Everlyn Chapter 16
Thirty minutes later, I found myself out in the dark woods that bordered the campground. It was the section that was furthest away from the owner’s house and the other campers. We’d traipsed out there in the darkness. But only after putting on warm hoodies or jackets.
I wondered how much longer we had to go when, suddenly, a small opening in the middle of the trees appeared. The half moon shone down, illuminating the three figures in the middle of the clearing. One was seated on the ground. The other two, Fenrir and Berserker, stood towering over the seated one.
When we reached them, I checked out the man on the ground.
His head hung down. Invader walked up and grabbed him by the hair, jerking his head back so his face was visible.
I knew that face. It belonged to Caves, the Wanderer we met at the rally that first day.
His face was creased with a scowl. His one eye was swollen shut, along with other injuries.
He scanned everyone and then locked onto Raider.
“You son of a bitches don’t know who you’re messing with. My club will track you all down and kill every last one of you. And as for those three bitches of yours, they’ll be where they belong. Forever on their backs, being fucked to death.”
The casual way Invader backhanded him made me smile. Blood flew from the busted lip he gave Caves.
“If I were you, I’d keep your stupid shit to yourself. We’re here to ask questions and for you to answer them,” Slayer told him.
“Fuck you,” Caves spat blood at her.
Slayer lashed out with her booted foot, catching him in the chest, knocking him onto his back, and the wind out of him, if the way he was wheezing was any indication. Then, she and Spoiler stepped up and pressed their feet down on his body, trapping him there like a bug.
“Come join us, if you want, Everlyn,” Spoiler offered.
I moved away from Zephyr and went to stand over the disgusting man on his back. He glared up at us.
“He reminds me of a turtle. You know, how once they get on their back, they can’t get up, and if they don’t, they’ll die that way. Pretty appropriate when you think about it,” I said.
The guys chuckled.
“Laugh while you can. My club will come looking for me. When they do, you’ll pray for death. I hope they keep you chained in the clubhouse and have everyone take a turn every night with you.” Caves smirked at Spoiler, Slayer, and me as he said the last part.
Without warning, I shifted and lashed out with my boot. I caught him between the legs. He screamed in agony as I did my best to drive his cock and balls up into his throat. My move made the men groan and grimace.
“Well, one thing is for sure: you won’t be the one doing it, even if you survive. Your cock won’t ever work again,” I remarked.
Spoiler and Slayer held out their fists, and we exchanged fist bumps.
“I still want one like her,” Harbinger muttered.
The amusement swiftly sobered. Raider took over talking.
“You need to tell us why you tried to shoot us? Surely, that was extreme over the small face-off the other day at the rally. If that’s all it takes to make you homicidal, how have you stayed out of prison or survived this long?”
“T-that had n-nothing to do with tonight,” Caves wheezed.
“Well, if it didn’t, then what did?” Pirate asked.
When Caves didn’t answer, his left hand was removed from his crotch, and his fore and middle fingers were wrenched hard by Pirate. The audible snap made me flinch, though I made sure he didn’t see it.
“In case you didn’t understand my VP’s question, why did you shoot at us? And why wait until tonight?” Raider asked.
When Caves didn’t answer again, Harbinger moved closer. Seeing the smirk on the sergeant-at-arms' face, the Wanderer hastily answered.
“I was following orders. When your president tells you the charter president sent word to teach you bastards a lesson, I do my job. You don’t say no to either of them, but especially not to the big pres.”
“And did your president say why the charter one wanted it done? Was he that pissed over the little confrontation?” Zephyr asked.
“No, he didn’t say, and I didn’t ask. You’re bikers. Surely, you know to do as you’re told. Or is that too complicated and scary for you bunch of pussies?” Caves smarted off.
No one moved. Instead, Invader clicked his tongue. “We’re not stupid enough to kill you this early and end this for you. We need answers. And despite how tough you may think you are, you’re not. You’ll tell us what we want to know.”
The menace in Invader’s voice made it clear he wasn’t bluffing.
“Let’s try a different question. Does the charter pres have a name?” Raider asked.
