Kali really did not want to end up in the backseat with the maniac. She managed to hook both feet into the steering wheel. But her back was arched over the console, every fiber in her upper torso wrung beyond its limit. The pain was excruciating.
As the man continued to pull, a cry slipped from Kali’s lips. She had to do something. Kicking wildly at the keys dangling from the ignition, Kali finally hit the right spot. The horn blared repeatedly. The car’s lights began flashing. Panic buttons had a purpose after all.
“You’re going to pay for that,” he snarled into her ear.
He didn’t waste time delivering on that promise. With strength reflecting madness, the man pulled even harder. Tears blurred her vision and wet her cheeks. Pain gripped Kali’s head like a vise. It was difficult to see anything beyond it. She was either going to have to let go of the steering wheel or hide a bald spot the size of a small grapefruit.
Kali shut her eyes and let go. A second later, the pressure on her skull relented and she was snatched into the backseat. Her attacker’s enormous girth actually softened the impact. The smell of popcorn got stronger. Kali realized he was the source.
She struggled to reach for one of the rear passenger doors but couldn’t move. The man was holding her back with an iron grip. Something cold and sharp pressed against her neck. Kali froze. She prayed it was not a knife but knew in the same instant that it was.
“Where’s your boyfriend now?” he taunted viciously.
When she didn’t respond, he flicked the blade against the delicate hollow of her throat. Kali felt her blood trickle and went limp with fear. Behind her surrender, the man relaxed his hold. Hard calluses scraped against her soft skin as his hand explored her body. When his fingers slipped underneath her bra, she bit back a sob.
“I told you I’d put my hands wherever you wanted them.” He laughed. His belly quivered against her back. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
Her stomach rolled in revulsion, and Kali fought the urge to vomit. Clenching her teeth, she refused to make a sound. Fear was what he wanted. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she could not believe the attack was really happening. What a horrible way to start off the weekend. Raped and then killed, or killed and then raped, or just raped. The options weren’t looking so good.
“You’ve already met my little pet. He liked you but you got away.” He kissed her neck. “I’m going to have to show you how a little girl like you should behave.”
Kali whimpered. She didn’t want to think of what would happen next, knowing she was powerless to stop it.
Suddenly, the rear window exploded and shattered glass rained inside. Kali instinctively closed both eyes and turned her face. She felt the fat man’s body convulse and the knife fall away from her throat. Another window shattered. More glass flew. Someone was screaming. The villain. It was his voice shrieking into the night. Kali opened her eyes to see him being pulled feet first through the opposite window. But the opening was much too small to accommodate his bulk. The man’s face contorted with agony. Blood spilled where his skin split against broken shards of glass. Red streamers poured down the door panel. The villain had become the victim.
He cried out and clawed at the seat, desperate for anything to hang on to. He even tried reaching out to Kali. She plastered her body against the door to keep away from his flailing hands. Eyes bulging, his blubbery face vanished. His final scream was cut short.
Kali was shaking uncontrollably. She stared through the shattered window. Nothing but the empty night lay beyond it. The inside of the SUV had gotten a serious makeover. The leather was ripped. Blood covered the doors and seats. Greg is never going to let me use this car again.
Then a face appeared in the window. It was the hero, the stranger who had rescued her before the movie. Even while slipping into shock, Kali was somehow able to appreciate how attractive he was. The dimly lit theater hadn’t done the guy enough justice. Set aglow in street-light, his features were absolutely stunning.
“That’s twice in one night I’ve saved you.” His voice was calm and reassuring. Kali’s fear started to melt away. “Don’t move,” he told her.
But when his face disappeared, panic seized her chest. In the next moment, the stranger was behind her. His arms were gentle as they wrapped around her waist, tugging her free of the backseat. Kali’s knees buckled as soon as her feet touched the pavement. Every ounce of adrenaline was spent. She sagged against him. Strong hands steadied her.
“It’s okay. You’re safe now.”
