"You'll be okay," he whispered. "It's not deep. Just hold this on your neck."
He took her trembling hand and placed it on the towel, forcing her to hold it. He brushed back her hair and kissed her forehead. "I'll be right back, okay?"
She watched as he walked away. She wondered where Jacob was, but she couldn't seem to ask the question out loud. She heard him shuffling around on the other side of the bed. Loud music gradually began to register, and she dimly recalled the Halloween party going on downstairs. That was why no one had heard her, why no one came sooner.
"Sera, do you know who this is?" Her hand fluttered up to clutch her torn shirt together as shivers racked her body. The blood was drying on her fingers, but she could feel more seeping into the towel. "Sera," he said more firmly. "Do you know who this is?"
"Is he still here?" she croaked, the words sounding alien to her ears.
"Yes. Do you know who he is?" She nodded as her hand fell into her lap. "Who is he, Sera?"
"Jacob."
A sneer curved his mouth as he looked down at his feet. "Jacob?"
Sera started to cry as blood spilled onto her lap and seeped into her jeans. "He said I ruined his life!" she sobbed, her body shaking. He climbed over the bed and grabbed the towel. He pressed it against her neck as he wrapped his arms around her. "He said it was my fault. That I asked for it. I didn't though. I didn't."
He rocked her back and forth as sobs tore from her throat. "I know you didn't," he whispered. "You didn't. How did he know you were here?"
She tried to stifle her sobs, but tears continued to roll down her face. "I don't know. He said a girlfriend of mine called him, but Kathleen wouldn't do that. I know she wouldn't!"
Liam's muscles became locked. "What about Michelle?" he grated.
Sera shook her head as her trembling hands clutched at his shirt. Her tears soaked his shirt and wet his skin. He hated her tears, hated seeing her so tormented, but he didn't know how to take it away from her. "I never told Michelle, and Kathleen wouldn't tell her." she choked out.
"Would she tell anyone else?"
"No."
Kathleen wouldn't have told anyone else; he knew that. He’d bet money Michelle was somehow involved in this. He kissed Sera’s bent head as her sobs eased.
"I need you to listen to me," he said in a mellow tone. "You need to keep this towel against your throat. I'm going to take you down to the bathroom. You're going to take a shower, you're going to change, and you're going to come right back here. You can't let anyone see you though, okay?"
"Okay," she muttered.
He disentangled himself from her and stood uncertainly. Her knees were drawn up against her chest. Blood had soaked into the towel and seeped down her neck to stain her torn shirt and jeans. Rage and helplessness battled through him in alternating waves. He should have been here to stop this from happening, but he'd been too late, and she had suffered even more because of it.
He forced himself to turn away from her before he couldn't. Before he scooped her up, carried her from this building, and took her where no one could harm her again. He moved around the room, gathering the stuff he would need. When he finished, he went back and helped her stand. He led her to the doorway and pulled the chain off. Her legs suddenly buckled as she slumped against him. He wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her up as he shoved the battered door aside.
Mike stood on the other side with his hand raised to knock. His hand fell limply to his side as he took in Sera. "What happened?" he demanded.
"Go inside, I'll be right back," Liam ordered briskly.
Mike nodded as he slipped past Liam. He led her down the hall to the bathroom, flicked the light on, and walked her in. Opening one of the glass doors of the shower, he turned the water on and adjusted the temperature. He stripped her clothes and held her at arm's length. She tilted her head back to look at him through glazed eyes.
"Sera, you need to do this for me, do you understand?"
"Yes," she whispered.
"I'm going to leave clean clothes on the sink. There's a bandage with them. You need to put it on your throat when you get out, all right?"
"Yes," she whispered.
He kissed her forehead. "Meet me in the room when you're done."
She bowed her head as he led her into the shower. The fog in her mind began to lift as she ducked her head under the stinging needles of water. He watched her raptly from the doorway. "I'll be all right," she assured him.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
He squeezed her arm and closed the door. She stood under the water, letting it pound against her as it eased some of the tension in her sore muscles. Blood pooled around her feet and flowed down the drain. She picked up the bar of soap and began to scrub herself vigorously. She slumped weakly against the wall as she started to cry again.
Chapter Nine
"What happened?" Mike demanded the minute Liam entered the room.
"Don't," he said coldly.
"Don't! Are you kidding me? Liam, he's dead!"
"I know that!"
Mike took a deep breath to calm himself. "What happened?"
Liam stared dispassionately at Jacob's corpse. If he weren't already dead, Liam would kill him all over again. He had finally met Jacob and done what he’d wanted to do, but it suddenly didn't seem like enough. He wished he could bring the bastard back to life so he could destroy him all over again.
"He was attacking her," he grated.
Mike ran a hand through his hair. "Who is he?"
"Jacob."
"Who is Jacob?"
"I don't
