Page 71 of Mountain Shadow

“Please. She has nothing to do with this. She is pregnant. You can be merciful. Please be merciful, Elliot.”

He seemed to roll the word in his mind for a bit. A small smile turned a corner of his lip upwards.

“What will you do for me if I let her go?” he said, licking his lips. He looked up and down her body, leaving her no doubt as to what it was he wanted.

“If you let her go … I’ll do anything you want,” Sarah whispered.

“What are you doing, Sarah?” Kat growled. She was trying to stand up, but it was clear by the way she held her belly that she was still in pain.

How long has she been awake?

Sarah looked into her friend’s bright, wet eyes, willing her to go along with this.

“You’ll get naked. You’ll let me touch you. You’ll give me everything,” the man said quietly. His blue eyes narrowed to deep slits. “Say it. Say you’ll be mine,” he insisted.

Sarah pushed down the bile that had risen to her throat.

“I will,” she agreed, the vow heavy in her throat.

“No!” Kat shouted. “I’m not going anywhere—”

The knife appeared in his hand out of nowhere. “Stand up. You have one minute to get out of here,” he said.

Kat stood up defiantly. “No. Not without Sarah.”

“Let me be clear. Sarah and I don’t need you here. I will cut you and leave you—”

Sarah got up quickly. “Please. Give us a moment. She will go.”

The man made an impatient, huffing sound, but nodded. Sarah quickly scampered to Kat.

“I’m not going anywhere without you,” Kat whispered ferociously.

Sarah measured her words carefully. She knew Kat well enough to know the other woman wouldn’t leave her here alone willingly—not unless she believed she could help Sarah by doing so. “It’s our only chance. You can find help for us … lead Jens back here.”

Kat bit her upper lip.

“Please, Kat … we don’t have much time.”

Finally, the pilot nodded slowly. “I promise I’ll come back.”

Sarah sighed in relief. No matter what, Kat and her babies were going to be alright.

“Come on,” the man—Elliot—growled.

“Untie her hands,” Sarah ordered.

“That wasn’t part of our agreement,” he said, pushing Kat out the door.

Sarah huddled by the single window. It was still dark, but shadows on the horizon already hinted at the arrival of dawn.

Moments later, a door slammed and Kat half-ran, half-stumbled out of the house. The pilot looked back at the house once, her face pale and drawn, before making her way down the hill. Her shape grew smaller and smaller until she disappeared from view.

All at once, the room felt like a tomb. Struggling to pull air into her lungs, Sarah prayed she’d done the right thing for Kat.

Elliot’s voice made her jump. She hadn’t even seen him walk back inside.

“I kept my side of the bargain.”