A/N : Sorry for the long update. This is quite a short chapter but i do hope you like it R&R please. thanks!
Previously..
Horatio and Calleigh on the other hand, had gone home separately after strolling on the beach, savoring every moment together. They've reconciled and agreed that they would take it slow and easy. Horatio wanted more than just one night stand. He wanted something special and magical. He wanted forever. So does Calleigh. They both wanted forever. That night, Horatio got a callout.
"Caine." Horatio answered groggily.
"Did I wake you up?" the person on the other end asked.
"What do you think?" He asked as he turned to the clock on the nightstand. It was 3am. "It's 3 in the morning. This better be good."
"It definitely is H. She struck again. I'll text you the address." Horatio was wide awake by then. He got up quickly, went into the bathroom to have a quick shower before going to the scene.
"Taylor."
"Horatio here. The killer struck again. I'm on my way to pick you up if you want to come along." Horatio said as he got into the hummer.
"Yes. Count me in. What time is it now?"
"3.30 in the morning." Horatio chuckled.
"Urgh. Okay. I'll be at the lobby then." He put down the phone and woke Jo up. "Jo, wake up. Horatio is on his way here. There's been another victim." Jo stirred but didn't wake up. "Jo…wake up." It still didn't work. So Mac decided to give a morning kiss. He knew she would wake up. Mac kissed her lightly on her neck, slowly working down to her breasts.
"Morning Mac. You seemed… very spirited today." Jo joked as she woke up to his kisses. Mac got off her and said "Come on Jo. There's another victim. Horatio's on his way."
"So that was your way of waking me up huh Taylor?" She teased. "Well..It always worked doesn't it?" Mac teased her back.
Both of them got ready and went to the lobby within minutes. Horatio was already waiting in the hummer with Calleigh. All of them looked very tired. They hadn't had enough sleep. As they reached the scene, the team was already there.
"It's a messy one H. Unlike the others. The signature letter is still there though. But this time with more message." Frank said as he passed the letter to Horatio.
"Who found him?" Horatio asked.
"Girlfriend. She's pretty shaken up."
"We belong together, Mac Taylor. You belong with me. Not with her. I love you." Horatio read aloud. At that instance, Mac and Jo looked at each other. Horatio caught them. He suspected there's something going on between them but he didn't want to interfere. That was their personal business.
"So, this killer thinks you're with someone." Horatio said while looking at both Mac and Jo. "She knows you're here, Mac."He continued. Mac and Jo shared a look. They knew Horatio was right. They knew the killer probably saw them together.
All four of them went in saw all the blood in the room. It was a mess. It wasn't like the previous victims. This one was much more brutal. The signature was still there. The victim was still dressed to look like Mac Taylor. The physical attributes were still the same. The view was sickening. The victim was seated and tied to a chair with blood still trickling down his gashed throat. The suit was all soaked with his blood. The wall was covered with blood. The directional splatter on the wall indicated that the victim was still very much alive when his throat was slashed. The killer was sending a message.
"So maybe, he was drugged like the others, redressed, tied to the chair and then slashed." Horatio theorized but he wasn't sure in which order it was done. The crime scene was too messy to determine the order. However, Horatio was very sure that the killer was trying to prove a point and that she isn't playing around. Horatio had ordered the team to stay around to scan the scene thoroughly while the rest of them went back to the lab. Dr. Loman was waiting for them in the morgue to give them the details of the victim.
Mac and Horatio went down to the morgue while Jo and Calleigh went to the trace lab to get the tox results and dig up further on the victim. Dr. Loman had confirmed that the victim had the same puncture mark on the neck. However, the method of killing had been different this time. The victim this time was slashed instead of being smothered.
"So, this guy here, unlike the rest of the victim, wasn't smothered, as you can see… His carotid artery has been severely damaged. Clean, straight cut. Whatever or whoever did this to him is very precise, sharp and very much professional. It was a spot-on." Dr. Loman explained.
"Would you suggest that the killer knows very well, the anatomy of the body?" Horatio asked.
"Most likely, yes. Or she wouldn't have known to cut through the carotid artery, clean and precise, killing the victim instantly. This killer is definitely getting more daring and violent Horatio. He or she might be sending a message." Dr. Loman added.
"And I.. am going to find out what the message is." Horatio said and left the morgue.
Horatio felt a buzz in his chest pocket. It was a text message from Calleigh asking him and Mac to come up. They were there in an instant.
"Wow. You're fast." Jo remarked.
"What have you got?" Horatio asked, ignoring Jo's remark on him.
"So, the victim, he's obviously not Mac Taylor. He's Albert Blake, 43, but what's different is that he's got a girlfriend." Calleigh paused. "I think it's possible to think that the killer suspects that Mac has a girlfriend. All the three other victims had been very similar to Mac including their lifestyle." She continued.
"Hmm. That's what I thought too but you said Mac is single. So why would the killer think that way?" Horatio said, trying to figure out an answer to his question although deep down, he already had his suspicion of Mac and Jo. "Whatever this is, the killer is getting more violent and she's trying to prove a point here. She's really into you Mac." He continued which made Mac frowned. "How about the tox results?" He said again.
"Morphine. Just enough to knock you down but not kill you. We have a cold-blooded killer in hand. I really hope there are no more victims. And what's frustrating is that we still got nothing on this damn killer. No murder weapon, nothing." Calleigh answered.
