Shadows Of Passion

IMPERIAL PALACE HOTEL      
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA        
        
Ragan straddled her latest male victim. She reached out and made sure the lock in the wrist cords was secured.        
       
“Why are you doing this to me?”        
“It’s your destiny to die. Now shut up.”        
       
Ragan covered Senator Sexton’s mouth with a white silk scarf and tied it. She lifted the dagger near the senator’s thigh and held the tip of the silver blade against his jugular vein. She journeyed it along the contour of his dark-brown shaven cheekbone.        
       
“I wonder how your wife would react, if she knew that her dear husband cruises single bars soliciting the services of defiant women.”        
Senator Sexton mumbled something through the covering that restrained his speaking.        
       
Ragan took the dagger and nicked her wrist. She arched her neck toward the ceiling, while she watched the blood flow down her wrist onto her latest victim’s stomach. She bent her head downward. Her tongue made contact with the senator’s sweaty skin; she licked the smear of blood away. She sat up and rubbed her wrist against her chest.        
       
Ragan placed the dagger on the bed and inched the scarf down from Senator Sexton’s mouth. She caressed his cheek.        
       
“You are a very handsome man.” She bent her head down and kissed his lips; she mingled her blood within the corridor of his mouth and leaned up. “My blood now flows through you like water. You will remember that saying before you die.”        
“You can go to hell, you fuckin crazy bitch.”        
       
Senator Sexton lifted his head from off the pillow and spit in Ragan’s face.        
       
Ragan wiped the slimy matter away, and looked down at Senator Sexton. She drew her hand back and slapped him across his face. She pulled a handful of his hair.        
       
“Not to worry senator, you will get there ahead of me.”        
       
She pushed his head back down on the pillow.        
       
Ragan lifted her derrière and grabbed Senator Sexton’s sheathed manhood. She guided it inside her vaginal orifice.        
       
“Oh...”        
       
Senator Sexton rocked his body and moaned at the unexpected occurrence.        
       
“Just like a man, sex before pain.”        
       
Ragan slowly flapped her buttocks up and down his rigid manhood.        
Senator Sexton gyrated his groin at the intimate violation. He strained to undo his arms and legs that were attached to the bedpost.        
Ragan moved faster. She placed her palms on Senator Sexton’s chest, and raised her womanhood to the tip of his penis. She repeatedly pounded it up and down the slicken length.        
       
“Shit!” Senator Sexton expressed through compressed teeth. He galloped his manhood deeper inside of her.  
 
Ragan placed a finger inside her mouth, moistened it, and jammed it inside the senator’s mouth.        
       
Senator Sexton subconsciously sucked on Ragan’s finger as he continued to drive his manhood deeper inside of her.        
       
Ragan felt Senator Sexton’s manhood pulsating. She opened her eyes and looked down.        
       
Senator Sexton had his eyes closed on the verge of releasing himself.        
Ragan lifted the seven-inch dagger and raised it above her head. She plummeted it into the center of Senator Sexton’s chest and quickly pulled it out.        
       
“Uhh.”        
       
Senator Sexton opened his eyes and looked up at Ragan. Confusion clouded his face. He saw the dagger in Ragan’s hand. His blood drooling from the sharp blade enlarged his eyes.        
       
“Help..., help me.”        
“You like my little surprise senator?”        
       
Senator Sexton’s body lunged forward, which caused the bedpost to rattle.        
       
Ragan gouged the dagger inside Senator Sexton’s chest again.        
       
“Uuggg.”        
       
The senator’s body sprung forward and fell back against the mattress.        
       
“Kill Kill,” repeated voices of domineering echoes circled her ears.        
“Die you bastard.”        
       
Ragan raised the dagger again.        
       
Senator Sexton twisted his body to the tormenting pain of Ragan persistently stabbing the dagger into his flesh.        
       
“Die dammit!”        
       
She continued to blindly jab the blade into his upper torso. She stabbed him in the face, withdrew the depth of the blade, and sadistically rammed it into his throat.        
       
