Hang-around – This can apply to men wishing to join the club and who hang-around hoping to be become prospects. It is also used to women who are attracted by bikers and who are happy to make themselves available for sex at biker parties.
Mother Chapter – The founding chapter when a club has more than one chapter.
Nomad – In an outlaw MC a nomad is typically a member who’s been given permission/instruction by the national president to enforce the laws of the club at other chapters.
Patch – The patch or patches on a cut will show the club that member belongs to and other information such as the particular chapter and any role that may be held in the club. There can be a number of other patches with various meanings, including a one-percenter patch. Prospects will not be allowed to wear the club patch until they have been patched-in, instead they will have patches which denote their probationary status.
Patched-in/Patching-in – The term used when a prospect completes his probationary status and becomes a full club member.
President (Prez) – The officer in charge of that particular club or chapter.
Prospect – Anyone wishing to join a club must serve time as a probationer. During this period they have to prove their loyalty to the club. A probationary period can last a year or more. At the end of this period, if they’ve proved themselves a prospect will be patched-in.
Old Lady – The term given to a woman who enters into a permanent relationship with a biker.
RICO – The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act primarily deals with organised crime. Under this Act the officers of a club could be held responsible for activities they order members to do and a conviction carries a potential jail service of twenty years as well as a large fine and the seizure of assets.
Road Captain – The road captain is responsible for the safety of the club on a run. He will organise routes and normally ride at the end of the column.
Ronin – A biker who travels alone, sometimes wearing a patch denoting he’s Ronin. Not affiliated to any club, but often bearing a token which will help ensure safe passage through territories of different clubs.
Secretary – MCs are run like businesses and this officer will perform the secretarial duties such as recording decisions at meetings.
Sergeant-at-Arms – The sergeant-at-arms is responsible for the safety of the club as a whole and for keeping order.
Sweet Butt – A woman who makes her sexual services available to any member at any time. She may well live on the club premises and be fully supported by the club.
Treasurer – The officer responsible for keeping an eye on the club’s money.
Vice President (VP) – The vice president will support the president, stepping into his role in his absence. He may be responsible for making sure the club runs smoothly, overseeing prospects etc.
Acknowledgments
A massive ‘Thank You’ to my beta readers, Alex Clark, Colleen, Foua, and of course, Steve who helped make sure any reference to motorcycles was correct. Your encouraging feedback and suggestions for improving the book were invaluable.
Cover design and formatting by Freeyourwords.com. Lia, you excelled yourself this time! I absolutely love the cover design you came up with!
Editing by Phil Henderson – thanks for knocking this book into shape, Phil. Enjoyed working with you.
I can’t thank my husband enough for his support and encouragement, even taking the step to become a beta reader. This was invaluable as he’s a biker and came up with some interesting tips and information for me to use. My son, too, must get a mention, even if it’s only because he tells me he’s proud of his mum. And of course, I’m grateful to everyone who’s taken the time to read Turning Wheels. If you enjoyed it, please leave a review – writers write in a vacuum, locked away in their lonely towers. We love to know what you think of our books.
Now I must mention Maggie Kern who’s done an amazing job of re-editing this book and given it an extra gloss of polish. Really appreciate all the corrections/alterations that you suggested. Thank you Maggie.
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About the Author
Manda’s life's always seemed a bit weird, starting with a childhood that even today she’s still trying to make sense of, then losing her parents in the late teens. Going from the tragic to the bizarre, who else could be unlucky enough to have had two car accidents, neither her fault, one involving a nun, and another involving a police woman?
There isn’t enough space to list everything that’s happened to Manda, or what she’s learned from it. But by using the rich fabric of her personal life, psychology degree, varied work experiences, and amazing characters she’s met, Manda is able to populate her books with believable in-depth characters and enjoys pitting them against situations which challenge them. Her books are full of suspense, twists and turns and the unexpected.
Manda lives in the beautiful countryside of Essex in the UK, the area’s claim to fame being the Wilkin’s Jam Factory at nearby Tiptree. She can usually find jars of jam which remind her of home wherever she goes. As well as writing books and reading, Manda loves walking her dogs and keeping fit. She lives with her husband of over 30 years, who, along with her son, is her greatest fan and supporter.
Manda is thankful that one of the more unusual, and at the time unpleasant, turns her life took, now enables her to spend her time writing. Confirming, in her view, every cloud has a silver lining.
Photo by Carmel Jane Photography
Drummer’s Beat
Satan’s Devils MC #2
Copyright
Published 2017 by Trish Haill Associates
Copyright Manda Mellett
Cover Design by Lia Rees at Free Your Words
(www.freeyourwords.com)
Formatted and re-edited by Maggie Kern @ Ms.K Edits
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book reviews.
www.mandamellett.com
Disclaimer
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Warning
This book is dark in places and contains content of a sexual, abusive and violent nature. It is not suitable for persons under the age of 18.
