by Storm Savage
“I’m sorry, babe, we all liked him despite our differences. He had his affairs in order because he had no close relatives. He truly embraced your sisterhood nation,” Hatch told her with a soft expression. “Eighty percent of his wealth has been designated to you.”
“You saw his will?” Tears slid down her cheeks. Raef’s generosity touched her deeply. He truly had loved and trusted me, even without knowing everything about me. She looked down as her body shook with sobs.
Hatch waited for her to compose herself before speaking again. “The band’s attorney gathered with us this morning and read it. Nobody could get a hold of you.”
“What about the investigation of his death?” She placed a hand on her forehead, utterly distraught. “Why haven’t the police been here?”
“The coroner ruled it an accidental overdose.”
“What? That’s insane! I saw Cooper stab him! I’m the one who called for help! Why hasn’t anyone done anything?” She slammed both hands against his chest, knocking him back. “Does Coop have everyone under his control?”
“Flame, calm down.” He reached for her. “You’re in shock. You’re delusional. Coop would never kill one of his pack members. The man has been an esteemed leader for years.”
“I saw him!”
With a slow shake of his head, Hatch gazed at her with sad eyes. “Baby, baby, you need help. Your encounter with the Satellite has taken its toll. I watched Ian go through the same thing until it eventually drove him mad. Please don’t let that prick get you, too.”
“I want to see Raef’s body,” she demanded, glaring at him. “I’ll show you the stab wounds.”
“There is no body. I told you.” He took her hands in his. “Paramedics were called here and they tried to revive him but it was too late.”
“Who told you that?”
“Coop phoned me just before my plane landed. Good thing I decided to fly back to LA. You really need someone to lean on right now. I can see that you’re not well.”
“But the surgeon…the ambulance…the blood, I saw it all.” Her eyes burned, staring at his hands holding hers. Her heart raced. She couldn’t stop shaking. “Coop is lying and somehow he managed to cover up his dirty deed and fool everyone in the process. What did he do? Pay everyone off to keep them quiet?”
“I’ve known him a long time, babe, and I just can’t see him going to those extremes, let alone killing a friend. He was too upset over losing Ian. He’d never kill Raef.” Hatch gave her a consoling look. “Make no mistake, I’m not Cooper O’Toole’s biggest fan with all this Satellite bullshit, but he’s not a killer.”
“I know what I saw.” She jerked her hands back. “He has you fooled.”
“Is there something you want to tell me? Something I don’t know about Coop?”
Her head shot up. She studied his face. “No…I guess not.”
“I’m staying at a nice hotel not far from here. Why don’t you pack your bags and come with me. I heard the Satellite managed a return of sorts, which is why I came back to get you out of harm’s way and end this madness.” He paused and furrowed his brows. “Ya know, babe, if that evil creature found a way to come back from the dead, he could have a lot more power…even enough to deceive the mind and make someone see something differently. Maybe this fiend made you see what he wanted you to see. He could’ve used Raef’s death to trick you. Wasn’t it Ian who said the Satellite has those types of capabilities?”
“Yes…he did.” An eerie feeling crawled through her. Could it be possible? Could the new improved Satellite take on the appearance of someone else to commit a crime? No, surely Von and Ian hadn’t used Raef this way. They had to be telling the truth. After all, I stabbed Von and he didn’t die. Everything they said makes sense. Still, a sliver of doubt had crept into her troubled mind. Who really is who? She just didn’t know anymore.
“You’re not safe out here alone, especially in this condition. The Satellite is still after you and he has to be the one causing these delusions. Come and stay with me for a while, at least until you get through the trauma.”
“No. I’m staying with the house until it’s legally sold. Raef would want me to.”
“You need to let go.”
“Of course you’d say that. I’ll never let him go. He is still alive in my heart…in my head. I feel him, hear him.” She laid a hand over her heart. “He called me his wife before he died.”
Hatch stumbled back as if he’d been jolted. Fury flashed through his eyes for an instant, then he quickly recovered. “You’re delusional. You better come with me.”
