Page 97 of Ash and Poison

He’s fucking dead. HE IS DEAD.

I repeated it inside my head over and over until the panic slowly went away, and I realized I was once again buried inside the warmth of Asher’s chest. This time I didn’t, couldn’t, pull away. It had been so long since someone had comforted me, since I had let someone comfort me.

“If you hadn’t killed him already, Diya…” He kissed my head. “I would have found him and flayed him for you. I would’ve brought him before you and…”

“Like a mating gift?” I chuckled. “You know, there’s this species of spiders… Pisaura mirabilis, they catch their prey, wrap it in their web, and bring them to the females as a mating gift.”

“Why the fuck do you know that?”

“It’s fascinating.” I shrugged, and he laughed.

“Everything I learn about you makes me want to know more,” he said, his voice tender as he picked the lock.

He walked in first, motioning me to wait. After a few seconds, I followed him. The cottage was barely furnished. The closet stood empty, except the one which was filled with cleaning supplies.

Bleach. Hydrogen peroxide. Ammonia. Something that could clean the traces of blood and semen.

I quickly scanned the room, trying to find any trace of blood. He might not have killed them, but if he brought the girls here, there must be some evidence. Something. Anything. He survived only because no one doubted him, no one knew he existed, except those men who helped him, but even they didn’t know him.

He used their sins to keep himself hidden.

“I’ll look for blood,” Asher said, leaving me alone. I pulled open the drawers one by one, but they were all empty.

“Do you have any idea who this place belongs to?” I asked as Asher rolled the old rug to reveal a wooden floor.

“I don’t know, but if he’s this smart, he wouldn’t be using something that belongs to him or his family.”

“Yes, but the person who owns this place might be another link in the long chain.”

“Yeah,” he said, pulling the cover from a small mattress on the floor.

“I think Vincent can find who this place belongs to.”

“You know he’ll want something in return for that help,” he said.

Smiling, I shook my head.

“From the way you growl every time Vincent is mentioned, anyone would believe you’re a fucking wolf who’s protecting his territory. Would you pee around me too?”

“I’m protecting my territory,” he said, his eyes daring me. “And I’d pee around you. I’d mark every inch of your skin with my cum, if I had to.”

“Oh, shut up, Ash,” I said, feeling a strange flutter in my chest. Oh, fuck, this wasn’t romantic at all, and yet the need to slam him against the wall and let him come all over me was staggering. “I’m not impressed.”

“I see the lies in your eyes, Sharma,” he whispered.

I pulled away from him, glaring at him. “Stop. We’re here on business.”

I walked into the small bedroom with a single cot. It was the only furniture in this cabin.

“There… is that blood? The right wall.” Asher pointed to the small brown stain.

No one would have even noticed it or thought it was blood if they weren’t looking for it.

“Maybe, but I don’t know. He was too careful.”

“If it’s blood, is it possible to find DNA from this?”

“It might not be usable. Layne knows someone who works in a lab. I’ll send it to him. He’s besotted with her.”