Raven

by Heather Atkinson

  He smiled when Raven produced a gas canister from the bag. “I love watching you work.”

  “By the way, it’s a tranquiliser rifle.”

  “For fu…,” she heard him say before she emerged from the cover of the knoll and ran to the oak tree a few metres from the front door of the cottage. Peering round the trunk she saw no one. She ran towards the cottage, pressing herself back against the wall beside a window before hurling the canister through the glass, smashing it.

  Immediately there was a hiss and gas filled the room. There was the sound of shouts from inside and the front door burst open. Raven was delighted to see Pitbull emerge, shoving aside one of his men in his eagerness for fresh air, although the gun in his hand encouraged her to duck around the side of the house.

  Pitbull fell, a dart embedded in his neck from the tranquiliser rifle fired by Aidan. His friends were in such a panic they failed to notice their leader fall and two more followed suit. Luke however saw the darts strike his friends and threw himself to the ground, the dart Aidan fired at him missing and embedding itself in the wood of the front door. That was no problem for Raven, who pressed the button on the fob and his body began to jiggle on the ground, his eyes screwed tight shut and jaw gritted. Only one man remained who, like Luke, had thrown himself down and was belly-crawling around the opposite side of the house to the one she was on. Aidan fired but was unable to hit him due to the undulations in the ground. Raven produced the gun from her pocket and moved to follow, her attention drawn off the escaping man to the car powering up the road. They should have waited longer.

  The car screeched to a halt and the other half of Pitbull’s gang leapt out. Raven hastily snapped one of the silver bangles on Pitbull’s wrist and stood over him, the gun aimed at the back of his head.

  “You again,” roared the one who’d tried to smash the window of her car and got a crowbar in the face for his trouble, his nose swollen and bruised. “This time we’re going to fucking finish you, you bitch.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “You’re not getting out of it this time. You…ow,” he said when the dart struck him in the side of the face.

  The five men wilted when they saw Aidan approaching, the rifle raised to his shoulder and aimed at them. Crowbar man gaped at him before passing out, landing face first in the grass.

  Aidan slung the rifle over his shoulder and drew a Glock pistol, which he fired into the ground at their feet, making them jump.

  “As you can see,” he said. “This one contains real bullets, which will end up in your heads if you don’t listen to what she has to say.”

  As Raven stabbed Pitbull in the leg with a syringe, she wondered how Aidan had got hold of one of her guns.

  “What are you doing to him?” cried one of the men.

  “Don’t panic,” she said. “It’s just a little something to counteract the effect of the sedative. I want him to hear what I have to say.”

  Pitbull came round with a groan and a fart. “What the fuck happened?” he mumbled into the grass.

  Raven kicked him onto his back. “For once you’re going to be nice and quiet while I explain what’s been happening.”

  “You killed Terry, that’s what’s happening and you’re going to fucking die for it.”

  He jumped when Aidan fired into the ground beside his head. “Jesus, you nearly had my fucking ear off,” he yelled.

  Aidan stood over him, the gun aimed at his face. “If you don’t shut it, I’ll take your fucking head off.”

  Pitbull knew exactly who Aidan Gallagher was and he wasn’t about to fuck around with him. “Fine, get on with it then.”

  “Thank you,” said Raven. “I didn’t kill Terry. Yes, Marcus set up that hit but it wasn’t so I could kill him. It was so I could draw out my rival, you know, the same one you plotted with to trap me. Eleven men working together and you still couldn’t bring me down.”

  “There’s time yet.”

  “I’m curious, what did Jeremy tell you to get you onto his side?”

  “Who the frig’s Jeremy?”

  “The man who arranged the set-up at his posh drum in Horsforth.”

  “He’s not called Jeremy, he’s called Dale. Dale Wilson and he’s a cousin of Terry’s.”

  “How do you know he’s a cousin?”

  “He told me.”

  “So you don’t know him through Terry then?”

