Dylan's Reaper: Soul Reapers #3 (16 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Knox

Her declaration of love floored me. What the hell
was I supposed to say to that? An hour earlier she was literally in the arms of
another man, when she should have been in MY bed in MY arms. Then she spouted
this shit like she was laying fertilizer for the flowers she would plant on the
grave of my heart.

So what should I have done? Hindsight was
twenty-twenty. I should have grabbed her, kissed her until her pouty lips were
red from mine. I should have hauled her up to OUR room and fucked her until she
only knew the feel of me inside of her. I should have said something!

But what did I do? I placed the softest, barely
there kiss on her forehead and walked away. My mind fucking blown from her
words. A feeling beyond words, beyond joy, began to take root in my soul, but I
pushed it down. As much as I wanted to bask in the glow of her love I had a responsibility
to my brothers that I needed to see to first. Her words fueled my need to end
this, to make her safe, to make her MINE forever.

So instead of being buried deep within her in
heaven, I willingly walked into hell with my brothers by my side.

Dylan

There was no sound. There was nothing at all but
Knox as he closed the distance between us. His warmth enveloped me and it felt
like coming home.

Home, a four letter word.
 I
was where I always wanted to be.

I breathed in his scent knowing that if he was close
enough for me to smell him, then I was safe and loved. 

And then . . . 

His lips brushed my forehead instead of my lips. His
arms hung by his sides instead of pulling me into him.

And then . . .

My heart fractured to one piece then two, then three
with each step he took away from me, until it fell to pieces at my feet. I
thought I had experienced pain before, but nothing . . . NOTHING . . . .  that
was ever done to me hurt as bad as what I had just done to myself . . . to
Knox.

I crawled up the steps willing my tears to stay in
check until I was alone. The crank of an engine could be heard outside as I
collapsed into HIS bed. A second bike came to life as I curled around HIS
pillow, breathing in HIS scent, fighting against my tears unsuccessfully. Then
a whole chorus joined the first two creating an ensemble of thunder that rocked
the clubhouse and my very soul as the three most important men in my life
rolled off to avenge me and the women they held dear.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Knox

This was it! It was as exhilarating as it was
frightening. As we got closer and closer to the Hellhounds
’
compound,
my thoughts sped by faster than the miles under my bike. I was hell bent on
making sure this was not the end for me, and I had every intention of doing it
for each one of my brothers that flanked me in this moment. I felt I could
concentrate on the task at hand knowing my princess was safely back at the
clubhouse. Even if she was worried about what was said and not said before I
left, I knew that I would make it back to her. I knew that after this was over,
nothing could or would come between us again.

After eight hours of riding we turned off at mile
marker 382 onto a two-lane road that Woods and Lefty used often as the
roundabout way to get from the Hellhounds to us. We had mapped it out before we
left since both brothers were back at the clubhouse. My team of Rabbit,
Trigger, and myself were ready to go. We would be the first team in place in
case anything happened with Gunner
’
s
team taking the back, before Whistler led the charge into their compound. It
was a risky move being the decoy, because we would draw all the attention
before the Hellhounds knew they were surrounded. We needed to be fast and
efficient when we set the explosives and stayed undercover as long as possible.
Our third explosion would set the other teams in motion.

An abandoned gas station about five miles from the
Hellhounds would serve as our rendezvous point. Rabbit drove the only pick-up
we brought with us in case there was an injury. Worse came to worse we could
come back for the bikes. Whistler had argued for two trucks, but was eventually
talked out of it in case we needed a quick get-away. Trying to drag two
brothers as bitch would be too hard and slow us down too much. One was plenty,
especially when that one was as skinny and lightweight as Rabbit.

Each team left at different intervals so as not to
draw attention to ourselves or each other. My team kept it tight as we trekked
the five miles.  After what seemed like forever lugging all of our equipment
and firepower the compound came into view.

Set in a valley, the Hellhounds had a pretty good
set-up as it had few vulnerable spots due to its elevated position and lack of
entryways. Lucky for the Soul Reapers, we had a resident bad-ass in Gunner and
our VP who devised a way for us to attack their weak points without putting us
completely in harm
’
s way.

We each took one explosive set and began to set up
about a quarter of a mile from each other. The goal was to attack right at
midnight, which was a blessing and a curse. We rushed and rushed to step up, only
to have to wait until it was time to set everything into motion. I was the
first one finished, so I made my way to Rabbit who was setting up in the
middle. Trigger joined me next. Contrary to his name, Rabbit was as slow as
molasses setting up and took another thirty minutes before meeting back up with
us. Then we sat . . . and sat . . . and sat until ten minutes to midnight.

That time was not kind to me as the scene with Dylan
played constantly like a movie in my head. I played out every possible scenario
from what did happen to what I could, should, would have done differently.
Somehow the scene in my head always played out better than how I left it,
making me believe that maybe I fucked up. Maybe I should have said something or
reacted better than I did. Maybe I could fucking die out here and she would
never know that . . . FUCK! That I loved her too.
Shit!

My phone buzzed as the silent alarm went off telling
me it was time to act. I took a deep breath as one last image of Dylan filtered
through my mind.

“
Here we go brothers,
”
I
whispered as I stood.
“
If it is your day to
go, may the Reaper be kind in your parting and welcome you with open arms on
the other side.
”
A
handshake and man hug later with each, Trigger and I left Rabbit
’
s
spot. I made my way over to my set and unrolled the fuse and walked about fifty
yards back, careful to keep it dry and off the ground as much as possible.

