Caught Dead (The Journals of Octavia Hollows #3)
Page 7
Obeying his warning, I planted the soles of my motorcycle boots where I stood. “Happy to oblige. I want all of this to be over, same as you. How about you grant me a little act of good faith in exchange for my compliance? Pop the hood, let me make sure my pig is okay. I’m not asking to get him out; I just want to make sure he’s alright in there. Please.”
The two men exchanged wary glances, doubt playing over their features.
When neither moved to help me out, my shoulders sagged. “No? Alright. There is one other way I know of to check on my favorite pork rind. Keep in mind, you brought this on yourself.”
Immediately on high alert, their hands twitched toward their weapons.
Filling my lungs, I belted out an ear-piercing pig call I had spent months perfecting. Dogs barked in the distance. A random resident in the apartments next door shouted for me to shut up with a colorful use of expletives.
But the reaction I was waiting for?
That one was a slow build.
It began with a series of thumps inside the trunk, loud and frantic. They quickly escalated into a chorus of squeals with a side of wild thrashing. A taillight was kicked out from within, rolling across the parking lot in a trail of shattered pieces. Bacon’s tiny pink head poked out the hole he created, screaming in agitated peals.
“Shut him up!” Gorilla Two bellowed at his flustered counterpart.
“How? It kicked a hole in the car!”
“I don’t know! Just do it!”
“He’s pretty upset,” I helpfully pointed out. “It would really be a shame if someone… SSUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYY!” Yet another call, meant to really kick that little porker into overdrive.
Bacon’s head disappeared and a fresh round of chaos shook the car.
“What’s it doing?” Gorilla Two inched closer, brow knit tight with concern.
“How would I—what the hell?” Gorilla One’s head snapped in the direction of the back seat where a pointy pair of ears popped into view. “He pushed his way through the backseat!”
“Yes he did!” I beamed, every bit the proud mama. “There’s my good boy!”
Scampering onto the seat, Bacon hooked his hooves on the edge of the window. Curly pink tail wagging, he grinned out at me. Even Squid-face celebrated with us. Ripping his hands apart, he broke the shackles holding him and scratched his destructive friend behind the ears.
“Get him back in the trunk!”
“How the hell would I do that? I don’t even know how he got out of it!” Tempers flaring, the befuddled minions snapped at one another.
“Maybe one of you should climb inside. It might help you figure out his escape route,” I suggested. My gaze flicked toward my bike, maybe ten strides away. With the right distraction and a prayer that my shocks would hold out under Squid-face’s weight, I could get us out of there.
Bless their hearts, the gorilla brothers glanced at one another as if genuinely considering it.
“Not with the big guy in the car,” they chorused.
“New idea.” Gorilla One’s chest puffed with the importance of the pig-wrangling task at hand. “I’ll open the door, you grab the piglet.”
My stare locked with Squid-face’s, willing the idea into his mind for him to charge the minute that door cracked open. If ever I was going to achieve a Jedi-mind trick, I prayed that would be the moment.
The door creaked open. Bacon bolted, Squid-face following hot on his heels.
“I’m a friggin’ Jedi!!” I whooped, sprinting to the aid of my boys.
Bacon shot between Gorilla Two’s legs, sending him stumbling to catch up. Gorilla One tried to block the path of Squid-face, only to gaze up at his towering mass and shrink under the challenge. In route to my bike, I whistled for Bacon. His hooves clapped over the concrete as he galloped to catch up. Bending down, I scooped him up without breaking stride.
My head jerked in Squid-face’s direction, gesturing for him to abandon the intimidation tactic that had both henchmen frozen in fear. “Come on, big guy.” Keeping a protective eye on him, I kicked one leg over my bike.
Just when hope was building of a narrow escape, a spray of water shot out of nowhere. Arroyo solidified behind Squid-face, her icy glare locked on me.
A choked rattle bubbled through Squid-face’s tentacles, his shocked stare falling to the gleaming metal jutting from his gut.
Breath lodged in my throat, the cold fist of recognition closed around my heart.
Not just any metal… mine.
