Severed Angel (5 page)

Eve

I never thought I'd be bored of reading my Kindle, but it's finally happened. I've got some great books on here, by some of my favorite authors, but it's just not working for me right now.

I've never been good at being told that I can't do something. Being told I can't go outside is likely to blame for my current mood. Tossing the Kindle gently aside, because it's a treasure to me, I decide to leave the room in search of a distraction.

I sneak around, avoiding some loud club members, hoping I don't bump into Angel and come to what I think is the kitchen. I hear female voices coming from the other side of the door, perhaps some of the old ladies can bring me out of my funk.

Unsure of the protocol around here, I decide to knock before easing the door open and sticking my head into the room. "Hi," I greet tentatively, waiting for an invitation that's quickly offered.

"You must be Eve, come on in sweetie, I'm Sue and this here is Diane." Sue welcomes me.

Sue is probably nearer my mother
’s age, but unlike my mother she has a kind face. Her hair is almost grey all over, and kept short and swept back. The look suits her. Her face tells a story, lined and craggy. I can tell this woman has seen plenty of what life has to give, a mixture of good and bad I bet, yet I know somehow that I'm going to hit it off with her. She's dressed in jeans and a casual shirt, a stained apron over the top. Looks like she's the cook around here.

Diane looks lovely, early forties I'm guessing, and slim
, her red hair pulled back into a ponytail and totally rocking the biker chick look in tight black jeans, white T-shirt that shows her generous rack and leather boots. Her make-up matches her look, it’s stylish biker rather than trashy cheap whore, the only style I've seen around here until now, with the exception of Teresa. Teresa seems to fall somewhere between the two.

Sweeping my gaze around the kitchen I see it looks more industrial than anything. Huge stainless steel
appliances, large range cooker and at least two fridges. There's what I'm guessing is a walk in pantry on one side, the centre of the room taken over by steel tables, currently laden with food. "It's a gorgeous day, so the guys are going to light the barbie. We're making everything else in here," Sue tells me. That means I’ll probably be seeing Angel today. After yesterday's display and his confusing words I was hoping to avoid him. "Come sit down, tell us about yourself while we get this lot ready."

I ease myself onto a stool at the end of the table,
accepting Diane's offer of coffee. I'm suffering caffeine withdrawal. All I've been offered since my arrival is either water or alcohol for some reason. The coffee is hot, black and strong, just the way I like it. Inhaling the aroma I moan with pleasure. The two women turn to look at me, laughing. They obviously share my love of coffee.

"It's lovely to finally meet you," Sue quickly moves over to me, surprising me when she wraps her arms around me in a hug. I look at her as she pulls me back to arms length, smiling at me, then it hits me.

"Sue. As in Elvis's Sue?" I gasp, pulling her back for another hug. From what I've heard from Teresa, Elvis met Sue not long after he returned to Australia. She's not really happy that her dad replaced her mum so quickly, but she said Sue's okay. I don't think she’s really given Sue a chance. Whenever we've talked on the phone she’s always dropped in a complaint or a moan. I don't think she's fully gotten over her mother’s death, and until she does, I don't think she’ll be able to accept Sue in her life or her dad’s.

"Diane is Dragon's old lady." Sue informs me. I smile at her in greeting. I've not seen much of Dragon, but I know which one he is.

"Why's he called Dragon?" I ask. He was walking around in just his cut last night, and from what I could see, there weren’t any dragons tattooed on him. A tattoo would have been my first guess, but all I’d noticed was a wolf's head over his heart.

"He's bloody obsessed with them." Diane mutters, obviously not a trait they have in common. "He's got pictures of them everywhere, including his bike. Fucking irritates the life out of me." She says with a smile.

"So why does he have a tattoo of a wolf?" I question.

"He thought it looked more fierce." Diane offers. "He's got a dragon on his left arm though, and the Grim Reaper on his back." She looks me up and down, appraising me. "Do you have any ink?".

"Not yet. I met Ink yesterday, he's making it his purpose to convert me." I smile. I'm tempted, very tempted, to let him loose. I've wanted a tattoo for a long time now, I even settled on a design, but douche-bag refused to let me have one. Perhaps I should have one done while I'm here, before I go home, it could be my small rebellion. A small fuck you.

