Page 106 of Erik's Salvation
Suddenly, Marco moved toward the river, obviously coming to the same conclusion. A new panic welled inside Hannah. One that had her vision tunneling.
She kicked and screamed, trying to throw a foot into his leg, an elbow into his gut. Nothing worked.
Her belly dipped when he stopped right on the edge. “No, stop! I can’t swim! Throw me in there and I’ll drown!”
The water ran quickly and made every part of her come alive in fear.
“You’ll figure it out.”
She didn’t have time to process his words before she was lifted from her feet and thrown into the icy water.
* * *
Erik’s feetpounded the soft, uneven ground. Every second that passed was a second too long.
Even though it was nighttime, the moon cast a dull glow over the woods. It was still dark, but he didn’t mind. In fact, he welcomed the darkness. He knew these woods and Marco didn’t—that could only benefit him.
Suddenly, a distant voice sounded.
Marco.
Erik took off toward the sound, pushing his body to run faster than he’d ever run before. His arms pumped, branches lashing his body, scraping against his skin.
The scream that pierced the air next had the fear in his chest expanding, choking him, blackening out everything but Hannah.
He’d almost reached the river when the splash of water made a fresh wave of terror fill his lungs. The second he reached the bank, he saw her. She’d grabbed onto a boulder in the center of the river, but the current was strong, and she barely seemed to have a grasp on it.
“Hannah?” He kicked off his shoes, preparing to jump in.
Her head bobbed above the water. “Marco…!” Her attention flew to his left.
Erik turned his head just as a gun fired. The bullet hit the tree beside his head, and Erik dropped and rolled behind it, knowing a second shot would come.
His gaze flicked to the water. Hannah’s head was still bobbing up and down.
Fuck, he had to end this quickly.
Marco’d had a clear shot—and he’d missed. Thatneverhappened. Was he injured? If he was, Erik needed to use that to his advantage.
“Show your fucking face or I start shooting the water, Hunter.”
His stomach clenched. He looked at Hannah again. This time her head went down…and it didn’t come back up for too damn long.
“I’m shooting!” Marco yelled, his words slurring slightly.
Erik gritted his teeth and dropped to the prone position. He eased his head out from behind the tree.
The second he saw Marco’s arm extend, weapon in hand, Erik fired, getting the asshole in the forearm.
Marco released a loud curse, the gun dropping from his hand as his arm disappeared. Erik rose and raced forward. Before he could get another shot off, Marco lunged from the other side of the tree and wrapped his arms around Erik’s middle, sending them both crashing to the ground.
Marco grabbed Erik’s wrist, slamming it into the dirt above his head. Erik spared one glance at the guy’s bloodied right eye before headbutting the asshole and following it up with an elbow to the face. They rolled. He easily overpowered Marco, aiming his gun.
“Don’t you fucking—”
He pulled the trigger, cutting off Marco’s words with a bullet to the head.
He didn’t stick around to watch the life leave his eyes, instead turning back to Hannah.
