Chapter 60

I was running and I saw the ramp that goes up to the main street. If I made it there I'd be visible and I would be able to flag someone down for help. I just had to make it and I'd be safe.

They had taken me by surprise but I had fought back. They weren't expecting that and I took full advantage of it. Too Mean was going to be so proud of me I was almost there when something grabs me from behind and pulls me back. No that can't be there were three of them and I had knocked all of them down there was no way they could have recovered so quickly. That was the last thought I had when my head connected to the garage wall and then darkness.

I gasped and reached out but couldn't move. Was I back in the garage? I opened my eyes and it was dark. I started to panic. I moved left and right and that was a mistake. Next thing I knew I was on the floor something was hindering me from moving and I started to cry. I tried to get up but couldn't. I started to hyperventilate. I wanted to scream but couldn't. I opened my mouth and nothing came out. I was going to have a panic attack and no one was here to help me through it. I started to shake when I heard a whimper and looked up.

There was Beast pulling at the blankets. I stopped and he pulled till I was loose. I threw my arms around him and cried into his neck. I held him tight not wanting to let go. I started to control my breathing and looked around. I was in Houston's bedroom. I look for him and find it empty. He must have gotten up. I was thinking he left me but I pushed that down no he probably wanted me to sleep he knew I'd had a hell of a day and had left the best bodyguard in our family.

"He let you on the bed to take care of me huh boy?"

Beast nudged me and then gave me a wet kiss. I chuckled. "You are such a good boy, thank you for being here, let's get back to bed. We need to get some rest. We have a big day coming up."

I pulled the blankets back onto the bed. I went to the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was loose. I thought I had put it up before falling asleep. I grabbed a rubber band and gathered it in a ponytail. I went back to the bed and Beast laid down next to me. I saw Houston's sweater on the floor and went to grab it to put on. It always made me feel better when I wore it. It smelled like him and I needed this right now. I didn't want him to see me right now as a person on the verge of a breakdown because of a dream no not a dream my memories were coming back in Technicolor and I wasn't ready for it. That was why it was so vivid. My nightmare was just my past easing its way back into my mind.

I was warned that it could be years or months or even days when a memory would come back and with all that had happened today it was a trigger I knew it would be but I thought I had it handled. I was wrong.

I got up and went to look for my journal. Dr. Ryan had got me to write down everything I'd remember. She said it would help me piece together the missing parts in my memory and this was something that I had written about before. This time though I remembered voices and my attempt to get away and being stopped. I had never gotten to the part of me getting away from my abductors but I could see the garage exit to the main street. It was late but I could hear the cars driving by. I looked for the security guard but he was not in his booth. Another piece that I had not remembered. Houston told me in the hospital that the guard had been killed by them. What didn't make sense to me now was how they got up so quickly I had disabled them. They were all on the floor squirming and moaning from the pain I had just put them through. How had they gotten up so quickly?

I wrote down everything I had remembered and started to see if anything I had written before matched. Some things did, some did not. I sigh, it would be a work in progress. My eyes started to droop again. I yawned and looked at the clock. It was almost 4:00. I could sleep for a couple of more hours and then go down to see how their progress was. I closed my journal, turned off the light and pulled Beast close.

I fell asleep.

The nightmare continued. I was in the trunk of a car and I was fighting to stay awake. I heard the road and noises. I was bound and blindfolded the trunk open and before I could scream hands held me down and then a prick to my neck. I fought to push that memory down but the next thing that came to my mind was me in a room tied up by my arms and legs. The nightmare continued. I could hear arguing and cursing. Doors slamming and then silence. How many voices they all were different, I could smell cigar smoke and then a voice.

"Hello Princess".

I woke up gasping and was about to scream when I felt a nudge to my side. I turned and bumped into Beast. I whimpered and started to cry. I had remembered how I was taken and something else that I had not from before. I held onto Beast like he was a life line. That voice was now embedded in my head. I heard a scream and I scrambled off the bed and didn't know what to do. What if it was the voice? I shook and Beast went to the door and growled. I started to step back and heard a crash Beast moved forward and I had to go and help. It sounded like Carol. What if Aaron and Bruce were more dangerous than we thought. I grabbed a bat that was by the bed and went to help my sis.

I was almost to the door where she was sleeping when I heard giggling and a hearty laugh and talking and then more giggling and then silence and what sounded like Carol calling out to Luca and him responding.

Beast wanted in and banged the door with his body and a growl.

"Hey Hound from Hell find your own girl this room is taken."

I shook my head. Come on boy let's go, "Sorry guys ah get some sleep."

"No sleep for the wicked sis." I heard a groan and a giggle and left them.

