Chapter 25
Delaney
My knees bounce as we drive to Starlight.
Mr. O called Winger, informing him that Monica got hurt at work. She was attacked by a vampire and had a message for the club.
I begged Winger to let me tag along to make sure that my friend was okay. Monica is one strong bitch, but fuck, we are still human at the end of the day and get hurt.
Looking over my shoulder, Winger levels me with a glare.
“You do not leave my sight. You are on full guard, and if I tell you to move, you move. No questioning me, you fucking move.” I nod, swallowing hard.
“I will.”
“Fuck me. Your Ol’ Man will gut me if anything happens to you.”
“Nothing will happen. I trust you and the brothers. Consider me glued to you while we are here.” Oryn chuckles from the driver’s seat.
“Jesus.” Winger shakes his head. “I am too old for this shit.”
I stifle a giggle, and Oryn winks at me in the rearview mirror.
We arrive at Starlight, and my stomach tightens. The last time I was here, I was attacked and could have died.
Flashes of that night come to me, how all my energy was zapped from me, and it felt like my world was fading.
“Like glue, babe, okay.” I nod to Winger, then he climbs out of the SUV.
He opens my door, helping me out. All four men flank me, scanning the area as we walk the short distance to the club’s back door. Lance meets us there, letting us inside.
“Girly, we have missed you here. It is good to see you looking healthy.” I smile softly at him.
“Thank you, Lance. I miss you guys as well, and I am doing so much better now.”
With a chin dip to the brothers, we go inside.
In an instant, the familiar smell and sound of the club makes me smile. Damn, I miss working. Music is muffled, same with the chatter of the customers. Looks like the club’s customers are none-the-wiser to what has gone on tonight.
“Where is Monica, Lance?” I ask.
Looking over his shoulder, he points to the room the staff uses.
“In there with Nolan and the new girl Mr. O took on. She is the niece of some guy he once knew.” He shrugs.
My body goes tight, knowing there is a new girl here that I do not know. Winger looks at me, like he is feeling something as well.
“There is a spell being cast here.” His voice is low.
“No spells are allowed; you know that. Policy is no magic of any kind,” Lance states.
He is proud of what he does here; Lance loves working for Mr. O and keeping people safe while they have a good time.
“I can feel something,” Winger snaps.
Lance sighs, stopping to turn to us. “Look, I get that you are the big honcho when it comes to the MC, but I help run this place, and we pride ourselves on keeping everyone safe, staff and customers alike. Ask Del; she knows that we do not take that shit lightly. When Mr. O opened this place, he wanted somewhere safe for everyone. Humans and supernaturals. You know what he is; hell, he took in that boy that you found to keep him safe.”
He is talking about the baby dragon that Camo found not too long ago. And with Mr. O being a dragon, he helped rehome the boy in Alaska.
Winger nods, and we walk into the room where we were told my friend was being treated.
I gasp when I see the state on Monica. Blood coats one side of her face, her hair brushed back, matted with crimson. Her lip is split, and she is cradling her arm against her body.
Rushing to her side, I crouch down next to the sofa she is lying on.
“Oh, Mon, are you okay?” Tears fill my eyes.
“Del?” Her eyes slowly open.
Once they focus on me, fresh tears roll free and it breaks my heart.
“Do you know who did this to you?” is asked from behind me.
Glaring over my shoulder at Winger, he cocks a brow, challenging me to stop him. He does not scare me and yes, he is the president of the club and took me in when I was hurt, gave me everything I needed to thrive, but that does not mean he can push me around, or my friends.
“Can that wait?” I snap.
“Careful.” His voice holds the weight of warning.
Fuck.
“Winger.” Mr. Osbourne steps into the room, and the men greet each other with a handshake.
“What do we know?”
Shaking his head, he replies, “Next to nothing. The cameras were tampered with. Monica went to get more bottles of bourbon, and lemons, and was jumped. My new girl found her.”
“Did you check into this new girl?” Winger questions.
“Didn’t think I needed to. She is the niece of a man I helped out years ago. We were in the dragon military together; she is half dragon, half human. Her father liked to fuck around, but the family did not turn their backs on her.”
“You still should have looked into her. Where is she now?” Mr. O looks to Lance, and something passes between them silently.
“Let me guess, you cannot find her?” Oryn scoffs. “I will have Cotton do his magic and see what he can find.”
