Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Author’s Note
Glossary
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Teaser: Slick Running
Teaser: Dark Horses
Other Works by Manda Mellett
Acknowledgements
Stay In Touch
About the Author
Published 2017 by Trish Haill Associates
Copyright © 2017 by Manda Mellett
Edited by Phil Henderson
Proofreading Brian Tedesco (pubsolvers.com)
Book and Cover Design by Lia Rees at Free Your Words
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
www.mandamellett.com
Disclaimer
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Warning
This book is dark in places and contains content of a sexual nature. It is not suitable for persons under the age of 18.
ISBN: 978-0-9954976-8-9
Author’s Note
Drummer’s Beat is the second in the Satan’s Devils MC Series, but can be read as a standalone.
I’ve been overwhelmed by the reception given to the first in the series, Turning Wheels, and the support and encouragement to continue with the Satan’s Devils series. Turning Wheels was meant to be a sole spin off novel from the Blood Brothers series, but those bikers all kept screaming at me to have their own stories told. Already there are more books in the pipeline.
If you’re new to MC books you may find there are terms that you haven’t heard before, so I’ve included a glossary to help along the way. I hope you get drawn into this mysterious and dark world in the same way I have done―there will be further books in the Satan’s Devils series which I hope you’ll want to follow.
If you’ve picked this book up because, like me, you read anything MC, I hope you’ll enjoy it for what it is, a fictional insight into the underground culture of alpha men and their bikes.
Glossary
Motorcycle Club – An official motorcycle club in the U.S. is one which is sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA). The AMA has a set of rules its members must abide by. It is said that ninety-nine percent of motorcyclists in America belong to the AMA
Outlaw Motorcycle Club (MC) – The remaining one percent of motorcycling clubs are historically considered outlaws as they do not wish to be constrained by the rules of the AMA and have their own bylaws. There is no one formula followed by such clubs, but some not only reject the rulings of the AMA, but also that of society, forming tightly knit groups who fiercely protect their chosen ways of life. Outlaw MCs have a reputation for having a criminal element and supporting themselves by less than legal activities, dealing in drugs, gun running or prostitution. The one-percenter clubs are usually run under a strict hierarchy.
Brother – Typically members of the MC refer to themselves as brothers and regard the closely knit MC as their family.
Cage – The name bikers give to cars as they prefer riding their bikes.
Chapter – Some MCs have only one club based in one location. Other MCs have a number of clubs who follow the same bylaws and wear the same patch. Each club is known as a chapter and will normally carry the name of the area where they are based on their patch.
Church – Traditionally the name of the meeting where club business is discussed, either with all members present or with just those holding officer status.
Colours – When a member is wearing (or flying) his colours he will be wearing his cut proudly displaying his patch showing which club he is affiliated with.
Cut – The name given to the jacket or vest which has patches denoting the club that member belongs to.
Enforcer – The member who enforces the rules of the club.
Hang-around – This can apply to men wishing to join the club and who hang-around hoping to be become prospects. It is also used to women who are attracted by bikers and who are happy to make themselves available for sex at biker parties.
Mother Chapter – The founding chapter when a club has more than one chapter.
Patch – The patch or patches on a cut will show the club that member belongs to and other information such as the particular chapter and any role that may be held in the club. There can be a number of other patches with various meanings, including a one-percenter patch. Prospects will not be allowed to wear the club patch until they have been patched-in, instead they will have patches which denote their probationary status.
Patched-in/Patching-in – The term used when a prospect completes his probationary status and becomes a full club member.
President (Prez) – The officer in charge of that particular club or chapter.
Prospect – Anyone wishing to join a club must serve time as a probationer. During this period they have to prove their loyalty to the club. A probationary period can last a year or more. At the end of this period, if they’ve proved themselves a prospect will be patched-in.
Old Lady – The term given to a woman who enters into a permanent relationship with a biker.
RICO – The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act primarily deals with organised crime. Under this Act the officers of a club could be held responsible for activities they order members to do and a conviction carries a potential jail service o
f twenty years as well as a large fine and the seizure of assets.
Road Captain – The road captain is responsible for the safety of the club on a run. He will organise routes and normally ride at the end of the column.
Secretary – MCs are run like businesses and this officer will perform the secretarial duties such as recording decisions at meetings.
