Once again, molten lead poured down Kate’s back. Her brain erupted in wildfire. The agony that engulfed her was immeasurable. She was going to watch her husband and brother die, and her very being would shatter into a million hurtful pieces. Her and Andrew’s jokes about reincarnation and how she must have been one awful son of a bitch in her previous life seemed prescient.

Please, dear God, end this! I feel like I’m going to explode!

Her heart went into a stuttering rhythm, causing her periphery to go wonky and dark. It was so hard to breathe. But she didn’t dare take her eyes from the men she loved. She wanted Andrew to see her. She wanted them to look into one another’s eyes one last time and know they had done their penance. The next life would have to be better.

Ryker stalked toward the beast with only the ax handle to protect himself.

“Hey!” he shouted to get its attention.

It whirled around, claws outstretched, its demented face curled into a mask of animal hate.

“No, Ryker, don’t,” she huffed, but she was too weak for the words to span the distance between them.

When the creature moved, Andrew finally looked toward the porch. Nikki was still on the ground, bleeding profusely, while Kate’s mouth made O-rings like a fish gasping for air. Both hands now clutched her chest.

Ryker never broke stride, the ax handle raised behind his head. “Run, Andy, run!”

Shoot it, Andrew! Kate begged, her voice lost to the searing torment in her chest, radiating down her legs, through her arms, and exploding in the base of her skull.

Her heart made a loud, distressing thump, as if it were trying to break her rib cage and escape its confinement. It sent Kate sprawling onto the floor. She lay on her side, able to see through the slats as Ryker attacked the monster.

The creature howled loud enough to send every bird in the copious trees around them on a mad dash for safer limbs.

It tottered for a moment and then doubled over, sinking to one knee.

Ryker’s swing whooshed over its head and he lost his footing, spinning away and struggling to keep his grip on the ax handle.

Andrew stood over the fallen behemoth, the barrel of the rifle inches from its head.

Before he could pull the trigger, Ryker charged it, crashing the handle down on its shoulder with a crunch that echoed across the lake. The monster wailed in agony.

And so did Kate.

Chapter Thirty-Two