Shadow Of Pleasure Part 7 - Jack/Grace Fanfiction
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Jack/Grace with implied Jack/Samantha
Summary: Pre-series. While attending the National Forensics Conference, Grace runs into her friend Jack, a successful thriller author who unknown to her derives his ingenious plots from his exploits as serial killer Jack-Of-All-Trades. Upset over her husband's infidelity, Grace decides to even the score and soon she takes the first step into Jack's world...
Author's Notes: Shadow of Pleasure is the first story in a series called, Gods and Shadows which will be Jack/Grace in parts and ultimately Jack/Samantha. This first tale which focuses on Jack/Grace is for my lovely friend, velvetwhip. This is part seven of Shadow of Pleasure. Previous parts can be found: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 , Part 5, & Part 6. The story is cross-posted at profiler_fans. Due to length, there are several more parts to come.
On the show, the method of Patti Hofstadt's death was never established, so the method in which the parallel character of Sally Austin is killed in Jacklyn's book is the invention of my twisted mind.
After hanging up with Jack, Grace ordered room service and changed into her pajamas while she waited. Looking down at the simple yellow pajamas with blue flowers, she suddenly felt they were woefully inadequate. If Jack agreed to a night of passion, she hardly could go to bed in her usual pajamas. Maybe she ought to leave the hotel for a couple hours tomorrow and find somewhere that carried lingerie. She'd never worried much about lingerie with Morgan, but then when they first were together sex had been something covert in the back seat of his car. Then after they were married she was in med school and sex was something they were lucky to find time for once every week or so. Grace may have never worried about what to wear to bed in the past, but Jack was different, it was as if one prospective encounter with him had greater importance than any encounter she'd ever had with her husband.
What did Jack like? There were the white peignoirs in the closet, but that wasn't the sort of thing a girl could wear under her clothing just in case things got interesting later on. Was he the sort that appreciated lacy matching bra and panty sets on a girl? Or perhaps he liked thigh high stockings with a garter belt and nothing else? Perhaps she could find a hint as to his tastes if she finished reading his books. Jack had picked up a piece of jewelry the day before for Samantha, so perhaps one of Mack's purchases for Alexandra would give her a hint. What did Jack do with the things he bought for Samantha anyway, Grace wondered. Wherever Samantha was, she hoped she understood how lucky she was to have a man like Jack waiting around year after year for her.
There was a knock at the door and Grace answered it. She stood back as room service wheeled a cart into the suite. Alone once more, she ate her dinner. Although the food was done to perfection, the meal was lackluster without Jack sitting across from her. When he was around, Jack seemed to fill the room with his presence and when he was gone, a room seemed beyond empty somehow. He had a presence unlike any man she'd ever known. Larger than life and impossible to ignore, Jack was special and that was part of his appeal. Morgan was ordinary, common as dirt and Jack was unique, as exotic as the mythical roses in his stories.
Had Jack always been this way or was it merely that she had finally noticed? Grace wondered as she ate. Each time after she saw him, she had always felt a sense of disappointment when she returned home. In the past she'd always dismissed it as being sorry the conferences were over. But now, she could see that her disappointment may have been returning to her ordinary life, away from Jack. Morgan was a good man, recent conduct aside, but he couldn't compete with Jack. Blushingly, Grace admitted to herself that each time she saw him, she fantasized about him for longer periods of time after returning home. The attraction had been there for a long time, but it was the first time she'd ever been able to consider acting on it. There had always been Morgan to consider or one of Jack's blondes waiting for him.
She remembered the glowing expressions of his girlfriends when she'd gotten brief glimpses of them. Clearly he made them happy while he was with them, but she knew their time with him was short lived. Even though they were friends, Grace had little doubt her time with Jack would be short lived as well. Jack had told her himself the night before that there was only room in his heart for one woman. Loving Jack was not a winning proposition for any woman, save Samantha. However, facing whatever heartbreak that followed had to be better than never knowing true passion.
Grace was going into things with her eyes wide open, so she knew what to expect and what Jack could offer her. A night or two of pleasure was all she could hope for from him and she would guard her heart against him. Once her little adventure was over she would return to Morgan feeling better about things and they could move on with their lives. There was no reason why she couldn't have a little fun and payback. Jack was utterly charming, but she understood he couldn't offer her love and would be careful not to let her emotions get the better of her. Maybe she had a slight crush on him, but she could control it and once she'd slept with him it would probably fade away. But first she had to come up with how to even ask him to sleep with her.
Asking a man to sleep with her would be a nerve wracking proposition under any circumstance, but in Jack's case it was even more so. When he kissed her the night before, it was evident Jack was very skilled and between his parade of blondes and the erotic items she'd found in his dresser, it was clear he enjoyed sex. However it had been apparent when he pulled away that being a gentleman was of equal if not greater importance to him. Grace had been so frustrated when Jack pulled away and she didn't want it to happen again. Getting him drunk and hoping he would make the first move probably wasn't a great idea since Jack had put a stop to things the night before when they had been drinking. If she wanted him, she'd have to ask him and probably overcome the reasons he'd given for not continuing when he'd kissed her.