  “Nah. So?”

  “His name is Jeremy Elias and he’s a police officer.”

  He barked with laughter. “That’s pathetic Raven. I know you’re desperate but it really is.”

  She produced a piece of paper from her pocket, unfolded it and held it out for him to see. It was an image from a local newspaper of Jeremy in his police uniform, taken last year after foiling a robbery.

  Pitbull’s grin fell. “Bastard.”

  “I don’t know what everyone will think when they find out you were working with a copper.”

  “We are not working with him. He lied to us.”

  “Finally, you’ve got it. He’s a lying bastard who failed to kill me, so he set you lot up to do it for him. So not only are you working alongside a police officer but you’re doing his dirty work for him too.”

  “We are not pig lackeys,” he spat, spittle flying from his lips.

  “That’s exactly what you are and I’m going to make damn sure the whole city knows it.”

  Pitbull’s jaw pulsed with rage. “Alright, what do you want?”

  “For you and your lackeys to leave me alone. I didn’t kill Terry, Jeremy did.” She decided to leave out the fact that she had actually tried to kill their exalted leader. It wouldn’t do her case any good.

  “Fine,” he pouted.

  “And I want you to tell me everything you know about Jeremy, AKA Dale.”

  “There’s not much. He approached me at the pub. He said no contract was put out on Terry, you were going after him for personal reasons.”

  “What personal reasons?”

  “He didn’t say.”

  “And you didn’t think there was anything odd about that?”

  He shrugged. “Why should I? You kill people for a living.”

  “Alright, fair point but he was the one who killed Terry, not me so it’s him you should be going after.”

  “I still don’t have any proof you’re telling the truth.”

  “You believed Jeremy the police officer readily enough.”

  “I didn’t know he was a police officer,” he barked.

  “Well you do now. So this is what’s going to happen. I’m going after Jeremy and I’m going to remove him. You will stay out of the way and you will never bother me again.”

  “Feeling tough now you’ve got your husband with you?” he said, dragging himself to his feet.

  “Coming from the man who attacked me three times with nine other men and failed every time.”

  “You are such a bitch.”

  “No, just honest. Not my fault you can’t take the truth.”

  “Your husband won’t be around forever. Word is he does one as soon as he can because he gets sick of you.”

  “Oy, back off,” yelled Aidan.

  Raven just stared back at Pitbull. “I couldn’t care less what thoughts roll around in that brain-dead skull of yours. All I want is you and your crew off my back because I’m sick of the sight of you. If you don’t listen, this is what will happen.”

  She pressed the fob and both Pitbull and Luke fell to the ground, rolling around in agony as the shock tore through their systems. When one of their men attempted to make a move on Raven from behind, Aidan smacked him in the face with the butt of the rifle and he fell backwards, blood dripping from his nose.

  “As Luke already knows,” she continued when she’d relinquished the button on the fob. “It’s impossible to remove these bracelets without enduring a lot of horrible pain. Come near me again and you’ll get more of the same. We could easily have killed you all today but we let you
live. Be smart and back off. Do you understand?”

  While she was talking, one of the men whistled and two Dobermans came charging out of the house. Raven produced another device from her pocket and pressed the button. The noise it emitted was inaudible to human ears but it caused the dogs to turn tail and run back into the cottage, tails between their legs.

  “Shoot him,” she told Aidan, indicating the man who had whistled.

  Aidan smiled maliciously as he swung the rifle round, aimed and fired with such speed the man didn’t have time to move. The dart embedded itself in his neck and down he went.

  “I’ll put one on him too for good measure,” she said, kneeling to place one of the silver bracelets on his wrist too. She stood over Pitbull, who gazed up at her through hazy eyes. “If we have to have this conversation again, next time I won’t be so forgiving. If you bother me again I won’t hesitate to wipe you out. I’m sure I’d be doing this city a favour. Come near me again and it won’t be tranquilisers being fired at you, it’ll be the real deal. Are we clear?”

