Bless The Beauty

chapter Twelve




Back at the station, the time had come. Chad sat in the interview room in front of me, an image of your typical college grad. Clean cut, innocent face—cute. “Would you like something to drink—eat?” I asked, attempted to create a sense of camaraderie with the young chap.

Chad gave an award-winning smile as he looked at me with pretty, blue eyes. “No, thank you, I’m fine.”

Neither the smile nor the eyes won me over. I’d like to do to this man what he had done to his victims, only worse. Even though I had the ability to do just that, I knew I couldn’t—mortal rules and all.

It didn’t mean the thought hadn’t crossed my mind and always would when I met these vicious killers.

And now, with all my doubts running through my mind about this whole situation, I seriously questioned doing just that. Instead, I held back and went through the procedure as I always did. I needed to ask questions—give the appearance I was a skilled interrogator before I locked him in and warped his mind to spill the beans. This was being videotaped, the camera in the corner was evidence of that. I needed to go through the procedure protocol called for.

“You are all so wonderful here,” Chad said, snapping me away from my thoughts.

Then his expression became confused. “Will I be going home soon?”

I gave a loud snort. “I highly doubt that.” I opened the file in front of me, took out all eight photos of his victims and spread them out in front of him. “Do you know these women?”

Chad leaned in and a twinkle of pride rose along his face. “Aren’t they so lovely?”

“They’re exquisite,” I concurred. “God’s marvels.”

Remembering what the doctor had told me, I focused my questions along the lines of his advice.

When the time came that he would be prosecuted, the doctor would indeed testify as to what he learned from Chad and also what he told me. I needed to make sure I covered my tracks with all this.

“That is just how I see them,” Chad marvelled.

Ah, ha. He was right where I wanted him. It was important I set out a path that would lead me to my final answers. Get him to admit that he knew them. I had to make it appear that I’d broken through to him. “So you do know these women?”

“God knows those women and I am his messenger.”

It was more curiosity that led me to my next question. Now that I had him here, it intrigued me a little to understand the way his mind worked. “What message are you sending them?”

“That they are beautiful and loved. That they’re God’s creation and he is proud of them.”

That was certainly the most f*cked up thing I’d ever heard. It was hard to really grasp how his mind worked. I suspected no matter how much time I spent with him, I wouldn’t understand. “And why do you feel the need to tell them this?”

As Chad leaned down to examine the pictures more closely, his expression immediately turned dark. “These woman defied God.”

“I know that,” I said, eager to move along. “They had to be punished.”

The questions were moving along just as I hoped it would. Things were falling into place that would allow me to capture his mind and gain the truth from him without arising suspicion.

Chad looked away from the photos and met my gaze. He gave a cruel smile that spoke of the evil that lived inside of him. “I defeated the Devil out of them.”

On that disturbing note, I reached back into his file and pulled out the photo of Sabrina. “What about this woman?”

Chad’s brows furrowed as he eyed the paper with disgust. “She sinned.”

This was the real Chad. The one the women must have faced when they died. He looked at the others as if they were treasures. Since he hadn’t seen Sabrina’s dead body and decorated her face, she was still a person that needed to be saved by him. “This one has yet to be saved.”

Shame crossed Chad’s face and the disgust melted away as he looked like a little school boy being scolded. “I have failed Him.”

“There’s still time.” I hoped he’d give me something. I tried to remain calm but knowing that soon I could just will the truth out of him, I began to get antsy. “Take us to her and I will let you complete your mission.”

The darkness in his gaze only intensified. “You are not welcome there. God would not forgive me.”

Right then, I realized he’d just given me a clue. If I went into this questioning further, it would be obvious that he spilled the truth out of nowhere. I had him right where I wanted him. “Chad, look at me.” He did so. “God will forgive you if you act now. Where have you put Sabrina?”

Chad’s eyes glazed over. His contact was steady with mine. “In God’s house.”

I nodded, not surprised by his answer. “Yes, you want to send her to God, I’ve got that. Where?

What location?”

His brows drew together as if he struggled with himself. Almost as if he was searching for the answer, but kept coming up blank. “In God’s house,” he repeated.

F*ck, this was going to be hard. His mind was so confused and sick—asking simple questions just wouldn’t register with his mind. I tried a different route. “If you needed to go and see Sabrina, where would you go?”

“To God’s house,” he repeated.

“Oh for f*ck sakes,” I snapped. “Yes, you’d go to God’s house, but where is it, Chad? What’s the street name?”

Chad smiled, a proud expression flashed across his face. “God’s house lives in us all.”

