by Snow, Nicole
Nero staggered away, toward the backroom where they'd set up whatever terrible surprises they had waiting for the Devils. Outside, the wind had really picked up, blowing the loose mountain snow around the windows.
Opening my eyes, I looked at Saffron and instantly regretted it. She wasn't whimpering or crying or shaking any more. Her head was rolled back and she was deathly still, faint salty lines on her cheeks where hot tears rolled down them.
If the wound he'd given her healed before the wedding, she'd be lucky.
Hell, we'd both be falling to our knees and kissing fortune's feet if we left this place alive.
Watching him savage her right in front of me tore at the confidence. I fixed my eyes to the window, trying to look through the scrawny animal blocking my view. Hatter tittered out the window like the lunatic he was, humming some inane, off tune, and ridiculously creepy ditty to himself.
God help me, I shuddered.
All I could think about was him, cursing my old stupidity and my doubts. Nero and his killers were one more brutal example of why Stinger did what he did.
The barbarian I saw in my dreams was the hero after all, and I was too stupid to recognize it until now.
Shit, right now, I didn't care if I had to watch him cut their throats in front of me.
I wanted to see the killer in him fight for me, just like the dark warrior I saw in my dreams, a champion so ruthless he'd leave these assholes begging for their lives before he sent them to hell. It's amazing and scary what want, hatred, and a little fear can do to a girl's brain.
Come on, Sting. Where are you? Is this what I get for doubting you?
I kept chewing on that question the entire time while the sky grew dark. It was all I could do to keep myself from panicking and blocking out everything as we both suffered at the edge of the frozen world.
X: Hellbound (Stinger)
I heard the crash in the office first and went running. Sounded like the whole fucking clubhouse was falling down.
When I got to the door, I half-expected to find Blaze buried underneath a pile of rubble. Instead, I found him standing in the middle of the carnage he'd created, red faced and breathing pure fire. His knuckles were scratched bloody.
“Christ! What the fuck set off the dynamite?” I was still eyeing the scene. Everything from his desk to the filing cabinet was crashed on the floor, or dented and leaning, ready to fall over after being hit by the tornado he'd created.
“Round up all the bros. We need to go, Sting. Right. Fucking. Now.” He walked fast, pushing past me and heading for the garage.
I ran after him. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Is this about wherever you sent Smokey and Stone an hour ago?”
Blaze stopped near the bar, jerking his hand into one pocket. He pulled out his phone, spun, and pressed it into my chest after tapping a few keys.
“Read it and move your ass. Just fucking listen to me for once.” He was gone, swinging the door open and heading straight for the big vaults where we kept the guns.
I saw paper clenched in his other hand, the faint outline of the map the Slinger's wanted. Fuck.
Then I looked at the text messages. The replies were furious and badly written.
FOUND UR OLD LADYS TRUCK. GONE. BOTH GIRLS. GLASS BUSTED OUT. COPS SWARMING IT. LOOKING FOR A TOW.
“Fuck!” My scream echoed through the clubhouse like a stray bullet.
My heart sank to my guts and then shot up, blood turning hot, red hot rage lighting up my blood. I knew Saffron invited Alice out that morning from the messages she'd sent me.
It was bad enough having the Prez's woman captured by those motherfuckers. But now they'd gone one step further and made it personal, taking mine, stealing the girl I'd sworn my fucking life to protect.
I stuffed the phone in my pocket, then pressed both hands to my head, compressing my skull.
It was all I could do to avoid wrecking more shit in the clubhouse when I needed my energy. I needed it for the fucks who'd hit me deep.
Fucking up close and savage, sinking their fangs into my soul. I had to lean on the wall as I started to shake, heart pumping pure adrenaline. If it wasn't for Tank coming up, looking all confused, my fists would've started putting holes in the fucking wall.
“What the fuck's going on here, boss? Why're you and the Prez going totally fucking –“
“They've got Alice! They took her, brother!” I jumped up, grabbing at his cut, regaining my balance with the grip. “Alice and Saffron both...taken by those goddamned jackals...I need to find Blaze...”
