Pulse |BLOOD OF MY LOVE|

Chapter II

Warning: Content Intended For Mature Readers (17+)

WILL A HERO CHOOSE HIS LOVE OR WILL HE TAKE ME TO THE GRAVE?

Isla's eyes widened as Grayson looked away from her, a look of disbelief on his face. His jaw clenched, as if he was trying to suppress a scream.

"You're joking, right?" Grayson inquired, his voice trembling. "You're really Dark Clover?! The killer?"

Isla felt a mix of emotions. Her secret was out. She had hoped to keep it from him, to enjoy one last night of bliss with him, before she disappeared. But now, everything was ruined.

"Why would you... Why... " Grayson continued, his voice cracking. He sounded like a wounded animal, hurt and confused.

Isla briefly considered her response. She could lie to him, tell him it was all a misunderstanding. But she knew he wouldn't believe her. He was too smart, too observant. He had seen the truth in her eyes, the moment he had mentioned the name Dark Clover.

"Were you testing me? To see my reaction? You weren't sure yourself until you saw the expression on my face." She said, trying to sound calm and rational.

Grayson shook his head, trying to make sense of it all. He had been hunting Dark Clover, unaware that the ruthless serial killer was right in front of him. The woman he had fallen in love with, the woman he had shared his bed and his secrets with, was the same woman he had sworn to bring to justice.

"How have you managed to hide so well?" Grayson asked, his initial shock giving way to a sense of betrayal. "How have you fooled me, and everyone else, for so long?"

Isla adopted a confident tone. She knew she had no choice but to face him, to reveal her true self. She had nothing to lose, and nothing to fear.

"Because I don't fear." She said, her voice firm and steady. She looked him in the eye, challenging him to question her.

The change in Isla's voice didn't go unnoticed by Grayson. She sounded more menacing, her voice lower than usual. It sent a shiver down his spine. He realized that he didn't know her at all, that she had been wearing a mask all along.

"Do you really not fear anything?" Grayson asked, trying to understand. "Then why use a mask when you go out at night? If you're as brave as you imply, you wouldn't need to hide your identity."

He hoped to find a crack in her armor, a sign of weakness or remorse. But she didn't flinch, she didn't hesitate.

"I use a mask to protect myself, not to hide. I don't want to be recognized, or traced, or caught. I have a mission, and I won't let anyone stop me." She said, her voice cold and determined.

The revelation that the person he had pursued relentlessly was sitting right in front of him stirred anger in him. She was the object of his obsession, the person he had wanted to catch so badly. He had loved the Isla she had showed him, but despised the Dark Clover he had vowed to arrest.

"It wasn't just some mistake, done under severe circumstances," Grayson said, his tone harsh and accusing. "You killed people, Isla-" his voice broke, as he uttered her name. "They were people, Dark Clover. They had lives, they had dreams, they had loved ones, family, friends."

He couldn't believe that she could be so cruel, so heartless, so inhuman. He couldn't believe that he had fallen for her, that he had trusted her, that he had given her his heart.

Grayson's anger was evident, but Isla remained resolute. She didn't show any guilt, any regret, any sympathy. She didn't care about the people she had killed, or the people she had hurt. She only cared about herself, and her twisted sense of justice.