by E. C. Land
“Sweet Alexis, you bleed perfectly. I can’t wait to have my cock inside you. To fill you with my seed and have you carry my child,” Matthew says, and I shake my head in denial. I still refuse to allow them the satisfaction of hearing me. I won’t give in. Not yet. I’m not completely ruined yet.
I close my eyes as both Matthew and Mountain start to strip out of their clothes.
No. No. No.
Before either of them touches me again an explosion rocks the building. I open my eyes and find both men have stilled.
“What the fuck?” Matthew snarls.
The door bursts open.
“We’ve got company,” Spark yells as he glares at me.
“Mountain, you and Spark get the rest of the brothers and go. I’ll handle these pussies and meet y’all later. It’s what belongs to me that they’re after and I’m not going to let them have it. I’ll kill her in front of them first,” Matthew says as he puts his shirt back in place.
“That’s suicidal, Prez,” Spark says as Mountain curls his lip.
“We can take them out,” he sneers.
“No, I’ll handle this. They killed my uncle for one bitch and the rest of the club for another one. I have a contingency plan for them, and they’ve stepped right into it,” he grins looking down at me. “Looks like our time together is less than what I intended, sweetheart.”
“You’re nuts, Prez,” Mountain snaps before turning on his heel and leaving the room along with Spark.
“Head out the back way through the tunnels,” Matthew yells to them as he keeps his focus on me.
My eyes widen as Matthew picks his knife back up and brings it into view.
“Do you know how much I dreamed of you? How I’d dream of watching you bleed for me? I’d dream of slicing you up over and over again making you come on my cock,” he says, scraping the tip of the blade along my skin.
“You’re delusional,” I say, finally speaking.
“Nothing about me is delusional, sweetheart. I’m who I am, and I won’t change a damn thing. As the psychiatrist at the prison said, I have no soul which makes me a psychopath in most people's eyes. I don’t see it that way though. I find not having a soul makes it easier to leave behind those who aren’t meant to be in your life,” he rants.
“Then again, I also hold a mean grudge which is why I’m going after not the man who stole you away from me but those Devil Pussies. It’s also why I was able to put a bullet in my sister’s head. How stupid do you have to be to not follow a simple order and keep my woman pure? She wasn’t able to do that and so I did what I did.” I cringe as the tip of the blade slides along my throat.
“You don’t have to do this, Matthew. Please just let me go and I’ll tell them to leave you alone,” I whisper.
“Not going to happen. I told my brothers to go because I know I wouldn’t get you out of here with me if I left. So, if I die you’re going with me,” he grins, sinking the blade further into my throat, drawing blood. “Bleed for me sweet, Alexis and join me on the other side.” With that he slices my throat and drops the knife just as gunshots can be heard.
Matthew’s body drops over me and my ears ring from the sound.
“Oh shit, Alexis,” I barely register the voice as my mind becomes fuzzy.
“Fuck, Dragon get in here,” another voice commands.
“Hang on baby. You’ll be okay.” I know that voice it’s one I’ve loved to hear ever since I first heard it.
Blinking I try to focus my gaze on him and find him looming over me.
“Don’t leave me, Alexis. I can’t lose you. Stay with me.”
But I’m so tired. I don’t know if I can. My head feels heavy and I just want to close my eyes and sleep. Maybe when I wake up, I’ll be able to.
Chapter 21
Tanner
Fuck. No. This can’t be happening. I can’t lose her. Not now. However, I found her seconds too late.
As the sicko slid the blade across her throat, I’d emptied my clip into him. Dropping my gun to the floor, I rushed over to her and couldn’t tear my eyes from her as I watched her start to drift.
Damnit, she has to be okay.
Holding my shirt, I’d ripped off my body, to her throat, I do my best to apply enough pressure to stop the bleeding.
“Tanner, let me get to her so I can help,” Dragon rasps from next to me.
Nodding, I slide out of the way as he takes hold of the shirt at her throat. He lifts the cloth long enough to examine it before calling out to Gadget to call Connors and tell her to meet us at the hospital.
Needing to be useful, I picked up the knife that was used to slice into her throat, I cut her loose of her bindings.
“Tanner, I know you’re not going to want anyone else to hold her, but we need to get her out of here. I’m going to hold this to her throat, but you need to lift her off the bed slowly so we can get her to the car,” Dragon orders.
I don’t have to say anything as I do as he says. She’s my priority right now.
Lifting her off the bed, Dragon and I work as one to get Alexis to the car. Lex has the door open for us when we get to it. Carefully, I climb in the backseat, Dragon follows not once letting up pressure to Alexis’ neck.
Chaz climbs in the passenger seat as Lex gets in the driver’s seat, he turns around and covers Alexis’ body with a blanket. Fuck right now I didn’t care who saw her but I’m thankful he thought of her modesty.
I don’t worry about anything else around me but getting Alexis the help she needs right now. By the time we get to the hospital, she’s deathly pale and her skin is growing cold.
Pulling up to the emergency room entrance, Connors meets us there with a gurney and several staff members. “Careful,” she says as Dragon and I work together to get her out of the car and place her on the gurney.