Sergeant-at-Arms – The sergeant-at-arms is responsible for the safety of the club as a whole and for keeping order.
Sweet Butt – A woman who makes her sexual services available to any member at any time. She may well live on the club premises and be fully supported by the club.
Treasurer – The officer responsible for keeping an eye on the club’s money.
Vice President (VP) – The vice president will support the president, stepping into his role in his absence. He may be responsible for making sure the club runs smoothly, overseeing prospects etc.
Chapter 1
Drummer
“What d’ya reckon, Wraith?” As I cock my head to one side, I nod to indicate I’d appreciate my VP’s input on this discussion. After all, it was his old lady who bore the brunt of our mistake last time we allowed someone to transfer to the Satan’s Devils Tucson Chapter. She almost ended up raped. When Wraith stays silent, I glance over at him, raising my eyebrow as I see him tapping his fingers against his chin.
I’ve always known Red to be straight with us, but Wraith’s friendship with the president of the Vegas Chapter goes back much further than mine. They prospected together until Red moved on and up the ranks. If anyone can spot he’s pulling a fast one, using us as a dumping ground for members he wants to get rid of, it’s my VP who’ll be able to.
Right now, both men are staring at each other. “How did he get that fuckin’ handle?” Wraith’s eyes narrow.
Red grins as he takes a swig of his beer. “Well, he can be a bit of a joker, but he’s serious enough when he needs to be.”
“He better be,” I growl. “And what kind of idiocy does he get up to?” Putting sugar in a brother’s gas tank would not go down well back at the compound.
Now Red shrugs. “He’s not into practical games. Or nothin’ that would cause any damage, but he can keep us on our toes. It’s all verbal. Just give him a slap down occasionally to pull him back into line.” As the grin fades from his face, I see he’s being serious now. “Drum, I wouldn’t pass my rejects onto you. Joker’s a good man. Yeah, he comes over a bit shallow, but he’ll have your six. He’s had mine often enough.”
“And he wants to move to Tucson, why?” Wraith is still being cautious.
Red shrugs. “No mystery there. He’s got a sister down that way and her old man’s gettin’ a bit handsy. Joker wants to be close so he can keep an eye on it.”
That sounds reasonable, and if we patch him over, he’ll have the backing of the brothers if he needs it. That’s the way we work. “And he’s your Road Captain?” That’s the bit that interests me the most. At the mother chapter we haven’t had anyone in that position for a while. When Red nods to confirm it, I ask the other important question, “And losin’ him won’t leave you undermanned?”
The Vegas prez shakes his head. “Nah, I’ve got someone else in mind for that position. It won’t leave me short, Drum.”
I tap my fingers on the table, thinking. We lost a member and a prospect in our recent and still raw battle with the now non-existent Rock Demons out of Phoenix. Oh, we managed to get the better of them that time, but it made me appreciate just how much we needed to build up the mother chapter again. Hence our recruitment drive and our offer to let brothers from other charters patch over, as long as they are going to be a good fit. This Joker fucker sounds like he might be just what we’re looking for.
“Wraith?” I prompt, waiting on my VP’s opinion.
He thinks for a moment, then lifts his chin toward me.
That’s all the answer I need. “Okay then. Joker’s in as well as Lady.” Saying the name of the man we’ve just discussed I can’t help but shake my head. Who the fuck would go by that handle? Oh, the name Lady suits him down to the fucking ground. He’s a pretty boy, tall, slim and lithe, looks like a breath of wind would blow him over. But Red had arranged for us to see him in the ring where I’d watched him take down men twice his size, impressing even me.
“You’re absolutely sure you can manage without them?” Wraith questions his old friend.
Red waves his hand in dismissal, “Yeah man, I’ve got two prospects ready to patch in. They’ve proved themselves and we’ll soon be up to speed. And a couple of hangarounds waitin’ in the wings ready to take their places.”
I’m not surprised, Vegas is a draw for many with its bright lights and opportunities. Red just has a hard job keeping the men in line and spotting the ones with a likely gambling addiction.
“Right, that’s fuckin’ it then.” I’m happy. We’ve picked up two hopefully useful members today.
Reaching behind him, Red opens a mini fridge and pulls out three fresh beers. After handing them over, we break off the tops and all take a drink. Pointing his bottle in my direction, Red asks, “You headin’ off now? You’re welcome to stay another night.”
