A stinging pain erupted in my back, and I stumbled forward into another room. I dropped the .45, and it went skittering ahead of me. I scrambled after it and found Caroline, bloody and terrified, suspended in a web of ropes. Her wide eyes fixed on me and then on something behind me.
I turned and threw up my arm as Luke lunged at me. The blade in his hand plunged into my forearm, sending a lightning blast of pain up my arm. I fell back, and he followed, landing on top of me. He straddled my hips and cracked his right fist across my jaw. I saw stars and took another punch before throwing out my own right hook, landing it on the side of his head. He listed to my left, and I bucked my hips up, shoving him off so I could turn over and find the gun. I saw it a few feet away. Getting to my knees, I crawled to it.
My fingers brushed it-and searing pain exploded through my calf, where Luke had embedded another blade. I yelled and kicked with my other leg, but made no contact. Crimson stained my pants leg, spreading rapidly. He grabbed the blade's hilt and twisted, his eyes sinister as he grinned at me. My yell was deafening.
I kicked out again, and this time my heel connected with his chin. He fell back. I wrapped my fingers around the .45 and turned so I was on my back. Luke was quick, skittering away and standing behind Caroline. I got to my feet and limped toward him.
He put a blade to her throat, sawing a little as she screamed into her gag.
"Shoot me and I'll do it," Luke sneered.
I tried to find a shot, any shot. There was none, not with Caroline between us.
"Drop it and kick it over to me." Luke sawed some more, and blood dripped down her throat. I knew the moment I'd seen pain and fear in her eyes that I would kill Luke. Now it was carved in stone.
Even so, I dropped my aim and put the gun on the floor. Then I straightened and held my hands out.
"Now kick it over."
I toed the pistol's grip with the tip of my shoe and kicked, sending it skittering across the wood floor and onto the bloody plastic sheeting.
Luke grinned and took the knife from Caroline's neck. I could breathe again.
When he knelt to grab the gun, I sprang at him. Some piece of furniture splintered and shattered as I tacked him into it. We fell in a rolling mess of arms and legs, kicking and punching. A deep searing ache tore through my stomach, but I kept fighting until I was on top of Luke, my hands around his throat.
He clawed at my wrists, his fingernails digging and ripping at my skin. I increased my pressure on his windpipe.
"Don't you ever touch her." My vision hazed a bit, but I only squeezed harder.
He struggled more, trying to buck me off and peel my hands away. I wouldn't let go, staring every ounce of hate I had for him into his eyes.
After a few more moments, the pale blue eyes bugged and he stopped fighting. When his chest no longer moved and his eyes looked through me, I let up. The room was spinning. I struggled to my feet and yanked at the pulley system that held Caroline suspended. It lowered her to the plastic, where she crumpled in a pile. I went around to her front and yanked at the ropes around her wrists. The first one came easy. The second took longer, and then I sat, the strength ebbing out of me. She scrabbled at the ropes, releasing her own ankles before pulling the gag from her mouth.
"Wash!" she cried and wrapped her arms around my neck.
I thought it would warm me to feel her safe in my embrace. But I was cold. A chill seeped into my bones.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
She was crying, her chest heaving against me. I raised a hand and stroked her hair, though it was all I could do. My limbs were heavy.
She pulled away from me and gasped. "Wash, the blood."
"Don't worry about me. Just you. Are you hurt. Where'd he hurt you?"
"He'd only just s-started." She pushed me down onto my back and pressed her palms into my stomach. "It's okay. It's okay. Is anyone else here? Anyone coming?"
"Toby." My eyelids were so heavy.
"When?" Her voice was desperate. The fear in it destroyed me. I didn't want her to ever be afraid.
"Soon."
"Don't close your eyes. Don't, Wash. Look at me." She kept one hand on my stomach and cradled my head with the other.
Her warm brown eyes were the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.
"I love you." The words just came out, the most natural thing in the world.
"I love you, too."
"Wash, wake up!" Her voice echoed around me and was joined by others.
Were there other people? I wanted to get up, to fight, to protect her.
A dark shape appeared over her shoulder. Toby's voice made it to my ears, but I heard nothing but noise. No words. I looked back at Caroline, her gaze fixed on mine.