Walking on air as he steps his way up and out of here. Step by painful step my ribs feel like hot pokers are stabbing me from every direction my face is aching on a whole new level and let’s not get started on my head, arms and legs, Shit the track marks are on fire, and the ache consumes me. He stops at the top, I know so because I have counted the stairs many times. His body turns and I peel my eyes open to look up into his, sadness and anger wash through them mixed with a flicker of disgust. I steal one last tired glance back down to the dungeon that broke me. His husky voice whispers into my ear and with a crack and a step I feel the shock of cold crisp, on the verge of fucken freezing, air whip over me kissing my legs, arms, and face. Allowing it to wash over me I open up freely to the night, to the feeling of freedom so sweet and pure. I’m so fucking high though that I surely cannot repair tonight I’m so far gone. Trying to open my dry, parched mouth, running my tongue over my cracked, bleeding lips, trying to wet them enough to talk to let him know that I know his heartbeat it's keeping me just above the surface of drowning. But I don’t know that he can hear me. He speaks then, his voice whipping out anger that has me shaking and tensing my body in his soft grip.
“Burn the place to the fucking ground. Hit the button. The dynamite is set to send it down to hell in a torrent of flames where they can no longer breathe among the men of the Reaper.” Just as he speaks the last word you hear the shuffle of feet and many voices calling out then an earth-shattering loud smash and sound of shattering glass has my Savior jumping back a few steps. I feel as though I may fall but his grip tightens, and he pulls me back up. I place my head under the crook of his neck. A carnal growl of a voice screaming out.
“Don’t fucking hit that button, Mission Raven lies inside the walls of that fucking hell. I need to go back in!” Walking again I feel the warmth leave me as I’m set on the cold surface of something unknown the pull and dip of bodies forming, falling into the space around us. I flicker my eyes, this drug lace haze is so heavy, all dark shadows is what I see, as I’m lifted up and placed upon the lap of my very own demon in the dark.
Dark and strong needy and sweet, this man whose heart I’m sure, I keep knowing that smell, the tight clench of a jaw, the worry laced in them eyes, are too much to bear but the sweet release of knowing that I no longer need to fight is overpowering. I feel as though all is ok, but still fearing the morning’s light. I still fear that this is a drug induced dream and if it is not then I know I will suffer from withdrawals come the morning. Shuddering in my skin. I feel for the first time in many rank dark days a soft kiss on my forehead, it takes me to an abyss of bliss, love, feathers, dancing in a ring of hope and sunsets upon a mountain overlooking the lights below. The sound of their hushed voices lull me to sleep, and the bumps of the ride away soothe me.
Chapter Seventeen
Knox
Feeling the heavy weight of her beaten and bruised body against my bleeding heart, was almost too much to bear, it was the undoing of the last part of me, the last rational, logic piece of my being. This horror story they are living putting these pure souls of women lost, was too much for me, let alone seeing my baby that way in the arms of my brother, her brother the look in his eyes will haunt my days and torture my nights, seeing the lifeless body of hers hurt still holding her as I walk her away from the torment she has had to bear. The bastard that did this to her is laying, I hope, dead on that dirty cage floor, if he isn’t he soon will be when we blow this fucking shit pit to the depths of hell. Brushing my fingers over her temple, pushing the matted hair away from her face, my hands shake as I see the deep purple embedded in her eyelids, the broken red lips, the angry red, blue, and purple gracing her perfect skin, her face cheeks, neck, her chest with angry boot marks that wrap all the way around her ribs and back.
Clenching my jaw, it's taking all my self-control not break right now, so many memories flood my soul seeing her this way with these marks, blood, and bruises, fighting against all odds to stay here, to breathe for her, when all I want to do is take his life with my bare hands take him to the depths of hell never to return, to stay there, to torture him every waking moment of his mortal life, with the devil on my back taunting. Stopping at the top of the stairs I turn back and watch as the men pull the women from this shit pit, placing my lips to her ear, I whisper.
“I promise you from now on out I’ll fight the demons with you, you’re not alone I’m here, you’re stronger than this, you need to come back to me.”
