The restraints and the wall kept her from moving away, but her feet were free. Before he could touch her again, she brought up her knee and knocked him over. The knife clamored as it hit the floor. If only she could have clocked him in the head. Unconscious would have been so much better.
“Now why’d you go and do that?” He leaned over and retrieved the knife.
While he looked away, she worked at freeing her hand.
Ray held the weapon and gazed at it as if he were mesmerized. He brushed his fingers lovingly over the shiny blade, either cleaning or comforting it. When he turned his attention back toward her, she expected a scowl, not a half-smile. Slowly, he rose, holding the knife by his side. She prepared for a lunge, but he strolled to the foot of the mattress instead and knelt.
“You know, Bethany enjoyed being tied up when I fucked her,” he said. “Said it gave her a better orgasm. Me, I liked it when she was really scared. Not that acting crap she was into. Unfortunately, by the time I got real fear from her, I’d gone too far.”
The paper had mentioned Bethany, his first victim. Sarah needed to distract him, but how? Normally fear shut her up, but since he was intent on getting her to talk, she obliged, hoping time would be her friend. “What did Bethany do to you?”
At the mention of Bethany’s name, he gazed into Sarah’s eyes and cocked his head. “She didn’t do anything to me. She loved me. I loved her.”
“But you killed her.”
“I didn’t mean to. But when she became truly terrified, I wanted more. Her fear was a fuel I hadn’t expected. I’m hungry for it.”
“So, if I’m not scared, you’ll leave me alone?” Talk about grasping at straws.
He tipped his head back and laughed. “Oh, you’ll feel fear. Question is, will you survive? Bethany couldn’t. Neither could the others. I really am curious.”
Ray placed the knife down on the mattress and crawled toward her. Oh shit. She brought her legs up and used the straps as leverage to stand. Before she could gain her balance, he grabbed her feet and pulled, yanking her arms against the restraints. No! Pain exploded in her right wrist, but her left hand slipped through the restraint. Holy shit! She held on with her fingers. No better time to take him out. The blade was within reach. She only needed to get one good kick in.
Disable him. Get free.
Of course fighting was exactly what he wanted, but what choice did she have? She couldn’t very well lie still while he tied her up.
She twisted and kicked as he pulled her down on the mattress. His strength won out and he immobilized her by kneeling on her legs. Pain kept her movements to a minimum. Broken legs would not help.
“I like your cat socks. You wore those penguin ones back at the garage. You got a collection or something?” He stared as if he expected an answer.
If she remained quiet, he might actually break her leg. “I do.”
Ray laughed. “Man, I’d like to see that.”
“Then let’s go. You can have them if you want.”
“Nice try.” He smirked as he unfastened her pants. Grabbing the waistband, he dismounted and pulled them off her.
Free from his grasp, she sat back up. He reached for her again and she kicked out at him, frantic. Terror took over and her kicks became wild, weak, and ineffective. He even laughed as if she were playing some kind of game and maybe it was a game to him, but it was all too real to her. After her futile attempts to knock him silly, he finally grabbed her right ankle and slipped a rope over her foot. Pulling the noose tight, he secured the other end to the floor. All the twisting and turning couldn’t prevent him from doing the same with her left.
Great. Not only was she tied up, she’d aroused him in the process.
“That’s better.” He stood with his hands on his hips, looking pleased with himself.
She was spread out and vulnerable to whatever he had in mind. All her hopes hinged on one free hand. Would it be enough? She held both straps so he wouldn’t notice the difference.
He straddled her, making it hard not to see—or feel—his growing arousal. Closing her eyes and zoning out was inviting, but not knowing would only be worse—she could lose her opportunity for escape—so she kept her attention on him. He picked up the knife and slowly ran the tip across her breasts, searing her skin, leaving a trail of blood. She screamed.
If she could strangle him with one hand, she’d do it now. How much more could she stand before her chance arrived?
Be brave. Be patient. John is counting on you. She repeated the mantra in her head.