Diane must see something in me has changed while I think about my ex. She grabs her coffee, dragging her stool closer to mine. "There's something you're not telling me girl," she smirks. "Spill."

Time passes quickly as I share the tale of growing up with Teresa and her family. Their leaving, and the sorry tale of douche-bag. I watch her face change as I talk, depending on who I'm talking about. I don't dwell too much on douche-bag, he's not worth my breath, but I can't stop talking about Elizabeth once I start, Sue and Diane smiling widely as they listen.

We're interrupted when Elvis enters, sidling up to Sue. His eyes have that puppy dog look as he makes his way over to her. I have a sad little moment where I wish someone would look at me like that someday. Elvis suddenly drops to his knees, breaking out in song. He’s singing The Wonder of You. "You daft bugger," Sue laughs, her cheeks slightly pink. She pulls him none too easily to his feet.

"Feed me woman. I am man, I need food." he bellows, grabbing Sue around her waist, causing me to break out in fits of laughter.

God, I've missed this man. "The
barbie's ready, get your arses outside, we need feeding." He calls over his shoulder as he exits, leaving three hysterical women in the room behind him.

***

I'm with the women, we've just finished loading the tables out back with the food they’d prepared inside. As I'd walked outside I’d actually had an excited thrill rush through me. Stepping outside into the bright, warm sun, I asked Sue if it was OK because of what Angel had said before. She assured me that because we were all outside, it wouldn't be a problem. I stepped out with a huge smile on my face, enjoying the fresh air.

An awful noise from the front of the compound has everyone stopping what they're doing. It sounds to me like an army of bikes revving their engines full throttle, causing my ears to hurt. The women stay in place, the men
spring into action, running to investigate. Shouting starts and, when the loud bang of a gunshot sounds, men who were still drinking and eating drop their things without a thought. Some prospects head over to protect us women.

I follow the noise hesitantly, not sure if I'm allowed around front, or if I can handle whatever has happened. When I approach the gates I gasp as strong arms grab me, pulling me back. It's Elvis. "Go back inside
darlin, you don't wanna see this."

He gestures to Sue who quickly comes rushing over. He whispers in her ear, causing a look of shock to appear on her face. Sue springs to action, pulling me to her side, marching us back to the safety of the
clubhouse. She's scaring me but for some reason I fear whatever the guys are dealing with outside the gates more. I let her lead me back inside.

Gabe

Those fuckers!

Carnal have driven past the compound en masse. I managed to make it in time to see a black van in the middle of the bikes. Slowing down the side door opened, a hidden figure rolling something to the ground, the van then speeding off. The guys watching the gate got a shot off, but it doesn't look like they managed to hit anyone. I'm relieved that we had the barbecue set up out back so they didn't catch sight of Eve, or hurt our women. No, instead they came right up close to the club gates, revving like idiots and spoiling our food. Two rules, don't mess with my family or my food.

I spot Prez already standing at the gates, he looks pissed. Dragon and Disney are looking down at whatever was dumped from the van, and there’s a
prospect leaning over, throwing up all over the place. What the fuck!

When they see me, they move aside, giving me a view of the body, or what's left of it. On the road lays a bloodied, beaten and naked woman. She's had a rough time, judging by the deep cuts covering her flesh, especially the jagged cut across her throat. It reaches ear to ear it's that fucking long. What is left of her uncut skin is now bruised in shades of black and deep purple. Whatever happened to her had been going on for some time by the look of it. I brave looking at her face and am shocked into silence. Despite the serious bruising on her face and the blood covering one side, there is no doubt in my mind this woman is Lola, the club whore I threw out the other night.

Prez steps closer. "You see her stomach VP?"

Disney moves her slightly with his foot, allowing me to see the mark on her stomach, just above her belly button. The bile rises in my throat, bringing back nightmare memories. The pain feels so fresh. This is Satan's work, the bastard branded Lola with the same fucking mark he left on my Beth.

"What do you think this is about?" Disney asks, covering Lola's body with the sheet she was delivered in.

I look over to Prez, we share a look. "We need to bring our plans forward."

I nod in answer. This message was about Eve, but he
ain't fucking getting her.

***

Eve

I'm curled up on the bed, my back as close as I can get to the headboard. My knees drawn tight against my chest. My body is shaking and I can't seem to stop. Diane and Teresa are sitting beside me, their arms around me, trying to calm me, but it's not making any difference. I think they’ve finally given up trying to get me to talk, I've been silent since I stepped inside this room.