“How were the cameras tampered with? How the hell did you” —Winger points to Lance— “not notice anything was going on? You should have sensed it.” Lance is a bear shifter, and his senses are super heightened.
“We are fucking packed to the brim tonight. It’s been fucking carnage in there, man. People fighting each other. Women spilling drinks on men and each other. Jealously is running high tonight.”
“He is right. The registers behind the bars are fucking flowing, and he was busy all night busting up fights and kicking people out.”
“I sense magic. It is super faint.” Oryn states, folding his arms across his chest.
“Super-hot,” Monica slurs, to which Oryn smirks, winking at her.
Oryn comes to us, kneeling down next to me. He brushes Monica’s hair back off her forehead. Smooth.
“Sweetheart, did you see who did this?”
She shakes her head slightly, before wincing. “No. He jumped me from behind.” I squeeze her hand.
“Anything at all you can tell us will help.”
“He hit me a few times, threw me against the wall. He did speak, though.”
“What did he say?” Oryn inquires.
She takes a deep breath, her eyes fluttering closed.
Fuck, I hate seeing her in pain. I may not have known these people long, but they have come to mean so much to me.
Her eyes lock on me, and my stomach fills with lead.
“He said that you will not always be protected and that she can get to you.”
As soon as the words leave her mouth, the temperature in the room drops, and Winger jumps into action.
“I fucking knew it. Damn, the fucker is going to kill me. You two are coming with me and Oryn to get her out of the club, now. This was a fucking set up. They fucking knew that Delaney would come to see her hurt friend.” Winger pulls me to my feet.
“NO, I am not leaving Monica unguarded.” Mr. Osbourne stands firm. “Lance, go. Help get Delaney to safety.”
“Monica, I will come and see you when this is all over, okay, babe. Please take care of yourself.” I kiss her forehead, my chest tight from leaving her while she is in so much pain.
“Delaney, now.”
With a nod, and my arm securely in Winger’s hold, I am removed from the room. The men surround me as we hurry down the hall back toward the exit door. There is a loud bang, and the building shakes as we step outside.
I cry out as a burst of energy hits my back. Falling forward, my cheek collides with the floor.
“Fuck, we are under attack,” Lance bellows.
Lifting my head, I see a wave of vampires snarling as they run for us.
“Fuck, protect Delaney,” Winger commands.
I am lifted off my feet and pushed back through the door.
“Stay here,” Winger says, putting his phone to his ear.
I do not hear what he says, but I have to guess that he is calling in the club.
“Fuck, they keep coming,” I hear Oryn say.
“We need to get her inside and lost in the crowd,” Lance offers.
“Fuck,” Winger swears, and I can imagine him running his hands through his shoulder-length hair. “Okay.”
More grunts and snarls. The sound makes my body shake in fear. Looking around, I see the room that hosts Monica, but I cannot go there. I cannot put her in more danger; she was hurt enough already.
The sounds of fighting and screeching fill the night air. I tremble against the wall, not knowing what to do.
Then the door swings open, making me jump out of my skin. The three men step back inside, and I scan their bodies, seeing some blood on Lance and Winger.
“We need to get you inside of the club, that way we can hide you in plain sight. At least until the rest of the club gets here and your man,” Winger informs me.
I nod, still shaking in fear.
“Damn, it is like a war zone out there.” A sweet voice appears.
I turn to see Izzy; she is letting us see her.
“You are one wanted lady, Del.” She looks to Winger. “The Fury is here; I have seen the old hag.”
“Fuck, good looking out, Iz.”
“Always, Pres.”
“Okay. This way.” Lance leads us down the hall that I know leads to the main room in the club.
I hear some grunts and growls from behind me, but I do not look back, keeping my gaze on my feet to make sure that I do not trip over anything. Lance pulls me through the door, and my ears are assaulted with the sound of the loud music beats. Dance music is being pumped out of the speakers.
“No. Something’s wrong.” I try to pull back, but he keeps a hold on me.
“I will not let anything happen to you, Delaney; you have my word,” Lance says, then nods to Winger, who nudges me forward.
“Behind the bar,” Pres says.
I feel a cold touch on my arm, the hairs standing up.
“I will protect you as much as I can, Del,” comes from Izzy.
Offering her a weak smile, I step behind the bar. Customers cheer and call out to me, drawing attention my way.
Oh, fuck.
My body tingles, my blood feels hot, and I know what that means.
“The men are here,” I say to Winger. “I can feel Thorin.”
