Every Breath She Takes [CURRENTLY ON HOLD]

Chapter 31: Old Terrors

With Sarah up and moving around, Caliana seemed to gain a new spirit. She began to laugh more, and whenever I passed the Reading Room during her lessons with Cam, they were either giggling their heads off, or deep in conversation. I never interrupted them, leaving them to their own devices, but everyone could see that their friendship was deepening.

While the children were at school, Sarah and Caliana used the time alone to recover from their ordeals, and neither Jack nor I asked them about it. With her mother around now, Caliana visibly relaxed around Jack, perhaps seeing that Sarah trusted him.

It was a few days after they'd arrived that the doorbell rang. As Jack was in his workroom, I went to answer it. When I opened the door, I froze, feeling the blood drain from my face. He hadn't changed at all.

He leered at me, enjoying my reaction. I heard footsteps behind me, but didn't turn around. I didn't dare. He stepped forward, and I tried to close the door. He was too strong, though, and shoved it open, forcing me to step backwards. He stepped forwards again, grabbing hold of my wrist. I tried to pull away, but he only tightened his grip. In a move that I recognised, he kicked the door shut. I tried to back away from him, but he tugged me closer to run his fingers down my cheek.

"My Smoky," he murmured. I struggled, trying to get away from him. He backhanded me across the face, stunning me.

"Let go of her."

He froze, and I tried to tug free, but his grip was too tight. He changed his grip slightly, and twisted my arm up behind my back, forcing a cry of pain from me. I attempted to jerk free, but the movement only made my shoulder and elbow hurt more. Without thinking, I brought my knee up, getting him hard. He doubled over with a groan, and I was able to wriggle out of his grip, backing away from him.

"Get out." I knew my eyes were flashing. Jack was behind me, and put one hand on my waist. "Get out of our house."

He glared at me, and did, leaving in a hurry. However, I knew he wouldn't have given up. I turned to Cam, who was hovering in the kitchen doorway. His eyes were wide, and only went wider when he saw my face.

"Mum?"

"Get your siblings, Cameron. Stay in your room. All of you."

He swallowed whatever he'd been about to say, and ran off. I waited with Jack, trembling, and then Cam came back.

"I can't find Emma," he burst out. I felt faint, and then there was a faint thump from the kitchen. I went straight to the room, stopping dead at the sight that met my eyes.

He had Emma. One of her arms was twisted up behind her back, as he had done to me, and his other arm was pressed against her throat. He was pushing her jaw upwards, preventing her from making any sound. She was hanging in his grip, her toes barely touching the floor, and one side of her face was red. I knew it would bruise. She was white with fear and pain, and her eyes were full of panic. When she saw me, she started struggling, but he jerked her head up and tightened his grip on her arm. She subsided, but the faint hope that had flared in her eyes had gone. I felt Jack's presence behind me, and lifted my chin.

"Let her go."

He merely leered at me. "Why should I, Smoky?"

I stiffened. "She's nothing to you. Let her go."

In Cam's bedroom, Sarah was sitting on his bed, shaking. Mark was pacing, his face pale. Cam was standing at the window, trying to hear what was going on. He heard the bed creak, and turned around. Mark's face was ever paler now.

"Mark?"

He looked up. "She's scared, Cam," he muttered. "I can feel it."

Sarah cuddled up to him. They all knew the twins had a bond. "She'll be fine," she said, but her voice was small. None of them knew what was happening, except for Cam. He'd seen his mother's face when she had seen the man, and he realised that it was her kidnapper. He'd come for her. He growled under his breath, and picked up his phone. Mark looked at him.

"What are you doing?"

"What I should have done before." He called, and spoke quickly, and then hung up. "Come on. We should stay together."

"But it's our home," Sarah said. He hadn't told her why they had to be here, and he hesitated to now.

"Just come, Sarah," he said firmly.

She nodded, and both of them followed him out of the room. Luckily, they could get to the front door without being seen from the kitchen. Cam opened the door silently, and they waited.

"Tell you what, my dear." He grinned at me, a cruel light in his eyes. "We'll make a deal."

I eyed him warily. "What? Let her go."

He merely shifted his grip on my daughter. "You can have her back," he said. "If you come with me."

I knew I was white. I stared at him, and then met Emma's eyes. She tried to shake her head, but his arm pressed against her throat, and she stilled.

I knew I had to do it. I couldn't let Emma go through what I had - she was only eleven! I couldn't look at Jack. I knew that he wouldn't understand.

I stepped forward. "Give her to me."

"You agree?"

My chin lifted. "Give her to me. Now."

He grinned. He knew he'd won.