The Salvation of Daniel (The Blue Butterfly Book 2)

by Sidebottom, D H

  His face contorted into fury, his attention solely on the hatred that my words initiated. “Better than you were,” he bit out as he stepped forward to drive the knife into my stomach.

  I swung my legs, wrapping them around his neck as I let both hands yank at the chain, pulling him up with the help of my body weight and the secure hold on his neck. The excess slack in the chain gave me enough leverage to twist and snap his neck. His dead weight wrenched the chain, his body dropping to the floor and heaving my own body upwards sharply. The choke was suffocating as my lungs struggled to cope with the restriction of air, my throat burning as I was slowly strangled. I grabbed the chain again, attempting to pull it but Darren’s bulk refused me any leeway.

  Fuck! I refused to die there, like that. I knew I didn’t deserve much out of life, but I’d hoped death would be a little more accommodating.

  Swinging towards the pole was impossible as I reached out to it with a leg. My system was starting to shut down as I clawed at the clasp on my collar. My eyes shot to Darren then zeroed in on his pocket knowing the key to the collar was in it, but he was too far away, his corpse resting on the floor. God damn! My vision blurred, my heart beat slowing as my organs started to go into shock.

  “Fuck!”

  Daniel rushed over to me, shifting his body under me until I was straddled on his shoulders. My lungs filled rapidly, my gasps for air sending my brain into a panic.

  “Slowly, Connie. Take long slow breaths.”

  I knew how to breathe, stupid arsehole! I rested my hands on his head and dropped my forehead onto my hands as a wave of dizziness came over me. “Are you always this late to the party?”

  He chuckled as he kicked at Darren, probably making sure he was definitely dead. “Hold onto the pole while I get the key.” He directed my body back to the pole and I took hold of it once more.

  He caught me when he unlocked the collar and I fell. “Fuck,” I blew out.

  “What the fuck happened?”

  “We need to get out of here!”

  “What?” He blinked at me, his forehead creased in puzzlement.

  “They know who I am.” I dropped from his hold when he lowered my feet to the floor.

  “Shit. Your back.”

  “Superficial. Don’t worry about it.”

  “It doesn’t look superficial, Connie. They are quite deep.” He turned me round to get a better look at the wounds.

  “We can deal with them later. Right now, we don’t have time.”

  He sighed, giving me a cautious look. “Are you sure. There’s no other way? This will ruin everything.”

  I stared at him. “My death will ruin everything, Daniel. Don’t worry, this doesn’t change the end game, just the route we take across the board.” He shrugged but nodded. “Are we clear?”

  “Yeah, the house is empty.” He dropped his eyes to Darren. “Well, it is now.”

  THE DOOR SWUNG open revealing a tall woman, a mass of blonde curls pulled back into a bunch behind her head. She frowned at me then her eyes widened when they shifted to Connie who was holding on to me for support.

  She rushed forward, dragging Connie’s other arm over her shoulder and pulling her into the house. “Shit, Con. What the hell happened?”

  “Hey.” My brows rose at the soft look they exchanged, Connie’s lips turning into a genuine smile, one she didn’t display often. “I’m so sorry, Katey. I wouldn’t have come to you but I…”

  Katey flapped her hand at Connie, halting her apology. “Don’t be silly.” Her eyes shifted to me. My brows elevated further with the hatred she exposed. “You must be Daniel.”

  She didn’t give me a chance to reply before she directed me through a long corridor and into a bedroom at the back of the house. “Lay her on the bed.”

  Connie smiled at me weakly, obviously apologising for her friend’s harsh tone as I settled her on her stomach on top of the large bed. I smiled and shook my head. “It’s okay.”

  Katey returned with various medical equipment. “Katey’s a doctor,” Connie explained when I watched her pull several things from a small case.

  “Ahh.” I nodded, finally understanding the reason she brought us here.

  Katey started to cut through the back of the t-shirt I’d managed to slip over Connie’s head, exposing the deep cuts, a deep sigh leaving her when she found what awaited her. “Jesus Christ, Con.”

