Brighter Than the Sun

She closed her eyes, replaying every single moment with Joe, Rusty, the Kelly family. For a short period of time she’d known what it was like to touch the sun, to understand what unconditional love and loyalty felt like.

And Joe, how she wished she’d told him she loved him. If only she could have that beautiful night back, the most wonderful night of her entire life.

Pain assaulted her again when Sebastian slapped her bruised cheek, causing a fresh trickle of blood to leak from the corner of her mouth.

“Open your eyes, bitch. Yeah, that’s right. Look at the man who’s going to fuck you while Daddy listens.”

He rubbed his hands in glee and she looked at him in horror. The man was insane. A complete sociopath. To her relief, one of his accomplices called him over and the two conversed across the room out of the range of her hearing. She had no desire to hear more of the atrocities he had planned for her. She closed her eyes, biting into her abused lip in a futile attempt to staunch the flow of tears and the vicious grip of helplessness that besieged her.

Zoe? This is Shea, Nathan’s wife. Please don’t react in any way. I know you likely think you’re crazy. You’re not. I’m telepathic and I can talk to some people this way over great distances. Joe is with me and he’s scared out of his mind. He’s desperate to find you. We’re all desperate to find you, but I need you to help me help you.

Zoe shook her head, hysteria rising fast. Oh God, she was losing her mind.

No, Zoe. You’re perfectly sane. I don’t have time to explain it all but I swear to you your mind isn’t playing tricks on you. I know you’re in pain and you feel hopeless, but I can help you. Please let me help you. Don’t shut me out, and don’t speak aloud. Just think of what you want to say. I’ll hear you.

Shea?

Zoe’s tentative response convinced her that she really was out of her mind. But she was so numb that even if her mind was playing tricks on her, it beat the alternative, which was living in reality.

I’m here, came Shea’s soothing response.

What do I do? What am I supposed to do? Fear edged the desperate pleas. Oh God, I’m crazy, aren’t I? I’ve lost all touch with reality. I really am going to die.

The oddest thing happened. She felt Shea’s concern and compassion. She had a pathway into Shea’s mind and it was consumed with fear for her. For Joe. She could even sense Shea trying to calm Joe down and had to swallow back the sob that welled in her throat.

No! Zoe, please, I’ll explain everything to you later, but I swear, this is very real and I can help you. Do you understand? I can help you. We can save you but you have to help me. Can you do that?

After a long hesitation Zoe whispered a mental yes even as tears pooled in her eyes. What did she have to lose? She was going to die, and if there was even the slimmest of chances that she wasn’t hallucinating, she had to take it.

Can you tell me where you are? Where they’re holding you? Any detail no matter how small. What do you remember? What have they said? Anything you can give us that would help in locating you, Zoe. Don’t leave a word out.

It’s not that far from the compound, or at least I don’t think I was out that long. It’s a silly name, the town, I mean. Frustration beat along with the ache in her head, and she felt Shea dig her fingers into her temples and forehead in an effort to ward off the pain. Was Zoe causing her pain? Was she able to feel what Zoe felt? The temptation to break away, to ignore Shea’s offer of help, was strong.

No! Zoe, I’m fine. You can’t give up and you can’t ignore me.

And then the oddest thing happened. The pain that was so prevalent in Zoe’s battered body simply faded as if it were never there. But she felt Shea’s suffering, and it brought tears to her eyes.

No! If you do this I won’t tell you anything, Zoe said fiercely. You won’t suffer this for me. I won’t let you.

She felt Shea’s sigh of frustration and oddly the faint trail of Nathan’s anger and fear for Shea.

What did you do? Zoe asked in wonder. How did you make the pain stop?

I don’t have a lot of time, Shea said weakly. Holding a pathway like this saps my strength, and soon I’ll be insensible. You have to tell me how to find you before it’s too late.

I saw a sign that said Bucksnort. Am I crazy? I was woozy and just coming to consciousness but we turned off an exit that said Bucksnort. I swear that’s what it said.

How many of them are holding you, Zoe? What are we up against and what are they waiting for?

My father. They think he’ll care that they have me, she added sadly. They have no idea how wrong they are. If he doesn’t come, they’re going to kill me. If he does come, they’ll kill me. It doesn’t really matter.

She didn’t tell Shea of the other threats Sebastian had made. That he planned to rape her regardless of whether her father came or not. But then she realized how ridiculous it was since Shea was in her head and knew exactly what Sebastian had threatened and what he’d done already.

That’s not going to happen, Shea said fiercely. Do you hear me, Zoe? You hold on and do whatever you have to do to stay safe and survive. The men will be there. They’ll get you out of there just like they once did for me.

They’re coming back, Zoe said fearfully. What do I do?

I’ll stay with you, Zoe. I’ll be here the entire time. I won’t leave you.

Shea’s quiet vow comforted her as she stared up into the eyes of her captors that gleamed with triumph.