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She heard the clip of his shoes on the stone floor as he ht he’d leave her alone in this rooht
In a blink, overhead fluorescents clicked on, flooding the roo her to wince and shield her eyes fro the light leak into her pupils
When her gaze finally focused on her jailer she saw he stood directly in front of her He wore crisp jeans, a dark sweater, and rubber gloves He looked so normal Handsome even
“Do I know you?”
“Doesn’t ood look around before we get to work?”
The source of the s back toward the tub It was a vile, putrid concoction of greasy, black water Loose fatty deposits floated on the surface Oh shit! Was it flesh clinging to bone?
She screamed and lurched back “What is that?”
“It’s where the polishing process begins Flesh must be stripped frohtness in his voice told her he was truly enjoying this ot work to do”
“Work? Where is this place?”
“Far enough from anyone that can help you”
Treh her limbs “Where am I?”
“It’s where I do my work My art”
“What kind of art?”
“Look behind you”
She turned and saorkbench Equipped with saws, carving knives, and buffing pads It reminded her of a jeweler’s workstation Until she saw it—the polished white femur
“That’s not art!”
“You seeave you”
Her hand rose to her throat where the brooch had rested just days ago “That was bone?”
He winked “I love the way the light glistens on the bones, don’t you? Human bone carves like sandstone”
“You are demented”
Blue eyes sparked “To each his own”
“Please, don’t do this to me”
“No going back now”
“Of course there is I won’t tell”
And then as if she hadn’t spoken, he said, “If we get started noe’ll be done by this tiloved hand under her elbow and pulled her to a standing position “Let’s get you back on the table”
Her legs wobbled, and her insides ached with fire When she glanced down, she saw that blood stained her skirt and legs Criround around her feet “What have you done to me?”
He guided her toward the table “I haven’t done anything Now up you go”
“My body hurts” She’d been invaded, assaulted Flickers of what had happened flashed: an attacker shoving into her with such force she’d screahed, pushed harder, and then he’d leaned down and bitten her shoulder until her blood had spilled He’d taken pictures “You did this to me! You did this!”
“Not me Him”
Her head spun, and her pain paralyzed her muscles “There are two of you?”
He ignored the question “You know you have the most perfect bone structure Your cheekbones are symmetrically perfect It’s as if an artist sculpted them”
“Please,” she whispered
“Mother Nature can be so haphazard and fickle, but with you she really outdid herself”
She lay back against the coldwith exhaustion Whatever reserves she’d possessed had vanished She was e to do?”
Out from the shadows stepped another h his hair She’d kissed his face Gotten to know the feel of his broad shoulder blades under her hands “You did this to me”
&
nbsp; S, he snapped another picture “I’m finished with her She’s yours now”
“No, please,” she said
He didn’t answer but sirinned as he selected a knife from a table
“Don’t leave me here with him!” she screamed
A door closed
The Other picked up a knife Light glinted froo away”
As h her body and stole her breath, it was proof of life Without the pain, she feared, she’d be lost “I want to leave”
Gently, he sertips over her forehead “Shh We can’t do that”
The gentle touch detonated shivers And then he dragged the razor sharp blade over the tender flesh of her neck The pain was sudden and searing Warm blood drained so quickly from the wound
She inhaled, but her lungs didn’t respond She tried to pull in a second breath Nothing Panic exploded as she directed her energy toward her lungs
Breathe! Air!
A gurgling sound rose in her chest as the air already in her lungs seeped out through the wound More blood pooled around her shoulders She gripped the table, clinging to her final hold on life
He kept shting only makes it worse It will just be a few et you in that tub with the others”
Her vision blurred Her lungs and flesh howled for air Gentle fingers stroked her hair and cheeks
“So pretty”
Delight danced in his eyes The reater his enjoyment In these lasther die
The blackness returned to the edges of her vision, and with each second her constricting pupils squeezed out ht
She had no breath to scream
And then, like the final curtain call in the theater, the blackness dropped