Page 43 of The Vigilante's Heart

“Who-who will y-y-you show off too?” My voice is a stuttered whisper, it doesn’t sound anything like me, it’s another sign of how little time I have left.

“Oh don’t worry about that.” He points the blood stained knife behind him towards a small table against the wall. There’s a phone propped up, a little red light shines from it; he’s recording this. “I was going to bring him here, I was going to make you watch each other die. But, I’ll be honest, he’s a big motherfucker, I don’t think I could have taken him.” He must be talking about Bennett, at least I know he’s okay, that gives me some form of relief. “Don’t worry, though. I’ll send him my little video, we don’t want him missing anything. What do you think will be his favorite? The torture now, or the rape that you’ve still got to come?”

A cry leaves my lips, not at what’s happening to me or what I’ve still got to endure. No, it’s the thought of Bennett seeing it, of him watching what’s happening to me. After everything he went through with his sister, I can’t bear the thought of him going through it again with me.

My eyes find the camera and I mouth the words I can’t tell him in person. The words I wish I had a lifetime to repeat.

I love you.

Bennett

After half an hour of driving at break neck speed, I pull into an old farm that doesn’t look like it’s seen a living person in decades. I stop the car at the bottom of the drive and turn the headlights off. I don’t know what I’m walking into here, and I need the element of surprise. Peytonmight have left me if she’s worked out who I am, but she wouldn’t have left her work colleagues mid-shift. The fact none of them know what’s happened is a sure enough sign that something is seriously wrong.

I open my door and exit the vehicle, being sure to stay light on my feet and press the door closed quietly. I move to the grass that runs along the drive — I can move quicker on there and still stay silent. Reaching the end of the drive I’ve got several directions I can go. There’s the main farmhouse and several outbuildings that are spread out.Shit.I come to a standstill and quiet my breathing, trying to pick up the slightest noise, the slightest clue as to where she could be.

I move slowly towards the farmhouse, hoping they’re in the most obvious place. As I approach the door a cry rings out in the air, a cry that sends chills down my spine, a cry that came from the woman I love, a cry that resembles the sounds from my victims. I turn on my heel and run towards the sound.Hold on, sweetheart, I’m coming. Just hold on.

Chapter Thirty-two

Peyton

I hear a roar like an animal is in pain. I know I’m not in a good place right now, but I really don’t think that’s me.

I lift my head from where it had fallen forward to rest on my chest and see my captors eyes widen before he spins around towards the door of the building we’re in. The door flies open and my man comes storming through, a look of pure rage and fear on his face. His nostrils flare with every breath he takes and his eyes rove over my body, an expression of horror takes over his features.

“No,” he rasps as he staggers forward. “Oh God, no.” I’ve been stripped down to my underwear and the white fabric is currentlysoaked red. I must look awful, not that I feel much better, but I imagine I look like death hanging here.

“Bennett,” I whimper, “knife.” My voice is little more than a whisper, but it’s enough to move his attention to the other man in the room, the man currently brandishing his knife towards the love of my life. An animalistic growl leaves his lips and he charges at him, my heart is in my throat as my man takes on an armed maniac.

“You’re too late,” he taunts Bennett. “You can’t save her now, she’s too far gone.” The knife slashes towards his midsection and I scream; panic like I’ve never known, not even for myself, seizes my body. He can’t die.

My feet aren’t tied, they’re hanging limp, but lose below me. Using every ounce of strength I have left, I lift my right foot and push it into the psychos back, it’s not much, but it’s enough to catch him off guard; giving Bennett an opening. His arm slams down on the hand with the knife causing it to clatter to the ground, and his fists begin to fly. Punches rain down on the man that caused me so much pain. He falls to the floor but Bennett follows him down, his fists connecting with his face again and again and again.He’s going to kill him.As if he hears my thoughts he grabs the knife that was dropped and plunges it through his heart.

It’s over.

Knowing he’s safe, that he hasn’t been hurt, relief swamps me and with it the little energy I had drains and my body sags.

“Sweetheart, fuck, my love, what did he do?” His voice is raw, the pain evident in every word that leaves his mouth. He uses the knife to cut the bindings that hold me up. With the amount of time my hands have been strung up above my body, there should be pain when they come down, when the feeling rushes back into them, butthere’s nothing. I feel nothing. I can feel myself slipping away, darkness hovering at the edges of my vision as I’m cradled in Bennett’s arms.

“You came,” I croak, my voice barely audible.

“Of course I came. Fuck, sweetheart, I will always come. I will always find you.” My lips form what I hope is the semblance of a smile.

“I love you,” I wheeze, “so much.” My eyes begin to close, they’re too heavy to keep open any longer, and besides, I told him. At least I can go now with him knowing I loved him.

“Peyton, no! Hold on, sweetheart.” My body jostles as he rises with me in his arms and he begins to run. “You fucking hold on, I will not lose you, too.” But it’s already too late, darkness closes in and my body goes limp.

Bennett

I can feel the life draining out of her, I literally see it as the color fades from her face before my eyes. I cannot lose her, not her. I won’t survive a world without her in it.

I reach my car and gently lay her in the passenger seat, reclining it as far as it will go; then I’m sprinting to the drivers side and pulling away within seconds. The hospital is fifteen minutes away at the speed I’ll be going, I just hope I can get her there soon enough.

I come to a screeching halt outside the doors of the ER and jump out of the car with the motor still running, but I couldn’t care less. Someone can have my car if they want; my only priority is Peyton.

“Help me!” I shout as I barrel through the sliding doors of the ER, Peyton’s ER. “She needs help now!” Bodies come rushing towards herand a gurney is pushed in front of us. I slowly lie her down on the bed, careful not to cause her any more injuries.

“She’s one of you,” my voice is hoarse. “It’s Peyton, it’s Peyton Lawson.” My statement is met by gasps and looks of horror. I don’t care about their feelings, though. I just need them to do their jobs; I need them to save her. “Save her, you have to save her.” My voice breaks and I collapse to the floor as they wheel her away. As they take away the woman I love, the woman currently fighting for survival.