by Brook Wilder
Wait a minute, how had he gotten away from Scorpion? They knew he must have been tipped off somehow and had feared the worse for the other man. But before she could ask the question out loud, Sparkplug was already answering it.
“Your thug Scorpion throws a mean right hook, but I’m tougher than I look.” Sparkplug sneered as he drew Damaris out into the middle of the opening. “A punch doesn’t keep me down for long. You should have had him kill me.”
“I’ll remember that for next time,” Damaris spat back, his cool composure long gone as the feral animal underneath was revealed.
“There won’t be a next time. Consider this an official challenge.” Sparkplug said, the only warning before he pulled back his own fist and let it fly, landing a hard blow. Elle flinched away from the fight, waiting for the other Nomads to step in and was surprised when no one did.
“Sparkplug challenged Damaris for leadership,” Hot Wheels explained quietly, “The other’s won’t do anything. And honestly, by the looks on their faces, they don’t want Damaris to win.”
Elle just shook her head in confusion as the fight continued. Although it wasn’t much of one. After a few hits, Damaris was on the ground, growling in wild anger as he held a hand over his nose.
“You broke my fucking nose!” He shouted, but it came out more of a gurgle before he turned to the three bikers that stood around them now, “Do something you imbeciles! Kill him! Rip him to pieces!”
But they didn’t move. They didn’t even blink and Damaris made a wordless noise of rage before charging Sparkplug again. One more blow had the leader of the Nomads falling back to the ground, unconscious. Well, the old leader of the Nomads.
As Sparkplug looked at the other three, bloodied and battered but still standing he raised up one clenched fist.
“I won. I claim the right to take over as the new president of the Nomads. Any objections?” He asked wearily. Slowly, they all shook their heads, not even sparing a glance for the man who was still lying unmoving on the ground. “Good.”
He held out a hand for Hot Wheels and she was by his side in an instant.
“We’re leaving.” Sparkplug said. One of the men stepped forward but the new leader just held up a hand to stop him, “I said we’re leaving. We are done here. Had no business here in the first place.”
The fight seemed to have taken forever to Elle when in reality it had only been a handful of minutes. Soon Carla was helping Joel to his feet, holding a piece of fabric she’d torn from her own shirt to his face where Damaris had hit him. They were all turning, the tension depleting, oddly anticlimactic when Elle noticed it. Faint at first, barely detectable but in just a few seconds, filling the air with its acrid scent. It was smoke! Someone had set the fields on fire.
Joel cursed as the air was suddenly thick with dense black smoke, at least Elle was pretty sure it was Joel. Suddenly, the smoke obscured even the small clearing, cutting her off from everybody else.
She peered through the hazy smoke and could just make out a figure coming towards her. She sighed in relief but it was short lived as the person cleared the fog and his features drew into awful clarity.
“Viper!” Elle said in shock, almost forgetting his presence after the surprise of the fight between Sparkplug and Damaris, and the even more surprising declaration that he was the Nomad’s new leader. She had thought this was all over when the smoke started. It clicked for her then.
“The fire,” Elle gasped. “You started it!” It wasn’t really a question but the arrogant jerk answered anyways, his expression all superior condescension as he drew closer.
“Of course it was me. If I can’t have this farm, then nobody can have it!” His answer was that of a petulant child and she told him so, hoping that she could keep him talking long enough to find a distraction, or to try and find Carla or Joel, Hot Wheels or Sparkplug, anyone! And where the hell was Honey!
But instead of distracting him, her plan backfired and he snarled at her as he leapt forward.
“Petulant child?” He stumbled over the first unfamiliar word, but he understood the last one just fine, and he looked completely outraged as he reached out, grabbing for her arm. “I’ll show you who’s a child. I’ll show you, and Honey and Joel and all those other stuck up people who think they’re so much better than me.”
“No–No I never said that they were.” Elle stuttered, afraid of the deranged light suddenly flared in Viper’s beady eyes.
“Come on,” He growled the words as he shoved her forward, further and further away from her friends, “I may have lost the farm, but I sure as hell am not going back empty handed
Chapter 32
Elle ran, partly because of the man at her side, his grip on her arm bruising and painful as he dragged her along behind him. She had tugged and yanked until she thought her shoulder was going to pop out of its socket but still, Viper’s hold didn’t loosen. But the other thing that kept her legs moving even though her lungs were burning and she was starting to feel lightheaded was the roiling black smoke that seemed to be following them like a malevolent shadow. It was so close that she could feel the raging heat of the fire itself as it spread. And it was closing in on them.
As her legs moved, almost of their own accord, her mind wandered, surprisingly calm, disconnected from what was actually happening to her. She wondered if it was shock again, but it felt different this time. More like a choice, than something that her body and mind simply reacting to a traumatic situation.
