by Monica Rossi
He felt the man’s hands on him, wrecking havoc in their wake, but surprisingly the man held him steady as he untied the ropes that were holding him up and eased him down and into the wheelchair. Red opened his eyes again, surprised he wasn’t in a pile of agony on the floor. He had underestimated the little dude, he must be one of whatever these guys were. Humans on super steroids.
“Good, now that you’re more comfortable maybe we can speak more openly. See I’ve heard a lot of things about you and none of it was good. I’ve heard that you’re a trouble maker, that you don’t always follow directions when you don’t like the directions that you’re given. I’ve heard that you are loyal to a fault and nothing will stand in the way of that.”
Frederick stood still as a statue while he talked, it was disconcerting, most people moved their hands or heads or made some type of gesture as they spoke. Not this guy. He just stood there, arms at his sides as if he were a robot. Red kept his head down, lifting it up to look at him was too painful, and watching him stand so still was creepy anyway.
“Now, I think those can be assets if you work for me. I need someone who thinks on his feet, who can take orders but change them to fit the circumstances if need be. Your friend, Big Dog, has been a huge disappointment to me, and I’m hoping that you will take his place.”
“Mister, I’ve got no beef with you. And I don’t want to work for you. I just want to get Big Dog, Trainz, and BillCo and take them back to the club so that we can deal with them. I want no part in whatever you got going on here.”
“Well that’s a shame, considering you don’t even know what we’ve got going on. Do you?”
Demon had given him his theory about what was up here, but it had sounded like a lot of bullshit. And he’d gotten his information from a ghost, or imaginary friend, or whatever, with Demon there was no telling what was going on. “No, and I don’t give a shit either. I just want to take my guys and go home.”
“How can you make an informed decision if you don’t know all the elements involved?”
“You want to wipe out all the ‘non-humans’ right? Ain’t never gonna happen. So why should I worry about it?”
Frederick’s eyes narrowed, the first facial expression he’d shown, “Why do you say that?”
“Humans don’t know half the shit that goes on right under their own noses. No matter what kind of science experiment you are, you’re still human. There’s shit older than your entire species hiding under the hills in your pretty little subdivisions and you don’t know nothing about it.”
“And you do. Which is why we want to work with the shifters to accomplish this. But which shifter, or group of shifters, is in charge? Well that’s up to you. I’d love to work with the Dogs of War. You have a good reputation in your community and you don’t seem as… uncivilized as some of the other groups. And you, Ryder, seem like the best suited to lead. In fact, I’ve heard you’ve been voted interim president during Big Dogs… absence.”
Red’s head snapped towards him, causing all the pain in his neck and head to flair, how the fuck did he know that? Someone was passing him information. There was still a traitor inside the Club. Red thought over how he should best respond.
“Yes, I was. I find it a little surprising that you already know that.”
“Oh Ryder, we know a lot. So consider your answer carefully because regardless of what your personal decision is, there are those eager to take your place. But we can give you some time to think about it.”
Red thought the man was going to leave, but he paused at the door. “Maybe you need some more information to make an educated decision. John, why don’t you push him as we take a tour of the facility.”
He was wheeled out the door and down a corridor, doors to rooms probably just like his lining the hallway.
“We did have more test subjects but we had an… incident a few nights ago that reduced us to one. But here he is. John, help him stand so he can look through the window.”
The grey door boasted a large window lined with grey stripes, the industrial glass that was supposedly unbreakable. With the help of the little man Red stood and peered in, and was revolted by what he saw.
“Do you have a file on this subject John?”
“Yes, sir. Hold on one second, it’s on my tablet in the office.”
“Hurry,” Frederick said, his eyes never leaving the nightmare behind the window. Red stared in numb horror at the blob of red flesh on the table. It was no longer recognizable as a person, or whatever it had been. He couldn’t imagine what had happened to it to leave it in such a state, but whatever it was, he wanted no part in it. There were always casualties in power struggles, Red could understand that. He’d killed plenty of men in his life, but this was something else, there was no honor in this.
The little man returned at a dead run, Red didn’t blame him, if his boss were capable of something like what was before him, there was no telling what he’d do.
“Ah, here we are. This man’s name is Lynard Eugene Renke, sounds German or Dutch maybe. Know him? He’s a shifter.”
“Yeah I know him.” Red wasn’t going to let the man know how disgusted he was with the scene before him. Lynard was about the lowest a person could get. He sold people into slavery, he sold hard drugs to kids, he’d kidnapped Red’s daughter and he still didn’t deserve this.
“Friend of yours?”
Red had a feeling the man knew exactly how he felt about Lynard, and there was no point in lying anyway. “No, bastard kidnapped my daughter.”
“Well, good. You can see we’ve dispensed justice for you. Have a seat we’ll show you the next room.”
They wheeled him one room over and stood him up again. It was exactly the same as the room Lynard was in, except tied to three corners of the table were Big Dog, Trainz, and BillCo.
