Charger (The Protectors Series) Book #16

by Teresa Gabelman

  “Yeah, well, maybe you shouldn’t be,” Charger replied with a dismissive snort before looking at the younger cop. “Do you have anything else?”

  “Ah, no,” the younger guy replied. “I think that about covers it.”

  “Good.” Charger gave him a nod, then glared at the older cop.

  It looked like the older one wanted to say something else, but suddenly the ducks and geese who had been swimming by began to head their way. Actually, headed toward the dickhead officer. The ducks swarmed his legs as the geese began to peck at his pants.

  “What the hell?” The officer started to kick out at them, which made them even more persistent. As if a unit, the animals began to back the officer up toward one of the police cars, even going as far as shitting on his nicely shined shoes.

  Charger glanced at Katrina, who watched with a huge grin on her face. She looked his way and gave him a wink. Damn, what an amazing gift that girl had, and very useful. The other officers were also having a good laugh as the animals finally chased him to his cop car. Some were even recording it on their phones. Yeah, seemed like the dickhead wasn’t well-liked by his own men either.

  “Thanks.” Charger nodded toward her. “You saved me a night in jail for smacking a police officer.”

  “Anytime.” Katrina chuckled, then glanced back to where the animals were coming back toward them.

  “Let me know if they find the asshole. I want to find him before they do.” He indicated toward the cops. “I get first dibs.”

  “We’ll put Katrina on it. She needs a lot of practice with cars. She doesn’t know a four-door from a two-door.” Steve snorted, gaining a glare from Katrina.

  Charger got on his bike and turned to look quickly when Steve let out a squeal that sounded like a teenage girl. He was grabbing his butt as a goose waddled away.

  “Be nice, or next time it won’t be your ass,” Katrina warned him before walking toward Adam’s car.

  “Holy shit, that hurt.” Steve followed her, rubbing his butt. “Guess that’s what they mean by the saying ‘getting goosed.’”

  Shaking his head, Charger rolled his eyes as he started his bike. Holy fuck, he needed to get away from these crazy fuckers. That thought made him chuckle, because if he was being totally honest, he fit right in since he was the craziest fucker of them all.

  Chapter 2

  Raven headed toward Pam’s office, nodding as she passed coworkers of Pam’s she didn’t really know. Obviously they knew her since they were saying not only hello, but hello, Raven. She really needed to get better at getting to know people. She totally sucked at it. Raven had never really been a people person. There were only a rare few she wanted to spend time with, and Pam was one of them.

  Since the vicious attack, Pam’s eyesight had improved slightly, but she still couldn’t drive. She needed someone to take her wherever she needed to go, and if Duncan was busy or one of her coworkers couldn’t do it, then Raven stepped in to help. Pam hated how the freedom of being able to drive on her own was gone, but Raven really didn’t mind.

  Stopping at Pam’s open door, she knocked. Pam looked up, squinted behind her new thick glasses, and smiled. “Hey. What brings you by?”

  “Bored,” Raven lied and knew Pam knew it was a lie.

  Pam snorted. “When you work for Sloan Murphy, you are never bored.”

  Shrugging, she walked in and sat down in the chair in front of Pam’s desk. “So, what are you into today?”

  “Trying to catch up on all the paperwork I’m behind on, plus everyone else’s paperwork.” Pam took the glasses off and rubbed her eyes. “And going crazy.”

  “Why’s that?” Raven asked, but she had a feeling she knew exactly why.

  “I’m stuck behind this desk all day. I miss going out in the field, Raven. I miss the kids.” Pam sat back in her chair and closed her eyes for a second before opening them and looking straight at Raven. “If one more person walks in here and lays files on my desk, I’m going to kill them.”

  Just then, as if on cue, a young man walked in with at least five files in his hand. He smiled first at Raven, and then as he looked at Pam, his smile faded slowly. Raven glanced at Pam, who was glaring at the guy, her lip curling up in a snarl.

  “Ah, I think you best bring those back later or maybe just do them yourself,” Raven said, doing her Warrior job and saving this human’s ass. When he hesitated, she tilted her head, cocking her eyebrow at him. “That advice was to save you from a gruesome death.”

