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Will pushed back his cap, sighing softly before he headed over to where the victim sat. Or, who was meant to be the victim.
Doctor Lecter had been attacked in his own office, but had managed to subdue his attacker by bludgeoning him over the head with a statue of a stag. He hadn’t emerged entirely unscathed, however, and Will had been waiting for the paramedics to finish with him before he took down his statement.
Will hated this part of the job. He wasn’t any good at it. Dealing with people. People who had gone through something hard and traumatizing. They needed someone who was more sensitive and comforting. Will wasn’t those things, and he didn’t really know how to be. He was awkward and blunt, and usually came off as cold.
Hopefully, Doctor Lecter, being a psychiatrist, wouldn’t hold that against him.
“I apologize, Doctor,” Will said hesitantly as he stepped up to where the man was sitting, “but I need to get a statement from you. While it’s all still fresh in your mind, hopefully. Are you up for that?”
The man looked up at Will, a scrape across his nose and one of his lips split. In a three piece suit that had clearly been tailor made for him, he looked somewhat jarringly out of place in the middle of a crime scene. He was the kind of man who people would never expect to be disheveled. Yet here he was.
“I will tell you everything I can,” he said, “Though I fear there are things about this entire situation I am not entirely aware of.”
Will nodded.
“That’s fine, Doctor,” he said, “just anything you can. I want to get a picture of how things happened for you. The rest of the details can get filled in later.”
“By you?” Lecter asked.
Will was thrown off, and he paused. This wasn’t a part of the usual script. He wasn’t sure how to deal with it.
“Uh, well, yeah,” Will said, “I mean, probably. That’s one of the things I usually do. It’s really just a matter of taking the evidence and interpreting it.”
“And you are good at that?”
Will didn’t understand why Doctor Lecter was asking him these things. It wasn’t normally what people were worried about at a time like this. They were more likely to be concerned about what would happen to the body, or when they would be allowed to go home, or pets that needed to be tended to.
Not that pets were a concern for this man. Will could tell just by looking at him. No fur on his clothes, and no other evidence of a dependent. There were usually signs, even if it was something like a fish. Will could usually tell.
“Pretty good, sir,” Will said with a frown, “best in the precinct.”
Doctor Lecter hummed in consideration, and he didn’t seem all that bothered by the scene around him. He was appraising Will, rather than thinking of the ordeal he had just been through. Will wondered if it was some bizarre form of shock, where he was entirely avoiding thinking about what had happened.
“You seem young to be that accomplished,” Lecter said.
Will was growing more uncomfortable the longer they lingered on him rather than what he was meant to be learning.
“Not at all, sir,” he said, “but that’s really no matter. Can you tell me why Tobias Budge came here today?”
At last, Lecter pulled his eyes away from Will, looking across the room at where the two bodies lay. There was a darkness in his gaze that interested Will, and he made a mental note of it for later. His head was full of mental notes that he almost never ended up needing, but he made them just in case.
“He came to kill my patient,” Lecter said frankly, looking back up at Will with shining eyes, “He told him he had just killed two men. Then, he broke Franklyn’s neck, and then he attacked me.”
Will nodded. That much could be seen, at least. It made sense. From what they had seen, that was fine. Not very detailed, but fine. At least this was the topic they were supposed to be on.
“Why do you think he wanted to kill your patient, Doctor Lecter?”
Doctor Lecter let out a soft sigh.
“Franklyn told me his friend was the symphony killer. Tobias Budge was his friend. I urged Franklyn to turn him in. If he was questioned by the police, he would likely know who had sent them on his trail.”
Will hummed as he wrote all of this down. Again, this all made sense. It was logically what he had expected to hear. Everything followed.
Except…
No. It didn’t matter. All Will was doing was getting his statement. It wasn’t time to interpret it yet. That would come later. Now, he was just supposed to get what Lecter said happened.
