Maverick (Devil’s Deviants Book 1)

by C. M. Allen

  Done talking to Maverick, I walked out of my bedroom and into the living room, where I found Vulture lying on the couch with a beer in his hand, watching some sporting event on the TV. “Whatcha doin՛ out here?” I asked, sitting down on the end of the sectional.

  Yawning, he sat up and stretched before downing the last of his beer and burping. “Just a little baseball. Maverick make it back ok?”

  I couldn’t help the smile that blossomed over my lips at the mention of his name. “Yeah, he said that he was going to head out with Butch to help him with something to do with that girl he and Gunner brought back. What’s the deal with her, do you know?”

  When he turned around and headed into the kitchen to grab another beer out of the fridge, I figured that he wasn’t going to answer my question, but when he did it surprised me. “She’s one of the bartender’s sister. Seems she got herself into a bad relationship with a real shithead that was beatin՛ the hell out of her,” getting a very serious look in his eyes when he sat back down on the couch, he said. “We don’t put up with men abusin՛ a female in our club. It’s a club rule that was enforced a long time ago by Maverick’s father after one of our own members was caught kickin՛ the shit out of his old lady,” looking at the TV, he took a swig of his beer before looking back at me. “I’ll spare you all the gory details about what happened to him that night, but I will tell you this much, he never hurt another female again after that.” Curious to know what happened to the man, but smart enough to know not to ask about something that was none of my business, I stayed silent. Smirking over at me, he took another swig of his beer. “I see you’re learnin՛ Sweetness.” I didn’t need to ask what he meant, because I already knew.

  The rest of the evening was spent doing our usual routine of making dinner and cleaning up the kitchen before settling in to watch a movie before bed. But tonight, there was a new activity added to my usual before I fell asleep; hot steamy phone sex with Maverick. I had never done anything like that with a man before, and I sure didn’t think it was possible to get myself off while just talking dirty with someone. But yet again, Maverick showed me what it was to have a real connection with someone, even gave me a very stimulating course on the subject. Needless to say, I fell asleep with a smile on my face tonight.

  When I’m suddenly startled awake, I just sat there for a moment, looking around my room, trying to figure out what the hell woke me up. Hearing a branch break outside my window, that I had left cracked open, I slowly sat up just enough to look out and see what it could be. The second I heard more branches breaking in the distance, I was quickly up and out of my bed. I rushed to put on a pair of jeans and my Nike’s, I used when I went running. Grabbing my jacket and phone on the way out, I made my way quickly and quietly up the stairs to Vulture’s room. Sliding inside the door, I quickly shut it behind me only to turn and gasp when I’m staring down the barrel of a gun, currently pointed in my face. “Fuck Sweetness, what the hell are you doin՛? I could have shot...”

  “Never mind that.” I snapped with my heart beating out of me chest with fear, whether it was from the noises I heard outside or having a gun shoved in my face, I wasn’t sure. But if I had to guess I’d say it was both. “There’s someone outside, I think. I heard branches breaking. You know, like somebody’s out there walking around.”

  Quickly jumping back out of bed, he slid some pants on before reaching into his nightstand and getting something out. Handing it to me, I could feel that it was a gun that he’d put in my hand. “I want you to take this and go out on the back deck and head out to the other side of the lake. Find a hidin՛ spot and don’t come out until I call you. Do you have your phone on you that Maverick gave you?”

  “Yes.” I answered with a tremble in my voice. This is it. This was the kind of things that happened in Maverick’s world, the dangerous stuff he warned me about.

  And I was about to find out if I would be able to survive in it.

  “Good. Now get goin՛. Call Maverick once you’re safe and let him know what’s goin՛ on, and then wait for my call.”

  “But what about you?” I asked panicked.

  “I’m goin՛ to stay right here and keep them busy, that way you can get away and hide. Don’t worry, as soon as I take care of whoever it is, I’ll come for you.

