I needed to find her. Damn it all, it was cold and dark, and where the hell was she going? Panic rose, strong and wild within me, as I raced as fast as I could. I needed to protect her.
I didn’t want her to leave the fucking house.
I needed her to leave me, to leave my presence. And now she’d gone out into the darkness, and I know what I saw. Those men were in pursuit of her. Who were they? Why were they on my property to begin with? I grabbed a flashlight and my phone, and plunged into the darkness. She’d headed south, in the general direction of the town, but she was nowhere near the main road yet. With my height and knowledge of the grounds, I’d be able to find her. As I made my way toward where I’d seen her, my heartbeat kicked up. This was it. She was drawing me closer to the edge of the cliff, where my nightmares became realities, whether I liked it or not. In front of me rose sounds of a scuffle, voices, a low growl, and then I heard it. A high-pitched scream.
I’d kill them.
I ran toward the sounds, determined to find her, and when I broke through into a clearing, I saw her, but she wasn’t alone.
Annabelle lay on her back, held down by two men clad in black, while another stood over her.
He was going to hurt her.
And I was going to tear him apart, limb by limb.
With a roar that came from somewhere deep inside me, I attacked.
“Get your filthy hands off her!” I roared, crashing my way toward her. I’d never taken on three grown men by myself, but I’d try, damn it.
I lifted back the heavy flashlight and when I was near enough, I cracked it against the skull of the man whose hands were on her, the one I needed to harm first. The flashlight was easily the size of a police man’s club, long and heavy, and a suitable weapon. The man crumpled to the ground, but the second man rose in his defense. His fist lashed out and connected with my jaw. My head snapped back and Annabel screamed, but I would not be deterred. I wouldn’t stop until every one of them was taken down. I kicked at my attacker and hit his knee. He stumbled forward, and I shoved him, as the third man came at me. I would not allow them to overpower me. I hit one after the other. I needed to protect her. One of them reached out and pushed her back. She cried out, and my vision went red. I saw nothing in my path but one true course, and she stood apart from me, watching with her mouth agape as I attacked one after the other, my fists flying, ducking their assault with ease, but just when I thought I’d bested them, blinding pain hit my side and my vision blurred.
“Sawyer!” she screamed. I swung my fist and leveled my attacker. The three of them lay on the ground. I fell to my knees and called out to her.
“Call for help, Annabelle,” I said, before I collapsed.