Author’s Note
Drummer’s Beat is the second in the Satan’s Devils MC Series, but can be read as a standalone.
I’ve been overwhelmedby the reception given to the first in the series, Turning Wheels, and the support and encouragement to continue with the Satan’s Devils series. Turning Wheels was meant to be a sole spin-off novel form the Blood Brothers series, but those bikers all kept screaming at me to have their own stories told. Already there are more books in the pipeline.
If you’re new to MC books, you may find there are terms that you haven’t heard before, so I’ve included a glossary to help along the way. I hope you get drawn into this mysterious and dark world in the same way I have done–there will be further books in the Satan’s Devils series which I hope you’ll want to follow.
If you’ve picked this book up because, like me, you read anything MC, I hope you’ll enjoy it for what it is, a fictional insight into the underground culture of alpha men and their bikes.
Cast of Characters
Officers
Drummer – President
Wraith – Vice President
Heart – Secretary
Dollar – Treasurer
&n
bsp; Peg – Sergeant-at-arms
Blade – Enforcer
Mouse – Computer Expert
Patched Members
Beef
Bullet
Buster
Dart
Joker
Lady
Rock
Slick
Shooter
Tongue
Viper
Prospects
Marsh
Roadrunner
Old Ladies & Children
Carmen (Bullet’s)
Sandy (Viper’s)
Crystal (Heart’s): Amy
Sophie (Wraith’s)
Sweet Butts
Allie
Jill
Pussy
Deceased Members
Adam
Buster
Hank
Chapter One
Drummer…
“What d’ya reckon, Wraith?” As I cock my head to one side, I nod to indicate I’d appreciate my VP’s input on this discussion. After all, it was his old lady who bore the brunt of our mistake last time we allowed someone to transfer to the Satan’s Devils’ Tucson Chapter. She almost ended up being raped. When Wraith stays silent, I glance over at him, raising my eyebrow as I see him tapping his fingers against his chin.
I’ve always known Red to be straight with us, but Wraith’s friendship with the president of the Vegas Chapter goes back much further than mine. They prospected together until Red moved on and up the ranks. If anyone can spot he’s pulling a fast one, using us as a dumping ground for members he wants to get rid of, it’s my VP who’ll be able to.
Right now, both men are staring at each other. “How did he get that fuckin’ handle?” Wraith’s eyes narrow.
Red grins as he takes a swig of his beer. “Well, he can be a bit of a joker, but he’s serious enough when he needs to be.”
“He better be,” I growl. “And what kind of idiocy does he get up to?” Putting sugar in a brother’s gas tank would not go down well back at the compound.
Now Red shrugs. “He’s not into practical jokes, or anything that would cause any damage, but he can keep us on our toes. It’s all verbal. Just give him a slap down occasionally to pull him back into line.” As the grin fades from his face, I see he’s being serious now. “Drum, I wouldn’t pass my rejects on to you. Joker’s a good man. Yeah, he comes across a bit shallow, but he’ll have your six. He’s had mine often enough.”
“He wants to move to Tucson, why?” Wraith is still being cautious.
Red shrugs. “No mystery there. He’s got a sister down that way and her old man’s getting a bit handsy. Joker wants to be close so he can keep an eye on it.”
That sounds reasonable, and if we patch him over, he’ll have the backing of the brothers if he needs it. That’s the way we work. “He’s your road captain?” That’s the bit that interests me the most. At the mother chapter we haven’t had anyone in that position for a while. When Red nods to confirm it, I ask the other important question, “And losing him won’t leave you undermanned?”
The Vegas prez shakes his head. “Nah, I’ve got someone else in mind for that position. It won’t leave me short, Drum.”
I tap my fingers on the table, thinking. We lost a member and a prospect in our recent and still raw battle with the now non-existent Rock Demons out of Phoenix. Oh, we managed to get the better of them that time, but it made me appreciate just how much we needed to build up the mother chapter, again. Hence our recruitment drive and our offer to let brothers from other charters patch over, as long as they are going to be a good fit. This Joker fucker sounds like he might be just what we’re looking for.
“Wraith?” I prompt, waiting on my VP’s opinion.
He thinks for a moment, then lifts his chin toward me.
That’s all the answer I need. “Okay then. Joker’s in as well as Lady.” Saying the name of the man we’ve just discussed I can’t help but shake my head. Who the fuck would go by that handle? Oh, the name Lady suits him down to the fucking ground. He’s a pretty boy, tall, slim and lithe, looks like a breath of wind would blow him over. But Red had arranged for us to see him in the ring where I’d watched him take down men twice his size, impressing even me.