“And why did he then try to kill you?” Will asked, “he already had the police on his trail. I can’t imagine you could have put him in any more danger.”
Lecter shook his head, and Will thought he caught a shadow of a smile there.
“Perhaps he knew I encouraged Franklyn to go to the authorities,” Lecter said, “It’s not as if Franklyn could have caused him more danger either. Revenge is what he was after, or so it seems. Such things rarely follow logic.”
Will hummed in consideration. It didn’t make perfect sense, but he guessed not everything did. He knew there had been times when even he had been stumped. The world didn’t have to bend to his whims, or his rules.The universe was beholden to no one.
But men usually followed rules, either their own or the ones thrust upon them. Will wondered what set of rules Tobias Budge adhered to.
“Is there anything else you think could be useful for us to know?” Will asked, though he had the feeling this was going to be wrapped up quick. Lecter didn’t seem to have all that much more to say on what had happened.
“May I take you to dinner?”
Again, Will was stunned to silence. He might have even dropped his jaw, leaving his mouth agape if Lecter’s amused expression was anything to go by.
“Pardon?” Will managed after a moment, swallowing and confused.
Lecter smiled.
“Dinner. I would like to feed you. Tonight, if you are available, though we can plan for something else if you are not.”
Will shook his head.
He wasn’t entirely alien to having people hit on him, especially when he was in uniform, but the advances usually stopped after he had said a few sentences or phrases. People picked up on his general social awkwardness and decided he was no longer worth the effort. Those who didn’t stop after he’d had the chance to make a fool of himself were usually the older white women who lived in trailer parks and had multiple plastic flamingos by their door. For some reason, that was the demographic that wasn’t perturbed by him.
But Lecter was not that.
“That’s a bit unprofessional, don’t you think Doctor?” Will offered, hoping to end it there, “I’m on duty, and you aren’t in a good place to be making decisions anyhow.”
Lecter huffed a soft laugh.
“Dinner is hardly a commitment,” he said, “but to settle your mind on the professional and psychological fronts, perhaps you could give me your number. That way, I can contact you in a casual context and when I have had ample time to recover from the happenings of today.”
Will let out a long breath, rubbing at his stubble as he considered it.
He was curious about Lecter. That shouldn’t be the ground upon which someone made this kind of decision. Curiosity wasn’t the same thing as interest. But that didn’t change the fact that it’s what really made him want to accept this strange offer.
“Alright, Doctor Lecter,” Will said at length, scribbling down his number and tearing the paper to hand it to him, “but if you call me in less than a week, I’ll definitely say no. You need to get over being attacked, and make sure you’re not just grasping at someone who could be seen as a figure of power and comfort in your time of vulnerability.”
Lecter accepted the scrap of paper, smiling with amusement.
“I can see you truly are talented in psychology, Detective Graham. I imagine you are quite adept at your job.”
Will shrugged, but he couldn’t help smiling a bit.
“Best in the precinct,” he offered again.
—
“Graham,” Will chirped into the phone as he shuffled through his mail.
“Hello, detective,” a familiar, accented voice greeted warmly, “It has been over a week, as you insisted.”
Will stopped what he was doing, a bit amazed. He had fully expected Lecter to lose interest once he had gotten some distance from the attack. It had been a week and a half, and he had thought he was home free.
But apparently not.
“Doctor Lecter,” Will said, tossing his mail onto the table, “what can I do for you?”
Lecter laughed softly.
“You can join me for dinner, detective. I am quite persistent.”
Will could see that.
“I guess I can’t fault you for it now,” Will said, “Though I still feel I’d be in hot water if my boss finds out about it. You sure I’m worth the trouble?”
“Detective Graham, as I said before, a single dinner is hardly a commitment. It rather sounds to me that you are not keen on the idea.”
Will flushed, though he wasn’t sure why. There was just something about Lecter that made him feel like he should try a little harder.
