Free Blade Dance by Danica St. Como

asshole. There’s no leak in the propane tank, and you know it.”
    He took a step forward. “Must be a stranger lurking. Maybe in the outbuildings. Someone could be squatting out there, and you’d never know.”
    “Theo, please leave. If you really need something, come back when the guys are home. Since you found your way in, you can find your blasted way out. Go away. I have work to do.” She turned back to the office just as all the niggling thoughts coalesced. Oh for fuck sake ! Right in front of my freakin’ nose !
    Wallis heard the footsteps, realized her mistake, but didn’t have time to defend herself. Doing the best she could, she ducked her head, presented a shoulder. She tried to get a better grip on the crutch, to use it as a weapon.
    Too late. He was on her.
    Pain radiated across her shoulder blades as something heavy crashed down and forced her to the floor of the parlor, just outside the office. She balanced on her good knee, the casted leg sticking out awkwardly to the side. There was no way to protect it.
    “You bitch, you can’t get away from me that easily.”
    She twisted around to sit up and reorient herself, tried to meet the attack. Holy crap, a cricket bat ! A fucking cricket bat ?
    “Theo, for chrissakes, what the bleedin’ hell is wrong with you?”
    “There’s nothing wrong with me, bitch. Do you hear me? There’s nothing wrong with me !”
    He swung the cricket bat again, a strong, two-handed blow—and smashed her cast hard enough to crack the fiberglass.
    She fell back to the carpet, screamed her throat raw. In agony, she twisted onto her stomach, dragged her destroyed leg as she crawled back toward the office.
    Theo grabbed her good leg, yanked, flipped her onto her back again. He dropped the cricket bat behind him, unbuttoned his left sleeve to reveal a thin black blade in a black leather sheath. He slid the knife from the sheath, leaned down, and showed it to her. He wore what looked like sturdy blue Nitrile gloves, probably to protect himself from blood and gore.
    “Now, we’ll play a little game. The rules are very simple. I cut you, you bleed, then you scream and beg for mercy.”
    Tears of agony morphed into tears of rage as they flowed down Wallis’s face. I may never see Austin or Michael again, but I’m sure as shit not going out begging to this worm . “You want a scream? I’ll give you a goddamn scream. Fuck off, you little piece of shit cocksucker !”
    She kicked out with her good leg, caught him a lucky shot square in the middle of his shin with her heel.
    Theo shrieked, dropped the knife and hopped backward. He regained his balance, rubbed his shin. “Bitch, that really hurt. You’re gonna pay!”
    While he scrambled for the knife, Wallis scooched backward, into the office. Alternately cursing and crying in pain, she dragged her destroyed leg to the side, slammed the door shut. She couldn’t reach the handle to lock it, but she was able to lean back against the heavy wood, using hands, butt, and good leg as brakes.
    Theo roared and crashed against the door, dislodging her slightly.
    Well, this shit’s not gonna work for very long . She scanned the office, looked for a solution. Any solution. Not much I can do from the freakin’ floor .
    Her other crutch leaned against the desk, but if she moved away from the door, he’d be on her before she made it more than a couple of feet. There was a five-shot Taurus Ultralite Revolver, loaded with .38 caliber wadcutters, in the bottom draw of the desk. Same problem—no freakin’ way to reach the gun before he barged in and finished her off.
    “Theo, why don’t you do yourself a favor and leave while you still can. At least you’ll have a head start before the guys get back.”
    “Oh, I’ll leave, all right, but not before you’re a cold corpse for your depraved lovers to find. Not before I slice you to ribbons. Not before I fuck you.”
    Her blood kicked up to the boiling point. Enough is bloody well enough,