“Ev, the lake is just ahead. We’ll get her in the water and little man will do his thing. There’s still a chance,” Creed offered feebly.
Evan gritted his teeth angrily and gripped the steering wheel as he sped up so he was parallel to the van. Without having to talk about it, Creed knew what Evan wanted.
Creed was yelling even before his window was completely lowered. “Theo!” he hollered across the rushing wind between the vehicles. “The girl is gonna die. We need to do this now!”
Theo’s eyes darted to the back seat to see Sloan’s grim expression. He nodded once then did something very un-Theo like. He yanked the wheel of the van hard to the right and charted a direct line to the water. The tires of the van sought the rugged vegetation to grip giving the van the traction it needed to manage off-road. Evan was right on the van’s back bumper, bouncing and jostling along the same path as the others.
Thankfully, there wasn’t a car in sight at 3:38 AM local time. Theo navigated the terrain with more heart than skill, threading the van between two villas and stopping on the wild grass that used to be one of the house’s backyards. The rough sandy beach was only twenty yards away.
Evan pulled up beside the van, yanked the gear into park and cut the engine. Everyone started spilling quickly from the vehicles and hurrying toward the water.
28 Into the Water
Creed sped to the van so he could carry Margo’s broken body. Danny was still in her arms when he yanked the door open.
Maze leaped out of the car and pranced anxiously around them. A low growl rumbled in his chest as he scanned the area for danger. The silver fur between his strong shoulder blades stood on end and his ears rotated to track even the slightest rustling sound. His black nose flared, measuring the scents around them. Nothing was going to surprise attack them. Maze had grown-up just as battle-ready as the children he protected.
“Dr. Winter,” Creed nodded respectfully before slipping his strong arms under her, lifting both mother and child carefully.
“Thank you, Creed. Theo would have tried, but he just isn’t as young as he used to be.”
“I heard that,” Theo called from the back of the van. He was helping Farrow with Alik.
“No worries, ma’am.” Creed smiled at the little boy rousing in Margo’s lap.
“We’re here!” Danny’s voice was excited, though still breathy with sleep. “I can smell the salt in the water.” He inhaled deeply and smiled.
“Are you ready, Danny?” Margo asked, trying not to sound as anxious as she felt.
“Yes,” he grinned. “When you get your legs back can we go for a bike ride together?”
Margo swallowed a lump in her throat and smiled. “One thing at a time, love.”
Maze ran ahead, sniffing the water’s edge while watching his family make their way toward him. He quivered with excitement but instinctively knew not to bark. Instead, he crouched playfully low and leaped into the air with joy. His silver coat was wet within moments.
Danny had been laughing at Maze but stopped to crane his neck around to see the others hurrying to follow. “We’re all here together,” his voice chirped happily. “All except my sister. I wish Meggie were here, too, Mommy.”
“We all do, little man,” Creed winced at the sharp pain that jabbed him in the heart at the sound of her name. He could shut off his physical pain, but nothing could soothe his emotional pain—nothing except his dark-eyed angel. He took a deep, shuddering breath.
“Are we too heavy?” Margo was watching Creed’s face.
“As light as a feather, ma’am.” He forced himself to smile for her sake.
His next step kicked salt water into the night sky.
***
Sloan had already unfastened the girl’s seat belt, more aware than anyone of the precious few moments Kylie had left. Evan yanked the back door open and caught Kylie’s body as she started to slip from the car.
The moment his left hand touched her skin, he saw an image flash in his mind’s eye—an image of her future. He only saw her ashen face, blue lips and green eyes staring up at him. She was floating in the dark water, her blond hair undulating just beneath the surface.
He shook his head free of the horrific mental picture and ran, as fast as his exhausted legs would carry them, toward the water. “Stay with me, Kylie.” His words were choppy as he ran, but he kept talking anyway. “Don’t die on me! Fight to stay with me! C’mon, I know you feel something for me—you will NOT die so I can live. You can’t! We have too much growing up to do!” His voice hitched with emotion. “Who else is going to make me eat breakfast and teach me to look at ‘both sides of the coin’? Come on Kylie! I don’t give my jacket to just any girl!” His foot splashed into the water, but he didn’t stop running until it was waist deep and he was standing beside his little brother and mom.