Truth Out Of Darkness
Chapter 51
Brady! Save me! she cried out with her mind. She struggled uselessly against her attacker. She tried to catch her breath despite the stabbing fiery pain in her chest. She coughed violently and tasted blood in her mouth. She focused past the excruciating pain in her head to her surroundings and tried to clear her head. She tried to fight the swelling panic and despair.
Brady. She thought helplessly as her 'father' tore her sweater off. As he groped and fondled her, she cried, small tears dripping down her chin. She couldn't move, she couldn't fight. She knew there was only one escape. Through the mind. {Come on Chloe. Shut down. You've done this before.} She pictured herself running through the vast tunnels of her mind. She flicked switches on the walls, shutting down the neural pathways and synapses in her brain. Once she had hit all the switches, then she would be safe, inside her shell, untouchable by the outside world. She would be catatonic, a vegetable, and she wouldn't care what he did to her.
She paused before the last switch. {He's going to kill you.} a small voice of reason echoed in her mind. {He's going to kill me anyway, at least this way I won't know it, or feel it.} She thought about Brady, and felt a sudden pang of deep regret and longing. {He's never going to find me. It's hopeless.}
She heard Belle's voice in her mind, replaying what she had told her once. "Brady would never let anything happen to you. He's saved you once before, he'll do it again. He's a hero." Brady. She thought about their connection, how even when they had just met, they had known each other deeply. She remembered the ball, how she had been able to hear his thoughts and project her own. Would it work again?
She focused solely on Brady, pushing her 'father' and what was happening to her out of her mind. She thought about those blue eyes that looked right through her soul. She pictured that warm smile that made her feel special. She remembered his strong embrace that made her feel safe, and loved.
She held those thoughts firmly in her head and with every ounce of strength, she called out to him. She projected her thoughts, her emotions, her love to him, wherever he was.
Brady! Save me! she cried out to her soul mate.
Chloe? Where are you? she wanted to cry, joyous hope erupting in her heart.
611 Robin's Nest Lane. she remembered the address and sent it to him.
Hang on, Chloe. I'll be right there! I'm coming, Chloe. She heard his warm strong voice, and was strengthened. {Brady's coming for me! I have to stay alive until he gets here.}
Chloe came back to herself and shuddered in disgust to find him rubbing against her. She could feel the proof of his arousal against her thighs, and fought the urge to throw up. Her brief contact with Brady had strengthened her, given her courage. {I have to survive, for myself and for Brady.} She heard Belle's voice in her head again. "He would be devastated if anything ever happened to you."
Chloe once again felt liquid steel flowing through her spine, hardening, strengthening her backbone. As she became one with her inner woman, she felt a white hot rage build inside her. Power surged through her.
As the monster made ready to enter her, she drove the heel of her palm up and rammed it against his nose. There was an audible POP and blood gushed from his nostrils. He screamed in pain and clutched his nose with both hands. She once again kicked him in the groin and stomach, and scrambled to her feet. She had learned from earlier that this wouldn't keep him down long; in fact he was already stumbling to his feet. She bolted out the room and flew down the stairs. She made it to the dining room, but he was hot on her heels. He soon had her cornered. She glanced around the room for a weapon of some kind. Nothing.
She smiled menacingly. Nothing but herself. She let loose a primal scream of rage and launched herself at her attacker. She ignored the throbbing in her head and the burning pain in her chest. She punched him repeatedly, not letting up for an instant. She spun around and kicked at him, her ankle clocking his temple. He stumbled backward from the force of her blow, and she continued hitting him. She punched him again in the nose, and snarled to feel the grinding of the broken bones. She kicked him savagely in the groin, kicked at his kneecaps. She couldn't stop; she was caught in a berserker rage, a fury so animalistic, it couldn't be contained. She thought of every time he raped her. She thought of every beating she ever received. She thought of every man who'd ever leered at her body. And she hit him.
As minutes of this passed, her fury began to abate, and reason again took control. She frowned when she noticed that she wasn't really doing him any damage. He was hurting yes, but other than his broken nose; he was still pretty much whole, and still capable of inflicting damage on her. She punched him hard in the face, throwing her body weight into the blow, and observed his reaction. She saw him move backward with her fist, watched him throw his head back. He was rolling with her punches; using her momentum to deflect most of the force she threw at him. The only damage inflicted was external; internally, he was fine. The only outcome of their battle was that Chloe was now seriously winded and nearing the last of her strength.
