The racket in the back is of no concern, even as a few of the guys try to get me to wait for them. No need. I will listen to the Prez, I will ensure a guard on my woman then meet them all at the jump off point. After that? Who knows. I’ve already told the serpent tongued beast that lives in the shadows of my mind that he can have free reign, no meds either. He liked that, he liked that a lot as his face barely comes into view in my mind’s eye, blood dripping from his fangs as his tongue slowly snakes out to clean them. Chills run up my spine as my calloused hands thrust the keys into the truck's ignition. Not many knew the details of what I’ve done in the past, and no one knew every sequential gory one, but he knew, he kept score, and he loved it.
Ω
The frigid chill of the night wraps around us in a death grip as we sit on the backs of our bikes at the launch site, waiting for the VP to arrive. Luna’s fat ass jiggling as I stripped her, slammed her up against the wall and fucked her from behind the second I got home is now the new imprint on replay upstairs. The channel on that station had to be changed after shit went down at the club. I wasn’t gentle about it either. Funny, the rougher I am with her, the wetter she gets. Fuck, and the way she screams for me? Lawd have mercy. That ass is getting eaten out the minute I get home. She opened the door and let me through, now the big bad wolf will ravage her every chance he gets.
I adjust my throbbing dick as headlights appear down the drive, the ole man finally making an appearance. He was taking his time on purpose. Asshole. It was no accident that I didn’t take the pills tonight, so I’m now crawling out of my skin, itching to go. My leathers feel too fucking constricting, my blood is pumping hard, and my head is on a swivel. And if Edge pops his motherfucking gum one more time, I’m gonna land some lead square between his eyes. Silver cruises on past us, and we all fire up our engines, the symphony roaring to life like balm to my ears. My heart rate goes down a notch as I flip the gears, bleed a little gas, and open up my ride. Thankfully, the snow has melted back, and the roads are as clear as they can get this time of year.
Pinky and his group of Merry fuckups moved their central operation up the road a few hours after we hit the boss. Well, after I landed him in the plastic surgeons OR. Rumor has it that they’ve doubled the number of girls they are trafficking, getting sloppy about their targets too. It is only a matter of time before the feds come raining in, which messes with everyone's business. We can’t have that. Especially when a stop can be put to it all in a more efficient, permanent manner. The demon in the back of my head whispers his agreement as I shift gears, racing toward the object of my sadistic affections. Opening him up, and showing him his entrails as he writhes in pain is going to be like an orgasmic Christmas. My mind dances with the devil as we concoct the most fucked torture to date. The humming of the bikes on the open road lulls me into a deep, meditative state, allowing for it all to play through like a horror movie. Clenching the handlebars tighter in anticipation; pure, seething disgust oozes from every pore in my body. The minute Luna came into the picture, I swore I’d try to be better, to lock this disgusting part of myself up and throw away the key. Stay on as many pills as it took to be the man she needs. Right now, that deal is off. Perhaps someday soon, after, I can get it back under control. Or not. I grin to myself as the deathly cold envelops our band of misfits. Let’s ride.
Ω
I crack my bruised knuckles as Tank and I leave the garage. Tonight was a total fucking waste. The old farmhouse our source sent us to was abandoned. One of the beams took the brunt end of my frustrations until blood began to spray everywhere. It is only a matter of time before I get what I want. Tank had to redirect my stupid ass over and over just to get me to agree to come back home for the night instead of taking off from the pack to find him on my own. Our watches car is sitting by my truck, I two finger wave as we head inside, my mind set on one thing, my woman.
The hanging kitchen island light glows, matching the faint one coming from the bedroom. The guest bedroom door is closed, Bex must be asleep. Steel is nowhere in sight. Odd. It’s three in the morning, that dog is usually up on my heels with mischief in his eyes when I get home at this hour.
“I’m turning in, gonna crash with Bex, and we will get out of your hair first thing.” Tank yawns and opens the door to the room.
We both freeze in our tracks. My blood turns to ice and drains from my face as my heart stops cold. Every hair on my body is up on end.