“No,” he said quickly, wincing at himself for sounding more eager than he really felt, “that’s not it. I just- I guess I don’t want you to be disappointed. I’m not exactly, uh, dating material.”
Lecter made a considering sound.
“Do you have an aversion to dating, or just feel you are not worthy of other’s attention?”
Damn psychiatrists.
“Alright, alright,” Will said with a sigh, already sure he would regret this, “where should we meet?”
There was an unmistakable smile in Lecter’s voice when he spoke again, and Will was sure he was getting in over his head.
“Please come to my home,” Lecter said, “I enjoy cooking for my guests.”
Will was definitely going to regret this.
“What time?”
—
Will felt absurd, standing on the front step of a house the size of his apartment building in the wealthy side of Baltimore, wearing his only good dress shirt and pair of slacks. He felt awkward being here empty handed, but Lecter had insisted he didn’t need to bring anything. Everything felt wrong.
Mostly, why in the world would someone like Lecter have any interest in someone like Will?
That was one of many things he hoped to learn tonight.
He also hoped to get a little more information about the attack by Tobias Budge. There were a few details that bothered him, and he figured he might as well see if he could clear things up while he was here.
Lecter answered the door with a warm smile, his hair soft to his brow and his tie loose around his neck. It was jarring, even considering how Will had seen him before. This was clearly an intentionally casual look, though still wonderfully becoming on someone like Lecter. Will doubted he would look bad if he was wearing a burlap sack.
Will had to push thoughts like that aside, smiling nervously.
“Detective,” Lecter said, “I am so glad you could make it. Please come in.”
Will nodded, swallowing past his nerves.
“I guess you should call me Will,” he said as he stepped through the door, “since this is a social thing rather than professional.”
Lecter’s smile widened as he shut the door.
“In that case, please call me Hannibal. Rid of both our honorifics, we can relax with one another and enjoy this evening.”
Will wasn’t sure he would be able to do that. It felt wrong, especially considering how they had met. But maybe he could avoid using Lecter’s name altogether.
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to relax anyhow, but I appreciate the effort,” Will offered, feeling like it wasn’t the right thing to say, but not knowing what he was expected to do.
Lecter nodded and gestured for Will to follow him deeper into the house.
“I am confident I can find some way to make this night enjoyable for you, Will,” he said, “I make an effort for all of my guests, especially those I particularly like.”
Will hummed, looking all around. Lecter’s decor was interesting. It was dark and macabre in a way that most people would shy away from for fear of being seen as gauche. Lecter had managed to make it entirely cohesive and elegant, flowing from one room to the other without entirely breaking in the mind of his audience.
The only room which didn’t feel the same was the kitchen, where Lecter brought Will now. This room was large and bright, clearly meant for creating complex and intricate dishes. Will could tell Lecter wasn’t a stranger to having an audience. He clearly liked to have guests, and Will thought he must throw extravagant dinner parties.
“If you’re trying to imply I’m one of the ones you particularly like, I’ll have to remind you we’ve hardly had one full conversation and you can’t possibly have that high of an opinion about me,” Will pointed out, more curious now than he had been before.
Lecter flashed another smile, and Will got the idea he was amused. That was better than being unnerved or annoyed, so Will took what he could get for now.
“While that may be true, I confess I have done a bit of research in the time since we met,” Lecter said, “I was curious about you, and you had given me a firm boundary about when I could next speak with you. Your reputation is impressive.”
Will flushed. He should have expected that, but he hadn’t. He didn’t like to think about the fact that his name was out there, in papers and online, for anyone to look up. He tried not to think about it, so it hadn’t occurred to him that Lecter would find out more without him offering it.
“I dread to think,” Will said.
“If I gave you the impression that I doubted your skills due to your age, I must surely apologize,” Lecter said humbly, “I know now that you were not exaggerating your accomplishments in the slightest. In the years you have been on the force, you have made quite a name for yourself.”
