by Rayna Stone
Kelly could feel the tears beginning to burn her eyes. She couldn’t let him shoot anyone else. She could see the man that had stood with her for hours lying in a pool of his own blood, and Carson was flopped on his side by the back door. No, this man was serious. He would kill anyone that tried to interfere, and he’d kill her without a second thought. The feeling of resignation that overwhelmed her as she allowed him to lead her to his car was stifling. He would torture her and kill her. Her only hope was that Troy could find them first. Jesus, she’d never prayed for a miracle before, but she was praying now.
* * * *
Troy was furious as he drove back to Kelly’s. That bastard’s house was a virtual shrine to Kelly. Pictures of her were everywhere, along with letters from Flynn. Daniel had been corresponding with that asshole, learning everything about their relationship together. Flynn told him how to get Kelly to respond sexually. He practically wrote a manual on how to use a single tail. Every single letter contained questions about Kelly’s life now. Flynn was feeding his addiction for her through Daniel, and he was feeding his anger as well. The derogatory things he said about Kelly inflamed Troy. He’d have to talk with the parole agent assigned to Flynn. Hopefully Flynn had sent something that could be used to show he had broken his restraining order. If not, Troy was going to do everything in his power to find some law that fucker had broken. He’d call the IRS and get him audited, anything to make his life hell.
In the meantime, he needed to find Daniel. It was fairly obvious that he hadn’t been using his home to commit any crimes. They’d have to look through every scrap of paper he had to try to find some link to the crime scenes. Maybe he had city records showing what buildings were abandoned. And if he intended to take and keep Kelly, his home would be a poor choice. His neighbors were too close, and the home itself wasn’t set up to restrain anyone or keep a kidnap victim locked in. Daniel would have prepared a location for her. They just had to find it. He had to have kept trophies from the other girls, too. Troy wanted more than his sweat on one victim to nail this fucker.
Troy pulled into Kelly’s driveway right behind James and Ryan. They were getting out of their car loaded down with take-out bags. As he approached them, they heard a scream for help from inside Kelly’s house. The food went flying as all three of them rushed for the door. Troy pulled out his key and unlocked the deadbolt. He motioned for James and Ryan to stand back as he reached for his gun. Walking into the house, carefully clearing the way as he went, he reached the living room and saw the officer down on the floor and a woman leaning over Carson. “Who are you, and what the fuck happened? Where’s Kelly?”
James and Ryan ran into the room and stopped dead at the sight. “My name’s Alexa Green. I saw you at the spa today. I don’t know where Kelly is. I live next door and heard gunshots, so I ran over here but I couldn’t get in. When I came around back, the door was open and this is what I saw. That guy’s dead and the dog isn’t far behind. I called 911 a few minutes ago, but I can’t find Kelly anywhere.”
James hurried over to Carson and started to evaluate him. “You heard gunshots and decided to just run on over here? You could have been killed!”
Alexa slumped to the floor, watching James work over the dog and Troy frantically radioing for backup. “Well, I brought my rock hammer. What was I supposed to do? Just let people shoot each other? I wasn’t exactly thinking clearly, okay? And where’s your weapon, Conan?”
James looked at her incredulously. “A rock hammer? What the fuck is a rock hammer?”
Alexa picked up her little hammer. “This. It’s for geology stuff. It’s all I could find quickly.” James rolled his eyes.
“Unfuckingbelievable.”
Troy finished talking with Dispatch. “James, get Carson to the clinic and see what you can do for him. Apparently Kelly and Alexa both got off calls to 911. The police should be here in a minute or two. Jay, I want you to stay with Alexa while she answers the officer’s questions. Ross is on his way and his team is looking up every property owned by either Roger or Daniel. He has Kelly and I don’t think he’s planning on fucking around for long. We need to find them.” When everyone gave him their agreement, he ran out the door to wait for Ross. He prayed he found her in time. He didn’t want to live without her.
