Three was enough for a pattern. If she wasn’t already looking for him, she soon would be. He wondered how far he should go. Should he spell out the entire message?

“You are mine, Harlene. Either you will behave or, I will kill everyone you’ve ever met.”

He chuckled at the message. Sixteen mortal lives were a small price to pay for such a funny jape.

But he didn’t need to be locked into it. Once she knew what he was doing, she’d start ...