Finished with dinner and unable to think of any way to proposition Jack, Grace resumed reading. Jack's writing style drew her back into his world quickly. Her frustration was temporarily forgotten as she got absorbed in Mack's story once more. Even though she'd read the book before and knew what was going to happen, she still felt anxious as Mack kidnapped Sally Austin and drove her into the woods.
Sally Austin struggled in the tightly tied orange electrical cord and cried. Normally Mack liked to keep his victim's unconscious so he wouldn't have to listen to them as they pleaded and cried. Inflicting pain didn't disturb him, but it didn't give him any special pleasure either. Suffering was only a side effect of killing and usually he dispatched death swiftly and with what he considered mercy. However, Sally was the rare exception. She hadn't merely been in Alexandra's life, she had made her suffer and as such Sally would be made to suffer in turn. Casting a glance in the review mirror at Sally, Mack started humming White Christmas and smiled as she began to cry even harder.
As he drove, Mack focused carefully on the road, making his way through the snow and ice. He'd never driven so far with a victim before, but the weather in Sally's native Georgia was far too mild for what he had in mind. They had just crossed the Ohio border and in another hour would arrive at the campsite he'd put up earlier in the week for the occasion. Alexandra wouldn't appreciate his gift properly until she remembered who Sally Austin was but it was still worthwhile to give her such a special gift. Perhaps he would prolong the gift even further by writing to Sally's family on Alexandra's behalf. His beloved would find the gesture especially disturbing in light of how little thought she ever gave to the victims' families. Her self absorption was so delicious to behold and Mack enjoyed the moments when Alexandra would realize there were things she should be feeling but hadn't. Almost sociopathic in her selfishness, she was such a delight, he reflected with pleasure.
Arriving at last at the State park, Mack drove his SUV into the woods. He didn't need to worry about leaving tracks in the snow. The tires were the largest selling make and model of their class and more snow was due in the night. Stopping his vehicle, Mack got out and surveyed his tent and the tall spikes he'd staked into the ground in front of it. Everything was still in order and he could proceed as planned. From the back of the passenger's side of the SUV, he took several bags and carried them into the tent. Foot prints didn't matter. Snow would cover them and in the event they didn't, Mack had worn a very popular style of boots, two sizes bigger than he needed. Adding weighted padding into the toes, any footprints would not only appear to belong to a larger man but would successfully fool the FBI.
Returning to the SUV, Mack pulled Sally out of the back and carried her to the tall stakes in front of the tent. She cried and screamed against her gag as he freed one limb then tied it with orange cord to one of the stakes. Mack repeated the procedure until Sally was tied spread eagle in front of the tent with her head near one end of the tent and her feet near the other. Satisfied she was tightly restrained, Mack returned to the vehicle and closed the back hatch before turning his full attention to the task at hand. Inside the tent, Mack place a small heater in the back corner far away from Sally. Next he took a lantern out of the bags, he lit it and then placed it near Sally's face. He wanted to be able to watch her from the warmth of the tent.
Producing a knife from his murder kit which he'd brought with him for the occasion, Mack moved to Sally and knelt over her. He saw the panic in her eyes as she saw the sharp implement and he smiled to himself. The wretched creature had humiliated his Alex when she was an innocent little girl and now she would pay for her sins. Her eyes went wide as he began cutting her clothing away.
"Relax. I have no intention of violating you, Sally," Mack assured her. When she gave him a doubtful look, he added cruelly, "No man could get aroused by a woman who's as ugly on the inside as you are. I wouldn't degrade myself that way."
She muttered unintelligibly against the gag as he finished cutting away her outer clothing. Miles away from civilization, there was no danger of being discovered, so Mack pulled the gag from her mouth and allowed her to speak.
"Why are you doing this?! What do you want from me?!"
People were always so predictable in the things they said at moments like these. If anyone ever said something unique and different, he might spare them, just for being innovative, Mack decided with a sigh. Adopting his coldest facial expression he inquired, "Do you remember taking ballet as a little girl?"
"What does that have to do with anything? Please, don't do this. My parents have money-"
"They'll pay a ransom. Blah blah blah," Mack interrupted. "I've heard it all before. And it won't change a thing. Now, I want you to think back to when you first started taking ballet. There was a little girl in your class named Alexandra. Do you remember her?"
"N-no," she replied, her teeth chattering.
"It's not surprising considering she quit the class after you humiliated her at the Nutcracker audition."
"Nutcracker?" she repeated, understanding dawning on her.
"You pushed her out of the dressing room into the hallway naked. You exposed her and humiliated her."
"I was five at the time. I didn't know any better!" Sally screamed.
Grabbing her face cruelly in his gloved hand, Mack hissed, "You robbed Alex of something which gave her joy because you were a jealous and spiteful little monster."
