Taken Back Pt. 05

"See, that's you letting your guard down." Her hand shook a little and she tried to remind herself that getting angry was only letting him win. She couldn't let him affect her this way, it was what he wanted.

"Are we going to be betting anything?"

"I'm glad you asked, in fact we are.If you win, you get to ask me any question you want, free of consequence and I swear on the Good Book itself I will answer it honestly. But..if I win the round, I get to ask you a question and you have to swear you are going to answer me honestly. Because if you don't...well I suggest you just just play by the rules."

She nodded, not sure there was really any other choice. What kind of questions did he plan to ask? Was this what everyday was going to be like with him? Living every second in anxiety and terror? She glanced at her card that was face up, it was a 3. She gently picked up the edge of the card that was face down and saw that she had a 7. She tapped the table and he flipped another card over face up, it was an Ace. She bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from smiling.

"I'll stay." He lifted his face down card up and flipped it over. He had a ten and an 8.

"Looks like you win sweetheart. What do you want to ask me first?" He picked up the cards and began shuffling the deck again as she tried to think of what she should ask him.

That was assuming that he was actually being honest.

"How did you find my dog's veterinarian office?" She felt a bit light headed as she held herself impossibly still. She felt brave having asked a such a forward question. He stared at her for a few minutes, just long enough for her to begin to wonder if perhaps she had been too forward. Had she demanded too much information? Would he be upset with her? As she opened her mouth to apologize he interrupted her as he spoke.

"That was a stupid lie, I was not about to tell you the truth in case you managed to escape me again. But now that I have you completely under my thumb, I suppose I could tell you the truth; I have a cousin who works with the U.S Marshall's office, has access to some very secure information. I knew where you were for a long time before I decided to bring you home."

Her skin crawled, he had stalked her, just as he had days before kidnapping her the first time. She tried to wrap her mind around what he had just revealed, he had family that worked in the government. Just exactly how big was his family?

"Why didn't your cousin tell you where Emily was then?" He lifted his finger and wiggled it at her scoldingly.

"One question per win sweetheart."

"I'm sorry, please deal, I am ready for another round." Clyde grinned as he dealt them each another hand and Lyndsay tried not to grimace when she lifted her card. An Ace and a 9. She chose to stay. But he won with a Queen and an Ace. 21 exactly. She folded her hands in her lap as she waited for her question. He began to shuffle the cards again as he leaned back a little and contemplated what he wanted to ask first.

"Wanna grab me a beer darlin?" She fetched him one and even managed to open it for him. She held it out for him and waited for him to finish shuffling before he reached out to take it and then she returned to her seat across from him.

"Why did you decide to keep Samson?" She felt stunned for a moment, she had not expected to be asked that. Did she tell him the truth, all of it? Or should she give him the answer she thought he wanted to hear? Or did he already know the answer and this was a test. She sighed and decided to go with the truth.

"Emily convinced me to; practically begged."

"A better explanation than that," he chided.She took a few deep breaths, taking herself back in time. She had asked the Doctor herself if she was too far along to get an abortion; Emily had overheard the Dr and Nurse talking about it in the hallway and rushed to her room. She had begged and cried. Lyndsay had wanted to get mad, she had resented that Emily had tried to made her feel bad, but in the end she had made the only choice she could live with.

"I was scared, and hurt, but Emily kept telling me that God didn't make mistakes, that the baby was a blessing. Something good to come out of the whole situation. I am grateful that she convinced me because he has brought me more happiness than I could have possibly imagined." Clyde smiled, pleased with her answer and he dealt another round, then won again.

"How did you come up with the name Samson?"

"That was also with help from Emily, she helped me come up with list of names. Samson was one of her choices and I just fell in love with it." Another hand, this time Lyndsay was the victor so she repeated her question she had asked him earlier.

"I already knew where she was Skye; I wasn't going to try and grab her while trying to keep you and Samson from leaving. I will not underestimate you again, sweetheart. I simply wanted to see if you were going to tell me the truth. I was surprised when you actually did, that is the moment when I truly understood just how much the boy meant to you." Suddenly blackjack wasn't fun anymore but she didn't say a word as he dealt another round. But she won and had no choice.

"Have you ever thought about living in their world?" He looked intrigued by her question, and not by simply the question itself but the manner she chose to phrase it. She no longer considered that world hers; and she couldn't, not if she wanted to survive.