“Baby!” Tank roars as he rushes the bed, throwing himself at the bound figure of his wife, his living, breathing altar of worship in this godforsaken world.
I don’t even stick around to see if she is still alive, she didn’t look it. Thundering down the hall into my room, the world completely stops. A black vortex opens up and sucks me into some parallel universe that shouldn’t ever exist. Every cell in my body prays for this to be a mistake, some sick, twisted joke as I rush into the room eerily flooded with candle light. A red sheet is spread over my bed, and in the center is a bloody mound of fur, its lifeless body splayed in a running position, mouth open, tongue hanging.
“Steel.” His name falls from my lips in a whisper as I fight back the tears. For the last five years this dog has been at my side, my faithful companion, the grumpy old man always ready to give me a piece of his mind when I strayed too far. Walking up to the bed, a silent tear falls as I reach up to stroke the fur. My heart pounds against my ribs as my world tilts on axis.
“Jesus.” I pick up his muzzle and look into his lifeless eyes, the pain of his passing a stab in the heart as if it were my own. The sound of rustling paper draws my attention away from the dead eyes eating away at me to a note pinned in the haunches. Taking care of the corpse, I remove it with blood stained fingers, my eyes quickly adjusting to the low light to take it in. My eyes squeeze shut and open a few times, the dream like state of this all affecting my ability to see clearly.
Blood is red,
Her hide now black and blue,
Do you think she will still scream out for you?
The note crinkles as my fist tightens around it. “Luna!” I howl from the depths of my shattering soul. My heart is breaking apart knowing good and well who had her. Grief overtakes me as my knees threaten to buckle, my gut on the verge of evacuating all over the dead wolf.
A low whimper sounds out from my closet, a lifeline in a moment of despair. What the hell? I look at the corpse on the bed and blink again only to realize that it isn’t Steel, but instead a big Grey wolf. If ever there were a sound that could detract me from murderous rage other than the sound of Luna’s voice, it would be the vulnerable cry of my dog. “Steel,” I breathe a sigh of relief.
Swiftly, I make my way to the closet and hesitantly open the door, afraid for what might be waiting. The moment I saw Bex, it was clear that Luna wasn’t going to be here. He had taken her, and I have failed the most important person in my life. But this sick, twisted fuck might have left my dog strung up in a state somewhere in limbo between life and death, yet beyond repair of the most talented vet. The closet it is dark, the coppery smell blasting me as my fingers search for the switch. Finding it, light floods the walk-in, spotlighting my wounded beast on the floor, his back leg twisted in an unnatural direction, red stains crusted to his jowls. Dropping to my knees, my hands flit all over him, looking for anything other than the leg. I blow out a hard breath when I don’t find any other open wounds or places that make him yelp. My fingers end at his mouth. Shards of flesh and grey hair hang. Picking them out, I bring them up to give them a sniff. A rancid odor bites back.
“Good boy, you got a chunk of him did you?” Not sure how they spared his life but grateful all the same. Leaning over, I grab a t-shirt off the shelf and rip it into a long piece. “Shhhhhh boy, it’s all right.” I stroke his back a few times, trying to assure him. He reluctantly allows me to slowly wrap the material around his back leg and bring it up and around his underside into a makeshift sling. He cries a bit but doesn’t bare his teeth or raise his hack
les; he knows I am not going to hurt him. “Okay buddy, this might hurt a little.” I tighten and draw his leg up to be braced against his stomach. He yelps loudly, breaking my ever lovin’ heart but those feelings get pushed aside as my arms take him in. “I got you.” Stumbling down the hall in a surreal state, the sound of voices swivel my head to the guest room.
Tank sits on the bed, Bex cradled in his lap as he rocks her limp body, the cut away shards of rope scattered about the bed and floor. He’s whimpering like a baby, snot and tears streaming down his face as her lips tremble in an attempt to move. Her neck is black and blue, one eye swollen shut, new bruises forming as we speak in scattered patterns all around her naked body.
“She alive?” I hated to even ask but my eyes have been playing tricks on me, and I’m not even sure what’s real anymore.
“Yeah.” Tank pulls the quilt and covers her body as Stitch runs in.
