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Knox
Pulling up outside the compound pausing as I go to punch my code into the keypad, the flicker of the hardware sign light catches my eye. Looking up to the windows above I see Nan watching Pa read in his chair. Pushing my bike over the road and pulling down the stand I remove my helmet, jacket, and gloves. Walking up the steps I head into my home, the one place that always, no matter what happens in this fucked up world, feels safe. Pushing the door open my Nan jumps at the intrusion giving her a fright, she stands walking over and wraps her hands around my face. Breathing in her smell I twist my head into her hands, that is all I need, letting out a soul racking breath I lose it. Breaking down she wraps her soft arms around my massive frame.
“Shh, my sweet Bambino,” pulling me to the couch she sits down. Pulling my legs up I lay my head into her lap, she grazes her fingers over my temple through my hair like she used to when I was little, the pain of the last five days rips at my soul as I lay it all out for them to bear. Pa stands walking over to my shaking body, he pulls a blanket out and flicks it over my body, tears staining my face and hands.
“I have nothing left.” I utter. Nothing left but the ache for a love lost for the second time. Nan moves to get up, pushing me from her lap. Looking up into her wise eyes. I plead, “please stay. I can’t handle the emptiness,” my voice cracks out.
Ahh Bambino sure,” She nods to my Pa, and he smiles down at his wife with nothing but love in his eyes. Pulling over the footstool, he places my Nan’s legs on it wrapping her shawl around her before kissing us both on the head. I fall into a sleep laced with boyhood memories and nightmares of times past. The morning sun shatters my slumber, opening heavy sleep filled eyes to the familiar smells and sounds of home I sit up stretching out my stiff limbs from a night curled up on a sofa that is no way meant for my six-foot frame. I hear a crack of knuckles on the door and my Nan scurries in a wind of aprons opening the door with a blunt and forced SSSSHHHHH. I smile she’s amazing I think as I hear Bray’s voice sound out over my Nan.
“Is he here?” he questions.
“Sshh yes sleeping and manners young man. Where’s your manners? “Nan scolds him.
“Sorry Mrs. Ambrose.” I hear him say as he leans down and kisses her cheek. I laugh at the sound of his voice, all sweet boy like, nowhere near the harsh tone of a MC president that I’m so accustomed to hearing.
“Child that’s fine come in and sit, I shall fix you breakfast.” Bray pulls her in for a hug.
“Ahh, Mrs. Ambrose I won’t say no.” Standing at the door frame, I smile for what feels like the first time in a long while. Pa walks up behind me slapping a big firm hand on my back. “Sit Knox, eat, you have a long night ahead if you're to save your BELLA- DONNA eh.” He says to me over his coffee cup, smiling at him I nod. Walking over to Bray who smiles at me, he stuffs Cornetti into his mouth, before lifting up his cup of coffee.
“Morning Brother,” I say eyebrow raised in question to what he is doing here.
“Morning,” he mumbles out as he gulps down the steaming coffee. We fall into a nice chatter, and from the outside, it would look like a normal breakfast, but to us, it's far from normal.
After eating I shower changing into fresh jeans a white Tee and my cut. Bray and I kiss my Nan goodbye, shaking Pas hand I pull him in for a man-hug. “Be safe son” he mouths to my ear, nodding I kiss his cheek. Praying to the gods that this won’t be the last time that I get to kiss this man that saved me from more than just a drug filled home and dreams of the dead. He brang me back from the brink of destruction to him and my Nan, both showed Kash and I just what it was to be loved without the exception of anything other than that love.
Back at the compound, the plans are in full swing to raid Satan’s Dancer’s Gentlemen Club tonight. The plan is that at 12 AM we attack, my skin is itching for it, my blood is thumping and the demon inside is relishing in the taste of the hell-bent massacre that we shall rain upon them. Bray has scouters out watching gathering info. The two muppets are still up in the shed, they will be delivered first in an unmarked van, beaten, bloodied with a warning attached to their heads and the Reaper craved and burnt into their backs. Walking into the club I pull out a bar stool singling the young lady behind it for a beer, I haven’t seen her here before.
