Adrenaline takes over despite my body vibrating with the sheer effort, and I get up, grinding my teeth against the crunching of broken bone and dull burning ache, clawing the walls to get purchase. My hands start changing before me and relief washes over my mind at the evidence I’m turning. This is what I need, but it’s not fast enough, or not progressing, and he has me from behind, around my throat in an effortless maneuver before it takes effect. He throws me and sends me flying forward with a thrust, straight through the window of our third-floor bedroom with another flinching of unavoidable, stabbing agony.

If I thought...