“I. Said. No!” She gave him a hard shove and sent him tumbling backward down the steps. The force of her action stunned her but she attributed it to rage. She heard him mutter a few profane words before she raced inside and bolted the door.
After running upstairs, she peeked out a window and watched until Hatch drove away in a sporty car. Then she threw herself on Raef’s bed and sobbed. Clearly, Hatch has been brainwashed by Cooper to believe Raef overdosed. Raef was way too stable to do something that foolish. She fumed over the lies yet found some solace in the fact that she’d dumped Hatch when his true character began to show. At least she hadn’t hesitated this time to dump the baggage.
Exhausted from crying and dealing with ghosts, immortals, and men, she nestled into the sheets and pillows of Raef’s bed, breathing in his lingering scent—a scent she knew would soon be gone. She clung to his pillow, burning with the most unbearable heartache she’d ever known.
The room was dark when Flame woke. As lonely as his house felt, she didn’t want to leave for fear of breaking whatever paranormal connection might still exist. Yet deep inside, she knew that she couldn’t hide in here forever. Reality waited and she needed to face it sooner or later. A death needed avenged. A family of evil minions waited due punishment. And a war had to be won. Can I pull Von over? She stared at her hand. No blood. He had not broken her confidence.
She pondered Hatch’s speculations on the possibility of the Satellite posing as Coop to get rid of Raef. She didn’t doubt the logic. It made perfect sense for Von to want Raef out of the way. Still, Von knew things, things that he couldn’t possibly know unless—she drew a sharp breath—unless he can read my mind! No, that’s insane. I wasn’t even thinking about Paloma or my mother in his presence. Could he really be that sinister, that obsessed, to use my weakest moment just to continue this quest for seduction? Did I really see what I saw? She wondered if there was any truth to Hatch’s words. Had she fallen over the edge or had someone pushed her? Maddening questions in an ever-changing war, the Supreme Lioness had not exaggerated.
Her high ruler’s words came to mind. Trust no one. Lean on your intuition. Be prepared for the unexpected. The Satellite must not prevail, words of wisdom not to be forgotten. She began to grasp the complex nature of this mission.
Her gaze went to her palm again. Von didn’t know the other detail she omitted. Not only would the wounds bleed if he broke her trust, but if he lied, his cut would open and fester with searing pain until the truth was told. “I need to find Von and ask him straight out,” she muttered to herself.
Weary from sorrow and tired of keeping herself locked inside, she rooted through her bag and found her leathers. Unsure of when the lawyers would change the locks on Raef’s house, she decided to pack her gear and head out on the road. She hated leaving the place she’d last felt Raef, but she couldn’t justify hiding when the enemy was at large.
After pulling on her skintight leather pants, she slipped into the matching gold leather jacket—a one of a kind warrior outfit tailored specifically for her. She slid her Sai daggers into the holsters at her thighs, stuffed the rest of her belongings into her backpack, then trotted down the steps. If Cooper had been framed then Flame was determined to uncover the guilty soul with Raef’s blood on his hands. God help them when I do.
She paused at the bottom of the spiral staircase and looked up one last time. Memories of Raef carrying
her up those steps to his bedroom then making passionate love to her floated through her mind. She basked in the moment for a short time then wiped tears from her cheeks.
“See you on the trail, my love.” Her voice trembled. She choked back the urge to break down and walked out the front door, closing it quietly behind her. The thought of bringing him back, even as a Satellite called to her, she hadn’t completely dismissed the idea. If I can’t win the war, I’m at least going to be with the one I love.
She knew exactly what her next step would be in exposing some truth.
While cruising down the boulevard, Flame spotted a familiar-looking sports car parked in the dangerous side of town. Why would Hatch be loitering in this area? Surely, he’s not that desperate that he’d seek out a hooker. She made a wide circle, taking care to be discreet. During her third time around, she caught sight of Hatch leaving a massage parlor but not with a woman. Cooper O’Toole! She parked in the shadows and watched, wishing she could get close enough to hear them.
