Page 59 of Knight's Fall

“What do you m-mean?”Keep him talking, she thought.The more he talks, the less he hurts you.

Malcolm walked back to her with leisurely steps. Courtlyn could feel her body sinking into the fatigue left by the blood loss. Part of her wanted to drift into oblivion, so she would no longer witness what he did to her. She didn’t think he would allow that, but the wish was too sweet not to consider.

“You should feel honored, Courtlyn. You’re the first person in a long time to catch me, and all because you were chasing a damn dog. There’s a certain irony to it, wouldn’t you agree? That a complete coincidence is the reason you must die.”

He stopped beside her. Her head was too heavy to turn and look at him. Trying to use her peripheral vision to watch him, she winced at the resulting ache behind her eyes. She felt his finger graze her skin, tracing the line of each cut, smearing the blood on her flesh. His light touch tickled, and her body instinctually arched away from him.

“It’s like a canvas. Empty, begging to be used by just the right artist. It needs someone who understands, who sees the vision no one else sees. Do you feel that, Courtlyn? That need to create when you’re cooking? It’s addicting. There’s always a new technique to be learned. You must feel the rush that comes with mastering something new. Just when you become bored and think nothing could excite you, you discover something unexpected. The thrill returns.”

His fingers continued to roam her body. Courtlyn retreated into her mind, to the memory of lying in Wings’ arms, his hand stroking her hair, his voice talking to her with words she couldn’t decipher. It didn’t matter. She was with him, safe and protected.

The slap sent her head flying back, her jaw jerking to one side enough to pop at the joint. Her beautiful memory dissipated like a puff of smoke, and she was left with Malcolm bending down so they could be eye to eye.

“Don’t you leave me, Courtlyn. We’re not done yet.”

The scream left her body with more force than she thought she was capable of. The explosion of glass drowned out her cry. One moment Malcolm was leering at her. The next he was gone, and something warm and sticky splattered against her skin.

Her screams wouldn’t stop. Even with her body weak and listless, her cries continued until she felt it – the comforting touch that she longed for. The comforting touch that calmed her.

“Courtlyn, baby. It’s me. I’ve got you.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Wings’ heart stopped when he saw Courtlyn through the window, nearly naked, hunched over and bound to a chair, covered in blood that fell in slow rivulets from her body.

She was dead. Malcolm stood over her, taunting her like a madman, but her life was already gone. He was too late.

When Malcolm slapped her, Wings reacted. He knew instant relief when Courtlyn stirred, showing she was still clinging to life, and instant hatred when her captor smiled as if pleased with her reaction.

The plan was to do a hard breach to surprise Malcolm and take him down before the killer could react. Only Wings no longer cared about taking the monster into custody. He only cared about Courtlyn.

He raised his automatic weapon and pointed it at the glass window. His aim was precise, and he hesitated only long enough to make sure Courtlyn wouldn’t be in the crossfire.

“Take the shot or I will,” Jay muttered the only encouragement Wings needed.

Two shots shattered the window and sailed into the room to sink one in Malcolm’s neck and the other through his temple. Wings lowered his weapon and had one leg through the window by the time Malcolm fell with a thud to the floor, his blood mingling with Courtlyn’s on the plastic tarp. Her screams split his ear drum as he half crawled, half ran to her side.

He rested one hand on her shoulder, careful to use a light touch and not cause her any more pain. His other hand cupped her cheek, so he could look into the dark eyes he’d missed. He didn’t like the dimness in their depths, as if the life had already been snuffed out of them.

“Courtlyn, baby. It’s me. I’ve got you.”

He wasn’t sure she could hear him over her screams. But then they stopped, replaced by the eerie echo of silence. He thought he saw a hint of a smile on her lips, and nothing had looked so lovely to him.

Jay followed him through the window and checked Malcolm for a pulse. He then dragged the man’s body away from Courtlyn as the other team members busted through the door. They lowered their weapons when they saw the situation was contained. BB was at his side in an instant.

“Let me cut her loose.” He knelt behind her chair to start with her arms.

“No. No more…cuts.” She moaned and then whimpered when her arms fell limply to her sides. BB ignored her plea and hurried to cut the ties at her ankles. Her body collapsed forward, and Wings caught her. His weight shifted until he was sitting on the floor, and he drew her close to him. His face buried in her hair as he was overcome with conflicting emotions.

“I got you. It’s over. I got you.”

“Don’t…” Her words became muffled as she turned her face against his shirt.

“He won’t hurt you anymore. I swear it. He’s dead, Courtlyn.”

He thought he felt her head shake before she lifted it as high as she was able. “Don’t…l-let g-g-go.” She slumped against him, slipping into unconsciousness.

“Iz! Iz!”

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