Page 80 of Fight
I closed my eyes and pictured a small window opening in the bubble of my shields, instantly I heard a rush of voices.I struggled to make my still sluggish mind function, as I needed.I fought to focus on a single voice, but I couldn't make my mind cooperate.
The road beneath the van was getting progressively worse and I was tossed into the air repeatedly as the tires bumped in and out of pot holes.
Money, it's for the money.I heard before another voice cut it off.
One nice piece of ass, I don't see why I can't take a taste.
Just finish this job & take the cash, Came a third voice.
I couldn't make my mind narrow onto one person's thoughts.They all bombarded me and I could only catch bits and pieces here and there.
I gave up and closed my shields tightly again.I took several moments to breathe and center myself again before I sprang into action.
I jerked my hands hard against the cuffs.Yanking them away from the floor of the van several times before the chain holding the cuffs to the floor snapped.Pain shot through both arms but I ignored it.Getting away was more important than nursing my wounds.My hands were still bound to each other but I was free from the floor, able to move around as I wanted.As soon as my hands were loose I spun my body around to confront the man in the cargo space with me, the one who was close enough to kick me, close enough to stop me from escaping.He was already trying to kick me again, his foot in motion toward where my body had been.
"What the hell?"he cried.
I caught the foot he swung in my direction in both hands and twisted hard.He screamed and I fisted my hands together and swung them hard at his head, hitting him once.He slumped against the side of the van, and I spun back to the rear doors.Dropping onto my back, I bent both legs to my chest and kicked hard into the seam of the door, right in the middle where the latch should be.I kicked once, twice and the doors flew open, hitting the limit of the hinges and bouncing back.I waited until the doors swung open a second time, and rolled out the rear of the van.I grunted as I hit the ground rolling, trying to minimize the impact.I rolled to a stop and made it to my feet as quickly as I could, glancing back at the van I'd left once, before I took off in the opposite direction, running hard.
I had no idea where I was, only the concept that my kidnappers were taking me away from help, so if I ran in the direction we had come from, I should be able to find someone to help me.I ran as hard as I could, pushing past the burning in my lungs, the aching in my thighs.I ignored the burning pain in my still cuffed wrists and kept running, searching for someone, anyone who might be able to help me.
I couldn't stop for fear they'd turn the van around and catch up, capture me again.I ran, unknowing and uncaring where I was going as long I got farther from them.Them, the humans who had drugged and kidnapped me, who'd kicked and abused an unconscious woman they'd been paid to take.Every muscle in my body ached, they burned from injuries that I couldn't take the time to worry about, and from over use, but I couldn't stop, not until I knew I was safe.
I saw a car turn onto the street ahead of me, I had no idea who was in the car but it had to be better than what I'd left behind.I didn't know what I looked like, but it couldn't be good.I waived my still bound arms over my head, flagging down the car as it approached.
The car slowed, pulling over to the side of the narrow road.I approached, ready to beg for help if I had to, but when the door opened it was Devon who climbed out.I ran to him, relieved he'd found me and collapsed against him
"Nickie?"I heard the concern in his voice as darkness closed in on me again.
Chapter 25
We were in the car when I woke.I was curled on Devon's lap as he held me against him.I moved a little, looking up at him.
"Alexis?"I asked.
"I'm here."She said from the front seat.
"What happened?"I asked.
"You tell us."Devon looked down at me.His arms were snug around me.
"We went to get coffee.We didn't think about needing a guard, we just went for coffee."I repeated.
"We know that."
I blinked, trying to put together what had happened in a way that made sense."They drugged us.I saw Alexis on the sidewalk, and then I passed out.I woke up in the back of a van, cuffed and chained to the floor.There were four men, humans.I don't think they knew we were any different than them.One was in the rear with me, the others in seats near the front."I told them details in short sentences, trying to give them the information I knew they needed but still struggling to make my mind work."The one in the back wanted to 'have some fun' with me, but the boss wouldn't let him.He said they'd been paid to take me and deliver me unharmed.He told the one in the back with me to stop kicking me."
"He kicked you?"Devon's voice was angry.
I tried to ignore his emotions and my own as I continued."I tried to listen to their thoughts, but I couldn't control it.Whatever they used to knock us out, screwed with my control and I gave up.I knew I had to get free.I broke the chain holding my cuffs to the floor."I tried to lift my hands to show them but Devon stopped me."I kicked the back door open and rolled out.As soon as I stopped rolling, I started running.I don't know how far I ran, but I knew I had to find help before they came back for me."I looked up at Devon again."How did you find me?"
He pulled me tighter against him and I winced at the pressure on my arms, folded between us.He eased off slightly but still held me snuggly.
"I woke up knowing something was wrong.I didn't know what, but I knew it was something big.Caden came in to get me, he said he'd come out of the shower and found the note that you were gone and I knew it was you.Something was wrong with you.We threw on clothes and raced after you.When Caden said you'd gone for coffee, I knew where you were headed so we went in that direction.We found Alexis on the ground, unconscious.You were nowhere in sight."
"I checked her over and found the dart."Caden added from behind the wheel."Devon called Ridges and let him know that you'd been kidnapped, while I picked Alexis up and we went back for the car."
"I don't know how, but somehow I knew which direction to find you.We followed that looking for you."Devon added.
