He watched his handsome mate stride down the sidewalk with confidence and purpose, he was so fierce and resilient. Alrick was well pleased. He followed Dane to the café and, once again, blended into the background as he kept a close watch on his fated mate. He searched too long for this man to have anything happen to him.
Alrick opened his phone and scrolled through the information from Kyle. It answered a lot of Alrick's questions and put a little extra intensity in Alrick's need to keep Dane safe. Grant Pierce, Jeff Markham, and Freddy Alan, Dane's three roommates, were all low-level criminals with arrests and convictions from petty larceny to assault. Grant had the added honor of being arrested for soliciting but was released on bail, and the charges dropped when the arresting officer changed his story.
That was a very strange outcome. Arresting officers don't change their stories because they are the fucking arresting officer. Payoff or blackmail, it was one of the two, no other explanation. It wasn't long before he got his answer. Kyle had discovered that Grant was one of the favored boy toys of Costel Raca, Lieutenant in the Death Rangers biker gang. The Death Rangers had a deadly reputation that ran from Colorado to California.
Grant was playing with fire, Costel went through lovers quickly and rarely left them in one piece when he was finished. The Death Rangers were not your regular biker club or even gang. They were killers, cold, hard killers. Fear for his mate spiked through him at the thought of Dane getting caught in the crossfire when Grant’s love life went south.
He tucked his phone back into his pocket and kept his eyes on the café. He could keep watch on the front and back entrances from his current location. He could also hear his mate if distressed, so he felt a modicum of relief for the moment. He and his dragon would not be satisfied until Dane was living at the lodge under his protection.
Alrick maintained his guard for the rest of the day and followed Dane home after his shift. He’d toyed with going into the café and having coffee, but he didn’t want to tip Dane off that he was keeping an eye on him. Dane had a lot of pride and may not appreciate being watched.
Once Dane was home, Alrick settled in close to his bedroom window. He could feel Dane inside the room, and by the sound of his rhythmic breathing and the steady soft beat of his heart, Alrick knew him to be resting, soon to be asleep. But it all went to shit about three in the morning.
…
Dane arranged to have the next two days off. He needed to put all his attention on the movements of his roommate, Grant. Based on what he could discern from overhearing several phone calls between Grant and his lover, Dane figured the Death Rangers would be coming through Laramie in the next two days. He was going to be ready and fast enough this time to locate his sister or at least get a credible lead on her location.
When he got home, Grant was out, as usual, with some of his sleazy friends. Jeff and Freddy were in their respective rooms, so Dane made himself a quick snack and then locked himself in his room. He planned on following Grant tomorrow and the next day. He wasn't great with surveillance, but he was desperate to find his sister, and he had no one, but himself.
He fell into a deep sleep which was unusual for him in his current living situation. His mind had allowed him to shut down for once. He’d felt secure, strangely secure, with absolutely no explanation for the peace of mind. Unfortunately, it all ended abruptly when someone, rather than knock on his door, decided to knock it down.
The tearing of wood and the squeal of nails being forced from the casing as his door burst into the bedroom, had Dane out of bed and on his feet in a matter of seconds. He went from a deep sleep to a state of defensive panic in seconds. “Get the fuck out of my room!” He shouted forcefully while backing up to the wall behind him.
Grant jumped and tried to grab Dane by the t-shirt he was wearing, but it tore out of his grip. He was growling some nonsense and yelling that he was going to kill him. He leaped at Dane and Dane tried to get out of the way, but Grant took him to the floor and straddled his chest. Dane knew he was in for a world of hurt. But before the strikes began, it all ended.
In an instant, something came through his window, and Grant was jerked away from him and thrown across the room. He hit the wall and slid to the floor apparently unconscious. Dane lay still, with his eyes squeezed shut, wondering if he was going to be next.
As he opened his eyes, he then recognized the man standing over him in a protective crouch as if waiting to see if the aggressor, on the other side of the room, was going to get up and try again. Grant did not get up. Alrick turned and looked at him, and Dane saw something fantastical, something that he recognized from the incident at Night Whispers.