“Shit!” Tank grabbed me before I could storm off, heading for the bikes and the guns.
I struggled against him like a mad man as he held me tight. My brain was fucking rabid, and I wanted to punch right through him, through anything holding me back a second longer from going after my entire universe.
“Easy, boss! Just take it fucking easy. We'll get this shit done. But we need to keep our cool.”
One more jerk and I was free. Tank grunted, but he didn't come after me while I headed for the door. I turned back at the last second.
“Round up all the others! We gotta get the crew together and ship out. Can't waste a fucking second...”
“Got it.”
I was out in the cold after a quick stop by the hangers to grab my jacket, throwing it over my cut. The frigid air in the garage didn't do shit to freeze up my veins. Tank was right, one more reminder that he was pretty damned smart for being such a tight lipped giant.
Just now, though, nobody's golden wisdom was gonna settle the firestorm seething in my veins. Every time my brain couldn't believe it, couldn't fully grasp what the fuck was happening, the harsh venom in my blood brought me back to life, straight back to staring at the awful fucking reality.
I fucked up royal. The whole club did, but it was Blaze and I bearing all the consequences.
Those fuckers lulled us into lazy scouting. We'd been chasing them too long, letting our guard down, expecting them to pop up at the clubhouse. We started to think they wouldn't come for awhile, maybe not until spring.
Rubbing my eyes, I fought the headache turning my head into a pressure cooker. My ears were fucking ringing with how absolutely wrong we'd all been. Shit, going after them like Blaze wanted would've been better than this.
Fuck. And I'd been too lax with my baby too, swept up in club business, barely coming home in time to get a few hours of shut eye and hold her tight.
When I thought about how I might never hold her again, I wanted to get on my bike and go. Fuck waiting for the rest of the brothers. I raced past Blaze and headed for my locker, where all my shit was stashed for action, a heartbeat away from saddling up and raining down hot death in an instant. We organized our gear for situations exactly like this, when the only thing we were able to think about was neutralizing the threat.
Slower, calmer, my hands freezing, I rifled through my shit. I fished out my Magnum and replaced the nine millimeter on my belt. This little cannon would turn anybody's head into cherry mush when it found its mark.
Perfect for this job.
Because when we caught up with the Slingers, it wasn't just a matter of taking them out, making sure they couldn't do anymore damage. By taking two of our women, they might as well have pulled down their pants and pissed on our colors while stabbing through our ribs.
This blow went straight to the heart. And when this club gets hit, where it really counts, nobody's coming home 'til the fucks who've done it get shredded to nothing.
All the brothers assembled within minutes, Tank urging things along. We stood in a circle in the garage to hear Blaze. A weird heatwave wound through my body. The expression on their faces told me I wasn't the only one out here burning up despite the arctic chill.
“Truck's been towed,” Smokey said. “Took some wrangling to get the badges off our asses, but they know where their money's coming from. We'll have it repaired and scrubbed from public record, no questions asked.”
Blaze nodded, and
then shook his head. “Whatever, bro. Couldn't care less about that shit. I gotta get Saffron home.”
“What's the plan, boss? How're we gonna hit 'em?”
“Charge in and knock their fucking teeth out,” I growled, thinking about Alice. Fuck, I couldn't stop my fists from shaking at my sides like rattlesnakes when I imagined her suffering with those pricks. “It's the only way. We can be smart but we gotta be direct. We're already losing precious time.”
“Sting's right.” I looked up, surprised to see Blaze agreeing with me. “The asshole, Nero, sent me a text from Saffron's phone right after I got off the horn and found out about the girls. We know what he wants...”
Blaze jerked his hand up in the air, shaking the map. “I'll give that motherfucker exactly what he wants, face to face.”
“No fucking way, Prez. You're seeing too much red to think straight.” Tank shifted his weight, scraping an irritated boot on the ground.
“Didn't say this was a negotiation,” Blaze said. “And it sure as fuck isn't a surrender either. This goddamned thing has been nothing but trouble since we picked it outta Mickey's shit. Should've burned it a long time ago.”