I went back to the room I was not going back to sleep, I went to the bathroom brushed my teeth and decided I'd go down to see how much progress they'd done and to find Houston. My hands were shaking when I picked up my journal. I needed to check on what had startled me awake. Praying I was wrong. I looked at the page that had details of my abduction and I read it again and gasped. I needed to get downstairs quickly. I needed to talk to Houston.

I felt ill and ran to the bathroom and dinner was lost. I started to cry and closed the door and hid by the bathtub. How could I have forgotten this important part?

Beast started to bang on the door with his tail and paws. I let him and he came straight to me, sat down and looked at me.

"I'm sorry baby, I just recalled something that I should have remembered a long time ago. I need to remember all of it or someone else might get hurt but I'm scared. I'm only telling you. You won't tell anyone I broke down right?"

He turned his head and it looked like he was saying 'are you kidding? Secret safe with me.'

I leaned into him and closed my eyes. Was I a liability? Maybe we shouldn't try to help with Jake's care. We already put Star in danger and Jake had enough problems. Maybe it would be better if we just let Jake be handled by professionals.

I thought about it for a second and burst into tears. No. I would not abandon him; he needed us as much as we needed him. At this moment he had no one. I had breathed life back into that little boy, I saw how he looked at me and my heart knew I could never leave him.

"How am I going to keep him safe, Beast?"

He pulled me towards the bedroom and towards the door.

I smiled, "you are too damn cute and smart for your own good. Our family of course they will keep us all safe. Come on, let's see what everyone is up to let me just change into some sweats. I don't think going down only in Houston's sweater will be a good idea."

I came downstairs. Beast right by my side. No one was in the kitchen and Maureen and Will were sleeping on the couch as was Tiny on the recliner. So that's why Luca was with my sis. I wondered what Maureen was being exposed to in that room, but they looked comfy with Will on Maureen's lap and her half sitting half lying on the couch. Everyone else must be downstairs. I smelled the coffee and poured myself a cup. I started down when I heard Devin saying he'd take something up with Houston. They sound okay which was a relief. I didn't want them to not get along. Devin was just pushing Houston's buttons and Devin was enjoying it too much, he was harmless but Houston was like me, we didn't like threats from others when it came to either of us and to Houston Devin was a threat. I could tell him till I was blue in the face but he wouldn't believe me. I would talk to the charmer later today and ask no plead with him to stop antagonizing him.

I asked what he was taking him up on and all eyes were on me. Devin smiled and said about sleeping arrangements and if I wanted to show him where Houston's boat was oh and to tuck him in and if I could read him a bedtime story. This man was incorrigible. I came up to Houston and brought my cup of coffee to his mouth and he smirked. I was showing him that he was the only one on my mind as he sipped.

Sleeping on the boat was actually a good Idea I liked it when we would go out fishing and spend the night. The rocking of the boat made me sleep peaceful but now with this threat that would not be happening anytime soon.

Houston asked why I was awake and I should go back to bed. I looked away. I didn't want to ever sleep again if any more of my memories would be rearing their ugly heads. I deflected and asked if they had not heard the noise that had come out of Carol's bedroom with Luca in it. I went into some details, not many but they understood. Momma said she had talked to him. I looked at her saying this to Uncle Roy more than to us. Oh he must have given him the speech. Oh to be a fly on the wall when he had brought out that speech. Everyone started to make their way to bed. I asked if they had found anything. He got me up to speed and showed me the assignment list they had created and the second page with our enemies. Enemies that wanted to hurt us. I shivered. I couldn't let this break me now. I needed to ask him a very hard question. I knew the answer but I was hoping I was wrong.

He took the list from my hands. They were shaking and ever observant Houston picked it up and asked me what was wrong. I tried to shake it off but it was too late, I was going to open that can of worms and all hell was going to break loose.

He pulled me with him to the couch after I told him about my nightmare, he pulled me closer and I held onto him like my life depended on it. I went into detail and stopped. I didn't want to ask him but I had to. I asked him about my abductors and how many were in custody. He stopped rubbing my back and answered me.

Three.

I closed my eyes.

My mind was yelling no, no, no. I was feeling the acid in my stomach starting to turn, I was having trouble breathing.

He asked me why.

Before I could open my mouth I needed to get to the bathroom quickly. I pushed him off and ran to the toilet. I heaved the coffee I had just drank and anything else that was left from my last deposit.

I looked up at a confused Houston and he handed me a wet towel. His eyes widened and he was piecing it all together before he could ask. I blurted out that I had heard four voices.

He gasped and then fell to the floor next to me. The last nightmare confirmed it. That voice had called me princess and just hearing it now I wanted to throw up again I would never forget it. He was the one that had caused the most damage and he was still out there.