"I- I'm sorry. Please-"
Mack cut her off, "Since you exposed Alexandra to a harsh element and stole her joy, I'm going to expose you to the elements and let them steal your life. You've had over twenty years in which to feel guilty and try to make amends, but never did. It doesn't matter that you were only five. If anything it makes this even easier for me, knowing you were beyond redemption from such an early age."
"P-please! I'm so c-cold!"
"And about to get colder," Mack informed her. Reaching inside the tent he pulled out a large bottled water and opened it. Pouring it over Sally's body, he watched steam rise off of her body as the water made contact with her skin.
"I don't know who you are, but you seem like a nice reasonable man. Why don't we go into the tent, we could get friendly," she suggested in desperation.
"You're wrong Sally," Mack corrected her and reached inside the tent for another water bottle. "I'm not a nice man and reason fled when I learned what you did to my Alexandra."
"It's Christmas next week, mister. My mother will be so-"
"Sad?" He interjected and began pouring more water on her. Shrugging he told her, "Sally, I really don't care about your mother. It doesn't matter to me that you're going to miss Christmas. You're not the first person I've killed, nor will you be the last. You're welcome to pray or plead all you like, just please do it quietly."
Mack retreated into the tent as Sally continued to beg and cry. Sitting near the heater, he got a bottle of Jack Daniels and a glass out of his bags along with a photo album. Pouring a drink to warm himself, he opened the photo album. Looking at picture after picture of Alexandra. To a picture of young Alex, he whispered to her about how he'd avenged her. Then he flipped to a recent picture of Alexandra. She was so beautiful, he thought with pride as he moved his fingertips possessively over the image. Not only on the outside but inside as well. The Sallys of the world would pay for the harm they did and his Alexandra would one day wield the power over life and death at his side. Lesser beings like Sally were insignificant, he thought as she whimpered outside. His selfish goddess would reign beside him as together they showed the world their dark and perfect love. The sound outside forgotten, he pressed a kiss to the photo, mentally vowing that one day Alexandra would know his passion.
Grace put the book down and went to the bar to pour a drink. It was surreal reading such a brutal scene in contrast with the tenderness Mack felt for Alexandra. Sally Austin was dispatched without mercy or conscience but the emotion behind the killing was so intense and reverent. The way Jack was able to convey Mack and make him so abhorrent but compelling and likable was truly remarkable. Although she was no closer to finding a way to ask him to sleep with her, Grace did feel like she was starting to grasp the depth of Jack's obsession with Samantha through reading about Mack. Taking her drink to the sofa, Grace picked up her book and resumed reading.
********************
It was late when Grace finished the fourth book and she decided to take the final book into the bedroom. Sliding into bed, she planned to read a couple pages of the last book and then to go to sleep and resume reading in the morning. However, as Grace read and got drawn in, her resolve flew out the window. Jack wouldn't be back for another day and she didn't have to be up early, so she decided to continue. While she read, she compared Mack with his creator and wondered if he'd felt the same grief and annoyance his fictional counterpart had when he discovered Alexandra's pregnancy. The sun was coming up, but with only a few chapters to go and the first physical confrontation between Mack and Alexandra about to happen, Grace continued reading.
Mack watched quietly from the shadows as Alexandra fought with Ted. Although he already knew she was pregnant, he hadn't known the particulars behind it and listened eagerly as the pair argued. Their voices were low, to prevent their party guests from hearing, but Mack was close enough to hear every word clearly.
"You shouldn't be drinking," Ted chided Alexandra.
"It's one lousy glass of wine, Ted."
"But in your condition- I thought you'd-"
"What? You thought I'd what? Be thrilled, quit my job and be some stay at home little mommy-to-be?"
Ted blanched and protested, "No, not quit your job. But I thought you would be excited about the baby."
"Excited?!" Alexandra spat. "Excited would mean I wanted to have a baby."
"We'd talked-"
"God damn it Ted!" she cut him off. "Talking isn't the same as me agreeing. You got me drunk on New Years and convinced me not to bother with my diaphragm. You're no better than one of those boys on campus that spike a girl's drink and have sex with her."
"I think the baby could be good for us," Ted tried softly and wrapped his arms around her.
Throwing his arms off, Alexandra snapped, "No Ted. A baby is good for you. It means I'm stuck with diaper duty and cutting back on my job while your bitch mother gets to play grandmother and you get to grin like an idiot because you have viable sperm."
"You need to cut back at work, Alex. Ever since you got involved in the Mack the Knife case, you've been so distant. Every night you sit up for hours going over his files and now he's stalking you. And you didn't even tell me! I had to hear it from fucking Davis Roberts!"
"Mack is important! He's the case of a lifetime!"
"I think you should give up the case," Ted told her.
Alexandra didn't speak for several moments. Her voice dripped with venom when she replied, "I've given up smoking because of the baby you've forced on me. That's the last thing I have any intention of giving up for you. Don't push me about Mack."
Ted made a sound of frustration. "I'm going back in to our guests."
"Fine."
"You know some day you're going to have to choose between me and Mack," Ted declared angrily and stormed into the house.