  I winced when the material that had stuck to her skin pulled at the fresh injuries causing the bleeding to start again. Katey turned to me, her eyes narrow and heated. “Do you need to be here?”

  I stared at her, humour touching my lips.

  “Katey,” Connie said softly, her head turning so she could look at Katey over her shoulder. She reached out her hand, Katey linking her fingers through Connie’s. “It’s okay, love. He’s okay.”

  Katey lifted a brow, disputing Connie’s declaration. “I doubt that but for now I’d prefer it if he left me to work.”

  Connie’s eyes swung to mine, asking the question Katey hadn’t the decency to ask me herself. I lifted my hands and shrugged. “Sure.”

  “Can you fetch my things from the car?” She gave me another apologetic smile.

  “Sure.” I blew out an irritated breath as I left them to it.

  I was drinking coffee when Katey walked in to the kitchen. “She okay?”

  She didn’t answer me straight away, her rigid body walking past me to the sink and filling a glass of water. I kept my gaze on her, her hostility making me guarded. She palmed the edge of the sink, her back to me as she looked out of the window.

  “Did you sleep with her?”

  “Did you?”

  “I don’t think that’s any of your concern,” she spat.

  I tipped my head. “You just answered your own question.” It was obvious she was in love with Connie. Their relationship surprised me but on the other hand, it didn’t. Connie was one of those that took sex for what it was – sex, a way to please and release tension. It wasn’t sentimental for her, nor was it personal. She took it as it came, and in a way I admired her for that. Emotions just got in the way, as I’d found out with Mae.

  She turned around, her eyes both angry and sad. “Did you do that to her?”

  I laughed, causing her to bite her lip. “No. No, I did not.”

  She shook her head and eyed me warily, crossing her arms over her chest. “But from what I’ve learnt about you, that is something that would fit your… character.”

  I agreed with her wholly, but not this time. “Look, we don’t like each other, and that’s fair enough but let’s just try and get on for Connie’s sake. Hopefully we won’t be in your way for too long. How is she?”

  She hesitated, weighing up my words before she sagged. “She’s okay. She has to watch for infection. And knowing Connie, her injuries won’t hold her back.” I nodded in agreement. “She’s sleeping at the moment.” She walked towards the door but stopped and turned back to me. “I’ll stay with her. Let her rest, it’s what she needs right now. God knows, you’ve taken up enough of her nightmares.”

  “I’m sorry?” Her cryptic words caused her to blanch when she realised she’d said too much.

  “It doesn’t matter. Just let her rest for tonight.”

  I took a gulp of my now cold coffee and nodded. “I trust you’ll heed your own directive.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Nothing, just… allow her some rest.”

  She knew what I meant; her guilty expression told me exactly what she’d hoped would happen between her and Connie tonight. My dick hardened with the thought but, strangely, my gut twisted with hatred. I blinked, pushing the feeling aside before standing and placing my cup in the sink.

  “You’ll find blankets in the cupboard in the hallway. Unfortunately I don’t have a spare bed so the sofa will have to do.”

  “That’s fine.” I flicked her a glance. “Thank you.”

  “I’m not being considerate for your benefit. But Connie wil
l expect me to play host like a good girl.”

  I bit back the amusement and locked her gaze. “And are you a good girl, Katey?”

  She bit her tongue and huffed in anger. “No, Mr Shepherd. I am not. But given your standards… I’m fucking holy.”

  I chuckled, pushing out my cheek with my tongue and nodded. “I’ll remember that.”

  She walked away, fury radiating from her. Rolling my eyes I huffed at myself. Why the hell did I always have the need to belittle women? Memories of my childhood flooded my head, my mother’s sickening pleas to my father, visions of her on her knees, her hands clawing at his clothes as she begged him not to leave her. The guilt of her death was crippling but I refused it, shaking my head to eliminate the nightmares that haunted my days.

