Part Thirteen
She stumbled as he shoved her forward. Through the woods. Where were they going? The wind howled. Ringing in her ears as she trudged forward. The twigs and small branches snapping underneath her feet. Jacques pushed her again. And this time she wasn't so lucky. Losing her footing and crashing to the ground below. She cried out in pain when her head struck a rock. Luis was at her side immediately. "You bastard! Why did you do that? Her hands are tied, you idiot. You're sick, you know that? You're enjoying this way too much," he glared.
His brown eyes softened as he looked at her. Longing to touch her. Take away her pain. "Are you okay?" he asked gently. "What does it matter?" Pierre asked in irritation. Hauling Sheridan to her feet. Indifferent to her soft moaning. "You and Mademoiselle Crane will be dead in a matter of minutes," he said cruelly. "Not if I can help it," Luis muttered under his breath as Pierre nudged him forward with his gun.
"I don't know why Roger couldn't have done this himself," Jacques whined breathlessly. Ten minutes later. "If I didn't want to see you dead so much, Sherie, I would have never agreed to this," he laughed evilly. Taking great pleasure in the stricken look on her pale face. "Have I told you yet how good it felt to plunge that knife into your precious Marie? Over and over again. And the look in her eyes. I'll never forget the look in her eyes when she realized it was me. I should have killed her and that stupid brat years ago. The same way I did her lover," he said. His dark eyes shining with malice.
"The coward begged for his life. Just like she did. Just like Catherine will when I find her, Sherie. I WILL find her. I promise you that," he hissed. His hot breath against her neck making her shudder uncontrollably. He's just baiting you, she told herself. Catherine's safe. She'll stay safe. You and Luis will get out of this impossible situation. Have faith. Think about last night. When he held you in his arms and promised he wouldn't let anything happen to you. And for a brief moment she felt better. Remembering the look in Luis's eyes as he'd made love to her. Promised her he'd keep her safe. Forever.
Her resolve was shattered when they came to a small clearing. And to a shallow, freshly dug grave. Oh god, she thought. A tear slipping down her cheek. This is it. We really are going to die. There's no way out. "Any last requests, Mademoiselle?" Pierre asked. Raising his gun to her head. Pulling back the trigger. "Please," she pleaded. "Let me say goodbye." "Let them have their fun, little brother. It's only fair," Jacques laughed. Looking off in the distance boredly as Sheridan stepped forward. Gazing at Luis with tear-filled blue eyes.
She leaned her forehead against Luis's and with a shaky breath said the words that had been in her heart the whole time. "I love you," she cried. "I'm so sorry it took me so long to realize it," she apologized. The tears slipping down her cheeks full force as he placed gentle kisses on her cheeks. Her hairline. Traveling down her jaw and whispering in her ear. Before giving her a lingering kiss on the lips. He could taste the salt of her tears. "Trust me," he whispered. "You ready?"
She nodded her head slowly. Almost imperceptibly. Then he turned around. Taking Jacques off-guard and tackling him to the ground. "Run Sheridan! Run!" he yelled as they struggled. She ran as fast as she could. Her heart pounding in her chest. Her breath short as she crashed through the woods. Desperately trying to elude capture. She could hear Pierre closing in on her. Closer and closer. "Dammit," she swore softly as she stumbled once more. Almost falling to her knees. Keep running. Don't let Luis down. Don't look back.
She kept running full speed ahead even when she heard the Frenchman in pursuit of her swear loudly. She chanced a look back to see Pierre on the ground. Clutching his arm in pain. Aiming his gun at her. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the gun off and realized she was fine. He had missed. Still she ran. Finally stopping at the edge of the woods. Gasping for breath as she leaned heavily against a tree and closed her eyes. Her eyes shot open an instant later. When a gunshot rang through the air. Followed by her screams.
"Luis!!!"
She stumbled as he shoved her forward. Through the woods. Where were they going? The wind howled. Ringing in her ears as she trudged forward. The twigs and small branches snapping underneath her feet. Jacques pushed her again. And this time she wasn't so lucky. Losing her footing and crashing to the ground below. She cried out in pain when her head struck a rock. Luis was at her side immediately. "You bastard! Why did you do that? Her hands are tied, you idiot. You're sick, you know that? You're enjoying this way too much," he glared.
His brown eyes softened as he looked at her. Longing to touch her. Take away her pain. "Are you okay?" he asked gently. "What does it matter?" Pierre asked in irritation. Hauling Sheridan to her feet. Indifferent to her soft moaning. "You and Mademoiselle Crane will be dead in a matter of minutes," he said cruelly. "Not if I can help it," Luis muttered under his breath as Pierre nudged him forward with his gun.
"I don't know why Roger couldn't have done this himself," Jacques whined breathlessly. Ten minutes later. "If I didn't want to see you dead so much, Sherie, I would have never agreed to this," he laughed evilly. Taking great pleasure in the stricken look on her pale face. "Have I told you yet how good it felt to plunge that knife into your precious Marie? Over and over again. And the look in her eyes. I'll never forget the look in her eyes when she realized it was me. I should have killed her and that stupid brat years ago. The same way I did her lover," he said. His dark eyes shining with malice.
"The coward begged for his life. Just like she did. Just like Catherine will when I find her, Sherie. I WILL find her. I promise you that," he hissed. His hot breath against her neck making her shudder uncontrollably. He's just baiting you, she told herself. Catherine's safe. She'll stay safe. You and Luis will get out of this impossible situation. Have faith. Think about last night. When he held you in his arms and promised he wouldn't let anything happen to you. And for a brief moment she felt better. Remembering the look in Luis's eyes as he'd made love to her. Promised her he'd keep her safe. Forever.
Her resolve was shattered when they came to a small clearing. And to a shallow, freshly dug grave. Oh god, she thought. A tear slipping down her cheek. This is it. We really are going to die. There's no way out. "Any last requests, Mademoiselle?" Pierre asked. Raising his gun to her head. Pulling back the trigger. "Please," she pleaded. "Let me say goodbye." "Let them have their fun, little brother. It's only fair," Jacques laughed. Looking off in the distance boredly as Sheridan stepped forward. Gazing at Luis with tear-filled blue eyes.
She leaned her forehead against Luis's and with a shaky breath said the words that had been in her heart the whole time. "I love you," she cried. "I'm so sorry it took me so long to realize it," she apologized. The tears slipping down her cheeks full force as he placed gentle kisses on her cheeks. Her hairline. Traveling down her jaw and whispering in her ear. Before giving her a lingering kiss on the lips. He could taste the salt of her tears. "Trust me," he whispered. "You ready?"
She nodded her head slowly. Almost imperceptibly. Then he turned around. Taking Jacques off-guard and tackling him to the ground. "Run Sheridan! Run!" he yelled as they struggled. She ran as fast as she could. Her heart pounding in her chest. Her breath short as she crashed through the woods. Desperately trying to elude capture. She could hear Pierre closing in on her. Closer and closer. "Dammit," she swore softly as she stumbled once more. Almost falling to her knees. Keep running. Don't let Luis down. Don't look back.
She kept running full speed ahead even when she heard the Frenchman in pursuit of her swear loudly. She chanced a look back to see Pierre on the ground. Clutching his arm in pain. Aiming his gun at her. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the gun off and realized she was fine. He had missed. Still she ran. Finally stopping at the edge of the woods. Gasping for breath as she leaned heavily against a tree and closed her eyes. Her eyes shot open an instant later. When a gunshot rang through the air. Followed by her screams.
"Luis!!!"