Those soothing words would be the last thing she heard that night. The world around her muted as if someone had remotely pushed a button. Her vision dimmed. Black tendrils weaved between gleaming pin-points, blurring the sight of his face. And then there was nothing.
Chapter 5
The stranger caught the young woman in his arms as she fell limp against him. He held her close, tilting her face to the light. Her appearance was somewhat different. Her raven locks were shorter but with the same silky feel. Her eyes were as he’d carried them in memory for so long—a piercing deep brown that commanded whatever they wanted. And from what he’d seen tonight, her fierce temper had remained very much intact. Kalista was as beautiful as he remembered. And she had finally come back to him.
He was angry at himself for creeping her out and then leaving. Danger had been so close. Already several miles away when the urgency of the car alarm reached his ears, he’d raced back to the theater. Seeing her attacker had felt like a flying kick to his gut. He had made a huge mistake. Never underestimate anyone or any situation. He smiled mirthlessly. That lesson would be repeated until he learned it. How many more would die before then?
Lifting her gently, he carried her across the parking lot and loaded her limp body into the passenger side of his vehicle. He reclined the seat so it would appear she was only sleeping to any curious passerby. Though encountering a decent citizen at this hour that actually cared enough to report suspicious activity was highly unlikely. He strapped the safety belt across her lap and chest. And then he lingered, reluctant to leave again even for a minute.
He glanced back at the man that lay motionless on the pavement and frowned. Closing the door, he turned to survey the surroundings. His eyes and ears were alert to anyone else that may have been summoned by the alarm. Satisfied with the silence, he returned to the SUV. It had seen better days before this one.
He retrieved the purse from the floor-boards, shaking it free of glass. It was a flashy thing, impractical and very full of stuff. Not seeing anything else she might miss in the morning, he went to deal with the large man sprawled belly up on the pavement. He considered his options. The body couldn’t stay where it was. Come morning, someone would see it. There would be screaming. There would be cops. With those guys came a lot of questions. And he didn’t particularly like dealing with questions.
The man had basically gone down without a fight. And a relatively small amount of blood had been spilled. But even a little blood wasn’t good for his leather seats. The stranger let out a resigned sigh. Had he known he was going to have to kill tonight, he would have come better prepared.
Grabbing the body by the ankles, he hauled it over to the truck. Another idea occurred to him as he deliberated the tool-box in the tail bed. His eyes moved down to the fat guy and then up to the tool-box again. It was going to be a tough squeeze. Slinging the purse over his shoulder to free his hands, he hoisted the body up into the bed. As an afterthought he checked for a pulse.
Dead.
There was a reasonable amount of space to accommodate the corpse after he’d tossed out a few items. He shoved the man inside and packed him down with his feet. Then he strapped the tool-box tight with bungee cords. If the lid popped up and the body fell out, it would be a terrible thing. Even Bill Clinton couldn’t explain himself out of that one.
He cleared the glass from the lot and drove the SUV to a nearby parking garage. He would have to retr
ieve it later. Starting out at a jog back to the theater, the stranger stopped when sirens suddenly screamed in the distance. Their wails grew louder, as did the roar of two engines pushed to the max. He crouched low and slid into the shadows of nearby landscaping. His heart thudded. He hoped it wasn’t the cops. Every muscle tensed as the vehicles came in view. He relaxed. It was only a pair of first responders racing to a fire. The stranger waited a few beats more to be on the safe side. He had already screwed up enough for one night.
When the sirens fell to a distant hum, he left the cover of the shadows. A few minutes later, he sat in his truck waiting for the GPS to find the address from her license. The moody little contraption got a hit on the second attempt.
Only the drone of tires moving over faded asphalt and the occasional whump of the body in the toolbox kept him company. But the drive wasn’t a long one. His eyes drifted to the passenger seat for the millionth time.
