by Nicole Snow
“Fuck. I'm on it.”
The line went dead. We'd said everything we needed to, and the guys would be on their way soon, minus poor Firefly, who'd taken a shot I hadn't even seen yet.
One man down. Not good when the Deads came in force, and there might be more on the way, ready to hit the clubhouse while they came after my ass.
Another murmur. Some bastard coughed, and my trigger finger tensed. I saw his shadow climbing through the torn brush just past our rocky hiding place.
The rules of war were off. I had to shoot first. These assholes weren't going to show us any mercy, and the only hope we had was delaying them with a couple spilled brains, before it was our blood spattered all over the cool Smoky Mountain soil.
“Stay down, babe,” I said in the softest voice I had.
One more second, and the Dead would be in my sights. I raised my gun, ready to watch his brains shoot out his skull.
I never got the chance to pull the trigger. Cold metal pressed into my spine.
“Don't.”
I spun, planting my gun in another motherfucker's chest. I knew I was fucked when I heard the man I'd been aiming at, coming through the brush. Now, he had his gun trained on my head. I didn't even need to turn to see it.
“What the fuck? You're her only bodyguard? You got any idea how much this bitch is worth?” A big man in a Deadhands cut with a bald head and a satanic goatee smiled.
Fuck. Of course. The cold realization they were after Meg hit so hard I had to struggle not to shoot the asshole right through the heart and feel a hail of bullets slice me in two.
“You're not taking her,” I growled. “You bastards are making a big mistake, showing your ugly faces in our territory.”
Baldie tipped his head back and laughed. I glanced at the patches on his front, and saw V. PRESIDENT, then the bastard's name, BIG VIC.
“Shame you're not as good at protecting this cunt as you are making me laugh. Step outta the way, little man, and maybe we'll give you a fighting chance by putting lead in your kneecaps instead of your guts.”
“Skin...” Meg fumbled up behind me, clutching my shoulder, desperate to diffuse the bomb already exploding in slow motion. “Don't risk your life. Not again.”
“Ha, the bitch has balls, Veep,” the man behind us said, right before he cleared his throat and spat on the ground. “Sure gonna be fun making her squeal for her folks. I bet she'll hiss and yowl through the whole fucking thing while we're holding her down.”
Instinct took over. I pushed my gun deeper into Big Vic's chest, baring my teeth. Several more men emerged from the clearing, cocking their guns. I heard a shotgun pump, and a big one by the sounds of it, perfectly capable of cutting me to pieces several times over.
Fuck.
“Easy, boy.” The Deads Veep looked at my name patch. “Skin, huh? A name like that gives me some ideas, especially if you're one of the fucks who took out our brothers a couple weeks ago.”
“If that's what you're here for, then you need to talk to the Prez,” I snarled, my words barely coherent through the rage spilling out my teeth.
“Careful. Please.” Meg's grip on my shoulder tightened.
She sounded so scared, like she was turning to stone. Goddamn it. The urge to pull her into my chest was almost as bad as the rush to kill, the demon need to watch this bald sonofabitch and every last man in his crew die beneath my gun.
But that shit was pure fantasy. I hated to admit my woman was right. I had to keep my cool, or they'd snuff me out like a fucking June bug, and maybe Meg too as collateral damage.
“Yeah, boy, careful.” Big Vic laughed, before his face went dead serious and he pushed his gun into my chest hard, wedging me between it and the one on my spine. “I'm gonna give you to the count of three, and you'll both drop to your knees. Put the gun down. Let me and Snappy do our thing, and you'll get to breathe a few more minutes while we decide what to do with you.”
Several men chuckled. I wanted to make them all choke on their own fucking blood.
The boys are on their way, I thought. Gotta delay. Gotta stay sane. Gotta keep these motherfuckers occupied before they can hurt her, or put me out of action before the cavalry shows up.
“Whatever.” I let my gun drop to the ground and hit my knees.
Meg did the same a second later. The skinny man with the long greasy hair behind me grabbed her, shoved her wrists together behind her back, and fixed something around her hands.