  Lifting my gaze through the window, my breath stuttered as my heart locked down, my throat tightening as I spotted a tiny blue butterfly resting on the windowsill outside. I couldn’t look away as it appeared to stare at me. The fact that it was dark out made my skin ripple with goosebumps, my stomach both flipping excitedly and my legs trembling with the pain capturing my breath.

  “Mae?” Her name came out a choked whisper as I lifted a hand slowly. It stayed there, regarding me as I touched the glass with my finger, stunning me further. It continued to watch me for a while before it fluttered its wings and flew into the darkness.

  I closed my eyes as disappointment flooded me, then sighed when I realised I was actually going crazy. Maybe it had been a moth and I was just confused. Butterflies weren’t nocturnal, and the moth had probably been drawn to the light shining through the kitchen window.

  I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was still early and suddenly there was somewhere I needed to be.

  I didn’t want to wake Connie so I grabbed my jacket and quietly closed the door behind me.

  “Hello, lamb.”

  Annie would be heartbroken at the sight of the weeds pushing through, their ugliness marring something that we both held dear. Dropping to my knees beside the grave, I plucked them from the ground, piling them at the side of me ready for dropping them in the bin on the way out of the cemetery.

  “Well.” I sighed. “Your sister is not how I imagined she would be.” I chuckled to myself, picturing Mae’s smirk. “She acts tough though, yet something tells me that’s just a muse, camouflage for the pain inside.”

  I brushed away the pile of leaves and debris that had come to rest at the base of the headstone with the high winds we’d had recently. I frowned when my tidying uncovered a fairly fresh white lily. I scanned my surroundings as though I expected the bearer to still be there. The graveyard was quiet, it was night after all, but I shuddered when something didn’t fit. Connie had been with me for the previous few days so I knew it hadn’t been her who had decorated Mae’s resting place.

  “Who came here?” I asked out loud then rolled my eyes. “Good God. I think I might actually be losing it.” Maybe Helen had brought Annie. Yes, that seemed the most appropriate explanation. Relaxing slightly I traced the embossed wording on the stone, my skin once again touching Mae as my fingertip skimmed over her name.

  “I miss you.” I told her, knowing I didn’t have company and could be honest. It was the only place I could be honest. I didn’t know the reason why but her company always found its way inside me, giving me the freedom to liberate my thoughts and feelings.

  The breeze picked up, generating a chill through me and triggering a shiver. “Do I trust her? Do I allow her to command how this goes? You know her better than me, my darling. I need your thoughts.”

  An emptiness enveloped me when nothing but quiet answered me. “She didn’t leave you, Mae. She saved you… More than I could ever do.” The lump in my throat was back. It was time to go. Kissing my fingers, I ran them over her name and smiled sadly. “I love you, lamb. I’ll always love you. I still feel you, watching me,” I disclosed with a shameful whisper. “You’re still in here.” I palmed my chest and sighed. “You’ll always be here, right at the very front.”

  I took a step away then turned back to her. “Save a place for me, Mae. I’ll be joining you very shortly.”

  I PEELED MYSELF from Katey’s hold, soothing her murmured moan with a stroke of my thumb across her cheek. She sighed, falling into the deep realms of sleep once again. Her naked body held me hostage for a minute and I debated waking her for a moment. Katey was many things, amazing in the sack was one of them, however her emotions were her downfall. The thought saddened me. She deserved so much more and definitely someone who could appreciate her and love her.

  The fact that my robe still hung from the back of her door hurt my heart further but I shook it off as I pulled it around me, wincing at the pull on my stitches, and tied the belt.

  The house was too quiet, making me aware Daniel was not there. I flicked on the kettle while my laptop fired up then logged into the program I needed. My mouth dried when Daniel’s location flashed up.

  He had me so confused. His lifestyle, his profession, was very selfish. However, his emotions regarding Mae were conflictive to who he was. I had studied him for eighteen months, watching his moves, his relationship with Annie, his contact with women and although he never brought them home when Annie was there, he still had a tendency to go for the women with kinks. Daniel Shepherd liked to fuck with pain. Mae had been very much a gentle person so I knew she would never have had that kind of relationship. So what had been their connection because their association, especially for Daniel, had not been anything romantic?

