A Bite to Remember Page 0,114

else.

Lily's mouth compressed with displeasure as Jackie apparently managed to block her out, then said, "After I lost you, I went back to the house to wait for you to return. When you pulled in, I tried to follow on foot. I'd snuck Sharon's remote out of her purse that evening and planned to just open the gate and walk up, but the remote didn't work."

"We changed the sensor and code," Jackie said with satisfaction. She added, "But why did you break the panel? It didn't get you in."

"I was annoyed," Lily said with irritation. She frowned and said, "If you hadn't followed me, I never would have attacked you that night. I was just going to slip in and leave a message so that Vincent would know he wasn't as safe as he thought he was. But you came into the office before I could do anything. I tried to get out when I heard you coming, but you were barefoot; by the time I heard you I couldn't get out quick enough."

Jackie suspected she was telling the truth. There was really no reason for Lily to lie at this stage in the game.

Her thoughts scattered as the driver turned down the road Jackie had noted just a moment ago. The car rattled and bumped over the hard-packed dirt, moving along a path between the trees and Jackie felt her heart sink. It looked like they'd arrived.

Chapter Nineteen

"You may as well stop pretending. I know you can see where you're going," Lily said as Jackie stumbled and fell to her knees for the second time on the uneven path.

Jackie ground her teeth together and pushed herself back to her feet. She'd been feigning night blindness since they'd left the car in an effort to slow down their progress and give her a chance to come up with an idea for escape. Unfortunately, Lily was inside her head and knew exactly what she was doing. It was incredibly frustrating. Even if she did come up with an idea, Lily would know it the moment she thought it.

Jackie glanced back in the direction they'd come as she started forward again. They'd left the delivery car and driver at the edge of the woods, just out of sight of the road. Lily had done something to make the young man pass out, and he'd been slumped in his seat when they got out. Jackie had no doubt Lily would undo whatever it was she'd done when she returned to the car. She only hoped she'd let him go after finishing with him. He was just a kid, too young to die.

"It's not much farther now," Lily announced and Jackie became aware of the sound of the ocean. It grew louder with each step they took. It all reminded her of the night she'd turned and was giving her a definite aversion to the beach.

"Why the beach?" Jackie asked to distract herself from what was coming.

"Your death here will be symbolic," Lily announced.

"Symbolic how? Why are you even doing all this? What did Vincent ever do to you?" Jackie asked with frustration.

"Nothing."

The answer made Jackie pause and turn to face the woman. "What?"

Lily laughed at her expression. "Turn and walk under your own power, or I will take full control again."

Jackie hesitated, then turned abruptly and kept walking. It hadn't occurred to her that Lily must have let up on some of her control for her to have been able to stumble and fall a time or two. But then, her thoughts had been a bit distracted, she supposed. The fact that she apparently had control of her body again, made her wonder what Lily would do if she suddenly lunged for the woods.

"I'd take full control of you and that would be the end of your questions," Lily answered as if she'd asked the question aloud, reminding her that she was in her thoughts. "I'm sure you'd like to know why this is happening, wouldn't you? You do want to know why you're going to die?"

"Yes," Jackie muttered with disgust.

The ground underneath their feet began to shift with each step, telling her they'd reached sand. They should be out of the trees soon. Not eager to think about what would happen then, she prompted Lily, "So, what are you going to do to me and why?"

"I'm going to stake you out in the sand and leave you there through the day," Lily announced. "Then I'll come back and behead you at