Save Me (Elk Creek) (26 page)

Chapter 22
- Taryn

I slowly roused to the feeling of coldness, I was so cold.
I was shivering uncontrollably, causing pain to continue throughout my entire body. Everything hurt—even my hair hurt. I glanced around the small bedroom, thankful the light was still on. There was only a twin bed dressed with a thin, navy blue comforter, a small white night table, and a mismatched dresser. The walls were bare, there was nothing to indicate this was someone’s personal space.

             
I shifted so I could get a better look at the lock, and the workings of the kennel. I winced, and barley held back a moan from the pain in my side as I maneuvered my body to a sitting position.  The kennel was large, and I was glad to note I could sit without the top hitting my head. The lock was a general padlock, and the sides of the kennel were held together by round metal clips. 

             
I saw the knife laying on the floor near the kennel, and probably as he planned it, I was terrified. Dried blood was crusted on the blade and handle. Knowing that it was my blood did nothing to ease my fears. If I could just get that knife, I could maybe pry open the clasps.

             
The door opened, and terror gripped me. He was standing there with the light from the hall silhouetting his large frame. I tried to get a breath to control my fear. I needed my wits if I had a chance of escaping this screwed-up fate that seemed to be chasing me.

“Time to wake up
, bitch!” His ugly voice made me stiffen, causing pain in my side. I sat there, hugging my knees to my chest, not daring to move, afraid of being hurt, but more of losing consciousness again. I heard a clank and snap against the metal bar of the crate as he opened the lock.

             
“Get out, or I will pull you out,” he snarled. The thought of him touching me made what little bile I had in my stomach rush up my throat. I managed to swallow it back down, not wanting to do anything to piss him off. I moved to my hands and knees and slowly started to crawl out, breathing in little pants through the pain in my back and side.

             
“So, the bitch
can
obey,” he taunted, as I got halfway through the kennel door. I looked to the floor, seeing the knife was less than a foot away from me. I slowly pulled my knees over the lip of the kennel door, getting me slightly closer to the knife. A booted foot pressed down on my shredded back, causing me to collapse to my belly, and my shins to scrape against the metal lip on the kennel. I groaned.

             
Thankfully I had enough forethought through the pain to discreetly pull the knife under my body as I fell. Now, I just had to catch my breath, but all I could manage was tiny pants. I started feeling lightheaded, from pain or lack of oxygen I wasn’t sure.

             
He grabbed the back of my hair and pulled my head from the floor. With his boot still planted on my back, the one pushing and his hand pulling, it jackknifed my body. I screamed at the pain of the pull on my side, and tearing of my skin under his boot. He ground his boot into my back more with each scream I let out. I clamped my mouth and eyes shut, praying for him to stop, praying for any reprieve from the pain. 

             
The pressure from my back lifted, but the pulling on my hair intensified, as he pulled me to an upright position. I knew that if I was going to act, I had to then or he would see the knife, and I wouldn’t have another opportunity. Pulling from somewhere deep within myself, a fury I didn’t know I possessed bubbled into my chest. As my torso came off the floor, I pulled my battered legs under me, and with more speed and strength than I thought I was capable of, I turned, thrusting the knife into him.

             
Unfortunately, I only reached his thigh, but the guttural moan of pain was satisfying. He released my hair and grabbed at the knife protruding from his right inner thigh. I quickly stumbled to my feet, trying to make it to the door. I struggled to make my feet work quickly beneath my body. I was just passing the bed when he reached me from behind, tackling me forcefully into the wooden footboard of the bed. I screamed as the blast of pain and shift of bone shot through my right hip and down my leg.

             
I struggled, knowing if I gave up, I was dead. The feral look in his eyes told me as much.  If I didn’t get away, he wouldn’t hesitate to end me. My body filled with adrenaline, and the pain that had consumed me a moment ago disappeared. I swung my arms, striking him in the side of his head, making him lift slightly. I raised my left leg and struck, hitting the knife still stuck in his thigh. I pushed with everything I had, releasing a curse I had never said in all my life.

             
“FUCK YOU!”

             
He crumpled to the floor with a yell of pain, grasping the knife in his leg. I tried to run from the bed, but the pain in my hip crippled me. Tears of frustration, of pain, and longing to live flowed out and down my cheeks. I gripped the footboard, trying to drag myself forward.