Ragan looked down at the ghastly corpse and dropped the bloody dagger on the bed. She leaned down and kissed Senator Sexton on his bloody lips. She indented one knee into the bed cover, and slowly lifted her other knee over his chest. She got off the bed and ran into the bathroom.        
       
Ragan sat on the toilet. Her body violently shook. She rocked back and forth.        
       
“He was like all the rest. No man can resist you; no man will ever leave you. Kill them all.”        
       
She covered her ears to block out the voice that always permeated inside her head.        
       
“Stop it! Stop it! Go away! Please,” Ragan cried.        
       
She wrapped her arms around herself. She rose and staggered over to the shower, slid the shower curtain back, and stepped into the shower. She slid the curtain close and twisted the shower cold-water knob. She looked around the small confinement and backed up against the tile; she slid down the wall and sat in the corner of the shower.        
       
Ragan allowed the cold blast of water to cascade over her. She placed her arms over her head and began to cry.        
       
THE LAS VEGAS TIMES NEWSPAPER        
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA        
       
“Nadia, what is the latest news report we have on the second victim at the hands of the Las Vegas Slasher?”

Nadia placed her cup of coffee down on her overcrowded Oakwood desk. She stood and followed Mr. Manuel Addison, her Chief Editor into his office.        
       
“Close the door and have a seat.”        
       
Nadia closed the door and took a seat across from Manuel’s desk.        
       
“I’ve interviewed several of the CSI team and they are telling the public there are no new leads, other than a bloody scarf of the suspect that this person or persons leaves behind.”        
“Was DNA left at the other crime scene that can link us to the gender of this sick psycho?”        
“According to Chief Downey from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, no. However, the public is already convinced the Las Vegas Slasher is a female.”        
“It could be a person who is dealing with gender related issues.”        
“The last I checked, Senator Sexton, was a straight alpha-male, and very much married.”        
“Point taken.”        
“It has not helped my story since the press have suppressed some of the evidence concerning, why Senator Sexton was soliciting a high-class call girl for sexual favors.”        
“Well at least your story made front page.”        
“Yes, but the news media wanted an immediate retraction, since I challenged Congress to explain why Senator Sexton utilized taxpayers’ dollars for his obsession with call girls.”        
“Since dead men can’t talk. My suggestion is a follow-up story.”        
“All in good time.”        
“Nadia, in your professional opinion, do you think Congress is hiding something from the public about these two related high-profile cases.”        
“It’s hard to speculate how the government thinks.”        
“Come on now, two high profile government Congressional Representatives, excuse the pun, found with their pants down.”        
“Correction, pants off, and no offense taken.”        
“Well, I need your personal opinion, not your professional one.”        
“Manuel, I think if the government wasn’t hiding anything, then we have a problem. By the way, I have an interview with a Forensic Pathologist and Chief Medical Examiner a...” Nadia stopped talking, dipped her hand into the side pocket of her suit jacket, and removed a piece of paper. She unfolded it. “I have an appointment with Dr. Ambrose, and from there, I have a date with James, the Warden of High Desert State Prison.”        
“I thought I advised you not to inquire about the murder cases concerning Azele.”        
“Manuel, I think Azele can shed some light on how this person or persons thinks. I believe someone is out there trying to copycat the 2007 New Orleans Serial Killer, the same MO is written all over this one, and if I have to lessen my morals by visiting a notorious serial killer inside a prison cell, then so be it.”        
“Well, when you visit that place, I will assign Dale as your personal escort.”        
“I know you mean well, but no thanks. I already have that covered.”        
       
Nadia rose and walked to the door.        
       
“Nadia, be careful where you tread. I cannot afford my star Investigative Journalist getting hurt, or God forbid, killed, doing her job.”        
“Thanks, and I will.”        
“Now get out of here and find me a story.”        
       
Nadia opened the door, walked out, and pulled the door close. She returned to her desk and lifted her cup of coffee. She took a sip.        
       
“Yuck,” she mumbled.        
       
