The Salvation of Daniel (The Blue Butterfly Book 2)

by Sidebottom, D H

  She smiled at me, then pushed at her duvet, scrunching it aside before she clambered onto my lap. Her little arms wrapped around my neck as she reached up and planted a kiss on my cheek. My soul swelled, my heart full of her scent.

  “Will you carry on with our story?”

  I nodded, manoeuvring her back under the cocoon of her bedding, tucking it around her tiny body. I waited until she pulled Herbert, her dog-eared white stuffed rabbit, under the duvet with her and smiled. “Where were we?”

  “You were being chased by the toad king.”

  “Ahh, yes. Well let’s see.” I pretended to think, squinting my eyes and making a funny face. She giggled and I popped them back open dramatically. “The sun beat on my back as I ran. I ran fast, Annie, so fast my feet barely touched the ground as I raced across the arid sands of the desert. ‘You will never escape’ King Toad boomed, his bad breath rushing past me and whipping my long hair around my face.”

  Annie’s wide eyes were glued to me, her mind enacting the story. The further I progressed, the further her eyelashes reached her cheek, until her soft snores halted my story telling.

  I suddenly panged for Mae. Tonight would change many things. And as much as I wanted to shield Annie from the things that were to come, I knew it was too hard a task to manage. She loved her daddy, and whatever or whoever he was, I knew with my whole being that he loved her just as immensely. That fact made this harder. But as much as I hated to admit it, I needed him for what I needed to do.

  I kissed Annie on the forehead, softly repositioning her bedding, and crept from her room, making sure to pull the door tightly closed so she wouldn’t hear what was about to go down.

  MY HEAD THUMPED. However, it wasn’t that that woke me. Every single hair on my body reared to attention. My blood rushed around my body as both rage and puzzlement tore through me. A foreign scent assaulted my nostrils. Darkness hindered my sight. My ears picked up the strong inhalations as my cheek bore the weight of heated, furious breaths.

  The knife that crushed my windpipe caused my body to freeze in fear and rage.

  “Believe me when I tell you that I would love to drag this blade across your throat right now, until the spill of your blood releases you of your past sins. I want to drink your fucking essence, savour in your death, rejoice in it until you shrivel beneath me.”

  Her angry but controlled voice halted my breathing. I had no doubt she meant every single word. The fact it was a woman stunned me. But it was fury that a fucking bitch was able to do this that made me clench my teeth.

  “Who are you?” I managed to grate past the push of the blade.

  “You have no idea, do you? That surprises me, Shepherd.”

  I was puzzled. Why would she be surprised by my lack of knowledge? “Come on,” I goaded. “You know my name, I think you should show me the same courtesy.”

  I hissed when the knife pressed deeper, the trickle of my blood itching a route down the front of my neck. “You deserve no fucking courtesy.”

  “I find that easy to reciprocate with the obscenity vomiting from you. I gathered you were no lady from your blatant stupidity in doing this, but your lack of refinement proves it.”

  She laughed. The fucking bitch laughed at me. “I was aware of your distaste for women but I think maybe you should refrain from passing judgement, Daniel… or should I call you Master?”

  My body tensed. Was she previous stock? Stock that had fallen into some sick twisted game plan? Some of the bidders had been what even I would call sick, and that was the only explanation to what was happening. Well, that or the whisky had been left to ferment a little too long.

  “I grant you permission to call me Master, little girl. But can you handle that side of me?”

  She scoffed and I bit my lower lip when she rammed her knee into my last vertebra, shocking my spine in agony. “Do you like little girls? Do you take from them what you take from women?”

  My mind was working, trying to figure out a way out of this. The blade was pressed so tightly that I had absolutely no room to move either her or me. If I tackled her, I would lose my life. I had no choice but to wait her out, hope she slipped up.

  “Were you stock? A lost lamb come to seek out her shepherd. Play wolf?”

  She tensed. “Stock?”

  Well her answer answered my question. “What do you want?”