Ray ground his erection into her belly. “Tell me now you’re not scared. Once fear gets into you, it will eat at you. You can’t just turn it off.”
Sarah knew all about fear. But the fear she had lived with was nothing like this. He brought the knife up. Blood dripped from its tip. Would he cut her face next?
He patted her cheek and moved downward. She held her breath as he brought the knife to her panties. When he cut them away, she let out a breath.
Crap. She hadn’t meant to relax. Relaxing was bad.
“So the thought of me fucking you doesn’t scare you as much as…what?” He hovered over her and brought the knife up to her face. “This?” Tears trickled from her eyes. “Huh. Maybe I can get you to change your mind.”
He placed the knife on the floor once again and cupped her face with both hands. The gentleness of his touch confused her until he slammed his mouth down on hers. Instinctively she clamped her jaw shut and jerked her head.
He pulled away and ran his fingers over her mouth. “Off limits, huh? Bet I can change that, too.”
Ray nuzzled her neck and then licked his way to her breast. He lingered there for a moment. No nuzzling, no licking, just his breath tickling her skin. The bite caught her off guard. Searing pain shocked her system. Sarah screamed, but his mouth covered hers in a hungry kiss. He situated his body over hers.
His tongue invaded her mouth. Gross! Bite down, bite down! But wait. This was the distraction she needed. Her opportunity for escape. Slowly, she slipped her hand free. The knife lay beside her somewhere. Could she find it in time? To keep him distracted, she whined. “Oh God, please stop.”
“Say it again. Say it again.” He grabbed her breast and squeezed.
“Stop.” Ignoring the pain, she felt along the side the mattress. Cold metal met her fingers. Freedom. Carefully, she traced the blade to the handle.
You can do this, you can do this.
“God, I want you.” He sat up and focused on unbuttoning his jeans.
Now! She took the knife and thrust it into his side. Sudden warmth covered her hand.
His eyes widened in surprise. “What the fuck?”
She held on and waited. Shouldn’t he fall over? Instead, he grabbed for the knife, but fear and determination helped keep her grip. She stabbed deeper and twisted the handle.
“You bitch!” He screamed and backed away. When the knife slid out, the wound gushed. Grabbing his side, he fell across her leg. Blood spilled across his belly and dripped onto her legs.
Bile burned its way up her throat, but she fought it. Time to beat feet. She cut the other strap and rolled Ray off so she could reach her leg restraints.
Once free, the rush of adrenaline, fear, or maybe shock shook her entire body. She stood on unsteady legs. The blood covering her hand caused her stomach to roll. She dropped the knife and yanked off her blouse, using it to scrub her hand clean. After tossing the ruined bra to the floor, she grabbed her pants with shaky hands and put them on. She was so cold. She needed something for her nakedness. For warmth.
On the work bench. Her coat.
She stepped over Ray and the room swayed. Crap. Her nausea returned. She bent over and slowed her breathing, gathered her bearings. Once the room stilled, she stumbled to the bench and retrieved her coat.
John had said she could do it, and she had doubted him. Never again. She was free, empowered. Now she could
save him. But how? She had no idea where she was or how far away Ray had taken her. The neighbors. Duh. They could call the cops. Somehow she’d get to John. After zipping up her coat, she rushed to the stairs.
Ray tackled her legs. She screamed and landed hard on the floor. What the hell? Why wasn’t he dead? Turning on her back, she kicked, hoping to dislodge him. He brought his hand up, holding the knife. As his arm came down, she twisted. The blade missed her thigh and hit the floor where it flew from his hand. He roared.
She kicked his head until he stopped moving. And then she kicked him again.
Her heart hammered away. Was he dead now? Had she killed him? She picked up the knife and stood. A puddle of blood grew underneath him. An encouraging sign, but she backed up the staircase for a few steps, just to be sure. No more surprises for her. No sirree.
He hadn’t moved. Good. Sarah turned around, took a step up, and then stopped, as did her heart.
“Damn it! Do I have to do everything myself?” Danielle stood at the top with her hands on her hips.