Spinning in my stool beer in hand I watch as the clubhouse comes to life, Bray walking down from his office takes my eye, he looks stressed something is up with him. More than this shit going on, he sees me nodding I nod back, what’s he up to, I down the rest of my beer as Jamie walks in,
“Brother, you ready for a shit fight?” I ask him. A massive grin spreads across his face, he gets off on this shit.
“You know it.”
I smile at him glad to have him by my side. He knows me better than anyone, he knows the way my body moves, fights and breathes. His demon is friends with mine. They will both come together and blood will fly. This won’t be pretty. As the minutes mold into hours we all get ready, giving orders, packing the vans and 81 and cage drag the limp forms of our house guests through the dirt throwing them into the back of one of the vans. I smirk at the state of them and just how much fucken worse it’s about to become.
Lilly and the club girls set out food and drinks bringing down our gear for tonight’s raid, all black with skull bandannas that leave just our eyes free so they see into the eyes of the Reapers Reign as I put it on the black hoodie I see the reaper of death sitting proud on the back smiling. I pull it down over my head sliding into,shaking it out as I step into my black combat boots lacing them up. I see Bray walking in looking a fuck load worse than before. I am hoping like fuck that his head is in this. I know he has sit going one, but Blue needs us to be one hundred percent there tonight. I carry on as all the Reapers gear up along with our sister chapters who have had a serious cull out after the shit that just went down. Heading out into the night’s sky, looking up I send a silent wish out to Angel to watch my back and the backs of my brother’s, “baby here we come” I whisper into the night.
Bray signals us into church as the others finish getting ready, walking in and pulling out a seat the phone pings inside my pocket, my body stills as my heart stops. I’m so close to getting to her.
“What the fuck.” I push out through gritted teeth looking at Bray, his breath held, he’s just as on edge as I am. Pulling it out I slide it ad unlock a photo of a beaten blooded Blue curled up naked with a sheet and a needle sticking out from her arm. Bile rises up from the pit of my stomach, I spit into the trash can as I take in a deep breath. I read the message below and see the sick picture that accompanies it.
She was warned yet she fought, so kissing the lips of death is now her last resort.
Sliding the phone over the table to Bray’s waiting hand my sanity is quickly fading as my heart pounds in my ears and my body screams out. This is the end he’s broken something inside of me, fractured my body and now I will not hold back. The memory of her beaten and bleeding, naked, curled up inside herself in the dark will never leave my mind. My fingers clench the underside of the table, as rage fills me. They all sit around as anger rages in my blood, looking deep into my fellow brothers’ eyes I let out a strangled scream raising my clenched fists I punch the table,
“FUCKEN sick cunt” I spit. “Death, Bray, death! I’m going to fucken rip his heart out through his goddamn throat and feast upon it with the Devil of Darkness and the Demon of Fire, Odin, be by my side. For I shall rain all hell upon them fuck bags of the lone wolves and Lost Kings the Reapers are coming. This is where we sort the sheep among the wolves and the boys among men. Fuck your plan lets go.”
kicking the door open I grab a bottle of Jack from the bar spinning the lid I swig it back gulp after burning gulp till it’s sting hits the back of my eye sockets, before passing it to Jamie who is flanking my left winking at me.
“We got this brother.” He says with a slap to my back pulling his woman into a bone-cracking embrace kissing her hard. “Catch you on the other side of this dawn baby.” He says to her looking at the fear in her eyes she sends me a wink.
“Bring her back, but not at the cost of your sanity, boys.” She whispers out to us both as she pulls me into her and Jamie’s embrace.