  I bit back the pain when she took a handful of my hair in her fist and yanked my head back to an almost breakable position. “Hmm, redemption, forgiveness, a house with a white picket fence.” The blade dug in, breaking the skin slightly. “But first… Justice.”

  “For what?”

  “We’re going to do this carefully and slowly… and fucking wisely.” She pressed marginally harder, giving me a warning. “Get off the bed, but please be aware, any wrong move and you’re gone, leaving me alone with your daughter.”

  Panic surged through me, my jaw locking. How dare this person threaten Annie? She would die before I allowed any threat to be carried out. She came looking for the master and she would find the ruthless, unforgiving death he was capable of. “Annie? Where is she?”

  “Calm down, she’s fine. But that all depends on how we do this.”

  I gave her a tiny nod, wincing at the cut of the knife into my skin with the movement. “You have my word.”

  She laughed again. “I don’t hold much on that promise, but for now I’ll have to take it.”

  She nudged me, motioning for me to move. We moved together, her arm snaked around my chest, her hand pressing the weapon hard against me in a silent promise. I regretted my earlier decision to bury my dark side with alcohol, the fuzz in my head hindering any fight I could have put up. I had no choice but to let her lead – for now.

  She guided me to the doorway. I blinked, squinting when light flooded the room. I couldn’t understand why she had switched on the light, wouldn’t an assailant prefer the darkness, the shadows?

  We moved across the room again, her front pushing against my back, her breasts pressing into the swell of my muscles, guiding me to where she was taking us.

  I flinched when a hand covered my eyes. Her skin was soft against me, her hand quite small and only just managing to obscure my sight.

  We shuffled further for a while until she stopped us. “You know not my name, nor my reason for doing this,” she breathed in my ear. “But you will.”

  She removed her hand. I blinked to focus.

  The mirror in front of me seemed to suck out my soul when my eyes landed on her behind my shoulder. Her smile was sinister, icing every single cell in my body. My pulse galloped. My eyes watered from the vision, my mind screaming in the shock that rebounded off each lobe of my brain.

  “Hello, Shepherd.”

  “Lamb?”

  She tipped her head slightly, her bright blue eyes narrowing. “Is that what you called her? Lamb?”

  “Lamb.” I couldn’t form any other words. I wasn’t sure I was still breathing. I’d gone mad. My head was shaking, my mouth wide open as I stared at the reflection. “Lamb.”

  Oh God, my heart hurt.

  An intense throb gushed in my ears, the room blurring as my vision tunnelled until it was just Mae and me in the mirror. I closed my mouth, then reopened it, my eyes wide then small. My heart raced then dipped. My body didn’t know what to do. My brain couldn’t comprehend what my eyes were seeing.

  She gazed at me, assessing me. Very slowly she lowered her arm, removing the threat of the knife. She knew I wouldn’t hurt her. Not anymore. I’d hurt her enough and I would never grant her pain ever again.

  I tuned slowly, not trusting my legs to hold me up. I couldn’t decipher if she was real or a vision, yet I knew the alcohol hadn’t been strong enough to give me hallucinations. She stood still, allowing my eyes to soak her up. My God, she was still perfect. Still so fucking beautiful. My eyes stole her, my soul soaking her up as my mind refreshed the images that had started to fade.

  I blinked when my fingers
touched the edge of her cheek. I hadn’t been aware of even lifting my arm, but the sensation of her skin, her life, under my touch was incredible.

  A funny noise echoed around me. I wasn’t even aware where it came from. The pain in my chest threatened to choke me, to spilt open my rib cage and allow it grace against the tight restriction being forced on my heart. My breath was coming in gusts; short, then long, deep then shallow.

  Her lips felt soft and full under my contact, the slight dampness to them reminding me how they felt against my own. I hadn’t experienced her touch for two years. A choked sob filled the room and it wasn’t until I dropped to my knees that I realised it had come from myself.

  She stood above me, looking down on my weakness. I shook my head, whether it was to her or myself I wasn’t sure.

  “I… You…”

  “How many times was she on her knees before you?” she hissed, her pitch full of disgust and hatred.