"A few times actually, but then I spend a few days in your world or I pick up any newspaper or magazine and I know where my true home is. If you give it a honest chance, you will come to love it as I do." She gave him a weak smile, her lips unable to lift further than halfway up her face.

"I love anywhere I am with you." He dealt another round, smirking at his cards as he waited for her response; she ended up going over, letting him win as a result.

"Do you really love me, Skye?" The world seemed to slow to a standstill as she stared into his beautiful electric blue eyes.

"I love you as much as I am able," she replied carefully, reaching a hand out and placing it over his.

"Thank you for not lying to me." Lyndsay gave him a smile.

"I agreed to the rules, I will never earn back trust if I start breaking my word now."

He lifted her hand and his lips grazed her knuckles before he went back to shuffling the cards before dealing another round. He won again.

"Were there any complications with your pregnancy and delivery?" She sat speechless for a moment; it was such a strange question to ask. Why did he even want to know? How much was she willing to tell him? What would happen if she left anything out?

"Samson was born 2 weeks early, in the month of November. I gave birth to him in the hospital and I did it naturally. I gained 30 lbs by the end of it, I had prenatal vitamins. He was 7lb, 8oz." Clyde smiled as he dealt out the cards.

"That is good news, we ought to have success in the future when we try for more." Lyndsay swallowed hard and nodded. He dealt. She won.

"How are you able to support yourself?" He paused, looking intrigued.

"That is a very interesting question! Well they took everything after you ran to the cops, so the money I have now is from working for cousin Dale. The property is paid for, and I have enough saved away that we have nothing to worry about for a very long time." Clyde dealt, and won.

"Were there other men?" She looked down, her heart racing.

"I am afraid to answer that question." she admitted. Clyde frowned, leaning forward.

"I promised you your answer would be free of consequence, as long as you tell me the truth. I want everything out in the open between us sweetheart."

"One. We went on several dates before we ended things." By several she really meant for nearly a year before they had tried to be intimate with one another.

"Why did things end?" She wanted to point out that he was ignoring the one question per win rule, but she knew that wasn't going to get her the answers she was seeking.

"He....well...he couldn't handle all the scars." Her face turned a deep red as she relived the painful memory. Despite the fact that it had been dark, he had felt them and when he turned on the bedside light the look on his face had been horrified. In that instant he knew her secret, who she was, who she had been. Her story had been published in every magazine and newspaper across the map. It was amazing what a bit of hair dye and contacts could do to change your image. She hadn't meant to cry, but the tears flowed freely as she remembered.

That moment had been the nail in the coffin for Lyndsay, it had finally hit home that she was ruined, that nobody would want her after the things that had been done to her body. Clyde and his brothers had ruined her. His hand covered hers this time, and she wiped her eyes furiously as she finally looked up.

"Come with me," he instructed, standing and pushing his chair aside as he pulled her back towards his bedroom. Once they were past the threshold he pulled her against him, pressing her into a deep kiss, his hands pulling up her nightgown, tossing it aside and he ran his fingers over the scars that covered her.

"You are beautiful, Skye. Scars do not take away your beauty, they are signs that you have survived life. They tell a story." And then he began to kiss them, starting at the small white lines that were near her collarbone. His mouth was warm as he planted little wet kisses his slight stubble tickling the sensitive flesh.

His hands dipped lower, her legs parted for him and he groaned against her skin. He was being soft and gentle, and she wasn't going to ruin his mood by fighting him.

"Oh darlin', can you feel how wet you are?" he whispered huskily. She nodded, her head thrown back as she let the sensations of her body take over. His lips enclosed around her breast, tongue flickered across the rosy hardened bud. Lyndsay gasped, her hips flexed outwards, seeking out more and she hated that it had become such a conditioned response. He slowly led her backwards towards the bed where he pressed her back until she was laying across it. And she ran her hands through his short dark brown hair as he mouth traveled lower.

"Clyde..."

"Shhh....just lay back darlin." She let out a shaky breath and spread her legs further apart. His lips touched her thigh and she could feel him slid two fingers inside her just as his tongue reached out to lap up the moisture that had gathered there. Her hands gripped the bedsheets as her hips left the bed sheets. He placed one hand on her lower abdomen, holding her in place as he pressed his face in closer, latching on with his mouth, and Lyndsay cried out. The sensation of his mouth doubled with the feel of his fingers pumping in and out had her squirming beneath him.

