Cole: The Demons: Book 2 (A Phoenix Club Serial Thriller)

CH 1: Out of my Mind Over You

Oh God-oh god-oh god!

The boy couldn't move, his wide eyes glued to the man's still body... blood spreading out and saturating the frozen ground.

Oh God, he's really dead—I killed someone!

Panic swept through him, and he scrambled to his feet, stumbling away into the trees, too terrified to look back and see what he'd done. He ran blindly, swiping rush and branches out of his way, his feet catching on roots and rocks, repeatedly dumping him to the cold ground.

Though his pursuer was dead, he could still hear his phantom footsteps stalking him through the woods. His panic mounted, propelling him forward.

He was the Sheriff—you killed a COP!

His throat closed, strangling his airway. The boy stumbled again and slowed, struggling to draw breath. His toes struck a rock and he dropped hard to his knees, gasping. Tears streaked his face and he stared at his bloody hands, dirt and debris clinging to his sticky palms and fingers. I killed a cop.

The boy shook, his entire body quaking.

You killed a serial killer! His mind railed at him. He raped and murdered women—he would've killed you too, like he did...

He shook his head frantically, choking on sobs. "No... you don't know that..."

Didn't he?

Crawling to his feet, the boy continued to shake his head and sob. "No..." He staggered forward, not knowing where he was going. He just had to get away—away from the nightmare images of the man burning into his head... and away from the dead body.

He rubbed his hands desperately against his pants to rid them of the blood, but the stain clung to his skin, the stickiness between his fingers...

The boy doubled over and threw up on the frozen ground and dead leaves.

They're gonna catch me... they're gonna lock me up in a nut house for the rest of my life.

Who would believe a kid if he said the trusted Sheriff of their town was the one abducting and killing the women? Would they accuse him? Say he was the killer?

His stomach lurched again but nothing came out. He leaned against a tree, taking deep breaths. His head hurt so bad he could hardly see.

What do I do? Where do I go?

He had no one. He was alone in the world.

Deputy Reeves.

Hope sparked the boy's heart—for a split second—then evaporated.

Reeves was a cop, too.

But he was good. He was suspicious of the Sheriff—you know he was.

It wasn't enough to make the boy turn back and go to the deputy.

He had to get away. Far away.

• • •

Cole sat at the bar in the small tavern just down the block from his and Gabe's apartment building. He'd gone straight home from the club but couldn't bring himself to go inside the apartment. Instead, he walked to the tavern and ordered a beer in a chilled glass.

The chill had faded over the hour as he continued to nurse the same drink, taking small sips while he wrestled with his thoughts. He'd traveled far away so he could forget his former life... his former self. That nightmare was supposed to be over.

Someone called for you, asked if he could leave a message.

Cole rested his head in his hand and took another sip of beer.