Chapter 28 #2
When I seem to come to awareness again I feel his lips sweep over my forehead, my body laying against the cool sheets of my bed. “I’ll give you a baby someday Thea, I’ll give you the world once it’s safe.”
Those words haunt me as sleep drags me under once more.
Nervously bouncing on the balls of my feet, I watch from the porch as Law throws his gear into the back of his tuck.
I had woken with a start, a nightmare of Royce chasing me from my slumber just as Logan had walked in to wake me up.
It was like the world had transformed into something new, as though I’d been asleep for months and not just an hour.
Thick snow had begun falling, blanketing anything and everything. Winter was suddenly upon us.
“This is part of his job, Law is smart. He’ll be okay.
” Logan says, coming to stand next to me.
But I’m not just worried about Law… It’s Ace too.
He was gone when I awoke, while his scent had lingered on the pillow but the bed was cold to the touch.
And his words… fuck they still felt like they were hovering in the air around me.
The nightmare had sent my anxiety ratcheting back up, leaving me uneasy.
It’s been months since Royce had been put in jail.
Months of calm and healing. My therapist would remind me that it’s normal for someone with PTSD to have flashbacks, to have bouts of more intense anxiety because of my triggers.
But this feels bigger, more ominous than a PTSD flair up.
It was just a nightmare, you are being ridiculous.
Wrapping my arms around my center I keep watching as he checks, and re checks, his supplies before shutting the tailgate.
Law pushes his hat upward, locking eyes with mine.
He smiles, two fingers beckoning me forward.
It’s all the invitation I need and I’m launching myself into the snowglobe world and into his arms. and He catches me with ease, my legs coming around his center.
“I’m going to miss you too baby girl” He says in a quiet, deep voice. “It's a quick search and rescue, no doubt some tourist needing help down the trail.”.
The words are on the tip of my tongue to tell him to stay, that it's not right he AND Ace are gone. But it feels crazy, even in my own mind. So instead I burrow my nose deeper into his neck to avoid demanding he stay home.
You are being silly. It’s nothing.
Law chuckles, rubbing my back for a moment until he is able to pry me free and look me in the eyes.
“I love you, you got it? I’m coming home to you I promise.
” His green eyes fill with such earnest truth that for a moment the gut instinct to stay clung to him like a goddamn starfish wavers, my legs slipping enough that Logan is able to pull me free and into his embrace. “And so is Ace.”
His words are hollow though, doing nothing to quell this unsettling feeling that something bad is going to happen.
It’s just the nightmare. It’s just the nightmare.
But in the back of my mind I hear a dark laugh that I haven’t heard in so long.
“Theadora…”
I shake my head trying to make Royce shut up as both Logan and I watch as Law climbs into his truck, the engine rumbling to life before his tires are crunching the snow painted drive. I stand in the snow until the taillight fades, the unease growing steadier and steadier.
“They shouldn’t be gone.” I whisper to the empty driveway.
Logan plants a kiss on my temple, his body warm and steady. “They’ll be okay Tink, I promise.”
You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep.
From inside the house I hear Logan’s cell ring and I offer him a reassuring squeeze to his hand that he can go get it. I meander up onto the porch, covered from the snow, but still remain outside. As if my presence alone will call them back here.
“Little dollll. It’s been so long since we were together.”
“Shut up.” I mutter under my breath. “You’re gone. You are never coming back.”
“You sure about that?”
The front door swings open with a bang, startling me from my thoughts as I whip around to see Logan exit the house, his face set in a grim line and the keys to his jeep dangling from his fist.
“What’s going on?” My voice shakes, the letters barely forming the words they should.
Logan drags me in for a hug. “I'm going to need you to stay here for me Tink.”
I pull back with wide eyed terror no doubt painted across my face. “What do you mean?! Where are you going?”
He shakes his head letting out a long breath. “Something is going on at my folks house, the line went dead before I could get anything from them though. I need to go check it out.”
My stomach feels tight, every muscle in my body ready to flee or fight but I can’t move. Sounds disappear, the world around me going silent. I can’t do anything but stand in the gravel driveway with my eyes locked on the house I’ve grown to know as my home and think that this all feels wrong.