  “Got it.” He nodded as he backed out of the office. “I’ll do these, Pam. Sorry to, ah, have bothered you.”

  Once the guy was gone, Raven glanced at Pam to see her snarl turning into a half-smile. “Thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it.” Raven grinned, then checked her phone that went off. With a frown, she texted back, then looked up at Pam. “You want to get out of here for a little bit?”

  Pam glanced at her desk, then shook her head. “Guess I better stay here and finish this work since it’s all falling on me now that I’m deskbound.”

  “Bullshit.” Raven stood and peeked down the hallway to see the guy Pam almost murdered leaving another office. “Hey, you.”

  The guy stopped, actually looked around the empty hallway, then pointed to himself.

  “Yeah, you.” Raven stopped herself from rolling her eyes. As he approached, she gave him a serious look. “We’ve been called for a very important task by Sloan Murphy of the VC Warriors. We need you to help out.”

  “Really?” His eyes opened wide as he looked between Raven and Pam. Pam just nodded silently, playing along.

  “What’s your name?” Raven asked, figuring to really gain this dude’s trust, she needed to get a little personal.

  “Jason,” he replied, then cleared his throat. “What do you need me to do?”

  Raven pulled him further into the office toward Pam’s desk. “You need to cover for Pam. She can fill you in on what needs to be done, but we have to do this quickly.”

  Jason stared at Pam’s overflowing desk, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. “I don’t know. Does Mitch know about this?”

  Raven glanced at Pam, who raised her eyebrows at her before she looked back at Jason. “Does Mitch know about this?” Raven snorted and shook her head. “Oh, Jason. You must be new here. Sloan and Mitch are like, ah, two peas in a pod. When Sloan gets an itch, Mitch scratches it and vice versa. They even started a bowling team.”

  When Jason looked over at Pam, Raven held back a chuckle when Pam just nodded, trying her best not to smile. Instead, her fake seriousness almost did Raven in.

  “I don’t know.” Jason sounded hesitant. “I can’t lose this job.”

  “You won’t.” Pam finally spoke as she stood up. “I promise you that, Jason.”

  “Shit.” Jason backed away so Pam could get by. Raven watched him closely and knew his mind was whirling. “Seriously, a bowling team? I never took Mitch as the bowling type.”

  “Oh, yeah.” Raven nodded, ushering Pam out the door. “The Nutter Gutters or something like that. They are pretty badass. Even got matching trophies I hear.”

  Raven closed the door on a confused-looking Jason and grinned as they made their way down the hallway, then out the door.

  “The Nutter Gutters?” Pam gave Raven a sideways glance.

  “Best I could do on the spot.” Raven smirked as she got into the SUV. She usually rode her motorcycle, but since Pam’s injury, she had been taking the SUV more frequently, just in case Pam needed a ride.

  Pam got in and shut the door. The car was silent until both women burst out laughing. “I can’t believe you said that about Mitch and Sloan.” Pam roared with laughter.

  “Which part?” Raven chuckled as she backed out of the parking space. “Two peas in a pod or one scratching the other’s itch?”

  “Oh God.” Pam wiped her eyes. “I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time.”

  Raven realized she hadn’t either, and it felt good. “What are fr
iends for?”

  Both women looked at each other, feeling the connection, and smiled. “You’re a good friend, Raven. Thank you.”

  “Same.” Raven nodded, then focused on the road, realizing in a very short amount of time she had known her, Pam had become a very good friend. Raven didn’t trust easily.

  “So, where are we going?” Pam’s whole attitude changed to excitement from just being out from behind the desk.

  “To University Hospital.” Raven stopped at a four-way stop, waving a teenage driver on. “Do they not teach these kids how a four-way stop works anymore? Anyway, Sloan messaged me and needs me at the hospital to guard a woman who was thrown over the side of a bridge by her disgruntled husband.”

  “Oh my God.” Pam gasped in anger. “What in the hell is wrong with people?”

  “I ask that every single day,” Raven added. “The Warriors are trying to find the guy, and Sloan doesn’t trust the cops to keep her safe.”