Just keep running. You can do this. You can survive, you are stronger than you ever realized. And you deserve love. Elle marveled at the inner voice as it spoke, and mentally thought that it was really Electra speaking instead of plain old Elle. She had to wonder at that last though. Of course she deserved love. Everyone did. She truly believed that.
But did you mean it. Really mean it? Damn you, Electra, Elle thought, realizing how ridiculous it was to be arguing with herself while she ran for her life from a raging fire being dragged along by a greasy scumbag.
Of course I meant it, she tried to convince herself. Of course everyone deserves love. Including you? Yes, of course! She thought, answering in her primmest, most proper teacher voice as Honey would have called it. And then the truth of it hit her. Because for the longest time, especially after her parents had died, she’d truly felt like no one could ever love her.
And as Elle had grown older, her anxiety driving her further and further away from other people until she was totally alone, she had believed that that was what she’d deserved. But Honey had given her a gift more rare and more beautiful than he could have ever imagined when he’d given her his love. He’d given her back her belief in herself. For the first time in nearly fifteen years, she felt whole again. And she knew it was because of Honey.
Elle glanced sideways at Viper who was looking panicked now and made a decision. She had just found love, she wasn’t about to let anyone take it away from her. Especially not this sneaky, sniveling, rotten, greedy piece of…of shit! She was so shocked at the profane thought that she nearly tripped over an uneven mound of dirt as she ran and an idea exploded in her head.
That was it. That was how she would get away from him! Get him off balance long enough to let her go and then she’d bolt for it. Elle just prayed that she would be bolting in the right direction, towards the office and the greenhouse and not straight into the waiting arms of the fiery inferno that was turning the air hot and unbearable around her.
On the next uneven spot of ground she intentionally threw herself forward, scrabbling with her one free arm to catch herself before impact. She wanted to free herself, not seriously injure herself in the process. It still hurt, a lot, when she landed but a few bruises were more than worth it as she felt the pressure around her wrist lessen. But it wasn’t enough.
Even as she tried to tug free, Viper’s fingers still stayed clamped like a vice around her wrist. He pulled her almost back up to her feet but she was still unsteady after the fall, even if it was
self inflicted.
“Come on! Get up, you worthless bitch!” Viper snarled the words at her as he shoved her still stumbling form and she toppled to the ground again. It took every ounce of strength she had but her anger and the adrenaline flowing through her gave her the little extra that she needed to push herself back to her feet.
“I am not worthless,” Elle said back to him, her voice disconcertingly calm, surprising even herself, “And I am not a bitch.” She threw her shoulders back, pointed her chin in the air and stared at him as if she could see right through him, as if he was completely meaningless. And in a way, he was.
Here they were, stuck in a field that was on fire and he was throwing a fit like a spoiled child. She certainly didn’t have time for that. She had to get back to the man that she loved. She just prayed the Honey wouldn’t be to mad about the risk she’d taken, but he would realize one way or the other, she would do anything and everything for the people she loved, and that included him.
“Wh–What are you doing?” Viper suddenly asked, sounding a little more uncertain than he had before.
“I am getting the hell out of here, that’s what I’m doing.” On the last word, she jerked her arm back as hard as she could, dislodging his grip on her wrist and without waiting another second turned on her heel and dove into the surrounding plants. She ran until she found a row, and the open ground next to it and kept on running. Elle didn’t look back but she could hear Viper’s frantic footsteps crashing through the field behind her, and it spurred her on even faster.
Elle stumbled to a frantic stop as a sudden rolling wave of heat and fire slashed across the path in front of her, blown by the breeze. She was barely aware of Viper coming to crashing halt a few feet behind her but as she turned to face him, surrounded now by the voracious flames, and knew there was no way out.
There was a moment of complete silence, of stillness within her as she turned to face him and she felt a pang of sadness, not for herself, but because Honey wouldn’t know what had happened to her. She hated to think of him wondering, searching.
“This is all your fault.” Viper growled the words, a feral animal backed into a corner. Elle nodded sadly.
“I know.” The words had barely left her lips before he lunged for her again, enraged beyond thought, pushed forward by fear as he grabbed her and slammed her to the ground so hard that all the air, or what little of it was left anyway, left her lungs.
***
“Elle!” Honey’s voice echoed out over the field and he could hear the other’s shouting her name as well. “Elle, where the fuck are you?” He muttered the question out loud, but on the inside he was pleading for her to be safe. For her to be unhurt. He couldn’t even begin to contemplate the alternative.
He had run after Elle as soon as she’d taken off, but then his instincts had him stopping, dialing 911 and making sure the cops were on the way before following the path she’d taken through the fields.
A part of him had rebelled at calling in the authorities but then the realization struck. They were legit now. That was one of the perks, he supposed. Before the law and him had always been on opposite sides and things were different now. Honey thought it would still take him a while to get used to that.
