Survival Instinct (Instinct Series)

by Janie Crouch

Chloe just remained collapsed on the floor, her face slumped against the seat.

  “I’m not unreasonable Chloe. I don’t expect you to just fall in love with me immediately. That will take time and patience on both our parts. Trust has to be earned. If you won’t hold Nadine against me, I won’t hold your infidelity with Westman against you. We’ll both move past it.”

  Chloe could feel tears squeezing out of her eyes. Travis was well and truly insane. But more importantly, he was right. How could she fight someone who could debilitate her without even touching her?

  “Where are you going to take me?”

  “I’ve been working on this plan for a while. My boat. It’s equipped for two people to sail for six weeks without having to come back into port.”

  It was in Wilmington where he’d taken Nadine over the break. Chloe couldn’t even think of anything to say.

  “We need to get going. I can’t take a chance that they’ll come here looking for either of us. I know Westman won’t stop searching for you. Plus, the sooner we’re on the boat, the sooner we can put this all behind us and start our new life together.”

  Chloe felt like she might vomit. “I need to go to the bathroom,” she whispered.

  He nodded then walked over and got her a bottle of water out of the fridge. He cut the zip tie at her wrists then led her to a small bathroom in the middle of the house.

  There was no window.

  “I’ll find a change of clothes for you so you don’t have to wear those smelling of such smoke. I have plenty of your size on the boat, all you could ever need, but it would’ve been suspicious to have them here.”

  Chloe was afraid Travis was going to follow her into the bathroom, but thankfully, he gave her a clean t-shirt and sweatpants and left, closing the door behind him.

  She opened the bottle of water he’d given her and drank it down, completely parched. Using a washcloth she scrubbed the soot off her face and body as best she could, then changed out of her bloody, ruined clothes and into the shirt and pants he’d given her.

  She stared at her reflection in the mirror. What was she going to do? She had to make a break from Travis before he got her on the boat, because once he did there wouldn’t be any escape.

  But how could she escape him now when he could knock her unconscious with well-aimed thoughts?

  She would have to do it in the car. Maybe convince him to stop, pretend like she was going to vomit — which wouldn’t be hard. Just make a run for it. All she would have to do was stay conscious long enough to make someone else aware that she was in trouble.

  If only she could get a message to Shane. At what point would they figure out she and Travis had both disappeared at the same time? Days from now? Longer?

  She startled at the knock on the door. “It’s time to go.”

  “Okay,” she croaked.

  She looked in the mirror again and realized one of the earrings Shane’s grandmother had given her had gone missing in all the chaos. But the other wasn’t. She took it out of her ear and set it on the bathroom counter.

  If Shane saw it, he would know what it was. He would know she’d been there. That Travis had her.

  He would find her. She had to believe that because if she didn’t she was going to lose it right now.

  Travis knocked on the door again and she opened it. He immediately zip tied her wrists once more and led her to a chair by his bedroom door, attaching her wrists to the arm again.

  “You don’t have to tie me, I’m not going to run away.” Complete lies, but she didn’t care. “I don’t want you to hurt me.”

  He smiled at her. “I don’t want to hurt you either. But, like I said, I know trust takes time. On both sides. And right now, I don’t trust you at all.”

  Travis might be crazy, but he wasn’t stupid.

  She watched as he finished packing a suitcase, moving quickly and efficiently. Ironically, it was one of the things she’d always liked about Travis.

  The thought made her want to giggle. Which was very wrong. There was nothing about this situation worth laughter. She felt herself slump over to the side and couldn’t figure out how to sit up straight.

  Soon the whole room was spinning.

  “What did you do?” she asked, her words slurred. The water. He must have drugged it. She’d been so thirsty she hadn’t even noticed it had a funny taste.

  “Like I said, trust takes time. Once we’re alone we’ll be able to work out all our differences. But I’ve got to get you there first. I know how smart you are.” His face began to blur. “This is the best way, for both of us.”