"Don't be so sure I'll choose you, Ted," Alexandra said angrily and drained her glass of wine. For several moments she stared into the night, then her eyes narrowed as if she was trying to peer through the darkness. Crossing her arms, she called out in annoyance, "I know you're there."
Mack moved from his hiding place onto the terrace. He had on the same waiter's uniform with domino mask and white gloves as the servers the couple had hired for the evening. As he approached Alexandra, his heart raced. Just being in her presence was almost overwhelming, the mixture of joy and unfulfilled longing that washed over him as he drew closer to his goddess. It had taken all the restraint he had not to move from his hiding place and eviscerate Ted on the spot when he heard that Alex's husband had tricked her into the baby. However, it wasn't time to kill Ted and his betrayal would make Alexandra more open to his courtship.
"Mack," she murmured and blushed at the breathless tone with which she said his name.
"Alexandra."
"What do you want?" she demanded.
Pausing to pull out a cigarette and light it, Mack drawled, "To offer my congratulations on your new addition, of course."
Alexandra gave an inelegant snort and said sarcastically, "Because you're every bit as thrilled about the baby as I am."
Mack laughed softly, "So it seems."
Neither spoke for several moments as they stood near one another. As Mack smoked he caught the wistful expression on Alexandra's face. Taking the cigarette from his mouth, he held it out to her. After a moment of hesitation, she took the cigarette and brought it to her lips. Seeing her smoking the same cigarette sent a wave of pleasure over his body. Mack reveled in the intimacy of her mouth touching the paper his had only moments before. As the cigarette burned down, he took out another, placed it between his lips and lit it. Taking the remnant of the cigarette from Alexandra's lips, he stubbed it out, then pocketed it, unwilling to risk leaving DNA behind. The gesture seemed to amuse his beloved and she giggled.
Feeling emboldened, Mack moved behind Alexandra and wrapped one gloved hand around her waist. She tensed slightly but made no move to run. With his other hand, Mack brought the fresh cigarette around and held it for Alexandra. Her hand moved to take it from him, but he held tightly and brought it to her lips. After she took a drag from the cigarette, he brought it to his own mouth and inhaled, his lips tingling with the knowledge her mouth had touched it a moment before. Once the cigarette disappeared and was pocketed as the first was, Mack wrapped his other arm around her as well. Gently he kissed the back of her neck and was gratified when she gasped and shuddered against him.
As he held her, he knew she felt his arousal against her backside and he murmured softly, "One day you will be mine, Alexandra."
"Mack, please. I-" she protested then moaned as his tongue traced her earlobe and moved along the side of her neck.
"Shall I stop?"
Alexandra didn't answer as Mack turned her around in his arms to face him. She feared her own desires as much as she feared him. It would be a long time before she would be ready to surrender to the inevitable. Accepting the cigarettes and his caresses had been a huge step and Mack was well aware of the gravity of her allowing him so near. Caressing her face, he drank in the sight of her. Her breath was coming in shallow pants and he could tell she was torn between giving into the demands of her body and giving into her mind's urge to flee.
"Tonight is the last you'll see of me until the baby is born," Mack informed her softly. Noting the crestfallen expression that crossed her face, he felt a surge of triumph before explaining, "For the sake of your health. But make no mistake, our game is only on hold."
"I'll catch you."
"I'm counting on it," Mack countered.
Pulling Alexandra close, he covered her mouth with his. She was surprised at the gentle invasion of his tongue but didn't resist. After a moment's hesitation she returned his kiss. Mack savored the small sounds of desire that Alexandra made as he held her and explored her mouth. The kisses would have to sustain him in the months to come but it was the first time he'd ever touched his goddess and euphoria washed over him. When he finally reluctantly ended their kiss, he took a final look at Alexandra before disappearing into the darkness. Although she would resist for a long time, she'd affirmed she was his in her momentary surrender.
Grace closed the book and sat it on the night stand. She had read it before, but it had never affected her as it had tonight. Having been kissed by Jack she could imagine the temptation and torment Alexandra must have felt. Had Samantha been similarly tempted by Jack? A stab of envy went through her as she imagined Jack kissing a faceless blonde, his expression rapturous as they kissed. Shaking her head she pushed aside her thoughts, Jack wasn't going to be giving up Samantha for her or any woman any time soon. Better to focus her energy on asking Jack for a night or two of passion rather than despising a woman whom she would never meet.
As she turned out the light, Grace considered the erotic quality of Jack's prose in the final pages of the book. She slipped out of bed and took her pajamas off. Getting back into bed, she closed her eyes and let her hand slide between her thighs as she imagined herself on a dark terrace with Jack kissing her. Her fantasy didn't end with kissing, instead he undressed her and took her on top of a conveniently placed table, her mind supplied. Grace climaxed quickly but continued touching herself as she thought about the fact Jack might be making love to her in the same bed in just another day or so. While she still was unsure of how she would bring up sex, Jack couldn't return soon enough, she decided as she lay panting in his bed.