  A vein throbbed in Pitbull’s forehead but he nodded, not looking too happy about it.

  She looked to Aidan. “Lets go.”

  Aidan was careful to keep the Glock trained on the men as they headed back down the hill, away from the cottage, only lowering it once Pitbull and his crew were out of sight.

  Raven pressed the button on the fob, smiling when she heard cries of pain emanating from further up the hill.

  “I’m sure you’ve got a fetish for that thing,” said Aidan.

  “Just giving them a little taste of what will happen if they don’t take my advice.”

  “If they don’t I’ll kill them.”

  “Aidan, I don’t like unnecessary killing.”

  “It’s not unnecessary if it protects you and I mean it. They come at you again, they’re gone.”

  He had that steely look in his eyes, the one that told her he’d made up his mind and wouldn’t be swayed. Aidan was very good at what he did but there was something manic inside him, something that he struggled to control that revelled in violence and bloodshed, it was one reason why they couldn’t be together all the time. She hoped that one day he’d gain mastery over it but so far there was no sign of that happening. Although she was very grateful for his help, there was a risk that introducing him into this already dangerous situation could make things even worse.

  Raven retrieved her bag from behind the tree where she’d left it and took the rifle from him. She held out her hand. “The Glock? Aidan?” she added when he appeared reluctant to hand it over.

  “Fine, here you go,” he said, producing it from the back of his jeans and holding it out to her.

  “You stole it from my bag.”

  “I didn’t steal it, I just borrowed it, in case things went wrong.”

  “And what would you have done with it if things had gone wrong?”

  “Shot them.”

  “At least you’re honest about it,” she scowled.

  “What have I done?”

  “I said I didn’t want anyone killed.”

  “I am very capable of shooting someone without killing them.”

  “And what would have happened if they’d gone to hospital with gunshot wounds? The police would have got involved, which would have made everything worse.”

  “Calm down, I didn’t need to use it.”

  “Do not tell me to calm down,” she said, zipping up the bag, getting to her feet and slinging it over her shoulder. People could call her all sorts of names and it wouldn’t bother her, however being told to calm down when she was already perfectly calm drove her insane, as he well knew. Determined not to give him the rise he wanted, she stalked past him back across the field to the car. After throwing the bag into the boot, she got into the passenger seat and slammed the door shut.

  CHAPTER 19

  “Something tells me I’m in trouble,” said Aidan, getting in the driver’s side and starting the engine.

  “You promised we’d do this my way,” said Raven. “But, as usual, you’re off doing your own thing with no thought for anyone else.”

  “I only did it for you, because I won’t let anyone hurt you,” he said as he steered the car down the track.

  “You don’t take my weapons again without my permission. Do you understand?”

  “Technically it’s my property too because we’re married.”

  “The weapons are mine, I bought them with my own money. You weren’t even in the country at the time.”

  “Doesn’t matter in the eyes of the law.”

  “Alright, take me to court and tell them you want the illegal weapons I bought. I’d love to see how that goes down.”

  “This argument is getting ridiculous.”

  “No it’s not because it’s another example of you riding roughshod over me and doing what the hell you like. I am not letting you treat me like that anymore.”

  “I’m only trying to protect you Raven and I will happily kill anyone who hurts you.”

  “I don’t want you to kill anyone for me,” she exclaimed, feeling her temper rise. It infuriated her how easy it was for him to break through her cool demeanour and drive her completely up the wall. “The only person I want dead is Jeremy and I’m going to do that myself.”

  “Fine. I’ll sod off back to Spain, shall I?” he retorted, stomping harder on the accelerator, making the engine roar.

  “You can’t because half the country wants to kill you. How many countries is that you can’t visit now? Five?”

  “It’s only three actually.”

  “Oh well excuse me.”

  “I don’t know why I came back because when I do I get nagged.”