  “But_.” I started to say worried that something bad could happen to him.

  “No but’s Harper. This is what I’m here for, to protect you. Now go.” Knowing he’d never used my real name since the first day I met him, the seriousness of our situation somehow slammed into me even more.

  “In case I never told you, thank you for protecting me.”

  “You’re welcome, Sweetness. Now go.”

  Opening the glass slider in his room, I made my way out onto the deck, holding my breath and listening for any noises. Not hearing anything, I slowly and quietly made my way down the steps. Once my feet hit the ground, I took off at a quick pace. I’d run and walked this path around the lake almost every day since we came up here, and I easily found my way in the dark to the other side of it before I stopped to catch my breath and looked back at the cabin. Crouching down, I pulled out my cell phone and hit Maverick’s number. After one ring, he picked up. “What’s wrong?” He asked frantically, knowing there wouldn’t be any other reason I would be calling him this late at night.

  “Someone’s here. I heard branches breaking outside my window and ran into Vulture’s room. He’s still in there Maverick. He’s still in the cabin. He needs help.”

  Hearing some rustling on the other end, he asked. “Where are you right now, Harper?”

  “I’m on the opposite side of the lake from the cabin_.” Letting out a startled squeal when I heard gunshots going off, I started to sob. “They’re shooting Maverick! We need help! Vulture’s in there all by himself!”

  Just as I finished saying those words, I heard Vulture yelling fuck you out on the back deck. I looked up in time to see the flicker of light being turned on before a gunshot echoed in the night, sending Vulture’s body plummeting to the ground off the back deck. “Oh my God! They shot him! Maverick, they just shot Vulture!” I cried out before covering my mouth.

  “Harper, I need you to calm down and listen to me Sweetheart, ok?”

  With tears streaming down my cheeks, I tried to say ok, but it came out more like a whimper. “Do you remember the treehouse I showed you that Butch and I built when I was there?”

  Nodding my head, I realized that he couldn’t see me and answered. “Yes.”

  “Go there and wait for me to come get you. Can you do that?”

  Wiping the tears away, I asked. “But what about Vulture? What if he’s still alive and needs medical help? I can’t just leave him there to die!” I said panicked and torn between saving my own life and leaving the man who might have just given his own for mine behind.

  “I know you’re upset Harper, but Vulture knew that he was there to protect you with his life, and he’s done his job and gotten you out. Now the rest is up to you. Don’t make the sacrifice he just made for your life worth nothin՛. Get to the treehouse Sweetheart. For me, please. I can’t lose you too Harper.”

  Hearing Maverick’s plea finally broke through the panicking fog in my head, so I dried my tears and took one more look at the cabin before turning to walk away, headed towards the treehouse. “I’m walking there now. Please don’t leave me alone out here Maverick. Stay on the phone with me.”

  “Never planned on hangin՛ up Sweetheart. Tell me when you get there so I know you’re safe.”

  “I will,” I assured him as I made my way through the wooded area. “Who are they Maverick? Is it the Slayers?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m in my truck and headed your way to find out. Do you hear anyone followin՛ you?”

  Stopping in my tracks, I held my breath and listened for any sounds. “No, I don’t hear anyone.”

  “Good. Are you almost there?”

  Making out the large oak tree in the distanc
e, that even though it was dark you could tell was bigger than all the rest, I answered. “Yes, I can see the oak tree now. I’m almost there.”

  Letting out a heavy breath, he tried to encourage me. “You’re doin՛ great Harper. Just get to that treehouse and hide as fast as you can.”

  Standing at the base of the tree, I told Maverick to hold on until I climbed up the rope ladder to the inside. “Ok, I’m in.”

  “Thank fuckin՛ God. Ok, now pull up the rope ladder so that there’s no sign of it to make them investigate any further.”

  Doing as he’d asked, the magnitude of the situation had me shaking uncontrollably. “I’m so scared Maverick,” I began to cry again.