“It sounds like you've got a plan. Wanna tell us how it gets our girls home without giving these dickheads a hundred chances to double-cross us?” Moose looked just as confused and uncertain as all the brothers.
I wasn't sure where Blaze was going with this shit either. I shot him a cold look. We didn't have time for any fucking theatrics.
“Go look behind the toolbox, bro.” Blaze turned and pointed to the big steel box in the corner.
Moose turned to me. Now I was getting pissed, wondering what the fuck was going on. I beat the bigger, older brother there and did a double take.
Behind me, Moose laughed when he caught up. He reached down, grabbed it by the tail, and pulled it up, shaking off a few flecks of ice.
“Poor little bastard. Looks like he got the shit end of a Missoula winter before finishing his nest.”
Snarling, I snatched the dead rat outta his hand. Fucking thing really was frozen solid. Blaze reached out as I walked over, and I passed it to him.
A few brothers suppressed their laughs. Roller was the loudest, and he looked up when Blaze and I pierced him with warning looks.
“Sorry. This is serious shit. Do I wanna know how you're gonna take take those fuckers down with a mouse?”
“Rat. You've seen plenty to know, asshole,” Blaze growled, walking to the steel work table near the bikes and unrolling the map, throwing the rat down next to it. “Next time you see this furry bastard, you're only gonna be a little less surprised than those fuckheads.”
“Ambush,” Tank said thoughtfully. “Give 'em something unexpected. I like it. Better throw in a flash bang and buy us a couple more seconds. Fuck knows I've been blinded by those damned things enough times...we'll have to haul ass. The Slingers are smarter and faster than your average Grizzlies goon, boss. We'll have...maybe five seconds tops?”
“Plenty of time to shoot anything that moves and isn't looking pretty,” I said, liking this idea more and more. “Are we done talking?”
I waited for Blaze to nod, then I clapped my hands. “All right. Let's fucking move it. Wrap this shit up and head out.”
The brothers scrambled in all directions, gathering weapons and gear, and then moving for their bikes. Reb, Moose, and Roller went for the van. We always brought out different chariots to a battle like this.
I double-checked to make sure my shit was all together, and then headed for my bike. Blaze's ride was next to me, and I watched him get on, fixing his helmet and pulling on an extra layer of gloves for the wintry ride. Thank fuck blowing snow was all we had to worry about on the roads tonight. They were plenty clear, an open route to the hell we were gonna bring with us.
“You and me got dibs on cutting the throats of anyone who's left alive after the wave,” the Prez said, firing up his engine. “You're the only bro tonight who understands this shit exactly like I do.”
I gave him a nod, tightening my helmet. “I'll race you to the fucking finish line. First man to stop their hearts with his bare hands wins.”
Blaze nodded, and peeled out ahead of me, heading for the open gate. I was right behind him, and I wasn't fucking joking.
After what the Slingers had done, it was only fair I gutted them open and ripped their hearts out, the quickest and most merciful shit they deserved. If I found out that they'd hurt my old lady, before I'd even claimed her...
Shit.
Even ferocious wind slapping me in the face wouldn't drown out their screams. I'd drain their carcasses and crawl through the blood if it brought her back to me, safe and whole.
Riding into the dark mountains with the rest of the boys behind me, I knew there were no guarantees. Not 'til these fucks were buried and I had her in my arms. When Alice was mine again, come hell or high water, I was gonna pick up on loving her harder than before, giving her all the attention she deserved, and then some.
I wanted her as bad as I wanted her tormenters dead and gone, wanted her 'til my bones rattled harder than my Harley's engine on the dark road.
I'd let club business blur into the life I wanted to give her. Everything she deserved when she took my brand.
No more.
This was fucking it, right here. Transition. Closing one bloody chapter out and starting a new one with her sweet skin wrapped around mine every waking second.
After tonight, there weren't gonna be any regrets. I'd be too fixed on loving Alice for any more of that shit, or else I'd be dead.