"Please..." she pleaded. Her body climbed higher and higher, seeking that final peak. Her breathing became ragged, as he licked her with vigor until finally she came. Her hands found their way into his hair as she tried to pull his face away as he body rode wave after wave of pleasure. He grabbed her wrists and pulled them to her sides as he pulled his face away.

"I will decide when I am finished," he announced, lapping up the last of juices that gathered between her legs. She shuddered, tiny sparks of electricity shooting off through her whole body as his tongue flickered across her sensitive clit. His entire lower face glistened in the light and she felt her cheeks flush at the evidence of her arousal. He wiped his face clean with one hand as he climbed on top of her, sliding easily between her legs. He cupped the back of her head, his electric blue eyes staring deeply into hers.

"You are even more beautiful when you are on your back moaning like that. Such pretty noises you make for me." Then he kissed her, the taste of her on his lips but she couldn't care less. He slid himself in slowly, one inch at a time, as he took one of her breasts into his mouth.

The heat of his mouth had her gasping, as he fucked her slowly. She could feel her orgasm building, every thrust bringing her closer towards an even bigger climax. She lifted her hips to meet his and he slowed down.

"We go at my pace." But her eagerness had him straining to hold himself back. He wanted to be slow, to tease her. But when she looked at him with those soft pleading eyes and her body squeezed down tightly on him; it made it hard for him to remember that. He lifted her hips as he picked up his pace, she watched as he slid his thick rigid member into her pussy over and over, a cry escaping her lips and her fists gripped the bed sheets.

Clyde continued to drive himself forward, hips slamming down a little harder. He entire body tensed when he felt her walls clamp down around him and he exploded; melting against her, face buried in her hair.

"You have no clue how much I love you, Skye." She ran her hand through his hair and he lifted his head to smile, giving her a quick peck before rolling over to lay beside her. She rolled and curled against him, taking comfort in the feel of his hard body pressed firmly against hers.

"I love you too, Clyde."

~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~

Lyndsay began to pace the living room, an absent hand rubbing her now protruding belly. Clyde had gone out to hunt whatever was killing off the livestock. They had found a hole in the back of the barn, hiding behind a wall of hay. They had lost two pigs. One of the bodies had been dragged out through the snow, leaving behind a trail of blood that led into the woods. Clyde had thrown on some warmer clothes, grabbed his rifle from a safe in the hallway closet and with a quick kiss goodbye headed out into the woods. But that had been several hours ago; it was much darker now, the temperature continued to dropping. She didn't understand why he was taking so long, unless...he was hurt.

He had told her to stay in the house, but as the clock steadily ticked away she considered disobeying him for the first time in several months. Lyndsay rubbed the small of her back as she forced herself to sit down. Dinner had already gone cold and the house was quiet except for the cold wind blowing outside. What if whatever had been attacking the farm animals had attacked Clyde? If he died, she would never see Samson again; a promise he had made multiple times. What if he was laying out in the elements, severely wounded? What if he needed her help? Was it worth risking his wrath? Ten more minutes, then i'll go, she told herself.

While she waited for the time to pass she searched through the closets until she found a winter coat and spare pair of boots. After writing a quick note to leave on the dining room table, she put on extra layers, glad that Clyde's clothes were big enough to fit over her pregnant belly. She had expected to escape before this happened to her again, and all she could do was hope it was a boy. She had not really allowed herself time to think about how much more difficult it would be now to escape. She had done it once before, and managed to take three other women and all of their children. But as everyday passed, it got harder to think about the one day she might escape. When she glanced at the clock, her self imposed time limit was up and she opened the front door, bracing against the cold. She stood there, with the dim yellow glow of the front porch light shining down on her as she breathed in the brisk air.

She scanned the yard but the only thing in sight was the ominous dark trail of blood leading away. She headed out and it didn't take long before she worked up a sweat. The flashlight beam lit the way and she debated how far down the trail she should follow. The blood trail slowly dwindled away, the snow getting lighter until it was more of a bright pink. She wasn't sure if she should call out for Clyde, or if the noise would attract whatever had taken the Sow. Then again if Clyde saw the light he would call out. She continued walking, pushing back the hood to the jacket and wiping the sweat from her brow. She had to pause and rest against a tree for several minutes.

