Haunting-Adeline

my jaw and trying to regain the composure that is beginning to slip through
my fingers.
Blowing out a deep breath, I con nue. “I’ve told you already that Mark
was in the first video, which is why I targeted him and the three other men
I killed. All four of them were performing the ritual. The night I killed Mark,
he disclosed the loca on to me, so I went there yesterday to insert myself,
gain trust, and be invited into the dungeon. They were drinking out of the
same goblets that they use in the ritual.”
I pause, nearly blind from rage as I admit, "I think this recent video was
from last night, and those goblets were full of blood from a sacrifice they
performed while I was there."
The coffee cup cla ers against the metal table, nearly toppling over as
Addie a empts to set it down. Her hand is badly shaking and it looks like a
piece of the ceramic breaks off.
“What the fuck,” she breathes, her eyes wide with shock and repulsion.
Though, they don't stray from me as she says, "Zade you couldn't have
known that's what was happening. You can't blame yourself for that."
I clench my teeth against the snarl threatening to take over my face, the
muscle in my jaw threatening to burst. "The fuck I can't," I snap.
She flinches, her face so ening.
"I didn't build Z and become who I am today to allow for a child to be
sacrificed right fucking below me. And watch sick fucks drink their blood
like its goddamn water."
Tears form in her eyes, but she stays silent while I work to calm myself
down.
"I've dedicated almost six years to eradica ng human trafficking. Sea le
happens to be a prime loca on for pedophile rings, but in reality, they’re
everywhere. And I plan to take them all down. Or as many as I can un l this
life takes me down first.”
Addie doesn’t speak. She stares into her nearly depleted coffee as if it’s
an 8 Ball that will give her whatever answer she’s looking for. The sound of
the furnace kicks on, filling the otherwise sta c silence.
A er a few moments, she looks up at me, an unreadable expression on
her freckled face.
“Why?” she whispers. “Why did you choose to put your life in danger
and hunt down these people and kill them? What made you decide to do