  I frowned. Didn’t she remember? Had time stripped her memories? I prayed for that, begged with a God I didn’t believe in that she had come back to me fresh and unspoilt. I didn’t want to be reminded of what I had done to her, and I hoped that she didn’t either.

  “Did she beg when she called you Master?”

  My eyes scurried over her face, confusion rendering me immobile. I reached out, wrapping my fingers around her thigh just to feel her again. Electricity streamed into me, life poured into me.

  She looked different to how I remembered her. I had wanted to remember every inch of her, every groove of her body, every exquisite part of her, but she had changed. I couldn’t pinpoint it, what was different.

  “Mae,” I whispered as I ran my hand down her leg, my hold completely wrapping around her calf.

  She suddenly dropped to a crouch before me, making me jerk in surprise. “Wrong!” she spat. “Look again.”

  I peered at her, not understanding her hatred towards me. She had told me she loved me. Had time given her reflection, given her a chance to see what I did to her?

  “Look. Again.”

  I reared back slightly, wounded by her hostility. My eyes studied her, searching for answers.

  “Oh my God,” I wheezed out. My fingers were once again on her face, tracing a scar that was no longer there. “Connie.”

  HE REMAINED ON his knees, staring at me in shock. His chocolate eyes swirled in confusion causing a blood vessel in his temple to swell. His adam’s apple bobbed up and down, his full lips parted to cater for his erratic breathing.

  “How?”

  He seemed angry now, the dark blaze in his eyes piercing me with his narrow glare. I smirked, chuckling bitterly. “Well, I didn’t climb out of the ground if that’s what you’re wondering.”

  He didn’t answer me, but got to his feet and walked across the room, palming the bed to support his shaking legs until he shuffled round and plonked down on the edge of it. He dropped his face in his hands, the muscles across his shoulders pulling tight. It was only then I noticed his lack of clothing, apart from shorts, his bare torso looking a little too nice for my liking.

  “You need to get dressed.”

  He didn’t answer nor did he move. I strolled to his wardrobe and hunted for some clothes for him. “You need to get dressed. We need to leave.” I threw some jeans and a t-shirt at him. He looked up at me when they slapped him in the head and fell to the floor beside his feet.

  “What?”

  His brow pinched, confusion tightening his features. His eyes dulled as he looked at me. I could see the pain in him as though looking at me was agonising. “We don’t have time for this. Go get Annie.”

  Something snapped and his eyes narrowed. Anger morphed from puzzlement, disbelief transformed into realisation. “You!” he whispered.

  “Me?”

  His chest heaved as his face darkened. The bite to his bottom lip made me aware he was losing control. “It’s you who has been visiting Annie.”

  I sighed and shook my head. “We don’t have time for this shit. Be grateful I haven’t fucking killed you.” I took a step towards him, smiling coldly at the hatred on his face. “But you need to be aware… I’m not Mae, I won’t bow down to you. Fight me, and I’ll fight back.”

  I caught his wrist quicker than he managed to strike me, my fingers curling until I dug into his flesh. He hissed, then yanked his arm so I fell against him. Fuck, he was strong. He spun me round, pulling my arm severely until I was face down on the bed, his knee digging into the base of my spine, the strict hold on my arm pulling my shoulder painfully.

  Fool!

  The back of my head connected with his nose, triggering a loud grunt from him. His grip loosened with the shock, allowing me some leverage. I rammed my elbow into his ribs, winding him as he bent forward, which in turn removed his knee from my back.

  He was under me in seconds, the muzzle of my gun digging into the back of his skull.

  We were both panting, trying and failing to control our emotions. “You know,” I spat as I brought my mouth to his ear, ramming the gun harder against his head in warning. “I should just shoot you right now. In fact, I should have shot you eighteen fucking months ago.” He tossed beneath me, trying to buck me off. “I am warning you. This is not the first time I have used this.” I wiggled the gun further into his hair. “And it won’t be the last. Do you need to find out which bullet has your name on it? Cos’ I am more than happy for us to find out. Now stop this bullshit and listen.”

  He grunted something which I took as an acknowledgement to carry on, even if it wasn’t.

