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He had her right where he’d wanted her all along.
Alone with him.
THREE
Helene
Get her to the table.
I kicked, driving out my feet, and screamed. “No! NOOO!”
Hands gripped me, pushing me down. Down into the darkness. Down into the foul water that forced its way inside. Black lake water rushed over my face, flooding my mouth as I howled and fought. I coughed and choked, surfacing and spluttering to stay alive. Still, they held me against that table, their grips around my ankles too strong as they forced my legs apart and drove me back under.
Midnight.
Deep.
Endless.
Depths.
Consumed me.
I opened my mouth, screaming in muted sounds of nothing and stared up through the murky blur.
Fight.
Fight them.
GET THE FUCK OFF ME!
I yanked my eyes open and shoved upright in the bed, breaking free of the water…and the nightmare. My pulse boomed inside my ears, the sound deafening as slowly the room I was in sharpened. But it was the fire that lashed my throat that hurt. I swallowed the sting and tasted blood. Darkness. That’s all there was…until the faint murky outline of light at the edge of the room drew my focus.
Soft bedding pressed under me. I tried to remember where I was and stared at that faint murky light that hugged the edges of the doorway.
“You were screaming.”
I flinched, freezing at the soft, deep murmur.
In an instant I realized why the soft glow spilled around the edges. Because he took up the entire space.
“S-ssorry,” I croaked, my throat on fire.
He took a couple of steps closer, moving into the room, and stopped at the edge of the bed. His careful movements still made my breath catch.
“There’s water.” He turned his head, glancing at the nightstand beside me, then he turned and slowly headed for the doorway.
He left me…just like that.
I glanced at the water, my throat scorching, and grasped the bottle. It was just a dream…just a dream. But the moment I broke the seal and swallowed the water, that same terrified feeling came rushing back. I swallowed, coughed, and spluttered, swiping the dribble off my chin, and moved.
The sheets were cast aside as I kicked. I scurried from the bed, wincing as my feet hit the floor. Pain lashed across the soles of my feet. But this pain I could deal with…not the one that waited for me the moment I closed my eyes.
The faint thud of his steps reached me. I limped toward the doorway and out onto the landing. Darkness waited down there…but darkness was everywhere, wasn’t it? I felt that more keenly now than I ever had. My fingers trembled as I gripped the banister and eased down one stair at a time.
A sharp, bitter scent of coffee wafted to me as I made it down the last stair. I followed the scent to the kitchen I’d found before. The mountain waited, pouring two cups before he placed the glass carafe back under the coffee machine.
He pushed the creamer my way, grabbed his black, and lifted it to his lips.