  “I know you are Sweetheart, and I’m doin՛ everythin՛ in my power to get to you as fast as I can. I’m goin՛ to stay on the phone with you, but I need you to stay quiet just in case they come out there lookin՛ for you. I don’t want your talkin՛ to me to be the thing that gets you caught, so just sit there with me, ok?”

  Sniffling back my tears, I tried to calm myself down. “I will. I love you Maverick.”

  “I love you too. So fuckin՛ much. I’m goin՛ to get you out of there Sweetheart.”

  Hearing branches breaking below me again, I whispered into the phone. “I hear them coming this way.” Fear settled in my heart once again and the tears began to fall at the possibility someone might be here to kill me. After what happened at my parents’ house it wasn’t that farfetched of a thought.

  “Fuck! Just stay silent and don’t move a muscle.”

  I did as he said, and a few minutes later the noises seemed to move away. “I think they’re gone. I don’t...”

  “Don’t what Harper? Harper is someone there?”

  “I think one of them is back.” Listening without even breathing, I could hear what sounded like movement outside of the treehouse. Lying flat on my back, I scooted over into the corner and made myself as small as I could as the sounds got louder. Tears started to roll down my face, knowing the sounds were of someone climbing up the tree limbs. “Someone’s climbing up the tree Maverick.” I whispered so low into the phone that I wasn’t sure he even heard me until I heard him practically yell Fuck!

  “Try to find somethin՛ to protect yourself with.”

  Suddenly remembering the gun Vulture gave me, I grabbed it out of my jacket. “I have a gun. Vulture gave it to me before he told me to run.”

  “Thank fuck for Vultch,” he breathed out.

  Listening for more sounds while holding the handgun out in front of me, ready to shoot, I noticed the sounds simply stopped. After a few minutes of staying stock still, I let out a breath I’d been holding and lowered the gun to the floor, but still kept a hold on to it. “I think they’ve moved on.” I whispered to him,

  “Good. Are you...?” Is all I heard before my phone and gun were simultaneously yanked out of my hands by someone dressed in all black with a mask on.

  “Help me! Maverick! Help me!” I Screamed out at the top of my lungs as I struggled to get out of the dark figures grip. I could hear Maverick shouting my name from the phone once more before it was crushed under the intruder’s foot.

  “Settle the fuck down and get on your feet!” The man shouted at me as he yanked me to a standing position. “Kirkland here. I have the subject in my possession. Headed back to the meet up point.” Looking down at me, he ordered. “Let’s go, and I don’t want any more trouble out of you, or I will knock you the fuck out and carry your ass back. Do you understand me?” I nodded my shaky head. “Good. Now move.”

  Feeling the man close behind me as we made our way back to the cabin, I tried to think of any possible way I could get away. But when a second man joins us, dressed in all black with a mask and a gun like the one following me, I knew my chances of escaping were slim to none. When we got to the area where I saw Vulture fall to the ground, I began to scan the area for him to see if he was somehow still alive. Suddenly I caught sight of him and took off towards him to check and see if he was ok. But I only made it two steps before an arm was wrapped around my waist and I’m hoisted into the air. “Let me go! I need to see if he’s ok! He needs help!”

  “I’m sorry to have to tell you young lady, but your friend is quite dead.” A new man answered, stepping forward, but this one didn’t hide his appearance from me. He was a tall man with a lean build, salt and pepper colored hair, and looked to be in his mid to late forties.

  Anger burned through every fiber of my being at his heartless words and I began to wiggle my body in the grip the man dressed in black had on me. When that didn’t work, I started to beat on him with my fists to let me go as I shouted at them. “He’s dead because of you! You killed him! Why did you have to kill him?!”

  “Take her and put her in the back of my car. Devin will take her off your hands. I’m going to sweep the house one last time.”

  “Yes Sir.” Was all the man said as he carried me to the front of the cabin. Seeing a black SUV ahead of us, the man in black set me down just as the back door opened and the man, I assumed was Devin stepped out, his face visible too.

