Sinister Obsession | ONC 2024

2| The Phantom

Soft ringlets rise lazily from the coffee captured between my hands. The sweet vanilla scent tangled with it draws a deep growl from the pits of my stomach, reminding me I haven't eaten in over twenty-four hours.

My body can just cry about it. There will be no true rest or meals until I am far enough from Coral Bluff to let my guard down.

Not that I'm in any way at risk for being arrested. I know the game all too fucking well, and have become quite the expert player if I say so myself. After all, one doesn't have thirty-two successful murders under his belt – all of which remain unsolved – for no reason.

But you can't be too careful.

Not when your whole fucking world can turn upside down and inside out in a matter of seconds.

As I take a long drag of the smooth coffee, the bell on the door tinkles and snaps my gaze on those entering.

It's a pair of females. One with shoulder length black hair and a petite frame, and the other sporting long brown hair pulled up in a ponytail with lively green eyes.

They laugh about something and make their way to a table a couple down from me as I watch on. I pull another drag from my coffee, swiping my tongue over my lips to clean away the froth. Both women are beautiful, anyone with half a brain can see that, but that's not why they caught my attention.

I want to spill their blood, not push my dick into their bodies.

The dark-headed one is definitely up there on the ladder, but the brunette is perfect. With her thicker build, she promises a good fight and a possible game of chase. Two of my favorite things in this whole godforsaken world.

My Adam's apple bobs as I swallow back the sudden flood of saliva filling my mouth. The burning pain in my knuckles brought to my attention how tightly I have my fists balled on the smooth marble tabletop and I tilt my head back.

I am here for a brief pause in travels, not to begin a game of cat and mouse with another helpless victim. But here I am, the insatiable desire to wrap my hands around the brunette's throat rising like lava through my body.

It's that moment I know I've found my next target, whether I want another, or not.

It takes only seconds for me to overhear her name. Eden. Quite the alluring title for an equally alluring woman. There's only one thing that would make her that much more ravishing.

Her own blood staining her face as I leak every bit of life out of her as slowly as possible.

The smirk lacing my lips pulls at something deep inside me and my hands itch to feel the liquid warmth slipping through my hands.

Fuck. It really was a high unlike any other.

After deciding their meal Eden leans close to her friend. Goosebumps form along my arms the moment the words leave her mouth.

“I can't believe how close the murders are getting to us, Sam. I mean, Coral Bluff is just around the corner.”

Sam tilts her head. “I figured that would excite you more than anything.”

Excite her? Hmm. Did my next plaything enjoy the intense grip of fear? I lick my lips again. If so, things would be oh so interesting.

“It does. But what if it happens here? After all,” she pauses and clasps her hands on the table. “This is a serial killer we're talking about.”

Serial killer, huh? I prefer repeat offender, but those words sound so enticing coming from her mouth.

“I believe it's the Boogeyman,” she adds. “No one is tying the murders from Pine Crest, Arbor Flats, Harmony, or even Coral Bluff to him, but I'm almost positive they're his handiwork.”

His handiwork.

My fucking handiwork. I have to give it to her, she really knows how to tickle a man's ego. Unlike the dumbass police forces, she recognizes it all for what it is.

My handiwork.

Fuck, I love it.

Sam doesn't seem to share Eden's belief. Her face scrunches with confusion and her head tilts to the side. “What makes you think the Boogeyman has anything to do with those? I don't see the connection.”

Eden swirls the straw around in her glass before taking a quick sip. “It's simple, really. The method is the same. He still stalks them, but instead of stabbing or slow torture, he's strangling them to death.”

“My God,” Sam breathes out, her lips forming a soft O. “You really think we have the Boogeyman just out there somewhere roaming around?”

Eden nods slowly. “I do.”

She hit the nail on the head and I can't even tell her how correct she is. Such a pity.

Eden's forest green eyes meet mine and I hold her gaze after taking notes of the piercings adorning her face. She breaks first, returning to the menu in her hand as a smirk forms on my lips.

I will thoroughly enjoy fucking her whole world up. I just know it.

The rest of their conversations are nothing but smalltalk. Sam's husband landed a new job, some Noah showing signs of having feelings for Eden, a dog named Vessel, and Eden's podcast picking up. Even though I don't need any of this information, it sheds some light on Eden and her life.

I have to admit, she's very interesting. The more I learn about her, the more I crave to know.

The duo leave their table and I bite the inside of my cheek. The sway of Eden's hips are as mesmerizing as the sound of her voice and I allow it to capture my attention before I pull away.

No.

I shake my head. Not now. I can enjoy how her body looks once there's a knife stuck between her breasts and I'm disposing of her corpse.

I give them a moment before I take my leave. A quick glance through the glass door shows Eden stepping into her own car and I smoothly slip outside and right past her. In a few strides I reach my battered old truck and get inside.

She backs out of the parking spot and my fingers curl around the steering wheel. I have no damn clue where she's going, but I'm finding out.

Besides, I don't want to let her out of my sight.

Not yet.