  “Why are the Warriors involved? I mean, I’m glad they are for her sake, but they usually don’t get involved in marital disputes, even one so vicious as this.” Pam unbuckled her seat belt as Raven parked.

  “Not totally sure, but I would guess one of our guys saved her, and we all know how the Warriors feel about abuse against women, kids, and the elderly.” Raven opened the door, allowing Pam to go in first.

  They made their way to the emergency room desk. Raven slowed down, allowing Pam to stay next to her. Pam’s perception of sight was skewed, especially when obstacles were scattered in areas she wasn’t familiar with. She didn’t wear her glasses to walk, only for reading or computer use.

  “Can I help you?” a woman behind the desk asked as they stopped in front of it.

  “I’m Raven with the VC Warriors,” Raven announced and noticed everyone in the area stopped to stare at her in surprise. Yeah, she got that a lot lately. When she was a Dark Guardian, they never announced who they were, but now being a VC Warrior, Sloan expected them to announce it so no one fucked with them. Sometimes that logic worked and sometimes it didn’t. “We’re here for Cheryl.”

  “Of course.” The woman stood with a nod. “Mr. Murphy called and said you’d be coming. Follow me.”

  The door buzzed, and both Pam and Raven walked through it to be met by the nurse. They followed her through a maze of hallways and curtained-off areas where patients waited for the ER doctor.

  They stopped in front of a curtained area. “Mrs. Dawson?”

  “Yes? Come in,” a woman’s harsh-sounding voice whispered from behind the curtain.

  Raven stopped the woman from opening the curtain. “Where’s the guard who was supposed to be here?”

  “I don’t know.” The woman looked around. “I can find out if you need me to.”

  “No, that’s fine.” Raven tried to keep the anger from her voice, discovering Sloan’s concern was legit about the police not following through in protecting this woman. “I’ll take care of it.”

  Raven’s focus then went to the woman on the bed. An IV drip was next to her bed, the television with the sound silenced cast shadows in the dark room. Their eyes met, and Raven’s anger tripled in that second. The woman was tiny, looking lost and afraid as she lay in the hospital bed. Her face was battered with fresh and old bruises. Realizing she was staring and probably radiating her anger, Raven plastered a gentle smile on her face.

  “Ms. Dawson, I’m Raven, and this is Pam Roark,” Raven introduced, trying to put the woman at ease. “Do you have family coming?”

  “My sister, but she lives in Lexington and won’t be here for a while. And please call me Cheryl.” The woman cleared her throat a few times and winced. “Are you with the hospital?” she asked, looking confused.

  “No, I’m with the Vampire Council, and Pam is with Children’s Services.” Raven realized she should have explained that first. Of course, the poor woman was confused.

  “Oh, I don’t have children.” Cheryl looked from Raven to Pam.

  “That’s okay.” Pam smiled at her. “I also work with a lot of women’s advocacy groups for domestic violence. We’re here to help you.”

  “Thank you,” Cheryl replied but frowned. “Unfortunately, I’ve exhausted all the help this area has to offer. I’m not meaning to sound rude, but restraining orders do not work, and as for women’s advocacy, they are great, but no defense against a man who wants me dead because I no longer want to be with him.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Pam replied, and even Raven heard the heartfelt truth in Pam’s words. By the look on Cheryl’s face, she heard it also.

  “Nothing for you to be sorry for.” Cheryl sighed, sounding defeated. “Until laws are amended, nothing will change. It’s going to take an army of women and even men who have suffered through their own abuse to stand up and unite.”

  The room was silent as all three women digested Cheryl’s words. It was so very true, and all three knew it. The laws were outdated and with loopholes that sometimes benefited the abuser. It was total bullshit.

  “You said you were with the VC?” Cheryl broke the silence.

  “I did,” Raven replied. Even though she had not been through the initiation, she considered herself one nonetheless.

  “One of the Warriors saved my life,” Cheryl explained, with gratitude coloring her tone. “Well, he said is wasn’t a Warriors, but the paramedics said they’ve seen him around working with the Warriors.”

  “Do you know which one?” Pam asked before Raven could.

