Chapter Eighteen
Sage
“So, what’s next?” Joe asks, looking far too excited.
I stare at my friends. Justice is busy watching the crowd, Joe is like an excited labrador waiting for instruction, and Loyal frowns down at her phone.
“Loyal? You good?”
“Um, yes. No. Not sure?” She looks up at me, chewing her lip. “Vex just said not to go home. There’s trouble coming.”
“Ashfall,” Justice and I say at the same time.
“Shit.” I open my mouth to say more but my phone buzzes in my pocket.
“I bet that’s Dex,” Justice rumbles.
Pulling my phone out I swipe the screen to answer, shocked when I hear Damian’s voice on the line.
“-Oh no cher, you can’t pussy out now. This is your game.” Whatever Nathaniel says is muffled, but I can hear Damian clear as day. “So, what you need from the old church? Holy water?”
I wave frantically at anyone paying attention before moving my phone to my shoulder. “Do any of you know of an old church around here? Damian and Nathaniel are heading there.”
Joe shakes her head, the tails of her bright head scarf flapping. Justice and Loyal share a look.
“There’s one at the Keep,” Justice answers.
“Yeah but we saw three SUVs go one way, and one went the other. I’d bet anything the bad guy is in the one that went the other way.” Joe points out.
“In that case, there is one on the outskirts of Adonner. It’s off the main road,” Loyal offers.
I don’t even say what I’m doing next. I just head for the club SUV.
I’m carrying and have a knife in my boot.
I’m pretty sure Justice is also carrying.
I’m not sure about Loyal or Joe, but if worst comes to worst they can use the spare bomb I’ve got.
Now that we know how powerful those things are, I’m sure they’re bound to take something out.
Hopefully a six foot something fucker named Nathaniel.
“Wait! Do we have everything we need?” Joe asks, before dipping her chin. “You know what I mean.”
“Pretty sure. We’ve got means, and motive. And I’m sure between me and Justice we have enough killy things,” I answer, door to the SUV open and waiting for me.
“OK. That’s good,” Joe says, nodding distractedly. “Can I lay down some ground rules?” I wave her along. “Number one. Nobody dies.”
“Well, that seems unrealistic.” Loyal says pulling a giant fucking pistol out of a storage tub in the back seat of the SUV.
“You’re right.” Joe jabs a finger at her. “Nobody important dies.”
Justice snorts while the rest of us nod.
“Second rule, we don’t kill the Big Bad there. I kinda want us to use all the stuff the Girl Gang gifted you for your wedding.”
I stare at her for a moment before nodding. “Good plan. I like that. But it’s totally acceptable to hurt him a little, or a lot, before we get him there.” Everyone makes agreeable noises while we watch Loyal pull more and more things out of the tub.
“Who put all that in there?” Joe asks, on her tip toes looking over Loyal’s shoulder as she pulls out cable ties, duct tape, a taser - “Holy crapballs are those knuckle dusters? Yes please!” Joe shoves Loyal out of the way to get her little grabby hands on the things she wants.
Justice raises a red brow. “Do you really-”
“Yes. 1000% yes.” Joe slips the knuckle dusters over her fingers, then fist bumps herself once they're in place. “OK. Let’s do this.”
Dex
“Lock it down! Lock it all down!”
I run down the halls, making sure all the brothers who are based at the Keep are hauling ass.
We have guests that need to be protected.
Fuck. It doesn’t help that it’s late afternoon, meaning everyone that didn’t go to the fucking Ashfall thing is home.
Vex rushes past with his twins in his arms, headed through the kitchen.
“Prez!” Saint barks, ushering in Jason and his girl Izzy. “Where are we going?”
“The cellar,” I bark back at him.
I’m fucking kicking myself that we haven’t spend more time shoring the cellar up. It’s not quite like Pops’ fucking five star panic room, but it’s good enough. It’ll be comfortable enough for our guests.
“Fuck! Has anyone seen River?” Sniper growls, carrying Greer in one arm, his other around Nell who looks fucking scared out of her mind.
Spinning I do a head count. Almost everyone is here. Everyone except River. “What sort of shit does he get up to? Does anyone know where he hangs out?”
Everyone looks blank, shaking their heads. Fuck. This is the last thing we need. We have three SUVs who think they’ve been sent by God bearing down on us. Best case scenario is there are five men in each vehicle. Worst case? We’re about to face a fucking deluge of religious crazy.
“I’ll go,” Omen says, checking his weapon.
“Be careful brother,” Flack says, slapping him on the back.
A feral grin grows on Omen’s face and he lifts his chin in my direction. I return the gesture, my smile just as feral.
“Let them fucking come.”
The Mole
This wasn’t meant to happen. Nobody said this was going to happen.
They didn’t say people were going to die.
What the hell do I do? These people, the DRMC, they’ve helped me.
They’re trying to keep me safe. If they only knew what I am.
But I have to keep my daughter safe. It’s the only thing that matters.
Isn't it? But what about the Keep? What about Vex and Loyal’s daughters?
Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. The Prophet said he’d save all those who are worthy. The Keep are worthy! The Keep are worthy.