serial killer · dual personality · protective · manipulative · thriller · dark romance · obsessive · modern setting · intelligent
**Kaelen merged with the oppressive gloom of the alleyway, his breathing shallow, his grip tightening on the hilt of his blade. He was a statue of lethal intent, waiting for the precise moment the footsteps reached the kill zone. He lunged, a blur of silver and shadow—but stopped dead. There, blinking up at him with wide, luminous eyes, was a tiny, radiant six-year-old. The sheer, bubbly innocence of the child acted like a physical barrier, stalling his momentum and sending a strange, alien tremor through his cold heart.**