Chloe stared horrified as he straightened himself up. He wiped the blood off his face and stared at her, his eyes mocking her. He smiled evilly. "Feel better now?"
She backed away from him in disbelief as he advanced forward. {How can he still be moving? How can he still be alive?}
As if reading her thoughts, her 'father' spoke up. "I really must congratulate you. Those were some mighty impressive moves. That flying kick you gave me should have taken my head off. Should have, but didn't."
Chloe struggled to breathe, her injuries were screaming at her. She was especially worried about her cracked ribs. She coughed repeatedly, and felt liquid in her lungs. She clutched her sides, and was immediately aware of her near naked state. Her sweater had been ripped off earlier and one of her bra straps had snapped. Her skirt hung by tattered shreds.
Her adrenaline gone; she felt weariness settle over her. Her body felt so heavy. All of her effort, all that fighting had been for naught. She couldn't beat him, she couldn't stop him. He was going to win. She felt so sad; she was drowning in despair, hopelessness.
He continued speaking, reading the defeat in her eyes. "That was one of the benefits of spending three years in prison. If you want to survive the daily fights with your fellow inmates, then you have to learn how to take a punch. Then there are also the workouts in the gym. Four hours of lifting weights everyday have made me stronger than most men, and also given me endurance. Which, I see my dear, you do not have."
His gaze hardened. "However, you have managed to hurt me. So I have decided to move straight to the big finish." He said slowly, while pulling a gun from behind his back and pointing it at her head.
His eyes clouded briefly and a crazed smile graced his face. "I will still have you. Dead or alive. Makes no difference to me. In fact, I think that I'll prefer you dead. You're pretty much a lump in the sack anyway." He sneered at her.
Fear and revulsion crawled over her skin. {Brady, where are you?} she cried, useless tears washing her cheeks.
He cocked the hammer back on the gun and took aim. "Goodbye, my sweet little Chloe. It's been fun." He threw back his head and laughed.
Chloe closed her eyes. {I love you Brady.}
He pulled the trigger.
And was knocked off his feet by a flying tackle.
Chapter 51
Brady! Save me! she cried out with her mind. She struggled uselessly against her attacker. She tried to catch her breath despite the stabbing fiery pain in her chest. She coughed violently and tasted blood in her mouth. She focused past the excruciating pain in her head to her surroundings and tried to clear her head. She tried to fight the swelling panic and despair.
Brady. She thought helplessly as her 'father' tore her sweater off. As he groped and fondled her, she cried, small tears dripping down her chin. She couldn't move, she couldn't fight. She knew there was only one escape. Through the mind. {Come on Chloe. Shut down. You've done this before.} She pictured herself running through the vast tunnels of her mind. She flicked switches on the walls, shutting down the neural pathways and synapses in her brain. Once she had hit all the switches, then she would be safe, inside her shell, untouchable by the outside world. She would be catatonic, a vegetable, and she wouldn't care what he did to her.
She paused before the last switch. {He's going to kill you.} a small voice of reason echoed in her mind. {He's going to kill me anyway, at least this way I won't know it, or feel it.} She thought about Brady, and felt a sudden pang of deep regret and longing. {He's never going to find me. It's hopeless.}
She heard Belle's voice in her mind, replaying what she had told her once. "Brady would never let anything happen to you. He's saved you once before, he'll do it again. He's a hero." Brady. She thought about their connection, how even when they had just met, they had known each other deeply. She remembered the ball, how she had been able to hear his thoughts and project her own. Would it work again?
She focused solely on Brady, pushing her 'father' and what was happening to her out of her mind. She thought about those blue eyes that looked right through her soul. She pictured that warm smile that made her feel special. She remembered his strong embrace that made her feel safe, and loved.
She held those thoughts firmly in her head and with every ounce of strength, she called out to him. She projected her thoughts, her emotions, her love to him, wherever he was.
Brady! Save me! she cried out to her soul mate.
Chloe? Where are you? she wanted to cry, joyous hope erupting in her heart.
