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Lach pressed his fists to his temples, gun still in hand. He paced two steps then stopped. “I’m going to fucking slaughter him. I’ll—”
Toth held up his hand, forcing another wave of calm over his body. He wanted to scream, to tear Jace limb from fucking limb as much as Lach did, but focusing on that wouldn’t do any damn good until he found them. “It might not be her blood. You look upstairs and I’ll go out back. Do a thorough search.”
Lach nodded, his eyes small with desperation. He stomped to the staircase and took the steps two at a time. “Sav! Call out if you’re here!”
Tearing his gaze from the stains on the floor, Toth made his way across the living room and kitchen and pounded down the back deck. “Sav!” he bellowed. The roar of an engine met his ears and a niggle of suspicion hit him.
Pulling out his phone, he flicked on the flashlight to illuminate the poorly maintained property. A large shed sat under a big pine tree, its doors thrown open. He trekked toward it, his gun at the ready. “Sav!”
Something caught his eye. He stopped. Tire tracks carved the tall grass. The motor running in the distance sounded like that of a four-wheeler. Holy shit. He turned from the shed and ran through the grass toward the forest, following the tracks.
Lach appeared on the deck as Toth passed. “What’s up?”
He pointed to the markings. “Four-wheeler,” he called over the drone. “I think he’s got her.”
Lach leaped off the deck and landed in a run, meeting Toth’s stride. They charged through the forest along a dirt path.
“He’s too far away,” Lach said, two paces behind.
Sweat soaked the back of Toth’s neck, dampening his shirt. He didn’t give a fuck how far they were—he’d run for hours if Sav was near.
The engine cut out, and the sounds of nature that filled the void were more terrifying than the roar of the motor. Jace had either caught Savannah or had reached the place where he was going to dump her body.
Surging forward, Toth pushed his legs to their limits, following the tracks. Critters scurried as he dodged and struck low-lying branches. He leaped over a fallen log and grunted as his feet clapped the earth. Lach’s footsteps weren’t far behind him.
A scream split through the air.
Doom fell around him.
He has her.
***
“Found you.”
Jace’s singsong voice made the hairs on the back of Savannah’s neck spring to attention. She pressed her back against the tree she hid behind.
The light from his flashlight sliced through the darkness and soaked the trees and ground near her feet in yellow. She swallowed a scream and pressed her knuckles to her lips. She tightened her fingers around the poker dangling by her side. She’d have to get close to him to use it, which wouldn’t help if he shot her first.
Snap!
The crack of a twig breaking echoed around the woods. He was close. She brought her teeth down on her bottom lip, but her ragged breaths were still audible. A creature clawed up a nearby tree, the scratching on bark as loud as nails on a chalkboard. Quiet fell around her in its wake. Her senses fired on high alert, waiting for Jace’s next move.
The rustling of footsteps over foliage punctured the air. She molded her spine to the tree, willing it to swallow her up.
“Savvy.” The nickname dripped with falsetto. “I can smell your fear, baby. You’re making me fucking horny.” The tinny taste of horror flooded her mouth at the sound of his heinous laugh.
He was so close.
Her chest heaved as she took quiet, shallow breaths. Her lungs screamed at her to take a deep inhale, but she didn’t dare.
She’d have to fight. If she could hit him in the head again before he shot her, she’d have a chance. He wouldn’t expect her attack. She adjusted the rod in her hold. This time, she’d strike to kill. She didn’t have a choice.
Letting out a wild scream, she leaped out from behind the tree. Jace staggered back and aimed his gun in her direction. Her heart skidded to a stop and her mouth filled with bile. She swung the fire poker and the metal connected with his hand.
The gun careened from his fingers and landed in the dirt.
“Fuck,” he hissed, grabbing his wounded hand. His wild eyes focused on hers, the whites large in the moonlight. He seethed. “You fucking bitch.” He took a step closer.
