Elliot would never tell Knight about this. It would break his heart.
Knight squeezed Elliot’s shoulders, but this time his touch was reassuring, and when he looked up, it seemed he’d made a decision. “This cellar is off-limits. I’ll fucking put an electronic lock on it, or bolt it shut, but you’re not coming down here again. Come on,” he said and tugged Elliot to his feet with a single pull of those strong arms.
Knight wasn’t a Mercier. Yet Elliot was, even if not by name.
How come?
“No,” hissed William, following them in aggressive strides. “I will not be trapped here again. You must prevent this!”
Elliot swallowed, trying to think on his feet. What if William’s soul was destroyed if it got forcefully dragged out of the cellar in Elliot’s body? He could not allow that. “B-but my stuff. I need to take my bag.”
William slid his arms around Elliot’s waist and held him back. “Don’t let him do this, my sweet,” he desperately whispered into Elliot’s ear and kissed it, sending a cold shiver down Elliot’s spine. He could hardly understand how it was that William was inside of him, yet for once could also touch him. Was the vision of William a projection, and what was really happening was that William was touching him… from the inside?
He shuddered.
“I didn’t mean to lie to you!” William spoke so quickly his words almost melted together. “It’s merely that I knew there was still affection in your heart for this man, so you wouldn’t bring him to me if you knew what it meant. I wanted his body so that we could be together.”
Unaware of the tension right next to him, Knight pulled harder, straining Elliot’s joints as William tugged him the other way, giving Elliot’s body strength he alone didn’t have.
Elliot’s head was spinning. His stomach turned into a bundle of discomfort, and every single muscle in his body ached, as if stretched beyond its normal capacity. William’s breath was cold as it danced down Elliot’s back. He shouted so loudly Elliot’s ears rang, but then Knight just pulled Elliot up and took him over the threshold.
William’s scream came out of Elliot’s throat, but then his body sagged, entirely pumped out. Was this it? Was William gone? Elliot couldn’t breathe fast enough, unable to get air.
But when he turned his head back, he saw William stepping out into the corridor, smiling as if he’d just been released from death row. He walked up to Elliot in quick steps and kissed his hand. “We are out, my boy! Out of that prison and out in the world. You and me? Oh, we will achieve so much.”
“Elliot, I’m talking to you,” Knight said, snapping his fingers in front of Elliot’s face. He kicked the door shut.
William sighed. “Go on. Do whatever’s necessary to get that rude man off our backs.”
“Y-yes. I’m listening,” Elliot said as Knight put him back down. “Okay, I will leave this place, but I need my stuff.”
Knight hissed. “No, you don’t. I’m gonna get it for you tomorrow, and I’ll get Jake to watch you overnight. No discussions,” he said and pulled Elliot up the stairs and toward the partially open door at the top.
Elliot’s head was still spinning, but William followed with a widening smile, which was all that mattered. Elliot dared to smile back but as soon as they left the basement, he needed to look under his feet if he didn’t want to fall to his face.
The moonlight streamed through the dark hall, bright enough to uncover any obstructions, but when Elliot looked up to the statue in front of him, a scream tore out of his lungs, so loud it seemed to have physically affected his body.
He couldn’t believe his eyes.
A man hung off the monstrous head with the two horns poking out of his chest and stomach. Blood dripped down the dark stone, but despite there being so much of it, that it could have filled two smaller bodies, the victim was still moving his head and arms.
“What happened here?” Elliot walked up to the man in exasperation. “Call 911!”
The man turned his face toward Elliot and reached for him with one hand. His long blond hair was a tangled mess, but his gaze was surprisingly attentive for someone losing so much blood. The leather cut he wore suggested he was one of the Kings of Hell, but Elliot had never seen him before around the clubhouse, even if his handsome features seemed familiar somehow.
Knight pulled Elliot right back and squished him in his arms. With his ear to Knight’s neck, Elliot could hear each beat of his pulse. “What the hell are you talking about? Do you need a doctor?” Knight asked and pushed his hand down to the pocket where he usually kept his phone. Only he was wearing pajama pants now, not jeans, and he groaned in frustration when the device wasn’t in its usual place on his hip.