  She fought as hard as she could against the blackness. Knew if she gave in now she would never see Shane again. Her sisters. Anyone.

  “Chloe, stop,” Travis whispered. “You can’t fight what’s happening. Just accept it. All of it.”

  The blackness pooled over her in waves, sucking her under.

  You’re mine now, Chloe. Forever.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Shane didn’t know much about the studio Chloe worked for, but they damn well had shown up when it counted. By the time he and Wyatt had made it to the airfield the flight plan had been filed, the jet was fully fueled, and had a pilot who was also a law enforcement officer ready to take them wherever they needed to go. On the jet, they’d been sent maps of the Wilmington pier where Travis’ boat was docked. Zac was able to confirm that Travis had made plans to leave today.

  They’d also sent information about Noah Kent, who wasn’t Noah Kent at all. The real one had been a twenty-one-year-old junior at North Carolina College when he’d died of cancer fourteen months ago. Evidently, Nathan Abittan, Noah’s neighbor around the same age, had assumed Noah’s identity and used it to get the internship on Day’s End.

  Nathan Abittan had both a mental health record and a father who was serving life in prison for murder and was the leader of a cult. He would’ve shown up on any search Linear Tactical did concerning the stalker, but Noah Kent, straight-A student with a crystal clean record, had not.

  Nathan/Noah had definitely been planning to kill Chloe for the evil he believed was being delivered by the show. Ironically, if Travis hadn’t arrived when he had, and kidnapped Chloe for himself, she would’ve already been dead at Noah’s hands.

  That didn’t mean Shane was going to allow Travis to leave with Chloe.

  A storm had covered the area, making for a turbulent descent and landing and costing them further time they couldn’t afford. But at least the studio had a car waiting when Wyatt and Shane arrived.

  And the boat was still at the pier. If Travis was planning to get Chloe out this way, he hadn’t done it yet.

  The Wilmington police had been notified and wanted to help, but were spread pretty thin due to problems of their own. Sending in an entire SWAT team based on unconfirmed intel hadn’t been possible, but they had sent two squad cars. The officers were watching, but had been asked to keep their distance from the pier. Shane had no doubt Travis would kill Chloe rather than letting her go free if it came to a showdown. Stealth was their best option. And fortunately, it was something both he and Wyatt understood.

  “Locals just reported in that there’s been no movement on Travis’ boat. The storm is making getting any sort of visual difficult, particularly because there are multiple access points to the docks.”

  “They have to hold back, Wyatt. If they rush in he’s going to kill her. He’s obsessed with her. If he can’t have her, he won’t want anyone to.”

  Wyatt nodded as they pulled up at the pier and exited the car. “Then you and I go in together, no one else. It’s almost like having the band back together.”

  “Except we’re missing the other two-thirds.”

  Wyatt winked at him. “We both know Zac and the others were just dead weight we carried.”

  Having Wyatt here — any of the Linear Tactical guys— made a difference. Made what might have otherwise been a hopeless situation possible. Wyatt’s presence helped Shane stay focused
and frosty. He would get Chloe out. Away from this madman. Because Shane couldn’t imagine a world — his world — without her.

  Shane nodded. “You head around the back in case—”

  “Westman, we have eyes on the suspect.” The radio in Shane’s hand that allowed them to communicate with the police interrupted his words. “He has someone with him and he’s definitely heading around the back pier.”

  The back pier wasn’t the shortest way to Travis’ boat, but it was the least visible.

  “Hold,” Shane said into the radio. “Do not engage.”

  He and Wyatt began running towards the pier.

  Chloe stumbled as Travis grabbed her by the arm and marched her towards the pier. The drugs were still in her system, making everything hazy. It was storming, the afternoon sky darkened almost like it was night.

  Travis had tied her hands behind her back and gagged her with some sort of scarf. He’d pulled a windbreaker over her head and moved hair around her face to make it less noticeable.

  “Stay quiet. If you yell and someone comes to investigate, I’ll be forced to kill them. You don’t want that on your conscience, do you?”