They chatted and laughed, then Coop handed Hatch a small brown package. From her position, the parcel looked odd shaped, almost rectangular and roughly wrapped. Hatch cast a guarded glance around before placing the package in his car. The two men shook hands and nodded, then laughed a few more times before they parted company.
Strange, she thought. Very strange. She waited until they were out of sight before riding away. Is Hatch buying drugs from Coop? Why else would he be slumming down here? She chocked it up to another sleazy trait of her ex-fiancé. I have more important things to think about than his shady deals.
He turned abruptly, seemingly taken off guard by her approach. “How’d you do that?” Von asked with an intense stare. His blue-green eyes shimmered in the moonlight.
“Magic.” She let out a little laugh, but was not about to tell him that their blood-bond had increased her powers. By sealing her blood to his, she now had begun to absorb some of his mystical abilities. “You’re alone.” Flame glanced around the remote area on the beach, the same location where he’d tried to seduce her. “Where’s your pack of mangy minions?”
“Around.” He stoked a small campfire. “So you finally decided to leave the house?”
“I got sick of all the company.”
A slight grin beset his face. “I heard that Hatch is back in town.”
She stepped up to him and looked into his eyes. “I’m going hunting…wanna come?”
He arched one brow. “You’re letting me help you?”
“Like you said, I’ll never find his camp without you.”
“We should take one bike. I can slip in unnoticed but they’ll pick up your scent. If you ride with me, I’ll cover you.”
His soft, casual tone of voice, the way he looked at her, and his latter comment stirred a part of her to life. She stared back at him for a few minutes in deep contemplation.
“You’re just loving this, aren’t you?”
He shrugged with a nonchalant hand gesture. “What can I say? You straddling anything of mine lights my fire.”
She half frowned to withhold a smile. “Fine. Let’s get on with it.”
“His creepers will die if you dagger them. Coop will need your fiery touch to meet his demise.” He walked to his impressive masterpiece of steel and chrome, then motioned for her to get on.
She swung her leg over the seat and settled on the smooth leather. “I know the rules. You don’t have to coach me.”
“You’re edgy tonight.”
“I’ve had a really bad day. Can we just go?”
“Yep.” He fired the engine and kicked the bike into gear.
They rumbled from the beach onto the street then picked up the interstate heading north. Von opened his Harley to full throttle, sucking the wind out of her. She leaned against the backrest to enjoy the ride. This was the first time since Raef’s death that she felt like she could breathe. Riding had always been the one thing that cleared her head and opened her senses. Everything around her came to life once the growl of the engine ignited. Feeling so much power between her legs was invigorating—almost better than sex. She allowed herself to smile.
Riding with Von had become more exciting than she cared to admit. The man rode without fear. Hatch was a complete wuss when it came to motorcycles and Raef had been her match. Something about this darkly alluring rebel challenged her, took her to a higher level of adventure. What should be scaring the hell out of her right now had the opposite effect—it thrilled her in ways she couldn’t explain.
Six hours after leaving LA, he pulled off an exit toward San Francisco then drove to the nearest all-night eatery and parked the bike. “I thought you might want to stretch your legs and do whatever you need to do before we ride on.”
She slid off the back. “Just how far away is Coop’s camp?”
“Six more hours. Are you up for it?”
“Phft…don’t insult me. I’ve taken longer rides than this.”
“Yeah, I guess so,” he said with a grin. “Don’t go taking off with any strangers you meet outside the ladies’ room while I fuel up.”
“Very funny.” She scowled at his dig, remembering how he’d snuck her away from an entire pack of bikers. “I learned my lesson from you.”
“Hey…” He gave a casual shrug. “At least you learned from the best.”
“Ugh.” She sighed and walked away. Still as cocky as ever, she thought and noticed that everything they’d experienced in Raef’s house had fallen aside for the time. She and Von were back in battle-mode, so it seemed. She began to wonder how much of what transpired over the past day had been real. A quick glance at the scar on her hand reminded her that at least one memory was not a delusion.
