Read Even In Darkness (Between) for Free Online Page B

and stars danced at the edge of my vision. I couldn’t take a deep breath. “What did he do? What are the charges against him?”
    Officer Campbell moved toward me and all of a sudden, it hit me where I’d seen him before. When we arrived in Edinburgh, the customs officer named Robert had leered at me, telling his partner in Gaelic that he’d like to wear my ass as a hat. It was a good thing Aiden hadn’t provided the translation until we were out of earshot, because I wanted to claw his creepy face off. And now that face was looking right at me. But we weren’t anywhere close to Edinburgh now. What was going on?
    “Robert?” I asked and his eyes widened a fraction.
    “My brother is Robert and aye, he’s the one who alerted us of your husband’s questionable passport.” And by the tone of his voice, ‘questionable’ clearly meant ‘fake’.
    I took a step toward Aiden and Robert’s brother moved behind me, his arms snaking around my body. His breath was warm on my ear as he whispered, “He also told me what a lovely lass you are and I have to agree.”
    Officer Murray had turned to place a hand on Aiden’s head to press him into the back of the car, so he didn’t see Campbell’s hand come up and squeeze my breast.
    But Aiden did.
    With a roar, he broke free of the policeman’s grasp and charged toward Campbell. He wrenched the man off me. “Get your hands off my wife.”
    I pulled Aiden away from the policemen, back toward the fence, feeling the crunch of snow under my feet as we got close to the edge. Swinging around in front of him to break his eye contact with the asshole who’d grabbed me, I put both hands on his cheeks and shouted his name.
    “Aiden! It’s okay, I’m okay.”
    His eyes flew open wide as he focused over my shoulder. “What are you—”
    An electric spasm ripped through my body as the taser prongs pierced my clothing. My muscles seized up and I lost all control of my body, pulsing in agony. I flopped forward against Aiden. He circled his arms to try and stay upright, but the snow was slick under his feet, and he couldn’t keep his balance with my dead weight flung against him. We crashed backward through the fence and toppled over the edge of the cliff toward the icy waters below.
    The last memory I have is of falling through empty space with Aiden’s scream ringing in my ears.

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 6
     
     
    Complete darkness engulfed me. The sensation of falling had abruptly ceased, replaced by a soft, floating feeling. I flung my arms out in front of me, blindly trying to make contact with something, anything, to orient myself. My feet touched ground.
    Aiden? Are you there? Even in my head, my voice wobbled with panic.
    I’m here , but I can’t see you. Are ye hurt? He sounded near and far away at the same time. I couldn’t make sense of it.
    Blinking rapidly, hoping my eyes would adjust enough to capture some light in the black void around me, I took a tentative step forward. Strong arms found me, held me, caressed me. I clung to him like a drowning woman.
    “What’s happening? Why can’t I see?”
    Aiden’s hands wandered over my body, through my hair, tracing the contours of my face like he was memorizing the shape of me. I took a hiccupping breath and noticed that his natural woodsy scent was gone, replaced by something unfamiliar.
    “Don’t be afraid,” a deep voice whispered. It didn’t sound like Aiden.
    I shoved against him. “Who are you? Where are we?”
    Though it was impossible to see, I felt his grin. “ I am your lover and you are right where I want you to be, precious. Now let us see who emerges the victor, shall we?”
    Before my brain could process what that could possibly mean, I was falling again.
     
    ***
     
    I hit the ground with a thud, landing hard on my right shoulder. Pain lanced down my side as I rolled to a stop. Sharp edges of wiry grass bit at my face as I struggled to right myself. Light burned my eyes and I