Jumping into the van which holds myself, Bray, Ghost, Jamie, and Arlam, the Reapers’ Sergeant in arms who I so haven’t seen before this, but have heard of his crazy ass. Looking at Bray and raising my eyebrow at him he gives me a quick, “Don’t ask” I reply with an “I wasn’t going to brother, all the help we can get right.” 81 and cage are upfront. Snapping out my knuckles I look out the van door, Kash is standing there with Lilly and Tammy looking lost. Winking I pull it closed. It’s safer for Kash to stay here. There is no way I want him in there, I can’t be worried about him taking bullets for a cause he hasn’t signed up for. Him staying with Lilly and Tammy is better for all. Kash is a lover and nowhere near a fighter.
I stretch out listening to the plan the boys are laying out, papering my mind for a battle among clubs where the men are sorted from boys. Where sheep are laid to rest, as demons come out to feast and devils dance with the dark angels, a sick smile creeps over my face as I eye my brother who I vow to stand with till the Reaper comes for me.Giving each other a nod we know what the other is thinking, time to end this not only for Blue but also for him.He has unfinished business with the lone wolves that hatred runs deep. Closing my eyes, I allow the bumps, twists and turns of our journey to calm the eager demon in my soul. Pushing in my earbuds I hit play on my phone and let the sound of Disturbed’s The Sounds of Silence cover take over my body.
Pulling into the outskirts of the club’s lot, we all pile out. The recon boys have already done all the checks, set up the dynamite and got us all set up to burn this fucker to the ground. Stepping out of the van the night air hits my face sending goosebumps all over my skin. I have a weird feeling wash over me as I crack out my neck looking to the club below scanning all building’s trying to picture what one she would be in. Looking down at the dead men walking I smile.
‘You fools don’t even know what’s about to rain down upon you.’
Scanning around I see there are over sixty men here willing to go to battle for us it’s a fucken thrilling feeling, before it was me fighting this fucked world alone, now look I have all these men willing to lay it all on the line and give their lives for my woman for the bounds and promise to the club and me. There is a fine line between hate and love they have my love, so now those that betrayed us will feel my hate I speak out to the boys flanking our sides. “Let’s ride the Reaper together, show them how much destruction we can lay.”
“We walk together, we ride together, we will die together, the Reaper will be waiting for you if you shall fall this night,” Bray calls out looking us all in the eyes as he says it. “Be safe think smart don’t hastate to blow their world apart, keep your ears on, fall out at my word.”
Back slapping hurrahs shout out throughout us, pulling Jamie in and placing my forehead to his I look deep into Jamie’s eyes. The dire need to kill washes over me as sweat trickles down my back, as his words hit me.
“I got you; we got this, let’s spill their blood for the demons to rest.”
Gripping the back of his head hard I head-butt his in acknowledgment
“Brother always you and I. This is for past pains, my devil’s hungry. Let’s feed.” He slaps my back hard as we step apart and head out through the night silently. We walk into the bright lights of Satan’s Dancers, the home of the lone wolves and Lost kKngs soon will be crimson red with blood.
Slowly we all disperse to our areas and entrance ways. Walking with me is Bray, Ghost, Arlam and Jamie, we are stalking in, going right in under their noses through the fucken front door. Pulling up our masks and hoodies over our heads we look like we fit right in among these men we are devils dressed in their clothing. All black with their black hoodies covering our Reaper one. Pushing the front doors open I am hit with the hot sticky air of male sweat mixed with liquor and smoke. Scanning the joint I see the stage full of women, dancing poles, little boxes with them in it, and cages hanging from the roof. What the fuck is this place! I look around shock and disgust rising in me, as I feel the anger plunge into my body. Clenching my fists till the knuckles pop, I know I need to find Blue and fast. Looking to Bray, I find him walking over to the stage, following his line of vision he is just floating over like he’s being pulled in that direction by an invisible force. I see what he’s looking at.
“Ghost” I hit his arm, “Oi Brother is he ok?” I ask as an eerie feeling hits me. I know this isn’t god we are open and vulnerable as fuck standing here doing nothing but staring looks really good to the trained eye of who’s who in this place. Nervous sweat breaks out over me as hate prickles up over my skin. These women all look so fucken broken with nothing but emptiness in their eyes. Ghost looks up the part of his face you can see going white as a sheet, eyes bulging out from his head he swallows hard, a vein popping out from his neck as he clenches his teeth.
