Chapter One

Larry Engdall was the best in the business; unfortunately he liked to hear the sound of his own voice.

Thomas sighed cut Larry's pontificating short. Listen Larry, this is all really fascinating, but I just remembered… I gotta be somewhere."

Larry sat back and smiled. He knew Thomas as well as anyone could ever know him. "Don't I at least rate a well thought out lie, Tom?" He quipped with a large grin. "The "I gotta be somewhere" lie is downright unimaginative for a writer of your caliber." Larry selected a Cuban cigar and cut the tip off. He lit it and gently puffed.

Thomas grinned and rose. "Hey…what didja expect? I can't be on all the time, 'ya know." He slid his sunglasses on, and winked. "Later…" he drawled. He strolled past Larry's secretary and fixed her with a penetrating look. "Goodbye Myra," he said silkily.

Myra was 68 years old and blushing like a schoolgirl. She touched her throat nervously and smiled. "Have a good evening, Mr. Lord," she cooed.

Thomas chuckled and walked out of the office and into the cold twilight air.

Gradually his smile faded and his eyes narrowed. His hunger was always there, but he controlled it. Not this time…he knew what he had to do.

******************************

Benny Lamont staggered out of the topless club and proceeded to take a leak against the wall in the ally way behind the sleazy establishment.

He was a two time felon and out on parole. His last offense was the brutal rape of a ten-year-old girl.

He zipped up and turned around. "Whoa, shit!" He exclaimed in surprise. He stumbled back and almost lost his footing. "Who the fuck 'r you?" he slurred angrily.

Thomas stood motionlessly. He was maybe six inches away from Benny.

The invasion of personal space was uncomfortable and unnerving. His eyes pinned him. They were fixed and staring, he didn't even blink. The iris seemed to glow, like a cat caught in the headlights.

Benny backed up until his head hit the wall. All traces of anger were gone. In its place was dry-mouthed fear. He stank of it. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the silent man. He tried with all his might, but it was as if he had no will of his own. He wore a long black cloak; the hood obscured most of his face, except for his eyes. They were lit from within.

Thomas raised an eyebrow. "Where ya goin', Benny?" He casually placed a hand on the wall next to Benny's head. "Out to rape another child?" Thomas smiled whitely.

His eyeteeth sharpened right before Benny's eyes. "Who the hell are you?" He whispered.

"Someone who knows all your dirty secrets. Every rotten, vile, inhuman one. I know what you're all about. You've been thinking about that little girl you see in the park everyday. She is lovely…for a six year old." His eyes narrowed and the eyeteeth grew slightly longer…a hair sharper. "A sweet, innocent soul. You've been thinking about all the horrible things you want to do to her. What you'd force her to do to you. It's been eating you alive, hasn't it? You can't sleep, you can't eat. It's haunting you in your sick dreams… right, Benny?"

Benny shook his head dumbly. He couldn't have lied to save his life.

Thomas laughed quietly. "See? I do know you. What about all those other children, hmm? The ones you brutally murdered and buried. The ones no one knows about." Thomas placed his other hand on the wall so that they were braced on either side of Benny's head. "All those kids…missing from their loved ones. It's a shame that they didn't at least know where their babies are."

"What do you want from me?" Benny whispered.

"Your life," Thomas said.

Tears ran unchecked down Benny's face. "Please…" he begged.

"Tu as raison avoir peur de moi. You have a reason to fear me." Thomas grabbed Benny's arm and sank his teeth into the main artery in his wrist. His other hand clamped around Benny's throat and held him pinned to the wall in a vise-like grip.

Thomas kept his eyes locked on Benny's as he pulled the life out of him. The man's eyes began to dilate, he made a feeble attempt at breaking the hold Thomas had on his neck, but his strength was rapidly ebbing from his body.

Benny Lamont started to go into shock as his organs began shutting down.

Still, Thomas kept up the strong suction on his wrist. The only thing holding Benny up was Thomas's hand at his throat.

Benny's life flashed before him, and every sin, every murder, every abomination he'd ever done, played out before him in seconds. He grunted in pain. The man's teeth were hitting the bones in his wrist and all Benny could do was stare vacantly into those glowing eyes as his life ended.

He felt a darkness literally pull his soul out from his body and drag him down to a cold, black emptiness that was so evil; he began to scream weakly. He knew exactly where was going. Benny Lamont entered hell at the same time Thomas dropped his hand from his throat. His lifeless body slid to the ground and landed with a dull thud on the filthy pavement.

Thomas stared down at him impassively. "Dit bonjour au Satan pour moi. Say hello to the devil for me."

He turned and walked away without looking back. His boot heels clicked on the pavement as he disappeared into thin air.