  “Your…” A noise vibrated along the hairs in my ears, sending warning signals into my brain. My body stiffened and so did Daniel’s. “They’re here.”

  I jumped off him. “Get Annie.” He shook his head in bewilderment. “Now!” I hissed.

  “How do I know I can trust you?” He narrowed his eyes on me. “You’re a ghost.”

  I scoffed as I slipped the door open slightly, listening and peering through the gap before turning back to him. “No Daniel. I’m a Phantom.”

  His puzzled expression took a little longer to develop into awareness than I thought it would have. He really was an utter fool. I nodded, confirming his racing thoughts. “Now you get it. Move – now!”

  “Fuck,” he hissed as he suddenly shifted behind me, both of us creeping through the door and along the hallway towards Annie. “Who gave the order?”

  “You think they tell me that?” I glared at him. “Shut up. Phantoms are trained to track the lowest sounds out there. And believe me when I tell you – you are not quiet!”

  We stopped outside Annie’s room. I tilted my chin, silently telling him to go get her. He nodded and slipped through her door. Mumbled voices echoed from the room as a shuffle along the lower hallway grabbed my attention. Screwing the suppressor onto my gun I then reached down and slid the stiletto, a long thin blade, from my boot.

  “Hurry,” I whispered through the door, my gaze locked on the curve of the stairway, my eyes searching the wall for moving shadows.

  “Daddy?” I heard Annie’s questioning, frightened voice.

  “Sshhh, baby. I promise you’ll be fine but you have to be extra brave for me. You must be quiet and do as I tell you. Okay?” She must have nodded because his reply of “good girl” ached my heart. She shouldn’t have to go through this. She was a child. I cursed whoever had given the order. I’d been promised Annie would be clear when this went down. The lying fuck!

  I held a hand up to Daniel when he opened the door to come back out. Annie’s face lit up. I managed to slap my hand over her mouth before she could talk to me. Her eyes widened, terrified and confused on my gun.

  “This is the end of the story, sweetie. We need to end the toad king.”

  Daniel stared at me but I ignored him, my eyes holding onto Annie’s as I tried to instil some sense of security and calm. She gulped but nodded. “Good girl. You are so brave. I need you to do something for me.”

  Her lower li
p quivered but she nodded. “Okay,” she whispered.

  “I need you to close your eyes and don’t open them until I tell you to. Can you do that?”

  She nodded firmly, as though grateful for my order. “Yes.”

  “You are definitely getting the biggest bowl of ice-cream that your tummy can gobble up.”

  She smiled at me, tears trickling down her face. My stomach ate at the bile trying to force free. I slipped my hand over her face, curling a piece of her soft locks around my little finger and tugging gently. She nodded, knowing my gesture meant I had sealed a promise with her, as was our ritual.

  “Okay Annie Belly, time to run, sweetie. Hold on to your Daddy and let me see how tightly you can squeeze those eyes.” She nodded and squeezed her eyes closed. “Absolutely fantastic. Now remember, whatever you hear or feel, you keep those tight, as tight as can be. I promise it will be over soon. I promise, sweetie.”

  She gave me a firm nod. I shifted my eyes to Daniel. He was watching our interaction closely, his eyes narrow and furious but he gave me a nod. I slipped the pistol from the back of my jeans. “You know how to use this?”

  His brow quirked high. I nodded and passed it him, needing to trust him. “Don’t make me regret it.”

  He scoffed quietly. “Oh, I’ll make you regret many things. But not saving my daughter.”

  I secured his eyes, my lips lifting into a grin. “I’ll look forward to it.” I pulled in a breath, unsure how many were down there. “Time to go.”

  We moved slowly towards the stairs, me halting Daniel every now and again as we passed doorways so I could make sure they were clear. The stairs were our biggest problem, open and exposed. Holding up a hand to still him, I crept down them one at a time, leaving him and Annie at the top until I cleared our way.

  A shadow shifted to my right. I turned, my finger pressing the trigger quicker than he had time to turn towards me. Blood splattered from the back of his head, throwing him into the wall.