I threw up my hands up in frustration and wanted to flip him the bird or slam his head down on the table. Before I could snap out another question or act on my impulses, a knock sounded on the two-way mirror.

My chair hit the wall as I slammed it back, I scowled at Chad then headed for the door. I flung it open, stepped into the other room and slammed it behind me. “What is it?”

Mike let out a very tired sound. “We need to change our course.” He gave me firm look. “This isn’t working and we need to break him.”

Pride wanted me to yell, let me back in there, but I knew he was right. My power over him wasn’t strong enough. He was answering my questions truthfully, but I didn’t have enough strength to will what lay deep in his troubled mind. Talk about a punch to the stomach. Here I was, a powerful vampire with an ability to dive deep into a mortals mind and I failed at doing just that.

I stayed in my pity-party for well over five minutes as Mike discussed our next steps.

Then, suddenly, an idea suddenly presented itself. I quickly glanced at Kellen, examining.

His brows furrowed as he watched me in return with a look of complete bewilderment on his face. “What?”

“You?” I pointed at him.

He arched a brow and that confusion on his face only deepened. “Me…what?”

“You’re an excellent interrogator. It’s why you’re here.” I winked. “You have a go at him.”

Mike nodded with excitement. “That’s right.” He smacked his head clearly annoyed with himself. “My mind is so busy I forgot the obvious. From what I’ve heard of you, you’re legendary.”

I rolled my eyes at that. Of course, Kellen would feed a bunch of bullshit to make himself look like some rising star. “Yes, Kellen—you are the best.”

Kellen’s lips tightened as he gave me a rebuking look. He looked like he was about to refuse, but before he could, I glanced at Mike. “You’re going to ignore this conversation.”

Nick stepped forward. “What—“

Before he could finish his words, I repeated the line to him too. Both men instantly went quiet, their eyes glazed over as they were lost in space. I glanced back at Chase and Kellen, who both gave me a studied look. “You can mind-warp him, Kellen. Of course, you’ll have to pretend to interrogate him, but you can get in deeper into his mind then you can will it out of him. My powers just can’t go up against his mind, but you…” I really hated admitting this. “…are more powerful than I am.”

Kellen scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “I have no clue how to interrogate anyone, Hadley.”

As if there wasn’t anything he couldn’t do. I patted his cheek reassuringly. “I’m confident you’ll do just fine here.” Kellen was a very old vampire. He exuded strength. I didn’t doubt that once he captured him, he would get the answers we needed. A mortal couldn’t refuse to answer Kellen, no matter how messed his mind was. He would have to be tricky, ask the right questions, but I had no doubt he would manage just fine.

I glanced at Mike and Nick, snapped my fingers to make sure they both looked at me. “You can listen again.”

The haze cleared their eyes, they both blinked once then Mike said, “Kellen, are you up for this challenge?”

Chase laughed.

Mike shot him an annoyed look and his brows furrowed with unhappiness.

“Something about this amuses you?”

Chase shook his head as he bit his lip. “Nope, nothing at all.”

Kellen looked beyond irritated that I had put him in this situation. But time was pressing and I had no doubt he’d get the information out of Chad that we needed.

Besides, he’s the one that put himself in this situation in the first place. Call yourself an interrogator—well, go be one. “So…are you going in?”

Kellen’s cross look remained on his face, but eventually he sighed. “For you.” He pointed at me directly. “I will go in there.”

“Pardon—” Mike started.

Kellen shot his gaze to him, raised his hand in a pissed off gesture. “Ignore that and the rest of this conversation.” Then, he looked at Nick. “You too.”

Chase laughed again.

“You’re doing a good a thing here,” I told Kellen.

He gave me a steady look. “For you, I am going in there. You and you alone. Be sure to remember that.” He grabbed me hard and laid one of his immaculate kisses against my mouth. I was instantly lost in the spectacular kiss. When he abruptly pulled back, his eyes smouldered as his gaze locked on my mouth. “After we get the girl back, you are going to thank me with your mouth and that will make me feel good.”

I grinned with sultry intent. That wasn’t something I was unwilling to give. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

“You may have her mouth,” Chase interjected, “but I get her p-ssy.”

Kellen grinned at him and the two men exchanged a hungry look. “Now, that is also something I can agree to.”

I fanned myself. Being swooned over by two men was fantastic. “Nothing better than being appreciated for my skills.” Then I gave my head a shake as I realized just how inappropriate this was.

“What are we doing?” I pushed Kellen forward. “Go on, get in there.”

Kellen snorted a thoroughly annoyed sound then looked at Mike and Nick. “You can listen now.”

