Aries: Zodiac Killers, #5

Chapter 1

Seth

Their headboard thumped against the wall, rattling the painting that hung above the bed. The rhythm quickened as Seth grew closer to his release. In his mind, he wasn’t focused on his young wife beneath him, but the young woman they had shared the night before. She had made amazing noises, and he had already decided to have Kari call her back and set up another date as soon as possible.

She would agree, of course. Seth had his wife right where he wanted her. Not only was she useful for maintaining his position at her father’s company, but she was going to look the part for his political career as well.

When they were finished, he pulled away, and Kari rolled over onto her back. I’m glad you liked Jasmine. I was thinking of having her over for lunch today. I can make plans for another night together if you’d like. Kari was as much into Jasmine as he had been, but he didn’t want her to get too cozy.

You know the rules, he said. If you have her alone, then I get to have her all to myself, too. And I know how much you hate that. As long as he appeared to be playing by the rules, what Kari didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her, and she had no idea he was hooking up with his campaign manager. He planned on fucking her around lunchtime, and he had no interest in sharing.

Kari shook her head. Don’t worry. It’s just lunch and a little flirting. That’s all. I need to make sure she is okay with everything. She seemed a little distant when she left.

I’m sure she was fine. She was walking a little funny, but I didn’t notice anything else.

You might have freaked her out with the whole hand around the neck thing. Not everyone is into that, you know?

She’ll learn to like it, just as you have. He had trained his girl not only to like sharing but to like his kinks and exploration. He wanted it all in the bedroom, just like he wanted it all in his life. In his kingdom, he ruled.

Seth stood at the dresser as he checked his phone. It’s time for some breakfast, baby. I’d like eggs and toast. Real butter this time. Not that margarine shit.

Kari raked her hand through her long, strawberry-blond hair as she sat up in bed. I was hoping that we would go out this morning. I’ve just woken up, and I’m already exhausted.

He glanced up at her in the mirror. No, I want your cooking, darling. Nothing else will do.

Kari got up and stomped to the bathroom. A minute later, Seth heard the shower come on. He took the time to message Gretta Kirk, who had been advising him since he’d thrown his hat into the ring for the race for state representative. His message asked her to meet him for lunch. With that done, he decided to hurry Kari along by going to the shower.

He pulled the curtain back and stepped in, finding her standing against the back wall as the water washed over her. Are you still pouting? You know it’s not an attractive look, Kitten.

I’m not your fucking slave, you know? I mean, I’m content to let you dominate me in the bedroom, and I don’t mind doing some of the unnatural shit you like to call sex, but I’m not a goddamn sandwich maker. She stormed past him out of the small enclosure and got a towel.

Seth was barely fazed. You’re going to have to get used to being a wife, Kari. It’s not always going to be about takeout and sex. I married you to build a life.

His campaign manager had already started in on the fact that he had no children. He needed to try and get Kari pregnant, but she had made him be careful not to, which was fine with him until now. He hadn’t wanted a baby bump to get in the way of their lifestyle, but with the campaign, he needed to improve his image a bit. Knowing she was already in a mood, he would have to break that to her another time.

Kari disappeared into the next room while he finished his shower. After toweling off, he dressed in a pale grey button-down shirt that was his favorite and the new tie Gretta bought him. Then he made sure not one hair was out of place before going down to find Kari had finished his breakfast.

Better eat it fast, or it will get cold. She sat across from him at their small round breakfast table and sucked the juice from an orange slice.

Where’s my remote? You know I like to catch the news when I can. I have to keep up on current events. Before he finished his sentence, Kari stormed across the room to the coffee table and grabbed the remote. She sat in her chair and then turned the TV on before sliding the remote across the table to him.

Thanks, darlin’. Seth softened his voice, seeing that she was still in a foul mood. The Dallas local news had nothing but Facebook surveys, so he changed it to the national news where the word Zodiac caught his eye. He turned the volume up on the generically pretty news anchor.

The body was reported as having a zodiac brand, much like the other victims of the shocking serial murder spree that is currently sweeping through New York City. Considering that Miller died in prison, will the real killer view him as the one that got away? And what’s next on this cowardly murderer’s agenda?

Seth laughed. The press is trying to goad the killer.

Kari turned toward the TV. What do they mean by brands? He’d never told her what his scar meant, and with it being shaped like a fancy V, he told everyone he had cut himself on a piece of metal roofing when he was younger.

Apparently, this man had some sort of branding on his shoulder. He couldn’t help but think of his old friend, Logan. Poor bastard never stood a chance on the inside anyway. I’m surprised he lasted that long. It was a symbol for Aquarius.

You mean like your scar? I couldn’t help but notice it was the same kind of marking that your friend had. Looked the same, anyway.

My friend? He knew damned well who she meant.

You know, Finn? The one we fucked back in New York. She was an observant creature, and he tried to remember if Bay had been dressed or not when he’d shared her with the man because she might have seen his brand too. But no, Bay had been wearing a shirt the entire time at the sex club.

He shrugged off her insinuation. His was nothing like mine. Seth kept his voice level, but inside, he wanted to snap at her. A subject change was the only solution.

These eggs are delicious, Kari. Your cooking is improving.

She had never been the domestic type, and before he’d met her, she was a shadow to her father at the office, trying to keep up with things she cared nothing about. Now she could spend her days being pampered and piddling around the house, which she had taken to decorating herself.