Pulling down the handle of the door I head out to the van to take my sleeping beauty home to where I shall pull her out of this, piece by haunted piece until she is her beautiful self once again. I will make her believe that the fractured promises I made her are now mended and I can keep her safe. I’ll hold her in the dark, kiss away the nightmares, keep the demons at bay and the devil in the dark, ain’t nobody going to hurt her again. I’ll lay my life down for her. Everything about this reminds me of the dark days that taunted me after Sarah-Jane’s attack. The sneer of the devil when she died at the hands of me, a monster, and now look at this fragile being so broken in my arms, I will pull down deep within to fix her to keep her here with me, present in this reality the Sandman will not come for her in the night, not on my watch. Walking up the ridge to where we are parked I stop, all the men look over Blue in my arms. I cold ripple forms over my sweaty skin. Their eyes are full of questions: is she ok, alive, breathing. Her body shakes in my arms as I pull her deeper into me. “She’s barely here, a hot fucken mess but alive.” I answer their silent questions with all I can give them at this moment. I’m still struggling to stay calm. Closing my eyes, I breath in deep pushing a breath out through my teeth, hoping the crack I feel rippling out inside my body doesn’t show in my voice as I holler at them,
“Burn the place to the ground. Hit the button, the dynamite is set to send it down to hell in a torrent of flames, where they can no longer breathe among the men of the Reaper.”
Before I can even take another step, Bray exits the van in a shower of shards of glass, screaming some shit about not to light it up Mission Raven is in there. There dead still silence as I walk around the van with Blue in my arms, all eyes are on me, I can see their breath floating in the air around them as they breathe in and out deep. Bray’s on his knees as I walk towards 81 who pulls open the van door for me to lay her down.
“Brother is she alive,” he asks me concern and fear in his voice.
“Barely, I need to get her to the compound and a doctor to her ASAP.”
Placing her down I walk towards my brother who is a shell of the man who walked into that building tonight, squatting in front of him he brings his empty eyes to mine. Shit I think as my mind swims with the dire need to go back in there with my brother and save the one that haunts his every movement since I’ve meet him. It all makes so much sense now, the drinking, the silent tears in the dark, sneaking out late at night and drowning in loneliness, just the same way I was in the first months of losing Angel. Fuck I can’t, we can’t, I have to get Blue back now, her breathing is shallow.
“I don’t have a fucken clue what happened before we got here tonight and your eyes meet with the dancing lady in the cage. I don’t know what’s going on, but one thing I know is I got you, we will sort this, we will come back brother for the lady that hunts your eyes and has hold of your soul. I did see it I know that pain, but shit Bray we need to move outbefore more shit goes down, Blue’s barely alive I have to get her back. Think of Lilly, she can’t lose you, there will be too many to fight now.”
He just stares through me like I’m not even there, vacant, dead pools of black with just small dots, looking around for Ghost, I spot him in big clouds of smoke swirling up around his dark frame, nodding at me he throws his smoke down stomping it out, I stand out of his way, leaning down he looks at Bray.
“Brother oi Bray, you in there? We gotta split, k?” snapping his fingers in front of his eyes, Ghost tries to pull him back, but to no avail.
Le
aning down he grabs Bray in a fireman's hold over his shoulders and stomps over to the van.
“Boys we’re out, let’s go!” he shouts placing Bray down in the back next to an out of it Blue. She seems to be staring into the same vacant oasis as Bray, jumping in I pull her into my lap holding her close, all the brothers fill in the vans and we pull out. I steal one last glance down to the building below that holds so much horror, knowing that this won’t be the last time I’m here. I gave my oath to the Reaper, my blood, I shall not bow down now, but fixing Blue is all I can think of right now, pulling my phone from my jeans I turn it on waiting for it to boot to life. I think about just how lucky we are, but how long will that luck last for these men. They are going to be beyond fuming when they wake to find their house of drugged up dancers all but empty of its dancers well the ones that were down in that shit pit anyway, we will be back to get the rest if they don’t come to us first. I guess time will tell. Dialling Nans number to let her know I’m ok and to meet me at my place in the compound, I also ask her to get Kash to ring the club’s doctor we are going to need him. Pulling up to the compound gates I ask 81 to take me up to my place, Arlam hasn’t let go of the woman with the purple hair since I gave her to him.