“You’re absolutely sure you can manage without them?” Wraith questions his old friend.
Red waves his hand in dismissal. “Yeah man, I’ve got two prospects ready to patch in. They’ve proved themselves and we’ll soon be up to speed. And a couple of hangarounds waiting in the wings ready to take their places.”
I’m not surprised—Vegas is a draw for many with its bright lights and opportunities. Red just has a hard job keeping the men in line and spotting the ones with a likely gambling addiction.
“Right, that’s fuckin’ it then.” I’m happy. We’ve picked up two, hopefully useful, members today.
Reaching behind him, Red opens a mini-fridge and pulls out three fresh beers. After handing them over, we break off the tops and all take a drink. Pointing his bottle in my direction, Red asks, “You heading off now? You’re welcome to stay another night.”
“Yeah, it’s nearly a seven-hour ride so if we head out now, we’ll be back by evening.” We’d partied Vegas style last night. I’d taken advantage of the sweet butts, though Wraith had declined. Christ, he handed over his balls when he hooked up with Soph, his old lady. A trap I’m never going to fall into. It makes me shudder just thinking about it. Why would you commit to one woman when as a biker you’ve got all the pussy you could wish for? Especially, as in my case, I’m wearing the president patch.
Beers drained and dispensed with, cuts rolled up in our packs and exchanged for anonymous sweatshirts, well, anonymous except for the discreet Satan’s Devils’ Tucson Chapter logo on the back. With the SDTC badge warning those in the know not to mess with us, we take our leave of Red and the brothers in the Vegas Chapter. Joker and Lady will be following on in a couple of days once they’ve got their shit organised.
Our journey back to Tucson is uneventful, allowing me to indulge in the satisfaction of a long ride with the wind in my hair blowing away the last vestiges of my over-indulgence last night and the freedom of the black asphalt beneath my wheels. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to get out on a road trip. Being prez means I’m normally stuck resolving problems from behind my desk, so with a feeling of liberation, I sit back and enjoy the open road. When we enter the borders of our territory, we stop at one of our new locations we’ve settled on to put on our cuts. It’s only recently we started rotating our stopping off points. We had learned the lesson of the risks we ran having a regular place when the Rock Demons had caught us out and Hank, one of our prospects, had lost his life as a result.
Getting back on my bike, I see Wraith’s got his phone to his ear. Delaying switching on my engine, I can hear his side of the conversation. Not that it’s much.
“Shit, Peg, just what we fuckin’ need.”
“Yeah, I’ll meet you there.”
“Yeah, an hour should do it.”
I raise a quizzical eyebrow as he ends the call. “Problems?”
“One of the strippers has had an altercation with the new fuckin’ bouncer. He laid his fuckin’ hands on her. I’ll meet Peg and go see what damage has been done.”
I draw in a breath and look around before I say something I shouldn’t. We might own a strip club, but we treat the women well. None of us like it if a stripper’s manhandled, especially by one of our employees. Unfortunately, we’ve just had to replace a bouncer as Roadrunner, as he’s become known, now only works part-time since he’s come to prospect for us. “Peg and you gonna sort it?”
“That’s the plan. I’ll meet him at the end of the road.”
The road Wraith’s referring to is the half-mile asphalt track that leads up to our unusual compound, a burned-out vacation resort we bought dirt cheap many years ago and have since done up to make it a biker’s dream home.
Can’t I get one moment of peace around he
re? There’s always seems to be something or other to get to grips with, but at least I’ve got good men behind me to handle that shit. So, I wave my hand, giving Wraith the signal we should mount up and continue on home. As we get to the turnoff, the VP peels off and heads out in the direction of Tucson. I continue along alone, slowing my speed now. Half of me is anxious to get back to the compound, while the other half is reluctant to give up the freedom of the road and pick up the onerous burden of being prez of the mother chapter. I’ve only been gone a couple of days, but there’ll probably be forty-eight hours’ worth of trouble waiting for me to resolve.
Knocking it down a gear, I breathe in the air which I swear smells sweeter around here. Apart from the rumbling of my engine and the chirping of the cicadas, there’s no other sound disturbing the peace and quiet here in the foothills rising above Tucson. The air’s still warm, but cooling now that we’re getting into the evening, and it won’t be long until full darkness falls. A drink or two... or three in the clubhouse, and then I’ll take one of the sweet butts to bed with me. Allie or Pussy, or both maybe. Hmm. My cock starts to harden in anticipation.
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