I couldn't fucking look at her. I was on the verge of failing the only woman I'd ever cared about. The only man here who deserved to be gutted more than the Deads was me for letting her down.
“Don't hurt her,” I growled, staring up at Big Vic.
He looked down, his face half-shadowed, looking more like the devil himself than before. His lips curled up in a nasty grin.
“Sorry, bub. Gotta let her folks know we're fucking serious before we pass her off for ransom. Here, let me make sure you don't get too stir crazy while we're ramming our big cocks up her tight little ass.”
“Fuck no!” Two words. “I swear, if you even think that shit again, I'll tear your fucking throats out with my bare hands.”
If only it were as easy as the demon rage boiling over inside me made it feel.
Those words were all I managed before I noticed the heavy, round object swaying in his hand, bigger than his handgun. A split second later, the big rock crashed across my skull, and the world went instantly black.
* * * *
I woke up seeing red. It took me a second to realize it wasn't just the blood caked all over my face – the fucks hit me so hard my vision blurred to bright red stars. I counted myself lucky they hadn't cracked my head completely open.
“Shut the fuck up and look into the camera, cunt!” Big Vic's command ended in a loud slap. “I already explained to you exactly what to say, and I'm not gonna do it again.”
I forced my eyes to focus, and saw Meg sprawled on the forest floor, next to some shitty little hollow. They'd dragged us deeper into the forest.
Her face snapped back when he hit her. Adrenaline flooded my heart, turned it into a fucking grenade. I jerked up, and found a shotgun in my face, the bug-eyed twig boy they called Snappy holding it.
“Careful, Pistol. Wouldn't wanna have to blow your fucking jaw off before the Veep tells me too.” His boot crashed into my chest.
I hit the ground and rolled, imitating more pain than his weak ass kick really brought to my ribs. I'd learned a long time ago to play weak when somebody had you by the balls. If a man managed to fool 'em, then they'd be too damned busy planning to rip off yours before you took theirs clean off.
Only, this time, I wasn't sure I'd get the chance to tear their worthless nuts off, and it fucking killed me.
Meg, Meg, beautiful Meg. My Meg. Suffering in front of me because I'd fucked up and failed to protect her.
I pressed my cheek into the dirt and leaves, turned my head, and saw her crying. Big Vic had her cornered, holding a small camera in her face, swearing up a storm.
The bastard's face was beet red. I couldn't figure out how long he'd been screaming at her, but it must've been awhile. She'd obviously tried to fight him.
God help her, the woman was brave, doing the last fucking thing in the world she should to stay alive.
“I can't do it!” she barked back, holding herself up on her hands and knees. “I won't! You'll have to kill me first if you hurt him or try to make me lie to my parents. I don't care what you do to me. I've seen it all before.”
“Bullshit!” Big Vic roared, so hard I saw spit fly outta his mouth. “I know that piece of shit, Ricky, was easy on you, and the Pistols are pussies too. You ain't never been properly fucked 'til you bleed. Fuck, I'd have done it that night you sucked me off in that shitty condom, but I had to be happy making you gag instead because I thought you'd bring the club some goddamned money.”
Her eyes went wide. Big Vic smiled, his teeth as big as tombstones.
“That's right, bitch. You remember now. You were crying or going to your happy place or some shit when I rammed my cock down your throat. Made you turn blue in the fucking face.” He stood up and turned around, slapping the flat edge of his switchblade on his thigh. “Shit, what the fuck am I saying? We don't need you to follow script. We can send mommy and daddy a message plenty of other ways. How 'bout I show 'em what me and the boys'll do to you if they don't cough up a cool million?”
The motherfucker's nasty smile said it all.
“No!” I bolted up, staggering to my feet, ignoring the shotgun barrel jabbed between my ribs. “You fucking piece of shit, let her go before I kill every last one of you.”
I screamed it 'til I nearly passed out a second time, going outta my damned mind. Big Vic heard my shouting before Snappy slammed the barrel into my guts, hard enough to wind me. I got in one good blow, cracking the fuckhead's jaw, before he clubbed me over the head.
