Cheyenne (25 page)

In a moment everything changed as they dove towards Colt. I was suddenly slammed up against the doors, Colt’s body pinning me in place.

A hand grasped my arm and began yanking as I let out a scream and kicked toward a shin. Colt shifted breaking their hold and groaned as his arms went out and he took the three men to the cement below.

“
Run!” he bellowed and I took off in a sprint towards the forest.

“
Over here!” Voices shouted and I looked back..

It was the three men who hit on me at the bar. This couldn’t be good.

They were moving dangerously close despite my running. My mind skimmed through the options. I had two choices. I could head into the woods or towards the truck. I glanced back again…the only real choice was to escape into the woods. I knew my way around well enough. I could hide—I was sure of it. I just needed to keep ahead of them. I didn’t have a choice now.

Through the darkening forest, my gaze caught sight of something flickering at the edge of the trees. It seemed to be moving in random patterns, appearing and then disappearing quickly. It was like the reflection of sunlight on water. I was attempting to keep enough distance between the men and myself, but couldn’t help glimpsing at the lights. They were strangely familiar…

I was restricted as to where I could enter the trees, as I didn’t want to get too close to the unknown lights, but it was as if they were beckoning to me. I was so caught up in them that I didn’t realize I had stopped running until someone grabbed my arm and twisted me around. I wasn’t even in the forest yet.

My heart raced; as I searched behind them. My guardians were nowhere in sight. What had I done?

The dark haired one spoke in an agitated tone.

“
Where you going, doll? Remember us? We didn’t get to have our fun because your boyfriends got in the way.” He paused to look at the other two. “They don’t seem to be here now, do they?”

Yanking my arm free, I took a step back, still facing them. Shifting, I took a wider stance, lifting my arms to a blocking position, palms out ready to strike. My dad had shown me self-defense moves, but now I wished I’d paid closer attention. 

A slimy smile began to grow over his lips. “Oh, she is feisty!”

This wasn’t going to be good. I searched one last time for my protectors—nothing. I was on my own; not even a person on the street in the distance to witness the assault. Fear gripped me, but somehow the adrenaline kicked in as the dark-haired man reached out for me. Taking one step forward, I thrust my hand, palm up and knuckles down, with all my strength at his nose. It made contact.

I heard a crack, and my hand immediately started to throb with pain. He stumbled back a few steps, grasping his face as he bent over. The blood raced through my veins, pounding out the rhythm of my heart. I wasn’t going down easy. I would scratch, kick, and claw my way out.

Going on the offense stunned the other two briefly, giving me enough time to swing my pack loaded with books at the man on my right. It smashed into the side of his jaw with enough force to send him staggering to the side. The third man looked on in shock, then anger registered in his eyes.

I managed to jerk one knee up, nailing him square in the groin. He fell to the ground in agony. I caught sight of the dark-haired man and saw his rage as I bolted for the shadowy woods. The thundering of his footsteps was not far behind. Could I outrun them, outlast them until help came? I just needed to keep the space between us wide enough so they couldn’t catch me. I would find a hiding place and wait it out. I could do this!

The flickering lights were still ahead, bouncing back and forth. It was difficult to keep track of their location. It suddenly registered where I had seen them before, at the cathedral. I had also seen them outside the library windows, but I mistook them for passing headlights.

I entered the woods about thirty feet to the right of the lights with two of the three men in close pursuit. As I continued into the darkness, I was now not so confident in my ability to keep the distance.

What would happen if they caught me? Would Colt, Daniel, and Callon find me? Argh, and the heavy pack wasn’t helping. Why didn’t I just drop it?

I was in mid-stride when two arms locked around me and I tumbled to the ground, smashing into a small fallen log. The air forcefully exited my lungs, and a piercing pain completely immobilized my left side. A second later my pack was being ripped off and thrown to the side. For a brief second I had the sensation of a weight being lifted from me, and I scrambled to my feet as I ran.

I took two strides before I smashed into a tree, my right elbow hitting with a loud crack. Instant agony shot up my arm to my shoulder. I lay slumped on my side on the cool forest floor. This was the danger my protectors were talking about. How had I not seen it?

“
This is my kill!” one of the three men shouted. “I want to have some fun first, see how long she’ll last. It’s been way too long since I’ve had an opportunity like this.” 

Their footsteps closed in. They were going to kill me? Why? I hadn’t done anything except defend myself. At the bar, the dark-haired one acted as if he knew me. I didn’t understand. I’d never seen him before. All three were close—I had to get away. 

I pushed myself to my knees using my left arm and stumbled to my feet, desperate to flee. I barely turned before I saw a hand closing in on my head. His fingers locked in my hair as he dragged me forward. Raising my good elbow, I wheeled it into his side, but he only bent slightly. There was a growl at the back of his throat, and seconds later I was hurling toward the ground. I once again landed on my right side, crippled with pain.