Pairing: Jack/Grace with implied Jack/Samantha
Summary: Pre-series. While attending the National Forensics Conference, Grace runs into her friend Jack, a successful thriller author who unknown to her derives his ingenious plots from his exploits as serial killer Jack-Of-All-Trades. Upset over her husband's infidelity, Grace decides to even the score and soon she takes the first step into Jack's world...
Author's Notes: Shadow of Pleasure is the first story in a series called, Gods and Shadows which will be Jack/Grace in parts and ultimately Jack/Samantha. This first tale which focuses on Jack/Grace is for my lovely friend, velvetwhip. This is part seven of Shadow of Pleasure. Previous parts can be found: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 , Part 5, & Part 6. The story is cross-posted at profiler_fans. Due to length, there are several more parts to come.
On the show, the method of Patti Hofstadt's death was never established, so the method in which the parallel character of Sally Austin is killed in Jacklyn's book is the invention of my twisted mind.
After hanging up with Jack, Grace ordered room service and changed into her pajamas while she waited. Looking down at the simple yellow pajamas with blue flowers, she suddenly felt they were woefully inadequate. If Jack agreed to a night of passion, she hardly could go to bed in her usual pajamas. Maybe she ought to leave the hotel for a couple hours tomorrow and find somewhere that carried lingerie. She'd never worried much about lingerie with Morgan, but then when they first were together sex had been something covert in the back seat of his car. Then after they were married she was in med school and sex was something they were lucky to find time for once every week or so. Grace may have never worried about what to wear to bed in the past, but Jack was different, it was as if one prospective encounter with him had greater importance than any encounter she'd ever had with her husband.
What did Jack like? There were the white peignoirs in the closet, but that wasn't the sort of thing a girl could wear under her clothing just in case things got interesting later on. Was he the sort that appreciated lacy matching bra and panty sets on a girl? Or perhaps he liked thigh high stockings with a garter belt and nothing else? Perhaps she could find a hint as to his tastes if she finished reading his books. Jack had picked up a piece of jewelry the day before for Samantha, so perhaps one of Mack's purchases for Alexandra would give her a hint. What did Jack do with the things he bought for Samantha anyway, Grace wondered. Wherever Samantha was, she hoped she understood how lucky she was to have a man like Jack waiting around year after year for her.
There was a knock at the door and Grace answered it. She stood back as room service wheeled a cart into the suite. Alone once more, she ate her dinner. Although the food was done to perfection, the meal was lackluster without Jack sitting across from her. When he was around, Jack seemed to fill the room with his presence and when he was gone, a room seemed beyond empty somehow. He had a presence unlike any man she'd ever known. Larger than life and impossible to ignore, Jack was special and that was part of his appeal. Morgan was ordinary, common as dirt and Jack was unique, as exotic as the mythical roses in his stories.
Had Jack always been this way or was it merely that she had finally noticed? Grace wondered as she ate. Each time after she saw him, she had always felt a sense of disappointment when she returned home. In the past she'd always dismissed it as being sorry the conferences were over. But now, she could see that her disappointment may have been returning to her ordinary life, away from Jack. Morgan was a good man, recent conduct aside, but he couldn't compete with Jack. Blushingly, Grace admitted to herself that each time she saw him, she fantasized about him for longer periods of time after returning home. The attraction had been there for a long time, but it was the first time she'd ever been able to consider acting on it. There had always been Morgan to consider or one of Jack's blondes waiting for him.
She remembered the glowing expressions of his girlfriends when she'd gotten brief glimpses of them. Clearly he made them happy while he was with them, but she knew their time with him was short lived. Even though they were friends, Grace had little doubt her time with Jack would be short lived as well. Jack had told her himself the night before that there was only room in his heart for one woman. Loving Jack was not a winning proposition for any woman, save Samantha. However, facing whatever heartbreak that followed had to be better than never knowing true passion.
Grace was going into things with her eyes wide open, so she knew what to expect and what Jack could offer her. A night or two of pleasure was all she could hope for from him and she would guard her heart against him. Once her little adventure was over she would return to Morgan feeling better about things and they could move on with their lives. There was no reason why she couldn't have a little fun and payback. Jack was utterly charming, but she understood he couldn't offer her love and would be careful not to let her emotions get the better of her. Maybe she had a slight crush on him, but she could control it and once she'd slept with him it would probably fade away. But first she had to come up with how to even ask him to sleep with her.
Asking a man to sleep with her would be a nerve wracking proposition under any circumstance, but in Jack's case it was even more so. When he kissed her the night before, it was evident Jack was very skilled and between his parade of blondes and the erotic items she'd found in his dresser, it was clear he enjoyed sex. However it had been apparent when he pulled away that being a gentleman was of equal if not greater importance to him. Grace had been so frustrated when Jack pulled away and she didn't want it to happen again. Getting him drunk and hoping he would make the first move probably wasn't a great idea since Jack had put a stop to things the night before when they had been drinking. If she wanted him, she'd have to ask him and probably overcome the reasons he'd given for not continuing when he'd kissed her.
