Lucy

Concentrate on something else.

My eyes scan the forest, searching for game, even though I already dropped that quail in my rage. Hunting has become a safe place for me emotionally since it takes my full concentration.

A twig breaks under a heavy weight and I freeze, listening, unable to smell through the snot in my nose, but my vision clears as adrenaline pumps into my veins.

Rustling to my left draws my attention.

A man in camouflage stares at me through the trees.

I forgot my rifle by the stump!

Instinct kicks in and I bolt, running all-out toward the Haven. A man appears in my path—there are two of them! I spin—I have to get back to Roan!

There is a man behind me, boxing me in. I spin away and fall backwards, my arm catching a tree to keep from landing on my ass.

The men are dressed in camouflage with twigs in their hats, face paint on. They’re holding rifles, but not aiming them at me. A third man, the first one I spotted, approaches me. He’s dark-haired, maybe six feet tall. I make a note of his appearance so I can tell my brothers. I may not have known my father, but I’m a cop’s daughter and I know how to focus in a crisis. Six Foot appears to be the leader, from the way the others look to him.

“What do you want?” I’m glad that my voice sounds strong.

“You’re coming with us.” Six Foot says. He has a narrow face and dark eyes that flash with intelligence. “You can come easy, or you can come hard.”

One of the men behind me sniggers at the sex reference.

“Do you know who I am?” Everybody in the area knows about my family; we’re protective of our own, and my brothers are deadly.

“Sure do. This is our lucky day,” Six Foot says. “Get her.”

My heart thunders as they close in. I grab the hook off my belt and brandish it. Pathetic. But I’m from South Philly, and no way are they taking me without a fight.

The man on my right grabs my arm. I stomp his foot and whirl to raise my knee, connecting with his balls. Air whooshes out of him as he folds over and I break free, sprinting in the one direction not covered.

A fist in my hair yanks me back and tears spring to my eyes. I elbow behind me, connecting with a gut. Hot breath hisses out, but the man does not let go. An arm wraps around my waist.

I thrust the metal hook back, over my shoulder, aiming for his eye.

His scream hurts my ears. The metallic tang of blood hits my clogged nose as he releases me, stumbling back, crying out like an injured animal.

I bolt again, racing through thick underbrush that grabs at my jeans, slowing me down. A shot rings out. The tree next to me splinters, bark exploding off it. Crashing footsteps close in behind me. They’re being loud now, no longer afraid that anyone will hear.

I’m all alone.

I weave and dive through the bushes, but I’m not fast enough. A hand grabs my shirt and yanks me back. A cloth covers my face. I writhe and lash out and struggle, but the cloth is tied behind my head by one man as another holds me from behind.

He’s too strong!

I kick back, and someone smacks my head so hard that my vision fills with red dots and the edges blacken. “Chill out, bitch. You’re lucky we don’t kill you right here after what you did to Joe Bob.”

I have to leave a sign for Roan. The metal hook slips from between my fingers as they pull my arms back, tying them. The rope burns my skin. My shoulders ache.

A shove in the center of my back. “Walk, bitch. We’ve got a ways to go, and we’re not carrying your fat ass.”

I try to kick again and that earns me another shove and a head smack.

I have to slow things down so that Roan and my brothers can find me.

I collapse to my knees and drop to the ground.

They haul me up, yanking my arms so that the pain slams through my body. A hand pushes me forward, but I go dead weight again, collapsing to the forest floor. I’m not walking off into the woods with these psychos so they can have fun with me before they kill me. I’ll die right here, thank you very much.

I kick out, hitting nothing but brush.

“Kill me now,” I yell, the sound of my voice muffled by the cloth. “Just get it over with!”

A punch to the face dazes me and bright white stars flash across my vision. “There’s more where that came from, bitch. Now get up.”

“Fuck you.” The tang of blood infuses my mouth. My voice doesn’t sound as loud, but I hope it infuriates them. Better that my family bury my body than have me just disappear.

A kick to my stomach curls me up into a ball—a ball that can’t breathe. Hands grab me and I’m suddenly upside down, hanging over a shoulder. I kick and flail as rope winds around my ankles. I squirm harder, thrashing, but they manage to tie my feet together.

I press my mouth against the man’s back and bite as hard as I can through the cloth.

The man screams and drops me. I land heavily on my side, the breath blowing out of me, and swing my legs around, trying to connect.

“What a hellcat. The bitch bit me!”

“That’s right,” I yell. “You’re gonna have to kill me!”

A punch connects with my face, right by my eye, and my vision dims. Another blow and I’m disoriented, the world spinning. Roan. Roan. Come find me. Please.

A blow to the back of my head, and darkness engulfs me.