Chapter Sixteen
As soon as Daniel got Kelly in his car, he handcuffed her hands behind her back. “Don’t do anything stupid, dear.” Kelly wanted to fight and scream but the terror she felt was so strong her voice wouldn’t work. She had to get a grip if she was going to survive this. Pulling out of her subdivision, she saw Troy’s car heading in. At least Daniel didn’t have much of a head start. If they knew where Daniel was taking her, they’d be there within minutes. Damn, she didn’t even know where Daniel was taking her. Who was she kidding? If they ended up at some abandoned building, it could be weeks before anyone found her. She needed to do this herself. Maybe if she got him talking, he’d make a mistake she could take advantage of.
“Why are you doing all this, Roger? Why kill those women if it was me you wanted?” She didn’t want to call him Daniel yet. She had no idea how he’d react if he knew they knew his real name.
Daniel was calmly driving like he didn’t have a care in the world. “Oh, darling, you have no idea how long I’ve been preparing for you. When I first saw you at the club, I knew we were meant to be together. I did everything I could to be one of your pets. And I was the best, Kelly. Those other fools you gave your attention to weren’t worthy. Nobody loved you like I did. I just couldn’t understand why you didn’t see it. Why you didn’t want me. When you ended our relationship, I found out everything I could about you. I needed to find a way back into your heart, you see.” Relationship? Jesus, this guy was delusional from the start.
Kelly was trying to remain as calm as Daniel. “What did you find out about me, Roger? Is that how you found Flynn?”
“Oh, yes. Google is a most helpful tool. I found out that you’re not a dominant at all, and then I finally understood where I had gone wrong.” He looked at her with a knowing smile. “You were testing us. Looking for a man strong enough to take the control. Flynn was never strong enough to keep you, but I’ve worked for years to be the right Master for you. It must have been so frustrating to have so many others kneeling for you when all you wanted was someone to say no and force you to your knees. I understand you, Kelly. I know what it’s like to play a role that isn’t right. All my life I tried to please. My mother, girlfriends, my wife. I never understood before now that they were always so disappointed in me because they wanted me to challenge their control. You showed me what women really want.” His smug smile was making her nauseous. Then his smile turned into a glower.
“Everything was going perfectly. I had finally finished our home and perfected my skills. Then you had to go off with Detective Davis. Why would you do that, Kelly? He isn’t a man. He hasn’t done anything to deserve you. Nothing! You ruined everything with your foolishness.” He was gripping the wheel so hard his knuckles were white. Kelly wanted to get the conversation off Troy again and fast.
“None of this explains the other women, Roger. Why did you have to kill them?” The look he gave her sent a chill down her spine. It was like there was nothing in his eyes. He had no soul.
“They laughed at me, Kelly. They screamed and pleaded for their life, of course, but they were really laughing at me. Telling me I wasn’t a real Master. Those bitches had to be taught that I held their lives in my hands. They needed to show me the proper respect! None of them were worthy. They were useless to me after I practiced on them. Perhaps if one of them had an ounce of reverence for the experience I gave them, I would have let them live, but none of them deserved my mercy, Kelly. They tried to make a fool of me. I won’t tolerate that any longer. You made a fool of me, too. Making me kneel and submit to your will, then tossing me aside like I was nothing. I would have forgiven you that, Kelly, once I understood that I had not shown you how powerful I am. B
ut when you took a lover, you went too far.
“Flynn warned me that you weren’t worth my time and skill. At first, I just wanted to know about him, where he went wrong. Then I wanted to show him how stupid and weak he had been to let you go. But you proved him right, Kelly. All the arguments I made in your defense, and you went and proved him right. You’re nothing but the whore he said you were.
“Now, I’ll make you pay for your insolence. I’ve wasted years of my life on you, Kelly. Years! With your death, I’ll take back my pride. Yes, I’m quite looking forward to hearing you beg. I’m going to make you scream, Kelly.” This last declaration was said with such quiet sincerity that Kelly felt like she was no longer in the presence of a man. He was now truly the monster they had feared. But she would never beg this bastard. He could do his worst, beat her for days, but she would never beg him for her life.