I went down easy. That fucking wound they'd given me with the rock was still open, oozing blood. Took everything I had to fight the blaze of pain threatening to drag me under.
“What do you think, Snappy? Maybe I hit this asshole a little too hard, yeah?” Big Vic planted his boot on my chest, pressing down 'til I suffocated, and smiled. “Listen here, jackoff, the only ones here who oughta be talking about any killing are us. Not you. Have to say, you've given me one fuck of an idea, though.”
“Sure hope it involves us getting this rich slut naked.” Snappy laughed, rubbing his hands together like a damned raccoon. The other bastards circling Meg like sharks chuckled too.
“Here, K-Man, hold the fucking camera for a second.” Big Vic handed off the camera to another henchman with a potbelly and pock marks all over his face. “Tell you what, Skin, since I bruised that shit in your head so hard, I'm gonna make it up to you. I'll let you help us decide what happens here.”
Oh, fuck. I wanted to puke before he finally lifted his leg, easing the savage pressure off my chest.
Big Vic took his sweet time. He looked at Meg, huddled on the ground with hatred in her bright blue eyes, and winked, before he turned his ugly face back to me.
“Bring the two love birds over. I need that damned brush cutter too.” He gave another greasy Dead a dark look as the man walked over and retrieved a big machete.
He waited while several Deads pulled Meg over, kicking and screaming, and dumped her off next to me. We were completely surrounded. Big Vic stepped in front of us, his evil fucking smile getting bigger all the time.
Christ, I couldn't wait to shoot him in the throat.
“You've got two choices, kids. In another minute, we're gonna roll some beautiful footage to send to Megan's folks. They're not gonna hesitate to drop a cool million off in the next twenty-four hours if they ever wanna see their bitch alive again. It's gotta be bad to make 'em do that.”
“Fuck, yes!” Snappy growled, grinding his teeth like he'd gone into rapture.
Animals. All of them. Sick fucking animals I've got to put down.
“First you, darlin'.” Snarling, he grabbed her by the chin, holding her face in his hand as she tried to struggle. “Option A – we record you taking our dicks in every hole, slapping your ass raw, choking you 'til you're blue in your face, all for mommy and daddy to see we mean fucking business.”
“You're already dead, and you don't even know it yet,” I growled. Every word stuck like heartbreak in my throat, bitter and full of blood, but I'd never meant anything more in my entire goddamned life.
Big Vic looked at me and grinned. “Yeah, I thought you'd say that, boy. So, here's Option B – we hand this bitch the machete and put a shotgun to her head. You put your hand out on the ground so she can give it a nice, clean cut. We watch her lose her fucking mind while she sees your miserable ass bleed out on the sweet Tennessee ground. If you live, you'll never ride a bike or grip a beer again. Sound good?”
Meg gasped. Her eyes went huge, filling with tears, but she still managed to look at me.
My eyes never wavered. I gave her a grim nod, knowing these motherfuckers would probably choose both options. But if I could get them to pick the one that prevented her from being totally destroyed, that bought us time, precious time, then I'd accomplish something here today.
“Do it,” I said.
“No, Skin. No, no, no, no, no...” she sobbed and turned beet red.
Poor baby girl. Asking her to fucking kill me to buy time wasn't easy, but I was ready to die if it'd keep their wicked hands off her for a few more seconds.
“It's okay, babe. Really. You have to do this. I won't even feel it.”
Total fucking lie. I didn't give a shit. I'd feel myself tortured for a thousand years before I let any devil stick his dick in her again, tear her to pieces, hurt her.
“Aw, shit.” Big Vic sighed, breaking the last intense look I'd ever share with my old lady. “Here I thought you might keep us in suspense, Skin, but I figured you were a pussy. All right, I'm a man of my word. Let's get this shit show on the road.”
Big Vic nodded. Meg shook while the thug holding her untied her, pushed her arm out, clawed her hand open, and pressed the machete handle into her palm. He forced her fist closed around it, then jerked her arm toward me, moving her like a weeping puppet.
I didn't even hesitate. My hand went out, more than ready for the blinding pain, the final, best sacrifice I could make for this woman I loved.
