hadn’t been propped up like that in the basement which meant Runo had prepared for just this moment.
The guy was unhinged, but damn if it didn't make my blood sing. No loose ends, no easy outs. Just the chase, one with an inevitable ending.
Dirt smeared his face, tears cutting tracks through the grime as he managed to finally sit up, those usually playful eyes now staring at me, pleading for mercy. There would be none.
A cackle tore from my throat, the laughter bubbling up from deep in my chest, fueled by the absurdity of it all.
"You realize that running won't save you, right?
You already know who I am and what your fate is.
Running only makes this a little bit more fun.
" My lips curled up in a snarl, his eyes widening with fear as I reached forward to rip the tape off.
We were deep enough in the woods that his screams would go unheard and I needed that bit of fun to truly enjoy this moment.
Footsteps behind me stole me out of the moment, Runo brushing up against my side.
Niles swallowed nervously as he looked between the two of us and then settled on me.
“I won’t say anything, fuck, you’re terrifying!
I thought you said he was just your boy toy.
Why… he looks like he wants to murder me. Jesus Christ, Ryker, I just…”
I scrunched my nose up at that name, realizing how much I hated the persona I had donned during the day. Saving lives? What kind of bullshit was that?
Runo tilted his head, a wicked grin settling on his lips as he answered Niles’ question. “I look like this most of the time but I do want to kill you. You’re fucking annoying and you stressed him out. I don’t really need another reason.”
Niles leaned back a little. “We’ve—we’ve never even met?”
Runo just shrugged. “Well, you look annoying.”
I hummed in agreement as I crouched beside Niles. “I’ve killed for less.”
Niles’ eyes widened as he leaned back further, another stream of tears running down his face. “I could give you anything you want!”
The me a year or two ago might have taken him up on that offer.
I would have spat something about leaving me alone, giving me a sabbatical, or some other bullshit.
But as Slash, all I wanted was to see this man bleed.
A few minutes ago, I couldn’t understand Runo’s need for this and then I realized he was enjoying this moment probably even more than I was.
Enjoying watching me salivate over my next kill.
As wary of him as I was, we fit too well together. All four of us did.
Licking my lips, I crouched a little closer to Niles.
“Can you give me that exhilarating feeling when I carve a man’s flesh as he screams for mercy until his dying breath?
Can you give me that moment when the light goes out in his eyes, replaced by despair?
Can you give me that rush when I leave my work for display, the newspapers heralding my next kill and the police screaming about The Skinner all over again? ”
Niles’ face paled as I reached out and ran my fingers through his sweat-damp hair. “You see, you can give me that. And that’s why you can’t live.”
Runo nudged my arm, stealing my attention. Those gray eyes flickered with amusement as he waited for me to fully stand up. “I brought the rest of your present.” He pulled a small scalpel from his pocket, its blade catching the faint moonlight spilling through the trees.
I frowned but took it anyway, confused. “What’s this?”
“Try it,” Runo purred. “It slices like butter.”
Curious, I tested it, dragging the blade across Niles’ forearm. The skin parted clean, like cutting through silk, blood welling up in a perfect line as Nile let out a yelp. He scrambled backwards as much as he could before starting to struggle to his feet.
My entire body lit up at the pain I had just caused, the ease with which this weapon did its job. Precise. Effortless. Perfect.
“And you got mad because I untied him,” Runo mused as he grabbed the front of my shirt and dragged me down into a rough kiss. It was all teeth and possession, a claiming of sorts before he pulled back.
“I didn’t think you had a plan. Even if you don’t, Samael does.
So, I think I’m gonna enjoy this.” I twisted the scalpel in my hand, hissing as it nicked my finger.
Runo moved in, sucking it between his lips, his eyes locked on mine.
Heat bled through me as his tongue wrapped around my digit, a hum vibrating through him before he once again stepped back.
“Be careful, Doc. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt. Now, go get him.”
I didn’t have to be told twice.
And I think I just fell in love with a psychopath.