by Lee Cockburn
He licked the side of her face and said, “You taste very nice, whore. Good enough to eat, and I will eat you, literally.” He then bit down hard on her shoulder and she screamed out in pain. He ground his teeth into her and blood oozed out into his mouth as he moved his head back and forth like a dog ragging a small animal. Tears rolled down her cheeks as her pain-filled cries filled Susan’s ears, anger, terrorising her to the core. Leave her alone you evil bastard. He pulled Kay’s hair hard once again, dragging her onto her front on the floor, her skirt askew with the struggle and movement. John gripped her inner thighs and stroked up to her panties and back down again. Kay felt sick as his hands rasped at her skin violating her beautiful body with his unwanted touch. He bent over her and rubbed himself hard up against her, biting down on her firmly clenched buttocks, scarring her with his hideous tooth print, branding her as his property. He owned her. Again she screamed out in pain, struggling so violently that even John was taken aback. Pushing up with her knees, she thrust her backside firmly upwards slamming hard into his nose. She’d drawn blood and he winced as his eyes began to water. His rage intensified and he punched the back of her head full force, sending her face slamming into the floor, the deep pile rug the only cushion stopping her head from hitting the hard wood flooring full on. The blow was enough to break Kay’s nose and send her teeth through her lip. She moaned with a little less spirit, now badly injured and shocked at the unbelievable situation she was in. It was at that moment she realised who her assailant. As she rolled onto her side to get her breath back she looked up at his face. It was the face that covered every wall of the briefing room - John Brennan. Oh my god! Oh shit, oh shit! Taylor come home, please come home. Hear me, please hear me. As she went to drop her gaze, he was ready with his hands raised to strike her again.
“Who do you think you are looking at? I’ll tell you when you can fucking look, breathe, scream or die. I’m in charge, you fucking dyke bitch.” The sting of his hand burnt her face as the back of it struck her with the speed of a whip and the force of an anvil. This time she didn’t raise her head back up. She deliberately kept quiet and dared not move. Her stomach churned with fear and her head felt like it was going to explode with the ferocity of his assault.
Susan struggled so violently the silk cut deep into her, rubbing her skin away and leaving weeping burns beneath. The material only gave a little and not quite enough to get a hand free. Susan’s face was still badly swollen and bruised from his previous assault when he’d captured her. Where am I? Whose house is this I’m in? Susan looked around her. The only light was from the hall; he’d left the light off to subdue her senses. Susan looked at the photos in the room and had to do a double take as she looked straight at Taylor’s face. She was in uniform and was receiving an award. She looked strong and courageous, her uniform enhancing her physique and presence. When are you coming home? You won’t take any of his shit, will you? Well you look like you won’t. Don’t let us down. Where are you? Hurry up?
Taylor was still typing away on her keyboard. Marcus had just finished, and Taylor wasn’t too far behind him. Marcus couldn’t wait to hold his son, cuddle his wife and tell them how much he loved them. He had really believed his life was in danger tonight. They had all lost a close friend and seen another humiliated by a madman, who was now on the run with his prize captive. Taylor stood up and gestured for Marcus to come over. Open armed and with a warm smile, Taylor held him tight and whispered, “You take care, you, and look after yours. You know we can’t stop hunting him. It’s our duty. Oh, and I love you - in a sisterly way of course.”
Their bodies parted and she gently shoved his shoulder and told him to get back to his family, where he belonged. Taylor loved Marcus and his perfect life. She even wished she could experience the love of a child. Their warmth for each other was apparent and the years they had worked and socialised together had created an unbreakable bond; the many traumatic situations they had shared would bring anyone closer together. He looked back at her and said, “I love you back, you big womanising goddess.” Taylor faked a shocked look at his comment and waved as he moved to the door. She also sent her statement off and went through to Findlay’s office. Her face was not a happy one as she had to ask if there was anything else he wanted her to do prior to finishing up. He deliberately made her wait asserting his power over her. He knew she was raging and disappointed at being stood down from the operation but he wasn’t bothered. He was just covering his own back without a care for anyone else, even though they’d all put in a load of work and lost friends and colleagues tonight.