Will sighed softly and nodded. He knew what the name he had made for himself was. The guys in the precinct didn’t like him much, because they thought he was just trying to show them all up. He wasn’t good with social graces, and didn’t know how to make people like him. They thought he was proud, and thought he was better than them. They thought he was showing off. Really, he was just trying to do his job.
Bloodhound. That’s what they called him. They only called him that instead of Dog because they could play it off as a good thing if any of the higher ups asked about it. They didn’t want to get in trouble, especially not for messing with the teacher’s pet.
“You can’t believe everything you read,” Will offered, “I just do my job. That’s it.”
Lecter raised an eyebrow.
“Are you not treated well at your job, Will?” he asked, “not told how exemplary your work is?”
Will huffed.
“That’s not really how things work on the force,” he said, “outliers aren’t reinforced, on either end of the spectrum. They want you to conform. Fit in. I’m not any good at that.”
Lecter frowned.
“Then why do you stay?” he asked.
Will shrugged.
“I’m really good at the rest of the job,” he said, “and I can save lives this way.”
Lecter nodded in understanding, plating the food in silence. Will was glad for the reprieve, allowing his nerves to settle a bit more during the lull in the conversation. Lecter led him into the dining room and set the plates across the table from each other. Will sat down, feeling simultaneously more and less at ease here. He was glad to be sitting down, and excited to try the food that smelled and looked divine, but he was worried there was some etiquette that he wasn’t aware of. Some protocol he didn’t know.
“There are a few things I just can’t get my head around,” Will says at length as Lecter sat across from him, “things I’m hoping you might be able to help me with.”
Lecter raised an eyebrow.
“Am I to believe you intend to discuss business tonight, after all your objections based on professionalism?”
Will flushed again.
“If you’re not comfortable with it, I can forget it,” he offered, though he knew he most certainly wouldn’t be able to forget. He would just keep it to himself. “I just thought, since I’m here, two birds and all that.”
Lecter smiled.
“Certainly, Will,” he said, “I would be only too happy to offer my assistance if I can. I merely brought it up for your comfort. What is it that bothers you?”
Will chewed his lip and considered.
“Well, first off, it seems to me that Tobias Budge was trying to serenade someone with his symphony murder. The staging, the pageantry, it’s just more than he would usually have done for himself. He wasn’t that kind of killer. So, my first point of business is this. Who was he serenading?”
Will didn’t miss the impressed and amused expression that crossed Lecter’s face.
“Well, I can’t be sure, of course. I had never met the man until the day he attacked me. I suppose I have just assumed he must have been intending it for Franklyn.”
Will nodded. He had guessed that was what most people would think. That was why he had done his research, and he knew it didn’t fit. Franklyn just wasn’t the type. Franklyn pretended to have taste, riding on the coattails of the people he chose to spend time with, but he did not have the ability to really appreciate quality. One must only have told him that something was worth admiring, and he would take that as truth. Franklyn had not been the subject of such an intricate gift.
Will’s honest opinion was that Tobias Budge had been trying to serenade another killer. Someone he knew would appreciate not only the beauty and complexity of the work, but the horror and gore of it as well. Someone who was an artist of the same caliber.
“I understand that’s what you must have logically come to believe,” Will said, sighing softly, “but it’s not right. It doesn’t fit. I’ve been trying to make all the pieces fit, and I just can’t get it. I think Budge made that scene for another killer. Someone like him. But if that’s true, why did he run to Franklyn after the police came, instead of the person he admired, who could potentially help him?”
Will rubbed at his forehead, feeling like his skull might split with the speed and volume of his thoughts swirling around in there. He wanted things to make sense.
“Perhaps the admired had already rejected him, between the scene and the attack?” Lecter posited.
Will frowned.
That could be it. If he didn’t think he would find help there.
But that would mean that was someone who knew who he was, what he was, and could potentially have turned him in. It meant Franklyn wasn’t the only person who might have gone to the police.
What would Budge have done in that case?
