Part 22 (1/2)

Reese glanced over his shoulder. ”Maybe it is the ch.o.r.eographer, Wolfe, maybe he's...”

”I've got two agents on Robert Wolfe. They are watching him twenty-four, seven.” Just in case. ”And now, you and I are going to take over the watch on Loxley.” Because his gut told him to stay close to the doctor.

He'd taken her pictures away. Packed up the office.

And the man in the video-that d.a.m.n grainy video that Trace had watched again and again-he'd expertly injected Skye with that needle.

No hesitation.

The man who'd killed Carol had known just where to shove his knife. Known just how to twist that blade to cause maximum damage.

A doctor would know.

Trace headed toward the back of the building.

Waited.

When Loxley rushed out of the hospital ten minutes later, Trace was still waiting.

The doctor hopped into his car.

Sped away.

”Now it's your turn to be stalked,” Trace whispered.

Footsteps.

They tapped across the floor, coming at a slow, steady pace toward her.

Skye was on the floor. She didn't have the strength to stand any more.

My wrists are bleeding again.

The footsteps kept coming closer.

Skye didn't move. She thought that perhaps she might just be imagining that sound. For days, she'd only heard- Her heartbeat.

Her screams.

”Who...” Skye tried to ask...Who's there? But she couldn't get the words out. Her throat had closed up. She couldn't even cry anymore.

”It's all right,” his voice told her, whispering in the darkness. ”I've got you.”

Then she felt something against her lips. Something wet and cool and so wonderful. She choked at first as the water poured over her lips.

”Easy. I'm going to take care of you...”

She gulped the water. Drank and drank.

Her stomach cramped. Her throat convulsed.

The water spilled from her lips. Over her s.h.i.+rt.

”Open your eyes, Skye.”

They were closed? She blinked and the light hit her. Too bright and hard and she couldn't see anything clearly.

He was before her. A big, hulking form. Blurry.

”I'll get you cleaned up,” he promised her.

Because she was filthy and b.l.o.o.d.y.

But I'm not dead.

”I will be the one you need. The only one. I will be the one who takes care of you from now on. You don't have to worry about anyone else. No director telling you that you're eating too much, that you need to work out more, to practice more...”

Robert?

”I knew you hated that life.”

She still couldn't see him clearly. Her eyes just wouldn't focus with that sudden light.

His voice was husky and low, as if he were talking to a lover.

Is that what I am to him?

”I would come and watch you dance. Not just at your shows, but during rehearsal. I knew you needed me...”

The water was gone.

She tilted her head back. Stared up at him.

”Sleeping Beauty...finally waking up to see me.”

Skye shook her head. ”Not...Sleeping Beauty...” His features were sharpening, coming into focus before her.

”You're my Beauty. And I'll be the one to wake you up. The one who gives you life.” He'd pushed the water away. The container spilled, and water poured over the floor. ”Or death.”

She could see him now. Skye stared into his face. Looked straight into the eyes of a man who was crazy.

As crazy as he'd accused her of being.

”There's no going back now,” Mitch Loxley told her, ”I've got you.”