Chapter 12
Jack
A half hour later, I'd fed Kai a few raspberries and some water when the clubhouse door swung open and President Bruno "Bones" Silver strode in, Fang right behind him. Both of them were breathing hard, their clothes torn and bloody, but they were grinning. The rest of the Silverbacks followed.
"Fucking hell, that was some fight!" the President called out, his eyes immediately dropping to the hat in my hands. "Boy, tell me you got it."
I moved my hand so they could see Kai, who was now resting in a makeshift nest I'd made her. The nest was lined with the insides of a pillow and a winter scarf I'd found. The cinnamon sticks were tucked in as well.
"Hot DAMN, boy!" The President let out a whoop that startled Kai.
"Shut up." My protective mode kicked in, but I realized what I'd just said and to whom I'd said it. "Phoenix chicks are scared of loud noises." I lied. "It can even kill them." I lied even more. "You don't want to lose her, do you?"
I hated that I had to play this game, but I had to. For Kai's and my sake, being somewhere safe while I helped her get back to herself was my priority. But if I needed to, I'd break every club rule, jump on my bike, and take Kai and me far away.
When a side blow to my head didn't come, I glanced over my shoulder. President Bruno was eyeing me. He looked like he was having a serious inner discussion.
Finally, he spoke. "I didn't know that. No one be loud around this chick. You got it?" He pointed around the room, and the guys nodded. "Good, 'cause if something happens to it, you'll have me to deal with."
"Her," I corrected him.
"Her?"
"Yes, the lady that shifted into the phoenix..." I didn't finish my sentence, hoping he would catch on.
"Oh, yeah, right. Her. Boy, you're kind of sassy." President Bruno cracked his knuckles.
"Yeah, for someone who fled the fight," Diesel spoke up.
"Shut it, dickweed," I glared at him. "I didn't flee.
I saved her, like I was supposed to." I slid my hat forward.
"Course, if you didn't want me to get out of there, I guess I could have stayed and fought.
But I probably would have lost this." I tilted the hat slightly so he could see inside.
The gold ash glittered in the security lights, and I heard President Bruno and Fang suck in a breath.
"Fuck! I didn't know you had it in ya!" President Bruno shook his head, laughing. He ran a finger through my hat. "You climbed out of that fucking tent like some kind of—of—holy shit," he breathed. Leaning closer, he touched the gold. "That's... that's gotta be worth—"
"At least a hundred grand," Fang cut in, leaning over to look. His eyes were huge. "Probably more. That's pure gold, President. Pure fucking gold from a damn phoenix. Who would have guessed it?"
"Good." The President nodded, his grin widening. "Real good work, Runt. You just made the club richer than we've ever been."
The guys around started cheering but quickly shut up when the President, Fang, and I snapped at them. I glanced at Kai. Luckily for them, she was still asleep.
"We need to get a cage for that thing," Fang said, quickly adding, "her," when he saw the look I was giving him.
"She doesn't need one." I met his eyes steadily, even though my heart was racing.
This was the moment. This was where everything either worked or fell apart.
"Once we had a plan, I researched phoenixes all night and with what my grandfather told us, I know how to take care of her.
What she needs to regenerate, how to keep her healthy, how to make sure she can burn again.
You want more gold? Then you need to let me take care of her. "
Fang snorted—a sharp and mocking laugh. "You're joking. You think the President is gonna let you keep—"
"Who else is going to do it, Fang?" I cut him off, my voice cold.
"What would you feed her, French fries and pizza?
" I turned to the guys. "Any of you know what temperature they need to grow?
Water or milk? Sunlight or not until the ten-hour mark?
Any of you know?" I finished by looking at our President.
He was studying me now, his expression calculating. I could see him weighing options, considering angles. Had he been Mortis, he certainly would have had his head tilted, listening to the skulls.
"The bird dies without proper care," I continued, pressing my advantage. "She's weak right now. Helpless. In twenty-four hours she'll be back to human form, but until then she needs specific food and the right conditions to grow. You gonna figure all that out?"
"He's got a point," Tank's voice came from behind me. "Let him take care of the thing."
I felt my gorilla instincts kicking in at the sound of Kai being called a thing.
"Birds are loud and messy," Bulldog stated. Several other guys spoke up, declaring they didn't want to take care of the bird either.
"Fine," Fang repeated, and his tone was mocking. But then he turned to the President with a shrug. "Guess we should have gotten the kid a pet when he was younger. Maybe now he wouldn't be so damn desperate."
The President was quiet for a long moment, his eyes moving from the gold to Kai to me and back again. Finally, he nodded.
"Alright, this is on you," he said, pointing a finger at me.
"You keep the bird. You take care of her, make sure she stays healthy and can burn again.
One thing goes wrong and I'll kick your ass.
" His expression hardened as he scanned the guys.
"That bird," he pointed at Kai, "is club property.
None of you get near her without Runt or my permission. You got that?"
Everyone said their various replies of understanding.
"And you," he pointed his gnarled finger back at me. "If she dies, or if you fuck this up, there will be consequences. Serious fucking consequences. Understood?"
"Understood."
"Good." The President clapped me on the shoulder and grabbed my hat. "Now let's get this gold weighed and locked up. Then we're heading to town for supplies and bitches 'cause we're having a party tonight! The Silverbacks just got rich!"
But I just sat there, watching Kai sleeping peacefully against one of the cinnamon sticks I had placed on the side of the nest.
We'd done it. Against all odds, against Mortis and his voodoo magic and three years of captivity.
"We did it, Kai," I leaned close and whispered.
She was free. Sort of. The club thought she was property, thought she was just a gold-producing bird they could exploit. They had no idea she was my mate and no idea that there was no way in hell we were staying here a moment longer than we needed to.
And I was going to keep it that way. For now.
"Just hold on a little longer. Soon you'll be yourself again. And then..." I touched my chest, feeling the phoenix mark burning warm over my heart. "Then we disappear. You and me. Together."