“I suppose you’re good to go then. Oh, and I’m sorry you’re off the case. We just needed a fresh team, new eyes so to speak, no hard feelings eh?” She could feel his insincerity. You condescending fat prick. We worked our fucking fingers to the bone and this is what we get. I fucking hope you get demoted you useless twat, Taylor thought to herself before he dismissed her like a school child from a head master’s office. Taylor turned quickly on her heels to exit the office as quickly as she could.
“Anything nice planned for the evening?” he called after her.
Not that I’m going to tell you about, you slimy creep. “No sir, just a quiet night in.” With the sexiest woman in the office, that you can’t keep your piggy little eyes off and probably have wet dreams over. “Nothing to write home about, just a well needed rest, boss”. And she left, refusing to be drawn into more probing chat about her life.
Taylor practically marched out of the office as fast as her feet could carry her. She went to the locker room and quickly stripped off her clothes and had a much needed shower, the spray strong and hot massaging her head. She moaned in relief as she pushed her fingers through her hair, then stood motionless as the realisation of the night finally hit home. Tears filled her eyes as she thought of Steve and the other officer who had fallen in the line of duty, slain like animals, no chance to defend themselves. Her mind then floated onto Fran. How she had been assaulted cut deeply into her heart. Taylor knew that Fran meant something to her and she had crossed a very dangerous line. She put her head right back and soaked her face, shook herself back to the present and got out of the shower and hurried to get dressed.
Faded jeans, trainers and a cotton top, fitted of course, and a unisex fragrance sprayed all over her to please Kay, rather than the aroma she had shared with her earlier in the office. Her heart also longed for Kay. She was puzzled over the possibility of having true feelings for two women, not just the urge to sleep with them. She actually cared for them both. Taylor bounced down the stairs and almost ran out of the building. The car park was still dark and there was no-one about, an eerie silence hanging over the night. Tingles crawled up the back of her neck that made her hurry to her car. The events of the night had affected her more than she had thought. She wasn’t as confident as she had been the other night; he had taken that from everyone who had been in the forest. Once in the car, she looked in the rear seats immediately just to make sure she was alone. Get a grip woman! He’s really got under your skin tonight, hasn’t he?
¤¤¤
Susan continued to struggle in the dark to no avail, fear and sadness taking over her senses. She felt desperate and about to lose control. She wanted to take back some sort of control of her life, or at least how and when she would die. She took several deep breaths and clenched her fists and gritted her teeth as the pain made her head go fuzzy.
Kay lay still on the rug. There was no movement from her at all, John was furious and stamped down on her ankle. The snap was deafening and Kay couldn’t keep up the pretence up any longer. She screamed out in agony as he broke her bone.
He slapped her face and said, “I knew you were faking it. Do you think I’m fucking stupid, you slut? Fucking bitch, bitch, bitch.” He hit her and punched her with every word. He was losing it too, full of rage and apprehension of being detected. He was a man on the edge with nothing to lose apart from his life.
Taylor sped through the ni
ght, a trained driver well aware of her surroundings. She was excited about the evening ahead but also fearful of the gut wrenching infidelity she hoped wouldn’t be too obvious to Kay, whom she knew she didn’t want to lose. She arrived in her familiar street, a fond homecoming, unaware of the danger within her precious haven, and drove a little more carefully up to the house. She pulled into her driveway, totally unaware of the extra guests that awaited her inside.
Kay’s ears were ringing from the sustained and brutal assault but still pricked up as she heard the familiar sound of tyres on the gravel outside and the hum of Taylor’s engine purring before the ignition was switched off.
Susan also sat bolt upright, her heart pounding with expectation and hope. Help us, Taylor.