“We haven’t decided what to do with them yet. It’s obvious they’re not going to be able to go back and work for us among the shifters. I imagine you might like to see them in the same situation as Lynard. Since they were complicit in the kidnapping as well.”
How stupid did this man think he was? He knew who was in charge here and if anyone was ultimately responsible for his daughter being taken it was the man standing right beside him. But when it came down to it, Big Dog and the others should have had more loyalty than to work with someone like him. “Yeah, that’s probably what they deserve,” he lied. Death is what they deserve, but not like that, never like that.
“And if you’ll cross the hall you’ll see the last of our guests.”
Painfully he shuffled across the floor, his arm around the scared little nurse man. Same room, different people. Squint and Squirt, neither one tied, but sitting on the metal table in the center of the room. Squirt’s face was red and he was breathing heavy. The kid had been crying hard and it reminded Red that that’s all they were; kids.
His only solace was that he didn’t see Tinker, that either meant he was dead or he’d somehow gotten away.
“These two are a problem. I don’t have a reason to kill them, and one of them was useful to Big Dog’s prior efforts, but unless you agree, I can’t let them go running back to your group and telling them everything they’ve seen here. Most people wouldn’t understand, you know?”
Red nodded. If he told Frederick to go fuck himself and accept his fate, then these two boys would die as well. Unless Tinker had already informed the guys and they were on their way to rescue them. But he couldn’t pin his hopes on that because he just didn’t know.
“Roll him back to his room John, he has a lot to think about,” Frederick said, dismissing both of them.
“Wait,” Red put his hand out and grabbed Frederick’s arm as he turned to walk away.
He started to ask about Tinker, but thought better of it. If he had gotten away he didn’t want them sending anyone after him. No, he had to be dead, otherwise Frederick would have mentioned him.
“Just tell me why, why go to the trouble of killing so many creatu
res? And why do you even need shifters if you’re so strong you can beat us to a pulp?” he motioned down to his broken body.
“I’ll answer the second question first, because we have more important things to do. We need shifters to take out all the other creatures while we concentrate on our… more lofty goals,” he gave a smile that sent shivers of fear down Red’s back, “and as to why we want to kill all the supernatural freaks of nature? Let me put it like this, if God had a brother or sister who might get jealous and try to knock him off his throne, what would he do, for the good of his kingdom?”
Frederick acted like that answered everything, when it actually answered almost nothing. But then he continued.
“And also because we can. Choose well Ryder… or should I call you ‘Red’?”
The Jeep jangled as it hit every pot hole in its path and Sidney wondered if she were making a mistake. She’d called Demon and told him she’d meet him at the park because she could only imagine riding on the back of his motorcycle and holding on to him. She didn’t want to risk being lit up like a Christmas light while in the middle of traffic. Since it was affecting him too, they’d probably end up dead, splattered across the front of a semi like a firefly with bad luck.
It probably was a mistake. But she’d already committed so why not see it through. Maybe she could get some answers. Hell, she’d take an answer to anything. Which one of her parents was the closeted witch, why she’d been attacked in the lake, why Red was such a small minded bigot, and why her and Demon acted like firecrackers every time they touched. If she could get just one answer, she would be somewhat satisfied.
They’d agreed to meet at the one and only park Three Rivers had which took up two blocks in the middle of town. The rolling hills, shady trees, and duck pond looked inviting in the bright autumn sun, but she still felt the trickle of nerves in the base of her stomach.
It wasn’t just because Demon was so annoying. She was nervous because she didn’t want to be around him any more than she had too. All she wanted to do was find out what this weird connection they had was and leave. That’s all she wanted.
Sidney parked near the picnic tables, assuming that was where he’d be, but she didn’t see him so she got out and found a table under the shade to wait for him.
She didn’t have to wait long.
“Our table is this way,” she jerked around to see him standing there in a tight black tee-shirt and jeans that fit him way too well.
“Do you own any color other than black?” she asked, a little perturbed with herself for noticing how good he looked.
“I own exactly three shirts and all of them are black,” he grinned, her jab not bothering him at all.
“Oh,” Sidney said. That was just like him, annoying. Making her feel guilty for an off hand comment. “Well, I guess it suits you.”
“I’ll take any compliments I can get,” he put his hand on the small of her back to lead her away from the picnic table, “especially from such a pretty girl.”
She felt the tingle starting to spread from his hand across her back and she jerked away from him. “Hey, no funny business, I’m just here to see if we can figure out this whole touching thing.”
Demon held his hands up in front of him, “Look it was an unconscious gesture, and I was just returning the compliment. Jesus, get the stick out of your ass.”
She glared at him, “This was a mistake.” She turned to go but Demon jogged in front of her.
“Wait,” he said and she just kept walking, with him jogging backwards in front of her, “I made food and everything, you could at least come eat.”
She stopped, “I said I’d come on the condition that you wouldn’t be a jackass, and yet the jackassery has already begun.”
“Sorry, sorry, I’ll be on my best behavior from now on.” He held up the scout sign and gave her an innocent expression. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Demon had never been a Boy Scout. She rolled her eyes but turned to go with him anyway.