“I don’t think that would result in what we got,” Will said with a shake of his head, “I think that would have made Budge more angry. I think he would have gone after whoever rejected him before Franklyn. We really should have another body to deal with. But he didn’t do that. He came straight to you and Franklyn.”
Lecter was silent for a long moment, studying Will as he poked at his food distractedly.
“I feel as if you are two degrees away from a brilliant conclusion,” Lecter said.
Will laughed. He couldn’t help it. Usually, when he got to this point in a case, if he talked about it with any of the guys in the precinct, they started jeering at him. Telling him he was thinking too hard and made it more complicated than it needed to be. It was surprising and refreshing to have someone tell him he sounded like he was on the verge of a breakthrough.
“That may be, but trying to force it won’t do me any good,” Will said, “and you didn’t ask me over here to discuss things like that. This is supposed to be something casual. I’m sorry for bringing the case up at all.”
Lecter smiled.
“Not at all, Will,” he said, “I find it fascinating to see how your mind works. You truly are as amazing as the articles claim.”
Will flushed, huffing another laugh.
“Tabloids,” he said, “Can’t trust them. But really. I’ve done enough talking. It’s your turn, I think, or else I’m really going to feel a fool.”
Lecter was obviously amused by Will, which was refreshing in the face of everything. Most people found him annoying when he wouldn’t stop talking about a case, or got stuck in little details like this. Especially when things seemed so clean cut and easy.
“Not at all. I am curious why you seem so uncomfortable with me. You seem to relax only when you are speaking about the case, and the moment you remember you are in my company you tense again.”
Will flushed darker. He hadn’t realized he had been that obvious about it.
“The truth, sir, is that I can’t imagine why you asked me here. In the immediate aftermath of the attack, I could excuse it as an unusual reaction to shock. That’s why I insisted you wait. But you called and asked me to dinner. Now, I don’t mean to insinuate anything, but most people don’t like me all that much, and I can’t figure why you would want to have dinner with me in the first place.”
Will hoped he wasn’t sounding ungrateful or rude. He was genuinely bewildered by it. People like Lecter didn’t usually socialize with people like Will, and it was weird to him that after nothing more than a short conversation, where Lecter had been still shaken from an attack, Lecter had decided he wanted to see more of him than was strictly necessary.
Lecter huffed a laugh.
“You refuse to call me by my name, Will,” he said, “I think the informality is making you uncomfortable. But that goes against what you said you wished for the evening. You are unpredictable.”
Will frowned. He hadn’t meant to make Lecter feel like he was uncomfortable here.
“Forgive me, sir, I-”
“Hannibal, please.”
Will hesitated.
“Alright. Hannibal. But you haven’t really explained what’s bothering me. You just deflected.”
Hannibal nodded.
“Much better. I am sure you are aware that you are quite an attractive young man, Will. It seems to me you must be accustomed to advances such as mine while you are on duty. I am not unique in this respect?”
Will huffed and shrugged.
“I mean, I get all kinds of people while I’m in uniform,” he admitted, “but my, uh, well my lack of social graces usually scares people off before they get to this point. And they’re not usually people of your social stature. People like you usually ignore me if I’m not immediately benefiting them.”
Hannibal hummed in consideration.
“I see. Then I am unique in that I did not allow myself to be dissuaded, and that I have a significant social standing. I find that fascinating. I, myself, am attracted to intelligence and competence. During our short interaction in my office, I found you quite intelligent and capable. To find both qualities in someone so physically beautiful is rare, and I determined not to let the opportunity pass me by. So long as you were amenable.”
Will was stunned into silence, feeling his face heat with an aggressive blush. Hannibal didn’t seem to have an ounce of shame in him, and just said things as frankly as he felt them. Will wasn’t used to being called any of the things Hannibal seemed intent to describe him as. Intelligent, competent, and beautiful. The way he said it, one would think Will was the epitome of what a human could be.
Something wasn’t adding up.