             
“PLEASE, SOMEONE HELP ME!” I screamed. “Please God… I need help,” I whimpered. I heard a crash from down the hall, at the same time I felt him reaching up my body, grasping crudely at my flesh.  His hands were covered in blood, and I felt the stickiness of it as he grabbed my waist, lifting himself up. The knife that was in his leg was now in his hand, poised in the air, waiting to plunge into my chest as he put his weight against my legs and hips.

             
“There is NO help for you!” he rasped out. I closed my eyes, giving in to the despair, knowing I would never see Carter again, I would never feel him love me, and I would never be free.

             
POP. POP. POP.

             
Suddenly the weight was gone, and I didn’t know if I was dead, or in a foggy dream. Either way, I wanted to stay there, I couldn’t take anymore. If death would release me, I welcomed it.

             
“Taryn! Oh God, Taryn!” I thought I heard Carter’s scratchy voice.

             
“You saved me,” I managed to whisper to no one. I couldn’t hear or see anything anymore. I felt like I was floating. I didn’t feel any pain, only a small ache in my chest when I imagined Carter’s face. He looked so sad. I love you, Carter, I thought right before I let death take me away.

Chapter 23- Carter

We had pulled up to the cabin more than thirty minutes ago. Marcus, Ethan and I were all concealed behind some underbrush near the kitchen door, watching the house while we waited for Mitch. Ethan had called him when we found the blue Tahoe parked next to the cabin, and the lights on inside. Mitch told us we had to wait, that he was only forty-five minutes away, having driven to Portland after talking to Jim.

             
“I don’t know how much longer I can wait,” I stated. Each second that ticked by felt like an eternity.

             
“It’s not too much longer,” Matt said quietly, walking in behind us. 

             
“Shh… he’s moving,” Ethan whispered. We all froze and watched a shadow pass by the kitchen door, and waited. 

             
“I’m going to go toward the front, I want to see if I can tell where he’s going,” I said as I stood up.

             
“Wait, I’ll go with you,” Marcus said as he followed me. We tiptoed around to the front of the house, and stood beside a large fir tree about thirty feet from the porch. The curtains on the large window shifted and a shadow formed behind them. 

             
“Is that the living room?”  I asked Marcus.

             
“Yes, but it looks like he’s going down the hall, there are two bedrooms and a bathroom.”  He put his hand on my shoulder. “Can you do me a favor?” he asked. “I understand getting Taryn out safely is the most important, and I am in complete agreement with doing that. If it’s possible not to kill him, please try not to. He hasn’t always been crazy, just… if it’s possible not to kill him, please don’t.” He was so forlorn and his voice was so deeply sad. It made me think what he must be feeling: Choosing between an innocent stranger and the man who raised you? I didn’t envy the guy, but I did respect him.

             
“Yeah, as long as we can get Taryn out. Honestly man, I have never done anything like this, and the thought of ending someone’s life does not appeal to me, even if he’s psychotic. But, if it’s between him or Taryn, I won’t hesitate,” I said grimly.

             
I didn’t know if I could handle someone’s death on my hands. Christ, other than kicking someone’s ass for being an asshole, I really wasn’t a violent person. I was strong and capable, and I wasn’t afraid, but that didn’t mean I wanted to deal with the aftermath of shooting someone.

             
A shrill scream sounded out, making every hair on the back of my neck stand up. Before I could censor my actions, I was on my feet and running toward the front door.

             
“TARYN!” I yelled, not stopping before I barreled into the door, splintering it off the hinges. 

             
“FUCK YOU!” I heard the words ring out in an animalistic, guttural voice. Was that Taryn? Oh God. The sound of her scream was desperate and full of pain. I stepped over the door before another scream bellowed.

             
“SOMEONE HELP ME!” The words and the tortured sound ripped my soul from my chest. I couldn’t seem to move fast enough. I came to a sliding stop at an open door, and what I saw sucked all the breath from my lungs.

             
Max was on top of her, she was lying on her back on a bed with her legs hanging off the end. She was covered in blood, and naked. 

             
“There is NO help for you!” Max spit out, pulling my gaze away from Taryn’s battered face. He had a knife aimed for her chest. 

