They stood like that for several long seconds, and then without warning she turned and walked into the water. The bottom was slippery so it was hard for her to keep her balance, but she managed somehow. Her body was coming down from its rush of adrenaline, and her teeth began to chatter loudly as the cold from the water took away any warmth she had possessed. She steeled herself against the frigid temperature as she slowly moved toward the center.
Her feet suddenly gave way and she was drifting in much deeper water. It was hard to stay afloat, as her side still ached incredibly, and she was treading water with only one arm to keep her head above the surface. Her body was so cold and tired.
It was then that an epiphany of sorts washed through her. What if she let go? What if, in this moment, she surrendered to fate?
Her pursuer was now halfway to the water, his voice hoarse as he shouted down to her. “What the fuck are you doing, Libby? Get your ass out of the water, you’ll freeze to death.”
She ignored him and closed her eyes. Without taking a last breath, Libby let her body sink below the surface. She felt darkness close over her head, as the bone chilling cold of the water seeped into her very core. But a kind of peace began to infiltrate her soul.
This is how it would end.
In a quiet body of water.
On her terms.
A sliver of sadness nicked the edge of her mind. With no memory, she had no clue who she was leaving behind. But truthfully, if there was anyone, wouldn’t they have found her already? Wouldn’t they have saved her from the terrible dreams that haunted her each night?
Her body drifted deeper, and she felt a burning sensation in her lungs. She just hoped it would end quickly. And if there were someone out there, waiting for her to come home, they wouldn’t feel too much sadness at her passing.
Jaxon’s heart nearly leapt from his chest when he saw Libby’s head go under. What the hell was she doing? Was she fucking nuts? He moved faster, his eyes never leaving the surface of the water. Small bubbles slowly erupted onto the surface, but Libby remained under.
Fuck!
He dove headlong into the water, not feeling the coldness of the near icy liquid. He went deep and began to panic when the murky depths showed him nothing. He swam in circles and came up for air once more before diving under again. A flash of white caught the corner of his eye, and he was off like a shot, feeling a huge rush of relief course through him as the milky contour of her arm came into view. He kicked harder and grabbed her arm, pulling her in close to his body as he rose quickly to the surface.
They broke above the water and he inhaled air deep into his lungs. The panic he’d felt earlier was replaced by gut wrenching dread as her head lolled to the side, resting against his heaving chest. He held her firmly with one arm and reached the edge of the pond in three powerful strokes.
He pulled himself and Libby from the water and gently laid her on the muddy banks. His fingers flew to her neck, and her faint pulse gave him hope. But she wasn’t breathing, and that scared the crap out of him. Libby could die. Right here and now.
His Libby.
Anger gripped him then, and he cursed as he began to work on her feverishly. Like hell she’d die on him. Not like this. Not when he still needed answers.
His mouth gripped hers ferociously and he began to breathe life-giving air deep into her lungs. He would force her to live. There was no other option.
He continued to push his will through her lips and into her body. The anger he felt soon gave way to frustration and fear. His heart pounded so loudly he was certain it could be heard echoing across the still water.
Just when he thought her weakened body could take no more, she jerked forward and her mouth regurgitated a handful of dark water from inside her lungs. The force of it assaulted her injury, and she cried out as her arms went to her sides.
Jaxon brought her shivering form deep into the curve of his body. The night was chilled, but his jaguar blood was so heated with anger, his body was misting through his clothes as the warmth of his skin evaporated into the air.
He stared down at the pale features, taking the time to study her closely. His finger traced the small nose, continuing along high cheekbones to finally rest on the fullness of her lips. She was achingly beautiful, and th
e fragility of her body only enhanced the delicate features even more.
Her eyes flew open, and fear colored the violet ovals a deeper shade until they appeared black. They were huge, and she inhaled deeply, her eyes widening even more as she tried to speak.
“You! You’re one of them.”
Tears began to fill her eyes, and Jaxon fought the urge to wipe the dampness from her face. How in the hell had she become the victim? There was no doubt she’d been abused, but in light of her betrayal and the life it had cost, she fucking deserved it.
Didn’t she?
“What do you want from me?”
His face hardened as he tried to keep his tough facade in place. Libby was crying, almost hysterical as her words lashed into him.
“Why won’t you just leave me alone?”