Nora Roberts - The Stars Of Mithra - 1 by Hidden Star

Author:Hidden Star [Star, Hidden]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-01-16T23:26:39.555000+00:00

"Yes. Yes." She closed her eyes, shuddered hard. "Yes. I need air. Please, I need some air."

He picked her up again, carried her outside. He set her on the padded chaise on the patio, sat beside her. "Take it slow. Remember, you're safe here. You're safe."

"Yes, all right." With an effort, she evened out the air that seemed to want to clog and burst in her lungs.

"I'm all right."

Far from it, he thought. She was sheet white, clammy and shivering. But the memory was close, and he had to try to dislodge it. "No one's going to hurt you. Nothing's going to touch you here. You hang on to that and try to tell me everything you remember."

"It comes in blips." She struggled to breathe past the pressure in her chest. "When you had the knife."

Fear clawed through her again with razored talons.

"I scared you. I'm sorry." He took her hands, held them. "I wouldn't hurt you."

"I know." She closed her eyes again, let the sun beat hot on the lids. "There was a knife. A long blade, curved. It's beautiful. The bone handle is deeply carved. I've seen it-maybe I've used it."

"Where did you see it?"

"I don't know. There were voices, shouting. I can't hear what they're saying. It's like the ocean, all sound, roaring, violent sound." She pressed her hands to her ears, as if she could block it out. "Then there's blood, everywhere there's blood. All over the floor."

"What kind of floor?"

"Carpet, gray carpet. The lightning keeps flashing, the knife keeps flashing."

"Is there a window? Do you see lightning through the window?"

"Yes, I think." She shivered again, and the scene fighting to form in her mind went blank. "It's dark.

Everything went dark, and I have to get away. I have to hide."

"Where do you hide?"

"It's a little place, hardly room, and if he sees, I'll be trapped. He has the knife. I can see it, his hand on the hilt. It's so close, if he turns-"

"Tell me about the hand," Cade said, interrupting her gently. "What does the hand look like, Bailey?"

"It's dark, very dark, but there's a light bouncing around. It almost catches me. He's holding the knife, and his knuckles are white. There's blood on them. On his ring."

"What kind of ring, Bailey?" His eyes stayed intent on her face, but his voice remained calm and easy.

"What does the ring look like?"

"It's heavy gold, thick band. Yellow gold. The center stone's a ruby cabochon. On either side there are small diamonds, brilliant-cut. Initials. T and 5 in a stylized sweep. The diamonds are red with blood. He's so close, so close, I can smell it. If he looks down. If he looks down and sees me. He'll kill me, slice me to pieces, if he finds me."

"He didn't." Unable to bear it any longer, Cade drew her up, held her. "You got away. How did you get away, Bailey?"

"I don't know." The relief was so huge-Cade's arms around her, the sun warm at her back, his cheek pressed to her hair-she could have wept.

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