“
She won’t last if you keep throwing her to the ground!” one snapped.

“
Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do,” the dark-haired one said through his teeth. “I plan on making it long and drawn out. She will suffer greatly for what’s she’s done.”

Black spots were flashing before my eyes as I lifted my head. I needed to get up, or they were going to kill me—I had to keep moving. My breaths were labored, every one bringing excruciating misery. Were these the same ones who killed my parents? The ones Colt, Callon and Daniel were trying to protect me from?

One of them was standing over me, but I couldn’t tell which one. My face was planted in the ground while the other two argued. I closed my eyes, my head slumping to the forest floor.

“
You idiots! Have you seen the rings on her fingers?”

Suddenly an ear-piercing scream echoed through the trees. The voices became muffled. There was shouting, but the words jumbled together in my mind. Forget them, I had to move! I had to get away…

Every inch of my being was in agony, I forced my head up, only to collapse again.

“
Cheyenne!” a deep voice yelled near my head. It was somehow familiar. I couldn’t pry my lids open…they were so heavy. The voice was louder now. “Cheyenne! Don’t go to sleep. Stay with me! Open your eyes!”

Someone gingerly rolled me onto my back, and my lashes flickered. It was Callon, and his face was intense. He was asking me questions, but they didn’t make sense. I opened my mouth to speak, taking short shallow breaths. 

“
Are…they…gone?”

“
Yes, sweetheart, they’re gone.” His jaw was so tight, the muscles in his neck were bulging, and his gaze remained focused.

“
They acted like they knew me,” I whispered.

“
They’re gone.”

“
The lights…the glittering lights. Did you see them? They were the same…the same as the cathedral…at the library…the same as…” Every last ounce of energy left me, and my eyes rolled shut.

Clank, clank, clank. It was the clang of objects hitting metal trays. I was so heavy, weighed down, but I was no longer in pain. I couldn’t open my eyelids, no matter how hard I tried. I could only listen.

My right arm was lifted, gently laid on a cold surface and the whirling of what sounded like a medical machine began. A wet cloth touched my temple, and a tugging sensation came next. Warm hands exposed my ribs to the cool air and then lifted my shirt. The hands were gently probing, pushing. They stopped on my left side. I heard heavy footsteps and then something rolling across the floor followed by a hum. A light pressure behind my head brought me some comfort, as it was cradled in a large hand. My shoulders left the table as another set of hands tenderly wrapped a cloth around my chest, and then laid me back down. My right arm moved once again. There was the sound of Velcro being pulled apart and my arm was folded and placed in something. Low voices fill the room, but I couldn’t distinguish them.

“
Did you find anything else?” a concerned voice asked.

“
I think we’ve found them all. She’ll most likely have a concussion. Two of her left ribs are broken, but I didn’t see any fragments puncturing her lungs. The brace will help support her elbow for now.”

“
We need to move her. I’ve given her enough to keep her sedated for a while.” He sighed. “We don’t have a choice.” A tender touch to my forehead brushed my hair aside, and I drifted back out of consciousness.

I woke, this time to the sound of humming. I listened closely. It was the truck’s engine—we were on the move. I was seated in an upright position; the cool air from the vent was blowing across my face. I inhaled deeply only to flinch, and my eyes remained closed.

“
Cheyenne, are you in pain?” Colt asked as his arm moved behind me. I was resting against his shoulder.

“
I’m okay,” I whispered. I managed to force my eyes open. He was leaning over, intently studying my face. I was in the backseat. Daniel sat on the opposite side and squeezed my fingers.

“
Colt, are you okay?” The last I’d seen him he was being attacked himself.

“
I’m fine, sweetheart.”

“
Daniel,” Callon called out, and I watched as Daniel touched his shoulder. Callon was now seated next to me; I blinked in amazement even though I knew he could Jump. Callon was now poised to take action. I couldn’t focus clearly and closed my weary lids again. My head and elbow were starting to ache. 

Gently taking my wrist in his fingers, Callon took my pulse. “Cheyenne,” he said tenderly. “Are you in pain?” He lifted my shirt and touched my ribs, I gasped and he froze. He pulled his hand back slowly. “I can help you. Can you breathe okay? Is there any pain elsewhere?”

I didn’t care about the pain; I wanted answers. “What happened, who were they?” I whispered.

His voice was apologetic, broken. “I’m so sorry…” He trailed off.

“
The lights—did you see the glittering lights?” I needed them to know. I knew it was important somehow as I’d seen them several times now.

He was filled with agony, remorse. “I didn’t—we shouldn’t have put in this kind of danger.”

“
Did you…see…the lights?” It was getting hard to speak.