Patrick struck without warning, grabbing her hair and jerking her out of the chair. Jenny hit the floor with a painful thud. She'd been a fool to close her eyes.

"I feel a little prayer session coming on," Patrick growled as he stood over her. "I do so like the way you pray."

She could do little more than swat at him. He twisted his fingers in her hair until she was seeing stars. "Get your hands off me," she said.

"Tears would help."

"You can beat me, pull every hair out of my head, but I won't-."

He smiled down at her. "Ooh, now you're turning me on."

The room was dark. He'd let the fire burn down to embers. The chill was cutting through her. That didn't scare her though. It was being in the dark with him. She didn't like looking into his cold, icy eyes, but at least then she could see him. Now she could just feel the evil of his presence. He had the advantage now.

He was the devil by firelight, but he was worse in the dark.

"Let go of her," Jeremy cried out, his voice so young and frightened, it startled her. She had all but forgotten he was there.

The sound of Jeremy's voice took Patrick's attention away from Jenny. She pulled away, enough for him to lose his tight grasp of her hair.

"Just having a little fun, kid."

Jeremy struggled to sit up. "I said let go of her."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll kill you."

Patrick shifted, turning to face Jeremy. His free hand stroked the side of Jenny's face.

"Get away from her, you bastard."

Patrick's laughter pealed out into the darkness like a madman's. When Jenny didn't give him what he wanted, the tears or pleading, Patrick had somehow managed to get her brother to feed his hunger.

"Come get me, Jeremy. Salvage whatever's left of your sister's virtue."

Jeremy screamed, a guttural sound that was less human and more feral than anything Jenny had ever heard before.

The light from upstairs spilled a small yellow pool at the bottom of the stairs. Fin stumbled down the stairs.

"What's going on?" he said. He looked at Jeremy who was now half off the couch. He spun to see Patrick straddling Jenny on the floor.

"Patrick, let her go," he said, running towards Patrick and grabbing his arm. It wasn't a good move. Patrick jumped up, balled his fist up and punched Fin. The boy didn't see it coming. He stumbled backward, losing his balance and falling beside the coffee table.

"Get up!" Patrick yelled.

Fin stared up, his mouth moving in soundless gasps. He blinked and tried again. ""The knife," he said, breathlessly.

Patrick looked around, searching for the knife.

Jenny scrambled away. Jeremy's words echoing through her head. 'Create a diversion.'

Patrick took a step towards his brother. In the dull light from the upstairs, he watched as Jeremy pulled the blade out of Fin's back and placed against his throat.

"I underestimated you. Had you pegged for a sissy." Patrick spoke calmly.

Jenny inched her way over to the fireplace. She reached for a log, her fingers closing around the rough bark. She inched along, trying not to make a sound.

Just swing, she told herself. It's him or Jeremy. Hit Patrick and save both of us.

One swing and she could end it. She may very well kill him, but if anyone deserved to die, it was Patrick Shay.

Patrick had forgotten her, she could see him moving closer to Jeremy. He seemed oblivious to the knife pressed to Fin's throat. He was focused on Jeremy.

"You fucked with the wrong guy, Jeremy."

Jenny had to help him. Jeremy would never be able to fend him off. She knew Patrick would go for his ankle. She looked at the poker, the one Patrick had tried to burn her with. She put the log down and picked up the heavy poker. Cold seat collected on her brow as she crept closer.

"Hey, Patrick," she said.

He eyes went to the poker, and he smiled. "What are you planning to do with that, Miss Jenny?"

"Make you wish you were never born," she growled, swinging the poker as hard as she could.

The crack of his skull rang out in the darkened room. Patrick dropped to the ground. Sickened by what she had been forced to do, Jenny tossed the poker across the room.

Jeremy let go a ragged sob.

Fin was still conscious, his breathing raspy and shallow. Jenny ran into the kitchen and grabbed a dish towel. She came back and knelt beside him.

"Jeremy, hold this to his wound. Press hard."

She waited for her brother to grab hold of the towel, but he let it fall.
"No. Let him die. Let them both die."



The bleeding had slowed down and Fin rested on the floor beside her. Patrick lay motionless where he had fallen. Jenny couldn't bring herself to check on him. It was wrong. Right now he posed no threat, but she couldn't get past what he'd put them through. She didn't care if he was dead or alive. And as she looked deep in her heart, she knew which she preferred.



to be continued...