9. Gage

9

Lingering in the shadows outside Charlotte's apartment, my form blends seamlessly into the darkness. Tyson will be pissed as I should be working right now, but the desire to scupper Aurora's plan was too great.

The cool night air caresses my skin as I wait, still as a statue, for my prey to arrive. My mind races with anticipation, fueled by the knowledge I gained from the listening device I slipped into Aurora's phone while she slept.

Her hushed conversation with Charlotte echoes in my mind about their na?ve plan to investigate me. It's amusing that they think they can beat me.

I check my watch, noting that Aurora's shift ended ten minutes ago. It won't be long before she arrives with Charlotte. Watching her on the cameras today, I could sense her unease. I'm under her skin so deep already.

My body tenses as a car approaches, its headlights cutting through the gloom. I press myself further into the shadows. The car passes, and I exhale slowly, my patience wearing thin.

But then I hear it, the sound of footsteps approaching. Two sets, one quick and light, the other heavy and determined. I know it's them without even looking.

I watch them approach Charlotte's door, my muscles coiled and ready to strike. Aurora's scent reaches me on the breeze, that tantalizing mix of jasmine and vanilla that makes my blood sing.

Hidden in the shadows, I watch Charlotte fumble with her keys, her hands shaking as she unlocks the door. Aurora lingers, her eyes darting nervously around the darkened street. God, I love her fear. Charlotte says something about texting her when she's home, and Aurora replies, but I don't hear the words as they're lost in the wind.

Aurora turns and walks toward her apartment, her footsteps echoing in the empty street. I wait until she's out of sight before I make my move.

Surging forward, my body a blur of motion as I close the distance to Charlotte's door where she's creeping back out. She doesn't even have time to scream before my hand is around her throat, squeezing the air from her lungs. Her eyes bulge in terror as she claws at my arm, her nails leaving furrows in my skin.

I drag her outside, slamming her against the wall with enough force to knock the wind from her lungs. She crumples to the ground, gasping for air as I tower over her. In my other hand, I hold a sketch of Aurora I drew in charcoal and ink.

I crouch down, my face inches from Charlotte's, as I pin the sketch to her shirt. "Tell Aurora I'm coming for her," I whisper, my voice a guttural growl. "She can't hide from me."

Charlotte whimpers as she loses consciousness. Perhaps I hit her head a little too hard into the wall. The intent wasn't to kill, but as I stand over her the voices revolt. Fixing a camera to Charlotte's jacket, I step back and admire my handiwork. That pesky voice in my mind urges me to grab my knife and slam it into her gut, making her bleed, but this odd new sensation holds me back. What would Aurora think if I murdered her friend?

I leave her slumped against the wall like a discarded doll. The sketch flutters in the breeze, a haunting reminder of my obsession. I melt into the shadows, ignoring the monster within urging me to kill. My heart pounds with adrenaline.

Aurora may think she's smart, but she doesn't know what's coming for her.She can't imagine the monster that lurks in the shadows, that stalks her.

I trail behind my target, keeping to the shadows. A guy rushes past her, and just as he does, his cell rings. He answers, and Aurora practically jumps a mile in the air, making me smirk. She's so wound up, and it's such a good feeling.

Repeatedly, she looks around, eyes wide with fear. God, it's intoxicating. I watch her search for her friend, who won't be following. Her eyes dart back and forth, and her breath comes in shorter gasps as she realizes her friend isn't there.

Finally, she reaches her apartment and frantically fumbles to get inside. I slip my cell phone out of my pocket and call up the cameras I installed.

Aurora paces back and forth, clutching her phone tightly, as she waits for news of Charlotte. My eyes drink in every delicious detail of her distress as the minutes tick by, and she has no word from her friend.

She checks her phone obsessively, her fingers flying over the screen as she sends messages to Charlotte. I can see the panic rising in her eyes, the fear that something terrible has happened.

Next, she calls her other friend, Dan, her voice shaking as she explains the situation. I lean closer to the screen, my breath fogging the glass while I savor the sound of her terror-stricken voice. I can hear the concern in Dan's voice and how he tries to reassure her even as his fear bleeds through.

But I know it's only a matter of time before she gets my message. I can barely contain my excitement at the thought of her reaction, the way her eyes will widen in terror when she realizes how fucked up her stalker is. How obsessed I am. The picture will be a good enough indication.

Leaning against the wall opposite her apartment, my eyes glued to the screen as I watch her every move. She paces up and down, moving constantly.

The flash of headlights signals Dan's arrival as his car pulls up outside. Aurora gets into the car, and they drive toward Charlotte's apartment. I decide this is where I must leave her, as Tyson will wonder where the fuck I am. And I don't need him questioning me. So, I walk in the opposite direction and pull up the camera I installed on Charlotte's lapel and at the doorway of her apartment, waiting for them to arrive.

Aurora comes into focus after a few minutes as she exits Dan's car and rushes toward Charlotte's door. Suddenly, she freezes, her mouth dropping open in a silent scream.

I know what she's looking at, as I have a camera positioned on Charlotte's crumpled form, still slumped against the wall where I left her. The sketch I pinned to her shirt flutters, mocking them.

Dan rushes forward, his face pale as he checks for a pulse. Relief washes over his features when he finds one, but Aurora remains rooted to the spot, her eyes wide with horror.

A primal cry of anguish tears from Aurora's throat, sending shivers down my spine. She falls to the sidewalk by her side, cradling her friend's head in her lap as sobs wrack her body. Dan tries to calm her, but she's inconsolable.

I lean closer to the screen, drinking every delicious detail of her anguish. My fingers itch with the desire to reach through and touch her, to feel her trembling flesh beneath my hands. The darkness inside me roars with approval, urging me to finish the job, to silence Charlotte's breath forever.

I imagine myself there for a fleeting moment, my hands wrapped around Charlotte's slender throat. I can feel the life draining from her body as I squeeze tighter and tighter, her eyes bulging in terror. The image is so vivid and intoxicating that I can almost imagine it's real.

But then Aurora's cry shatters the fantasy, and I'm jolted back to reality. I watch as she cradles Charlotte's limp form, her tears staining the fabric of her shirt. A strange emotion stirs within me, something akin to regret or...pity?

I shake my head, banishing the unwelcome feelings. This is no time for weakness, for second-guessing myself. Charlotte was merely a pawn in the game, a means to an end. Her life is inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.

The monster's disappointment that she's still breathing is palpable. The darkness inside me howls its displeasure, demanding I finish what I started. But I force it down, reminding myself that she's not important. Aurora is the prize, the one I've been waiting for.

Dan and Aurora carry Charlotte to the car, and I place my cell back into my pocket, a smile playing across my lips. The game has only begun, and I've got so many delicious horrors planned for my little Aurora.

She doesn't know how deeply I've infiltrated her life. Soon, she'll realize there's no hiding from me, no escape from the shadows that have claimed her.

I can't wait to see her face when she learns the truth. The thought sends a thrill through my veins, and I stifle a laugh. The real fun is just beginning.