My watch gave me one minute. A deep breath in and
out. I saw Princess on that thin, dirty mattress. In and out. I closed my eyes
as my heart rate went nuts, the adrenaline beginning to course through my
veins. In and out. Image of Dylan beaten. In and out. Image of her in the
shower with fading bruises before I showed her that it was not pity that I
felt. In and out. Image of her on her knees before me; lustful eyes staring
back at me. In and out. Image of my cock disappearing into her pussy again and
again. In and out. Image of her saying
“
I
love you.
”

3 . . .

2 . . .

1 . . .

BOOM!

Shouts and random gunfire were directed to the spot
of the explosion some fifty feet from where I bunkered down trying not to get
shot. I knew without looking that a big gaping hole now appeared in their wall
on the north side. I just needed to hold tight for three minutes before the
next explosion further down the wall. Trigger was next and then Rabbit in the
middle. I just had to stay hidden and wait for the next diversion. I would then
run to Rabbit
’
s position once Trigger set his
off. We would work together to keep the Hellhounds busy in the front, while
Whistler and Gunner
’
s teams made trouble in
the back.

Three minutes later and another boom filled the air
as more shouts and gunfire were directed at the second hole. I crept to the
right making my way towards Rabbit. It took me longer than the three minutes to
get to Rabbit and yet no third blast ever happened.

What the fuck?

As I got closer and closer to our meet spot I could
feel the cold fingers of dread on the back of my neck. I pulled my gun wanting
to be ready for anything. Where were my brothers? There was no sight of them.
Did the Hellhounds find them? I started in a small circle and went bigger
trying to maybe find a clue or something that would lead me to them until I
practically tripped over a body.

Oh shit!

I crouched down rolling the body over to find Rabbit
shot in the chest. The wound so large it had to be a close-range shot.
Fuck!
It meant the shooter might still be close. I slinked back against the
closest tree for cover.

“
You
’
re
pretty damn smart there Knox.
”
Fucking
Trigger!

“
Oh yeah. Says who?
”
I
said back, looking towards the next set of trees trying to see him. I needed to
keep him talking so I could find the fucker and end him.
“
Why
’
d
you do it?
”

“
You really have to ask?
”
His
snide remark grated on my already thin patience.

“
Enlighten me,
”
I
prodded.

“
The Soul Reapers are a relic. Your
high and mighty attitudes. Your way of dealing with problems. The need to
fucking talk everything to death, instead of just doing what needs to be done.
In getting messy. In taking what is fucking yours and fuck everybody else.
”

“
Like the Hellhounds?
”
I
asked.

“
Exactly. And this is just the
beginning,
”
he said confidently.

“
What do you mean?
”
I
saw movement to the far left of the tree cluster.

“
They have plans to end the Night
Demons as well.
”

“
You stupid shit,
”
I
said, angry now.
“
The Night Demons are
using the Hellhounds to get to us.
”

“
No they
’
re
not,
”
he
replied, sounding less confident.

“
Yes they are! Emma was a plant for
the Demons and the Hellhounds knew about it.
”

“
No way. You
’
re
fucking lying. She
’
s fucking family.
”
His
voice cracked on the last word.

“
You think they will need you
anymore after this Trigger? You think the Hellhounds are going to welcome you
into their club with open arms, you fucking traitor? They are going to fucking
skin you alive. But you know what?
”

“
What Knox? What could you possible
say to change my mind? Sounds to me that I am dead either way. So I
‘
mise
well go out in a blaze of glory. Take out that obnoxious shit Colton, then
fucking Whistler and his nosy ass. I thought he caught me a couple of times.
Then Wesson for running this club into the fucking ground.
”
That
was when I saw the fuse to the third explosion. I also heard movement to my
left knowing Trigger was about to make his move.

It was now or never.
“
And
how do you plan to do all that?
”
I
questioned as I lunged for the fuse. I grabbed it and rolled over Rabbit
’
s
body as Trigger fired shots at me. I asked God for forgiveness as I propped
Rabbit
’
s
body on its side, using it as a shield and returned fire. I fumbled with my
lighter, popping off a few more shots until I got the fuse lit.

A-fucking-men!

I jumped up and took cover at the tree I just left
knowing this blast would be the biggest and we were not as far away as I was to
mine. It was too late by the time I realized that Rabbit never got the fifty
yards away like I had. Trigger had killed him before he was able to move. Only
a tree separated me from the explosion. This would not end well.

Any second now those explosive . . . BOOOOOOOM!

A weightlessness overtook me as I sailed through the
air. I met the ground in a tangle of limbs with a hard knock to the head where
I came to rest against some trees.

So many fucking trees! I spaced in and out as a
ringing so loud sounded in my ears. I tried covering them but nothing worked to
stop it. When I pulled my hands away they were covered in blood.

Why? Why was I covered in blood? My mind was fuzzy
and pain started to register in my brain from EVERYWHERE, making it harder to
think. Where the fuck was I?

Blackness started to creep across my vision. Fuck! I
tried to shake it off, which only added to the power of the darkness.

“
There you are.
”
That
voice was comforting and disconcerting at the same time. But why? I could not
remember. Then the face of Trigger came into view and so did everything he had
done.

“
Consider this the easy way out,
”
he
said as he pulled his gun. It was a point blank shot and I knew in that moment
I would not make it back to my Princess.

In and out. Image of my Princess telling me she
’
s
MINE.

Trigger lived up to his name sake and pulled it.

In and darkness.