The house began to shrink until she could no longer see the dim glow off the porch. The only noise she could hear was the creaking of the trees and whistling of the wind. How much further was she willing to risk going? And then she heard it, it was soft, barely audible between bursts of wind. She paused and closed her eyes as she listened, it was a moan, that she was certain.

"Clyde?!" she yelled, as loud as she was able.

"Skye?" His voice was faint, but she followed it and when she found him, she rushed to his side, his flashlight abandoned beside them. He was propped up against a tree, his face pale, lips held a bluish tint. His leg was at an old angle, and upon closer inspection she could see tears in his jacket. Whatever had taken the sow, *had* attacked him. The white snow was stained a bright red and she had a moment of pure panic.

"Please don't be cross with me; tell me what I need to do." His lip quivered and teeth began to chatter as he managed one last word before falling unconscious.

"Home." She tried unsuccessfully for several minutes to wake him back up. She checked his pulse, it was slow and light but it was still there. She stood, brushing the snow from her borrowed jeans and picked up the rifle. A Remington 700, bolt action, she recognized the model immediately, it had been the first gun her father had ever bought, and he had passed it down to her on their first hunting trip.

Her hands shook a little as she held it, the familiar weight taking her back through time. It would be so easy to line the barrel up and simply pull the trigger; but what would happen to Samson? She had no means of finding them, even if the police were to pull his phone records, he had family in the government, someone could give them a heads up. She shook her head and tossed the rifle over her shoulder. How was she supposed to bring him back? If she went back she might not be able to find him again. She tried to wake him up, quite unsuccessfully before cursing. Lyndsay cursed every foul word she could think of as she struggled not to cry from the frustration. Slowly Lyndsay slid Clyde onto his back, a wail of pain escaping him as he was shifted, causing Lyndsay to smile.

*Well, it isn't all bad*, she thought sadistically. She attempted to grab him by the shoulders of his jacket, but all whatever had attacked him had shredded most of the fabric, making it too weak to pull him with.

Lyndsay let out a little scream of anger before making her way to his waist. Her cold fingers fumbled as she began to unbuckle his belt. He grunted as she jerked it free and wound it under his armpits, creating a small loop. She had seen it once in a movie, and it was the only option she could think of now. She didn't have time to waste, she needed to get him inside and try and keep him alive. Clyde was dead weight, even with the aid of the snow helping glide him along it was almost instantly that she began to sweat and grunt with the effort. A few sharp pains in her stomach but she breathed through it and kept going, focusing on the small porch light in the distance. Her eyes watered and her nose turned numb as she dragged her husband across the forest floor, sweat began to trickle inside her layers, making her itch and overheat, but she couldn't very well take off more layers. She ignored the aches and pains and eventually she got him inside, dragging him right over the threshold, dragging in pink snow with them. She tossed the rifle onto the couch and began stripping her layers as she ran for Clyde's black medicine bag and a thick blanket.

Inside the bag were his medical shears and she used that to strip him down. The first thing she needed to do was get him naked so that she could get him dry and warm before she could inspect his wounds. After peeling off several layers of her own she got to work, starting with his jacket and ending with his boxers. She covered him with the blanket then ran off to get more. She tossed several towels into the dryer, letting them heat up as she threw some hot water on the stove. Pink was returning to his skin and she knew that was a good sign. She used the stethoscope to listen to his heart, which was steady, but slow. Had she got to him in time? She had been in the girl scouts, but that was as much as her knowledge went as far as first aid. She wished for Emily, she would know what to do. Even as a young girl, she knew so much about medicine it made Lyndsay's head spin. Emily had been the real hero, without her getting the sedative, Lyndsay would have never been able to make that escape. She shook her head, there wasn't time to think about that right now. She peeled back sections of the blanket at a time and assessed his wounds, determining the giant gashes in his side being the worst of it.grabbed the medical gauze and a bowl of soapy warm water. She began washing the long strips of flesh that his torso had been turned into and she wasn't' sure anything she did was going to make a difference. It looked bad, *really* bad. She could see parts inside his body that she didn't want to see and it took all her strength not to pass out.