Then, he walked through the door letting it slam behind him.

I stepped up close to the two-way mirror as he entered and began to walk around Chad. When he stepped in behind him, he leaned down and said beside his ear, “You have been treated well here, Chad McKinney, but that is about to end. I am here to get answers.” He leaned away from him and took the seat directly across from him. “And no more of this pissing around the bushes.”

“I’m not…” Chad started.

Kellen leaned in. I knew exactly what he was doing. He was locking him in, capturing his gaze to put him under his control. “You are going to answer what I ask and you are going to be truthful.”

“I am always truthful,” Chad responded. His eyes fogged as if he was looking at nothing even though his contact remained with Kellen. “It is the way of the Lord.”

“Good,” Kellen responded as he looked back at me and sighed. I smiled to myself. It was kind of funny seeing him in this position, completely uncomfortable. After a lingering glance my way, Kellen focused back on Chad. “You need to retrace your steps to when you met the young lady Sabrina.”

“She’s an angel,” Chad responded dreamily

Kellen nodded as if he had just expected that exact reply from him. “You watched her?”

“Yes, I watched her for days. God was pleased with her. She was on a path that would lead her to Heaven.”

My face was practically squished against the glass. This had to work. My job never entailed surviving victims. The truth was, now that I thought about it, I was desperate to find this young woman.

Not only to see her well, but to have a moment within this job that held happiness. A sense of pride to save someone’s life. Something I had yet to feel as a Special Agent. Usually, it was more about preventing the killer from taking another life. Not finding one of his victims alive. I began to get anxious, unable to stand still as I constantly shifted my feet to ease my impatience.

Kellen leaned back in his chair and placed his hands in his lap. “When did her right path end?”

“When she sinned, she took the Lord’s name in vain.”

“And that is when you took her?” Kellen probed.

“I needed to save her from herself. She was going to be damned eternally. She needed to be returned to God.”

Kellen’s frustration was building by the tense set of his shoulders. The only downfall with stealing the mind of a mortal was that they only answered your question directly.

You wouldn’t get anything deeper. I moved around anxiously, hoped he’d pull through here. We needed this. This was the only way we were going to find Sabrina before it was too late.

Kellen leaned forward. His gaze was intent, focused and unyielding. “Where have you put Sabrina?”

“I have put her back with God.”

Kellen’s fists slammed down on top of the table. “Where have you left her then?”

Uh oh! Anger began to swell on Kellen’s face. This I had seen too many times to count. Kellen had one flaw, a wicked temper. He wasn’t patient, nor was he delicate.

When he got frustrated, the world knew it.

Chad gave that sweet as sugar smile. “She will always be with me, I’m God’s messenger.”

In a movement that was far too quick, Kellen lunged over the table and slammed Chad up against the wall.

“Oh shit.” I ran for the door. F*ck, I should have seen it with the clenched fists, but I hadn’t really considered that he’d react the way he did. I thought he’d have more restraint over his frustrations. Clearly, he was bored with this all and wanted it over with.

“What have you done with her? Where is she?” Kellen roared. “My patience is thin. I am tired of this ridiculous journey.” He slammed him up against the wall again. “Tell me where she is.”

Chad gasped, his face beginning to turn a shade of blue. “She is being saved. I’ve sent her home to God.”

“Where?” Kellen growled, a tone I’d heard before. He was willing every ounce of strength out of him. As I cleared the door I could see Kellen was straining in his powers.

I rushed forward as did the others and grabbed Kellen to pull him off Chad. “Let go, Kellen, right now.”

“Forest Home Cemetery, ” Chad squeaked before he fainted.

Kellen glanced toward me. Annoyance weighed heavy on his face as he released Chad to the floor. The kid crumpled to the ground with a loud thud, knocked old cold.

“We do not manhandle suspects,” Mike spat at Kellen. “You should know that as part of the FBI.”

“I apologize.” Kellen wiped his hands on his slacks and met Mike’s gaze unabashed.

“The chum got the best of me.”

Nick looked down to where Chad was slumped out cold and whistled. “There is going to be some hell to pay for this.”

I ignored the limp Chad on the floor, Kellen’s arrogance and Mike’s anger. What the hell where they still doing here? “As if it matters. We know where she is.” All gazes met mine in a second flat.

Mike’s face filled with puzzlement. “He hadn’t said anything?”

Of course, he had, but Mike’s mortal ears didn’t hear it. “He told us, you just weren’t listening.”

Without a moment to spare, I ran as fast as I could without rising suspicion.

Sabrina…we’re coming!