The blond man grinned, showing off red-smeared teeth. “Ah, he’s coming! I feel it! I can smell him.”
Elliot just stared, so confused he was about to cry. He pressed closer to Knight despite hating him so much. “Who’s coming?” Was Elliot losing his mind?
William’s cool touch rested on Elliot’s shoulder. “Don’t listen to him. He’s dead.”
Another ghost then? Elliot trembled and dared to look back at the bleeding man. Was it possible that with William now inside of him, Elliot was seeing both the realm of the living and of the dead?
The dead man howled, only to proceed with manic laughter, but before Elliot could make up his mind as to what was going on, a bright beam of light hit him square in the face.
Knight flinched alongside him, and it was only when they both heard a frantic tapping of claws against the floor it occurred to Elliot who’d caught them red-handed.
A low growl echoed throughout the hall, and when Elliot blinked against the light, he spotted Beast’s massive dog sprinting toward him from the source of light.
“Fuck!” Knight pushed Elliot back, but as Elliot stumbled against the statue, a drop of freezing cold liquid trailed down his neck.
“A little favor, friend. You seem like a good boy,” the unknown ghost said. “I need that dog to bleed. A single drop would do.”
Elliot scooted down and wrapped his arms over his head in panic. It was all too much. His heart beat like mad, making him sweaty even in this cold corridor. So he’d be seeing more ghosts? And they’d want things from him? How could this have happened to him?
The dog’s barking got so ferocious he closed his eyes tightly, but it didn’t make the voices go away.
“Just one drop,” whispered the impaled ghost pleadingly. “That fucker is neutered. I will never be free of this hell if I don’t—”
“Who cares?” William interrupted him and stroked Elliot’s head. “Elliot isn’t here to do your bidding. Right, my sweet? The only thing that matters in the world now is you and I.”
Beast’s booming voice froze Elliot’s blood. “Hound, down,” he said, approaching with the high-beam flashlight that licked the dog’s form as it lay on the floor, growling loudly. Even with shadow obscuring its muzzle, the animal’s eyes seemed to burn through the dusky air to settle on Elliot.
Knight raised both his arms. “Beast, what the actual fuck?”
“I see you found your lost boy,” Beast said in a voice dripping with vinegar.
“Just one drop, boy. Don’t be a bitch. Be a man,” continued the biker ghost, whom Elliot tried to ignore with all his brainpower.
Despite his master coming closer, Hound retreated slightly, flattening his ears as he looked Elliot’s way.
“I’ve always hated those bloody animals,” William said, leaning his weight against Elliot. “I see the feeling’s mutual.”
“Hound went mad. What time is it even? Five in the morning? I thought that maybe he’d sensed an intruder, but he brought me all the way here.” Beast kept his spotlight on Elliot with a frown.
“I didn’t do anything,” Elliot whined, getting up on shaky legs.
“He’s on shrooms,” Knight offered. “Said he took sleeping pills and doesn’t know the date.”
Beast cocked his head to the side, bu
t then pointed to the open door to the basement. “Is that where he’s been? You said you checked there.”
Knight exhaled, and his shoulders hunched. “It was locked. I didn’t think he had the key.”
“Was he… living there?” Beast raised the light straight to Elliot’s face, making him squint as if this was an interrogation. “This is messed up.”
Elliot was afraid anything he’d say could be taken against him, so he stayed silent, taking solace in William’s soothing touch.
Knight shook his head. “I know, but he slept through the entire time. That’s why we couldn’t find him. I— uh. There’s one more thing while we’re at it. And you know, standing by the cellar.”
Beast frowned, and the deep shadows cast by the flashlight deepened the burn grooves on his face.
Knight proceeded to briefly sum up their secret dig, and it seemed that each subsequent word contributed to Beast’s agitation.
