Savage Cinderella

Chapter 40-Last Chances

Chapter 40

Last Chances

She screamed as Roy Stockman grabbed her by the hair, dragging her away from the ledge. He spun her around to face him, blood mixed with dirt completely obscuring his features, now unrecognizable as human. The flesh on both cheeks was torn to the bone. Long slashes from sharp claws left little of the face that had once been plain and nondescript. All except for the empty, black eyes that stared down at her with disgust and triumph. 

Brinn had no strength left to fight. He gripped her hair tightly and pulled her painfully close. Only his eyes and his face swam in her view. His rank breath and the thick scent of blood choked her attempt to cry out. As he raised her buck knife overhead—the knife that she had depended on for her survival—she felt darkness descend and the sick sensation of death and helplessness envelop her. The dream where she was running in the meadow, legs heavy and leaden with the weight of fear on her back came to her in blurred images. The world faded from view. She blinked her eyes furiously, trying to hold onto the light.

Then the memory of waking in Justin's arms that morning in the cabin, warm and safe, found its place in her mind. She would not give in to the darkness. Stockman could not have her. Not now. Not ever again.

Taking in a sharp breath that infused her with a burst of life, her eyes flew open wide. As Stockman's arm came down, the blade glittering in the sun, Brinn ducked her body under the blow and twisted, disrupting his balance. His grip loosened enough for her to escape. With her right hand, she grabbed his wrist below the hilt of the knife. She allowed the swing of his arm to continue its downward momentum as she guided the long blade into his inner thigh.

The movement was one fluid and graceful slow motion picture in Brinn's mind. The sensation of the blade entering his flesh brought everything to a screeching halt. The man howled in pain. Blood gushed from the wound through the hole in his pants. The stain spread out at an alarming rate. A look of shock covered his face as he dropped to one knee. His eyes were blank as he pulled the knife from his leg and watched the pulsing flow of blood soak the ground. She'd hit the femoral artery. He would bleed out in minutes.

As if on auto-pilot to kill, he slashed at Brinn. She drew her spine into a tuck that barely evaded the slice, and grabbed for the knife once more. She had practiced this maneuver a hundred times. Instinct and training took hold and Brinn twisted the man's wrist while she grasped the handle of the knife, taking control of the weapon and thrusting it into Stockman's throat just as the crack of a gunshot sounded.

He gasped like a fish suddenly ripped from the water, blood spurting from his open mouth. His eyes went wide and he fell to the ground face first, driving the blade clear through to the back of his neck. He didn't move again. Stunned, Brinn stepped back, her legs finally giving way as shock took over. Before she hit the ground, someone caught her.

Brinn turned to the arms that held her tight around the waist from behind, feeling the strength of Justin's body holding nearly all of her weight to keep her standing. He helped her to the rock and sat her down—then collapsed beside her.

"You're okay, Brinn. It's going to be all right. I've got you, now." His voice was tight with pain, but soothing. Brinn released the held breath that kept her muscles tense as she rested into his arms. She stared blankly at the lifeless body of Roy Stockman. His eyes were empty and dead. He would never come after her again. Her nightmare was finally over.

A moment later, the small clearing filled with a dozen search and rescue workers and police. Brinn was immediately surrounded by concerned and capable hands, Justin at her side while the paramedics taped and wrapped his broken ribs and tended her shoulder.