Page 166 of Rest In Knotty Pieces

Gone is everything capable about her. She looks exactly like what she is. A little girl, traumatised and hysterical. She’s got no defenses, no way to protect herself or attack, she is utterly helpless.

As I track the torch down, I see that she’s wet herself, the stain spreading down the inside of both her legs, the smell acrid. She doesn’t look like any of them. But then, this alter never does.

“Dove?” I whisper, licking my lips. “Dove, are you okay? Baby, talk to me. It’s okay, Rose is here. I’m here. I found you. Dove, I came. I’m here.”

I inch closer, moving slowly, with my hand up so she can see I mean no harm.

“Mr Rose?” she sobs out. “Mr Rose!” she screams my name like I’m her salvation, and didn’t I promise to always take care of her? “I had an accident.”

My throat thickens, and it’s hard to swallow so I can get the words out.

“It doesn’t matter. None of that matters. You’re safe.”

“I’m scared of the dark!” she whimpers out in a broken voice. “He left me in the dark again. I’m naughty. I’m a bad girl. Mr Rose, don’t leave me! I’ll be good, I promise I’ll be good this time!” Her voice rises to a hysterical, pleading scream that has me swallowing hard on the tears that spring forth.

“No, you’re not. You’re a good girl,” I say urgently, wishing I could undo all the horrors that monster has inflicted on this poor child. “You are my good girl. I’m here to take you away. I’m going to get you somewhere safe.” Shit, it hurts to speak. Where is Raven?

FUCK! I’ve never seen her this messed up. When I found her all those years ago, I was the only person she would trust, the only person she would speak to without screaming. I had no idea that this tiny, helpless omega child would be a witness to the monster of monsters. What she’s seen is anyone’s guess. All I care about is protecting her.

I ease towards her, sheathing my weapon. She doesn’t move as I approach; she just continues making that high keening sound of a child, lost and wounded.

“Where is Kest and Raven, Dove? Where is Raptor? Are Merle and Jay all right?”

“Raven was naughty, so Kest got hurt. It was my fault. I didn’t run. I was too scared. The bad man laughed. He said I should have run, and it’s my fault because I was too scared. I’m sorry!” She screams the last word. “I’m sorry. Come back. Come back, Raven. I’m sorry. Kest…don’t leave me alone!”

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

I close the last of the space between us and pull her against my chest, hugging her hard.

“You’re okay, they forgive you. They know it’s not your fault. They won’t leave you; they will never leave you.”

I’m careful when I shine the torch over her back, seeing stripes of red and black. Whip marks. Her skin’s torn open, so messed up, I can’t tell which is skin and what is material. Kest must be holding the pain.

“It wasn’t your fault,” I whisper, trying to push my horror away. “You were such a brave, good girl. It’s not your fault.”

I've gotta get her out of here. Now.

I glance around and then snatch her up, ignoring the blood and urine, and hurry out of the warehouse, running as fast as I can. We get outside, and Pix looks at me, his expression grim.

“Hurry!” I say harshly.

He reacts instantly, crouching down and setting the warehouse on fire. It goes up like we doused it in fuel. It will buy us some time and help cover our identities. This will give us a few days to hide Dove and make it so it looks like we all died in there.

“It’s your call, Pix. You can wait for them. I can do this alone.”

He looks at Dove in my arms, still sobbing, her face buried in my shoulder, her blood seeping into my shirt.

“She needs us more. They'll forgive or they’ll forget.” He shrugs. I see how much it hurts him, but I don’t call him on it. I don’t ask him again. This is the only out he gets.

“Let’s go, Roseland, the night is going to end soon, and we need to disappear.”

We run.

I don’t know what’s going to happen, but to keep her safe, we’re going to have to stay one step ahead in a game that I keep losing. The terrible consequences are that it will cost this pack that I love so much their lives if I fail again.

No, I will not fail. Next time, we’re going to beat him. We have to. I just don’t know how.

“You’re a good girl, Dove. Let’s get you somewhere safe. We’re going to protect you. I promise.” My gaze finds Daega’s. “I’ll protect you both. I’m sorry, Daega. So sorry.”