  “Are you fucking serious? Nagging is telling you not to leave the toilet seat up, not to stop stealing my guns and not to kill people.”

  “You just ruled out two of my favourite things,” he glowered. “And you’re going to regret going easy on those wankers when they come back at you even harder.”

  “Pitbull said he wouldn’t.”

  “And you don’t think he’s told a few lies before? When did you become so naïve?”

  “I’m am not naïve. He knows if he does come at me it’ll be leaked all around the city about him doing deals with coppers. He’s not that fucking thick.”

  “Yes he is,” he exclaimed, thumping the steering wheel. “Jesus Christ woman, you drive me round the fucking bend.”

  “Right back at you and watch your speed,” she shouted when the needle hovered over seventy. They were still on winding country lanes and she was getting nervous.

  He eased off the accelerator slightly but they were still going way too fast for the roads.

  “Nag, nag, nag,” he retorted.

  “You are so fucking annoying.”

  “You mean I’m the only one who can melt the ice princess. You don’t fool me with your cool, calm ways because underneath I know you’re a fucking volcano and you can’t stand it.”

  “I can’t stand you,” she yelled.

  “Right back at you.”

  “Just sod off back abroad then, like you always do.” Raven didn’t know why she was saying all this. For a year she’d dreamed of him coming home and now he finally had she was telling him to go again, but it was how he affected her. Around him she lost her mind, another reason why they spent so much time apart.

  “Fine. I’ll go then and leave you to deal with this all alone.”

  “Good. I don’t need you.”

  “Then we’re agreed. I’ll dump you back at the barn and then I’ll get the first plane to wherever, I don’t care, as long as it’s away from you.”

  “Good. I can’t wait.”

  She folded her arms across her chest, face bright red, breathing hard with rage and a huge amount of conflicting emotion. His words had cut her deep but she knew hers had wounded him too, which made her feel both glad and guilty.

  “What are you doing?” she cried when he suddenly veered
off the road, steering the car into a copse of trees.

  Without replying he flung off his seatbelt, leapt out of the car, slammed the door shut and walked around to her side.

  “Aidan,” she cried when he wrenched open her door and threw off her seatbelt. “Get off me,” she added when he pulled her out of the car.

  She drew the knife from her pocket and pressed it to his throat. He released her arm but instead of stepping away he took a step forward, Raven moving the blade with him so she wouldn’t cut him.

  “Go on then,” he said. “Do it. Give yourself some peace.”

  Her chest heaved with emotion, eyes shiny with tears. “Be careful what you say. I might be tempted.”

  He took another step towards her, reaching out to flick open the button of her jeans. “It gets me so hard when we argue,” he said, voice a soft caress.

  “Do you want to leave then?” she said. Her hand shook but it wasn’t with nerves, it was with the anger that still burned inside her.

  “No. All I ever want is to be with you Raven. You just wound me up. I’m doing my best for you here. I know you don’t believe it but all I ever do is my best for you.”

  A tear slid down her cheek. She knew he was being honest but the anger still possessed her.

  He unzipped her jeans, Raven gasping when he slid his hand inside her panties.

  Aidan groaned when he felt how wet she was. “I’m not the only one who gets turned on when we argue.”

  She kept the knife pressed to his throat as he leaned in to kiss her, tugging down her jeans with one hand.

  “You have two choices,” he said. “Kill me or fuck me.”

  “Right now, I honestly don’t know which one I prefer.”

  “Just slide the blade across my neck. You know how to do it. Go on, free yourself because I will never divorce you. As long as I’m alive I will always come back to you. You will never be free of me and I know that sometimes you wish you were.”

  Raven gasped when he slid his fingers inside her but still the knife did not waver.

  “We will always be together,” he said, enjoying watching her cheeks bloom with colour and her eyes sparkle with the pleasure he was giving her. “My wife, my little bird.” He pressed harder, making her cry out. “So, what’s your pleasure?”