The cold taste did not compare to the warm java she found comfort in earlier.        
       
Nadia placed the cup back down on her desk and took a seat.        
       
Eric looked over Nadia’s shoulder.        
       
“Hey, I thought you were trying to give up that fix.”        
“I am. I’m only down to one cup a day.”        
“Any new leads on the Slasher story?”        
“I think I may have an angle.”        
“Do you care to elaborate?”        
“And have you steal the biggest story from under my nose, not a chance.”        
       
Eric and Nadia laughed.        
       
Nadia looked down at her watch.        
       
“Ooh, I have to get going. I have an interview with Dr. Ambrose.”        
“Thee Dr. Ambrose? The bestselling author of Crime Scene Investigations. The same person who won the Pulitzer Prize in literature. The Forensic Pathologist and Clark County’s Chief Medical Examiner?”        
“Yes, yes, yes, and yes.”        
       
Nadia logged off her computer and stood. She placed a fallen strand of hair behind her ear.        
       
“I wondered how you got so lucky to land an interview with Dr. Ambrose. I heard the man is insufferable, and refuse to consent to any interviews.”        
       
Nadia’s co-worker crossed his arms over his chest.        
       
“I think he liked my pink panties.”        
       
Nadia winked at Eric and walked away.        
       
LAS VEGAS NEVADA UNIVERSITY      
     
Nadia parked her vehicle in the space reserved for visitors. She withdrew the key from out the ignition, and then unsnapped her seatbelt. She placed her ring of keys on the passenger seat, and lifted her purse. She opened it, dug inside, and took out her favorite tube of cherry-red lipstick.        
       
Nadia pulled down the sun visor and looked at the embedded mirror; she uncapped the lipstick, and refreshed her lips. She recapped the tube and dropped it back inside her purse.        
       
Nadia removed her brush and brushed her strands back into place. She perfected the style of her shoulder length inverted bob with accuracy. On various occasions, she regrets she asked her hairstylist to cut the long length of her hair, but after she looked into the mirror. She fell in love with herself for her hasten decision.        
       
Nadia smoothed over the bronzed-colored blush to her cappuccino-skinned tone complexion with her fingertips. She noticed her eyelids could use another touch of gold-colored eye shadow to highlight her dazzling grayish-colored eyes. Nadia dipped farther into her purse.        
Sterling pulled his BMW into the university’s parking lot. As always, the parking-lot was full beyond capacity. He switched his cell phone to his other ear. He toured the parking-lot looking for the first available space. He finally saw an available parking space; he pulled his vehicle into the narrow opening.        
       
“Sterling, are you there dear?”        
“Yes mother I’m here, and yes, I will come and visit you this weekend. I have several meetings lined up, and two classes I’ve been asked to lecture tomorrow morning. After that, I’m on the road.”        
“I thought you were off today.”        
“I am. I came in today to be interviewed by someone from the Las Vegas Times Newspaper.”        
“Then I guess I will see you this weekend.”        
       
Sterling heard the disapproving tone in his mother’s voice.        
       
“Mother do you need me right now?”        
“No,” his mother replied in a brisk tone.        
“Mother, you’re being unfair. I advised you when I took this job that there will be a change in my visitation days.”        
“I know son, I just get lonely.”        
“I even asked you to come and live with me. You know I have plenty of space.”        
“Until you settle down, and place a real woman at your stove, and not all the loose women that you’ve introduced me too. I will remain at the retirement home.”        
“You know I love you, but you are one stubborn woman.”        
       
Sterling’s mother smiled at the remark.        
       
“I love you too, and I will see you this weekend.”        
       
Sterling flipped his cell phone down and fished to place it back on his hip clip. He took his foot off the brake pedal and looked down.        
Nadia felt a jolt in her back from behind. The contents in her hand landed on the car mat.        
       
Sterling looked up.        
       
The front end of his BMW rested on the back fender of an Infiniti.        
       
“Oh shit.”        
       
