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  Natalie would be a feast worth remembering.

  Chapter Eight

  It took about a week before Natalie could see Todd again. Between shuttling her son back and forth from school to soccer practice and a packed work schedule, her social life had taken a backseat.

  Once the big day rolled around, she felt as giddy as the night of her senior prom. The subtle weirdness of their last encounter had faded in her mind, replaced with anticipation. Todd wanted to switch things up this time and had proposed an afternoon stroll in a nearby park. Like herself, he was getting off from work early, and the forecast was for beautiful weather.

  Todd proved to be a proper gentleman again, offering to pick her up around three and supply a picnic lunch. Natalie suggested four, knowing she’d have to give Sean a ride from school and drop him off at the house. Her mom had volunteered to watch him again. Her office job let out at a quarter to three, which gave her only about an hour to get her kid, rush home, and get dolled up. A tight schedule, but she was used to it.

  Naturally, everything that could go wrong went wrong that afternoon.

  First, a client at the medical office kept her way longer than expected, and then an accident turned the ride home into a traffic nightmare. With horror, Natalie realized she would be late for her second date. And that’s when her mom called, telling her she was feeling under the weather and wouldn’t be able to watch Sean after all.

  There goes my date, she thought.

  She checked the time, and her heart sank. It was 3:30 pm.

  Who cancels a date thirty minutes before you’re supposed to meet?

  Someone who doesn’t want to be asked out again.

  Shit, she had to call Todd and hope he wasn’t on his way yet. With dismay, she realized her crappy old cell phone was dying on her. The battery had suddenly dropped from fifty percent to five percent, as it was prone to do nowadays for no discernible reason. And she’d forgotten her charger at work.

  Natalie tried to call anyway, hoping that the phone would last long enough to apologize for standing him up. She wasn’t getting through to Todd, though, and after multiple failed attempts, she angrily placed the useless piece of junk into her vehicle’s overflowing cup holder.

  The whole time, Sean was singing some song he’d heard on a YouTube video. Over and over again. At top volume.

  By the time she rolled up to her apartment complex, Todd was already waiting for her in the driveway next to his BMW. He looked even better than he had on their first date. He was wearing skinny jeans and a white shirt and flashed her a big smile. Nothing about him suggested that he was angry because she was late.

  Her stomach churned with anxiety, all too aware of her ten-year old passenger. She felt like a thief caught in the act of the crime. Time to come clean. So much for holding back on the whole single-mother part of her messy life.

  Perhaps it was best for Todd to find out sooner rather than later what he was getting himself into.

  Natalie parked her Honda, took a deep breath, and got out of the car. Todd spotted the kid in the passenger seat, but he didn’t look freaked—or at least he wasn’t showing it.

  “Hey there,” Todd said with that serene, all-knowing smile of his. She wished she could move through the world with that level of preternatural cool.

  Todd waved at Sean who seemed impressed with his BMW, still smiling. He looked like nothing in the world could faze him. Natalie felt a flare of hope that things would work out after all.

  Sean got out of the vehicle, curious about the stranger in the badass car hanging out in their driveway. Giving her herself an internal push, Natalie did the same. Todd locked eyes with her for a beat, then shifted his attention to Sean and smiled.

  “And who would you be?”

  “I’m Sean.”

  “Nice to meet ya, Sean. I’m Todd.”

  Natalie clutched her purse like a life preserver. “Sorry about being late, I tried to call you, but my phone was acting up. I had some problems at work, and there was an accident…”

  “No worries. I can wait for you to get ready.”

  Todd’s understanding tone warmed her heart. God, this next part would hurt.

  “I have some bad news. My mother was supposed to watch my son tonight, but she isn’t feeling well and can’t do it. I literally just found a few minutes ago. I tried to call...”

  Her voice broke off. And now for the really hard part.

  “I’m so sorry to do this to you, Todd, but would you mind if we took a rain check?”