They knew Calleigh was right. They still got nothing on the killer. Not even a murder weapon and not even leaving any form of trace around. This killer was a professional. She knows how not to get caught. They were getting sick and tired of it. There was nothing they could do right now without any evidence or even a suspect. They have spent almost a week on these cases but they still have got nothing in their hands.
Throughout the day, they have been cracking their brains, trying to figure out anything that could help them find the killer but they couldn't find any. Eric and Ryan couldn't find anything at the crime scene. Despite the messy scene, there was still no hard evidence. The scene has been swiped clean. It was a clear sign that the killer knows what she's doing. Horatio saw Calleigh slump onto the couch. It was no doubt that they were all exhausted. The cases were wearing them down. They needed some rest. Horatio decided to call it a night and ask them all to go home. They couldn't focus if they hadn't had enough rest.
"Hey. How about calling it a night. Everyone seems very tired. This can wait. We need to rest too. We'll continue tomorrow after we've rested and we'll be more focused." Everyone agreed with Horatio. They indeed needed the sleep. Jo had fallen asleep on the desk. "I'll send you back to the hotel. Come on."
Horatio decided to send them back to their hotel and Calleigh back to her apartment. In the car, everyone was so tired that they could barely open their eyes. Horatio had a cup of coffee by his side to help him stay awake. For Mac and Jo, it has only been 2 days in Miami and they were so burnt out already. These cases were getting to them. Calleigh was already leaning on the window whereas Mac and Jo leaned on each other. Horatio smiled to himself. His suspicions were right. Once he reached the hotel lobby, he woke Mac and Jo up and made his way to Calleigh's apartment. Calleigh didn't wake up when they stopped to drop Mac off.
When he reached her apartment, he went to Calleigh's side to wake her up but she only stirred. Horatio decided to just lift her up and carry her to her apartment. To him, she was as light as feather. He fished her keys out of her pocket and that made her wake up. "Horatio?" She called him, groggily. "What are you doing?"
"Uhm.. I was trying to find your key. Sorry I woke you up." She chuckled at that. She pushed his hands aside and took out her keys for him. She was still in Horatio's arms as she helped him unlock the door.
"Okay there, Handsome. You can put me down. I'm not exactly that light-weighted. I don't want your hands to be aching tomorrow." She smiled at him. Horatio laughed. He puts her down and whispered into her ears "I beg to differ, Sweetheart." Calleigh blushed. As he was about to give Calleigh a goodnight kiss on her cheek, she suddenly turned and that sudden movement caused Horatio to brush her lips instead of her cheeks. Instinctively, Calleigh responded to his kiss which caused them to deepen their kiss. Arms around his neck, Calleigh decided to pull him into the apartment.
"Calleigh, are you su-.." Horatio tried to speak into the kiss. Calleigh broke the kiss. "Do you have any doubts Handsome?"
Horatio shook his head and instantly took her into his embrace, kissing her hungrily. "Bedroom?" Horatio asked. Calleigh nodded. As they made their way to the bedroom, they never let go of each other. Horatio was busy undressing her piece by piece. At the door, Horatio lifted her up to his waist as his hands traces down her back until his fingers are inside the waistband of her underwear and stretching it a bit as he eases it off her. Feeling the smoothness of her back, he bends her backwards, laying her on the bed and slowly kisses his way up her throat and up to her warm, soft lips. Calleigh couldn't help but to moan into the kiss. His kisses were soft and sensual; Calleigh couldn't resist arching into him and feeling his already hardening manhood. She wanted him right now. She needed him now.
Calleigh started unbuckling his belt, slowly moving down to his button and zipper to free his hard manhood. Horatio flinched a little. "No more running Handsome." Horatio relaxed at that, knowing that she wanted this. They both wanted this. Horatio gently run his hands down her sides, tracing gentle lines on her hips and as he reached her wet velvety folds, Calleigh batted his hand. Horatio looked at her, confused. "No Horatio. I need you." Moaning and gasping in between her sentence. Her eyes were clearly begging him to take her. Horatio positioned himself above her, slowly and smoothly inserted himself into her, thrusting into her gently, allowing her to get used to him.
"Ooohh..God Horatio!" Calleigh moaned, enough to almost push him over the edge. "Faster Horatio, faster." She said as she bucked into him, pacing the rhythm with him.
Horatio did as she requested. "Oh sweet lord Horatio. Just keep going. I'm so close.." She moaned and this was just enough encouragement for him. As time passes by, his thrusts were faster and stronger which made her dug into him. "Good lord HORATIO!" She screamed as she came, clenching around him tightly and that sent him over the edge making him follow her lead and spill his seeds into her. Exhausted, he supported his weight on his one elbow and kissed Calleigh passionately.
Calleigh broke the kiss. "Wow" was the only thing she could manage. Slowly, Horatio pulled himself off her and rolls over, holding her in a tight embrace. As he relaxes and reached to his slackening member to dispose the condom, he realizes that they hadn't bothered about any protection. He squirmed at that, worrying that Calleigh would be mad.
"Hey, what's wrong Handsome?" Calleigh asked, noticing that he was getting fidgety.
"We…we didn't use protection." He hesitated.
"What!" Calleigh's eyes went big.
TBC...