I'd given her my heart the second I claimed her. What the fuck did my hand, my blood, matter after that?
The sharp, sandpaper squeal leaving her mouth shook the whole forest as the bastard behind her lifted her arm, holding it up above my hand.
“It's okay, baby. It's okay. Everything's gonna be all right.”
I said it like a mantra. My heart slammed against my ribs on overdrive.
I thought about my parents, wondering if my old man felt anything while he bled out on the side of the road. He'd suffered less than ma, surely, taking her last breaths in that shitty cot at the hospital, eaten up with cancer.
I thought about my brothers, tearing down the highway, too little too late to save my ass. But at least they could save her if they showed up in the next five minutes while the life went outta me.
I thought about the brand on her back, something she'd always have, the best memory I could leave her. I'd given her a second chance, dammit, and now it was up to the universe to do the rest.
God forgive me, Meg, baby. I love you.
“No!”
All hell broke loose at once.
She screamed. The machete hit the earth just an inch from my wrist. The asshole holding the shotgun fired, spooked himself into blasting his shells straight into the ground.
Shrapnel and dirt flew everywhere. Big Vic and his boys cursed.
By some miracle, she'd jerked herself hard enough to miss before they took my hand, and set off the fucking dominoes that gave us a fighting chance. I kicked like a mule, slamming my boots into the motherfucker behind me, holding me down.
I pulled on Meg's hand, jerked her away from Snappy, and we ran by Big Vic while the assholes were all dazed and confused. I reached for my belt, pulled out a stun grenade, and ripped the pin with my teeth as more bullets hit the dirt next to us.
I hurled it behind me and pinched my eyes shut.
The motherfuckers screamed bloody murder when the flash burned their eyes. Unfortunately, the shit must've blinded Meg too. She stumbled. All the signal I needed to lift her into my arms and carry her uphill, digging my boots in fast as I could go, ignoring the hellfire tearing through my head, making the world spin, threatening to drag me back into the blackness.
“Go, go, go, you stupid sonsofbitches! Don't let 'em get away!” The Deadhands' Veep roared behind us.
His voice was fading, but the bastard was still way too close. They'd catch up to us sooner or later, as soon as their vision cleared, assuming one of the fuckheads still firing aimlessly didn't catch a lucky shot.
There wasn't time to worry about that shit now. We had to keep going, odds be fucked, no matter the cost.
I ran, carrying her, zoning out as the fire lapped hotter in my muscles, burning me straight down. I'd crawl through hell itself for this woman, anything to keep her safe.
We'd done all we could, and I staggered up to the old stone wall, listening to their angry boots stampeding toward us.
“Over the wall, baby. Just roll, get up, and go. Run!” I told her, dropping her over the wall in front of me, before staggering over it myself.
My heart got a jolt when I hit the ground and looked up. Tinman and Lion were roaring into the parking lot, right behind all the other brothers, who'd just switched off their bikes.
“Skin? What the fuck?” Dust instantly drew his gun, pointed it behind me, sensing hell coming before I grabbed my piece and pushed Meg flat on the ground.
“The woods – they're coming!” All I had time to scream.
I started firing with the rest of the guys, who hit the dirt behind their bikes, dropping the first sick fucks running into the clearing. I saw two Deads filled with holes, but the guys behind 'em fired back, alerted to our ambush.
Meg whimpered underneath me. I kept her down, anything to protect her as I peaked over the wall and fired, ducking every time the Deads shot back.
The firefight lasted a cool minute before Sixty charged and rolled next to me at the wall. His magnum blasted right through a skinny tree, hit one of the fucks hiding in the brush.
My ears rang with his satisfying scream. The other two retreated, falling back into the forest, probably on Big Vic's orders. I could hear the asshole screaming behind 'em.
They were fucked. Our prospects circled their bikes, cutting off their only escape.
Soon as the return fire stopped, Dust waved us toward the forest, the only signal we needed to go after 'em.
Fucking finally. I'd never been so goddamned happy to see the tables turned.
Meg clasped my arm, trying to stop me from going in. I tore myself away from her with a grunt, shaking my head.
