Chapter 1
Annabelle POV
“And yet again, the unnamed serial killer strikes. Two bodies were found floating in the lake and the police say their deaths were caused by two bullets; each in the heart and head. The gun used is yet to be identified, and the same goes for the serial killer. Stay tuned”.
The journalist stared at the camera a little more before it was taken from her to the unidentified bodies that had been taken off the lake. The police look puzzled and upset with the happenings. I would not blame them. Who wouldn't be when their job was to find culprits like this but for over five years they could not find this 'serial killer'.
A small smile came to my face at the thought.
“Are we safe, Anna?” My brother's weak voice made my smile drop as I turned to him. Even with the tubes and needles inside of him, he looked worse than when he first came in. I nodded, giving him a small smile.
“We are. We can't be on an assassin's list, can we?” I joked.
“The lady said serial killer,” he said.
I nodded. “Yes, but she is an assassin, not a serial killer”
“How do you know that?” he asked, curiosity in his voice and gaze.
Well, it could be because I was the one. I shrugged.
“Patterns,” I replied.
“How is everyone doing?” the doctor walked in with a smile and a clipboard in hand.
She came in just in time. I knew my brother did not plan on letting go of the topic, which was not good.
“The test just came back. We would have to give him another dose of his medication. Only then can he be discharged, but he would occasionally come in for his routine,” she said.
“How much would that cost?” I asked, a small frown on my face.
“A hundred thousand,” she said. “I'll leave everything to the cashier. Once paid, his treatment would begin”.
She turned around and left the ward. Sometimes, these doctors get on my nerves. But then again, they were only doing their jobs.
“Where would you get the money, Anna? I know you emptied your savings last time,” my brother said, worried.
I rose to my feet, glancing at the television that was muted but still displaying the news.
“I'll handle it,” I said, heading out the door.
My phone dinged just when I was close enough to the door. And a smile curled up my face at the notification but it dropped at the sight of the falling snow.
Skyline city always snowed too early, and I hated it. Shoving my hands into my jacket pockets, I headed for the bank, took how much I needed and headed home.
“Three more bodies were found at the local zoo. Whatever is happening needs to be sorted out or our little town will become a bloodbath,” the voice of the journalist hit my ears as I walked into our small home.
I'm guessing my mother was into it before she left. My phone dinged, and I took it out of my pocket.
“Tonight, get it done or else,” the message read.
Without replying, I shut my phone. A new task was always good. My brother needed a lot of money for his medical bills, but this person was just overbearing.
In the middle of my thoughts, at the verge of cursing, I heard recurring footsteps. It was my mother, thanks to her words.
“Doctor Shawn informed me we would need to pay in more money,” she said.
I hummed and placed the small bag I held on the table.
“That should cover it,” I said.
My mother stared at me suspiciously.
“Where did you get the money this time?” she asked. “I already told you not to borrow, we would not be-”
“I didn't borrow it,” I cut her off. Her ranting always got on my nerves. I rubbed my temples, trying to get rid of the headache that she always found a way to give to me.
“I worked for it. Rather than questioning me, maybe you should go pay the hospital so they could care for your favorite child. I am sure you would not want otherwise”.
With that, I walked off to my room. It was slowly turning dark outside and was my perfect time. Changing into my leather pants, boots, and tight-fitted black shirt, I studied myself in the mirror. I fixed my hair into a ponytail but took it down.
I headed out with my leather jacket to protect myself from the pouring snow.
For five years, I have been ending lives. Not all but those that I have been paid to do. Frankly, it paid more than working at a club and taking off my clothes to please old and miserable men. Not like I hated or feared it, but I needed something more money generating.
However, I had other reasons to kill and my standard rule was: “Do not kill humans!”
Strange, but I won't soil my hands with that of humans. Skyline had lots of strange beings in the city; werewolves, vampires, and many more. Not everyone knew about them for the sake of their safety, but unfortunately, they had to be known by me and in the f*****g worse way possible.
I have sworn to make their lives miserable and not by exposing them. No. By killing them, but rather than killing them for fun, I kill them to fix the problem they had brought into my life. And crazy enough, most of them always find themselves in trouble, and so I get paid to get rid of them.
One stone, two birds, I guess.
For five years, I did this job and for the same five years; the police have been unable to find me. Why? Not because I put on a mask.
That's cliché.
Risky? Yes, but I don't care.
I stopped at the bar that was coming to life with the darkness of the city. I showed my ID to the bouncer at the door and walked in, scanning the room with half drunk, and fully drunk people.
A few of them were humans and others were things that should not be here. I spotted the bald man I was looking for and took off my jacket with my eyes locked on him. I didn't own a weapon and in order to get my job done; I needed one, and that was where careless people fall in.
I walked over to the counter, grabbed a drink and slowly headed over to the large table with girls swooning over the bald man. But he wasn't the target. The tall guard who looked like his d**k was going to tear through his trousers by watching his boss make out with so many women at once was the target.
I trailed carefully around the table. Fortunately, the lightning behind them was dim, so it was perfect. Once there, my eyes trailed to the back of my target, and then it landed on the gun that was hooked to his waist. He took a few steps back, rubbing his bulge. Ugh.
Quickly, I moved stealthily forward. Just before I could grab the gun, he grabbed my arm.
“I'm guessing you want some fun” his deep voice was filled with lust, but I knew he could not see my face.
I trailed my hand to his chest. “Maybe, but I'm sure your boss would not like to know you are busy stroking yourself while he gets his d**k sucked,” I said, glancing at the disgrace of a man.
“Get this bitches some more drinks,” his boss ordered, and the guard turned to him.
With that, I grabbed the gun and disappeared into the darkness. But the night was not over yet. I walked through the hallway of the bar, careful to not alert anyone with the gun tucked under my jacket on my arm. I walked up the stairs at the back and I pushed the door at the end, open. The wind hit my face, and the cold gave me goosebumps, but I ignored it, heading for the edge of the roof.
And below was my target. Hot and almost dead.