Finished with dinner and unable to think of any way to proposition Jack, Grace resumed reading. Jack's writing style drew her back into his world quickly. Her frustration was temporarily forgotten as she got absorbed in Mack's story once more. Even though she'd read the book before and knew what was going to happen, she still felt anxious as Mack kidnapped Sally Austin and drove her into the woods.
Sally Austin struggled in the tightly tied orange electrical cord and cried. Normally Mack liked to keep his victim's unconscious so he wouldn't have to listen to them as they pleaded and cried. Inflicting pain didn't disturb him, but it didn't give him any special pleasure either. Suffering was only a side effect of killing and usually he dispatched death swiftly and with what he considered mercy. However, Sally was the rare exception. She hadn't merely been in Alexandra's life, she had made her suffer and as such Sally would be made to suffer in turn. Casting a glance in the review mirror at Sally, Mack started humming White Christmas and smiled as she began to cry even harder.
As he drove, Mack focused carefully on the road, making his way through the snow and ice. He'd never driven so far with a victim before, but the weather in Sally's native Georgia was far too mild for what he had in mind. They had just crossed the Ohio border and in another hour would arrive at the campsite he'd put up earlier in the week for the occasion. Alexandra wouldn't appreciate his gift properly until she remembered who Sally Austin was but it was still worthwhile to give her such a special gift. Perhaps he would prolong the gift even further by writing to Sally's family on Alexandra's behalf. His beloved would find the gesture especially disturbing in light of how little thought she ever gave to the victims' families. Her self absorption was so delicious to behold and Mack enjoyed the moments when Alexandra would realize there were things she should be feeling but hadn't. Almost sociopathic in her selfishness, she was such a delight, he reflected with pleasure.
Arriving at last at the State park, Mack drove his SUV into the woods. He didn't need to worry about leaving tracks in the snow. The tires were the largest selling make and model of their class and more snow was due in the night. Stopping his vehicle, Mack got out and surveyed his tent and the tall spikes he'd staked into the ground in front of it. Everything was still in order and he could proceed as planned. From the back of the passenger's side of the SUV, he took several bags and carried them into the tent. Foot prints didn't matter. Snow would cover them and in the event they didn't, Mack had worn a very popular style of boots, two sizes bigger than he needed. Adding weighted padding into the toes, any footprints would not only appear to belong to a larger man but would successfully fool the FBI.
Returning to the SUV, Mack pulled Sally out of the back and carried her to the tall stakes in front of the tent. She cried and screamed against her gag as he freed one limb then tied it with orange cord to one of the stakes. Mack repeated the procedure until Sally was tied spread eagle in front of the tent with her head near one end of the tent and her feet near the other. Satisfied she was tightly restrained, Mack returned to the vehicle and closed the back hatch before turning his full attention to the task at hand. Inside the tent, Mack place a small heater in the back corner far away from Sally. Next he took a lantern out of the bags, he lit it and then placed it near Sally's face. He wanted to be able to watch her from the warmth of the tent.
Producing a knife from his murder kit which he'd brought with him for the occasion, Mack moved to Sally and knelt over her. He saw the panic in her eyes as she saw the sharp implement and he smiled to himself. The wretched creature had humiliated his Alex when she was an innocent little girl and now she would pay for her sins. Her eyes went wide as he began cutting her clothing away.
"Relax. I have no intention of violating you, Sally," Mack assured her. When she gave him a doubtful look, he added cruelly, "No man could get aroused by a woman who's as ugly on the inside as you are. I wouldn't degrade myself that way."
She muttered unintelligibly against the gag as he finished cutting away her outer clothing. Miles away from civilization, there was no danger of being discovered, so Mack pulled the gag from her mouth and allowed her to speak.
"Why are you doing this?! What do you want from me?!"
People were always so predictable in the things they said at moments like these. If anyone ever said something unique and different, he might spare them, just for being innovative, Mack decided with a sigh. Adopting his coldest facial expression he inquired, "Do you remember taking ballet as a little girl?"
"What does that have to do with anything? Please, don't do this. My parents have money-"
"They'll pay a ransom. Blah blah blah," Mack interrupted. "I've heard it all before. And it won't change a thing. Now, I want you to think back to when you first started taking ballet. There was a little girl in your class named Alexandra. Do you remember her?"
"N-no," she replied, her teeth chattering.
"It's not surprising considering she quit the class after you humiliated her at the Nutcracker audition."
"Nutcracker?" she repeated, understanding dawning on her.
"You pushed her out of the dressing room into the hallway naked. You exposed her and humiliated her."
"I was five at the time. I didn't know any better!" Sally screamed.
Grabbing her face cruelly in his gloved hand, Mack hissed, "You robbed Alex of something which gave her joy because you were a jealous and spiteful little monster."
