Page 133 of Amnesty

“I’m not letting him take you either, Sadie. I swear it. Trust me.”

“I do,” she said, sobering up a little. Her head bobbed.

Daniel had made it to his feet and was staggering toward us. “They’re mine!” he growled.

I shoved Sadie behind me and planted my feet, readying for another fight. In the distance, sirens pierced the night and offered some promise of an end to this all.

Daniel heard them, too. The sound stopped him cold. He glanced in the direction from which they came, then back at me. His bloody, beaten face darkened. “This isn’t over yet. I always come back.”

He started backing away, his steps quicker with every second, toward the lake and his boat.

Oh, hell no.

With a cry, I ran forward. He tried to scurry farther back, but his injuries slowed him down. My injuries only pissed me off.

I grabbed him by the front of his tattered, wet shirt and yanked him forward. He swung his fist around, connecting with the side of my head.

“No!” Sadie yelled.

I staggered back, and he lunged for me. Blindly, I lashed out with the knife. He grunted and fell back.

Straightening, I saw I’d sliced him, but only on the arm. Blood stained the sleeve of his shirt as he heaved, staring at me with pure hatred.

With a battle cry, Daniel surged forward, running at me like a bull charging a red flag. I moved at the last second, brought my arm up as if preparing to throw a right hook, and buried the blade in his middle.

He made a groaning sound and stumbled back. I stood there, coiled and ready, but he didn’t come back. Instead, he stumbled backward, like he was trying to get away. After only a few feet he tumbled over into the shallows of Lake Loch.

Sadie screamed and rushed toward him.

I watched in horror and confusion as she fell to her knees beside the man who abused her for years, crying over him.

He moaned, and I burst forward, rushing to her side and lifting her away from him, terrified he would do one last thing to make her suffer.

“I always come back,” he said, coughing. Red coated his teeth.

From up on the porch, Amnesia yelled my name.

Daniel laughed.

“Not this time.” I assured and reached down, grabbing the handle of the blade and turning it.

He screamed until the sound diminished into a wet gurgle, then ultimately faded away.

Red and blue lights filled the darkness, bouncing off the side of the house. The loud sirens cut off, leaving behind nothing but the sound of Sadie crying, the wind, and the waves.

I glared down at Daniel. His eyes stared back, but they no longer saw. Water crashed over him, filling his mouth, seeping into his nose and pulling at his hair. His shirt was stained pink now, and his body only moved in the direction the water pushed him.

“Eddie!” Amnesia yelled, her voice carrying on the wind.

I spun around, glancing up to where she limped off the porch, staring down where I stood. An officer tried to take her arm, but she pushed him off, stumbling a bit, and continued toward me.

I left Daniel where he lay and sprinted toward her, stopping only when she was within touching distance. I was afraid to pull her against me. Her shirt was saturated in blood.

“We gotta get you to the ER,” I said, concerned.

“Is he…?” Her eyes began to stray over my shoulder.

I went forward, wrapped my arms around her shoulders, and carefully pulled her in. “Don’t look,” I ordered, shielding her with my body.

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