Jameson noticed the bathroom door move and willed it to be Candy safe and sound. His girl was a fighter. If he could keep this guy’s attention on him, she could escape. His next thought was that he was going to kill the man with his bare hands if he got the chance. Her face was swollen and bruised, one eye complete shut. He willed her to run for the slider, and out to the yard, but she just stared in a daze. Unfortunately, the bastard caught where his attention had strayed.

“Now you’ll see! I’ll show you!” With that the man pulled from Jameson’s hands scrambling backwards. His first thought was to protect Candy but the perp wasn’t going to her. The man dove to the far side of the bed and came up with his gun. He was waving the gun around like in a bad movie, pointing it first at Candy then at him. Every time it swung in Candy’s direction Jameson yelled to get the guy’s attention back to him.

“This is perfect! Now I can kill your demon and make you watch him die.”

“No!” Candy shrieked. With the attacker’s attention on her Jameson edged closer.

“Don’t move!” the guy screamed at him. With the gun pointed at Jameson, Candy started to plead with the guy.

“Ted, just let him go. I’ll do whatever you want, just don’t hurt him.”

“The hell you will.” Adrenaline raced through his blood making the words escape before he could censor them. Fuck. Where the hell was the PD? “Look, buddy, your problem is with me, not her.” If he could keep the guy talking... He didn’t know why Ted hadn’t pulled the trigger yet but any time he could get, he’d take. Candy was shaking like a leaf. Everything in him wanted to hold her and make her safe but touching her would push Ted over the edge. “You’re right. I made her do those things.” He wasn’t sure what the guy was talking about but if it kept Ted’s attention on him, fine. “She didn’t want to but, like you said, I corrupted her.”

“Jameson! Stop! He’ll hurt you.” It killed him but he ignored Candy. Ted vibrated with rage and, if he had to guess, fear. The guy held the gun like it was going to explode in his hand, safe bet the first time he’d ever shot the thing was when they’d entered. Jameson rolled closer to him, if he could get the gun...

Ted seemed hypnotized for a moment. When he snapped back to the here and now Jameson had managed to move so that he was even with Candy and close enough that he could lunge for the gun. It would have to be a last ditch move since it would pull him out of the chair. The adrenaline stink rolled off of Ted. Candy’s breath rasped in and out. A quick look at her showed all her focus on Ted’s gun.

“This is all your fault!” Ted had the gun pointed at him but wouldn’t have been able to hit a barn with the way he was holding it now. It was only his constant awareness of Candy that let him see her as she tried to jump in between the two of them. This was going to be bad.

As she moved he stiff armed her to the side and behind him. Ted freaked out and raised the gun as he got a hand on it. He was starting to push it away when Ted’s head, well exploded would be putting it nicely. Ted’s gun hadn’t gone off, it hadn’t misfired. Jameson’s ears were ringing from the shot and he slumped in his chair in exhaustion.