He looked up to find her sipping her juice and staring at him in a way that made him wonder if she was buying his lie at all. But he wasn’t about to break and explain his past. What she didn’t know would protect her, especially now that some psycho was killing members of the Zodiac Society.

My father was asking me again about your campaign, she said. He can’t believe you’re seriously going to pursue it.

What’s so hard to believe? I’ve always been a go-getter, and this is one thing I want to go after in my life. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do since my father held office years ago.

She shrugged. Daddy thinks it’s going to interfere with your work for the company.

Your father has always been more concerned about that oil company than the happiness of others. Look how he had you working your sanity away, all the while knowing you were miserable. He took the last bite of his toast, folding the piece in half and shoving it in. As he swallowed, he shook his head. Let me worry about your father, and tell him if he needs to share his opinions of me with anyone, he knows my number. I will not stand for you being put between us.

She smiled, and he knew he had her. She had always thought her father was too overbearing in her own life, and Seth had come along and rescued her from that.

I just have to wonder if this is the right time for all of this, she said. Why not in five years or so? You’re still young, Seth. We’ve just started our lives together, and we have a lot of fun. Her foot found his pant leg beneath the table, and she stroked his calf. I guess I’m just afraid that all of that will end.

That’s nonsense. If anything, it will get better. I want us to have a better life, and I’d like to be state representative before I hit thirty. He had the power job, the subservient wife, the fine home. Everything that Bay Collins had. Now, it was time to one up the guy, who made sure to rub the fact that he’d knocked up his girl in Seth’s face. Just thinking of it put Seth on edge. Maybe he shouldn’t wait to mention it. He could at least feel her out on the subject.

You’ll have to behave if you run for office, she said.

Have you ever heard of a politician who behaves a hundred percent of the time? Besides, our sexual trysts will be our dirty little secret, which will make it even hotter. You wait and see.

My father said that you’ll want to start a family soon; that all politicians have a better chance of getting elected when they are seen as family men. He was happy that at least the old man had thrown him that bone.

Well, would you be so opposed to giving me a child, Kari? I mean, we’ve talked about having children.

Yes, and we agreed that we should wait, at least until we’ve gotten a lot of our kinks out of our systems because neither of us want our children in that environment.

Of course, we don’t, but we’d be able to take what we do elsewhere, like we did at the club. Besides, fucking you while you’re big with my baby? Well, the very thought of it makes me hard. He flashed her a wink as a blush rose to her cheeks.

That’s something that I want to wait a while for, Seth. She looked down at the bowl in front of her.

We’ll discuss it later, but I’m afraid this campaign is going to happen whether your father likes it or not. I’ve already paid my registration fees, and I’m going to be on the ballot. Everything is in motion, Kari. You may as well get used to it.

Just try not to let it interfere with Daddy’s company. He is depending on you, you know? Her eyes grew puffy. It’s just that since Brady died, you know, you’re the first person who he’s really trusted.

Her brother had been everything to the family. Losing him in a carjacking just three days before he was supposed to graduate college and start work with her father had been an emotional blow that had nearly tanked the entire company. Seth had been their savior. Opportunity had knocked, and he’d used the tragedy to secure a position of trust and power for himself. But now that the emotional fog was clearing, Seth was afraid her father might be seeing through him a bit more.

"I know he trusts me, baby. And that’s how your father knows he can count on me. I’ve done right by him enough that he should know it. As a matter of fact, it’s kind of hurtful that he doesn’t trust that I know what I’m doing. This could be wonderful for the company. I could help fight the regulations that are strangling the industry."

I know you want what’s best for us all, Seth. I didn’t mean to insinuate anything, really.

He rose from the table and wiped his mouth on his paper napkin, knowing it was best to keep up the act. Of course, you know I do. He tossed the napkin to the table and walked over to give her a kiss on the cheek, which was his way of acting upset. He cleared his throat. That toast was a little dry.

I left the butter on the table so you could add more. Her tone was defensive, but he shrugged it off.

"It’s fine; you’ll get the hang of it. But I’ve been thinking, maybe we should have a baby." He left her to ponder that as he headed to work.

Chapter 2

Darek

Darek couldn’t believe he was standing over the body of another friend, and whoever had gotten to Logan had not only beaten him to a pulp but made sure to stab him in just the right spot to kill him.

Lizzy’s hair curtained her face as she leaned over the body. They hit the carotid dead on. Severed it. Makes you wonder why they didn’t just do it right away. Seems like it took a lot of energy to beat the shit out of him first.

Darek shrugged. I guess they had nothing better to do.

Lizzy reached out with her gloved finger and traced the scarred-up Aquarius symbol on his shoulder, which was a sickly shade of brown. Yeah, but you’d think that the guards would have been able to stop this sooner. By the time they stabbed him, he was nearly dead already.

The guards on duty were distracted by another situation down on the other end of the block. That’s how they got away with it. The inmate, Cody Dolan, admitted the distraction was to get the job done. He’s serving a life sentence already, so he didn’t mind adding some time.

Lizzy huffed, her back going stiff as she rose to meet his eyes. Did he say why he did it?

Just that he didn’t like him. I guess when you’re serving life, you want to be choosey who you spend your time with. Darek tried not to stare at Logan’s face. He remembered the last time the guy had spoken with him. Logan had been certain he was untouchable, and since the other inmates were being so nice to him, taking care of him and watching his back,