Chapter Six.
Judas
Rage hadn’t done what they were meant to do.
Rather than fleeing, they holed up at the mansion Michaelson called home.
Why? The logical thing was to draw back and protect their loved ones.
Instead, the fools grouped together. What was the reasoning behind that?
I was confused. Did those men consider me harmless?
Did they believe I wouldn’t crush them or their families? They couldn’t be more wrong.
Rage MC gang members were also part of the problem.
Sure, Michaelson was the leader, but they had followed him.
Each brother held innocent blood on their hands.
A drop of blood dripped from my nose, and I wiped it away angrily.
That was the price a hero paid. Pain and physical discomfort.
I frowned as another droplet fell and hit the floor.
A few drops of blood were worth it to know I’d struck fear into Michaelson.
That bitch with him had ensured that I couldn’t get into his brain, but I knew how scared Michaelson was.
He had to be. I’d attacked his power source.
That would rock Drake Michaelson. I smiled at Jodie’s picture.
Poor girl had to be halfway in love with me already.
Someone like me, who’d teach her right and wrong?
Oh, I appealed to Jodie directly. And Phoenix.
Did the foolish woman recognise who held real strength?
I puffed up even as a third drop followed the other two.
Relaxing back in a chair, I grinned. Michaelson believed he was the be-all and end-all.
The idiot couldn’t be more mistaken. What I could do was true power.
God had chosen me to be the recipient. I was more than worthy of wielding judgment and punishment.
Like many others, I’d suffered. That meant I understood the victims better than anyone, and God had witnessed that.
Now it was clear: I was God’s second son. I’d not seen it initially, but I was.
Same as Jesus, I’d been trodden down, and people had hurt me.
They’d turned against my family, and death had stalked us.
Jesus had been reborn, and so had I. God had placed the answers in front of me, and at first, I’d been too blind to see them.
But now my eyes were wide open. There was no more fooling me.
Drake Michaelson was a criminal, a murderer, a slayer of innocents.
God had condemned his actions and sent me to deliver punishment.
Naturally, I needed those around Michaelson to understand, too.
They had to experience pain just like me.
Only I could grant forgiveness. With mine, came God’s, too.
Jodie would rise, with me at her side, guiding and correcting her until she became a true disciple.
Serenity would need breaking. There was too much spirit in her.
However, with her vicious streak, Serenity would make a great bodyguard.
A warrior to protect the Ruler whom everybody would bow to.
Naturally, her siblings weren’t required.
Especially the males. They needed to be put down.
Neutered. My plans remained fluid. I couldn’t decide on one path because there were so many options available.
If Jodie wouldn’t become a faithful wife, then God would strike her down.
And as I was the hand of God, his loving son, she’d kneel or die.
She was just a vessel to carry my seed—nothing more.
Belladonna
“Did you feel that?” I asked Romeo as we walked in the gardens. Despite the cold and snow, I couldn’t stand the chaos inside anymore. Even though Phoe had given us her tower as an escape room, people came and went, ensuring we had everything we needed.
“That rush of spite? Yeah. Judas will make a move soon.”
“I sensed lust and a concerning flash of mania.”
“That’s not a surprise. The man’s a psycho… Belladonna, Warden didn’t send us because he didn’t believe in you,” Romeo tackled the unspoken issue.
“No? Certainly, appears you don’t. While I’m grateful you’re here, it smacks of Warden doubting us.” I stopped walking and faced him.
Romeo shook his head. “Shit, I was worried you’d take it that way.”
“Romeo, I’m as strong as you, maybe even stronger. I don’t need you watching over my shoulder, ensuring I behave and act accordingly.” I crossed my arms and waited.
“Guessed you’d think like that. You’re wrong, Belladonna. Warden’s gut told him you’d win, but he also felt you’d burn yourself out for a long time. Judas won’t go down easily.”
“And I can handle Judas, Romeo! It’s insulting to suggest anything else.”
Romeo stepped closer, and I refused to back down.
“Yeah, you can manage Judas. But he’s going to let loose a psychic blast that will hurt you.
Belladonna, I’m here to help absorb that backlash and to ease some of the pressure.
You need Noble for his shield; Noble needs Poker to amp his powers—although you kept Poker’s skill damn quiet.
Stitch and Slasher will be needed to heal us both, and Bogeyman is here because he’s the final line of defence. ”
“And Undertaker?”