  No, she didn’t, but she didn’t want to get on that vessel with a lunatic, either. The docks were empty, everyone somewhere else because of the storm. Chloe couldn’t see anyone she could scream to even if she was able.

  He walked her quickly towards the boat slips, angling her towards one of the last locations, where a large sailboat floated serenely in the water. Chloe stumbled, half because of the drugs he’d given her, half because this was it, she was out of time. She had to fight now or she’d never get away. But how could she? Both hands were restrained behind her back, she was gagged and dizzy.

  “We’re almost there, sweetheart. Our new life. Can you imagine what we’re going to share, Chloe? The two of us? Together. Forever.”

  Together. Forever.

  She waited for the fire in her brain at Travis’ purposeful mental attack, but it didn’t come. Travis stopped and yanked her arm so she was closer.

  “You’re mine, Chloe.”

  Mine!

  She knew he was trying to hurt her, to control her. And although she could hear his thoughts, they didn’t burn. The pain was missing. All she could feel was…

  Coolness.

  Chloe’s eyes shot around, relief almost staggering her. Shane was here somewhere in this storm. He had found her. Was shielding her mind just with his very presence.

  Travis glared at her. “You’re mine, Chloe. Forever.”

  Mine. Forever.

  Should she fake it? Pretend like it hurt to give Shane more time to make a move?

  Travis grabbed her arm, shaking her. “What’s going on? Is it the drugs? Are they affecting our connection?”

  She could feel the coolness getting stronger. Shane was close.

  She just shrugged.

  Pain bit through her face as Travis backhanded her then immediately pulled her up by both arms so they were nose to nose. “You will not keep me out, Chloe. I have ways — physical ways I didn’t want to use because they would hurt you so badly — but I will make you connect with me.” He began dragging her towards the boat once again. But this time Chloe resisted, pulling against him.

  Fury blanketed Travis’ features as he reached under the windbreaker’s hood to grab her hair and yank her forward. Evidently stealth wasn’t important now.

  “I’m not going to let you take her, Travis.”

  Shane. Chloe’s eyes closed in relief.

  Travis immediately turned towards him, using Chloe as a shield and pulled out a gun Chloe hadn’t even known he had. Travis yanked her onto the gangway over the water, keeping himself tucked behind her as the two men stared each other down.

  “You have no idea what she is. What she and I could be together.” Travis spat the words. “She belongs with me, Westman. She is the one who will finally help me fulfill my destiny.”

  “Well...” Shane was cool and steady as always. He took a step forward, weapon still raised. “Why don’t we go sit down and talk about this, the three of us? There may be a way for Chloe to help you fulfill your destiny without stealing her away from everything, Travis. She’s more likely to help you if she’s doing so willingly.”

  “No!” Travis’ near hysteria echoed now, and he was waving the gun around wildly. “She’s blinded by you. Can’t see me for what I really am.”

  He took another few steps backward, dragging Chloe with him until they were further on the gangplank, almost to his boat.

  “Travis, just put the gun down. There’s nowhere to go. The police are here, you can’t get out. But there’s no need for anyone to get hurt.”

  “I’m afraid someone will indeed have to get hurt,” Travis muttered in Chloe’s ear.

  Chloe realized he was no longer waving his gun so wildly. He was taking aim at Shane, ready to shoot. Shane who was completely out in the open with no shot of his own because of her.

  Travis was going to kill him.

  She did the only thing she could, threw all her weight into Travis to knock him off balance, but she heard a gun fire anyway.

  Then Travis crumpled onto her. He’d been shot from a different angle, somewhere behind him, not by Shane. Blood was pulsing from the exit wound in his chest, as he grabbed her shoulders. His eyes fastened on hers as they hit the railing of the gangplank together. She could feel his blood spilling on her body, blending with the heavy rain.

  Travis looked over towards Shane, then back at her. He ran his fingers, now bloody, down her cheek. “We’re destined to be together. Even if it’s in death.”