Alrick's eyes, always burning with an internal fire shone with an intensity that was inhuman. His face took on angles that sharpened and appeared to reshape his face. But through it all, Dane felt no fear, only anxious wonder. This was not a hallucination, as he'd written it off as before. This was Alrick, and he was obviously more than just second in command of a biker club.
Dane rolled to his side and tried to sit up, and Alrick was there immediately, with a hand to assist. The knock to the floor had caused him considerable pain in his side, and he winced when he moved. Alrick ran his fingertips over Dane's ribs, checking for injury.
"They're not broken." He told him as he slipped off his jacket and put it on Dane, covering his naked torso. Grant had torn his t-shirt completely off him and bloodied him up a bit, but he looked okay. There didn't appear to be any serious injuries.
Alrick cut a glance over to Grant who still lay, out cold, in the corner of the room. His dragon wanted to illuminate the man and make sure he never touched Dane again. But Alrick knew he couldn’t just kill the man in front of his mate, so he suppressed his dragon and gave all his attention to Dane.
"Thanks," Dane mumbled as he struggled to regain his balance, still feeling a bit dazed by the attack.
"You're coming home with me. It isn't safe for you in this house." Alrick stated. "Grab what you need for tonight, and I'll send someone to get the rest of your things tomorrow." Alrick put his arm around Dane and walked him out of the house. He wasn't taking no for an answer. If one more person dared to raise a hand to his mate, there was no telling how much of this town his dragon would level. He needed to keep Dane by his side, for the welfare of all.
Dane grabbed a few things and stuffed them into a duffle bag and then slipped on a pair of canvas shoes on his way out the front door. He didn’t stop to think about what he was doing or where he was going or with who, he just got into the SUV and buckled up. He looked over at Alrick who was adjusting the air and the seats so Dane was as comfortable as possible.
Dane wasn’t even going to ask how he knew, he was just glad that Alrick was there. Grant had assaulted him before but never had he busted down his door and sounded so out of his head as he did tonight. “I think he was on something.” Dane voiced his thoughts. Grant had figured out that Dane was watching him and assumed that Dane wanted to move in on his biker daddy. It was absurd, but the assumption was understandable for someone as shallow and narrow as Grant.
Alrick kept driving but cut his eyes over to regard Dane. “If he touches you again, I will kill him.” Alrick’s voice was level, steady and deadly. There was no doubt that Alrick was not making threats. It sent shivers over Dane’s body.
He looked over at the man that was now staring at the road ahead of him. His jaw was set, and he looked seriously unpleasant. Dane knew he had nothing to fear from the man, he'd saved him from sure death yesterday, and now a beat down today. Alrick was becoming his guardian angel, and for that, he was thankful. He had a lot of questions for the man, but they could wait.
Alrick held onto the steering wheel with a death grip. His anger was peaking, and his dragon pushed for center stage. He'd been upset before, but nothing compared to hearing his mate cry out in fear and pain. That was a whole new experience for him. Grant was very lucky to still be alive. If his mate hadn't needed him and drawn his dra
gon's attention away from the threat, Grant would have been incinerated for sure.
The last time he'd rescued his mate, Dane had been semi-conscious, so there'd been no reaction, on his part, to the danger that he was in. Alrick found that encounter enraging, but having his mate scream in terror, filled Alrick with heart stopping panic.
If Dane had been paying attention, he would have noticed Alrick was in a half shift. His dragon was prepared to take over and defend its mate. Thankfully, Dane was blissfully unaware of Alrick's other half. The time for that revelation would be later when Dane was well and calm and receptive.
Now he needed to bring it all down a notch or two. Dane was safe with him, and they were on their way back to the lodge. Alrick was thankful that Dane had not fought him on leaving. There was no way in hell that Alrick was going to leave him in that place. If he'd balked, Alrick would have carried him, and that was the truth.