Sue had pulled me into the clubhouse, but I’d already heard the cursing and shouting from the guys outside. I overheard enough to know that the girl I glimpsed laying on the ground dead, before Elvis pulled me away, was the girl I’d seen in the pool room the other night. Somehow this was linked to me. I could tell from their concerned looks, and the way Sue quickly dragged me along without so much as looking at me. I was grateful for the safety and quiet of my room.

So here I am, shaking violently. Tears daring to crawl down my cheeks. I'm not angry anymore, I'm scared. So fucking scared. My situation hits home, this isn't some nightmare scene in one of my books anymore. The murder I witnessed the other day was real. Very real. I might not get out of this alive, the small crumb of comfort I'd found waking up safe here in the clubhouse, has now gone.

Every time I close my eyes, I see her. A bloody, naked mess, strewn on the ground outside the gates. Like she was worth nothing. I wonder
when
that will be me out there, rather than if. I believed I might survive Satan, but seeing what he's done to that girl has shattered any hope I had. I huddle on the bed, terrified I will see him again.

***

Gabe

Doc took Lola somewhere out of sight. Thank fuck. I'm not going anywhere near that body, the guys can handle it. I need to stay here and get that image out of my head. It's not Lola I see out there laying cold on the dirt, it's Beth.

I walk to the bar, asking the prospect on duty for a JD. Knocking it back in one, I welcome the burn as it hits the back of my throat. Slamming the glass on the bar, I'm about to ask for another when Prez calls over to me. "Angel. My office."

I really don't want to do this now. I want to stay here and get shit faced. I want to forget.

Who am I fucking kidding? It's been five long years and I still wake up in a cold sweat some nights. The nightmares of Beth in that bathtub burn me.

When I reach the office, Doc is there ahead of me. I grab a chair, sit astride it and face Prez. He's in front of his computer and holding what looks to be a bloodied USB stick. He's looking at it as if he's not sure what to do. Teresa or one of us guys normally do all this computer shit for him, so he probably doesn't even know what he's holding.

"What's this?" I reach for the USB, loading it into the computer.

"Doc found it, the bastards put it in her mouth." I've never heard Prez sound so defeated before. "They brought her to our doorstep VP. Our own fucking door. Our old ladies are here." He bangs his fist on the desk.

The screen on the computer shows the USB has connected, revealing a single video file. The fuckers have named it
WATCH ME
. I hesitantly click on it, already knowing what we're going to see. I've been on the receiving end of that sick fucker’s videos before. The screen flickers to life, showing us Lola's last minutes.

The image is grainy but you can see Lola kneeling on what looks to be a dirty warehouse floor. She's screaming every time Satan draws yet another cut into her flesh. "I've already told you, she's at the compound." she cries. I should be pissed that she's talked, but I wouldn't expect her to have any loyalty to Eve and, from the look of her body, they'd been torturing her for a few hours.

Satan smirks, twisting the knife a little deeper on the next cut. Lola screams loudly. "I know, but I'm having way too much fun to stop now." The sick fucker is playing with her, laughing at her pain. "You didn't really think I'd let you go did you?" He snickers.

He signals to someone in the background, a couple of his guys come into the picture. Turning to the camera he looks straight at us. "This is for you Angel, my dear brother." He looks back at the men standing by Lola and nods. They approach her as Satan continues. "I want you to remember what we do to Severed women when we get a hold of them."

In the background the two guys rape Lola simultaneously. "Of course, this one’s just a whore, so she's not having as much fun as your girl Beth did." He leers. "Here's the deal. I want the girl delivered to my gate by midnight tonight. If I don't get her, then this scene won't be the last. This will happen again and again, it’ll be your whores and old ladies until I get her." He pauses. "Choice is yours."

Satan turns, walking back to the group. Lola has passed out, whether from blood loss or fear I can't tell, probably both. He stands behind her, pulls her
head back by her hair, grinning at the camera as he cuts her throat. Blood pours from the wound as the video ends.

"Fucking hell." Prez is the first one to speak as the video stops. The last image frozen on the screen. I stare at Satan holding Lola, but for the first time in five years, it's not Beth's face I see. It's Ev
e’
s.