The Serial Killers (Complete)

River04/05 10:21 PM

I felt cold on the inside, as if everything that made me human was slowly dying in the fire that now engulfed the police station. "We should get the hell out of this town."

Raelyn started, "And leave Kate, leave Alexander? No."

My hands clenched on the wheel. "Alexander is dead, Rae, and Kate probably is too." There was nothing, no hope, no light. I knew, if we stayed, he'd track us down eventually. The man in the tuxedo with his long machete that tore into my best friend's fiance and had probably broken Kate's fragile heart.

"You heartless bitch," Raelyn snapped. I slammed on the brakes, swerving to the side of the road. She didn't flinch, although Jericho moaned from the back, coming too.

"What's going on?" He slurred, rubbing his hands over his face.

"What the hell did you just call me?" I narrowed my eyes until they were barely slits. Rage rippled through my body. "There is a psycho after us and you think I'm the heartless one? How naive of you, Rae. Poor, Rae. Her world torn to shreds because she lost the man who she couldn't decide if she loved. Poor, Rae. Her best friend is missing. Poor, Rae. The psycho toyed with her mind, isn't that right, little birdy?"

I spit the words in her face, but instead of backing down like she usually does, Raelyn's face grew crimson and then descended into a rich purple. Fury was a blanket over her convulsing body. "Poor River," she began, digging each word into my skin like a dagger. "Can't decide what she wants in life. Poor River. Can't find a boyfriend because she's too antisocial. Poor River. Her only friends are her roommates. POOR RIVER. SHE FEELS SO INSECURE THAT SHE NEEDS TO ATTACK HER ONLY FRIEND! You BITCH!"

I expected her to lunge across the SUV and tear my eyes out, but instead she blinked as if coming into her mind. The rage leached out of her face, replaced by deep sorrow and something that resembled fear. "River, I'm sorry. That was un-."

"Don't," I stopped her forcefully. "Don't apologize for that."

There was a rustle from the back as Jericho shifted in his seat. "So um, now that you two are done ripping into each other. We have a girl to save, a killer to catch and a body to find."

I bit my lip, suddenly realizing that we were on a diverging road. One path leads to safety and the other is the road less taken. Raelyn saw the indecision on my face and her eyes darkened. "We're going after Kate."

"We don't know where she is."

"I might," Jericho murmured softly.

I flinched. "What the hell did you just say?"

"I know who has Kate."

Raelyn had her gun out before I could stop her. She leveled it at his forehead and shoved my hand away. "Start talking or I swear to God I will blow your brains out."

"And lose your only chance to find my cousin? Sure, go ahead."

Raelyn cocked the hammer. Jericho's face paled ever so slightly and I wasn't sure whether it was because he was still feeling the affects of smoke inhalation or because he was no longer sure whether she would kill him or not. I set my hand on Raelyn's shoulder gently, praying she wouldn't shove me off again. "Rae, he was on our side before. Nothing has changed."

Jericho sighed as the hammer was replaced. "Drive back to the cabin."

I pulled back into the road, but Raelyn continued her questioning. "You're telling me we might have been only a few feet from Kate?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "The barn, you didn't go into it, did you?"

"No it was locked. The groundskee-," Raelyn cut off suddenly. "You're the groundskeeper."