  Before Chloe could figure out what he meant to do, he threw all his weight forward over the railing, dragging her with him. She could hear Shane yelling for her as she fell with a splash into the dark water of the harbor.

  The freezing water stole Chloe’s breath. Darkness and cold surrounded her, making orientation impossible. She fought to free herself from Travis’ grip, but with her arms restrained behind her back, there was little she could do. He didn’t fight, just wrapped his arms around her as they sank deeper and deeper.

  Chloe’s lungs screamed for air. She bucked and twisted, finally succeeding in getting Travis’ body off her. He wasn’t moving, but in death had dragged her down far enough to do what he’d set out to.

  Air. She had no air. She kicked as hard as she could, kept kicking, but it wasn’t enough. With her hands restrained behind her back and the weight of her waterlogged clothes and shoes, she couldn’t get to the surface. She wasn’t even sure she was going in the right direction any longer.

  She wasn’t going to make it. Could feel herself sliding back down and couldn’t fight any more. She stopped and focused her mind on Shane. Let the coolness that always surrounded him drive out the terror in her mind. She linked herself to his cooling presence and closed her eyes.

  And drowned.

  Shane dove under the water of the harbor again, searching for Chloe.

  It had been only moments since Travis had pulled her into the dark water, but they were running out of time. Chloe was running out of it. Shane had found Travis’ body in the depths, but hadn’t been able to find her. He didn’t even bother dragging Travis up, just pushed him aside and kept searching for Chloe.

  Then he felt it. A connection to her mentally like she was reaching out to him, pulling on his mind, his focus, his cold. Not to hurt him, but to pull it into herself. Shane felt their link just for a split second.

  And then it was gone.

  Chloe was gone.

  Shane dove wildly again, anguish tearing at him, ripping through the ice that had kept him focused. He couldn’t lose her. Not now, when they’d really just found each other.

  But the black water seemed to swallow everything whole.

  Shane wouldn’t give up. No matter what, he would keep searching for Chloe. He dived again, but in the opposite direction from where he’d been searching. He stretched his arms out as f
ar as they would reach, hoping to feel her, since there was no way he’d be able to see her. He swam around until the need for air once again forced him upward.

  And that’s when he felt something hit against his ankle. He immediately spun around in the water.

  Chloe.

  But she wasn’t swimming. Wasn’t moving at all.

  Shane grabbed her lifeless form and began dragging them both towards the surface. As he broke through, drawing in much-needed air, he realized Chloe wasn’t doing the same.

  “Shane!” Wyatt shouted from the dock before diving into the water to help him.

  They had to get her to the pier so they could start CPR. It wasn’t too late. She hadn’t been in there that long.

  It couldn’t be too late.

  Shane and Wyatt swam with Chloe over to the pier, where the police officers helped them get her out of the water and ripped the gag off her mouth. Chloe still hadn’t moved, hadn’t coughed. Hadn’t breathed.

  Somebody cut the zip tie off her hands so she could lie flat on the ground. Both officers immediately began CPR, one giving breaths, the other chest compressions, as Shane climbed up beside them.

  In the pale light of the poorly lit pier, Chloe’s skin had a horrible bluish tinge to it. He didn’t know if it was from cold or lack of oxygen. All he knew was that he wouldn’t allow it. He would not allow Chloe to leave him.

  She’d needed Avalanche before. To find her. To rescue her. Now she needed Shane. He thrust away all the emotional ice he’d used to keep things from touching him too deeply, from feeling too much, and reached out to her.

  With his mind. With his heart. With every bit of heat he had inside him he reached out to Chloe.

  He knelt beside her. “Come on, peanut. Don’t you give up. Not now, not when we’ve just found each other and we know how perfect we are.” Shane didn’t care if Wyatt and the other officers heard.

  “I felt you take my ice, Chloe. Now you take my heat, do you hear me? You let go of the ice and you take the heat.” He knew his words must sound ridiculous to the others, but wouldn’t stop.

  Because damn it, he was not letting her go.