Bentz fired, unloading into the naked man as he fell upon him. Jay was at the tub in an instant, dragging Kristi from the murky, red water. She was unconscious, her body limp and pale, the slits on her wrists dark with smears of crimson. He tore at his shirt, making strips for bandages. He couldn’t lose her now. No way. He had to save her. Frantically, he wound the fabric over her right arm.

“No!” Althea raged. “I need her!” Climbing from the tub, she pounced, her eyes bright with her madness.

Blam, blam, blam!

A gun fired and Althea’s body jerked as the bullets ripped through her flesh.

She gasped, covering her wounds as she fell, screaming, “No, no…oh, no…Scars…I can’t have…scars….” Blood bubbled from her mouth with the final words.

Montoya stood in the doorway, his weapon still aimed at her.

“Call 9-1-1!” he yelled as Jay wrapped the strips of cotton over Kristi’s wrists.

“They’re on their way.” Mai was already at Bentz’s side as he pushed Preston’s body away. “You okay?”

“Fine.” He was on his feet and crossing the room to kneel beside Jay, who was cradling Kristi. The slightest pulse was visible at her neck, but Jay knew she’d lost too much blood.

“Hang in there, Kristi, you just hang in there. Don’t you dare leave me.” His throat was thick and though he knew Bentz wanted to touch his daughter, to hold her, Jay couldn’t let her go. She was breathing, but just barely, and he willed her to survive as Althea Monroe breathed her last.

Through the veil, Kristi heard the crack of gunfire, smelled the acrid odor of cordite, and heard voices…frantic voices. People shouting. People running. People screaming. She felt herself being dragged from the water and one voice was louder than the others.

Jay?

She tried to open her eyes but couldn’t, and though she felt his arms around her, heard his muffled voice telling her to hold on, it was impossible.

“Don’t you dare leave me….”

Another voice. Her father’s?

If she could just pull back, if she could find the strength to open her eyes, to push back the curtain to…

“Kristi! Stay with me, darlin’! Kristi!”

Jay’s voice was steady, determined, as if he were willing her back to him, but it was too late. She wanted to tell him she loved him, that he shouldn’t worry about her, but her lips wouldn’t move, the words wouldn’t come, and she felt herself slipping ever deeper, floating away…

It seemed to take forever for the paramedics to arrive, but when they did, Kristi was still breathing. Shallow breaths, but still alive. The EMTs administered to her, placed an oxygen mask over her face, and carried her out on a stretcher.

“I’m going with them,” Jay insisted.