“So you found hidden rooms, with dead bodies inside, and didn’t bother to tell me about it? Are you my VP or are you trying to fucking undermine my authority in this club at every fucking turn?”
The biker ghost roared with laughter only William and Elliot could hear. “He doesn’t have it in him. I always said that. Pathetic creature. Lost his soul for a boy. If it was me, Knight would be nursing two broken arms!”
Knight and Beast continued to argue, but Elliot was too overwhelmed to listen on, focused instead on Hound, who crawled toward him conspicuously. William’s lip curled in antipathy, but he put his arm over Elliot’s shoulders and distracted him from the dog by pointing out an empty niche in the wall.
“I cannot believe my precious home has been savaged this way. There used to be a glorious statue of Neptune stabbing his trident through Hercules down there. You would have liked it.”
“I would,” Elliot whispered with a little smile, relieved that William’s anger with him had passed and that he was adjusting to the way things were. “I imagine myself fitting into this household very well.”
“What is he mumbling?” Beast groaned and stepped closer.
“Told you he’s tripping,” Knight said, stepping forward to meet Beast halfway. They stared at one another for the tensest ten seconds Elliot had ever witnessed, and in the end Knight shook his head. “Do you want me to step down? Didn’t think you’d care. You have more important shit on your mind than the history of the building. Wanted to tell you once I can sum up all the findings.”
Beast huffed and his nostrils flared. “No, I don’t want you to step down. But no one else can know about this, and there will be no fucking scientists coming over here this time, understood? This isn’t even out in the grounds, it’s in our clubhouse. It could take years before they let it go after going through every single detail in there.” There was a pause and Beast called Hound back again. “You’ll show it to me tomorrow, okay?”
Knight nodded, still looking at the floor. It was a display of guilt if Elliot ever saw one.
Beast shook his head in the end and gave Knight a few slaps on the back. “Does he need to see a doctor?” he asked, indicating Elliot.
Knight grimaced. “Better not. It’d be fucking clear where he’d gotten the drugs from.”
The dead biker smiled and called the dog over, but all he got was more growls. Would this insanity now be Elliot’s life? Then again, if he was offered William’s devotion in return, maybe it was worth it?
“I’m fine,” Elliot mumbled, hugging himself.
“He needs to sleep it off, I guess. Can’t believe he stole so many sleeping pills,” Knight said, staring at Elliot over his shoulder. The message was loud and clear. Elliot had almost succeeded in killing himself and now needed to be carefully watched. Elliot wasn’t thrilled with this cover-up, but he could suffer many indignities as long as it kept him in William’s home.
Beast glanced between them. “Is he staying with you?”
The question seemed innocent, but Elliot understood the implication. Beast was asking if Elliot and Knight still had something going on, and he wouldn’t stay silent.
“No,” Elliot said before Knight could answer, and in turn, William stroked Elliot’s head.
“That’s right,” William said, “You don’t need that savage in your life. You were made for finer things.”
Knight only glanced at him briefly and shrugged. “You heard him. His room has bars in the windows, so I’m gonna lock him in there and sleep on it.”
“A prisoner in my own house again. How despicable,” William said.
Beast’s forehead wrinkled, but Elliot just shrugged.
“It’s fine with me. I don’t feel so good anyway.”
“He just talked to the freaking statue. So yeah, he needs to cool down,” Knight said and pulled on Elliot’s hand.
“Do we have a decent bed at least?” William asked, joining Elliot at Knight’s side.
“We do,” Elliot whispered and couldn’t help himself, so he squeezed Knight’s warm hand. Despite everything that happened in the cellar, Knight had made up a story to protect him from Beast. Despite the cut, the attack, even the kick in the balls, he didn’t bash Elliot’s head in. That counted for something.
Beast shook his head, and Hound followed him out of the hall. “He’s so out of it. Talk to you tomorrow, Knight. I want to see if there’s anything of interest in those rooms.”
