She let her head loll forward, then back as he shook her. Though she wanted to kick his teeth in, she knew she had to wait until just the right moment, when her faculties were sharp, when her body obeyed her mind.

But what if it’s too late? What if he kills you first? Are you going down without a fight?

She thought about trying to overpower him and knew she should wait. She had to, if she wanted to escape.

“Dumb cunt,” he muttered, and left her on the floor. He closed the door again and turned the key.

You missed your only chance! You should have fought, tried to run!

No…she knew that wouldn’t have worked. Shaking inside, she took deep calming breaths. She had to outsmart the son of a bitch.

She remembered little of the previous hours. She had fuzzy memories of being nude on a stage of sorts and Dr. Grotto biting her neck, but after that, after she’d passed out from fear, from the drugs she’d been given, or whatever else, she remembered nothing.

She tried her legs again. They wobbled, bound as they were, but she could move her hands, and if she could somehow untie the ropes…no, not ropes or chains, but tape, thick duct tape that held her ankles together.

She sat on the floor and wished for the first time in her life that she had sharp nails. But her fingers were nearly useless as she tried and failed to tear at the plastic-coated tape.

She thought of Jay. Why hadn’t she told him she loved him? Now, there was a chance, a very good chance, that she might never see him again and he’d never know how she felt, how she’d fallen in love with him.

You have more important things to think about.

Again she tried to rip at the tape, but to no avail. But her body was responding now; she could give it commands and her muscles did as they were bid.

She levered her legs upward, pulling her ankles as close to her torso as possible, then leaned forward. She was flexible from years of athletics. Tae kwon do and swimming had helped. She stretched her spine and positioned her mouth over the tape between her ankles. Then she bit down hard and flung her head backward. Her teeth skated over the tape. No purchase.

Damn!

She tried again.

Failed.

One more time, concentrating hard. Straining. Sweating. She had to get herself free before he returned. If so, if she could stand, catch him off guard, sweep his legs out from under him.

Do it, Kristi, just effing do it!