“Did I forget to mention,” Arroyo retracted my sword, pulling it out with a sickening slurp, “I found your weapons and brought them along?”
Polite monster that she was, she took a step back as I pushed off the Scrambler seat and sprinted to Squid-face’s side. Easing Bacon to the ground, I slid under my crumbling friend in time to catch his head in my lap before it slammed into the concrete. Bacon paced in anxious circles, my tears free-flowing as I brushed the back of my hand over Squid-face’s leathery cheek.
“You’re alright, buddy,” I soothed, voice quaking with emotion. “I’ve got you. You’re okay.”
Peering up at me, a look of peace softened his features a split second before he popped in a gush of sea water. No trace of the kind-hearted beast remained.
My lap was soaked, puddles of what had once been my friend pooled around me. “Why?” I managed to rasp.
“Why?” Arroyo tried the question on, head tilting as she considered it. “To ensure your compliance, of course. I told you there was no real choice here. Now, you see that I’m serious. I suggest you be a good girl and get in the car, Octavia. Otherwise,” flipping my sword over in her hand, she held the blade up in cursory inspection, “I think you’ll find pork skewers to be on the menu for the evening.”
Shaking from head to toe, I rose to my feet on legs that threatened to buckle beneath me. “Don’t hurt anyone else.”
“That, darling girl, is entirely up to you.” Again, she snapped her fingers at her minions. “One of you, bring her bike. I think Miss Hollows has lost enough for one day.”
Closing my eyes, I choked down the lump in my throat, my leaden feet refusing to move.
Eyes narrowing at my hesitation, she lowered the tip of the sword to the base of Bacon’s skull. “Then again, maybe she needs a bit more motivation?”
A whimper escaped me as I forced myself to shuffle toward the Lincoln. I slid across the lush leather seat, gathering Bacon into my lap as he hopped in beside me. Easing herself onto the L-shaped seat, Arroyo crossed her legs and patiently waited for Gorilla Two to shut the door and climb into the driver’s seat.
Only when he revved the engine to life did she continue her barrage of commands. “Your inadequacy monitoring our guests has been noted. Let’s see if you can redeem yourself with a few simple tasks. Call the home office and see where we can meet up with the troops. And keep an eye on Clark. We wouldn’t want anything to happen to him, or to Miss Hollow’s precious machinery.”
“Yes, mistress,” Gorilla Two muttered with a dutiful nod. Sliding the divider up between the front and back seat, he thumbed a number into his phone and pressed it to his ear.
Reaching behind her, Arroyo placed my sword in the back window ledge where the other one waited. Beside it sat my backpack. I had no doubt all my belongings had been stuffed back inside it. All aspects tied up in a pretty little bow. But… why?
“Where are you taking me?” I managed, rubbing a comforting hand over the back of my trembling piglet.
Arroyo’s lips curled into a venomous grin. “Why, home, of course.”
Such a simple sentiment, yet it filled me with crippling dread.
The Journals of Octavia Hollows continue with
Drop Dead Gorgeous!
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About the Author
Stacey Rourke is the author of award-winning books that span various genres, yet maintain her trademark blend of action and humor. She lives in Michigan with her hu
sband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant dogs. She loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction, and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head.
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Find the full catalog of her books here: https://readerlinks.com/mybooks/1328
The Gryphon Series
The Conduit
Embrace
Sacrifice
Ascension
Descent
Inferno
Revelation
and The Official Gryphon Series Coloring Book
The Legends Saga
Crane
Raven
Steam
Reel Romance
Adapted for Film
Turn Tables
The Unfortunate Soul Chronicles
Rise of the Sea Witch
Entombed in Glass
Coming Soon: Pursuing Madness
TS901 Chronicles (co-written with Tish Thawer)
TS901: Anomaly
TS901: Dominion
The Veiled Series
Veiled
Vlad
Coming Soon: Vendetta
Archive of the Fives
Apocalypse Five
Coming Soon: Rogue Five
The Journals of Octavia Hollows
Prequel-How the Dead Lie (A Havenwood Falls Novella)
Wake the Dead
Caught Dead
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Dead Ringer
Dead as a Doornail