  “Sure, no problem.” Todd’s attention fixed on her son again. “Hey Sean, I see you’re a fan of the Teenage Ninja Turtles.” Todd gestured at Sean’s green T-shirt. “Who’s your favorite?”

  “Raphael.”

  “And why is that?”

  “He’s funny and likes to fight.”

  Sean held up an invisible pair of sai that only he could see in his imagination and showed off some fighting moves, brought to life by a few loud whooshing sounds.

  “Don’t get him started,” Natalie said with a smile.

  She did not understand what was happening here, but she was digging it. Sean was usually so shy around men—not that she ever brought any home. Her ex had been a real piece of work, and Sean didn’t have a lot of male role models in his life. But as she watched him grinning at Todd, a sudden vision of what the future might hold for them both almost stole her breath.

  Todd took a step closer to both Sean and Natalie. “I bet you love pizza as much as the turtles too.”

  Sean nodded his head with enthusiasm.

  Is this going where I think it is? Natalie wondered.

  Sean’s gaze met hers and broke into a wide grin.

  “I have an idea. Why don’t we skip the park and all grab some pizza?”

  “Are you sure?” Natalie said, stunned by the suggestion of the family date. She suddenly felt super-guilty for trying to keep her son a secret.

  “I’m already here, Sean loves pizza, I love pizza, and I sure hope you like pizza too.”

  “I adore pizza,” Natalie said. As long as she wasn’t ordering it from The Godmother.

  “Sounds like we’re all having pizza tonight.”

  And so they did.

  Todd picked a family-friendly joint nearby, and for the next two hours, Natalie had one of the most surreal but fun evenings in a long time. Sean and Todd became instant buds. Her son was connecting with Todd almost like she had when she first met him at her restaurant.

  Natalie did not understand where any of this was going, but seeing Todd and Sean together was… nice. For a moment, she could almost imagine having a real family again, and the idea both thrilled and terrified her.

  This guy was too good to be true.

  At one point, her gaze lingered on Todd a beat too long. She gave him what she hoped was a sultry smile.

  You better stop being such a perfect catch, she thought, or I might not let you go.

  Todd felt her stare and matched it, almost as if he knew what was going through her mind. If Sean hadn’t been around, Natalie was sure a furious make-out session would have followed.

  She smiled, and a deep sense of happiness washed over her.

  Only once, during this beautiful evening, did Natalie’s attention wander to the shadowy corners of the restaurant where a few old-fashioned arcade video games buzzed and chirped in their retro fashion. She almost expected the mysterious stranger who’d stalked her first date to pop from the darkness. But there was no sign of the man in the beat-up trench coat.

  “Is there anything wrong?” Todd inquired, having noticed her distracted expression.

  Natalie grinned and shook her head. “Not at all. Things couldn’t be better.”

  Chapter Nine

  In the dark corner that had caught Natalie’s eye, the Hexecutioner watched as Todd continued to spin his diabolical web. This time, his magic didn’t waver, and he remained invisible to human eyes. That was thanks to the hours he’d spent steeling himself
for this evening’s surveillance. This time he held his emotions in check. He couldn’t afford to let Natalie see him now, or she’d give away the hunt.

  He’d trailed the Familiar all week long, but the bastard had refused to lead him to his undead masters. Todd was smart enough not to show up at their lair empty-handed. Nosferati could turn on their helpers when their hunger became too strong.

  So Weylock remained in the shadows and bided his time.

  Watching him now, Weylock marveled at the ease at which Todd interacted with Natalie’s kid, how easily he’d struck up a friendship with the boy. Seeing them together was both fascinating and unnerving. Tapping into his old FBI training, Weylock had put together a rough psych profile of the bastard. Todd was a perfect sociopath. Charming, witty, capable of faking warmth and building rapport without even working up a sweat.