"I- I'm sorry. Please-"
Mack cut her off, "Since you exposed Alexandra to a harsh element and stole her joy, I'm going to expose you to the elements and let them steal your life. You've had over twenty years in which to feel guilty and try to make amends, but never did. It doesn't matter that you were only five. If anything it makes this even easier for me, knowing you were beyond redemption from such an early age."
"P-please! I'm so c-cold!"
"And about to get colder," Mack informed her. Reaching inside the tent he pulled out a large bottled water and opened it. Pouring it over Sally's body, he watched steam rise off of her body as the water made contact with her skin.
"I don't know who you are, but you seem like a nice reasonable man. Why don't we go into the tent, we could get friendly," she suggested in desperation.
"You're wrong Sally," Mack corrected her and reached inside the tent for another water bottle. "I'm not a nice man and reason fled when I learned what you did to my Alexandra."
"It's Christmas next week, mister. My mother will be so-"
"Sad?" He interjected and began pouring more water on her. Shrugging he told her, "Sally, I really don't care about your mother. It doesn't matter to me that you're going to miss Christmas. You're not the first person I've killed, nor will you be the last. You're welcome to pray or plead all you like, just please do it quietly."
Mack retreated into the tent as Sally continued to beg and cry. Sitting near the heater, he got a bottle of Jack Daniels and a glass out of his bags along with a photo album. Pouring a drink to warm himself, he opened the photo album. Looking at picture after picture of Alexandra. To a picture of young Alex, he whispered to her about how he'd avenged her. Then he flipped to a recent picture of Alexandra. She was so beautiful, he thought with pride as he moved his fingertips possessively over the image. Not only on the outside but inside as well. The Sallys of the world would pay for the harm they did and his Alexandra would one day wield the power over life and death at his side. Lesser beings like Sally were insignificant, he thought as she whimpered outside. His selfish goddess would reign beside him as together they showed the world their dark and perfect love. The sound outside forgotten, he pressed a kiss to the photo, mentally vowing that one day Alexandra would know his passion.
Grace put the book down and went to the bar to pour a drink. It was surreal reading such a brutal scene in contrast with the tenderness Mack felt for Alexandra. Sally Austin was dispatched without mercy or conscience but the emotion behind the killing was so intense and reverent. The way Jack was able to convey Mack and make him so abhorrent but compelling and likable was truly remarkable. Although she was no closer to finding a way to ask him to sleep with her, Grace did feel like she was starting to grasp the depth of Jack's obsession with Samantha through reading about Mack. Taking her drink to the sofa, Grace picked up her book and resumed reading.
********************
It was late when Grace finished the fourth book and she decided to take the final book into the bedroom. Sliding into bed, she planned to read a couple pages of the last book and then to go to sleep and resume reading in the morning. However, as Grace read and got drawn in, her resolve flew out the window. Jack wouldn't be back for another day and she didn't have to be up early, so she decided to continue. While she read, she compared Mack with his creator and wondered if he'd felt the same grief and annoyance his fictional counterpart had when he discovered Alexandra's pregnancy. The sun was coming up, but with only a few chapters to go and the first physical confrontation between Mack and Alexandra about to happen, Grace continued reading.
Mack watched quietly from the shadows as Alexandra fought with Ted. Although he already knew she was pregnant, he hadn't known the particulars behind it and listened eagerly as the pair argued. Their voices were low, to prevent their party guests from hearing, but Mack was close enough to hear every word clearly.
"You shouldn't be drinking," Ted chided Alexandra.
"It's one lousy glass of wine, Ted."
"But in your condition- I thought you'd-"
"What? You thought I'd what? Be thrilled, quit my job and be some stay at home little mommy-to-be?"
Ted blanched and protested, "No, not quit your job. But I thought you would be excited about the baby."
"Excited?!" Alexandra spat. "Excited would mean I wanted to have a baby."
"We'd talked-"
"God damn it Ted!" she cut him off. "Talking isn't the same as me agreeing. You got me drunk on New Years and convinced me not to bother with my diaphragm. You're no better than one of those boys on campus that spike a girl's drink and have sex with her."
"I think the baby could be good for us," Ted tried softly and wrapped his arms around her.
Throwing his arms off, Alexandra snapped, "No Ted. A baby is good for you. It means I'm stuck with diaper duty and cutting back on my job while your bitch mother gets to play grandmother and you get to grin like an idiot because you have viable sperm."
"You need to cut back at work, Alex. Ever since you got involved in the Mack the Knife case, you've been so distant. Every night you sit up for hours going over his files and now he's stalking you. And you didn't even tell me! I had to hear it from fucking Davis Roberts!"
"Mack is important! He's the case of a lifetime!"
"I think you should give up the case," Ted told her.
Alexandra didn't speak for several moments. Her voice dripped with venom when she replied, "I've given up smoking because of the baby you've forced on me. That's the last thing I have any intention of giving up for you. Don't push me about Mack."
Ted made a sound of frustration. "I'm going back in to our guests."
"Fine."
"You know some day you're going to have to choose between me and Mack," Ted declared angrily and stormed into the house.
