Chapter 8

July 1, 3:39

It had been easy, just a smile and an invitation and this man was driving me to the nearest motel. It was not somewhere that I would have ever stayed in with Edward, not that we were all that well off but the place screamed, 'we charge by the hour'.

It was perfect.

Tall and muscular, I knew I would never be able to overpower this man; that is why the element of surprise was on my side. He would never see me coming.

I offered to pay my share for the room but he waved me off and handed the clerk his credit card. It's perfect, I had cash in my pocket to pay so I wouldn't leave a trail but I hadn't wanted to explain to the man why I was walking around with so much cash.

"Don't look so scared. You invited me, sweetheart. You aren't having second thoughts now are you?"

I shook my head and smiled at him. "No, I'm sure."

The room was in worse shape than the exterior, tears in the blankets, stains on the wall and a yellowish light flickering to illuminate it all. There was so much DNA in the room that it would be a needle in a haystack finding anything useful.

He grabbed my hips and I close my eyes, trying not to flinch as he pulled me to him. I had vowed to never let another man touch me. I wanted to get this done before I had to break that promise.

"Do you want a drink, sweetheart? I think there is a mini bar."

I smile. It's the opening I need.

Carlisle has told me where to stab, making sure that I don't harm the kidney or create distress in the area. John Doe has his back to me so I slipped the switchblade out of my pocket. I didn't have time to think, it's too late to go back.

I would have thought that a skull would offer much more resistance. There is no reaction, the death was instant, and in just a second he went from standing and alert to crumpled and gone. I knew what was going to happen but it didn't make it any less shocking.

I stared at the wound in his head. It bled—a lot. A knock on the door got my attention and I hurried over to let Carlisle in.

It took less time than I imagined to cut out a kidney. After helping him move the body, Carlisle had me clean the floor while he extracted the kidney. The container was prepped for the kidney and Carlisle handed me the package with the small organ. It seemed like such a little thing, yet so important.

The blood poured off my hands but I couldn't stop, I only had so much time left. I packed the thing I had come for, the thing this man had to die for. I couldn't afford to feel guilty; I had already made my choice.

I quickly washed away the evidence of my sin in the dirty motel bathroom, how easily the life of another could wash off me. The dark red turned the water pink and then eventually it ran clear. Looking in the mirror, I hardly recognized myself. My hair was teased and my eyes were wild, their dark a hard contrast against the stark white of my skin. I expected to be flushed from what I had done, caused from the adrenaline pulsing through me, but instead I looked more like a ghost, someone who didn't exist at all anymore.

I tugged my shirt off and tossed it into the bathtub, followed by my pants. They only had a small blood stain on them but they too would have to be destroyed. I grabbed the small container of lighter fluid from my bag, dumping it on the clothes. I coughed as the harsh chemicals filled the small room, each breath burned my throat, reminding me of what I did. I slipped on my fresh clothing and struck the match, tossing it into the tub before turning on the bathroom fan.

The clothes started on fire instantly and I let them burn for a couple minutes, until the smoke started to come, I turned on the shower and doused them back down until the fire was out. I then packed the soaking clothing into the garbage bags I brought and made my way back out to the room.

I didn't even spare a glance at the dead man on the bed. He was of no importance but I would be forever grateful for what he gave me.

I could hear Carlisle working as I closed the door. I had made the mess, now he was going to clean it up.

I tossed the garbage bag of burnt clothing into the dumpster and hailed a cab. It was time to find out if this would work.