Alrick glanced over at his mate who was sitting there too quietly. He handled the last trauma well, but this one seemed to have taken the wind out of him. Perhaps it was just finally, too much. He reached over and placed his hand over Dane’s which was resting on his thigh. The contact helped calm his beast and brought out a soft sigh from Dane’s lips.
“We have a medic. When I get you to the lodge, I’d like for him to have a look at your injuries.” It was a request wrapped in an order, but Alrick was trying. He kept his hand on Dane, who seemed okay with the contact. Dane nodded but did not speak.
The silence was not uncomfortable, so Alrick didn't push for conversation. Dane was probably processing, that was the word Kyle used when people pulled away after a traumatic incident. Processing, making sense of the action and putting it away. Kyle was a very thoughtful and insightful young man along with being a deadly dragon warrior.
Alrick pulled up close to the front door, not wanting his mate out in the open for too long. He sensed that Dane was in more danger than he would admit. He almost carried him to the door and ushered him quickly inside before closing and locking the door behind him.
Bryn, Angus, Flynn, and Forbes were relaxing in the great room watching television, but leaped to their feet and were ready for battle in an instant. The look on their commander's face was hard and focused which meant danger. Alrick nodded letting them know to stand down, for the moment. He walked his mate into the great room and had him take a seat on one of the leather sofas. He then motioned for everyone to sit down except Forbes.
“Forbes.” He commanded. “This is Dane, he was here yesterday, a friend of Chance and a close friend of mine. He’s been in a scuffle and may need medical care.” That was all that needed to be said as Forbes quickly took over.
Alrick stepped back but kept a close eye on his mate. Dane was much too compliant, and it worried him. Kyle came out of the back-office area and stood beside him.
"I have more information on his roommate Grant," Kyle stated. "Is he the one who did this?"
“Yes.” Alrick had a gut feeling he knew what was going on, but he needed to put the pieces together. “Is Calum here?”
"No, he took Chance to the mountains to complete their bond," Kyle informed.
“Once I have my mate settled, I want to meet with you all and discuss the situation. There are more paranormals in this town than just wolves.” He left it there and returned to his mate’s side as Forbes completed his examination.
"He has bruised ribs on his left side and lacerations to his face and neck area, which I have treated. I gave him medication for the pain in his ribs, and he should start to feel better soon. Apart from the physical, he seems to be in a mild state of shock. I suggest getting him comfortable and keeping him warm." Forbes packed his gear and moved away from the sofa and let Alrick take his place.
Alrick knelt in front of where Dane was seated and took both of Dane’s hands in his. He looked at his sweet face and melted. “I’m going to take you upstairs and let you rest. You’re safe here.” He noticed a barely perceptible nod from Dane and moved to allow him to stand. Alrick slipped his arm around Dane’s shoulders and guided him to the stairway and up to Alrick’s bedroom.
Dane knew he should be saying something, to someone, but he was just too emotional. If he started talking, he would start crying, and he didn't want to cry in front of Alrick's friends. He'd met some of them before, but there were strangers there as well. The medic was good at his job and didn't ask him any unnecessary questions. Luckily, he could answer them all with a nod or shake of his head. He just wasn't ready for words yet.
He wondered what the tall blond man had said to Alrick when he entered the room. Alrick looked bothered by the comment, so Dane ached to know what it pertained to. He was going to have to talk to Alrick and explain what was going on in his life. These guys meant him no harm, he was sure of that. Maybe they would be willing to help him locate the Death Rangers and his sister. He lost his connection with Grant, so there was no way for him to know when the group came to town or where they were staying. He had to ask for help.
His desire to locate the biker gang that took his sister had become an obsession that has, on more than one occasion, lead to him being physically assaulted. Grant apparently believed Dane had been listening in on his phone conversation and decided to beat the shit out of him. He also accused him of trying to make a connection with Grant’s biker dude.
