Page 68 of Lord of Vengeance
“Yes, you can. You’re strong. You’re resilient.”
The vision started to fade away. I desperately tried to hold on to it. “Diego.” I no longer recognized my voice, everything around me echoing. But I could swear I heard him. He was close. I felt. I knew he was coming and I…
Tears of sadness and anger, frustration and pain began to fall, the salt burning my eyes, clouding my vision even more. As I tried to take another step, gravity pulled at me, yanking me toward the earth.
Toward my death. I’d failed. I couldn’t do it any longer.
As my pulse continued to increase, every sound exacerbated, I continued whispering his name.
Don’t cry, Sabrina. Remain strong.
Strong. As if that was an actual possibility. I was suddenly overwhelmed, anxiety gripping every muscle and squeezing, much like the suffocating effect of his brutal touch. It felt like claws were wrapping around my throat. I would never forget his dark eyes, either in the courtroom or the reflection I’d seen in the cheap mirror hung on my wall.
Soulless and without remorse.
The laugh coming from behind me was deep and laced with evil. Another sound captured my attention, the faint trickle giving me a toxic sense of hope.
Water.
I’d made it to the river.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are.”
I crawled forward, digging my fingers into the muck and mud, ignoring the pain spiraling into my system.
“Now, I have you. Time to die. Just like your mother.”
My mother?
As a hand grabbed my hair, yanking my head up toward the sky, I could swear I saw the bastard’s face and it was just like I’d seen as a young girl.
As the killer crouched down beside me, the stench of his hot breath repulsive, I heard the words that I remembered from so long ago.
“Nada puede suceder más hermoso que la muerte.”
Nothing can happen more beautiful than death.
My head was pushed under the water and I struggled, fighting with all the limited strength I had left, suffocating, yet images rushed into my mind, powerful and vivid.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Jerking awake, I blinked several times in an effort to understand what I was hearing, vivid images of the nightmare plastered in my mind. I bit back a cry, still shaking from the ugly visions. Nothing made any sense, including the ache in my arms and legs. The second I shifted, the ugliness of my situation fogged over what was left of my sanity. My mouth was dry, my head aching.
My legs were asleep, curled under me in an awkward position. Suddenly, a rumbling voice filtered through my semi-conscious mind sending shivers crisscrossing over every inch of my body.
“Mom?”
I lifted my head, fighting the sleepiness, uncertain what I’d heard. I threw back the covers, biting back a moan as I eased onto the floor. The slight creak of the aging floorboards frightened me. I moved toward the door, taking cautious steps. Another thump almost caused me to yelp but I pressed my hand over my mouth to keep from making any sound.
As I opened the door, I almost panicked from hearing my mother’s slight cry. What was happening. “Mom?”
Her scream was high pitched. I rushed into the hallway toward her room, pushing open her door. “Mom!”
“No,” she yelled. “Run, baby girl. Run. They found us.”