After making the call he’d run after her, trying as best he could to make his way in her direction. Once he’d gotten close enough he’d been able to hear voice and he made it to the clearing in time to see Hot Wheels helping Sparkplug, and the rest of the Nomads get back to the parking lot as smoke, thick and choking, had filled the air. A moment later Carla and Joel had emerged, and he’d run to them.
“Joel, what happened?” Honey had asked. At first Joel had tried to answer but it was hard to understand through the cloth he held to his mouth to stop the bleeding. It was Carla who finally spoke up.
“Damaris went after Elle. Then all the sudden Sparkplug was there. He challenged Damaris and…won.”
“Wow.” Honey said, letting the information sink in. He didn’t ask what had happened to Damaris. He didn’t care. There was only one person that he cared about and he kept looking at behind them hoping she’d come running out. And every moment that she didn’t his fear ratcheted even higher, “Carla, where’s Elle?”
“What? She is…she was right behind me!” Carla said, panic in her voice as she spun around, looking for her absent friend, “I swear, she was right here!”
“It’s okay. Just…just try and remember what else happened. Who else was–.”
“Viper!” Carla said, turning back to him her eyes wide and Joel forced words through his swollen lips.
“She was standing on the other side of the clearing,” It was hard to understand the words but after a moment Honey made them out, “Then the smoke started. I think…I think Viper started the fire as a distraction to get away?”
“Did he…does he have Elle?” Honey asked, and his voice was hard enough to break rocks as he spoke. Carla closed her eyes at the possibility but Joel just met his gaze head on.
“We’ll find her.” He’d said.
We’ll find her. We’ll find her. What good would that do anyone if all they found was her lifeless body. It felt like he’d been searching for hours instead of just the ten or fifteen minutes that it had been. Even still, it felt like an eternity. Honey thought of all the things he wanted to say to her. All the stories about himself, his past. All the thousands of things he had yet to learn about her. He needed her to still be alive. She had to be.
“Elle!” He shouted again, desperation edging his words no matter how hard he tried to keep his emotions separate. He just couldn’t. Not while the woman he loved was out there somewhere. He looked through the smoke, wrinkling his nose against the acrid smell of burning weed and knew that he couldn’t stay out there in it much longer. Well, not and be functioning enough to lead a rescue mission.
“Elle, baby, where the fuck are you?” Honey said the words, the last of his hope draining away with them as he stared helplessly into the roiling smoke, feeling the heat of the flames on his face.
Then, a cry split the air just to his right and he moved without thought, running on instincts, his heart leading the way.
***
“Elle!” It was Honey’s voice and for a moment Elle was sure she was dreaming. It was a wonderful dream. A beautiful dream. “Elle, baby, where the fuck are you?” No. No, definitely not a dream. It was real! It was really him and he was there. But when she finally forced her eyes open it was Viper hovering in the air above her. He must have heard Honey’s call for her too because he covered her mouth with his foul smelling hand so she couldn’t call back.
They were both so low, hidden behind the plants Honey could walk right by them and never even know they were there. With a sudden rush of panic Elle threw her whole body against Viper and in his surprise, he was dislodged just enough for her to get her mouth free and cry out. It was a wordless sound, drawn with need as it flew from her lips and she prayed that it would reach her mark.
But then Viper was back, his hands not going to cover her mouth but grasping around her neck. Fear bit into her, real and sending ice cold fingers shivering through her at the look in his eyes as he stared down at her. It was pure murder. Elle fought against him, clawing at his hands as they squeezed even tighter around her throat, cutting off her air way. But she didn’t stop. She didn’t give up. She would fight this bastard until the end.
Elle reached up, reaching for his face, anything to get him to let her go, to stop choking the life from her lungs but suddenly…there was nothing there. No Viper. No hands squeezing painfully around her neck. Just a spot of blue sky where the dense smoke broke for a moment.
She took a deep, grateful breath and almost immediately regretted it as it filled her lungs with more smoke. Elle hacked and coughed. It was agony on her already pained throat but she never once took her eyes off him. Honey. He was there. Really there, and right in front of her. Not a dream at all.
As he wrestled with Viper she re
ached out, tried to stand, tried to do anything she could to help him but every movement sent a stab of agony streaking through her exhausted, abused body.
There was moment, when they stumbled, throwing fists at each other and landed so close to where the fire raged that she couldn’t see him anymore. Fear, worse than anything she had felt running from Viper, flooded her system and she called out for him. His name came out more of a croak than a cry but it didn’t matter. Neither did the tearing pain that accompanied her attempts. She didn’t stop. She couldn’t stop.
And then, all of a sudden, Honey was running towards her again. And this time she was positive it was a dream because she’d never seen anything that looked so good in her entire life. He crouched down by her side, holding her close as he rained kissed across her cheeks, her forehead, her lips. Any part of her he could reach.
“I’ve got you,” His voice slid over her like his namesake, like the sweetest of honeys, soothing her, comforting her, “I’ve got you baby.”