They pulled off the main road and headed up a secluded hill on a gravel path. After what seemed like an hour, she saw a little cabin surrounded by trees. Daniel pulled in front of the porch and turned off the engine. “Home sweet home, darling. You would have loved it here, you know. There’s even a beautiful pond where you could have gone swimming. I know how much you love to swim. I worked so hard to make this place perfect for you. Yet another disappointment. But no matter, we’ll have some fun together before we must say our good-byes.” He got out of the car and rounded the hood to open her door. He pulled her out of the car by her bound arms and shoved her in front of him toward the cabin. As Kelly looked at the ramshackle building, she feared this was to be her last sight of her beloved Colorado.
Chapter Seventeen
Troy and Ross were pacing furiously outside Kelly’s house waiting for the land records they hoped would lead them to Daniel. James had been cleared to take Carson to the clinic with instructions to swab the dog’s mouth and teeth for DNA. Alexa was still in the house with Jay, answering routine questions with one of Ross’s other detectives. Finally the radio squawked and Ross picked up the line.
“Detective, there appears to be some land right outside Holly Oaks that’s registered to Roger Milton. It’s a pretty secluded area, and there’s no record of building permits, but other than the house you’ve already searched, it’s the only thing I can find, sir.” Ross looked at Troy and they both nodded as they headed for the squad car.
“That’s got to be it. I need you to coordinate a team to meet Detective Davis and myself at that location. Tell them to stop a mile out and walk the rest of the way. No lights or sirens. I want total silence on this. Give them a secured line to communicate with me and tell them to await my orders. Give me the coordinates to the property. Davis and I are heading in now. I can’t wait for backup. Just make sure they’re prepared to assist if we need them. Over.”
Thank God Ross seemed to know his shit. There had to be a cabin there. If they went in guns blazing, Kelly would be dead before they hit the door. They had to surprise Daniel. He didn’t have much of a lead on them. Hopefully Kelly was still alive. He couldn’t allow himself to think otherwise. “Let’s move.”
* * * *
Daniel pushed Kelly into the little cabin. There wasn’t much to look at, a little bed and kitchen area to the right, the rest set up like a dungeon. Chains were suspended from the ceiling beams and walls. It looked like he could restrain her just about anywhere in here. There was even a large dog cage in the corner. Was he planning on locking her in that when he was away? Jesus, what the hell was she going to do to get out of this?
As Daniel unlocked her cuffs and raised her arm to restrain her to the hanging chains, she thought she might try bringing out Mistress Kelly. Maybe she could trip him up long enough to get a hand free and fight the fucker. And she was done calling him Roger. She didn’t have anything to lose now. Maybe calling him Daniel would work to her advantage. Kelly straightened her spine and prepared to use her most Domme-worthy voice.
“Daniel, let me down and step back this instant. You’ve gone too far, slave. This isn’t who you are. You are not my Dom, Daniel.” He looked shocked for a moment, and then he started to laugh.
“You’re right about that, Kelly. I’m not your Dom…I’m your Master. Did my little brother go squealing to your boyfriend? He never could just keep his mouth shut. I took beating after beating for him when he was a baby, and look how he repays me. He ran off to the military and left me alone! Now the ungrateful little shit thinks he can rat me out? I don’t give a shit if you know my name, slave. You won’t be around long enough for it to matter. Now shut up before I decide to gag you. I call the shots here, Kelly. You’re on my time now, and I say it’s time to begin.” Well, fuck. That really didn’t work out like she hoped.
“I’ve always wanted to see this beautiful body, Kelly. I’m going to strip you naked and use my whip on you. I’ll slice off the scars Flynn left you with. When you die your body will only bear my mark. Once I’m satisfied you’ve suffered enough, I’ll take what you’ve so freely given to Davis. I’ll take what’s been mine all along. When he finds you, he’ll know that there’s nothing left of you that I haven’t claimed. And he can live with the knowledge that he couldn’t save you the pain or your death. I regret I won’t be around to watch his suffering. I suppose it will just have to be enough to know that he will suffer. And he will, Kelly. The sight of your ravaged body will be burned in his mind forever.” As he talked he uncoiled his whip and set it aside. Then he went to the kitchen to retrieve a pair of scissors.