“Yeah, will do. Get back to bed. I need some more sleep as well,” Knight said and walked Elliot to the opposite end of the hall. The wailing of the biker ghost was only a memory now as they started up the stairs, with William following them closely.
“Good God, how drab this place has become in my absence. We need to do something about it, Elliot.”
Elliot didn’t want to speak, to not unnecessarily draw Knight’s attention to the madness that went on beyond his comprehension, but he smiled slightly and nodded. He didn’t know how yet he would make his life with William work, but he would. This was only the first hour. They would find a way.
Chapter 20
Knight really didn’t feel like partying this New Year’s Eve, but business needed to roll, so the end-of-year party was even grander, louder, and more outrageous than the one when Elliot had first infiltrated the clubhouse. They decided to make it an adults-only event, which meant numerous 18+ attractions, including a sex show. Normally, Knight would have possibly considered taking part in the display, as he had nothing to hide from all those thirsty boys and girls, but his energy levels had dropped in recent days, and so he was glad Joker actually hired some porn models to do the honors.
Having done his duty watching over the paying guests, he retreated to the back rooms where a more private event was being held. The two hours of having to watch the huge mass of people for signs of trouble pumped him out, and he was happier than ever to rest his ass in the leather love seat, listening to old school rock and roll with his brothers. Normally, he enjoyed the watch duty to some extent. The element of danger was what attracted their ‘customers’ to the parties, so flirting was in the fine print in his job description. The devil enjoyed his boost of primal energy—or whatever it was that the infernal presence actually fed on—and Knight had his pick of the pretty boys and girls who hit on him, spurred on by alcohol and recreational drugs.
This time, he just wanted to chill, so maybe it was a sign he was getting old.
The smaller room was as busy as the former asylum gymnasium, but at least full of familiar faces. The number of people pouring through the doors to be at the Kings of Hell New Year’s celebration was insane this year, so it was a good thing they had hangarounds take care of some of the tasks.
The muted lights made the chill-out zone a relaxing space, and Nao put a cold beer in his hand without even asking. She gave Knight a wide smile as she passed. Dressed in silver and glitter from head to toe, she looked like a firework herself, and for a while Knight considered asking her to stay in his lap, but he was just too tired with all that was going on with Elliot to
bother. Her bright personality and endless energy made it seem like she’d been a permanent fixture of clubhouse life, even though she only came to live here four, maybe five years back. When it came to women, Nao could just be the closest to what Knight would consider a friend.
Elliot had been approved to leave the room yesterday, and he promised—again—not to enter the cellar. For good measure, Knight installed locks down there, but Elliot refused to talk to him, and Jake had told Knight he’d spotted Elliot wandering around the building endlessly and muttering to himself.
It was all horribly disturbing, but Knight couldn’t quite force Elliot to stop sulking. Rev suggested Knight should kick the parasite—as he called Elliot—out to live back at the trailer park, but how could Knight do that when Elliot’s behavior had become even more erratic than when he’d been The Count?
And speaking of the devil, Elliot slid into the room, dressed in the same black-on-black-with-black as usual, nursing some drink in his long fingers. He was visibly tense, with his shoulders stiff as he slowly made his way through the crowd, looking around as if he wanted to make friends with someone or flirt, but had no idea how to go about it. Which would be pretty appropriate for a weirdo like him.
Maybe it would have done him some good to fuck the anger out of his system. Then again, Elliot’s mind seemed so fragile recently that Knight wasn’t sure if it would bring about a positive development after all.
He drank his beer, discreetly watching Elliot move along the wall, his long body bathed in purplish light. Something had changed in him. As attractive as he was with his long, graceful limbs, sharp cheekbones and eyes so black that looking into them felt like falling into a well, his vulnerable charm was muted. He looked the same in shape and form but felt like a shadow of the man Knight had got to know.
Their eyes met, very briefly, and Knight took a deep breath just before the connection was severed when Elliot walked straight into Violet, sending her drink drizzling down the front of Fox’s T-shirt.
My Dark Knight (gay biker romance) (Kings of Hell MC Book 2) Page 25