Again, Caves remained silent. That cost him another broken finger on the same hand and a kick to the ribs. The way he yelled told me how badly it hurt. It was possible that one or more ribs were cracked, though not broken.
“I asked you a question. If we’re supposed to be all scared for our lives because of your club and this so-called dangerous charter president, then we need to know his name,” Raider repeated.
“He’ll destroy you,” Caves said hoarsely.
As if choreographed, they all looked at each other and then laughed.
“Yeah, that’s what we thought. He’s lying,” Fenrir said.
“It’s all in his head,” Spoiler remarked.
“We’re supposed to be afraid of a figment of his delusional mind,” Norse added.
Instinctively, they knew their remarks would drive him to defend and spill the truth faster than more broken fingers and hurt ribs.
I watched. Maybe I should’ve been disgusted, even frightened of what they were doing to another human being, but I wasn’t.
I think it was the knowledge that Caves had shot at us, not caring, even hoping, that he’d injure or kill someone.
He had no idea that, other than me, they couldn’t be killed if what Zephyr said was accurate.
And the way Raider and Zephyr were moving around suggested it was the truth.
As they kept pushing at Caves, Slayer came over to stand on the other side of me from Zephyr.
“How are you doing? Sorry about earlier. We were all upset. That had to be terrifying.”
“I’m slowly absorbing it. I can’t say that there isn’t a ton for me to think about. It was terrifying. I’ve agreed to see how things go. This issue here takes precedence,” I replied.
“I understand. Spoiler and I are here if you need to talk. Everyone is. Our friendship and family inclusion are real, Everlyn. Please don’t doubt that.”
Slayer gently squeezed my forearm, gave me a tiny smile, then walked back to Spoiler, who had been watching. Spoiler nodded and gave me a sweet smile. I returned it and then focused on what was happening with Caves. The constant belittling and accusations finally broke him.
“You won’t be laughing when he comes and wipes all of you out. No one fucks with Aksel and gets away with it.”
I felt the figurative hit to the Prowlers when I heard that name.
I somehow kept my gasp from escaping. It was a good thing I did because none of them reacted to it.
There were no shocked expressions, mumbled curses, exclamations, or gasps, and no automatic body jerks as the blow landed.
They remained a blank, formidable wall. Yet, I knew how much it had to have impacted them.
I fought to make myself reflect the same, though my mind started racing with questions.
The biggest was—why shoot at people you know are unkillable?
“That name means nothing to us. What makes him so scary to you?” Raider asked.
“You’re not scared because you don’t know him or his men.
They’re not anyone you want to make angry.
Those they see as enemies don’t survive.
They come when you least expect them, and then you’re gone.
They’ll wipe you out in the middle of the night, and everyone will forget you existed,” Caves answered.
“His men?” Harbinger asked.
“Yeah, the guys that are in the charter chapter with him. They’ve known each other for years. When Aksel formed the original chapter, they helped him do it.”
“When did the Wayward Wanderers first form? We’ve never heard of them. With your chapter being right in Georgia, we should’ve. Where is this charter chapter located?” Pirate asked.
“They’ve been around for at least fifteen years. Maybe the reason you haven’t heard of us is that you’re too tiny,” Caves jeered.
Invader snorted and leaned down to stare into Caves’ face. “Boy, we have chapters in all fifty states. Ours alone are fifteen strong. The same with our Alabama support chapter. Others are larger. I think it’s the other way around. Your club isn’t worth notice.”
Invader’s dismissal sent Caves into a frenzy. He tried to get up off the ground. He was pinned there by Icelander and Plunderer now.
“Motherfuckers! I can’t wait to see your faces when we come for you! And your whores will be begging for our cocks and mercy,” he shouted.
Plunderer casually bent down and backhanded Caves so hard his head snapped ninety degrees. The crack was like a whip. Caves groaned.
“That’s for calling them whores. You should be thankful I hit you. It’s more merciful than what they’d do to you,” Plunderer said, gesturing to the menacing faces of Slayer and Spoiler, then to me. I tried to imitate the other ladies’ expressions.
I wasn’t thrilled to be called a whore, but that bothered me less than what Caves indicated they’d do. He was casually and gleefully talking of rape as if it were an everyday occurrence within his group. And knowing this, any hesitancy or mercy I might’ve been feeling evaporated.
