Free Sacrifice by Denise Grover Swank Page A

Emma.”
    “Raphael? Dark-haired guy? Dark eyes? Sexy as hell?”
    Will looked up. “You met him?”
    “No, but you told me all about him.”
    “I called him sexy as hell ?”
    “No, but any man who made you feel that threatened had to be.”
    He felt threatened by this guy before he lost his memory. Now he was really worried about her. “So you go tell them that I think Raphael has her, and then what?”
    “Do you have any idea where Raphael is? Where he might have taken her?”
    “Not a fucking clue.” If he did, Will wouldn’t tell those assholes.
    James rubbed his forehead. “That’s probably okay. They know you’ve lost your memory so they can’t expect much.”
    Why had James acted surprised when Will said he’d lost all memory of her? Lucky for Will, James had gotten sloppy.
    “ You need James .”
    “Shut the hell up!” Will shouted.
    James jumped. “What the hell?”
    Will shook his head. He wasn’t losing it. He was already gone. “Nothing. Sorry. I think I’m hallucinating.”
    “Maybe you should lie down.” James picked up the tray and sniffed it before setting it on the floor. “You need to rest, Will. I’m going to take care of everything.”
    Reclining, Will looked at him. “Are you, James?” Recklessness kept him from hiding the distrust in his voice.
    Hurt flickered over James’s face. “Don’t I always?”
    Will closed his eyes, too weary to keep them open. He welcomed the darkness that called to him.

 
     
    Chapter Seven
     

     
    Jake lay in bed, the nightlight in the corner casting scary shadows against the walls. Shadows that crept toward him.
    He thought he’d imagined them at first. Shadows didn’t move, but these did. Edging along the wall slowly, like they tried to trick him by sneaking up on him. He’d mark the progress with his memory. The top of the dresser’s shadow came to the middle of the window, but when he looked again it had moved to the edge of the sill. Every time he opened his eyes, the shadows weren’t where they were the last time he saw them.
    But far more scary things lurked in the house than shadows, even shadows that moved. Aiden was somewhere, watching everyone. When people didn’t do what Aiden asked, they had to pay.
    Aiden appeared in his doorway, an evil gleam in his eye.
    Aiden was upset with Jake. He wasn’t making the progress Aiden wanted.
    Jake had to be punished.
    Rusty, his stuffed dog, rose into the air and hovered next to the bed.
    “Do you know what happens to disobedient little boys?”
    Shaking his head slowly, Jake’s heart raced.
    “They lose things they love.”
    Rusty burst into flames and fell to the rug in ashes.
    “Tomorrow, I expect you to do better.” Aiden turned and left the room.
    Jake buried his face in his pillow, sobbing until the linens were soaked. Rusty was the only thing he had left and Aiden had taken him away. “Mommy! Mommy!” he cried over and over.
    Why wouldn’t she answer?
    She didn’t have to talk, just be there with him, close enough to feel even if she wasn’t really there. Mommy had done it before, when Alex held Jake in Montana. Why didn’t she come to him now?
    Maybe she forgot him. She had the new baby now. And Will. She didn’t need Jake any more.
    Mommy had given up on him.
     
    ***
     
    Emma had turned off the shower and wrapped in a towel when she heard banging on the bathroom door.
    “Emma! Open the goddamn door,” Raphael said, slurring his words.
    He must have been listening for the water to turn off.
    She hurried into the closet and threw on a nightgown.
    “Open the door, Emma!”
    Flinging it open, she found Raphael holding a pill bottle. “Time to make a choice, Emmanuella. Sleeping pill or me?”
    Fear washed over her. He was drunk and belligerent.
    She tried to keep her fear out of her eyes. “I already told you that I wanted the sleeping pill.”
    With unsteady hands, he opened the bottle and grabbed her wrist, his thumb stroking the soft inner skin. He looked up,