With each successive failure, the ache in my head expanded.
Something warm and wet touched my top lip. I wiped it away instinctively.
The smear of red on my hand caught my attention and held it.
“Dammit, Cyn.”
It was my only warning, then two things happened at once. Kayden’s hand
wrapped around my wrist, and the band of pain around my temples lessened its
hold. Then Ellery’s elusive trail became terrifyingly real.
Kelsey’s killer stood on the other side of the bed, facing me. A cold, inhuman
smile creasing his face. “Sloppy to leave her unprotected, Cyn.”
The crystal-clear reception of his voice sent a horrific shockwave through me
and shoved Kayden’s questions to the background. Then Kayden’s touch pulled
back. When the image in front of me shivered like a soap bubble about to burst, I
instinctively snatched his hand and dug my nails in, holding him tight.
Ellery’s image re-solidified. He continued to stare at the doorway as if he could see me.
Logically, I knew he was using my ability against me, a psychological move meant to unnerve his opponent. Unfortunately, it was working.
He took his sweet time moving around the room, the other memories
becoming mere wisps that licked along the edges of my awareness. My full attention was held by Ellery.
He picked up a picture of Kels and me from the dresser, and then rubbed the
pad of his thumb across the glass. He set it down, then dragged his fingertips along the shelves. He paused to pull out a book, flipping through the pages before replacing it, his actions unnervingly casual.
I wanted to leap across the room and make him stop, his defiling touch
leaving a visible smear of evil behind, like a smudge.
He came to a second picture. This one was of Carl and Becca flanked Kelsey
and me in my dress blues at graduation. For a moment he stared at it, his face darkening. “What a picture-perfect family.”
He turned to where I stood and smashed the frame face first against the shelf.
I winced at the sudden violent action, but the sound of breaking glass never
arrived.
His lips curved and a dark, satisfied light entered his eyes.
Pleasure, he was getting such pleasure from this. On a detached level a little
voice chittered a warning, “He knows what you can do. ”
A sharp pain radiated along my jaw, and I forced my teeth to unclench,
sucking in deep breaths, hoping to regain control.
Ellery kept moving, yanking open drawers, and rifling through them with
cold amusement. He pulled out one of Kelsey’s chemise tops, crumpled it in his
hands and buried his face in it.
Cracks spread through my control like spider webs.
“Mmm…” He lifted his head, and his mouth moved, but I couldn’t hear the
words. I coughed away the urge to vomit at the lascivious smile on his face.
Again, his mouth moved, and this time there were only pieces audible. “…time
to play… save her?” He dropped the delicate garment. “Ready?”
He stalked forward so quickly, I stumbled back and flinched when I ran into