"Don't be so sure I'll choose you, Ted," Alexandra said angrily and drained her glass of wine. For several moments she stared into the night, then her eyes narrowed as if she was trying to peer through the darkness. Crossing her arms, she called out in annoyance, "I know you're there."
Mack moved from his hiding place onto the terrace. He had on the same waiter's uniform with domino mask and white gloves as the servers the couple had hired for the evening. As he approached Alexandra, his heart raced. Just being in her presence was almost overwhelming, the mixture of joy and unfulfilled longing that washed over him as he drew closer to his goddess. It had taken all the restraint he had not to move from his hiding place and eviscerate Ted on the spot when he heard that Alex's husband had tricked her into the baby. However, it wasn't time to kill Ted and his betrayal would make Alexandra more open to his courtship.
"Mack," she murmured and blushed at the breathless tone with which she said his name.
"Alexandra."
"What do you want?" she demanded.
Pausing to pull out a cigarette and light it, Mack drawled, "To offer my congratulations on your new addition, of course."
Alexandra gave an inelegant snort and said sarcastically, "Because you're every bit as thrilled about the baby as I am."
Mack laughed softly, "So it seems."
Neither spoke for several moments as they stood near one another. As Mack smoked he caught the wistful expression on Alexandra's face. Taking the cigarette from his mouth, he held it out to her. After a moment of hesitation, she took the cigarette and brought it to her lips. Seeing her smoking the same cigarette sent a wave of pleasure over his body. Mack reveled in the intimacy of her mouth touching the paper his had only moments before. As the cigarette burned down, he took out another, placed it between his lips and lit it. Taking the remnant of the cigarette from Alexandra's lips, he stubbed it out, then pocketed it, unwilling to risk leaving DNA behind. The gesture seemed to amuse his beloved and she giggled.
Feeling emboldened, Mack moved behind Alexandra and wrapped one gloved hand around her waist. She tensed slightly but made no move to run. With his other hand, Mack brought the fresh cigarette around and held it for Alexandra. Her hand moved to take it from him, but he held tightly and brought it to her lips. After she took a drag from the cigarette, he brought it to his own mouth and inhaled, his lips tingling with the knowledge her mouth had touched it a moment before. Once the cigarette disappeared and was pocketed as the first was, Mack wrapped his other arm around her as well. Gently he kissed the back of her neck and was gratified when she gasped and shuddered against him.
As he held her, he knew she felt his arousal against her backside and he murmured softly, "One day you will be mine, Alexandra."
"Mack, please. I-" she protested then moaned as his tongue traced her earlobe and moved along the side of her neck.
"Shall I stop?"
Alexandra didn't answer as Mack turned her around in his arms to face him. She feared her own desires as much as she feared him. It would be a long time before she would be ready to surrender to the inevitable. Accepting the cigarettes and his caresses had been a huge step and Mack was well aware of the gravity of her allowing him so near. Caressing her face, he drank in the sight of her. Her breath was coming in shallow pants and he could tell she was torn between giving into the demands of her body and giving into her mind's urge to flee.
"Tonight is the last you'll see of me until the baby is born," Mack informed her softly. Noting the crestfallen expression that crossed her face, he felt a surge of triumph before explaining, "For the sake of your health. But make no mistake, our game is only on hold."
"I'll catch you."
"I'm counting on it," Mack countered.
Pulling Alexandra close, he covered her mouth with his. She was surprised at the gentle invasion of his tongue but didn't resist. After a moment's hesitation she returned his kiss. Mack savored the small sounds of desire that Alexandra made as he held her and explored her mouth. The kisses would have to sustain him in the months to come but it was the first time he'd ever touched his goddess and euphoria washed over him. When he finally reluctantly ended their kiss, he took a final look at Alexandra before disappearing into the darkness. Although she would resist for a long time, she'd affirmed she was his in her momentary surrender.
Grace closed the book and sat it on the night stand. She had read it before, but it had never affected her as it had tonight. Having been kissed by Jack she could imagine the temptation and torment Alexandra must have felt. Had Samantha been similarly tempted by Jack? A stab of envy went through her as she imagined Jack kissing a faceless blonde, his expression rapturous as they kissed. Shaking her head she pushed aside her thoughts, Jack wasn't going to be giving up Samantha for her or any woman any time soon. Better to focus her energy on asking Jack for a night or two of passion rather than despising a woman whom she would never meet.
As she turned out the light, Grace considered the erotic quality of Jack's prose in the final pages of the book. She slipped out of bed and took her pajamas off. Getting back into bed, she closed her eyes and let her hand slide between her thighs as she imagined herself on a dark terrace with Jack kissing her. Her fantasy didn't end with kissing, instead he undressed her and took her on top of a conveniently placed table, her mind supplied. Grace climaxed quickly but continued touching herself as she thought about the fact Jack might be making love to her in the same bed in just another day or so. While she still was unsure of how she would bring up sex, Jack couldn't return soon enough, she decided as she lay panting in his bed.