Chapter 39 Regan #2
“No.” I stumbled sideways and then tried to dart past him. We grappled, me pushing at his face, clawing at his neck, trying to escape. Yet he was so much stronger than I was, and I was so dizzy from the blow to my head.
Robyn’s voice roared in my mind, instructing me, demanding I not let him get me on the ground, but my limbs wouldn’t obey.
My foot slipped, hitting nothing but air, and I cried out in fright.
“Careful!” Austin gripped me to him. “We don’t want you going over the edge just yet.”
Suddenly, I knew why he’d brought me here.
He intended to send me over the edge with him tonight.
And I was not dying in the North Sea.
Tears of fury and desperation streaked my cheeks as he hauled me into his arms so tightly, I could barely breathe.
“God, I’ve missed you.” Austin buried his face in my neck.
Every inch of me was repulsed by his hold.
“Please,” I whispered, “don’t do this to me.”
He lifted his head to stare down into my eyes, and I saw nothing but belief in his.
I had no idea someone’s faith could be so terrifying.
“This is how it’s meant to be. You’ll see that soon.” He curled his foot around mine and I fell.
My back slammed into the ground, my head wound screaming with the impact.
And then Robyn’s commanding voice was in my head again, reciting instructions as Austin fell to his knees and tried to grab at my hands.
Focusing on Robyn’s voice, I forced my left knee into his gut to stop him from coming down on top of me as I wrapped my hand around his right wrist. Then I pulled back my right leg and planted my foot hard on his hip …
and I ripped at his hold on my arm and shoved him away from me with all my might, using the strength in my legs.
He toppled backward as I rolled out from under him and scrambled to my feet.
Eyes darting to him, I froze in shock as his arms windmilled at his sides.
And then he was falling out of sight.
His scream wrenched through the night air, chilling me to the bone.
Finally, I heard him crash into the waves below, just as they pounded against the rocks.
Nausea crawled up my belly as I tentatively walked over to the cliff’s edge.
There was nothing but white froth in darkness under the moonlight.
No sign of Austin.
Shaking so hard my teeth rattled in my head, I stumbled back from the edge and sobbed. A sense of unreality descended over me.
Focus, Ree, I heard Robyn whisper. Come back home.
“Eilidh, Lewis,” I murmured into the night. No one knew where they were. They must be scared out of their minds.
Rushing forward, pushing through what I was sure was a concussion, I ran from the edge and into fields sparse with winter grass. I had no idea where I was, how far from Ardnoch he’d taken us.
But as I followed the coast, I saw lights in the distance. Hurrying toward them, it took about ten minutes before a sense of overwhelming familiarity rushed over me.
I was near Gordon’s trailer park at Ardnoch Beach.
Loud music thrummed from the park, and I could see shadowy figures outside the trailers, partying together.
Of course. It was still Hogmanay.
“Help!” I yelled hoarsely, running harder now.
“Help!” The fields eventually gave way to a path carved by people trekking up onto the cliffs.
The path sloped down toward the trailer park, and I stumbled on a large pebble, going over on my ankle.
The jarring thud of hitting the ground on my hands and knees made black dots cover my eyes.
“No!” I shoved myself back onto my feet. I had to stay awake. I had to tell someone where Eilidh and Lewis were.
Rushing down onto the gravel, I saw two people sitting on the deck of their trailer watching everyone else dancing and drinking on the road that cut through the park.
“Help!” I yelled, trying to be heard over the music.
But I had to run right up to their deck before the older couple turned to me in surprise. I didn’t know what I looked like, but the man broke out in a curse at the sight of me.
“Please, help!”
“What on earth?” the woman cried out, and they hurried down their deck steps to catch me as I swayed.
Focus, Regan, focus.
It all came out in a rush, and I got agitated as they made me repeat it. We drew attention from other people, and I was aware of the music fading out. Police were called, but I rambled off Thane’s number, insisting they call him to tell him where Eilidh and Lewis were.
“The children are fine,” the woman, Betty, said sometime later when I repeated the demand. “They’ve already found them. Your friend is on his way.”
The news that Eilidh and Lewis were safe made me sob with relief. It was only when Betty said, “Your friend is here,” that I became cognizant of the fact that I was inside their trailer with a blanket around me.
I didn’t realize how much time had passed.
“Where is she?” I heard Thane demand loudly outside. He sounded frantic.
Launching myself off the trailer’s couch, I pushed hands away that tried to stop me and hurried outside. Thane and Robyn stood by his SUV, glaring at two of the partygoers.
“Thane.”
His head snapped toward me. Our eyes caught, his blazing with everything.
It took him less than two seconds to cross the distance between us and haul me into his arms. The feel of him, his scent, all of it overwhelmed me, and I melted like an ice cube by the fire.
“Mo leannan.” I felt his lips on my temple.
I smiled just as the black dots scattered across my vision.
“Regan?” Thane’s voice turned sharp with concern. “Regan!”
I couldn’t answer.
It was like the whole damn world switched off the lights.