Page 96 of When Darkness Calls

“Yeah, I guess so. I don’t know. Suppose we’ll find out soon, huh?” He nods to the guy in the chair.

“You really fucked him up, huh?” I chuckled looking at him.

Keegan cracks a grin, lifting a shoulder in response. “He’s a big fucker, dude. It was me and Nick here. We don’t really have a big chance without a little extra sleep juice.”

Nick snorts from beside the guy, nudging his foot with his boot. “A little extra,” he mocks, and I laugh.

“So, fill me in. This guy— “

“Marcus,” Keegan finishes.

“Marcus is definitely involved with the drugs somehow. A dealer—or at least a runner. And his van was used in that abduction. Any word on the girl? Or the one from the fest?”

Nick shakes his head. “Alex hasn’t said anything to me. They’re dead or worse. For their sake, I hope it was quick and painless.”

We all nod in agreement. “So…Trafficking? Is that what we’re looking at now? Two confirmed abductions, one possibly that may have gone wrong resulting in one dead girl, and Dani’s two assaults, which might be connected too?”

“Yeah,” Keeg sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Sounds right. And we’re sure Dee’s attacks are connected with this?”

“I have a feeling. Both times the attackers wore ski masks. And the Fest is too coincidental not to be suspicious.”

Nick scoffs, kicking the guy harder causing him to groan. “Fucking Shadow Grove. Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, huh?”

He glances up at us, that dark look in his eyes.

“It can always get worse.” Keeg’s voice is solemn.

The thought sends a cold chill down my spine. The ice wrapping around each vertebrate.

One step forward.

The guy in the chair—Marcus—stirs. I straighten, tearing my hoodie off leaving me in my black long sleeve. My hands tighten around the brass knuckles clutched within them, pushing away the brief thought of how barely an hour ago they were slick with Dani’s cum.

Nick pockets his knife, opting instead for the crowbar Keegan tosses his way.

“Gonna be a long night, boys.” I smirk over at them. Nick and Keegan are pulling their masks over their faces. I look down at Marcus shifting in the chair, groans pouring from his mouth.

Long nights. Always with the long nights. But I would do this every night for the rest of my life if it meant I could protect this town. Protect my family. If I can protect Dani.

I pull the mask down, the eyes sitting directly over my own. The rush falls over me that I get every time I wear it.

Marcus’s eyes blink open, and we crowd around him. It takes a second for him to realize what is happening, and just like every time, his eyes widen, and he tries to pull back, but he can’t. He isn’t going anywhere.

“Morning, sunshine.” I chuckle, leaning down into his face. “You ready to face your demons?”

Keegan laughs from my side, shaking his head. “You’re such a dick, dude.”

I barked a laugh back at him. “What?”

“You really just pulled like the biggest Batman move, which is really dickish.” He replies full of amusement.

“Wait what is the new thing he says? Wait,” I clear my throat, lowering it as much as I can before saying, “I am vengeance.”

Keegan and Nick both start laughing, Keeg clutching his stomach and Nick shaking his head.

“What—What’s going on?” Marcus looks between the three of us.

“You, my sad little friend, have some information that is really important for us to know. So, we can do things really quickly and quietly, or…” I trail off lifting my hand, so the light reflects off the metal, and Nick waves the crowbar. “We have to get a bit messy. And I don’t know about you, but I would rather not have to hose the floor down again tonight, m’kay?”