He led her to a shady area near a willow tree, where they had a good view of the pond, but were also very secluded. No one would be able to see them from the road or the more heavily trafficked areas of the park. She again had a feeling that this had not been the best idea.
“So what do you think is causing these…” she searched for the word she wanted as she found a spot on the blanket he’d laid out, between a small cooler and a tool box, “strange feelings when we touch.”
“Let’s eat first, I’m starving and I can’t think on an empty stomach.”
Sidney didn’t say anything, she was hungry too. She hadn’t eaten anything since early that morning when she’d rolled out of bed feeling more tired than she had when she’d gone to sleep.
“Here, have a drink while I get everything ready,” he handed her a wine glass and fished an unlabeled bottle out of the cooler, pouring her a full glass of the golden liquid.
She was hesitant to drink so early in the day but she took a sip anyway as Demon sat out several tin foil covered bowls and plates.
“Oh my god, this is delicious. What is it?”
“Mead,” he replied as he piled a plate with tiny little filled croissant sandwiches, long green beans, and some sort of yellow mushy looking stuff.
“Mead?”
“Yup, I had some in Asheville and had brought home a case along with some fancy fucking beer that costs a ridiculous sum of money. Dirty fucking hippies. Obviously mead is making a 300 year overdue comeback.”
“Well good, because this is amazing!” Sidney drained the rest of the glass, the sweet mellow taste had hardly even a hint of alcohol and it was divine as it slid across her tongue. “I’m going to need to know where you got it and order it by the crate.” He handed her the bottle so she could pour herself another glass, which she did.
“No worries, I’ve got their business card in my pocket, you can order enough to bathe in,” he settled back with his own plate and glass of wine. “Ah, this is the good life. Good food, good drink, and a pretty girl to share it with.”
Sidney frowned, “That’s enough of that, Demon. Not being a jackass means no flirting either.”
“I don’t think that’s what it means at all, I think a jackass would be someone who wasted such a beautiful day in such a beautiful spot not flirting with the beautiful woman sitting across from him.”
The sun highlighted his jet black hair and made his eyes look even lighter than normal against the planes of his ruggedly handsome face. Sidney took another long sip of her mead, upgrading the situation from ‘not the best idea’ to ‘probably a big mistake’, “The thing is Demon, I’m kind of still with Red.”
His eyes darkened. “Oh, I think you’ll find that you are not. Red isn’t a very forgiving soul.”
“But I haven’t done anything that needs to be forgiven. He just needs to stop being so bigoted. As soon as I show him that there is no difference between who I am now and who I was before I found out what I am, I’m sure he’ll come around.”
Demon shrugged, “Well you can try, but I doubt you’ll like the results. Probably easier to save yourself the heartache and move on.”
“With you?” she asked incredulously.
“And why not, we already seem to have some kind of connection. And I know you don’t find me repulsive.”
Sidney felt her cheeks heat and hoped he didn’t notice, “I find you infuriating and rude and self centered.”
“Ah, but not repulsive?”
She couldn’t help it, she had to laugh, “Shut up and eat your food Demon, that mouth always has something to say.”
“Mmmm unless I’m doing something else with it,” the sexual purr in his voice sent unwanted shivers through Sidney and she decided to give up on conversation and eat, as she’d advised him to do. He was obviously better at banter than her and her mouth might be the one that got them into trouble.
Instead of letting herself think about the sexy dangerous looking man across from her, who seemed perfectly fine w
ith the fact that she was a witch, she concentrated on the food. The delicate croissants were filled with savory Carolina style barbeque that almost melted in your mouth, complimented by the tangy potato salad, and sautéed green beans. It was all delicious, she wasn’t sure if she’d had a better meal since she’d been in town, and she couldn’t believe he’d gone to such trouble for a picnic. He shouldn’t be that gorgeous and be able to cook too. The talents needed to be spread out a little more fairly than that. Then again, he also had that irritating personality, so maybe it evened out.
“This is all very good,” she said, the silence had become a little awkward, though Demon seemed perfectly content lying on his side, propped on an elbow and enjoying his food.
“Yes, because I made it instead of you.”
Sidney opened her mouth to make a biting retort and ended up laughing instead, it was true she was a horrible cook. “I can make a decent macaroni and cheese now.”
“Good, glad to know you won’t starve if you run out of microwave dinners.”
“How did you get to be such a good cook?” she asked, genuinely interested. You wouldn’t think life in a werewolf biker gang would lend itself to much interest in the culinary arts.
“The real question is, ‘How do people not learn how to cook?’ Because everyone has to eat, you’d think people would want to eat good stuff, so they’d learn how to cook it.”
“Well I don’t know about everyone else, but it just never interested me,” she said.
“What does interest you?” he was looking at her again with those eyes. It made her feel all quivery inside.
“Nothing that would interest you probably,” she said wanting to turn his attention to anything but her.
“Why not? I find you very interesting so what is interesting to you, also interests me.”