He twisted the key inside the ignition and withdrew it. He unsnapped his seatbelt, opened the door, and rushed out his vehicle. He pushed the door close.        
       
Nadia opened her door, and placed one foot on the pavement.        
Before Sterling saw the stranger’s face, he saw a light-skinned leg, and toned upper thigh.        
       
Nadia stepped out her vehicle and closed the door back. She walked to the rear end of her vehicle and looked down at her fender. She saw the other driver had rammed the rear of her vehicle, which resulted in a huge dent.        
       
“Did you not see that I was parked,” Nadia tossed over her shoulder.        
“It was my entire fault and I am prepared to pay for the damages to your car.”        
       
Nadia looked up.        
       
“I...”        
Wow! What a handsome man she thought.        
       
Nadia could not move her eyes away from the stranger’s expanded chest wall.        
       
The Las Vegas Nevada University fleece he had on displayed the muscles in his biceps. The pair of black denim jeans he wore, hugged solid thighs, and a seemly strong groin.        
       
Nadia looked up into the stranger’s dark-brown eyes. His face was set in a stern grimace, she could not understand why. He was at fault, not hers. Still it did not take away from his mocha-skin tone complexion, and a shaven crown. The thin goatee and his angular jawbone was his strongest masculine attribute.        
       
Handsome, but probably arrogant she thought.        
       
“I will need the name of your insurance company.”        
Sterling looked at the woman’s petite figure. Her curvaceously size-six waistline filled out her black linen skirt in excellent taste. The matching suit jacket she had on, had a small stain near her perfect C-cup bust line. Her grayish-colored almond shaped eyes, were dreamy and went along with her light skinned-toned complexion.        
Sterling could not find the right words for the woman who stood in front of him. She was not a top model, but she was very sexy and extremely gorgeous in a blatant feminine way. Her shoulder length hair was severely styled; he noticed not a strand of her jet-black hair was out of place. Her plump pinkish lips went outside the word, kissable.        
       
“Should I repeat myself Mr...?”        
“It’s Sterling.”        
       
Sterling extended his hand.        
       
Nadia looked down at Sterling’s hand. She did not offer hers in return.        
       
“I do not mean to appear rude, but I have an interview, and you are wasting my time.”        
       
Sterling reached in the back pocket of his denim jeans and took out his wallet. He opened it and took out a card with his insurance company’s information on it.        
       
“Here you are.”        
       
Nadia snatched the card out Sterling’s hand. She looked down at the card. She memorized the telephone number and his Insurance Agent’s name.        
       
“Thank you.”        
       
She handed the card back to him.        
       
“You do not need to write anything down?”        
“I have a very photographic memory. Now, will you be kind and back your car up.”        
“Sure, and I apologize once again.”        
“It’s a little too late for that.”        
       
Sterling turned and walked away. He opened his car door, got behind the steering wheel, and pulled the door close.        
       
Nadia looked at the stranger behind the steering wheel. She was rather hard on him, but one thing her adoptive mother advised her is, never place your heart, trust, and kindness in the hands of a stranger, especially a handsome and virile one.        
       
Sterling slowly backed his car up. His front bumper slowly rose off the mangled damage.        
       
Nadia looked on. Her car was an older model, but it was already paid for. She looked down at her dented rear fender. How could she be taken seriously as a Journalist, when people will assume she cannot even operate a vehicle?        
       
Sterling opened his door, and got out. He kept the engine running and the door open. He walked up to the rear end of Nadia’s vehicle.        
       
“You have my insurance information.”        
Nadia looked at Sterling. Why did she always meet handsome men under adverse conditions, or at unpleasant times?        
“Please advise your Insurance Agent to expect my call.”        
“I will.”        
“Thank you.”        
       
Nadia turned around and walked back to the driver side of her vehicle.        
       
Sterling looked at Nadia’s firm ass, very nice he thought. He returned to his car, got in, and pulled the door close. He backed up and drove off.        
       
Nadia opened her car door, got in, and pulled the door close. She looked down at her watch.        
       