“FUCKEN no way” he spits out with pure shock.
Walking over he pulls Bray to him his forehead to his, nose to nose, whatever it is that’s going on he’s trying to pull Bray back and away, his face is a ghostly grey, knuckles turning white his jaw is clenched so tight that he has an angry vein throbbing in his neck, you see the blood pumping through him from his accelerated heart, this ain’t good.
“Oi, we need to scan for Blue and move out if she ain’t here we need to move quick,” I speak coming up behind them, pulling on Bray's hoodie. “Brother, what’s got into you? OI Bray,” I say scanning the room looking for Blue as I try to get Bray’s mind back on the job. I can’t seem to spot her, there are half-naked women everywhere, dirty men all smiling and feasting on the women who are put on show chained and caged with a fake smiles and dead eyes.
I need to find my girl and get the fuck out of here. “Bray Brother let’s move!” Ghost seethes out, we will come back brother, not tonight; we can’t do this tonight, in and out remember.” Ghost grabs Bray around his neck with his forearm pulling him back. Bray fights back seething, the look of evil hot and heavy in his eyes.
“Ghost let me the FUCK GO now!” he barks out.
“NO! let’s hit it, brother, we will be back” Ghost grits out teeth clenched. “I swear to you on my life that we will be back.”
“What the fuck is going on “I bark out to them as I am standing in front of them trying to get Bray to look me in the eyes.
“FUCK BRAY come on,” Ghost pushes me his eyes meeting mine as he pushes out through clenched teeth
“Brother GO! We will catch up this may require me to sell the last part of my soul, you won’t understand, I’ll fill you if I can get us out of here alive.”
Stopping we both hear voices of the boys in our earpieces saying they are in and in the basement we both crane our heads to listen while watching a trance-like Bray edge closer under a cage suspended above the crowd. Below you can see every inch of her body bones and all, the way she dances and moves sends you into a trance-like state,feeling like she is pulling you into this hell with her, you can tell she’s been here doing this for too long. My heart stops as I see the death in her eyes, the pain laced in Bray’s as a tear leaves his rolling down his cheek alone one sad, empty drop just like that he stumbles back as her eyes meet his falling back. Ghost and I step forward fast catching our now passed out Pres. just as 81 hollers in our ears, “you guys need to see this shit fast.” Pulling Bray into us we walk through the crowd just like we entered heading back out the front, stealing one last look up at the lady dressed as a dark angel, I see her on her knees tears rolling down her cheeks, leaving silver lines in their wake following our every movement with her dead dark eyes, fuck she is haunting. Shaking off the hunting feeling this woman put inside my veins my mind travels to how we are going to have to go in through the back now. Pushing the button on my intercom on my wrist, I signal the others to let them know.
“81 brother, you got a copy,” We scan the area as we walk out.
“Got you Knox,” I hear his voice hushed in my ear
“I need you to come around the side and help us out we will be coming in through the back stat.”
“Got you, on my way.” dragging Bray's heavy body through the dark isn’t ideal for a bunch of Reapers who want to go unnoticed. Cage and 81 come into view as pick up their pace as they see us.
“Whoa, what the fuck” 81 stops in his tracks “He ok?”
“Yup” rounding the side of the building we place him down looking up 81 and Cage. “He passed out. It’s a bit hot and fucked up in there.” I say to them standing there in silence.
“Watch him don’t let him go back in” Ghost cuts through the empty air. “When he comes to, take him to the van lock him in the back watch him! Mission Raven is there,” their faces pale as their eyes fall to Bray, then back up to Ghost looking pained
“Fuck yep ok got it don’t let him out of our sight.” They both say in unison They remind me of Jamie and myself, like they are the blueprint of us. Pulling my hoodie up over my head and placing my mask back over my mouth, I ready myself as Ghost reaches out.