She sighed softly and stirred. He placed a hand on her shoulder, hoping to still her sleep. The brief contact lit every single nerve ending on fire. It was as if he’d stuck his hand over an open flame and held it there until the skin bubbled. Both pain and pleasure spread through his body, multiplying with the irresistible song that called his flesh to hers. It took everything he had to keep the truck on the highway. At last, the feeling subsided and he tore his hand away.
“Okay. Think baseball,” he muttered.
The stranger swore as he nearly drove past the street sign marking her subdivision. The brakes squealed in protest to the swift deceleration. He winced, and glanced over anxiously at the passenger seat. She still slept. Relief washed over him.
Cutting the headlights, he aimed the truck into the driveway of a suburban home with features identical to at least fifty percent of the houses in the neighborhood. The engine didn’t make any noise in neutral as it coasted toward the two-car garage. He watched nearby houses to make sure no curtains moved or lights came on. A neighbor witnessing him carrying an unconscious woman into a dark house could make trouble.
By the time he managed to locate her keys, exasperation was almost on his doorstep. It was as if she had tried to pack an entire store inside of the purse. Gently lifting her from the cab, he carried her to the front door, shifting her weight to work the lock. The damn thing stuck. The deadbolt eventually gave and he opened the door. No need to turn on the lights. Other senses would guide him through the unfamiliar contours of the house.
He navigated the stairs soundlessly, pausing at the top to look in both directions. Left. Her scent was strongest there. He went that way and found her bedroom at the end. Back against the door, he pushed into the room and reached the bed in two long strides. Her weight sank into the mattress. He pulled blankets to cover her.
He wanted to stay, wanted her to wake and know he was real. But instinct and caution prevailed over emotion. There was a greater need to observe and understand why she had ever left him.
Chapter 6
Dark. Dread. Heart pounding fear. The horseman first entered Kali’s dreams that night.
Her blood hammered brutally against her temple. She strained to see, peering at her feet and hands. The shadows frightened her. Somewhere the moon shone vibrantly. But where Kalista stood, that luminary was blocked by lush trees of the forest. She gazed up at their ancient, bowed branches reaching endlessly into the night sky, utterly entwined for all eternity. The sight stirred hope within her.
She looked ahead and caught a glimpse of light. Just as quickly it disappeared, like an animal scurrying away to hide deep in the forest. The terror of being discovered clutched at her heart, squeezing air from her lungs. Light. She had to find it. Only it could keep the shadows at bay. She began moving to where she had last seen the light, but abruptly halted.
The forest was too quiet. To disturb that stillness would place everything in peril. But she couldn’t stay where she was. Forcing herself to continue, Kalista trudged onward. Every step sank her feet deeper into the unforgiving mud of the overgrown path. One slipper got sucked down into the sludge and stuck fast. She tried to pull it free, but the shoe didn’t budge. She would have to abandon it rather than risk capture.
Gathering her skirts into a firmer hold, she pressed forward and tried not to think of the dress that had been so beautiful only a few hours ago. Now it was ruined. The bottom of the garment was in shreds, covered by muck and briars. An assortment of small creatures probably clung aboard as well. The lavish material was no friend to her now, whispering in the night whenever she moved. She gritted her teeth against the sound, knowing the smallest noise could be heard by the alert ears of those that crouched, waiting in the forest. The day should have been one of celebration. Instead, a horrific turn of events had left her scrambling through the mud like a wretched dog. That hardly mattered now. Only survival was important.
Directly ahead, she saw the light return. Kalista gradually realized where she was. The clearing. She was so close. Her hope surged. The impulse to run forward became very strong…until a noise from behind made her freeze. Her mind and heart raced to consider the possibilities. She could not risk revealing herself, but darkness would not conceal her much longer.
The sound in the forest grew louder and closer. Something was crashing through the undergrowth at a rapid pace. And it was frantic to reach her. Turning back, Kalista ran to the light. As she burst into the clearing, something grabbed her from behind with incredible strength. It tore at her dress, trying to drag her flailing body away from the light. Deeper into the forest.