“Yeah, it’s nearly a seven-hour ride so if we head out now we’ll be back by evenin’.” We’d partied Vegas style last night. I’d taken advantage of the sweet butts, though Wraith had declined. Christ, he handed over his balls when he hooked up with Soph, his old lady. A trap I’m never going to fall into. It makes me shudder just thinking about it. Why would you commit to one woman when as a biker you’ve got all the pussy you could wish for? Especially, as in my case, I’m wearing the president patch.
Beers drained and dispensed with, cuts rolled up in our packs and exchanged for anonymous sweatshirts, well, anonymous except for the discreet Satan’s Devil’s Tucson Chapter logo on the back. With the SDTC badge warning those in the know not to mess with us, we take our leave of Red and the brothers in the Vegas Chapter. Joker and Lady will be following on in a couple of days once they’ve got their shit organised.
Our journey back to Tucson is uneventful, allowing me to indulge in the satisfaction of a long ride, with the wind in my hair blowing away the last vestiges of my over-indulgence last night and the freedom of the black asphalt beneath my wheels. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to get out on a road trip. Being prez means I’m normally stuck resolving problems from behind my desk, so with a feeling of liberation, I sit back and enjoy the open road. When we enter the borders of our territory we stop at one of our new locations we’ve settled on to put on our cuts. It’s only recently we started rotating our stopping off points. We had learned the lesson of the risks we ran having a regular place when the Rock Demons had caught us out and Hank, one of our prospects, had lost his life as a result.
Getting back on my bike, I see Wraith’s got his phone to his ear. Delaying switching on my engine, I can hear his side of the conversation. Not that it’s much.
“Shit, Peg, just what we fuckin’ need.”
“Yeah, I’ll meet you there.”
“Yeah, an hour should do it.”
I raise a quizzical eyebrow as he ends the call. “Problems?”
“One of the strippers has had an altercation with the new fuckin’ bouncer. He laid his fuckin’ hands on her. I’ll meet Peg and go see what damage has been done.”
I draw in a breath and look around before I say something I shouldn’t. We might own a strip club, but we treat the women well. None of us like it if a stripper’s manhandled, especially by one of our employees. Unfortunately, we’ve just had to replace a bouncer as Roadrunner, as he’s become known, now only works part-time as he’s come to prospect for us. “Peg and you gonna sort it?”
“That’s the plan. I’ll meet him at the end of the road.”
The road Wraith’s referring to is the half-mile asphalt track that leads up to our unusual compound, a burned-out vacation resort we bought dirt cheap many years ago, and have since do
ne up to make it a biker’s dream home.
Can’t I get one moment’s peace around here? There’s always seems to be something or other to get to grips with, but at least I’ve got good men behind me to handle that shit. So, I wave my hand, giving Wraith the signal we should mount up and continue on home. As we get to the turnoff the VP peels off and heads out in the direction of Tucson. I continue along alone, slowing my speed now. Half of me is anxious to get back to the compound, while the other half is reluctant to give up the freedom of the road and pick up the onerous burden of being prez of the mother chapter. I’ve only been gone a couple of days, but there’ll probably be forty-eight hours’ worth of trouble waiting for me to resolve.
Knocking it down a gear, I breathe in the air which I swear smells sweeter around here. Apart from the rumbling of my engine and the chirping of the cicadas, there’s no other sound disturbing the peace and quiet here in the foothills rising above Tucson. The air’s still warm, but cooling now that we’re getting into the evening, and it won’t be long until full darkness falls. A drink or two...or three in the clubhouse, and then I’ll take one of the sweet butts to bed with me. Allie or Pussy, or both maybe. Hmm. My cock starts to harden in anticipation.
Wait! What the fuck is that?
Halfway up the track there’s a strange bike by the side of the road, and a man standing beside it. Someone I don’t know. All my senses on high alert and, easing my gun from its holster, I slow my speed to a crawl, watching for any sign of a threat or weapon. As I draw closer I let out a slow whistle, my eyes transfixed on the bike. It’s only a fucking Vincent Black Shadow! Dating from the 1950’s, one of the most iconic bikes ever built. It’s in a fairly good state of restoration too, and probably worth something approaching a hundred thousand dollars. A bitch to ride though, and I take my hat off to the biker who’s able to handle it.
Drummer's Beat (Satan's Devils #2) (Satan's Devils MC) Page 1