“TINK!” Logan is in front of me, his hands grip my upper arms. I blink rapidly the world suddenly zooming back up to speed as though I’ve been stuck in some slow mo time wrap.
The sounds that had been deafened now a cacophony of noises.
“I need you to go into the house, lock the doors. I’ll be back as soon as I can. ”
His voice is oddly calm given the fear etched in those emerald eyes.
I blink rapidly. Shaking my head to clear the cobwebs to make sense of what he’s saying. “I’ll go with you, I can help.”
Logan shakes his head. “I don’t know what’s going on and the worst thing would be for me to show up with you and put you in danger.
” I open my mouth to cut him off but he covers my lip with a tattooed hand.
“I’ll be gone for an hour, two tops. I promise.
” He replaces his hand with his lips, the kiss fast, before he’s sprinting to the car.
His engine barely starts before he’s spitting gravel and snow with his tires and barreling down the driveway.
The feeling that this is wrong so fucking wrong growing with each passing second.
My mouth opens and closes as if I might call out to him, scream to come back, but the words die before they can reach my tongue.
For the first time since being here I feel utterly alone and unheard with only the sound of the storm and Royce’s soft, evil laugh to keep me company.
I remain on the covered porch for what seems like hours, watching and waiting for them to return.
The snow falls in heavier sheets, the wind picking up in random gusts that blow sweeping drifts against various structures.
My eyes snag on the barn with DayLily and Katana, the snow already piling high around the structure.
Law and Logan had run out so fast I doubt they had time to secure the horses.
“At least it’ll give me something to do.” I mutter.
Snagging my jacket from inside I head towards my second favorite place.
I take my time getting the horses ready for a cold night.
My body works as a well oiled machine as I go through the checklist in my mind of what they’ll need.
By the time I’m exiting the barn the light from the day has dimmed, the storm clouds darkening.
Chills erupt on my body as I glance around the open pasture I need to walk through. Nothing feels out of place and yet… The sensation of being watched lays heavy on me. I take a long, deep breath, sweeping my eyes around the darkening woods beyond the pasture in a casual way.
No one. The woods and pasture are quiet, the air holding the type of stillness that reeks of death and danger.
My heart hammers in my chest as I swallow back the urge to flee.
I reach into my pocket to call someone only to realize I left the device on the kitchen table.
I can feel the panic start to edge its way up, trying to sink its claws into me.
Someone is out there watching me. And it’s no animal.
Behind me the soft sounds of Katana and Daylily ground me into reality. Images of whoever it is hurting the horses flash through my mind before I’m making a plan. While the house is closer the safest bet is to get to Ace’s workshop.
“Slow and steady.” I breathe out in a hushed whisper.
“You can get into the room and lock the door. You can call for help. No one will get in. Count backwards.” I force myself to focus on the numbers in my mind, pretending it's Law reminding me to start at 10 and go slow.
His words of how to stay safe repeating over and over in my mind.
“Run. And if you can’t run, use your voice, use your nails, knees, anything. But don’t stop fighting back. We’ll come for you.”
After one final deep breath I step out of the barn, exposing myself to the world. The sensation of being watched slams into me even harder now that I’m away from the building. My whole body is screaming to run. I try to keep my legs steady, my movements calm, but I can feel the shake in my hands.
I try to casually continue to survey the surroundings but I give up the closer I get to the other barn.
With the entrance in view I almost breathe out a sigh of relief which is swept away by movement out of the corner of my eye.
I freeze, my step halting mid air as my breath comes in short bursts. It wasn’t an animal I saw.
Rational thoughts flee as I set off in a dead sprint for the barn.
Or the closest the snow will let me come to a sprint.
I slip and slide a few times, barely catching myself before I tumble.
The sound of heavy breathing behind me injects more adrenaline into me, pushing my speed and allowing hope to spring as I edge towards my safe haven.
Just as I’m about to launch myself through the entrance my body is propelled backwards and I land hard on the cold ground.
It takes a moment for me to get my bearings as my vision swims and pain radiates through my shoulder and arm.
I gasp for breath, unable to fill my lungs for a painful moment before I regain the ability.
I roll to my side, coughing, trying to push myself upward when I’m shoved onto my back once more and my vision fills with my own personal nightmare.
“Hello little doll. Did you miss me?”