* * * *
John stared at the sky. How much time had passed? Five minutes? An hour? Clouds had formed, covering up the stars and making it hard to judge. Was Sarah still alive? God, he didn’t want to think the worst, but it was hard since he had nothing else to do but think. Action was impossible.
How could he have let that bitch get away?
“Johnny? Are you alone?”
Perry’s voice—spoken low—came from the neighbor’s yard. Not the person John had expected, but anyone would be better than no one. John nodded.
“Is it a trap?” Now Perry’s voice came from above. A tree, maybe? Or the roof? John couldn’t blame him for being cautious, seeing how he was caught in a stake and bake.
John shook his head.
Perry appeared in a flash. “Damn, Johnny. She had to stake you twice?” He reached toward the gag, and then stopped. “Maybe I should remove the stakes first. I don’t need you yelling out. Or biting me.”
As much as John wanted the thing out of his mouth, he couldn’t argue with Perry’s logic. Hell, he couldn’t argue at all.
Perry grabbed hold of the wood. “This will smart a bit.”
Stop talking and just—
Perry yanked them free. John screamed through the gag. Why did they hurt worse coming out? But when he moved his fingers and toes, the pain became inconsequential.
Perry removed the gag. “Danielle’s a little kinky, huh?”
John spit out the ball. “Help me up. I need to get Sarah before it’s too late.”
“You’re not going anywhere until you feed.” Perry glanced at John’s nakedness. “Or get dressed. Sit tight.”
John had no energy to argue or move. He certainly wouldn’t be any help to Sarah in this condition.
A few agonizing minutes later, Perry returned with a man slung over his shoulder.
“Is he my neighbor?” John asked.
“Hey, I can’t help it if you live in the boonies. Beggars can’t be choosers.” Perry laid the man next to John. “Feed. The sooner you do it, the sooner we can get Sarah.”
John prayed that however he found her, she was alive.
Chapter 36
“Are you sure you know where you’re going?” Perry asked for the third time.
“Yes, yes, yes,” John said. “It was his Piqua address. Besides, I haven’t gotten anything else to go by. She has to be there, Perry. She just has to.” Why did it seem his SUV drove slower than usual? Didn’t this thing go faster than one-forty?
He’d visited the Piqua house once, when he’d first gone looking for Ray. When the address had appeared in his vision, it made sense—it was the closest. Still, the twenty-five-plus miles were farther than he liked.
“Listen, Johnny, I know you don’t want me around. So after we capture this bastard, I’ll leave you alone.”
John didn’t want to deal with Perry right now, but couldn’t leave him hanging, either. Perry might be a pain in the ass, but he’d come through and helped when needed. “I can’t forget what you did, but I can forgive you. Now that I know how to control her allure…”
The words died on his mouth as an image of Sarah lying dead came to mind. No! She can’t be dead. He’d feel it, wouldn’t he?
Perry placed a hand on John’s shoulder. “We’ll find her, Johnny. Have faith.” He plucked at a piece of foil they’d missed when tearing the stuff off the windows. “I can’t believe you actually went out into the sun. What was it like?”
Good ole’ Perry, changing the subject. Right now, John was happy to think of anything other than the unthinkable. “Hot. And bright.”
“According to Abe, it’s bright only because you’re not used to it. He has those UV windows at his house and said that after the first week, he didn’t need the sunglasses anymore.”
Abe was one of the Committee members and Perry seemed to know them all rather intimately. Whether because he was always in trouble or because he liked to be in the know, John wasn’t sure. Most likely a little of both.
“How long has he had them?”
“About a year. The Committee is looking to install them on all their vehicles now just in case they ever have to venture out into the sun.”
A year? Damn. Barnet was right. John had been foolish not sticking around at the meetings. He might have discovered this sooner. To bring sunshine back into his house intrigued him. Wouldn’t Sarah love that, too? Of course, if she didn’t survive… No! He must stop thinking like that.