As hard as she struggled, the thing that had her was winning. She reached out for anything to hold on to. But it was useless. Help, she cried soundlessly. Help!
No one answered.
Swallowing despair, she flipped onto her back to confront the creature that hunted her so doggedly. The pair of primordial eyes that met hers glowed like embers of a dying fire. Hypnotized by her gaze, the creature paused in its attack. She held on, willing it not to move. Minutes were like hours as they ticked by. No movement, not even their breathing, was evident. But the creature had a powerful will of its own.
Kalista began to feel her hold lessening.
It opened its jaws and inched forward, fighting for every stride. Clouds of its pungent breath engulfed the air between their faces. The stench of it was thick. Kalista could taste the hunger for her death. Will spent and near collapse, she was able to command the creature no longer. She resigned at last to surrender to the enemy.
All of a sudden, the light advanced. It rushed through the trees and exploded onto the scene, banishing the darkness. Fear covered the creature like a thick blanket, possessing even its movements as it struggled with the possibility of retreat.
A figure in black armor emerged from the light. He moved like a phantom, silent and fluid in grace. He was seated upon an extraordinarily large mount. The horse’s size alone was enough to strike awe into the heart of any challenger. Its skin was as dark as the night that surrounded it.
As the horseman expertly brandished his weapon, the light moved with it and Kalista realized that the sword was the source of blinding radiance. In one sweeping motion, he brought the blade down upon the creature’s head, delivering a crippling blow. The animal snarled with a blend of rage and pain. Then it fled into the forest.
Kalista quivered with relief, unable to control the shaking even as she climbed to her feet. She kept her eyes on the mysterious rider. Everything about him remained concealed. Even his stature was distorted by the immense armor. Somehow she knew he would not reveal himself.
The horseman looked past her, staring into the forest with his sword held in high guard. Blood steadily drained from its edges, dimming the blade’s brilliance. Then the horseman turned to Kalista. She could only assume their eyes met because his remained hidden. He dismounted and reached her in a single stride. When only an arm’s length separated the distance between them, the horseman raised his scarlet touched blade…<
br />
Chapter 7
Kali lay quietly with her head on the pillow listening to a pair of finches singing outside. Several minutes ago, she had awoken. And she’d been very confused. The memory of driving home the night before wasn’t there. She didn’t remember fumbling with the lock or walking up the creaky staircase.
Where am I? The question plagued her brain until the familiar bump of a loose spring at the foot of the mattress rubbed against her foot and the oil painting of yellow daisies caught her eye. Those clues brought a wave of recognition and relief. She was in her own bed, in her room.
Still feeling somewhat uneasy, Kali crawled out of bed. She was rewarded with a chill that almost sent her diving right back underneath the covers. The cold from the hardwood floors clung to her feet as she walked to the window. Reaching up in a languid stretch, she drew the curtains aside. It was definitely morning. The finches chirped in welcome, like faithful heralds. Smiling appreciatively, Kali raised the window.
For the past few winters, the tiny birds had made a home in the huge oak tree whose branches hung low over her bedroom window. Even in two feet of snow, they could be spotted tirelessly foraging for food. She often made it easier for them by preparing a plate of peanut butter mixed in birdseed and hanging it near the base of the tree. Pat and Stew sang to her every morning. But whenever that special meal awaited them, their song was extra enthusiastic.
“Hi, fellas.” She addressed them both as males, though they were a mated pair. But Pat never acted as if she minded. “Good things will happen today,” Kali said softly.
Shoving the worries she’d awoken with to the back of her mind, Kali figured what she needed was a hot shower. She grabbed a towel and went down the hall to the bathroom. Standing beneath the steaming water felt good. It pounded her back and shoulders in a liquid massage that could have lasted for hours. Kali closed her eyes and inhaled the steam, enjoying the soothing effect.