y remaining lifeline. Her muscles screamed in

the incoming notification ill

adopted sister, Brinley, sa

tethered to a single bar of signal. It pul

ngers. She pressed her numb

ess, innocent face filled the screen, her l

hirped. The tinny audio slic

uments. The camera zoomed in o

eeze to death," Brinley laughed. "Mom

f saucers. Her stomach violently droppe

er eyes gleaming with malice. "The kidnapping, too. We need

icity's throat. She coughed violently, sprayin

meared across Brin

," Brinley whispered, blo

deleted. The sc

n. Hot blood trickled down her chin. She wanted to scream, to sm

rough the last of her body heat. Mass

under the weight of the blizzard, a

educed to shall

nominations, the flashing cameras, the holl

they were made of lead

ning crash shook

orce slammed into th

hitched. She forced her eyes o

mpletely off its hinges. It flew into the room, fol

ilhouette stood in the doorway

itary boots crunched over the broken

e massive strides and dropp

y turn in the business world, the one she had suppos

He reached out with trembling hands and p

ped off his heavy, body-warmed cashmere

cold face. "Felicity," he choked out,

red at the man she had publicly despised f

sive, burning chest, desperately trying to

, heavy tears dropped from his eyes, landi

against him for a deca

only a wet, broken gurgle came out.

ed the cuff of his custom-made silk s

yes bloodshot and wild. "Get the chopper dow

pter blades echoed over the mountain p

were shut

e of her strength. She lifted her tr

he deep, agonizing cre

arely brushed agains

hed. Her hand dropped, falling limply

eam that ripped through the frozen valley. H

n that final millisecond, the sensation of hi