             
“NOOO!” I roared, and immediately lunged for him. I threw myself into him with enough force that the wall caved where we hit. I didn’t wait to see if he was dead or alive, I sprang back to my feet and quickly turned back to Taryn. My God, there was so much blood.  She was limp, and seemed lifeless. “Taryn, Oh God, Taryn!” I cried. My vision was blurry from the tears that were now falling onto her chest, mixing in with the blood.

             
“You saved me,” I heard her whisper. “I love you, Carter.”

             
At that moment, time seemed to slow down, like a filmstrip running at half speed. From the corner of my eye, I saw Max on his feet, and lunging with the knife held high. I felt someone pulling the Colt from my waistband. Before I could move from Taryn, gunfire erupted.

             
POP. POP. POP.

             
Three shots rang out in quick succession, and blood sprayed from Max’s side and neck as he slumped to the side falling to the floor. I looked behind me and was shocked to see Marcus holding my gun. He was still grasping it in front of him with steady hands. I ignored everyone’s shouting, looking back to Taryn. Her eyes were open but glazed, one was swollen, and she had blood everywhere on her body, some dry, some fresh.

             
“Oh God, Taryn, you’re going to be all right, baby. Please stay with me. Stay awake.  Baby, please, Taryn. You’re going to be okay. I love you!” I sobbed. 

             
“Tare? Oh Fuck! What did he do to you, baby girl? Tare? Carter, we have to get to the hospital. Jesus, Tare, hold on, we got you… Fuck!” Ethan was beside me, frantically looking Taryn over. Tears were falling from his eyes, and the look of despair had to match mine. She was my life, and I had never before been so afraid of dying as I was then. Without her, I was dead.

             
I reached for her shoulders, sliding my arms underneath her shoulders and legs before gently lifting her to my chest. The amount of blood on the bed was extreme, and the wetness on her legs and back soaked onto my arms.

             
“Ethan, what is going on with her back, there’s blood everywhere, is it hers?” I asked quickly. Ethan ducked his head so he could see under her. He drew in a sharp breath before reaching the curtain and ripping it from the window. 

             
“Ethan, what is it?” I demanded.

             
He closed his eyes and more tears fell down his cheeks. “He carved her back,” he whispered, then began covering Taryn with the curtain. 

             
“Jesus!” I rasped, as I clung harder to her bruised and bloody body. Once Ethan had her covered up, Matt was there, checking her pulse, his fingers pressed at the side of her throat. It scared me that I didn’t even think to check, but I could feel her ribs expanding above my arm and knew she was breathing.

             
“Let’s get her off the mountain and to the hospital,” Matt said solemnly. I took that moment to look around the room, and wasn’t surprised to see Blaine holding onto Marcus. My gun was on the floor near their feet, and Max lay on the floor next to the bed. He was obviously dead. Blood was splattered violently over the entire room, and trailed faintly to a dog kennel. I saw the padlock hanging off one of the bars, and knew he had caged Taryn. He was a sick bastard, and I wasn’t sorry he was dead.

             
It seemed like everything was in slow motion, from the time I heard that first scream to now was probably only five minutes, but it felt like a lifetime. My anger battled with my sorrow, and I felt ripped apart from the inside. The only thing I could manage to coherently tell myself was that I had to get Taryn to the hospital. She had to be okay.

We had been waiting for two hours in the waiting room. They wouldn’t let any of us go in with her once we reached the emergency room. Ethan and I took turns pacing the confines of the small room, walking around the hard plastic chairs, stopping anytime a nurse or doctor came out. I was worried it was taking so long, and couldn’t help picturing the worst. 

Blaine made all the phone calls. Mr. Dalton, Jim and Mel were on their way. Blaine also talked to Mitch, told him where we were, and what had happened.
I looked over to Marcus, who sat with his head in his hands. I couldn’t imagine what he must be feeling, but I would always be thankful to him for what he did.

When Mitch walked in, we all froze. None of us knew what ramifications we would face for tonight, and we were afraid for Marcus. No matter he came from a crazy as fuck family, he was a good man. In a few
hours’ time, he had become a friend, and we were all going to stand with him, no matter what was to come.