The moment I lay her down a nurse places her hands where Dragon’s were, and they rush her off to the back.
“Come on Tan, let’s go wait for news in the waiting room,” Hunter says, holding out a shirt for me.
“Thanks,” I rasp, giving him a brief glance.
“It’s going to be okay,” Horse murmurs as he clasps my shoulder.
“Yeah. Did you get the rest of them?” I ask.
“No, but we will. Now that we know those fuckers are back, we’ll be on the lookout.” He grumbles.
Nodding, I head for the waiting room.
Horse sits on one side of me as Chaz sits on the other. No one says anything for a long time as we wait. Gadget finally breaks the silence as he comes into the waiting room.
“Those fuckin’ pussies left through a tunnel. And it seems they were expecting us, but whoever the dumb fuck was that put the bomb together didn’t do their homework and put the wires in the wrong spot because the thing was supposed to go off when they left,” he sneers. Blinking at him I take in his words. Those assholes knew the club would be coming with me to find my woman and planned to kill us all.
“We’ll get them, brother. Let’s just worry about making sure Alexis is okay first,” Dragon rasps as he stares at his hands.
“She’ll be okay, Dragon.” At the sound of Connors’ voice behind her husband, I jump up out of my chair.
“Where is she? Is she okay? Can I see her?” I ask without pause.
“Alexis lost a lot of blood and we’d had to give her some to replace what she’d lost. We were able to stitch her throat back up. When she wakes up try not to let her talk, it’s going to hurt for a while. Also, we bandaged up the small slits on her thighs as well as cleaned the areas that seem to have been assaulted.” My vision blurs as Connors finishes.
“D–Did they do anything else to her?” I ask, unable to voice the words that are clogged in my throat.
“We’ve run some tests, but I think you might have stopped anything from happening to her,” she smiles sadly before clearing her throat. “There is one more thing you should know. And it’s kinda like déjà vu for me considering you’re standing next to the
man I said this to last time. It looks like your child is okay and we’ll continue to monitor it for now. When Alexis wakes up, we can do an ultrasound for you guys to see for yourselves. Once she’s in a room you’ll be able to go see her.”
Holy motherfuckin’ God. Did she just say?
Fuck me.
I’m going to be a dad.
Cheers fill the room at the news along with laughter at Connors’ resemblance to Horse and I finding out the same way.
Horse turns to face me. “Congrats. I know it’s scary shit right now until you see her. But just remember she is alive and will be okay,” he says.
“If she wants after the scars are healed enough, have her come see me and I’ll come up with a tattoo design for her to cover them up,” Burner says as he comes up to me.
“Thanks, I’ll let her know. I’m gonna go find out what room they’re putting her in and wait for her there. Chaz, can you call Kobi for me and ask him to come home for me?”
“Yeah, I can do that. Wanna tell me why?” He asks.
“I think him, and I need to have a heart to heart with our parents. I am not about to let them continue to fuck with mine or his life. Not when I have a kid on the way. If my mom wants any part of its life, she either leaves the dickhead or leaves us the hell alone. I won’t have Trevor and his men coming at me or my family again for my father’s fuck ups.” I’d thought about that a lot recently and knowing I have a kid on the way seals the deal.
“Don’t worry, Tanner, you have a whole family standing behind you. No one is gonna fuck with us,” Twister states as he holds out a hand to me.
“Thanks man,” I nod before turning toward the nurses’ station. I need to be able to see my wife as soon as possible.
And I’m not about to wait any longer than I have to.
Epilogue
Alexis
Two months later
“Baby, if you don’t sit your ass down, I’m going to put you over my knee,” Tanner snaps as he enters the studio.
Rolling my eyes, I give him a smile. It’s been a rough road the last two months healing from that horrible day. I still have nightmares and according to all the women who are a part of the Devil’s Riot, they all do too sometimes. Kenny, evidently, after hearing who took me has been having them every night again.
Tanner has been a big help though, he’s been there every step of the way.
When I first woke up in the hospital, I panicked not understanding why I was there. Then memories of what happened filtered through of Mountain and Matthew. I’d ended up throwing up, as sobs wracked my body. I was petrified they’d come after me again.
My throat had been on fire but I couldn’t stop from crying. I’d been so scared I’d die right then and there. They’d ended up having to sedate me. The next time I woke up, I was somewhat calmer, and Tanner stopped me from speaking telling me that I couldn’t use my voice for a bit so that my throat could heal. He’d handed me a whiteboard and a set of different markers. “For now, this is your voice,” he’d said before brushing my hair out of my face.
“Did you not hear me woman?” Tanner grumbles as he makes his way to me.
“Yes, but I’m only just trying to do a little bit of filing,” I whisper. Since given the go ahead to use my voice, I try to stick to a whisper due to it still being sore.
“Told you if you had shit to do like this, me or one of the guys will do it for you,” he says, taking the papers out of my hand.
“Okay, Mr. Bossy. How about you just take me out to lunch then since you want to stop me from doing my work?” I suggest.
