Free SAFE by B J Brandon Page A

deep breath she opened her eyes and took the final steps toward the opening of the cave.
    Inside was so dim, a moist coolness that it took her a moment to realize she didn’t hear anything from outside now but the echoes of the wind against the mouth of the cave. Looking back over her shoulder Melissa felt the hair on her nape rise and prayed an animal hadn’t decided to take over the cave so soon after it being vacated because she really didn’t want to argue with a coyote or rattler right now. Instead, she closed her eyes, reaching out into the darkness, seeking out anything living that might be within.
    Nothing reached back, which made her feel a little safer.
    Dropping her blocks she reached out, letting the emotions and pain that stained the walls and sandstone floors touch her knowing it was going to be something that would be beyond horrible. The vibrations ran deep in the earth, absorbed by the very essence of all that was living as if trying to filter out the death and destruction of innocence that had taken place here and replace it with something else. However, nothing would ever cleanse this place of the evil that had inhabited these walls. There was no fire hot enough, no hell deep enough that could wash these stains away and cleanse the earth back to its virgin state.
    As soon as her senses opened fully the pain took her to her knees, making her stomach roll as the vibrations within the cave’s walls slammed into her unprotected shields. Scream after scream, cries of pain and begging, the terror only a child can feel when there is no one to come save them echoed within Melissa’s mind.. All of it came rolling back on silent fibers to slam into Melissa’s brain as her eyes rolled to the back of her head. She saw Gayle’s face curled in the corner of a holding cell, her small arms curled around something and it took a moment for her to realize she was holding the still form of a little girl.
    “Monsters do exists,” Gayle’s soft voice echoed in her mind just before Melissa screamed from the pain that pushed through her temple. Bright light hit her optic nerves and she went down on her side, unable to do more than close her eyes and try to breathe as horror upon horror slammed into her mind.

Chapter 10
    Ty was pissed!
    Where the hell were the men he and Buck had order to stay down here? Melissa’s SUV was parked alone in the lot and he pulled horizontal to it, uncaring of taking up two parking spots. He threw the truck into park and slammed out of the vehicle and locked it automatically, reaching down to ensure his weapon was in place as he took off at a fast jog for the caves. Just as he rounded the bend he heard Melissa’s cry then silence.
    Pulling his revolver, Ty made himself slow just to be safe. He was the only cavalry coming to the rescue and it wouldn’t do either of them any good if he was taken out. The first thing he saw was her prone on the floor and his heart almost stopped. There was no other sounds, no dust stirred, no noise whatsoever.
    “Lisa…” he whispered, pulling her up into his arms.
    She was so pale and cool to his touch it terrified him, but the bloody nose was more surprising than anything else. What could have caused her nose to bleed unless she was attached?
    Picking her up was easy, navigating the trail back to the trucks was a little trickier but Ty managed. Once he had her to the vehicles he broke out his emergency pack and laid her in the back seat of his truck, pressing a cool compress to her head and cleaning the blood from her nose. It seemed like a lifetime but was less than a few minutes before Melissa finally came awake, jerking up in the seat.
    “What happened?” Eyes wild and hands ready to fight, Melissa noticed two things at once. She wasn’t in the caves and her head was killing her.
    “You tell me!” Ty growled, kneeling down in front of her as he reached up to her nose again.
    Melissa moved back out of the way, pushing his hand with the wet wipe