  The cunning bastard could completely compartmentalize his emotions. Every smile or high five or fist bump he shared with Sean was part of an elaborate game of manipulation. Every look he gave Natalie, everything he said to make her laugh, was a lie. Todd didn’t seem to experience emotions on a personal level; they solely served as weapons of psychological warfare.

  Todd recognized a need in these poor women. He could fake being the man of their dreams, but his heart was as cold as his soul was black. Todd didn’t care about this struggling woman, couldn’t give a shit about the boy starved for a father figure. He couldn’t care, and for a moment that almost made Weylock feel sorry for him.

  Almost.

  Weylock had known many such psychopaths as an FBI profiler. Those were the men he used to hunt in his old life. Funny how so little had changed when he became the Hexecutioner. Still hunting the same old predators, only with a new bag of tricks.

  A big smile lit up the Familiar’s face. Was he picturing Natalie’s face when she finally met his inhuman masters? Was he hearing her screams of terror?

  Little did the psychotic asshole know that Weylock also was smiling.

  The Hexecutioner was looking forward to becoming better acquainted with Todd.

  Chapter Ten

  Todd dropped Natalie and her son off and gave her a quick kiss goodnight.

  His lingering gaze held the promise of a third date, one that would belong to Natalie and him alone.

  Todd waved goodnight to them both and pulled out of their driveway. As soon as he was out of view, a sardonic smile curled his lips. Inviting the irritating brat along on their second date had been a stroke of genius on his part. What better way to plant the seeds of hope in a single mother than to offer a glimpse of the family life she never had? To make her believe that her broken family one day might be whole again, and that her abandoned offspring might have a male role model in his life.

  Pathetic how many people will swallow the lies they wanted to be true.

  Keep dreaming, my dear, Todd thought. The moment of truth was approaching fast.

  Todd couldn’t wait for that delicious instant when the nosferati sank their fangs into her quivering flesh, and that last sparkle of hope died in her eyes.

  Chapter Eleven

  The night for their third date had arrived, and Natalie was both anxious and excited.

  Todd planned to treat her to a home-cooked meal this time, followed by a movie on his big-screen TV. Natalie had a funny feeling they might not make it through the movie, which was okay with her. She’d binged enough movies in the last few years to last her a lifetime.

  This time around, she’d dropped Sean off at her mom’s house.

  The evening belonged to her and Todd alone.

  With butterflies in her stomach, Natalie met Todd in her driveway. She was wearing a casual black dress, which she’d purchased two days earlier. It wasn’t really in the budget, but Natalie wanted to look her best.

  Going by the admiring looks Todd was giving her, she’d made the right choice. She gave him a sultry smile and put a little extra wiggle in her walk. He’d earned himself a little show.

  It took them about half an hour to reach Todd’s place. He lived on the outskirts of the city. Unsightly blocks of cement gave way to stretches of green dotted by lush trees. The change in scenery had a calming effect on Natalie, and she started to relax.

  When they pulled up to the property, though, Natalie gasped in surprise. A mansion loomed before her, sinister and forbidding. With its pitched roofs and steepled gables, the house could have easily fronted the cover of some gothic novel. The pointed windows made her think of all-seeing eyes; the grand entry, with its set of ebony doors, recalled a gaping jaw.

  This property wasn’t exactly inviting. And it was more than a little surprising.

  She had been sure Todd did okay for himself—after all, he was a lawyer—but this was not at all what she had imagined. A swanky loft, maybe, or a nice place in the suburbs. How could he afford such a place? And why would a single guy live in a sprawling estate by his lonesome? The mansion had to have cost a fortune.

  Natalie suddenly felt like a girl in a fairy tale being whisked away to her suitor’s castle.

  “I know, it’s a bit much,” he said with a shrug.

  “Kinda, yeah.”

  “I have a studio I keep in the city near work, but it’s total bachelor pad and not exactly girl-friendly. I don’t want to scare you off now. This place belonged to my grandparents. I inherited it from them a few years ago and try to spend most of my weekends out here.”

