Page 101 of Racing Hearts

Lifting Alek’s ripped shirt, I press the blood-soaked material against his skin, trying to staunch the flow. Running probably didn’t help, and I’m worried about how much he’s losing. “Sorry, princess,” I murmur as I lift the rags away, and they stick to the skin.

He groans. “It’s okay. You can kiss it better later.”

“Really? Right now?” Tommy mutters. “Not only am I being chased by a serial killer, but I’m feeling single as fuck. I might be single by choice because commitment scares me, and deep down I’m a whore who craves attention and love, but that’s beside the point.” I glance over to see him grabbing a pillow and tugging it closer.

Ignoring Tommy, I smile as I look back at the wound. “Hey, princess.”

The edges are jagged and raw, and he’ll need to go to a hospital soon, but he’s right. It could have been worse. I think he must have turned when he was stabbed so it didn’t go too deep or wide. Still, being stabbed isn’t good.

“We need to fill the wound to stop the bleeding.” Knowledge from past fights and TV fill my head, but I gnaw my lip as I look around before stopping on Alice, who is huddled against Lally, her bag still over her shoulder.

“Lally, check Alice’s bag. Does she have a pad or anything?” I ask, my voice as loud as I dare. The police are coming, but that doesn’t mean anything, and I’m not taking any risks.

Nodding, she takes Alice’s bag and rifles through it, sliding it to me across the floor. “No pads, but there’s a tampon. Will that work?”

I take it from her and push it from the applicator. “Maybe,” I mutter, looking at the wound then Alek. “This will hurt, but we need to stop the bleeding, princess.”

“Just do it,” he mutters, eyeing the tampon.

“Hold him still,” I order Lally, who presses against his side, holding him as I press the tampon into the wound. It absorbs the blood and expands, and when I’m done, Alek is panting, eyeing me and Lally as we high-five each other.

“Damn fruity friends,” he mutters, making me grin.

Grabbing the bottom of my shirt, I tear off a strip and wrap it around his waist, leaning him forward to tie it at the back. “That’s the best we can do. We are going to need to clean it, and you’ll need to see a doctor, but you won’t be dying anytime soon.”

“Always great.”

Wiping my hands on my jeans, I check on Alice, who is back in Lally’s arms. Tommy rubs her back, while Skylar and Bones hit each other and whisper furiously.

Just then, a sound fills the air, making us all fall silent. I hold my breath, listening until I hear it again.

It’s a door.

It isn’t the police because they would have sirens, which means it’s him.

There’s another creak of a door—the stairs, shit. Sinking lower in the dark, I keep my eyes on the glass door into the lab. The desks shield us, but there are half windows along that wall, so if he looks closely, he will see us.

I check on Alek, whose face is grim as he reaches for the bat at his side. I grab the knife again, ready to protect him and everyone else if that’s what it takes. Footsteps head our way, and we all freeze, barely breathing when he appears before the window.

He holds another knife in his hand, this one as long as a machete. The mask turns, the mouth tilted in a wicked smile and dripping blood, and I stare at him, certain he can see me. He stares at me for what feels like forever, and I don’t move, then he turns and continues on, apparently not spotting me in the darkness. I slump, feeling relieved.

My phone starts to ring, the vibration smashing to the wood of the desk. With my heart leaping from my chest, I scramble to grab it, silencing it. I look back, waiting one beat then the next, and when he doesn’t reappear, I slump.

Flipping my phone, I frown at the caller ID and quickly call back. “Evan?” Autumn says, sounding breathless.

“Hi,” I whisper.

“I found out what you wanted. The name of the person who paid for the medical procedures for Mr. Wright was a Mr. Ford—Mr. Ellis Ford. His son is Stan Ford.”

I frown, going cold all over, my eyes going to Alice. “The art teacher?” I whisper.

“Yeah, he was a member of Silent Rose. I looked. He’s an alumnus, and he was in my brother’s year. He was the one they suspected back then, but his father paid to cover it up and he got off. He’s from money. It’s him, Evan. He killed them. Where are you?”

Swallowing, I keep my eyes on Alice, who’s staring at me worriedly. “At school,” I croak. “The police are on the way. He’s here.”

“Get out of there now—” Her phone cuts off, and I drop mine as I stare at Alice.

“It’s Mr. Ford. That’s who is behind the mask.”