He nods, standing guard over me like a hellhound. With my heart racing in my chest, my palms sweaty, I shake in fear.
“Fuck,” Winger mutters, pulling a gun from the waistband of his jeans.
“What?” He doesn’t answer, so I tug on his jeans. “What? Winger, you can’t fucking do this. What made you swear?” He doesn’t have the time to answer before all hell breaks loose.
Winger leaves me, no doubt to help Lance fight. Knowing some of the clients who come into the club, I know that they will not hesitate to jump in and help Winger and Oryn.
Screams replace the loud music. I scream when a chair hits the back of the bar, glass and mirror exploding from the impact. My hands go to my ears, the noise hurting. The sounds of things being thrown are mixed with the muffled sounds of fighting.
The scent of smoke and ash fills the air, so I know the men are killing vampires.
“DELANEY.” My name is roared, making my skin tingle.
“THORIN,” I call to my man.
I stand up to get his attention. I can feel his worry and fear through our bond; we may not be fully bonded, but we still feel the pull and the connection.
Scanning the room, I see him moving through the room, slamming a wooden stake into the hearts of vampires while trying to get to me. I spot the brothers also killing and fighting vampires, but also some other supernatural beings.
It is like a blood bath: savage and full of death. The Furies did this; they caused so much hate and revenge. They were a bunch of bitches who liked to hurt men simply for being men.
Thorin’s eyes flash wide as I feel a hand on my wrist. I am spun around, only to come face-to-face with the last living Fury.
Her smile makes my stomach roll and heart race.
Her hair is dirty, greasy, hanging straight, some over her chest. Her clothes are black lace and look dusty.
Pointing a bloody nail at me, she speaks. “That bloodsucker killed my sisters. He brought all this death and violence to you, Delaney Soloman.” She tuts and looks over her shoulder, raising her hand up.
A bolt of blue energy beams from her palm, and the room slows down. With wide eyes, I watch as Thorin’s face morphs into pure vampire rage as he tries to fight the spell.
His teeth and fangs are bared and his eyes are black, something I have never seen before.
“That abomination killed both of my sisters.”
My fear fades as I tap into Thorin’s anger and rage, hearing her say shit about my man.
“He is an abomination? Bitch, have you looked in the mirror?” I scoff.
She growls at me, and I inch back, seeing her eyes go black. Stepping forward, she smiles.
“I lost my beloved sisters. Now he will lose you.” I see it too late.
Pain slices through my arm, and I look down to see blood seeping from a three-inch wound on my forearm.
“Fuck.” I slap my right hand over the wound, blood seeping from between my fingers.
I start to feel woozy, right as she lunges again. This time pain hits my shoulder. I cry out, dropping to my knees as my body starts to feel weak and cold. Tears fill my eyes as I start to feel my heartbeat slowing.
Looming over me, she cackles.
“You will die tonight, slowly.” She stands to full height, still laughing.
I hear a faint whoosh, and her smile drops from her face. Staring at her, I watch in horror as her head slips from her body, blood spilling down onto the floor and over the bar, before her body drops to the floor.
Behind her is my villain turned hero.
“Delaney.” His voice sounds far away. “HALEN.”
“Oh, baby. Hold on. Okay. Hold on. We will fix you.”
He holds my body against his. I hate seeing the worry and concern on his face. Reaching up, I cup his jaw, my arm feeling heavy.
“I love you, Thorin Blackwood.”
I feel Halen next to me, touching my arm. I can feel his energy, but it fizzes, then he mutters, “Fuck, the poison is too far into her system, brother.”
“No. You have to do something,” Thorin snaps, then he looks back down at me. “Baby, please don’t leave me. I just fucking got you; you cannot leave me. I was stupid to fucking waste so much time. We could have had a great life. Fuck.”
Tears fall from his eyes, and my heart hurts knowing that I am about to leave this man.
“You will move on, since you live so long, old man. I am sorry for how I reacted about the news of Olwen; I am glad that you had her for a time. I will love you for all of eternity, Thorin. Thank you for loving me, even if for only a short time,” My eyes flutter closed, my body losing the will to live.
“NO. No, you do not get to leave me. Fucking wake up, baby. Delaney.” His voice breaks, his tears landing on my face.
My hand falls to my side, too weak to keep touching him.
“You know what to do, brother.”
That is the last thing I hear before I lose my fight and darkness takes me.