There was no hesitation as I rolled out from under the vehicle and got to my feet. I crashed into the front doorway, eyes wide as I saw the flames devouring the huge rug and licking up the walls around the fireplace. A dead body, half burned, was sprawled out in front of the fireplace. I scanned the area, seeing bodies, but none that looked like Austin. As I made my way to the kitchen, I could almost see how everything went down.
There he was, sprawled out on the floor in the mud room.
“Austin,” I said, dropping to my knees beside him.
His face was a mess. Swollen and bloody.
What the fuck had they done to him? It took everything in me not to run outside and slaughter them for doing this.
I grabbed a knife from the ground, ignoring the blood dripping off it, and cut him free of the tape they used to secure him.
“Austin,” I said again, willing him to wake up.
24
Austin
Why was I hearing Ford call my name?
He should have been halfway to the river by now. Or on the boat and one step closer to being out of danger.
Actually, I had no idea how much time had passed while I floated in the darkness, so I couldn’t really say where he should have been. I just knew he shouldn’t have beenhere.
“Austin!”
There it was again, Ford calling my name, only this time it had a bit of a growl to it. Also, my body was rocking. Had he brought me on the boat with him?
With a groan, I slapped at the air.
My head hurt like someone had smashed it against a boulder. I was having a hard time remembering the last moments of my conscious life.
We were in danger, that much I could remember.
Oh, wait. Was I dead? Was this like a welcoming thing? Not really sure I believed in Heaven… or Hell. I didn’t think much of what came after. But if this was theafterpart, why was I hearing Ford?
I groaned again and tried to roll over.
Parts of my body hurt I didn’t even know existed, and now I was certain I wasn’t dead.
“Come on, Austin.” Yep, that was definitely Ford’s voice. “I need you to wake up, honey. There are four of them left, maybe more. We need to move before they come back to the house.”
“Where at?” I mumbled.
“They’re in the barn. We are in the house,” he responded, answering all the options that could have gone with that question.
“Head,” I mumbled, feeling like my tongue was swollen in my mouth. The pounding was too intense. I wanted him to make it stop.
“Fuck,” he swore under his breath.
“Well, look at that,” said a voice I didn’t recognize.
My head screamed at me, but this time it was warning me of danger. I had to get up. I had to protect Ford.
A shot rang out. My lids flew open, and though I felt like I was about to vomit up everything I’d ever eaten, I knifed up, instantly searching for a weapon.
Before me, a man in all-black gear crumpled to the ground. Another man dashed over the threshold behind him, gun raised.
Beside me, Ford fired another shot.
