"Justice? There's no Justice in this world, Mrs. Mayfield."
The voice made me freeze with my hands still on the door bell. I could hear them talking inside. It was the least expected thing that could have happened today. It was a lot weirder than discovering about James Wilson.
The door burst open and the unexpected visitor gave me such a warm smile but it still failed to revive my frozen heart. He stretched his arms to give me a half-arm hug, and I backed off seeing mom standing behind him.
"What's going on here?"
I moved my eyes from mom to Adrian and then back to him.
She smiled," You two talk; I'll be in the kitchen preparing lunch."
I looked at Adrian and he spoke," I just came to say Hi to your parents."
"Seriously Adrian?" I narrowed my eyes.
He closed the door behind me, and followed me to the living room.
"Everything's under control. I have told them about us." He announced happily.
"What have you told them?" I asked.
Mom brought the jingling tea-cups in the room before Adrian could reply.
"Adrian told me about that Music competition you're going to. I never knew that you could play so well."
"What?" I gaped.
Adrian took a deep sip of the tea and spoke, "I have discussed all the details with your mother. We would be leaving for Ireland in the morning along with other students."
I bit my lip in disbelief.
There was a loud cry from the other room, and mom placed her teacup on the table and went to pick Aaron from his crib.
"ADRIAN! What the hell are you doing?"
He smiled his enchanting smile," You and me, baby! We're going on a little trip."
"To where?"
"I had seen your world, now it's time for you to see mine too." He held my hand in his, and planted a light kiss.
His world meant the world of the dead. And no one living was allowed there. I felt a deep chill in my spine but I controlled my emotions to such a level that I managed to fake a smile.
"Don't worry, Lily. I'll bring you back unharmed."
I nodded lightly. The best idea I thought at this moment was to change the deadly topic.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Anything, my love."
I took out the black diary from my bag and placed it on the couch between us. Adrian's eyes widened for a moment but then he nodded, like he found an answer in his head.
"I keep a record of all the people I have killed so far in this decade."
I swallowed," Why have you written Chase's name there?"
"Have I?" He asked me coldly.
I nodded," Yes, I have seen that."
I opened the diary for him, but there was nothing written on the last page. He snatched the diary from my hand.
"I am not going to harm anyone until it becomes necessary."
"I don't understand..." I started expressing my buried fear but he interrupted.
"So, you're scared. Why don't we talk about your fears? I know, you're scared and worried. Sometimes, it feels impossible and terrifying to believe what's happening in your life."
His eyes were fixed on my pendant, and I kept staring at his perfect face. His jaws were clenched, and his lips were pursed.
"I love you, Adrian." I uttered unintentionally.
His eyes moved from my pendant to my eyes and his lips curved into a smile.
"You would love the place, where I'll take you tomorrow."
He took out a Victorian style gold pocket watch.
He frowned," I have to go now. I'll see you in the morning."
"Where are you going?" I asked anxiously.
"I have to do something important first."
He stood up, and started walking towards the door.
"Adrian, how can I contact you? I mean..."
"By your pendant."
"But how?" I asked but Adrian vanished away.
I kept sitting on the couch for a long time. When mom returned from Aaron's room, she looked around trying to find Adrian.
"Where's your Music teacher?"
"He has to leave." I replied blankly.
"I'm happy that he's providing you opportunities to recognize your talents. I would have never allowed you to go with him, but he had satisfied me with all the details of the musical event."
"I don't want to go..." I uttered without thinking.
"No, you need to get out of this house more often, Lily. You need to live your life." She stroked my arm softly.
I was not interested in discussing anything about Adrian to anyone. Mom would have never agreed to send me like this, to an unknown place. But I had seen people being submissive to him. So, I wasn't surprised. I didn't ask him anything about James Wilson yet. I wanted to know more details about Adrian's past life. He had never shared anything about the time, when he wandered alone after Gabriella's death.