“Jesus fucking Christ. Frankie is dead in his car. Took one right between the eyes.” Stitch drops his med pack on the ground next to Tank and begins examining the almost dead Bex hanging in her husband’s arms. Tank must have called him to turn around and come right back after he road with us here. Blood drips from the corner of her mouth as she tries to croak something else out but can't.
“Shhhhh, baby, don’t even worry about anything at all but hanging on for me.” Tank sniffs and looks up at me. “Luna?” He strains.
I can’t even find words so I let my face do the talking. My whole body is shaking with rage, my inner piece of shit already armed, wielding his knives, ready.
“Fuck.” Tank drops his head back to his wife before his eyes track Stitch’s every move, waiting for answers. Stitch ignores him and goes about his business.
“I don’t even understand how the fuck they got in here, and where the other two asswipes on guard went. Their bikes aren’t even out there.” Stitches hands move fast, attaining whatever data he needs. “All right, she’s stable enough but I don’t know the extent of her internal damage. Her belly is swollen and that neck… I don’t fucking know how she’s still alive and breathing just fine. We need to get her to our other doc on the payroll, can’t take her to the hospital, not like this.”
“I’m not leaving her.”
“No one’s asking you to. We will take Whip’s truck.” Stitch grabs his bag, and shoves his gear in, ready to go. “I’ll put the monitor back on her in the car, tough old bird. Whip, we will take Steel to the vet on the way.” Stitch slings his med pack across his back and opens his arms to take the shaking mass in my arms. I could feel his pain and fear. The closer Stitch gets, the worse he shakes. Stitch takes another step and the beast in him whirls to life with a growl and snarl, reminding us that he’s just as much of a wild animal as the dead one on my bed.
Stitch pulls back his arms and gives me a look. “You gonna be able to keep your head on straight long enough to get him there? I don’t have any tranquilizers for dogs.”
I nod once and turn on my heel, storming to the door, ready to drop them where they needed to go and then be on my way. Stitch jogs ahead, opening doors and flipping lights, snagging my keys along the way. Tank isn’t far behind with his bundled up mass trying to come to with an occasional, random squeak. The night air bites at my eyes as I head around to the passenger door Stitch has open. Thank God for extended cabs, Tank’s big ass gets in with ease, drawing Bex across his lap. My blood pressure is roaring in my ears, the demons dancing on the periphery, baiting me into games. A cold sweat beads across my forehead as I train my eyes dead ahead. Not right now assholes, we will play soon. Stitch fires up my truck and peels out of the drive as fast as we can safely manage. I don’t know who or how, but every mother fucker who had a hand in this is about to get a sweet taste of my full blown psychotic.
After getting Bex safely in the hands of our other doc on call, I leave Tank and Stitch with her. Stitch tried to come along with me but I wouldn’t have it, he didn’t need to be involved with me going in and lighting up a meth house. Honestly, I don’t really give a fuck who dies after Luna is out of there. Steel’s head shifts on my lap, his eyes convey feelings too complex about me doing what I just thought about.
“What?” I ask like I don’t know what he’s trying to say. He just closes his eyes and sighs.
Pulling up to the tiny farmhouse with the overzealous barn just behind it, I cuss under my breath as Silver’s figure leaning against the porch comes into view. He’s talking to the old vet. Bill has been treating my animals for years. He’s about the only vet in town I trust. Slamming my truck into park, I jump out and gather up my faithful friend.
“Come on round back,” Bill twangs before sticking the end of his pipe back in his mouth, puffing like a train as we follow behind him. He certainly is fast for having such short legs.
“I’m rolling out with you as soon as he’s under,” Silver decrees.
“No.” I don’t want him seeing me that unhinged or possibly get hurt.
“You can’t go in alone.”
“The fuck I can’t,” I snarl, Bill’s cheek turns slightly toward us for a split second before focusing on ahead.
“The fuck you won’t, son. We ride together, die together.” My throat swells with emotion and I tuck it back. There’s no time for that shit. Pinkie won’t kill Luna, that would be easy. No, that sick sonofabitch has many more things up his sleeve that are worse than death.
