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Then a knowing that had been blocked by years of anger and guilt, heartache and pain.
I pulled the trigger, not waiting for his body to fall before turning toward my other soldiers.
I heard a voice inside my head, a saying from long ago, but one that finally broke free in my memory.
And my world began to crumble.
Every jungle has a snake…
* * *
Sarah
Darkness.
I’d never feared it before, but as I opened my eyes, the darkness was terrifying. I shifted, trying to remember what happened. Then I realized my hands were bound.
Don’t panic. Think. Listen.
I did my best, my heart racing, but even as I blinked several times, my eyes becoming accustomed to the low level of light, I realized I was in danger. Four men had burst inside Carrie’s apartment, all carrying weapons. Within seconds, a dark hood was placed over my head and I was carried out, Carrie’s muffled screams the last thing I remembered.
Oh, my God. Did they hurt her? Was she even alive? I shivered, doing what I could to keep from becoming frazzled, taking several deep breaths.
What was that smell?
I dared to take a deep breath, realizing the scent was roses. There had to be hundreds of them for the fragrance to be so thick. At first it was intoxicating.
Then it made me sick to my stomach.
What sick bastard had placed me among so many flowers?
Think. Think.
I’d seen nothing, but I’d heard Dillon’s voice. Then a gunshot.
As panic started to roll in, I twisted my body until I was able to sit up, trying to make sense of my surroundings. Then I noticed light coming in through a distant source. As I continued to try to breathe, forcing my eyes to focus, a strange feeling settled over me. I was still inside a church, the shimmer several feet above indicating a stained-glass window. Turning my head, I noticed several of them. I knew I was right. But where?
Moaning, I tried to get to my knees, my body aching with every move. At least my hands were bound in front of me but as I struggled with them, the burn from the rope was instant, biting into my skin.
I was going nowhere.
“Help!” I called out, although I knew doing so was as ridiculous as it was dangerous. The silence was deafening. I yelled even louder, finally making it to my feet. Every muscle was shaking, but I managed to take a single step, almost falling. There were steps. I turned around, the shadows looming over me unrecognizable. If this was a church, what the hell was I doing here?
I remembered the knife strapped to my leg, but from the way my wrists were bound, it was impossible to reach it. If I could move enough so it tumbled to the floor, then maybe I could figure out a way to free myself.
Before I had a chance to try, I heard footsteps, a hard thudding sound that echoed all around me. Tensing, I took several shallow breaths, still fighting with the rope.
When a series of lights were switched on, I was blinded, wincing as I blinked several times. Whoever was walking closer took their damn sweet time.
There were more footsteps on both sides, several of them, the heaviness indicating men. I could swear they were walking in formation, as if… soldiers.
My vision cleared, showing me that I’d been right. I was inside a small church, the wooden pews directly in front of me. Jesus. I’d been placed on the altar. As I turned around in a full circle, terror swept through me. There were red roses everywhere, petals strewn about on a white runner. As if a flower girl had carefully dropped them.
I noticed a pink satin pillow with two rings nestled in white ribbon.
There was going to be a wedding after all, only my groom wouldn’t be Gabriel.
The single set of footsteps moved closer and I found the courage to turn around, holding my breath. I didn’t recognize the person standing in front of me, the man casually holding a gun in his hand, but there was no mistaking the fact he was evil. Even the look on his face sucked away my breath. His smile was crooked, his eyes boring into mine and he had the look of a madman. He was dressed in a dark suit and white shirt, a red rose in his lapel.
