Castleton General Hospital

  Madison's room-407

  "You're so beautiful," the big man says, tracing a finger along Madison's face.

  Madison's body trembles as she maintains contact with the hulking man hovering over her. The man seems almost sad and not quite all there. More than once, he strokes her face only to scrunch up his face in confusion. The final time, he bends forward and kisses Madison's quivering lips.

  Madison does not fight back. The man has abandoned his knife just to the left of her head, on the hotel's sad excuse for a pillow. The hand not stroking her face, fondles inside the open portion of her blouse. Tears stream unimpeded down Madison's face. She considers yelling at the big man; telling him to get it over with already. What the hell is he waiting for?

  The first wail of a police siren perks up Madison's ears. Help is finally arriving. Maybe.

  The man does not seem worried. In truth, he seems pleased. Planting kisses along Madison's neck, cheeks, and behind her left ear; the man grins wryly. His voice becomes a hoarse whisper.

  "It is time, Madison. Time for you to know who it is you are now bound to. It is I...Aquarius. And you are now mine. When the police come...They will find you and I together. We will leave this world together. Nothing will ever separate us. You are mine."

  The man who calls himself Aquarius sits up on the bed. He grabs the two open folds of Madison's blouse and yanks her up. Madison lets out a low gasp just before the attacker's mouth seeks hers one more time. He kisses her fiercely, a partial smile on his evil lips.

  "Let us go and meet them," he growls in Madison's face.

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  "Miss. Kelley?" Detective Mackey says, staring down at Madison Kelley's placid slumbering face.

  The young women is under heavy sedation. He was informed by emergency services that Madison spent much of her time in the ambulance sobbing and screaming uncontrollably. He will need to be very careful when speaking with her, and he cannot stay long.

  "Miss. Kelley?" James tries again.

  Madison's eyelids flutter and her lips part ever so slightly. As Mackey watches, the young woman's chest rapidly rises and falls under the covers--her heart rate accelerating. Detective Mackey lightly touches the top of Madison's right hand. He leans forward and whispers reassuringly into her ear.

  "I won't hurt you, Miss. Kelley. I'm a detective. I'm only here to make sure you're okay. I'll leave you alone now."

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  "No," a soft voice says. "I'm awake now."

  James withdraws and gazes down into wide brown eyes full of pain and fear. He offers Madison what he hopes is a calming smile.

  "There you are," James says.

  "Yes," Madison says drowsily. "Here I am. What is your..."

  Madison coughs dryly several times, her body jerking with every violent cough. James leans across and grabs the insulated hospital cup of water meant for Madison, which rests on her beside table. He places the straw gently against the young woman's dry lips.

  "Here. It's cold water. Drink some. The nurse left you a dinner tray but you were too sleepy to eat. I had them take it back out. Are you hungry, Madison?"

  "A little," Madison admits. "But I'm feeling so weird inside...I think I might throw it back up. My insides feel like jello. They won't stop moving around. Especially, my stomach. And...I'm so...I'm so sleepy. Why am I so sleepy?"

  "It's the medication, Madison. The doctors had no choice but to sedate you. Do you understand what that means? Do you remember what happened tonight?"

  Madison's bottom lip starts to tremble. She grips the hospital blankets in a quaking hand. Her focus on Detective Mackey's face slips and her eyes seem far away. Mackey stares down at her in concern.

  "Madison, are you okay? Should I get a nurse in here?"

  "No. Please no. No more doctors. No more nurses. Not tonight. I promise, I'll be fine. Now, please...You came to talk to me. What about?"

  "It can wait, Madison. I think I made a mistake. It's too soon. I'll just go."

  "No," Madison says again, tears streaming down her face. "Please talk to me. Ask me whatever you want. I'll answer truthfully. Just talk to me. Don't leave me alone."

  Detective Mackey's mouth draws into a firm line. His mind races back more than five years to Samantha's beside. She had also begged him not to leave her. She'd been afraid he'd seek greener pastures in the arms of another woman. She'd been ashamed of not being able to offer him what a wife usually could: love, warmth, and passion. She'd been afraid he would leave her alone to die. He could never have done that to Sam. She was the love of his life.

  Detective Mackey reaches forward and grips Madison's right hand. He squeezes her slender hand gently, a sad smile touching his lips.

  "I won't leave you, Madison. Not tonight. I promise."

  "Thank you, Detective..."

  "Mackey. Detective James Mackey. I'm here for you, Madison. I'm not going to rush you. Say what you need to say. I'll listen. That's what I'm here for. I'm here for you. You've been through something no woman ever should. No person ever should. You're safe with me."

  "Thank you, Detective Mackey," Madison says with a sad smile. "Thank you. I want to hug you. Is that okay?"

  The corners of James' mouth pucker with sadness. He solemnly shakes his head, tears welling in his eyes.

  "Sure, Madison."

  Leaning forward, so that Madison does not need to sit up, James hugs her loosely. Madison's arms surround his neck and she immediately begins to sob.

  "Thank you, detective. Thank you. Thank you for not leaving me. Thank you so much."

  James' eyes widen and his left brow hitches when Madison plants a tiny kiss on his right cheek. She continues to thank him profusely.

  Present Day

  Detective Mackey opens the top drawer of his desk. He grabs out a small handcrafted arrangement of photographs. Sabrina Engle, Bridget Davis, Rose Perry, and Carmen Asbury. Only the first of several cruelly slain victims. How many more before they catch this Aquarius bastard?

  James runs his hand across the four photos and sighs. Beautiful women, all of them. What in the world creates a beast like Aquarius? What kind of mental pressure unleashes such a horrible monster onto the world? This has to stop. Aquarius must be stopped. At all costs.