  I pulled the pre-pay phone out of my bag and connected it to a lead then into the laptop, sending its signal via several satellites to disguise our location before I dialled.

  “PIC financial services,” a woman’s voice answered.

  “Four-three-two-nine. I require a call back from management.” Terminating the call I stared at the screen, my anger already rising before I even heard his voice. It rang almost immediately and I gave it a few rings just to piss him off before I connected.

  “Hello, my love.”

  “How does divorce sound?”

  His deep laugh both made me smile and heightened my fury. “Well, it sounds rather drastic.”

  “Drastic?” I stood up, turning to focus on the garden as I tried to simmer the rage in me. “How dare you. You do know Darren tried to kill me?”

  He was silent for a moment. “Really?”

  “Oh yeah. Would that have pleased you? Is that what you want?”

  “Now, love. You know you’re talking with your emotions. If you take a moment to calm down…”

  “Fuck you, Isaac. How the hell do you expect me to be calm when I find out my own husband has stabbed me in the back?”

  He drew in a deep breath, a slight hiss vibrating through the phone. “I suggest you calm down. I have not misled you. You’re seeing things that aren’t there.”

  “He tried – to – kill – me, Isaac.”

  “Yes. And maybe that’s because you killed Blade. You know if that was any other Phantom, their lives would already be over. I will not tolerate that kind of behaviour, and you of all people know that. You… YOU, Connie, turned on your own for someone who deserves nothing but the swiftness of your blade. You are letting your heart rule over what needs to be done. If you’re having trouble finding the courage to do what is needed then return and I will send another to finish what you were supposed to have nothing to do with in the first place.”

  I rubbed my eyes, exhaustion suddenly overtaking me. “Isaac…”

  “My love…. One moment,” he spoke to someone, the sound of a soft feminine voice loud enough for me to hear through the phone.

  “I’m sorry, you have company.”

  “No woman comes before my wife, she’ll wait.” I rolled my eyes, already knowing the woman would currently have her lips wrapped around Isaac’s dick, making his declaration null and void when he wouldn’t have to wait at all. “Listen Connie, I specifically told you not to involve yourself in this
particular contract, which is the reason I sent Darren into the Shepherd house. Yet you chose to deceive me by ignoring my order. You went rogue, my love. You put them before your family.”

  “Annie is my family, Isaac. She’s the only blood I have left. I can’t… and won’t carry out that particular side of the contract.”

  He sighed. “Yes, we spoke of this. All arrangements are made for her to be cared for after. As for the other part… I need to know your stance on that.”

  Closing my eyes, I pushed down the surge of emotion and swallowed before answering. “I will respect the order.”

  “Very well. For now I will leave it in your hands.”

  “I miss you,” I whispered. Isaac was the only one who could ever talk sense into me, made things clear and uncomplicated.

  I could sense his soft smile, his eyes closing when my words wrapped him up as they usually did. “And I need you home. No one sucks my cock the way you do.”

  I smiled, shaking my head in amusement when I heard the gasp of his female friend. “And I think you just ruined your orgasm for tonight.”

  “I’m sure Becca will oblige.”

  “I’m sure she will,” I spat. Becca had been after Isaac for many years, much to my infuriation. Although we shared an open relationship, both of us having numerous other lovers, Becca was the one that caused my jealous side to rear its ugly head. She’d had a relationship with Isaac before we married when I was seventeen, but she refused to back off, forever touching and shimmying up to him.

  His laughter both angered me and amused me. “You know I would never go there, Connie. She is the only one capable of hurting you and therefore the reason I refuse her.”

  “I know,” I said quietly, hating how my jealousy chose to be so obvious. “I’m sorry.”

  “Good girl. Now I must go, Jem currently has her finger up my arse and I’m rather eager to finish what we started before she bails on me.”

  I couldn’t hold back the laugh. “Well enjoy, baby. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Yes, you will. Take care, be safe and use your head.”