The Dead Tell (Magical Temptations Collection) by Jaycee Clark Read Free Book Online Page B

works in Texas. Though they were real, adding an air of pragmatism to his pieces, well, they were not what he wanted to be known for
    He wanted more.
    Wanted to see the brutal violence in otherwise perfect beauty. So, he was rather fond of his last images. Granted the bellows wasn’t working as he’d planned, but he’d give it a bit more time, try some new locations where he could take his time and see how they turned out.
    The digital images were fabulous though. He might tweak the edges of the background in a few, give it some variations. Soften the doll in the foreground and focus on the stone angel.
    Which would look better.
    H e’d perfected taking and keeping them enough, there were no longer bruises. There didn’t need to be. He could take them, keep them, play with them and in the end, they wouldn’t have a mark on them.
    Almost sad how easy it was.
    The challenge in the girls was no longer an issue and though he might miss the rush of overpowering them, he found he enjoyed the end results of his current path more.
    They were complacent, yet … the eyes.
    The eyes of all cultures were purported to be windows to the soul. He knew that, everyone knew that. It wasn’t anything new. Now. Now he took them, kept them, played with them and the only evidence they were fighting him... their eyes.
    His gazed scanned the images on his wal l. Hopeful eyes, fearful eyes, angry eyes, broken eyes.
    Perfect feature s. Perfect faces. But the eyes…
    Fire burned in them brightly.
    Fear … terror… hatred… acceptance.
    There was just something about watching the progression of the strength leave a woman and yet arise in a different venue.
    Some would see the acceptance as a defeat.
    He saw it as more.
    The greatest strength there was. Not everyone could achieve acceptance of death with such grace and beauty.
    Granted, he ’d only used two so far in this way. Well, three if the last one was counted. Something was different with this one. The dosage was off on the succinylcholine. She wasn’t as complacent as the other two. Not that she had enough control of her extremities to do anything, but unlike the others, she could whine, cry, whimper.
    She might be beautiful, perfect for what he had envisioned, but she got on his nerves. He needed another one like the last.
    Which meant, h e’d have to look and find her.
    Sighing, he picked up the bottle of wine and poured another glass. The sweet yet bitter scent wafted up as he twirled the glass.
    Would the cops find anything of his? He rather thought not. There were so many homeless in the area, so many tourists, anyone could have killed the girl.
    The problem with that, he knew was that the cops were not stupid and they’d know the woman wasn’t killed where he’d left her. They’d know that much at least.
    O nce the investigation started, they’d realize her clothing was not merely a costume ordered online, but a vintage piece. There was no order anywhere for the clothing either.
    He sc rounged vintage clothing stores and thrift shops, plenty of those here in New Orleans. Vintage clothing that fit the girl, the perfect dress for the perfect girl, for the perfect last photo...
    It was fucking work. It wasn ’t easy.
    He raked a hand through his hair as he sat and studied his wall of art and drank his wine.
    The wine was almost too sweet, but it was smooth, so he kept getting it. He hadn’t found one in a while that he’d liked better than this one.
    Another whimper came from the young woman in the other room.
    Damn.
    He hadn ’t found her dress yet either. With her pale skin and coppery curls, she needed color. Lots of color. Maybe a green dress. Something green. He’d have to look. He hadn’t had time yet but he would. He’d go this afternoon to one of the vintage shops in the Quarter. Because he really needed to find the next one.
    He looked at the wall again and wondered.
    What of her? What of his favorite girl? Did she still see ghosts? She had before, years