Beyond Evil

The carpet was wet.

Not with rain but with something thicker something iron scented that she had smeared across her own palms while she screamed until her throat tore. Upstairs the house was dead silent. Downstairs the front door clicked open.

Footsteps. Measured. Slow.

She pressed her forehead against the cold floorboards, pulling her knees up tight waiting for the police, the sirens, the end of the world She had finally snapped and done it.

Elijah stopped at the edge of the blood He didn't look down at the mess. He looked up the dark staircase his expression entirely unreadable.

"Quiet now" he whispered to the empty room.

He didn't know her secret he had made sure of that

She thought her life was over

He was just walking in to start the first chapter.