The Templar's Code

CHAPTER 29

Lifting his head heavenward, Saviour inhaled, savoring the invigorating aroma of cedar and pine.

Head cleared, he readjusted his earphones. He’d been tracking Aisquith and the Miller woman since they left the Hope Valley Inn. An easy enough feat. He simply aimed the parabolic dish on his listening device and he could hear the couple’s every utterance. Stalking prey had never been easier.

And the fun part?

The couple were oblivious to the fact that he followed in their wake — although he’d learned his lesson and would be more careful this time.

Last night, he’d misjudged Edie Miller, thinking her little more than a silly bitch. She’d proved him wrong. Not only was she tenacious, she possessed an admirable cunning. Would she fight back? He hoped so. Without question, the Brit would prove a worthy contender.

Saviour smiled, anxiously anticipating the bout.

Such fun and games.

Hearing the sound of rent fabric, Saviour glanced down, his jacket snagged on a branch. Shrugging, he yanked the lightweight nylon free. It was the sort of careless mishap that would normally enrage him; he took such care with his wardrobe. But not today. Today, his thoughts, his emotions, were all attuned to the thrill of the hunt.

In truth, a manhunt.

So much better than stalking furry mammals. A deer could not scream. A fox could not beg for mercy. A rabbit could not plead to be put out of its misery. Only one kind of prey could scream and beg and plead.

But the predator had to exercise patience when stalking human prey.

On Thessaloniki, he used to spend an inordinate amount of time studying each and every prospective john, carefully scrutinizing the man’s facial expressions, his eye movements. The way he dressed. The aperitif he ordered as he pretended to read the newspaper. Sometimes he would spend hours in the pursuit of one man, waiting and watching instinctive to him.

So, too, killing.

His smile broadened. Let the games begin.