  “Who are you people? What do you want with me?” I asked confused about what was really going on when it became clear that none of these guys could ever belong to The Satanic Slayers with the way they acted and dressed.

  “Thank you gentlemen. I’ve got it from here,” he looked down at me. “Now, if you’ll get into the car, I will be happy to explain to you what’s going on,” he motioned with his arm to the backseat.

  Not really seeing any other choice, I slowly got in. Barely having slid over, the man slid in quickly behind me before shutting the door. We sat there just staring at one another in silence for a moment before I couldn’t take it any longer. “So, are you going to tell me who the hell you guys are and what this is all about?” Not saying a word, he pulled out his phone and began typing away. Getting angry with everything that’s happened, I raised my voice at him. “Hey! I’m talking to you, asshole! Are you going to tell me why you killed my friend or not?!” Tears threaten the backs of my eyes when I thought of Vulture lying out there on the cold ground, possibly still alive and in need of help, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.

  The backdoor opened again and the man I saw earlier slid inside, shutting us in. “Let’s go Frank.” He ordered the driver. Turning to me, he asked. “Would you care for something to drink? Some water or a shot of whiskey perhaps?”

  “I don’t want shit from you except answers to my questions! Who are you?! Why did you kill Vulture?! And where are you taking me?!” I practically screeched at him.

  Chuckling, he turned to look at the man named Devin across from us. “She sure does have some fight in her, wouldn’t you say?”

  “That she does boss.”

  “I think I would like her a little more… calmed down before we reach our destination.” He said to the other guy like I wasn’t even here yelling questions and curse words in his face.

  Feeling a pinch in the side of my neck, I grabbed at the spot the needle, I could now see in Devin’s hand, went in. “Ow! What… what did you…” Were the only words that I was able to get out before a dark tranquility enveloped my body.

  And then there’s nothing but silence.

  CHAPTER

  30

  Maverick.

  When I saw Harper’s number come up on my phone at twelve thirty in the morning, something inside my gut told me that she was in trouble. Hearing her so afraid and crying was tearing me up inside. The fact that I was so far away from her and couldn’t be there to protect her, keep her safe like I had promised her just that morning, was my breaking point. It took everything I had inside me to remain calm for her so she wouldn’t freak out any more than she already was. When I walked to Butch’s room, I knew there was a possibility that I could be interrupting something, but right at that moment I didn’t give a shit. Pounding on his door, I shouted. “I need you, right now!” All it took was five words from me and he wa
s up getting dressed and calling out for Gunner, Roman, Repo and Axle to meet us at the front door. Still on the phone with Harper, I covered the receiver. “Shit just hit the fuckin՛ roof at the cabin. Someone’s broken in and shot Vulture. He’s down, and Harper’s on the run all alone out in the woods.”

  A collective fuck went around the inside of the SUV as Butch started it up and we took off, rocks flying out from the spinning tires. While I was trying to reassure Harper and give her instructions on what to do, I overheard Butch talking to the doc. He’d been a family friend for as long as I could remember and was a retired heart surgeon. He owned the cabin just down the road from my parents’ place and was our best shot at getting Vulture the help he no doubt needed.

  When Harper told me that she heard someone climbing up the tree outside, all that went through my head like a crippling migraine was the image of Nicole’s lifeless, bloodied body hanging halfway out of her opened car door. The feeling that started to overtake me at the thought of losing Harper was a darkness I had never known. The only possible way to describe it would be to say; it was the kind of darkness mass murderers are born from. I would track whoever they were down and destroy them, each and every one of them, if they ever hurt her. The same way I did Skull’s father, the President of the Slayers, at the time of my parents’ deaths. I took out his VP one week to the day after that. I knew it was those two fucking bastards that had orchestrated the attack on our clubhouse, taking everything from me that day. They were my first two kills in a long line of them that was to come.