Dane didn't think Grant was as strong as he was. He'd been on the receiving end of abuse from this guy before, but it was nothing like the beat down tonight, not to mention the way he tore the door off its hinges. Maybe it had something to do with the drugs he was taking. Grant took him down with very little effort, and if it weren't for Alrick intervening, he'd have been beaten, badly.
Dane knew that he lost his chance, once again, at gaining access to the gang and locating his sister. He was out of money and out of options. He let Alrick take him upstairs, without question, and get him settled on the bed that he'd used before. It was Alrick's room and Alrick's bed, and it gave Dane a sense of peace and safety that he so needed right now.
Letting Alrick take control just seemed the best decision right now. What else could he do? He couldn't go home and his only friend, Chance, currently lived with this group of guys. He felt himself begin to give up, and he tried to resist, but the temptation was too great. The futility of his life and his goal seemed to press in on him as Alrick moved him to the bed and laid him down. The jacket was off, and he was left in just his briefs. Dane let himself be guided and cared for, and it felt damn good. He had no decisions, no choices, no responsibilities, he could just be for a little while.
“How did you know that Grant was hurting me?” Dane’s question came out of nowhere as Alrick tucked the comforter in around him. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and took Dane’s hand in his.
“I was keeping an eye on you, because I worried for your safety. Some of the people who were a part of yours and Chance’s abduction ran off before they could be dealt with. I wanted to make sure no one came back to harm you.” Alrick figured he would be as honest as was possible, but he knew his mate wasn’t ready to hear that they were destined to be bonded mates and his dragon refused to leave him unprotected. That would come later.
Dane lay there for a few moments and then he decided to tell him, everything. What did he have to lose? He needed their help. He explained it all, his sister’s hook up with the Death Rangers and her subsequent disappearance, their search, the private detective, and his hope at following Grant to his rendezvous with his biker lover. He told him everything that he’d learned in the past five years of chasing these guys. He left nothing out.
Alrick listened intently, nodding from time to time but he said nothing, no comments or questions, until Dane was finished with his story. Then he took Dane’s hand that he was holding and raised it to his lips and kissed it.
“Thank you for trusting me with the truth.” Alrick was very pleased that Dane, without prompting, told him the whole story. “What do you really know of t
he Death Rangers?” Dane had given him basic information, such as movements and arrest attempts, nothing worthy of a private detective.
"I know that they have ruined a lot of lives and I think they kill people. They don't get caught, and they are usually far away when the bodies are found. So far, they haven't been charged with anything but petty crimes and drug offenses. Although, none of those charges ever stick." Dane held tight to Alrick's hand but let his eyes drop to his lap. The thought of what his sister has been through was always on the surface of his emotions, nagging and tormenting him.
“When was the last time you saw your sister?”
“Lance, my private investigator said he saw her about a year and a half ago. He caught sight of her in a small town outside of Denver. He said she didn’t look good, but she was alive. Lance lost them the next day.”
“May I tell you some hard truths, are you prepared to hear them?” Alrick would not give his mate false hope or make promises he couldn’t keep. He watched as Dane’s eyes filled with tears and then he quickly wiped them away.
“Yes.” Dane lifted his gaze back to Alrick’s and held fast. “Tell me.” His voice was soft but determined.
“We’ve been around a long time, my brothers and I, and we’ve crossed paths with the Death Rangers. They haven’t been in existence for very long, only about ten years, so your sister joined them early in their formation.” Alrick moved a little closer and placed his arm across Dane’s back, both supporting him and drawing him closer.
"They don't keep outsiders, and they never accept new members who are not one of their own kind. If your sister has been reported to have been with them for five years, I doubt she has been traveling with them. It is my opinion that, like Grant, she is someone they use when passing through an area.
These people, like the ones who travel with them, are not respected or cared for. They are used and discarded. The ones who travel with them never make it beyond a few months. It is unlikely that your sister still lives and if she is alive, she is most certainly not well.” He cupped the side of Dane’s face as he continued.
The Dragon's Heart: Dragon's Blood M.C. Page 3