“Forgive me, Will,” Hannibal said, noticing Will’s condition, “I had not meant to make you more uncomfortable. I merely hoped to show you why I am interested in you. You embody every attribute I am attracted to. I see you are not used to accepting compliments, or at least not this kind.”
Will cleared his throat and shook his head.
“No,” he agreed, “I’m not. I’m not really used to accepting any compliments past the surface level. Like I said, people don’t tend to like me. I really don’t understand you at all.”
Hannibal smiled.
“What a loss it is to those that do not take the time to know you,” he said, “and a shame that you are not told of your brilliance.”
Will huffed.
“Hannibal, I don’t mean to be tedious, but you somehow managed not to tell me anything about yourself. You are a master at deflecting. I said it’s your turn to talk, and all you’ve done is talked about me. I’m sure you have an interesting life, and you have something else you can talk about.”
Hannibal nodded, clearly amused. He probably saw right through Will, knowing he was trying to change the subject because he was just entirely overwhelmed and uncomfortable with how they were talking about him now. Will just hoped he would take the bait and start talking about anything else.
“My apologies. I find you more fascinating than much else at the moment, but I can see why you would find it uninteresting. I am afraid my own life is quite dull usually. Apart from the attack, I have not had much excitement in the recent past.”
Will raised an eyebrow, sure Hannibal was being intentionally facetious.
“People like you usually describe a night out at the opera as exciting,” he pointed out, maybe teasing a little. But why shouldn’t he? Hannibal wanted this to be informal and casual. “Are you trying to say you’re different from them?”
Hannibal huffed.
“You have seen right through me. I should have expected as much. I suppose my view of things has been altered as of late. It seems being attacked in one’s place of work can do that to a mind.”
Will nodded. That made enough sense. Just as much sense as anything else around the man. Meaning it didn’t fully track, but he had no real reason to question it.
“Still, there must be something in your life you want to talk about. Something interesting that’s happened.”
“Well, I have been anxiously awaiting this evening, as meeting you was quite exciting,” Hannibal said, and Will snorted.
“You really won’t take this seriously,” he said, “you’re just counting on your sweet talk to distract me so you can get what you want. Really, Doctor Lecter, you think I’m that easy?”
Lecter laughed softly.
“Not at all, Will,” he said, “In fact, I expect you to make this very difficult for me. You have certainly not made it easy up to this point.”
Will couldn’t help but smile, even as he felt his face flush again. It was slightly intoxicating, being given Hannibal’s undivided attention like this. He was a man of money and fine taste, and it was akin to what Will imagined a farmer would feel being called to the king’s court. While he was sure he had not earned the attention, it was thrilling and flattering all the same.
“You give the impression of someone who doesn’t keep people around all that often,” Will said, sorry to be breaking the little spell even as he knew it was most likely necessary, “once you get what you want from people, you drop them. I don’t expect to get more than one evening from you, so I guess I’m going to make you work for it.”
Hannibal frowned, and it was the first time yet that Will didn’t think he was amused. For the first time, what he had said actually was getting to him, making him slow down and think. That was good, even if it would mean the end of what Will had secretly hoped would be a nice evening.
“You expect I intend for you to be nothing more than a one night stand,” Hannibal said slowly, as if allowing it to sink it.
Will shrugged.
“Maybe a little more, but not by much,” he said, “And I don’t mean this as an insult. I really don’t. People in your position can do basically whatever you want. I understand that. I just hope you can see things from my perspective.”
Hannibal nodded.
“There is one very important thing you have overlooked in your conclusion,” he said.
Will spread his hands, beckoning Hannibal to explain.
“Were you nothing more than a fling, I would not have been so invested in your being intelligent and competent. Your physical beauty would be quite sufficient.”
Will flushed hot again, and he didn’t know what to say to that.