The key was pushed into the lock and the sound of the door opening sent three people into action.
Chapter 36: Two’s Company, Three’s a Crowd
Taylor floated into the house, Kay’s scent instantly filling the air. She called out for her, announcing her arrival. She could see the dim lighting from the living room but couldn’t hear anything so she called again in case she was upstairs. Taylor smiled at the warm glow that invited her into the living room. I bet she’s fallen asleep, poor thing. Who cares! I just can’t wait to hold her. She moved excitedly towards the room, looking forward to seeing Kay’s beautiful face, to kissing her and just being with her with no-one else to get in their way.
Taylor put her head round the door and her jovial mood was deleted in an instant. Terror ripped through her insides. She saw Kay’s body lying on the floor covered in blood. She moved as quickly as she could to be at her side and knelt down, trying to pull Kay’s hair off her face. It clung to her with thick congealed blood, sticking to her like a vile glue. Her only thought at that moment was Kay’s welfare; it looked like she was dead. Taylor’s heart was screaming no. When she moved Kay round, she flopped over and to Taylor’s surprise, her lips whispered softly. Taylor jumped and her heart skipped a beat, “Taylor, he’s here. He’s in here. He’s in the room somewhere. Run!” She floated back out of consciousness and her weight lay heavy on Taylor’s legs, a dead weight.
Her eyes suddenly caught a movement from the corner of the room. Despite her training, she had just waltzed straight in to the room and headed for her wounded lover without checking why she was injured, who had done it and with no thought of any danger that could still be there in the room beside her. John’s eyes were fixed on Taylor like a snake ready to strike, its prey in focus; he had watched her come into his place of work on several occasions and he’d had unnatural thoughts about her then, never thinking he was ever going to get to live them out. His desire heightened, which fuelled his venom to hurt her, to have her; he had the upper hand and the strength to beat her. He moved quickly and powerfully from the void behind the door. Totally focused on Taylor, he sped towards her with the strength and speed of a silverback gorilla. Taylor saw the figure careering in her direction out of the corner of her eye. She leapt to her feet and skipped backwards, trying to put some distance between them. She looked at John, right in his eyes, and her heart jumped as she realised that she actually knew him; not from the photos but from the CCTV unit. She had worked alongside him on occasion and she’d even spoken to him more than once. She just hadn’t been able to make the connection until now, as she stared full on into the cold and unfeeling eyes of the devil. They were filled with hate and rage and frighteningly focused on her. She recalled the discomfort she had felt back then at being in the same office as him, sometime last year, and could not believe she hadn’t made the connection when hunting him from the photos until this fateful moment. It was totally unlike her, her mind refusing to contemplate that a work colleague could be the killer. He lunged forcefully towards her, stumbling slightly forward as his foot clumsily landed full weight on Kay’s thigh. This enraged Taylor into making her move with the agility of a gazelle. She crossed over into his fighting arc and swung a vicious kick towards his head. High, skilled and powerful, it struck him forcefully, right on the temple. He grunted as the pain rocked him backwards and, stunned, he stumbled and fell on top of Kay, landing heavily on his backside right on her back. Kay just lay there completely motionless, there was no noise, no cries of pain, nothing at all. She was lifeless. Taylor’s eyes dropped to look at her, faltering at the thought she may be dead or dying, but she quickly focused again. Taylor reached into her pocket for her phone as she headed for the doorway in an effort to escape the room, hoping that he had finished with Kay for now because, if she was still alive, any more pain would certainly kill her. He was like a cat with a bird; it was only fun when there was a response from the prey, and now there was nothing, so Kay’s chances were higher.