“Brother, you can bring her in and stay, I’ll get the doc to look her over also.” All I get back is a nod as he pulls her closer to him. My house is lit up like a fucking Christmas tree as we pull in, Lilly runs from the house as the van sounds across the gravel, Tammy hot on her heels, pulling the van door she looks in with scared eyes.
“She’s alive right,” she asks fear lacing her voice. I nod at her as I push us out to my feet. I wobble a little as I step out from the van. Walking up the steps I take Blue past all who are waiting straight up to our room, placing her down on the bed I cover her with a blanket kissing her forehead and looking down at her bruised face, I promise, “Baby I’m just going to get the doctor and Nan in here ok. I’ll be back, but they need to check you out and give you something for the pain and drugs, so you can come back to me. I know you will be fractured but I’ll piece you back together, baby please fight this.” Looking deep into her hazy vacant eyes, I kiss her swollen spilt lips before I turn on my heels, anger in my heart fury in my soul. Taking the steps one painful step at a time as I head down to the main room.
My house is a hive of activity a lot of the boys are here and Miss Ginny along with a few old ladies have come to take their men home. Club girls are waiting in the back. Walking into the den, I find Arlam, nodding to him he stands from the chair and follows me out as I take him to the spare room just off the kitchen. “There are clean towels and all that Jazz you need in the Bathroom. It’s private you can access it from the deck just through the French doors here and also through the main house and kitchen you can stay with her as long as you like. I’ll send in the doc as soon as he’s seen Blue.”
I finish looking at him and again I get nothing but a blank painted stare and a nod. Walking away I crack out my neck. Walking into the bar just off the kitchen I see Nan talking at the base of the steps with the doctor. Walking up to them Nan pulls me into a hug kissing my neck, squeezing her tight I breathe her in. Pulling away I shake the Doc’s hand.
“Do you need me to come up Doc?” I ask, he looks from me to my Nan and back again.
“No, we will be ok,” he says with a stern doctor like voice.
“Well Doc my Nan will be with her, I don’t want her to freak out on you.”
“Son I’ve seen Blue in states like this before she knows me,” he says
Running my hands through my hair that has fallen from the tie, I take a deep breath. “Yes, that is true Doc, but it's more for me than anything.” I snap as my Nan reaches out for the Doc’s arm pulling him towards the stairs. He just nods at me with agreement and understanding. I carry on into the bar, I grab a bottle of Jack Daniels along with a tray of glasses with a tub of ice from the freezer. I walk out to the front porch where I see Jamie with Tammy in his lap, 81, Cage with club girls and our very own Broken Pres. Bray has his head in his hands, Lilly is cuddled up next to him. Placing the tray and bottle down I pick up a blanket from the love seat hanging from the porch roof. I wrap him and her in it trying to warm them from the chill of the nightmares racking at all of our souls. Stepping back, I make up the tray of drinks and place a glass in each of their hands taking a seat I raise my glass.
“To life, and to our souls that are broken but alive.” To life they all say, Bray gets up,downs his glass before flicking a vacant stare up to the bedroom window he, he walks of shaking off the blanket and Lilll as she tries to follow. Ghost walks out of the dark that is slowly turning to dusk putting his hand on his shoulder as he heads through the walkway of vines, nodding his head at his Pres. He steps aside to let him through, grabbing Lilly around the waist as she tries to follow.
“Leave him bub, he needs time.” he spins her around into him trying to hold her raging tiny body.
“What the hell happened to him out there,” she barks whirling around on us all with fury in her eyes. “You better tell me and NOW.” Ghost pulls her back into his body whispering something into her hair his eyes never leaving mine, then stepping out from her he walks back into the dark as quiet as before. She walks up picking up the blanket, before stating “I’ll be upstairs if you need me.” Like that she was gone, we all sit there in silence with heavy hearts and worries in our minds. With the activity dying down and all the men and club’s girls heading off to rooms in the compound, I head in, Jamie and Tammy for the first time ever head to his place that he got when he became a Reaper.
“Yell out if you need me.” He says, pulling me into a hug.
“Got it,”I say and head to my now deathly silent place.