  “Charger McNeil,” Cheryl replied, looking between the two women.

  “Of course it was,” Raven mumbled, wondering if she would ever be free of that man. Serious doubts of that happening filled her soul.

  “Do you know him? He’s a very nice man,” Cheryl asked, then coughed into her hand, giving Raven the opportunity to roll her eyes.

  “Yes, we do,” Pam answered, saving Raven from having to. “And he, ah, is very nice.”

  Raven snorted but remained silent, then only smiled at Cheryl when she glanced her way. While Pam and Cheryl talked, Raven got lost in her own thoughts. If this woman only knew the true Charger McNeil. Then again, did anyone really know Charger? He let few people into his life—she wasn’t one of them—but Charger, nice? Maybe once in a great moon he did a nice deed.

  “I just heard my husband.” Cheryl’s panicked voice broke through her strange thoughts.

  “What?” Raven’s focus cleared as she looked at Cheryl’s stricken face.

  “My husband is here.” she cried out as quietly as she could.

  “Good.” An evil grin tipped Raven’s face. “Don’t worry, Cheryl, he won’t touch you.”

  “He really won’t,” Pam added, reassuring her. “I have a strong feeling Karma is about to meet up with your asshole of a husband.”

  “Yeah, and her name is Raven.” Raven smiled, making sure Pam was also out of the line of harm. She mentally prepared herself for what was to come. This was what she was good at. Protecting others. It kept her going every day, when far too often she just wanted to give up. But not today.

  Nope. Today she was about to teach an abusive asshole how not to treat his wife.

  Chapter 3

  Charger passed Kane, who was sitting on his bike in an empty parking lot on his phone. He gave Charger a nod as he rode by. Doing a U-turn, he backtracked, pulling in next to Kane, and turned off his bike.

  Once by the man’s side, Kane got off the phone, slipping it into his pocket. “Hey, hero.” Kane grinned and chuckled.

  Charger glared at him. “Fucking Steve.”

  Laughing, Kane nodded. “Singing your praises as well as talking about the goose he got from a goose. Jesus, that kid is fucked up, but funny as hell.”

  “He’s gonna be fucked up if he doesn’t shut the hell up with this hero shit,” Charger grumbled, his words carrying promise.

  “You find him yet?” Kane changed the subject.

  “No, and I guess from your question, there hasn’t been wor
d someone else has.” Charger frowned when Kane shook his head. “Though, they did find the truck, but no sign of the asshole. Duncan ran a trace on him. Did you get the email?”

  “Yeah, I already went by his work, but he called off today. Blaze is keeping an eye on the house. I’m sure the bastard is waiting to see if she lived or not before he comes out of hiding,” Charger admitted, but not in defeat. He would find the fucker.

  “True.” Kane nodded, then sighed. “That was Val.”

  “Is that so?” Charger replied, not really wanting to have this conversation at the moment.

  “Yeah.” Kane crossed his arms and glared at Charger. “You two need to get over this shit. Whatever it takes, because we could sure use him back on the team.”

  “He’s the one who walked,” Charger shot back, remembering the brutal fight they had just before Val left.

  “Yeah, out of respect for you,” Kane replied with a cocked eyebrow. “He never realized just how much you were into Raven, since you didn’t kill him when they started—”

  “Drop it, Kane,” Charger snapped, stopping the rest of Kane’s sentence. “He can come back whenever he wants, but I will not be the one calling him. He walked away. He can walk back. I didn’t tell him to leave.”

  “You are one hardheaded, stubborn son of a bitch, you know that?” Kane hissed with a shake of his head.

  “So I’ve been told.” Charger snorted with a small grin.

  “Val also said some of the Guardian chapters are combining with the Warriors,” Kane informed him. “Have you heard anything about that?”

  “No, I haven’t.” Charger shifted on the seat and glanced toward Kane. “For what purpose would we combine with the Warriors?”

  “Isn’t that what we’re doing now?” Kane questioned in his irritating way, like he knew all the answers but still had to ask the question.

  “Not officially,” Charger replied, once again not wanting to have this conversation. “And I like it that way. We can pick up and leave anytime we want.”