You better pray you’ve told me the truth, Von Calder, or your existence will soon come to an end. I will show no mercy on Raef’s killer. She returned from the restroom to find Von straddling his bike, waiting patiently and openly enjoying a smoke.
“Don’t you know those things will kill you?” She smirked.
“Touché.” He let out a short laugh. “One sharp dig deserves another.” His eyes met hers for a brief yet wildly intense moment.
“Where are we headed?” She did her best to shake off his heady allure.
“Crescent City.”
Her heart skipped a beat. Crescent City? Surely, this is not coincidence, she thought. Flashbacks of daggering Cassie while she’d mated Ian, an eerie crescent mark glowing on her forehead, whipped through Flame’s mind. She cringed while sitting behind Von. Even more disturbing, Ian’s first account about the man sitting to her front right now, had revealed him as the one who’d left that unearthly mark on Cassie’s skin with a kiss.
Suddenly Flame realized that she was truly alone. While Von wanted her to believe they were on the same team, she couldn’t deny the truth that she already knew for certain. Von was and still is the Satellite. She cautioned herself to be careful and not fall into the same snare as her mother had. It was quite possible that Von could be leading her into that very same trap tonight. She slid a hand into her pocket, checking to make sure her tin of lighter fluid and Zippo were still securely in place. Someone is going to burn, this she knew. Who—was the question.
Chapter Eight
They rolled into Crescent City shortly before dawn. Von seemed to know exactly where he was going. He zigzagged through traffic then onto side roads, taking her deep into the remote woodlands of the redwood forest. Flame gazed up at the mammoth trees that blocked out light from an eerie crescent moon. An uneasy chill settled over her. Instinct told her that she was about to come face-to-face with bone-chilling evil by walking straight into a nest of Twilight fiends.
Von parked his bike in a secluded grove then dismounted. “We’ll walk from here.” He gave her a slow once over. His gaze lingered at her feet. “You’re wearing those boots again.”
“Sorry to disappoint you but I can’t kick ass in high heels.”
His eyes shimmered mischievously. “Do I look
disappointed? Your warrior outfit is hot and the chick-biker-boots are you. Very real. I’d expect nothing less.”
She practically writhed beneath his dissecting stare. “Let’s get this show on the road. Lead the way.”
A hint of a grin played at his ruggedly handsome face. He did not pale in comparison to Raef, no not one bit. Both men were undeniably gorgeous. Her beloved Raef had been called pretty yet he’d had his pick of women. Flame wondered what Von was like before he died. How many girlfriends did he have? Did women throw themselves at him? She thought back to their encounter in a diner where the waitresses had been flirting with him. No doubt, this imposing male could also have his pick of females. Would Naami pant after Von as she did Raef? Or am I the only one under this man’s spell? She shook her head to dismiss the wayward thoughts.
They hiked through deep woods into the predawn hours. The night sky began to give way to the first signs of daylight. Von stopped without warning and turned toward her.
“I didn’t want you to fight his creepers at night. There are a lot of them and they are sneaky bastards in the dark.”
She gave a nod, wondering if he expected her thanks. She said nothing. They continued on. A short while later a clearing came into view. Nestled in a treeless circle of the woods were at least fifty motorcycles. Scruffy-looking men lounged near a weak campfire. Some appeared to be sleeping while others were passing a bottle around and smoking what she assumed was cannabis, as they were also passing the blunt around their tight circle. Most men she’d known didn’t share cigarettes or cigars in this manner.
“Do your warrior thing, sugar,” Von barely whispered. “I’ll cover your back. Once Coop arrives on the scene, his creepers will cower.”
She cast him a strange look. It seemed odd that he was giving her insight to the evil realm. Nevertheless, opportunity presented itself. She wasn’t about to pass on the chance of taking out a pack of Twilight’s soldiers.