“Dammit!”        
       
She will have to reschedule her interview; damn she wanted to speak with Dr. Ambrose. His expertise has been sought out in weeding out pertinent information related to crime scenes, and the forensic science behind it. Something she was totally ignorant at, but willing to gain knowledge of.        
       
Nadia lifted her cell phone from off the passenger seat and slid it open. She pressed in the number contact to Las Vegas Nevada University and placed her cell phone up to her ear.        
       
LAS VEGAS NEVADA UNIVERSITY      
       
“This is Las Vegas Nevada University. May I help you?”        
“Yes, I would like to speak to Dr. Ambrose.”        
“May I ask whose calling?”        
“Yes, my name is Nadia, and I had an appointment with Dr. Ambrose ten minutes ago. Could you please tell him I had an emergency, and I will like to reschedule sometime tomorrow.”        
“Nadia, Dr. Ambrose will be leaving out of town tomorrow afternoon, and he will be away until the end of next week.”        
“Could you please have him call me, this interview is very important.”        
“Nadia, what is your telephone number?”        
       
Nadia gave the woman her cell phone and home telephone number.        
       
“Nadia, I will make sure that Dr. Ambrose gets this information as soon as he steps through the door.”        
“Thank you.”        
“You’re welcome.”        
       
Nadia slid down the top half of her cell phone.        
       
Sterling parked his vehicle on the campus’ grounds, turned off the ignition, and withdrew the key. He looked down; damn he forgot to use his seatbelt. He hopes the rest of his day does not continue to unfold as it has.        
       
Sterling grabbed his briefcase from off the passenger seat, opened the door, and stepped out his vehicle. He closed his door, and aimed his key remote at it. His car doors automatically locked. He placed his key remote inside his back jean pocket.        
       
Sterling thought about the woman whose car he rear-ended. He hated to admit it, but he wished it was her other rear end he rammed, her ass, damn. He shook his head at the memory of great legs, kissable lips, and breasts that would make a nursing baby proud.        
Sterling climbed the steps and entered the Administration Building. He walked down the quiet carpeted hallway, stopped in front of his office, and turned the doorknob; he entered his office, and closed the door behind himself. He peeped his head inside his Administrative Assistant’s office. “Good morning.”        
       
Mrs. Lanolin looked up from her computer screen.        
       
“Good morning.”        
       
Sterling stepped back.        
       
“Wait Dr. Ambrose, I have a message for you.”        
“What is it?”        
“I promised a woman who left you a message that I would give it to you, the moment you stepped into your office.”        
“Well as you can see, I’m in yours.”        
       
Sterling walked to his office door, and twisted the doorknob. He entered his office, flipped the light switch on, and walked to his desk. He placed his briefcase on the white mahogany surface, and took a seat.        
       
Mrs. Lanolin entered Sterling’s office.        
       
“Mrs. Lanolin, I have a scheduled interview across campus in one minute, which I am very late for as we speak. Therefore, whatever you have to advise me, tell me, or show me, will have to wait until after my interview.”        
“Dr. Ambrose, your interview has been cancelled by a Miss. Nadia. She left her cell phone and home telephone number where she could be reached. She stated the interview was very important to her, and can you please contact her to reschedule.”        
“She what!”        
“Cancelled on you.”        
“Shit! Excuse me Mrs. Lanolin.”        
“Your expression is excused.”        
       
Sterling was pissed. He practically sped to get to the university to grant an interview to a complete stranger, dented the back fender of a very beautiful woman’s car, and postponed the beginning of his vacation again. He was already behind on several autopsies that have not been addressed, and now his interview was cancelled.        
       
“Dr. Ambrose, here is Miss. Nadia’s message.”        
       
Mrs. Lanolin handed Sterling the piece of paper.        
       
“Thank you.”        
       
Mrs. Lanolin turned and walked out of Sterling’s office.      
       
Sterling looked at the two numbers. He lifted his desktop telephone, dialed the first telephone number, and then placed the receiver up to his ear.    
   
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