It took about a half hour to get to the location they gave Blaze. It was a shitty little cabin, half its shingles gone, flapping eerily in the wind.
Blaze slowed down as we wound up the driveway. I stopped right behind him, killed my ride, and got off. The rest of the brothers caught up quickly and took their positions, bringing out the heavy guns.
They wouldn't do much good in this fight unless we knew for sure the girls were outta the way. They were really there for intimidation, and we needed a shit ton of it against the Slingers' crazy asses. Their vehicles were parked off to the side, and taking a quick look said we had a slight advantage in numbers. Not that it meant much when these assholes had experience and deadly skill on their side.
Blaze cupped his hands over his mouth, about to yell at the house, when the door opened. A thick man with a mouthful of silver teeth grinned coldly, waving us forward.
The Prez gave the go ahead, and we inched closer. Me, Blaze, Moose, and Tank, leaving the rest of the brothers to hang back in case they meant to surprise us at the door. Didn't fucking think so – not while we had the map. Everything these assholes wanted was scrawled on a dead man's piece of paper.
There was no time to think about fucked up ironies. I was at the door when Blaze pushed something hard into my hands.
“Do the honors,” the Prez said coldly, just out of earshot from the line of evil looking bastards waiting for us next to an old table.
Blaze and I walked together, stopping in front of a tall, hard looking man with scars on his cheek. One look at the PRESIDENT patch on his cut told me we were dealing with Nero, the fucker spearheading this nightmare. He spread his hands on the table and spoke.
“I'm glad we could come to an agreement, Blaze. Maybe you assholes are smarter than you look.”
“Whatever,” Blaze spat. “Where are the girls? You're gonna bring them out there so I can see they're safe before we're handing over anything.”
Nero looked at me and allowed himself a thin, cruel smile. “You must be Stinger? They're both in the back. Alive and well, both of them, Alice and Saffron. Now, you can't expect me to trot my hostages around where they might get in harm's way if you Prairie Pussies have something else in mind, yeah? We all care about the girls, Blaze. I didn't pluck a single hair out of their heads, or anywhere else.”
The Prez looked like he was ready to explode. My heartbeat sent shockwaves through eve
ry muscle in my body. My hands tightened on the paper bundle clutched to my chest, keeping it outta their view, all I could do not to hurl the fucking thing at Nero's ugly face like a brick.
Nero raised one hand. “Shark, let 'em speak so our guests can hear.”
The man with the silver teeth and the VP patch walked back toward the room. He said a few words to someone inside, and a second later, Saffron's voice rang out.
“Blaze?” She paused, exploding louder the second time. “Blaze!”
The Prez's eyes lit up. He knew damned well she didn't sound okay, and then my brain started spinning, wondering what they'd done to Alice.
I could feel Tank's eyes boring into me from behind, warning me off doing anything crazy or stupid. Just a few more seconds. We were so fucking close, but there were a thousand ways this could all go to shit.
“The other bitch too,” Nero said, giving me a vicious look that said he knew she was mine.
I suppressed a growl. Had to break eye contact with the motherfucker before I wrecked everything. God damn, my fists were hungry, my bloodlust ripping at my throat like a werewolf trying to come out.
Nearly broke my own jaw clenching it tight when I heard her voice. “Stinger, it's Alice! We're okay. We just want to go home. Get us out of here. Please, we want you to –“
“That's enough!” Nero barked.
Footsteps rumbled in the room, and I strained to see what the hell was going on. Probably some fucking roughneck holding a gun to their heads. I'd been in this world long enough to know how clubs kept their bargaining chips in line.
I looked away, and my eyes caught Blaze's. Don't fuck it up, brother. Just hold it together, a little while longer. Then you can go nuts. We're not walking outta here tonight unless they're all dead.
Hearing his shit was all in my imagination, but it did the trick. I stopped seething and looked at Nero, feeling a monstrous peace coming over me like my blood turning to ice. Never knew zen could go hand-in-hand with murder 'til now.