Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Shadow
I hear the grumblings of malcontent from the depths of my dozing slumber. It is loud enough to rouse me.
Rundas is already awake.
“We got some trouble brewing, brother.” When I run my fingers through my tangled hair, I can smell Luna’s tempting fragrance. The scent of her pillows and linen sheets; the warm musk rising from her compliant pussy.
Shaking my head to clear it, I sense the trucks are closer. No, it’s one truck and a car. “Anger and hatred in the air.”
Rundas doesn’t need me to tell him that.
“Right you are, Prez.”
The other members of the MC stir and sit up.
“They’re coming this way as fast as they can go.” Theron is always ready for a rumble, so he sounds in a good mood. It’s been too long since we spilled blood.
The crew likes looking on the bright side of life. Heh.
Leaving the place where we are safe from the sun, all five of us crawl out into the distillery.
The brewhouse sits empty and unused behind the other door.
The shutter is bolted over the basement window.
We have got to get the brewery up and running before the visitors begin arriving in summer—and here I am having to worry about this dreary human nonsense.
“Ah, shit,” Artim grumbles. “I hate listening to grievances during the day. Fucking local folk. Too bad I’m not attracted to sucking the blood of men. I swear I could drain them of every last drop before they hit the ground.”
Jaecar elongates his jacked body like a lazy cat as he stretches. “Men are all we have left. Men and old women. And I’d rather feed on fish heads than suck on them.”
“How did it go last night?” Theron asks me in the sort of way that lets me know he will not be offended if I tell him to fuck off.
Slithering from the distillery to the clubhouse takes mere seconds through the connecting tunnel.
I begin flicking on lights as I wait for the others to join me.
There’s no need for me to tell them to position themselves naturally.
Rundas sits on a barstool. Theron and Artim start racking up the balls for a game of pool. Jaecar pulls on leather gloves.
When everything is in order, I tell them.
“Luna invited me into her bed and allowed me to feed on her.”
The sound of salivating fangs punctuates the end of my sentence.
“You told her the truth.” Statement, not a question.
“Yeah. No doubt.”
My mind was made up last night. I fell in love with my beautiful red-haired queen as she recovered from her bloodletting and lay resting in my arms.
Like a watchful lioness, Luna sleeps with her eyes open as she dreams. She allows me to lick and stroke her to my heart’s content while the fantasies fill her subconscious.
Her pulse starts to beat stronger than ever after the fainting spell leaves her.
Her blood surges like fire in my veins at the memory of how Luna whispered my name in her sleep.
The truck and car pull up outside, spraying gravel as the tires spin.
Jaecar sets a black, full-face motorcycle helmet over his head and wraps a bandana around his neck. “I find it hard to believe that she dropped into your lap like a ripe peach after only ten days of Landslide living, Prez.” His voice is muffled behind the helmet face shield.
“He’s one seductive son of a bitch.” Theron chuckles.
We pose silently in the artificially lit clubhouse. We don’t have to wait for long. A heavy knock on the door makes it rattle.
After checking that we are in the shadows, Jaecar opens the door.
“Morning, folks. Nice to see you. I’m just heading out. Don’t mind me. Prez, here are some visitors for you.”
Pushing the door back, Jaecar waits for the four men to step inside, but they let Luna enter first. When everyone is inside, Jaecar shuts the door firmly behind him as he leaves, locking out the sunlight.
I want to rush over to her and clasp Luna in my arms, but I don’t. One look at her pale face and I can tell this is serious.
Ben Magoo is valiantly holding his shotgun in his hands. Is that what Luna is worried about?
Jerry Steele gets straight to the point.
“Shadow, we’re hoping you’re a more reasonable man than your father was. No offense, but we’re here about Linda Farmer.”
Vince Pruitt takes over. “I brought the news from Betty to Jake this morning, Mr. Sylva. Linda got sick while visiting the island and now she’s dead.”
Ben pipes up. “Poor Jake didn’t have the heart to come with us, but consider us his envoys.”
Carson Reagan must have walked here from the mechanic shop. He’s still wearing his oil-stained overalls. I’m surprised to see him here. He’s gotten real rich off Midnight Rider business.
“Shit’s gotta stop, Shadow. Your dad should have done something long ago. I can’t get a woman to spend one night with me, let alone think about shacking up. Landslide is starting to get a bad rep.”
Ben nods. “Carson is right! Begging your pardon, Miz Luna, but a man can’t wait for the slim chance of a single lady coming to visit the inn during summer. These long winter nights alone are killing me. At least sort out a satellite connection for us, Goddamn it!”