“Brother let’s get her and get out, he ain’t going to be quiet when he wakes,” he says walking towards the west side of this so-called gentlemen’s club.
“GHOST! What the fucks going on?” I spit out
“This is so fucked,” he says stopping in his tracks. He doesn’t look at me just stills, shoulders sagging as he breathes out.
“Brother not here, not now,” stepping forward he carries on, in through the back door, following him in, a very uneasy feeling hits me as I walk through to the flickering light filled corridor, the tube lighting overhead is hit, and miss and the flicker just pisses your fucking eyes off. Walking stealthily scanning up and down as we walk. Ghost in front of me stills at the end peering around looking both ways he monitions me to come up behind him pulling the gun from his waistband I do the same. Men are at the end of the right corridor, one guy carrying a limp girl in his arms to the left. The scene has goosebumps forming over my skin, cracking my neck, I meet Ghosts eyes.
“I’ll take a right, you take a left.” Nodding in agreement, he heads off walking close to the wall. I do the same. It’s not long before I find the white room holding beds, full of young women with wires drips, and tubes snaking from their tiny beaten bruised bodies. Shutting my eyes, I try to swallow the bile rising in my throat. Hitting a door, I place my ear up to it listen to anything on the other side, all I can hear is the sound of my heart, swallowing hard clicking the handle down, I slowly crank the door open. I slip through into yet another corridor this place is a fucking maze.
I hear the music and footsteps of the main room above me. Pushing open the first door I come to a tiny room and lift, it looks like it pushes those cages up through a stage, walking out heading back down there are doors to either side of me what the fuck is this fucked up place? My mind is racing, and I can hear my blood thumping in my ears. Coming to the end of this corridor I chose not to go through the end door but take the one on the right, slowly pushing the handle down slowly, opening it I step inside to be greeted by a little lady tied to an X on the wall. Both ankles and wrists are bound with heavy rope, her mouth gagged, her eyes red raw, tear-stained cheeks, while a filthy fucking biker wearing nothing but his Lost Souls cut and jeans around his ankles. Her eyes are so glazed over I’m unsure if she knows I’m there but then she looks me dead in the eyes and in that moment I see fear washed with a glimmer of hope. Bringing my finger up to my lips to sign her to be quiet, I snake my arm hard around his neck in an iron-clad choker hold. Pushing all my weight to my back feet I pull him down, the pop of his cock exiting her stolen soul sounds out around the room. Falling to the ground I hold him with my legs wrapped tightly around his torso squeezing all the fucken air from his filthy body his shocked body starts to thrash out, the bulge in his eyes fuels me further to take his last breath.
“Thrashing won’t help you, it will just make it worse for you.” I say seething in his ear as he tries to free himself scratching his hands up and out nails coming down one side of my face as the others find my ribs. But his efforts are lost, I feel nothing, but the Demon feeding on his soul, laughing in his ear I hiss,
“ Say hello to the Reaper motherfucker, tell him Knox sent you!” When I feel the pop, of his windpipe under my grip I twist my forearm around tighter till I feel the snap followed by the slack fall in his body. Un-wrapping my body from his I lay my head back, closing my eyes I take a few deep breaths to get my shit together. Running my hands over my four days old stubble then pulling myself to my feet I hear her sobbing. Holding my hands up I kick the door shut, “I won’t hurt you; I’ll take you far from here SSSHHH you have to be quiet,” Walking over I untie her rope burnt wrists and ankles, she flinches. Blood dried mixed with fresh, stains her skin, pulling the gag free she sucks in massive lung fills after lung fills with air.