The street appeared up ahead. Finally. He slowed, but still took the turn on two tires, which squealed on the pavement. Perry was wise to keep his mouth shut.
John had pulled to the side of the curb across from Ray’s house and reached for the door handle when Perry grabbed his arm.
“Slow down. If we barge in, Ray might… Well, do you really want to surprise him?”
No, he didn’t. But he was so damn close to her, it made it hard for him to think straight. He just wanted her back in his arms.
“Fine,” John said. “First one who sees him takes control.”
The old neighborhood was quiet. John and Perry walked up to the house as if they belonged, but instead of knocking, John quietly turned the knob. The door was unlocked.
Perry grabbed his hand and said telepathically, “I’ll go around and check the windows. If I see him, I’ll stop him.”
John nodded. Slow and steady. No sudden movements. He wasn’t about to startle the killer. But when he stepped inside the house, he was hit with the stench of death.
All bets were off.
* * * *
Sarah backed down the staircase and into the basement as the vampire headed her way. Shit. Now what? Ray she could kill. Danielle was more like…invincible.
“Sarah!”
John was here? He was alive? Free? Danielle covered her mouth and pushed her against the wall before she could call out.
“I swear you two will be the death of me,” Danielle said.
Sarah still held the knife in her hand. Stabbing a vampire wouldn’t kill them, but it had incapacitated John. Maybe a poke in the stomach would be enough to escape, or at least warn John. Sarah shot her hand out, hoping to catch Danielle off guard, but Danielle was quicker and grabbed Sarah’s wrist.
“Nice try.” Danielle jabbed the knife into Sarah’s belly and sliced. “Sorry it has to end this way, dear. You had rather impressed me with your escape techniques, but I can’t have you live.” She dropped the knife and backed away with a smile.
Sarah slid down the wall holding her stomach. What the hell? The knife wound burned something fierce—though not as bad as she might have assumed it would—and drained her of energy, but she still had her wits. And her lungs. “John! Danielle’s down here.”
Danielle’s eyes widened. Was she wondering why Sarah hadn’t died? Well, Sarah was wondering the same thing. Sure, it had taken Ray several minutes to die, but
he didn’t have a twelve-inch gash in his gut, either. John appeared at the top of the stairs and Danielle headed for a window.
“Don’t let her get away,” Sarah said. No way was that bitch escaping again and if John saw her wound, he might let Danielle go.
A small window exploded, glass flying inside as Perry flew through the opening feet first. Danielle backtracked toward the stairs. John blocked her way.
Danielle spun around and pointed toward Sarah. “You’re not going to save your bitch? She’s dying as you stand there.”
“I’m okay, John.” And damn, if she didn’t sound okay. But feeling? Well, she was a bit winded and her stomach hurt, and maybe she felt a little woozy, like she could sleep. Was that shock? The outside of her coat showed no signs of her bleeding, the zipper had kept the knife from slicing the coat along with her, but it was plenty wet inside.
Perry grabbed Danielle by the arms and pinned them behind her back. “I got her.”
John turned toward Sarah and stopped. His nose flared as he stared at her. Crap. Maybe he couldn’t see her blood, but he smelled it. Anger flashed in his eyes. He ripped the leg off the workbench. Splinters flew and Ray’s apple tumbled to the floor. John rushed Danielle, impaling her with the wood. Blood sprayed. Danielle screamed. Perry dropped her and she lay in an unmoving heap.
“I still win,” Danielle said. “When she dies.”
“Shut up or I’ll chop your head off,” John said.
Sarah hadn’t witnessed John’s staking, but the violent act caused her to gag. And man, if that didn’t hurt her stomach more.
“It’s okay. It’s over.” John’s appearance and words soothed her. She only hoped they were true. He reached for her zipper. “How bad?”
“I don’t know, but…” She put her hand over his, keeping him from unzipping, and glanced at Perry. “I don’t have a blouse on.”
Perry turned his back. “I’ll just call Barnet and let him know what’s going on.”
John unzipped the coat. “Oh my God.”
Bite Me I'm Yours Page 28