No Saint (Justice Served #3)

Prologue

Blinding anguish tore through my arm the moment I smashed my palm through the brittle wood. After stifling a gasp, I hunkered against the wall, listening for any sound of him.

Where the howling wind had been a comfort, allowing me to know I was still alive, now the eerie silence was even more horrifying. The only constant was the drips of water pinging against the metal roof.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Terror prickled across my skin creating goosebumps even in the oppressive heat. Weak from lack of food, my mouth and throat parched, I knew I wouldn’t survive another day. Not that he would allow me to live.

The monster was coming. I could feel it in my aching muscles and shredded skin, all compliments of my tormenter. He was making good on his promise.

Another wave of anguish and I cried out pathetically. My throat was too dry, preventing any sound except a strangled hiss.

Please, help me. Please…

Only there was no one coming to save me.

Just like no one had come for the others.

They were all dead.

Bloodied.

Beaten.

Discarded and left to be eaten by predatory creatures, demons lurking in the shadows.

Which beast was worse? The walking, talking deviant or the ones slithering in the mud?

Laughter tickled my chapped lips and as soon as I darted my tongue across the surface, the taste of blood assaulted my senses. I closed my eyes, fisting my forehead as I counted to ten. Numbers had kept me sane. Now they would be my guide as I tried to escape. I’d only have one shot at freedom.

Every move cautious, I broke away pieces of the boards, slowly at first, ignoring the pain as skin was ripped from my fingers. With every inch gained, my heartrate increased until I was tearing at the wood, gasping every few seconds.

A scream bubbled to the surface and I slapped my hand over my mouth. When the morbid silence returned, my urgency increased. Less than a minute later, I shoved my way through the ragged hole, dropping face first into muck.

Something had called him away. He’d been angry, furious with something. So different. So… terrifying.

This was the only chance I had.

Another wave of agony ripped at my lungs, but I pushed myself free of the mud, taking gasping breaths of the stale, putrid air. The stench was horrific, mold and moss, decay so overpowering I dry heaved.

But I was out of the prison.

Get up. Get moving.

The little voice had been my only friend. At least after the last girl had been taken. Although the echo of her horrifying screams would never leave.

Every muscle ached to the point the moment I tried to stand, I fell hard on my hands and knees. Despair clouded my mind as the tears forming in my eyes did with my vision.

There was no reprieve from the terror, but I willed myself to push forward. Inch by inch, I crawled before I was able to struggle to my feet, leaning against a gnarled tree. The first light of dawn had crested over the horizon, the darkness drifting into shadows.

More monsters.

One. Two. Three. Four.

He’s trudging through the swamp, hungry for more.

No. No!

One step led to three. Then four more. Hope crowded out everything else. I could do this. Another five steps and when I dared to look over my shoulder, the shed seemed far away, as if the nightmare had never occurred.

A sudden separate noise and I was down again, sobs racking my system. I fought with everything I had left to move. To stand. To breathe.

To live.

God, I wanted to live.

Someone was coming, the crackle of leaves and twigs floating through the thick foliage.

No. No. I hung my head, willing myself to move. To fight to the death. I wouldn’t allow him to take me willingly.

An exasperated rush of breath pushed up from my chest. I ran. Hard. Fast.

Stumbling.

Getting back up.

Clinging to a tree. Another hiss. A snap of jaws. I twisted my head from side to side, unable to see anything but ominous shadows. My heart was in my chest.

Run. Run. Run!

Woof.

What?

The sound was nothing that I expected. Had I been hearing things? I stood silently, scanning the forest. I had to be losing my mind. Wait. What was that?

Movement in the shadows.

Coming closer.

Footsteps.

I recoiled, holding my arm over my head, biting my lip to keep from whimpering.

A howl disrupted the silence, stopped short as if commanded to do so. A wild dog? Here?

Fight or flight kicked in and I pushed myself to my feet, fighting to take steps in the opposite direction, only to go down hard once again.

Another crackle and a tiny whimper finally escaped. With my eyes cinched closed, I pulled my knees to my chest, burying my head and wrapping my arms around my legs.

A twisted need to protect myself as reality settled in.

There was no escaping a madman.

A single crack of wood, closer this time. So close I could feel hot breath cascading across my skin. Only instead of being ripped apart limb by limb, a strange sensation crawled through me that took my senses a few seconds to comprehend.

A lick.

What?

“Max, heel.”

The deep voice was rough around the edges yet soft in tone. Movement. Sounds. Someone standing over me.

“We’ve got her. Good boy, Max.”

Very slowly I lifted my head, wincing from the glare of light. Whimpering, I struggled to back away. Every muscle was stiff, aching. Excruciating pain.

“Get the light out of her eyes, for fuck’s sake,” the man barked and with a gentle touch, brushed hair from my eyes. Where his voice had been commanding before, the sound was now exactly what I needed to hear to know I would survive. “Maria.”

“Yes,” I managed.

His voice. So soft. So compelling. Blinking, I locked eyes with his. So kind.

He nodded, touching my face with utter care and kindness.

“You’re safe now. Nothing is going to happen to you ever again.”