611 Robin's Nest Lane. she remembered the address and sent it to him.
Hang on, Chloe. I'll be right there! I'm coming, Chloe. She heard his warm strong voice, and was strengthened. {Brady's coming for me! I have to stay alive until he gets here.}
Chloe came back to herself and shuddered in disgust to find him rubbing against her. She could feel the proof of his arousal against her thighs, and fought the urge to throw up. Her brief contact with Brady had strengthened her, given her courage. {I have to survive, for myself and for Brady.} She heard Belle's voice in her head again. "He would be devastated if anything ever happened to you."
Chloe once again felt liquid steel flowing through her spine, hardening, strengthening her backbone. As she became one with her inner woman, she felt a white hot rage build inside her. Power surged through her.
As the monster made ready to enter her, she drove the heel of her palm up and rammed it against his nose. There was an audible POP and blood gushed from his nostrils. He screamed in pain and clutched his nose with both hands. She once again kicked him in the groin and stomach, and scrambled to her feet. She had learned from earlier that this wouldn't keep him down long; in fact he was already stumbling to his feet. She bolted out the room and flew down the stairs. She made it to the dining room, but he was hot on her heels. He soon had her cornered. She glanced around the room for a weapon of some kind. Nothing.
She smiled menacingly. Nothing but herself. She let loose a primal scream of rage and launched herself at her attacker. She ignored the throbbing in her head and the burning pain in her chest. She punched him repeatedly, not letting up for an instant. She spun around and kicked at him, her ankle clocking his temple. He stumbled backward from the force of her blow, and she continued hitting him. She punched him again in the nose, and snarled to feel the grinding of the broken bones. She kicked him savagely in the groin, kicked at his kneecaps. She couldn't stop; she was caught in a berserker rage, a fury so animalistic, it couldn't be contained. She thought of every time he raped her. She thought of every beating she ever received. She thought of every man who'd ever leered at her body. And she hit him.
As minutes of this passed, her fury began to abate, and reason again took control. She frowned when she noticed that she wasn't really doing him any damage. He was hurting yes, but other than his broken nose; he was still pretty much whole, and still capable of inflicting damage on her. She punched him hard in the face, throwing her body weight into the blow, and observed his reaction. She saw him move backward with her fist, watched him throw his head back. He was rolling with her punches; using her momentum to deflect most of the force she threw at him. The only damage inflicted was external; internally, he was fine. The only outcome of their battle was that Chloe was now seriously winded and nearing the last of her strength.
Chloe stared horrified as he straightened himself up. He wiped the blood off his face and stared at her, his eyes mocking her. He smiled evilly. "Feel better now?"
She backed away from him in disbelief as he advanced forward. {How can he still be moving? How can he still be alive?}
As if reading her thoughts, her 'father' spoke up. "I really must congratulate you. Those were some mighty impressive moves. That flying kick you gave me should have taken my head off. Should have, but didn't."
Chloe struggled to breathe, her injuries were screaming at her. She was especially worried about her cracked ribs. She coughed repeatedly, and felt liquid in her lungs. She clutched her sides, and was immediately aware of her near naked state. Her sweater had been ripped off earlier and one of her bra straps had snapped. Her skirt hung by tattered shreds.
Her adrenaline gone; she felt weariness settle over her. Her body felt so heavy. All of her effort, all that fighting had been for naught. She couldn't beat him, she couldn't stop him. He was going to win. She felt so sad; she was drowning in despair, hopelessness.
He continued speaking, reading the defeat in her eyes. "That was one of the benefits of spending three years in prison. If you want to survive the daily fights with your fellow inmates, then you have to learn how to take a punch. Then there are also the workouts in the gym. Four hours of lifting weights everyday have made me stronger than most men, and also given me endurance. Which, I see my dear, you do not have."
His gaze hardened. "However, you have managed to hurt me. So I have decided to move straight to the big finish." He said slowly, while pulling a gun from behind his back and pointing it at her head.
His eyes clouded briefly and a crazed smile graced his face. "I will still have you. Dead or alive. Makes no difference to me. In fact, I think that I'll prefer you dead. You're pretty much a lump in the sack anyway." He sneered at her.
Fear and revulsion crawled over her skin. {Brady, where are you?} she cried, useless tears washing her cheeks.
He cocked the hammer back on the gun and took aim. "Goodbye, my sweet little Chloe. It's been fun." He threw back his head and laughed.
Chloe closed her eyes. {I love you Brady.}
He pulled the trigger.
And was knocked off his feet by a flying tackle.