“Oh, he’s here to keep shit calm.”
“Yeah, Judas has no intention of being calm. I wonder if he’s even tried controlling other people. The asshole might have a brainwashed army to send at Drake.
Romeo shrugged. “If Judas has, I’ll deal with them, and you handle him. I believe in you.”
“Bro, I got plenty of confidence. I don’t need bragging up.” I laughed.
“Just making sure!” Romeo retorted with a smile.
Drake
The day crept on slowly; Judas was planning something.
I could feel him close by. He kept attacking my walls, but now I knew what to look for.
And they were strong; Judas would never breach them.
Several times, I tasted the bitterness of frustration and defeat, but they weren’t my emotions. Those came solely from Judas.
“Drake, I’m heading to HQ to fetch a file. I won’t be long,” Phoe said, popping her head into my study.
“Not a problem. Is everyone okay?”
“Yeah, but join your brothers in corralling the kids. Ace might kill some,” Phoe rolled her eyes.
“Christ, not Mav?” I demanded. I fuckin’ loved that kid, but how Mav belonged to Fish and Marsha, I didn’t know. Dante was terrible, yet Mav was worse.
“Nope. Fish has tied Mav to a pole for ten minutes. Knowing Mav, he’ll chew through the rope. Austin, Beau, and Everleigh have had a fight, and everyone’s taking sides.” Lex and Vivie’s triplets? They weren’t as feral as most of the wild Hellions, so this was unusual.
“Dare I ask?” I shouldn’t have asked, and Phoe’s grin confirmed that.
“Oh, Austin hasn’t evidently learned that anything he can do, Everleigh can. Even if she loves dresses and ribbons. Vivie told her to kick Austin’s ass, and Everleigh did. Unfortunately, she’s clearly been listening to Eddie, because Austin is curled in a corner holding his nuts.”
“Eddie taught Everleigh to fight dirty?” I groaned.
Phoe grinned. “Lex wants to throttle you because of your daughter.”
“Oh, now Eddie’s mine. Although that makes a change from Gunner wanting to kill me because of Dante.”
“No. Gunner still wishes to do that. Dante found some handcuffs and lost the key, and now Aria is chained to him and melting down. Aria’s giving Dante and EJ hell. Dante’s learning, however, that handcuffs aren’t as pleasant a prospect as he first thought.”
“What brought that on?” I demanded, getting up. I was too damn old for this shit.
“Aria stated Tye was hot and Carmine even hotter. That went down like a ton of bricks with Dante,” Phoe grinned.
“Crap.”
“Yeah. Dante’s now holding a grudge against his brothers and was plotting on how to make them, I quote, ‘Not hot.’ The brat’s all yours, honey. See you when I get home.”
With that, Phoe sashayed her ass out of the study.
“Drake!” Gunner bellowed from somewhere in the Hall. Christ, fuck my life. No, fuck my damn son. Dante had inherited too much of my personality.
Phoe
With the file tucked away safely, I headed back to the car. A few minutes’ peace and quiet were always welcome. I loved the huge family we had and encouraged get-togethers, but a girl sometimes needed a few moments alone. That was rare in Rage MC.
Drake made monthly gatherings mandatory a couple of years ago.
Every weekend, most of us congregated around the clubhouse anyway, but the first weekend of the month was compulsory.
Anytime you hit the compound during the week, there were always several of the brothers and their families about. The clubhouse was never not busy.
Once a month, the men took the Hellions, and we girls had a night out.
They were all hands-on fathers, but women did the bulk of the raising of the Hellions.
It was very much appreciated when we hit a bar and let off steam.
I’d never met Arrow, but I knew him from what Drake said about him.
I hoped Arrow was looking down, watching.
His dream had been to create a club focused on riding and family.
He’d succeeded. Arrow hadn’t seen his goal come to fruition when he’d been alive, but he’d installed those values in Drake.
I heard footsteps behind and turned. A nondescript young guy stood close, his face eerily expressionless.
Immediately, I grasped who he was.
“No!” I gasped, and the last thing I saw was his grin, right before Judas psychically knocked me out.
Drake
Growing concerned, I glanced at the clock and frowned.
Phoe had been gone for several hours now.
I bet she was having coffee and relaxing while laughing at us lunatics riding herd on the kids.
The Royal Harlots and Royal Bastards had taken one look at the chaos earlier and fled.
I couldn’t blame them. I wish I had the same luxury.