~ Chapter 14 ~
Landon laid in
bed with his eyes closed. He could hear the soft wisps of breaths
Brook had taken in as his lips settled next to her ear. What
was I thinking spewing out all that to her. Why the hell would I tell
her what I fantasize about regarding her? Bringing
his hand in a ball to his forehead Landon tapped it to his skin.
Stupid, stupid ,stupid! I mean seriously what
did I think she was going to do? Turn around and fall into my arms.
Ha, no that's what I wish her to do and I'm surprised I didn't let
that reveal it's self too.
He gazed over
to the clock on the gray marble mantel. It is
still early. I could go apologize for what I said to her. God what am
I saying? It's what I did to her! Foolish idiot. I cannot imagine
what she thinks of me now.
Landon's feet
hit the floor and he began to walk the perpetrator of the room. “I
have made a mess of things now.” His pace was slow and steady
as he walked the length of the room in front of the windows. “How
could I be so selfish? I mean I am fully aware she is not an innocent
but by no means is she experienced enough to handle what I had said
to her. Damn it! The only thing I did was seduce her...hell I seduced
myself.” Landon chuckled at the thought.
He paused in
front of the balcony doors. Pushing them open he walked out to the
railing. His hands met the rim of the cooled stone. Is
it possible that she saw through my words and felt what I was really
saying to her? I have never before been so caught up in a woman. She
has this thing about her that I can't turn away from. I wish I knew
what it was.
His gaze flew
up to a startling sound off in the distance. “What the hell is
going on down there?” He leaned over further. The path was lit with
torches but the figures were still faint.
His heart
seized at the sound of his name. Brook!
“Release her now!”
The tone of his
voice carried through the dark to Brook like trembling thunder.
“Landon!” she cried out again. “Let go of me,” she screamed
at the man. His bulky arms encased her whole body leaving her
helpless in his grasp.
Landon flew
through the hall and down the stairs. Turning the corner into the
atrium he could not contain his fear. Landon shouted her name as loud
as he could as he barreled towards the back doors.
Devon and
Quentin locked eyes and immediately followed Landon's voice.
Brook kicked
the man's shin with her heel as hard as she could. It was met with a
chuckle in her ear. “You are needed by my Lord. He is waiting for
us to return so stop struggling.”
Brook's mind
raced. Where is Landon? God please help me. Do
not let him take me. As she finished her plea
Brook felt a solid pain on her head. The bright stars above seem to
grow fuzzy. Keep my eyes open. Ouch my head
really hurts. I think he hit... Her words
trailed off to nothing as the grip of unconsciousness took hold of
her.
Landon reached
the spot where he had seen them. “Brook!” His body whipped around
every which way of any sign of her. An elegant
lavender scarf rest on the edge of the path before him. Landon picked
it up and rubbed it between his fingers. Her scent danced through the
air on a small breeze to meet him. “Red,” He belted out so loud
it hurt his throat.
“What is
going on,” Devon asked as he ran up to his side.
“A man. There
was a man and he has her now,” Landon answered. “She
was here a minute ago. The bastard had his hands on her.”
“What man?
Quentin asked.
“The man who
was here!” Landon yelled as he went to walk away.
Devon grabbed
his arm and Landon snapped it back. “Okay look, we can't help you
unless we know who you are talking about, Landon.”
“There was a
man and he took Brook. God damn it aren't you listening!” Landon
began to walk down the path towards the woods.
“Are you
positive?” Devon asked as he followed him.
“Of course I
am. He was holding her and she screamed for me to help her. I took
too long and now she's gone.” Landon stopped and gazed to Devon.
“We have to find her right now.”
“Okay we
will,” Devon said.
“No like
immediately,” Landon couldn't even think straight. He didn't know
where to go or how to move. He was paralyzed with an unspoken fear of
losing her.
Devon placed
his hand on Landon's shoulder. “We will find her soon. Quentin is
gathering every man in the estate to aid us.” Devon stepped in
front of Landon. “Hey, look at me. She will be safe and here soon.”
Quentin came up
and began giving orders to small groups of men armed with torches and
whatever they could use as a weapon. Within minutes twenty five men
were walking a line in groups into the woods. As
instructed they all paused at thirty paces to listen for a full ten
seconds for signs of where she might be.
Devon was
leading with three hounds who were given Brook's scarf to smell. He
was sure they could not be far behind them. The dogs were pulling
hard which meant the trail was hot. All three hounds took a sudden
turn towards the stream to the right. Devon was lead into the water
along the bank. Quentin ordered for half the men to cross and walk
the other side along the bank at twenty paces back. Devon was the
only one to walk the cool swift flowing river with the hounds.
Although it was not deep it had been raining often over the past few
weeks and the current was strong. It did not help he was getting
pushed by the water at the back of his knees as he walked the rocky
bed of the stream.
Landon although
he was watching the stream with his eyes darting back and fourth to
the hounds, he was thinking about Brook. If I
had only been a minute sooner I probably could have saved her. I
should have gone out on the balcony earlier then I would have heard
her screaming for me. His heart skipped. Me,
she was calling out for me. Of all the people in the house she
thought to yell my name and I failed her. After
all the rude and disrespectful things I uttered to her I was the one
she cried out to help her. Landon's gaze
moved from the water to Devon and then back to the hounds. I
swear I will kill this filthy bastard. If she is hurt in any way I
will choke the life from him myself.
Landon paused a
second which caught Quentin's attention. “What
is it?” he asked quietly.
“Why is she
not screaming for help? We should be able to hear her through the
trees because it would echo and hold the sound,” Landon said as he
looked to Quentin.
His lips formed
a line at Landon's words. The fear that washed over him before his
eyes caused him to shutter. “Let's move.” Quentin then shouted.
“Men pick up the pace.”
Landon's legs
grew numb. His hands and arms surged with a throbbing odd sensation.
The swishing of water and the howling of the dogs was not enough to
drowned out the sound of his own pulse racing in his ears.
“Up ahead,”
one of the men shouted.
Quentin stopped
and then yelled, “Release the hounds, Devon.” He ordered the men
to run up further along the bank and spread out to stop the man from
fleeing.
Landon ran
along the bank gaining on the man. Brook's limp body was draped over
his shoulder. He could see her bound hands and feet lifelessly moving
with the man's body. The faster the man ran the further back Brook's
body was slipping on him.
With the hounds
moving in on him he let go. Landon watched in horror as Brook's body
fell head first into the stream. He wasn't sure where she was as her
motionless body sank under the water.
“No,”
Landon shouted as he reached out for her still for far away on the
bank.
“Everyone in
the water now,” Quentin yelled. “Reach in and feel for her.” He
pointed to a handful of men. “All of you move downstream just in
case she has drifted away.”
Devon looked to
Landon who was standing staring at the spot where he had last saw
her. “Landon,” Devon said. “Landon damn it!”