  Some weekend getaway, Natalie thought.

  The closer they got, the less the place looked like a fairy tale.

  She took in the overgrown hedges and dead tree limbs as they wheeled through the rusting wrought-iron gates. The upkeep of this place must have cost a fortune, so the state of neglect wasn’t really that surprising.

  Todd was trying to impress her by bringing her to his estate—but to be honest, there was something unnerving about it now that she considered things. Didn’t Todd realize he didn’t need to impress her with material possessions? She was plenty impressed at this point. Besides, this place was kinda spooky. And not girl-friendly, either, unless you were some goth chick into the macabre.

  Little did she know that this first surprise would pale when compared to what still lay ahead.

  They rumbled up the drive toward the carport, and Todd gallantly got out of the car first to open her door.

  “Welcome to my humble abode,” he said.

  Natalie giggled nervously and allowed him to sweep her through the door.

  The inside of the mansion matched the gothic exterior—old-world romance blended with a sense of decay. Their steps echoed against the marble floor as they made their way through various halls and rooms. The décor of the expansive property was lavish and exquisite, dominated by antique wooden furniture. High-backed armchairs with velvet upholstery, elaborate crown molding, and opulent mirrors abounded. Every piece of woodwork or plaster was ornamented.

  Natalie took it all in with big eyes, overwhelmed. Electric sconces and candelabras further added a surreal touch to the house. It was so different from her crummy little apartment. She wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or vaguely insulted by such an over-the-top show of wealth.

  He didn’t pick this stuff out, she reminded herself. Todd’s grandparents must have been real characters.

  Sunlight dwindled through drawn floor-to-ceiling curtains, while multiple doors and passages led off to God-knows-where. The mansion was a place frozen in time, and Natalie couldn’t help but feel a little creeped out.

  Todd led her to the large living area and told her to get comfortable on an antique leather sofa. Natalie sat down as if in a trance, her eyes fixed on the double grand staircase at the far end of the room, which ascended to a landing shrouded in darkness. A chimney rose from the center of the room, encrusted with baroque masonry, becoming lost in the shadows above.

  Todd produced a wine bottle from an alcove and started filling a glass of red for her. Then he winked and told her he’d just put the food in the oven a
nd be right back.

  “Just get comfortable and relax,” he said as he handed her the glass of red wine.

  Natalie stared after Todd. Did he expect her to hang out in this eerie room all by herself?

  “Let me join you,” she offered, halfway rising from the sofa.

  “I appreciate the offer, but I can’t accept it. You spend your days serving others; tonight, it’s your turn.”

  And before Natalie could protest again, Todd took off through the nearest doorway and vanished from view.

  What the hell?

  Natalie wanted to chill and have a good time, she really did, but she failed miserably. Her eyes kept taking in her surreal surroundings. Stuffed and mounted animal heads glared at her from the walls. The porcelain statues decorating the living room area seemed to be silently judging her.

  How could Todd believe this was the proper place for a third date?

  She took a deep swig from her wine glass, hoping it might calm her. It didn’t.

  Something was wrong about all of this.

  Don’t be silly. Quit being such a Girl Scout.

  She continued to sip her wine, worried she might finish her glass before Todd returned. Minutes stretched on, and her anxiety deepened. She’d hoped that Todd’s idea of cooking involved popping some meat in the oven or putting a pot to boil while they spent quality time together. Did he expect her to wait here for him all by her lonesome while he whipped up some four-course meal all by himself?

  Not cool. Not cool at all.

  She was still toying with the idea of going after Todd when things went from bad to worse.

  Without warning, the lights went out, pitching the living room in darkness.

  Her pulse quickened. The pale moonlight filtering through the large curtains painted all the objects in the room in menacing silhouette. She had already found the living room to be unsettling; now it was downright scary.

  “Todd? Todd, can you hear me?”