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eyes seemed to be smiling at her, and she could have sworn she heard a deep, dark laugh ringing in her ears. But where was it coming from? Deep inside, she felt her chest rumble.
    “Oh yes.” She heard the voice say. It grew louder. “You have completed alienated yourself from everyone, even your lovers.” Something rumbled inside her being. “We’ve got you exactly where we want you,” the voice continued.
    “Who are you?” Althea looked into the mirror again. Wondering, questioning.
    “Ah, you still don’t know?”
    “No.” She gulped and had difficulty breathing. “Where did you come from?”
    “You created me. You tell me.” The eyes blinked. She hadn’t blinked, so why did they? It was as though someone was looking through her.
    “I—I have no idea.”
    “Oh, come now.” The voice grew louder. It was a woman’s voice. One that sent a chill slithering down her spine. “It seemed all too familiar—”
    “No,” Althea murmured. She gasped as the eyes seemed to smile at her.
    “Oh yes.” The voice was so loud it drilled into her skull. With a scream, Althea massaged her temples. “You know damned well who I am. I’ve known you all my life, Althea, my dear.”
    She rose as a vision of the past flashed in her head. A high-pitched scream filtered through her office as insanity set in the crevices of her mind. Suddenly the room spun, and she collapsed onto the floor.

Chapter Six
     
    The straw that broke the camel’s back.
    Her cheek still stung from where he’d struck her earlier. Althea’s bottom lip quivered when she’d realized Rufus’s betrayal. “I don’t believe you!” She had grown so fed up with his infidelity and abuse. It was like he left clues around just so she could find them. He seemed to take pleasure in lying to her. And now, he’d hit her again and walked away.
    She’d been pushed to the brink. “Why! You son of a bitch!” Althea threw her grandmother’s cast-iron skillet at the idiot she called her husband. Unfortunately she missed him. The need to get revenge grilled her insides. “I’ve given you the best years of my life!”
    Rufus chuckled as he turned around to face her. “Really, you should get a grip on yourself. You don’t want to run your pressure up.” He looked at her up and down. “Honestly, you could stand to lose a few pounds.” Rufus chuckled to himself before popping an Oreo in his mouth.
    Something inside her twisted, rearing its head, and suddenly she wished death upon the bastard who had betrayed her. The cast-iron skillet was too good for him. Feeding him tainted pork chops was not enough. She wanted to inflict pain. To hurt him just as he’d hurt her.
    Cheating would do it. Oh yeah, she’d thought about having an affair of her own. As a matter of fact, she’d thought about having numerous affairs. Men found her attractive. But no. Maybe that wasn’t the way to go. He could care less if she’d cheated. He always put her down.
    The knife inside her twisted as a red haze clouded her vision. The bastard was still chuckling to himself as she heard him flop his lazy ass down on the sofa and turn the television on. He was watching football. The prick.
    Gritting her teeth, Althea pulled out a knife and calmly opened the door. Visions of stabbing the bastard flitted through her mind. No, dammit. She didn’t want to kill him, just hurt him. All she wanted to do was inflict physical, brutal pain on him. Beating the living hell out of him could perhaps bring her some gratification. But how far was she willing to go?
    “Very far.” A voice echoed in her head. It was so faint, it was a whisper, but so loud, it was like someone roared those words.
    “Go as far as you want. He deserves it. No jury will convict you.”
    Althea gasped. Had she gone crazy? “No, I can’t.”
    “Yes you can.” The voice came again. “He owes you. Take it out of his ass. Make him pay!”
    The voice was now a hot breath against the back of her neck. Althea’s