Nan and the Doctor are walking down the stairs Lilly hot on their heels, Kash not too far behind her. He wraps her hand in his, and her head falls to his shoulder, as they get to the bottom he looks me in the eyes and mouths out I’m taking her home to our place if Bray asks that’s where she is, away from this shit here.” Grabbing his shoulder, I squeeze it.
“Sure Kashie” leaning in I kiss Lilly’s cheek.
“She will be ok, and Bray also, I promise.”
She just nods hugging me with one arm before walking out on a breeze of Jasmine. The doctor heads through to Arlam as I settle in on the sofa waiting for him to come back. Watching the way my Nan potters around in times of stress brings the first smile to my face in what feels like forever, she’s one remarkable woman, we did well. Closing my eyes, I let my head fall back on the sofa, a feeling of pure exhaustion washes over me, along with the ache of muscles that have been keeping taunt for so long. I still as a hand touches me, I jump to the ready, I must have dozed off. FUCK it’s just the doctor looking at me with his own tired eyes, sitting down on the edge of the table he goes on to tell me what he has done and found.
“I’ve given them both an injection to counter the drugs already in her system same with the other girl. Naloxone it’s called, and I have left you an injection and also a nasal spy of it if needed. Plus, I have left in both rooms, two bottles of Methadone one in liquid form to use over the coming week and the other is pills it’s a medication used to treat opiate addiction it will help the ladies to not feel dope sick and slowly give them the chance to come down from the drugs safely and detox their bodies slowly. It’s going to be hard Knox, there is going to be fits and night tremors, cold sweats and a lot of vomiting. She’s going to hate you, and you will need to be very vigilant. Drug addicts are cunning and will find a way to use come high, or hell water. Blue is in the heart of addiction because her body wasn’t quite clean from the last time this happened and judging by all the track and needle marks all over her body she has had a lot. I also drew blood from them both set them both up on IV drips of fluids. There are four bags hanging, and your Nan has been shown how to replace them. They are very dehydrated and will need all four. The longest road will be the mental and emotional healing. I’ve given the
m both an injection of antibiotics and left a bottle on each night stand with instructions it’s to fight any infection that may be looming from the wounds or the inside damage.”
Placing a brown paper bag down on the table. He continues. “This has more Methadone and some strong painkillers, plus sleeping pills as they are going to need them to heal and rest. Please keep them under lock, and key addicts will hunt them out and take them all just to feel numb again.”
Looking from the bag back to him I reply, “Sure Doc.” My voice tired and broken.
“I’ll be back this evening to check on them again, let them rest. Sleep is the best thing right now, be patient also they will need the time, it looks like they both have had a rough time.”
Shaking his hand, he stands to leave thanking him I walk him out, picking up the pills on my way back in I head to Arlam. Rapping my knuckles on the bedroom door and pushing it open I step in. My eyes scanning the room and falling onto her frame in the bed wrapped up in the plush blankets barely visible under the mountain of them piled on her. The only sign of her in there is her purple hair fanned out over the pillows in a matted mess and the IV drip snaking its way under the heavy doona. Arlam sits on the chair at the foot of the bed with his feet resting on the end, looking up as I start rattling off what the doc said.
“My Nan will bring in the pain and sleeping pills each time they are due since we have to lock them away. You need anything just holler brother I’m going to hit the sack,” placing my hand on his shoulder he tenses at the contact sitting like a stone.
“ Got it,” is all I get at least it’s something. Pulling the door behind me I head up to my sleeping beauty, walking in I see Nan has washed her face and skin she smells of Vanilla and Dettol leaning down I run my fingers through her hair, that Nan has cleaned and brushed, that woman is just amazing, smiling I kiss her lips so softly. I pull the blankets up around her shoulders, catching sight of the angry bruises poking out from my T-shirt Nan has placed her in “nice and loose won’t be heavy on her skin,” she said as I meet her coming down the stairs. That was the breaking point of my self control. At that moment seeing her prefect milky white skin dotted with the purple marks of someones anger has me blinded by a five-course serving of pent up rage that tasted bitter. So bitter that my jaw clenched as I slowly stepped back from the bed. Picking up the pillow I slam it around the front of my face and I scream out all the rage that is firing though my body. Stepping back slowly and dropping the pillow, I head to the bathroom
Fractured Promises (Reapers Reign, #2) Page 26