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I could see her better out here in the light from the flames. Her face was smoke streaked and sweaty, but I didn’t notice any serious burns. “Ellie, baby, can you hear me?” My voice was barely more than a rasp. My throat felt raw and burned, but I hardly registered the pain.
I gently patted her cheek, feeling another wave of relief as her eyelids fluttered. “Yeah, that’s right, open those pretty eyes for me.”
She let out a fit of hoarse, painful coughs. Every breath seemed more difficult than the last. My pulse spiked again. I needed to get her out of here. I pulled my phone from my pocket, pissed at myself for not using it earlier.
I called 911.
I started to speak once the operator answered, giving Ellie’s address and our emergency. I didn’t wait to hear the answer as Ellie’s eyes had opened again, her gaze unfocused as she struggled to breathe.
“It’s okay, help is coming,” I said, about to lean down and kiss her forehead.
Her eyes lulled closed again as a sharp, searing pain burst across the back of my head. My body slumped forward, and I was aware of my face smashing into the dry dirt before blackness overtook me.
I came to consciousness slowly. There was a burning in my throat, as if I’d swallowed a hot coal. My eyes hurt even though they were closed, my eyelids so heavy I didn’t want to open them. I listened for the usual sound of the hospital, the constantbeep, beep, beepof a monitor.
Instead, a windchime sounded in the distance, accompanied by the rustling of trees and the chirping of birds. I let out a small groan, realizing it was hot. Sweat coated my skin, dampening my shirt. With difficulty, I opened my eyes, wincing as a sharp burst of pain pulsed from a concentrated spot on the back of my head.
Then, memory hit.
I jolted, but my body hardly moved. The fire. Ellie. I tried to move my arms but they were stuck. I glanced down at myself. I was in a metal chair, my arms pinned behind my back with what I guessed were handcuffs by the feel of it. My legs were secured tight with rope to the metal chair legs from my knee down.
This wasn’t good.
Ignoring the shot of adrenaline through my system, I tried to remain calm. I looked around. Wherever I was, it was small. The walls were nothing but exposed plywood between support studs. The ceiling was open and exposed the peaked roof. It smelled like damp dirt and gasoline. It reminded me of a shed or something. There were no windows. The only light was a dim, exposed bulb mounted onto one of the studs near the middle of the room.
I jumped as a large door rolled open on the far side of the wall. Sunlight streamed into the space and I squinted against it as someone walked in.
“Oh my God,” a small, somewhat familiar voice said. “You’re finally awake.”
Whoever it was slid the door closed.
I blinked the spots from my vision as my sight adjusted back to the darkness. The person stepped closer. A whiff of fruity perfume hit my nostrils, making the hairs on the back of my neck rise.
She knelt before me, resting her forearms on my knees as she leaned into me. “You were out cold almost all day. I was beginning to worry.”
“Clara?” I rasped, wincing at the pain speaking caused my throat.
She smiled up at me. “Hello,” she said, voice light and happy, even excited.
I frowned, having a hard time comprehending. My head was heavy and an ache pulsed through it. “What happened?”
She reached up and pushed back some of the hair that had fallen over my forehead. “You just don’t know when to give up, do you?” Her mouth turned down at the corners. “You weren’t supposed to get in the way, Ty. No one was supposed to get hurt except for her.”
My pulse spiked as I fought panic. “What happened to Ellie? Is she okay?”
At the mention of Ellie’s name, Clara’s eyes flared. Her voice changed to a snarl, something I’d never heard come from her before. “That bitch got exactly what she deserved. She’s been nothing except in the way forever.”
I struggled against my bindings, making Clara jump back. “I swear to God, if she’s hurt…” Rage like I’d never known erupted from the depths of my core.
She sat back on her heels, glaring at me. “You need to calm down. Plans changed.” Clara tilted her head to the side, her gaze traveling up and down my body as a satisfied expression flitted across her face. “I decided to take you instead. I knew that once you spent more time with me—away from her—you’d see.”
My mouth fell open. I had no idea what the hell was going on. “That I’d see what?”
She reached for me again. This time, I flinched as she ran a cold hand over my cheek. Her round eyes stared into mine and there was something in them I’d never seen before. Something off…a manic glint.
“That we were meant to be together, Ty.” She leaned in closer and I craned my neck back, but there wasn’t anywhere to go. She crushed her lips to mine, so hard my lips bruised against my teeth. She drew back, wiping her saliva away with the pad of her thumb.
I swallowed bile. “What are you talking about?”
