“You most certainly—” She ended in a whimper of pain.
He clamped down pushing soft tissue against jagged teeth, cutting off her words. “Shut up, bitch.”
Over the thug leader’s shoulder, she watched Eddie half rise from the road. Stay still. Please. She pleaded with her eyes.
“That’s better.” He threw off his grip.
The quick jerk to the side heated her neck and base of her skull. She worked her jaw to check for any permanent damage. Thank God he hadn’t dislocated it. She swallowed the metallic taste of blood.
Eddie focused on her.
“I’ve found my bitch.” The thug smacked her cheek then fisted her jacket front and pulled her to her feet.
She gasped for air as her toes brushed the ground and his knuckles pressed against her throat.
“Pick your women, men.” Metal jingled then cold steel encircled her wrist.
Her stomach emptied into her throat as the handcuffs joined both hands. She swallowed the dregs of her breakfast. The jerk deserved to be vomited on, but somehow she knew Eddie would suffer for it.
“Missus S!” Oscar called out in a reedy voice.
Audra step forward. Her arms were pulled back and aches radiated from her sockets. “It’s okay Oscar. I’m okay.”
Jerking her hard against his wide chest, the head thug turned toward the boy. “My you have a lot of friends.”
Oscar skidded on the snow but caught himself before he fell. “Don’t take her.”
Faye Eichmann jogged behind Oscar. Ropes of pearls and chunks of diamonds glistened in her hand. “We can pay. Take it. All of it. Just let us pass in peace. All of us.”
The head thug shoved Audra’s shoulders.
Her knee twisted from the torque. Joints popped and her leg collapsed. She tried to catch herself, but the handcuffs hampered her movement. Rocks scraped her palms as they rolled out from under her. She landed on her elbow then her shoulder. The impact rattled out her head. She closed her eyes least they popped out.
“I don’t want your jewelry, you stupid bitch.”
Something hit the ground near her head. The jewelry most likely. God bless Faye for trying.
“Now get back or I’ll kill you.”
“Take me instead of her.”
Audra’s eyes popped open. Mom! “No!”
Jacqueline Silvestre planted herself in front of Oscar and Faye.
“I don’t want an old, worn out hag.” The man reached down and grabbed Audra by the hair. “I want someone young enough to train but old enough to have a couple of bad habits I can enjoy breaking.”
Her neck arched, crackled down her vertebrae. Bitterness coated her tongue. “It’s alright.” Audra caught her mother’s pale eyes. “I’ll go with them.”
He bent down and shoved his face in hers. “You think you have a choice?”
No. She knew the status quo. But eventually it would change and she would take advantage of it. Instead of answering she raised her chin.
“I’m gonna have a lot of fun with you.” Without releasing her hair, he glanced up. “Men take your women and line ‘em up. As soon as we take care of this, the sooner we can party.”
Feminine cries rippled through the group. Tina the Teacher’s Assistant was shoved to the ground next to her. Becky the high school student joined her. Two more girls that Audra didn’t know followed. Fear widened their eyes. They all looked to her, begged her to do something. Anything.
Helplessness welled up from the pads of her feet. She sought out Eddie. Two men jerked him to his feet then slammed him against the bus. His head bounced off the metal then lolled back.
Loss fisted her heart. Oh Eddie. Please be alive.
The men tossed him aside like garbage.
“This is the way it works in my kingdom.” The leader released her hair. “We take what we want and we want these prime bits of cattle.” He ran a knuckle down her cheek.
She jerked away.
“The rest of you will board your bus and get the hell off my land.”
Audra’s mother opened her mouth.
“But if any of you says a word, we’ll shoot one of our prime breeding stock.” He smacked Audra across the face. “Cover ‘em up.”
Tingles raced across her skin. Her breath locked in her throat as someone produced pillowcases. One by one, the women next to her had their faces covered. She heard them sob, felt an answering one in her chest. A blue and green striped one flapped open next to her.
“No.” The leader pushed the pillow case away. “The bitch needs to see what happens to the disobedient.”
Oh God.
“Round up the rejects.”
His men forced her people to their feet. Her mother glanced back over at her as the thugs pushed and shoved her people toward the working buses.
“Don’t think about coming back because if you do, they’ll be the first to die.”
Mrs. Rodriquez helped Eddie to his feet. He staggered a few paces to the left then the right.
The constriction in her chest eased. Thank God he was still alive. He would get everyone to safety.
Holding his messed up pants away from his bottom, Stuart tip-toed after them. “I’ll look after them Audra.”
“Now see what you’ve done.” The leader jerked on her upper arm.
She leapt to her feet.
“Everyone stop!”
His thugs cocked their weapons and aimed randomly at people’s head. None of her people moved.
“He didn’t mean it. Please.”
“Get used to begging.” He wrapped his arm around her neck, making her stoop. “Cole, which one of the bitches is yours?”
A man in black jeans and leather jacket pointed to Tina.
Audra shook her head. “Please. Please, I’ll do anything, just don’t hurt her.”
“You’ll do anything I say anyway.” He petted her like she was a dog. “Ralph. You know what to do.”
A beefy man stood behind Tina. The small Asian girl straightened. He pulled a gun and aimed it at her chest.
Audra willed her eyes to shut. They refused to obey. She needed to see this, needed to bear witness to the cost of her failure.
Powder exploded from the barrel. Tina jerked forward then fell. Ralph raised his arms above his head and planted one foot on Tina’s chest.
The teacher’s assistant wiggled. Her people gasped. A few of the older folks stepped forward. Guns pushed them back.
“She’s still alive.” Audra tried to reach Tina, help her. The leader’s arm cut off her air.
“Damn Ralph. Next time, take the head shot.” The leader chuckled. “Now, they’ll watch her die as they leave.”
Audra began to sink to her knees. Poor Tina. She’d been so kind and gentle. “Please let me…”
A cloth was yanked over her head.
She recognized the green and blue stripes from the pillowcase. Light filtered in through the cotton; it tightened around her throat.
“Now that I’ve made my position clear. Get the hell out of here!”
She flinched as more shots rang out. Oh God, please don’t let them have killed anyone else. Before she heard the thud of any more bodies, engines started. The deep rumble of the buses. She heard the belch of brakes then the crunch of slow moving tires.
Her heart ripped in half. Don’t leave me. Be safe. Don’t leave me. Be safe. Blackness crowded her vision as her lungs sawed for air.
A cold wind shoved through her clothes as she stood there.
First the tires fell silent, then she couldn’t hear the engines anymore.
“Ralph, make sure they’re good and gone.” The leader loosened the noose around her neck. “Okay, men, let’s get the ladies to their new home.”