Free Miss Polly had a Dolly (Emma Frost #2) by Willow Rose

well. It's a lot of people that you alienate by raising
your finger like that."
    "Ah, to hell with them," Patrick
mumbled and looked down at the crowd. He felt stirred up inside. Even more than
usual. There was something about this island that made him so angry, so out of
control. Usually he would never go for the kill until the show was over and
they were about to leave the town, but maybe, just maybe he was going to bend
his rules a little this time. Heaven knows his body craved it. It was like he
was in withdrawal, like a drug addict he needed his fix to not go crazy. And he
knew exactly how he was going get it.
    Patrick laughed manically as he grabbed on to
the railing of the balcony and climbed up on it. Then he let go of his hands
and stood on the railing without holding on. The crowd went quiet. Then they
screamed in joy as Patrick started whining his famous scream that they all
loved so much.
    That's it you suckers. Scream
all you want. Tonight I'm the one who's gonna have all the fun.

Chapter 21
July 1997
    They had to
cross the border on foot, Stefan said. He parked the
car in a deserted area and told Nina to get out.
    "We walk now," he grunted and started
to go.
    Nina hesitated.
    "Come on," he said and grabbed her
arm. "Family is waiting for you on other side, but we have no papers. Once
we're over border you will have new mommy."
    Nina started crying again as the sweaty man
pulled her arm. She didn't want a new mommy, she already had one. But the man
was too strong and she couldn't fight him. He grabbed her around the waist and
started carrying her into the darkness. Nina screamed and whimpered, but no one
could hear her out there in the middle of nowhere. Once he got tired of
carrying her, he put her down on the ground. Then he slapped her across the
face.
    "You walk now, okay?"
    Nina was crying hard now and the man lifted his
hand as if to hit her again. Nina stopped crying, then promised him she would
walk from now on.
    "Cars are waiting on the other side once we
get past border," Stefan said and continued to walk.
    Nina followed him, whimpering and crying, but
she did as he wanted her to. What else could she do? Every now and then she
looked back at the car they had left behind, but soon it was out of sight and
there was nothing but darkness surrounding her. They walked all night, crossing
narrow mountain roads and desolate wilderness. Nina could hardly move her legs
anymore when they finally reached the ridge leading them across the border.
    "Now you run," Stefan said and pointed
down into the valley. "Sprint. See those flashlights. They are people
waiting for you. You go to them, they take good care of you now."
    "Aren't you coming with me?" Nina
asked with a shivering voice. She did see the flashlights in the valley, but
she had never met those people before.
    Stefan grinned. "No. No. I stay here or I
go to prison. You belong to them now. No worry, little girl. Good people. Take
good care of children. But if you try to run, they will shoot you. Okay?"
    Nina's heart was in her throat as she looked
down the mountainside at the flashlights flickering in the darkness. Who were
those people and why did she have to go with them? Her mother had often told
her she would go to boarding school if she didn't behave, to learn manners and
respect for authorities. Was this boarding school? Were those people taking her
to her new school?
    Please, Mommy. I'm scared.
I'll be good. I promise. Don't make me go there. Take me home.
    Nina felt a push in her back. "You must go,
little girl. Before someone finds us. You must go now," Stefan said.
    Nina swallowed her tears and looked back one
more time before she started running down the mountainside towards the
flashlights, towards her new future. The terrain was difficult and soon Nina
tripped over one of the sharp rocks. She cut her leg and was bleeding, then she
cried again. She could hear voices in the distance and see the flashlights.
Knowing she had to reach the other side