My tall frame ducks under the threshold to follow Bill into his exam room in the barn. Lights flicker to life, surging a few times before deciding to settle. Steel begins his whimpering as the stress of a familiar place he hates sinks in.
“Bill, you’re gonna have to sedate him, fix him, then cage him. Not sure when I’ll be back around.” Bill nods once, and waves us into the procedure area.
Setting Steel down on the table, I hold his neck so Bill can inject a needle full of sedatives. My hands run over Steel as I whisper words of encouragement, his eyes finally growing heavy. “I’ll be back for ya boy.”
Without another word, I turn and leave, Silver keeping up with ease. Even though I wish he’d just stay the fuck here, I knew he wouldn’t. Sure enough, the passenger side door opens as he jumps in, firmly closing it and crossing his arms.
“Clean-up crew is already at your place, the elders have agreed to take the carcass for a sacred burial. Word has it that big Victorian place that used to be the whorehouse just north of town is the place we want.”
“Thank you,” is all I can manage, speech harder than normal under the stress. I’m trying to stay mechanical, methodical, taking it step by step so that my mind doesn’t stray to where it keeps trying... to Luna. I can’t think about the pain and anguish or my mind will be lost before she can be set free. I’ve been so focused on taking it a second at a time, I had completely forgotten to put a trace out. Silver has once again proven how much I mean to him.
“She’s your mate, little wolf, the one your grandfather spoke of long ago. I thought she might have changed her mind about ever making herself known, but it turns out timing once again.” HIs Native features stand proud in the darkness of the cab.
“I haven’t gone back to the reservation to see him in a long time.” I let the happy childhood memories flood me to ease the pain as we make our way north. My body is shaking, wishing it could get to my woman faster than physically possible.
“He said you’d be coming home soon for a long visit.”
All I can do is grunt. The old man was a seer, knew too damn much all the time, and I didn’t need to know what was around every bend of the long ass, gruesome road. Then again, maybe if I’d kept in touch more he’d have given me a heads up about this, not that I’d have actually listened. He always called me his spirit grandson, they all took me in as their own. My hardheaded ass didn’t get comfortable around them for years as I’d never been so accepted, it was weird. The whole family gave me the space I needed and never asked questions. They literally always showed up for me though.
&nb
sp; “A few others are already there, I sent them up the minute I knew. They are undercover, waiting for us.”
The brothers knew that Pinkie’s head was mine, by now they all are aware of what happened too. Word travels faster in the club than in a school girl clique. Driving thirty over the speed limit, with Silver riding shotgun, gave me a sense of connection to something deeper, it even gave me a fraction of hope that she’d still be in one piece. Chances were growing slimmer by the minute, but they were there. He didn’t kill my dog, and didn’t plug Bex with a few to make sure she was dead, perhaps his mentals are slipping just enough in our favor. Funny thing about erratic, desperate druggies, they start to make mistakes left and right, always leading to their ultimate demise. He had been getting sloppy. Word on the street is he was even dipping into his own shit, rule number one in the code of dealing, don’t get high on your own supply. Exhaustion tries to tamper with my sight, I’ve been up for over two days. My sweaty palms take turns rubbing the grit out of my eyes so I can refocus.
“Here.” Silver hands me an energy drink. He’s always been like that, the kind to anticipate the needs of those he cares about. When I was a kid he would always hand something over before I had a chance to get up the balls to even ask for it. I didn’t like asking anyone for anything, pride I reckon. Balancing the steering wheel with one hand, I pop the top of the cold can between my legs before guzzling it down.
“What if he kills her?” I ask point blank, the need to voice my biggest fear out loud too great.
“Then we deal with that as a family.”
“I can’t─” my voice cracks, the first bit of vocalized vulnerability breaking through into this safe space. “Fuck, I am all over the place.” I gruffly clear my throat, finish off the can, and chuck it behind the seat. When I go off the pills, my even keel is hard as hell to keep up, especially on no sleep.
Winter's Absolution (Obsidian Blades MC Book 1) Page 18