“How about you listen to something that the guys and I have been practicing while we wait for Kobi to get here?” he offers. Kobi is coming home for winter break and after the conversation the two of them had with their parents they cut ties permanently with them when their mom refused to leave their dad.
Neither of them were hurt by it and only shook their heads at the fact the woman was too weak to stand up for herself. They had changed numbers to keep her from being able to call them and then spread the word that no one was to come to them for anything regarding the people who gave them life.
Now whenever Kobi comes home from school, instead of him crashing on one of his friends' couches he stays in one of the rooms at the house with us. I mean it’s not like we don’t have the room. It’s perfect having him there with us. Melody loves him. It’s just another person she’s been able to wrap around her finger.
Excitement fills me at the mention of the song they have been practicing in private not letting me listen to it.
Nodding, I sit in my seat and turn toward the window to watch them. I find the guys have already snuck into there and are grinning at me. Bethany comes in and sits down in a chair next to me. Her hand rubbing her small bump. It’s crazy to think we’re both pregnant at the same time. My sister and I used to joke about having children at the same time and I like to think this is her way of bringing me happiness. Having Bethany in my life is like having a sister again and I don’t feel so alone. Between her, Tanner, and the rest of the guys my world is complete, and I could not be happier.
Placing my hand on my own stomach, I close my eyes for a brief moment to send a quiet thank you to whoever is listening to me about not letting anything happen to this child I’m carrying.
“Alright, baby, this is for you,” Tanner says before he strums his bass guitar and my heart sputters in my chest.
Souls sing together
When they find each other
No two are alike
Yet those two connect
Bringing peace and harmony
Souls scream when apart
Causing pain and havoc
Breaking the peace, they once had
Two souls bleed
Two souls weep
No harmony in sight
Only when they are together
Will the two heal
Bringing back the peace
Along with the harmony
Leaving the torment behind
Open your heart
Let the truth be known
Those two souls know
What the heart is so blind to see
They belong together
Through and through
You are the one who heals my soul
Bringing the harmony back
Tears roll down my cheeks as the song comes to an end. Standing up, I rush across the room and into the soundproof room. I make it to Tanner just as he removes the guitar from around him and throw my arms around him.
“I love you. You are my harmony as well. Thank you for never giving up on me. Even when I wanted you to,” I whisper.
“Baby, I’d never give you up. Could not even if I wanted to. You have held my heart in your hands since the first day I met you and have had my soul connected to yours since the day I married you. Now we can live in harmony just you and me with our family,” he says, cupping the back of my head.
I like that idea. Living a life of harmony with my own Demon. Smiling, I lift up enough until I can kiss him just like I intend to do for the rest of my life.
The End.
Dear Readers,
I just want to say thank you for taking a chance on me by reading the first of my books. And now following me on to my other adventures. From the DRMC to the Dark Lullabies series. Then we have the RBMC (Elizabeth City Charter) to the Inferno’s Clutch MC. With so many more to come!
I hope you all have enjoyed reading the Dark Lullabies series so far. This year we’ve had so many books come out and more to come. Between all of the series I’m working on, you’ll have your hands full when it comes to these men and women as they find their way.
And don’t forget all the new characters you’ve met.
Next up in the Dark Lullabies series is A Demon’s Song. Which will be Lex’s story. Find out about the man behind the smile.
Remember you can always reach out to me. You guys rock and I can’t thank you enough for being a
part of this ride with me.
Sincerely,
E.C.
Sneak Peek
If you’ve missed the beginning and want to know what happens check out the Dark Lullabies Prequel, A Demon’s Sorrow in the Rocked to the Core Anthology.
Prologue
Chaz
16 years old
“Dude, take a look at the new chick walking into class,” Tanner mumbles under his breath from behind me. Glancing up from the song I’d been working on I tilt my head toward the door. At first glance my heart stopped. Standing in the doorway is the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen.
“Everyone, I’d like you to meet Jamie,” Miss Lawrence announces.
“I wouldn’t mind being the one to give her a tour around the school, maybe show her the locker room,” Hunter chuckles.
“Shut up asshole,” I grumble and go back to what I’m doing. That is until a shadow moves over me.
“Hi, umm, do you mind if I sit next to you?” the sweetest voice I’d ever heard asks.
“Sure,” I answer her without looking.
“Thanks,” she says and damnit the sound of her voice does something to me. Something I’m not sure how to explain. Well I guess the best way to describe it would be musical. Which brings me to wonder if she sings.
You see Tanner, Hunter, Lex, and I formed a band called Demons Among Us back in middle school. Yeah, might sound somewhat stupid but the name stuck. The name has meaning behind it. The four of us don’t have your usual life. Each of us have our demons hovering over us.
Shaking my head to clear it, I don’t need to go there right now. I’ve escaped that part of my life and I won’t go back.
“So, are you always this broody?” Jamie asks, her voice the sound of music to my ears.
Lifting my head, I glance in her direction. “Don’t know what you’re talking about,” I mutter before going back to try to finish what I was doing. This song isn’t gonna write itself. Normally we all work on the songs together. But I’d woken up this morning and couldn’t get the lyrics out of my head.