“Don’t scream I won’t hurt you, I’m a Reaper I’m here for my girl. I’ll take you somewhere safe.” Nodding her head she looks at me with pain laced eyes, track marks coat her arms, her purple hair is matted and manky. She is covered in tattoos, scars and bruises that run deep shining out over her inked skin. She falls into my arms as I untie her legs. She has no strength to stand, no dire want to be here on this side. I feel every bone in her body as she wraps herself around me, clinging to me like I’m the angel she had been praying to for. Her savior, talking into her hair I whisper, “It's ok I got you baby doll, I’ll take you to my boys you’ll be safe.” She is sobbing into my hoodie, and all I get from her is a small nod of her head. Pulling the door, I scan down the corridor for activity. Nothing, walking back the way I came I can hear sounds getting louder forming into thumps, and gasps for air. Pulling her in tight unsure of what I will find, breathing in and out I try to calm her breathing as much as mine own. Bracing myself I pull her up so I can reach for my gun in my waistband ready for whatever that sound is pulling our bodies close into the wall. Looking down at her big eyes staring at me I smile trying to reassure her trembling body. “It’s ok I got you, just stay still and quiet, no matter what just look at me ok,” I whisper. She nods not leaving my eyes as I snake my head around the bend and see Arlam kicking the fuck out of some lost king his comrads bleeding, knocked out or dead,sprawled out up and down the corridor.
“Brother,” he says breathlessly as he stops kicking, wiping blood, sweat and spit from his face with the back of his hand, nodding toward the small shaking frame in my arms.
“That her?”
I shake my head. “Na brother she’s fucked up though,” looking at her and back to him, I am angry that she’s not Blue.
“Well, I was coming to find your face as you weren’t responding when these fuck bags thought it was a good idea to jump my ass” looking down at them I smile.
“Too much jumping going now,” pulling my foot back I kick one in the ribs no sound, nothing. Laughing I look back at him. “Nope” he smiles at me, while pulling the bottom of his shirt up and wiping his face. “Brother, your intercom must not be working, Ghost wants you ASAP. He’s in the basement, take the next door down to the end then the door on the right, open that sucker and take the steps all the way down. He’s been hollering his tits off for a bit now.” Passing over the now sleeping or scared unconscious frame I’m not too sure, to Arlam, I smile. Shit if I was her and laid eyes on Arlam in her state I’d fucking pass out too.
“She’s shit scared aye so take it easy.” Taking off I look back to Arlam he’s reached the door, pushing it he heads out into the night we need to get the fuck out of here fast. Pushing myself I run with all that’s left of my tired body, the adrenaline from the fight before is wearing off, leaving my body shaking and tried. Pushing my gun back into my waistband I reach the doors not caring who’s on the other side. I kick it open, fly down the steps to the bottom of the basement. Rounding on the last step I stop, stock still, for what lays in front of my eyes rips the last part of my soul out. Pure shock hits me slamming my hands to my mouth I gasp for air, the smell hits me hard, retching I lean forward onto my knees, as the sick hot acidic bile hits the back of my throat, causing my nostrils and eyes to water. Pulling myself back up I wipe the back of my hand over my sick tasting lips, looking to the left of me then over to the right at the tiny bodies of women in cages dull lifeless eyes stare back at me from the dimly lit basement, cowering in the corners. I see my brothers trying to get these women out, no one will let them near them screaming like banshees “GET AWAY please, please, please DO TOUCH ME not AGAIN no MORE.” looking at them I yell out over their high pitch shirks “Just grab them knock them the fuck out if you must, they need to shut the fuck up.”
Blue better not fucking be in this Dungeon of evil twisted shit, I rage in my mind. If I find her in here, I am going to tear that mother fuckers heart from his chest and feed it to my demon. One of my brothers picks up a shaking frame from the floor and stepping over a small body that looks dead the life gone from her eyes. He tilts his head to me.
“Last stall brother Ghosts is in there he waiting for you,” my blood runs cold thinking about what I will find. Clenching my teeth down hard I feel a pop in my jaw, shutting my eyes I slam my hands into my jeans pocket as the phone pings. FUCK this is too fucking much. Stalking into the cage, I see her, then Ghost standing there with her limp, lifeless frame dangling in his arms.
“OH FUCK! NO! BLUE! BABY” I scream running over to her looking into his dark eyes for reassurance of life, but his look just as dead as mine.