tons beach house. The tires skidded on the gravel, the

senger door open. The cold wind, carrying the salty sting o

had turned into a dull, constant ache, draining the color from her fa

ckle, and grabbed her arm, dragging her out of the ca

g. The thin evening gown she wore offered no protection against the

re as cold as the Siberian wind. "Go," he commanded, pointing toward the churning b

eart. She shook her head frantically, scrambling backward on th

nd shooting out to grab the back of her dress. He ha

s. The cold was a physical shock, like a thousand needles

he slick sand, and she fell hard, her knees slamming into

ng her deeper, until the free

mping in her abdomen intensified, becoming a tearing, agonizing pain.

ommitted to this act, aren't you? Faking an illness to avoid an apology?" He grabbed he

was parked near the house. Else, wrapped in a trench co

ted. She let out a terrified shriek, falling into the shallow water-bare

nnoyance on his face vanished, i

d thought, he l

powerful undertow swept her feet out from und

She thrashed, fighting her way to the surface, her vision b

rad wading swiftly toward Else. He gathered the unharmed girl

ista's heart. A despair deeper than the wate

her back. The force spun her around, dragging

ring agony ripped through her abdomen, far worse than anything before. A wa

nd wen

of her strength, her fingers graspin

jacket to wrap around Else's shoulders

was the last thing she saw before the darkness took her

ing like a dead leaf tow

ything. The world was nothing but e