“Boys, I need to start taking statements,
” he said as two uniformed officers trailed in behind him. “The Clackamas County Sherriff is here, too,” he said, looking at Marcus. Marcus stood woodenly, and started walking toward Mitch. Matt and Blaine walked behind him. 

“You get us all
, Mitch,” Blaine said with a smirk. 

“I figured as
much,” he said, but I didn’t miss the approval in his eyes.

Marcus’ eyes grew wide, and I could see the disbelief and surprise there. He wasn’t alone, and soon he would realize it.

“I hope we don’t get in too much trouble
,” Ethan said as we watched our friends walk out. His face looked exhausted and worried.

“I don’t think we will, and honestly I don’t care
,” I replied with conviction. “What matters is Taryn is safe, and that bastard is gone.”

“Yeah, what the fuck is taking them so long?”
Ethan said, frustrated.

“I don’t know, maybe we should go harass one of the nurses again
,” I suggested as a woman in a white lab coat walked into the waiting room.

“Dalton?”
she called. Both Ethan and I were quickly up and in front of her. Her eyes widened in alarm. I guess having two large men rush you could be scary.

“I’m Ethan Dalton, where is my sister?” Ethan demanded.

“Mr. Dalton, she has been admitted, and is getting set up on the third floor. I’m Dr. Lennings, and I would like to go over Taryn’s condition with you before you go to see her.” She looked to me. “Is he with you, or do we need to talk more privately?” she asked Ethan.

“This is her fiancé, Carter Belmont, he needs to know as much as I do
,” Ethan replied.  When did I become her fiancé? Not that I didn’t plan to be at some point, but what the hell was he talking about? I dared not argue with him at that moment, so I simply nodded my hand.

“Follow me, if you don’t mind
,” Dr. Lennings said as she turned and started for the doors. One of the officers accompanied us, staying two steps behind and neither saying a word nor making eye contact.

“What the hell?” I whispered to Ethan

“Just figured it would save time, and it isn’t like you’re not going to marry her anyway, so just go with it,” he whispered back.

We followed
Dr. Lennings down a long corridor and into a small conference room. The officer stayed in the hallway, standing just outside the doorway with his hands crossed at his waist.

“Have a seat
,” she directed as she motioned to two chairs on one side of a long, brown desk. She walked around to the other side of the desk and sat, clearing her throat before she spoke. “I admitted Ms. Dalton, as she has multiple injuries that will require monitoring and treatment,” she began. “We had to debride the lacerations to her back, but were able to stitch the wound closed. Unfortunately, there will be scarring, but the wound should heal nicely.” She paused, taking in a breath before starting again. “I don’t know what has transpired with Ms. Dalton, as I haven’t seen all her medical history, but the cuts on her back are severe. I couldn’t help but see this was not the first time she had been cut like this. I think the newest was done either with a sharper blade, or a more skilled hand. A plastic surgeon will be able to help with the scarring. In the meantime, do you need to seek protection for Taryn? Or a restraining order?”

I could only close my eyes, as I did not want to cry in front of this woman, or Ethan for that matter. To know that
bastard put his mark on her body, the same mark he taunted her with, made me sick. I hoped he was burning in hell, and he was cursed for eternity with seeing his own son kill him.

“
No, we don’t need a restraining order,” Ethan said softly.

“Doctor, I don’t mean to rush you, but we would really like to be with Taryn right now.”  I prompted her to either finish what she need
ed to say, or take us to Taryn.

She cleared her throat
. “Yes, she has three broken ribs, which we wrapped, and her right hip is extremely bruised and swollen. She has an orbital fracture that we are going to watch, and a severe concussion. She hasn’t woken since she came in. She has some other superficial cuts and scrapes, and we cleaned those areas.”

“How long until she can go home?” I asked
, horrified from the list of injuries Taryn suffered, and was still suffering.

“That depends on Ms. Dalton
’s ability to recover. The CT scan shows some bruising, but we just have to wait until she wakes to know how severely she is affected by it.” She paused, and I rose to my feet, indicating I was ready to see Taryn. Dr. Lennings held up her palm, not rudely, to signal me to wait for a moment. She walked into the hallway. I struggled to hear her whisper to the officer.

“Did that son of a bitch pay for what he did to her?” she asked.