I nodded blankly, and went upstairs.
There was deep darkness in my room when I entered. But the screen of my phone lighted up, and I managed to find my way to the table nearby.
I fumbled for the light switch and I managed to find it soon.
I picked up my phone. Chase left me 10 missed calls. The red letters with 10 in the brackets scared me so much that my hands started shaking. What if something had happened to Chase?
I quickly dialed his contact and he picked up at the first bell.
"Lily?"
"Are you alright?" I mumbled.
"Yes, but Can you meet me right now?"
"Of course, I can. But tell me, what happened?" I insisted.
"No questions. I'll come to pick you up, at 7pm exact. It's very important."
I felt a lump in my throat. Chase must have found something else related to James Wilson. I was being confused. I couldn't defend Adrian openly, and I hated being doubtful about him.
"I'll get ready."
He hung up the phone quickly.
Chase was standing outside my house at exact 6:59pm. I grabbed my coat and went outside. He signaled me to sit in his car quickly.
"So?" I said as soon as I closed the door.
"Wait till I show you."
He dashed across the streets. Soon, we were on the same straight road where I had my car accident.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Just wait, Lily."
He drove off the road into the forest.
He stopped the car and asked me to get out.
"Where are we?" I asked.
He kept walking deeper into the forest, without looking back at me.
"Chase?" I almost shouted.
But he didn't stop, and I had to follow him deeper into the dark forest.
"I need to show you something." He said.
He walked towards an old tree and went around it.
"Hey, wait for me." I spoke.
He stopped and turned around to face me.
"I found Adrian's den." He announced.
"What do you mean?
"He's a psychopath who loves killing people. He's more than 40 years old. But he has a rare disease due to which he doesn't age at all. And he seems so young." He explained.
"How do you know all this?" I gaped.
"I have a friend in police department, he helped me in searching old records of James Wilson. I knew, you would not believe me. So, I brought you here with me."
Chase was quite right. I was still not going to believe what Chase had to say further about Adrian.
"I think, you are taking 'Dark knights' quite seriously?" I joked.
But he wasn't amused at all.
"You still don't believe me? Just follow me, Lily."
He kept walking for another 15 minutes and we reached an old cottage. The old wooden door was locked and all the windows were tightly shut too. These was no keyhole at the main door, just an impression of a winged butterfly.
"Give me your pendant." Chase demanded.
"Sorry?"
"That butterfly pendant... It has the same impression as this door knob."
Chase pointed towards the small door behind him.
I took off my pendant and handed it to Chase. He held its chain in his hand and examined the butterfly carefully.
"The debt is paid, I got what was mine." Chase laughed.
Suddenly, Chase turned into Gabriella. I jumped back in shock.
"What the...?" I said.
She placed the pendant around her neck and smiled.
"You handed it over to me, yourself. So, it belongs to me now."
Suddenly, her smile changed into a frown.
She touched her neck.
"What's happening to me?" She shouted.
The skin of her neck started turning black. She was trying to take the pendant off, but she couldn't. I watched her struggle in pain.
"Take it off... Help me!"
"Keep the pendant, it's all yours."
She leaped towards me, and I pushed her back as hard as I could. She fell on her stomach on a broken tree branch. I saw, the sharp edges of the branch piercing through her abdomen. She screamed in pain, and I saw blood oozing out.
Suddenly, Gabriella turned into Chase again.
Chase shouted," What have you done?"
"Oh God!" I ran towards him.
The pendant was still in his hand.
I heard Gabriella's laughter beside me. She was leaning against the tree, watching me.
Chase was bleeding hysterically. Gabriella gave me an amused look and vanished away.
I held the pendant tightly in my hand and thought about Adrian. He was the only one who could help us here.
I heard footsteps behind me.
"What are you two doing here?" Adrian spoke.
"Isn't it your den, James Wilson?" Chase muttered.
"You don't know a thing!" He sighed.