Taylor had underestimated his ability to move quickly; he pushed down hard on Kay to get himself back up and reached out his hand, grabbing Taylor’s trailing wrist so ferociously that she thought it was going to break. He twisted it round so hard that she had to tumble to the floor and manoeuvre round to stop him breaking her forearm. The phone was gone, ripped right out of her grip, strong that it may be for a woman, his was much, much stronger. This was the least of her worries, however, as she was now like a snared animal, with a monster moving in to feast upon her. He still had her arm in a vice-like grip and she could feel his strength as his finger dug deep into her muscle, pain searing through her; she could feel the fibres tearing. This kept her animal instincts on fire; she was not about to be raped and brutalised by this beast without putting up the fight of her life to prevent it.
He hauled her up close to him, forcing her arm up her back, their faces almost touching. Taylor curled her face away from him, her mind racing. She was totally frazzled with everything she’d been through in this very long day, disbelieving the predicament she was now in. What do I do? How can I beat him? Marcus, Marcus, I wish you were here. Brennan gritted his teeth and almost snarled at her, a savage beast, his breath rancid and his eyes filling her with dread. She was starting to believe she might actually die tonight.
“John, what the fuck do you think you’re doing? What the fuck is wrong with you? Get a fucking grip of yourself!” she yelled straight into his face. Spit flew as she shouted at him, terror coursing through every single vein within her. She was trying to find the human inside him, trying to dominate him verbally. She hoped there was a little normality left to reason with, trying to shock him back to reality. He just smiled back at her like a demon in a horror movie, a real life one for her. Nothing stirred in the deep black pools of his dark and lifeless eyes. Taylor swallowed hard and tried to hide her fear; she had to try not to show him any weakness, although she knew she was in some serious shit here. No gun; it was locked up in a box back at the office. Her only other weapon was lying up in the bedroom, a weighty metal baton; it was kept close to her bed for protection, too far away to help right now though.
Marcus kissed his wife as if the world was ending, almost like there was no tomorrow. He had held his son earlier with tears in his eyes, knowing that two people had not returned to their loved ones that day. He felt blessed as he tried to express the horror of the night they’d all faced without going into too much graphic detail. His wife held him tightly, hugging him like a mother holding her child. He could feel the moistness around his eyes as the realisation of still being alive hit home hard.
He looked at her and said, “You know, he’s not been caught yet. He’s got Susan and nobody knows where he is.”
She felt cold, ice cold, instantly, as she watched her strong, steady almost invincible husband weep before her eyes. This news met her with dread; the thought that such a monster was still on the loose made her sick to the stomach. No-one was safe.
“Well, it’s up to you to work out where he would go, officer.” Her strength and support flowed into him. He was aware that she could see the love of her life almost broken from the cruel reality of defeat.
“He’s just a man, Marcus, a demented, deranged and very damaged man, but
a beatable man. You’re stronger than him. You’re good and good always beats evil in my world. All you need to do is believe it, then prove it!”
“I’m off the case. They took the whole squad off the case and changed all the personnel because we were at risk of being affected by the death of our colleagues today.”
“Really? That just sounds like a crock of shit to me. You know more about that man than anyone else does. That’s not the real reason and you know it. What’s your boss saying about it?”
“Who? Taylor or Findlay?”
“Taylor of course, boss is a very loose term for Findlay. Weak slime ball is more apt,” she said with annoyance in her eyes.
They both laughed out loud. She knew them both so well from how Marcus had described them to her on many occasions.
“What’s Taylor doing tonight anyway?”
Marcus looked down, almost guiltily. “Having a quiet night in I presume,” he replied very furtively.
“Alone?” she probed.
“Probably not, knowing her.”
“She’s surely not going to take it lying down, so to speak.” She laughed as Marcus got the double entendre. “You know what I mean. She won’t be beaten by him or the politics at work. You’ll need to speak to her to see what she’s going to do about everything.”
“You’re right. I’ll go and see her later and have a wee chat with her. There’s no way I’ll sleep anyway. I don’t want to spoil her night though. I’ll give her an hour or so, then go round. Longer, I reckon, if I know her and what she’ll be up to.”
“I didn’t mean go round. I meant just phone her to talk about it and let her know how you feel.”