Kelly had to get free. She was trying to pull her hands out of the metal cuffs. She didn’t have much room, but she thought she might be able to work her way out of them. She could feel the metal slicing her skin, the blood running down her arms. She was so focused on her task that she didn’t even notice when he started cutting the clothes from her body until her shirt and bra fell away.
“You’re just going to hurt yourself more, Kelly. But I must say, I do love your struggles.” He ground his obvious hard-on into her ass, showing her just how excited he was getting. Kelly didn’t care. Nothing mattered but getting out.
Daniel pulled her skirt from her body. “My, you are a naughty girl. No panties, Kelly? And I was so looking forward to ripping them off.” He sighed in disappointment. “I’m sure you know all this, dear, but you might want to try to stay still. I wouldn’t want to miss my target and hurt you.” He laughed. God, she hated him.
“Tell me, Daniel. Did you really imagine that I would willingly kneel for you? You do realize that no woman would ever call you Master. Men like you are so incompetent that you have to tie a woman up to fuck her. Your dick’s so small I probably won’t even feel it, right? Do you have to whip a girl just to make her feel something, asshole?” She felt the lash across her back before she even finished her sentence. Holy fuck! Yeah, egging him on probably wasn’t the wisest course of action right now, but she couldn’t help herself. She was scared and pissed beyond measure. Seemed her mouth wouldn’t listen to reason.
“You’ll feel my dick, Kelly. You’ll feel it choking the life out of you. I’ll stop before you die so you can feel it ripping into your ass. You’ll feel everything I do to you.” He started whipping her at a furious pace. She couldn’t even tell when one lash ended and the next began. Her back was on fire. She felt the blood streaming down her legs, and she started to get a little dizzy. Kelly was using the blood on her wrists as lubrication to try to pull her hands through, but she was rapidly losing the strength to do more than hang from her chains.
Daniel walked around to stand in front of her. “Tell me if you feel this, bitch,” he roared right before he sent a searing lash across her breasts. The tip of the whip barely missed her face. The pain was so intense she thought she might have blacked out for a second. As she felt the whip strike her stomach, she got her focus back and knew this was it. If she didn’t get free now, he would win. She’d have nothing left in a few minutes.
* * * *
Troy and Detective Ross pulled up the gravel road till th
ey could see a cabin in the distance. After shutting down the car and arming themselves, they moved off the road to hike the rest of the way on foot. Ross radioed to his team, letting them know there was a cabin and to stop their cars behind his. Troy ran as fast as he could while still remaining concealed in the forest vegetation. If this wasn’t the right place, they had nowhere else to look. He had to save Kelly. Just then, he heard a scream coming from the cabin. He looked at Ross to confirm that he was covered and made his way closer to the side of the building.
Once they reached the side of the house and could see in the window, his heart froze in his chest. Kelly was shackled to the ceiling in chains and handcuffs, naked and bleeding profusely. Daniel was standing in front of her, whipping her stomach and chest. He wanted to break in right now and take that fucker out. Ross grabbed his sleeve and pulled him down to a crouch.
“We do this right, Davis. You go in there half-cocked and you’ll get her killed. Let me go around the back. You wait at the front door until I signal you. We go in together, you understand me? You wait.” Goddamnit. He was right. They needed to overwhelm and confuse Daniel so he didn’t have time to kill Kelly.
“Fine, but make it quick. That asshole is beating her to death. She won’t last much longer.” They separated, and Troy ran low to the ground until he was at the front door waiting for the radio signal from Ross and peering to the side to see what was going on in the cabin.
* * * *
Kelly finally managed to free one of her wrists. She felt the skin pull loose as she slipped her hand through the cuff, but she no longer felt the pain. Knowing that her hand was free gave her the surge in adrenaline she needed to act. When the next blow came high on her thigh, she reached down and grabbed the end of the whip. She yanked it forward, pulling Daniel off balance. He bellowed with rage as he stumbled close enough for her to kick him in the stomach. He recovered quickly and backhanded her across the face.