“Will, I apologize for allowing you to think I was so shallow in my pursuit of you,” Hannibal continued seriously, “and I now intend to remedy that. I truly find you fascinating, and I find your company pleasant. You are uniquely stimulating in conversation, and bold in your refusal to be manipulated by me or anyone else. If you would like, I will invite you out for several evenings without requiring anything from you in return other than this quality of conversation.”
Will huffed and shook his head again. This wasn’t what he had been after.
“I’m not trying to get anything out of you, Hannibal. I just wanted you to understand where we stand with each other. If you wanted me to be just another notch in your bedpost, I’ll be fine with that. But just say it. And maybe don’t go telling everyone. Could hurt my reputation.”
Hannibal sighed and stood from the table. Will was startled, and he didn’t know what to expect from the man next. Hannibal strode around until he was standing just beside Will’s chair, with Will looking up at him in confusion. Hannibal leaned down until his lips ghosted over Will’s, and then spoke.
“What must I do to convince you I want more than that?”
Hannibal closed the distance between them, kissing Will as his hands lifted to cradle Will’s skull.
Will couldn’t remember the last time he had been kissed, and this was better than he had ever felt. Even if it was just for this one night, he wouldn’t be too broken up about it. To be thought useful, even for a moment, by someone like Hannibal Lecter, would be nice. Maybe even worth being tossed aside in the morning.
Will’s hands found their way to the lapels of Hannibal’s jacket, pulling him down closer until Hannibal was on his knees at Will’s side and they were level with one another. That Hannibal Lecter would kneel at Will’s behest, even if it was just to get what he wanted, was a heady feeling.
“Do you wish to finish your dinner?” Hannibal asked softly, his voice breathy, when they broke apart.
“You wine and dine so skillfully, Doctor Lecter,” Will replied, allowing the pleasure of Hannibal’s attention to wash over him. Just for the night. “I’m ready for dessert if you are.”
Hannibal huffed softly and quickly hauled Will up from his chair. He was deceptively strong, making Will’s mind do acrobatics with this new information. Soon, he was being pulled and led from the dining room, all the while being lavished upon by Hannibal’s lips and hands.
Even if it was just one night…
Will froze, his eyes widening. Hannibal noticed, and looked to him questioningly.
Tobias Budge. Franklyn. Doctor Lecter.
Oh, it all made sense and Will was a fool for not thinking of it sooner.
What killer would Tobias have wanted to serenade so badly as to risk getting caught? Who would he go to first after finding out he had been betrayed? Why would he try to kill someone like Doctor Lecter? Who would Tobias want to hurt for rejecting him?
“You’re the Ripper.”
Hannibal stilled, the way a lion did as it came near its prey in the tall grass. His eyes flashed red in the low light of the house, and he was all at once the picture of the predator Will now knew him to be.
“You fed one of them to me.”
It seemed Will couldn’t stop himself now that he had gotten started.
“You were serious that you wanted more than just one night. Even if you don’t end up liking me, you would kill me. Add me to your portfolio. Or if I figured you out.”
Will met Hannibal’s eyes, feeling his heart race with excitement. Hannibal tipped his head, as if he saw something he wasn’t sure how to interpret.
“Your pupils are dilated,” Hannibal said softly, his hand sliding to Will’s wrist, “Your heart rate is elevated. Yet you are not running. You have made no move to fight. Tell me what you are thinking, Will.”
Will stared into those eyes, the strange maroon shade they were, searching. He found what he was looking for, and he was surprised.
Hannibal didn’t want to kill him. In fact, he would consider it a loss if he was made to. Hannibal was waiting for Will to decide what he would do.
“I already told you how I feel about you getting your use of me,” Will said, hardly believing the words coming out of his own mouth, “it would be a shame to make you do all that work and not let you enjoy the evening after all.”
Hannibal blinked. Then, his face split with a cheshire grin. The cat that got the cream. His hand tightened on Will’s wrist and he resumed dragging Will through the house.
“Yes, it would surely be a waste.”