“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“No witnesses.”
“I’m not going to let you murder this kid to cover your ass!”
“Fine,” he states coldly. Before I can blink, he pulls the trigger, the noise so loud I feel like my ears are bleeding. Dave’s body flies backward, the soft ground cushioning the sound as he falls. He lies there unmoving as I stare. Kevin’s hand weakly grabs mine. His mouth opens, but no sound emerges. His eyes beg me to run, save myself, but there’s no way I can leave him to die alone.
“All right kid,” Ned drawls. “It’s your turn.” The metallic sound of the bolt sliding open unnaturally loud.
My vision sharpens as my tiger draws close to the surface. My fingertips tingle as my claws burst forth. The sharp tips of my canines pierce my lip. Ned’s eyes widen in horror. The stench of fear permeates my nostrils, the beast inside me reveling in the aroma. He fumbles with the cartridge.
The distraction is all I need.
I clear the ten feet between us in a single pounce, landing squarely on his barrel chest. We collapse to the ground with me sitting on top of him, claws wrapped around his throat. His blood now permeates the air, the scent sweet and enticing to my tiger. The beast licks his lips in anticipation of the feast he will make of this man.
“You killed my brother, you disgusting human!” the words rumble from my chest. A new smell fills the air as Ned pisses his pants.
“What are you?” He whispers, his eyes bright as if he knows his death is coming.
“I am vengeance for my brother,” the words rush out as I swipe my claws across the delicate skin of this throat, cutting through meat and bone until his head rolls across the forest floor coming to a stop to look at me with sightless eyes.
The sun has set by the time I realize I’m still perched atop his cooling body. Running footsteps approach as I turn with a growl, ready for the next one to die under my claws for hurting my family. Dad’s scent reaches me first, the Mom’s more delicate fragrance.
“Kevin! Kellen!” He bellows. “Where are you?”
“Over here,” the words pour out on a whimper. “We’re over here.”
Dad’s dark hair is visible above the rise before his eyes rest on me, then take in the blood-soaked scene in front of him. Shock holds him immobile.
“Jesus,” he breathes out. Mom comes up behind him and her low moan pain filled as she spies Kevin lying on the ground in a puddle of blood. His chest no longer rises, his face slack in death.
“No, Kevin, no baby no,” she wails as she gathers his body close. Sobs wrack her body as she pleads with someone to give her son back to her.
“Kellen,” my father’s voice breaks my stare. “What happened here?”
“Daddy,” my lip trembles before I throw myself into his waiting arms. No longer can I contain the emotions inside of me. My brother, my best friend is gone. He’ll no longer play hide and seek with me in the forest or catch in the front yard. He holds me close, his scent erasing the blood and gore surrounding us. Mom’s cries echo throughout the forest. In the distance I can hear the roar of the cats as If they are mourning with us.
152
Slash
Present Day
The heavy wooden chairs scrape across the floor as the other members leave once Church is dismissed. I toss up my blade into the air; the light glinting off the polished metal as it twirls before coming to a rest in my outstretched hand. The golden gem in the handle's base digs into my palm.
“Here’s the date and time of the pickup.” Wraith slides the paper across the table. I glance over it before pulling my lighter out of my pocket. The whoosh of the flame lighting up the paper is loud in the otherwise quiet room. Tucking the lighter back into my jean’s pockets, I turn to leave.
“Hey Slash, keep it civil,” he growls. Only my prez can give me an order, and I’ll obey without question. Damn alpha shit.
“Civil. Right.” Disgust flavors my words. “I don’t trust these fuckers. Fucking human trash. They’d sell out their own families to make a buck. You sure I’m the one you want for this job?”
“I know you’ll do as I say. You don’t have to make friends with them. Just pick up the goods and get back here. We’ll switch vehicles and get them moved to the warehouse.” He nods his dismissal and I pick up the black duffel with my gloved hand before walking out the door. Signaling Kid, one of my brothers that looks like he’s barely legal even though he’s older than me, I walk outside. The first drag of my cigarette the smoke fills my lungs, nicotine settling into my blood as he joins me by the picnic table.
“What’s the plan Slash?” He dances from foot to foot, unable to keep still.
“Would you quit that before my cat makes you a toy? Fucking keep still.”
“Sorry. Just ready to go. Been around the clubhouse too long. It’s making me antsy.”
“Maybe you need to go hit up one of the girls and get your dick wet before we make this trip, so I don’t kill you on the way.”
A shit-eating grin crosses his face. “Already fucked Trixie this morning.”
“Must not have treated you right if you’ve still got this much energy.” I laugh. “Next time get with Cherry. She’ll leave you wrung out,” I smile at the memory of being between her thighs last night. Then with her on her knees this morning taking me deep inside her mouth until I poured down her throat. She’d just smiled and asked for more. I shift positions to relive the tightness in my jeans.
“She hardly
