He groaned and closed his eyes as if deep in thought. “Damn it, Sabrina, it might be worth another black eye.”
She laughed and stepped back from his arms. “Oh, Elijah, you really need a—”
Clap, clap, clap.
Oh man, someone watched them, and she knew it would be Isaac. And, of course, he’d found her in Elijah’s arms again. However innocent the embrace had been, it would look anything but to Isaac, who already felt insecure about his brother.
Her heart lurched, and she took a deep breath before turning to face Isaac. This was going to suck royally. Her eyes widened in fear and she found herself wishing it had been Isaac. But it looked far, far worse. Across the clearing, Louisa glared at her.
“You know, you almost had me convinced the girl could live. Clearly, you were lying through your teeth last night, Elijah. Didn’t anyone ever tell you lying to your maker is frowned upon?”
“I didn’t lie to you.” As Elijah spoke, he positioned Sabrina behind him. “We aren’t lovers. I already told you as much. She loves Isaac, not me.”
“She has an odd way of showing her love for Isaac. For if I’m not mistaken, it’s you she embraced. Not Isaac,” Louisa sneered.
“I only comforted him. That’s it. He was grieving over what you did to him and all the people he loved,” Sabrina replied in a rush of anger. She should be terrified of this woman—this monster. But instead, hatred flowed through her veins and gave her a heady sense of power.
“Oh, how darling. I’m sure that is what Amelia was doing as well. Comforting him,” Louisa said, sarcasm oozing from her voice.
“Sabrina, be quiet.” Elijah shushed.
“I will not!” she exclaimed. “She doesn’t scare me.”
“Louisa, knock it off. She is innocent. Leave her be.”
“Once again with the broken record. Don’t you ever say anything new?” She took a step closer to them, and Elijah snarled in response. She seemed to take heed of the warning, because she paused and raised her hands in a gesture of peace. “Did you like the dream you had last night, Sabrina? It’s one of my most shining acts of all time.”
Sabrina gaped at her and completely forgot her bravado. “You showed me the dream?”
“But, of course. Who else?”
“Which dream?” Elijah interjected.
“Why?” Sabrina questioned.
“Well, what would be the fun of killing you, if you didn’t remember the last day in detail? I have always been somewhat dramatic, and I love my scene to be set perfectly, in all ways. As a matter of fact, I’m still not quite ready to kill you yet. We are missing one key factor.”
“Isaac,” Sabrina breathed. “You leave him alone, bitch. He has done nothing to you!”
“Oh, you’re a delight. I’m here merely for informational purposes today, which is the only reason you’re still safely tucked away behind dear old Elijah. Otherwise, I’d be snapping your bones in two. Like I did before.”
“I think you’re wrong there, because I’m not her. I have information for you, too.”
“Oh? And what would that be?”
Sabrina stepped around Elijah’s protective stance and moved to walk up to Louisa. Elijah grabbed her, so she settled for leaning forward to hiss, “I’m not scared of you.”
“Are you trying to get yourself killed?” Elijah snapped as he pushed her back behind him. Sabrina ignored him, and so did Louisa.
Louisa laughed. “Oh, my, you are fun. Too bad I have to kill you.”
“I have to breathe. You don’t have to kill me. How about we just call it a day and you crawl back to whatever little hole you came from? M’kay?” Even as she taunted the dangerous creature in front of her, she knew she played a dangerous game. But, she couldn’t seem to help herself. Seeing Louisa brought out feelings that overwhelmed her. Hatred. Fear. Sarcasm.
“Oh, I disagree. As much fun as you are, seeing your face makes me ill. Seeing him moon all over you again makes me even sicker. I’m going to kill you the same way I killed her: slowly, and happily.”
Sabrina shuddered at the promise, because Louisa would love to do just that. But she would be damned if she’d show any fear in front of the bitch, and so she forced a sardonic laugh.
“Bring it, bitch.” Sabrina stuck up her middle finger. Louisa’s eyes widened and she threw her head back and laughed.
“You are so going to be fun to kill. So much fun,” she said.
Elijah snarled, and she felt his muscles tense in preparation to defend her. Yet somehow, she didn’t think even he would be enough to stop this madwoman. She would die—and soon. It sobered her.
Louisa shook her head and said scathingly, “Down, boy. I’m not going to hurt her yet. But I want to talk about the day Amelia died. Sabrina woke up too early, and I didn’t get to show her everything. I think it’s time for her to find out who really killed her.”
“I know who killed Amelia. You,” Sabrina argued. “And don’t think I’ll be so easy to get to this time. I’m no cowering weakling, Louisa. You don’t scare me. And I have Isaac’s protection this time.”
Louisa stared at her before throwing her head back and laughing. “Oh God, you believe you can conquer me? How amusing.” She laughed and winked in Elijah’s direction. “She’s got much more fight in her than your whore Amelia. Too bad she doesn’t want you. She didn’t even mention you as one of the weapons in her arsenal.”
Elijah roared in anger, and Sabrina cried out when he shoved her backward and lunged at Louisa. She stumbled to her feet and watched in horror as he rolled on the ground fighting her.
“Run, Sabrina. Go to Isaac,” he yelled as he held Louisa down. She bucked against him and growled as she struggled to free herself. Sabrina tore her gaze from the fight and forced her feet to flee in the direction of home. Hisses and snarls filled the air around her as she sprinted away. She worried about Elijah, but also knew she had to get away. Her being there actually made him weaker.
It annoyed her to admit it. But that didn’t make it any less true.
The house lay in her sight when she got grabbed from behind, and she screamed in terror as arms clasped around her. She fought against her captor, fear giving her the strength to fight for her life. A hand slapped across her mouth, and she kicked harder to make up for the loss of sound. A grunt came from her captor when her foot succeeded in kicking its target, and the arms tightened around her even more, cutting off her breath.