Luna agrees. Is that a smirk I see? Her hazel eyes are twinkling in the dim lighting. “Yes, sorting out the connectivity is the least you can do, Shadow. Why don’t you try Starlink or get a booster for the nearest cell tower? It’s like living during the dark ages on Landslide.”
Swaggering over to the bar, I lean my elbows against the counter. Darting an amused side look at Rundas, I pretend to take a swig of beer. They won’t notice that it is room temperature with no condensation dripping from the bottle.
“Visitors come here for the unplugged experience, guys. What you are suggesting will jeopardize that.”
Luna tries to reason with me, darting a nervous glance at Ben’s shotgun.
“I know I’m a newbie here, everyone, but I think a grieving family would be the last thing you need. If a visitor gets sick or—God forbid—dies, you could be facing a serious lawsuit.”
Now it is my turn to smirk. “They all have to sign a waiver first. It would be the same as someone trying to sue a national park after they get eaten by a bear... or a wolf.”
Luna’s eyes widen as she gets the analogy.
Jerry is not satisfied. “Something is picking off the womenfolk one poor gal at a time. Satan’s grandfather!
Landslide is dying, Shadow! Dying. Whatever is killing our females can follow them to the mainland now.
What’s the point of our kin trying to convince people to come and live here once they know that? ”
“If you don’t like the deal, Jerry, you’re free to leave. I’ll have another prepper in your house before the snow settles.”
“Yep, Jerry.” Rundas says his piece. “You’re free to go live on the mainland and start paying all those taxes, forking out for all those inflated prices, and trying to duck out from under all that crime…”
A stillness fills the room as I let all that sink in. I think Luna is starting to get the bigger picture of living on Landslide, too.
But Ben isn’t having any of it. “It’s gotten so sparse around here that I can’t even find a soul to look after the farm when I want to go courting on the mainland, Shadow.”
Vince Pruitt joins in. “Yeah! At least get the connectivity sorted out, for the love of God! Percolated! It’s so lonely without a friendly voice at the end of the line or being able to read a text message every now and again.”
“Landslide is a bitter pill to swallow, and it’s likely to stay that way if we can’t get a scientist or medical professional to find out what it is in the water that’s killing all the women.
” Carson Reagan shrugs as if he’s stating the obvious.
“And what happens if this leaks out? Betty says the doctors are asking her all sorts of questions about Linda’s whereabouts before she passed away, and so on. ”
Pointing at Luna like she’s an exhibit in a court case, Theron interrupts. “Tempest’s niece is still alive.”
Artim whispers under his voice low enough so that only the MC can hear it. “Barely.”
Rundas chuckles. “Look, the best we can do is look into the wi-fi. Until then, you’re just going to have to make do with using the satellite phone on Vince’s boat at the marina. As for testing the water, you’ll have to hold off until next spring.”
“There was a radio on Tempest’s boat. You are all welcome to use it,” Luna kindly offers.
Ben rolls his eyes. He’s getting all fired up with frustration.
“Oh, that’s ridiculous. Will I also have to tell my date to call me on the right radio frequency?
” Shouldering his shotgun, Ben sighs. “Sorry about being curt with you, Miz Luna. Please remind me to check the battery on your aunt’s boat.
You might need to use the radio if there's an emergency.”
The men begin to shuffle towards the door. Jaecar is on the ball. I hear him parking the bike outside, and he opens the door holding a can of sweetcorn from Heiner’s general store.
“Y’all leaving already? Aren’t you going to stay for a beer?” Jaecar waves the can of sweetcorn at the four men as they amble back to the truck.
Peeling off from the small group as he stomps back to the garage, Carson Reagan shouts back over his shoulder.
“Another time. Thanks, Mr. Larsson.”
Ben Magoo has the last word. “It’s not even eleven o’ clock in the darn morning yet, fella,” he grumbles under his breath. “Perhaps you should drink less beer and hire more doctors.”
Luna introduces herself to the MC the moment she hears the truck engine cranking over.
“Hi, I’m Luna Blackwood.”
She doesn’t go around trying to shake everyone’s hand. Luna gives her fingers a little wave from where she’s standing. I don’t blame her for holding back. She knows she’s in a room surrounded by a coven of vampires. Huge, hulking, and hungry vampires.
“I will take that can of corn if you all aren’t going to use it.” Luna gives one of her cute smiles. She is not afraid.
Tossing her the can, Jaecar is impressed when she catches it easily with one hand.