I remembered the story my mom had passed down about that night in the village centuries ago. I recalled the pain in Zephyr’s voice as he shared his memories of that night. It wasn’t his words that told the full horror.
“Where is Aksel’s chapter?” Raider repeated.
As Caves lay there, glaring at them, I made a decision. I glanced around and found what I was looking for lying close by on the ground. I walked over and picked it up. I hefted it. The weight was heavy enough to do damage without weighing a ton. It wasn’t rotten, so it wouldn’t break upon impact.
“Evie, what is that for?” Zephyr asked.
“I was thinking that it was time to bring in some of my methods. My mother’s people had ways of dealing with captives.
One of them was to make them run the gauntlet of their people, many of whom were women and children.
They would test their captives’ bravery to decide whether to adopt them into the tribe or kill them.
The tribe used sticks, clubs, and stones to beat them with. I thought that would be a good idea.”
I caught the flicker of surprise on his face before he covered it. The rest of the club stood there, saying nothing. As I walked past Zephyr, he whispered to me.
“Are you sure? We have this handled. You don’t need to do anything.”
I paused and answered him.
“Yes, I do. This piece of shit is protecting Aksel and his followers—the ones who slaughtered countless innocent people, including most of my ancestors. You heard what he said they’d do to us. He’s as sick as they are. We need that information. I plan not to waste all night getting it.”
Passing him, I came to a stop. Icelander and Plunderer stepped away from Caves, gesturing for me to proceed. The Wanderer sat up and hissed at me.
“You’re bluffing. You won’t do it. You’re not like the rest. You’re weak. Maybe I’ll make you my personal bitch.” He laughed.
His laughter changed to a choked cry of pain as I brought the tree branch across his shoulders.
I didn’t pause long to let it sink in before I landed the next blow.
I slammed into both arms and legs before I stopped.
He writhed on the ground, screaming. Caves tried to clutch all the spots I hit him, but he didn’t have enough hands to do it. I heard murmuring from the Prowlers.
“Damn, she’s stronger than she looks.”
“Shit, I think his left arm is broken.”
“Zephyr better stay on her good side.”
“She should prospect.”
I grinned at them and winked. Their commentary was hilarious. Zephyr was standing next to me.
“I just fell in love with you even more,” he told me, so everyone heard.
I blew him a kiss before directing my attention back to Caves.
“If you don’t want me to proceed to show you more painful ways my tribal ancestors treated captives, I’d answer the fucking questions. You’re not walking away from this.”
“S-stop, p-please stop,” he stuttered.
“You have two minutes to start talking, or I start hitting, and I won’t hold back this time. I guess I should’ve mentioned that I played softball in high school and college. Oops,” I said.
“I love her,” Harbinger muttered.
I couldn’t resist winking at him. Despite knowing how I ran from them and wanted to leave, they were still the fun, friendly, and caring bunch I’d been getting to know.
“Sixty seconds,” Thor called out helpfully.
“Wait, okay. Wait. I’ll tell you. Give me a minute,” Caves panted.
“You have fifty seconds,” Thor replied.
We listened to Caves’ battle to calm his breathing. Then Thor began the countdown.
“Ten…nine…eight…seven—”
“They’re outside of Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Don’t ask me exactly where because none of us have ever been invited to their clubhouse, or given an exact address,” Caves confessed.
“And where is your chapter in Georgia? Your cuts only say Georgia,” Harbinger asked.
Caves hesitated barely a second before he answered. His whole body deflated. “We’re from Albany, Georgia. Listen, we were only following orders. You can’t say no to your charter president, especially not Aksel. Don’t destroy my entire chapter,” he begged.
“Your entire chapter was all for coming to wipe us out and rape our women minutes ago. Don’t plead innocence now. Your club let you go out alone and ambush us. Some club. Where did they go? Back to Albany? Or are they holed up somewhere close by waiting for you to report back?” Raider asked.
Caves’ gaze darted to every face. When he landed on mine, I held up the branch. He gulped, then hung his head.
“They’re gone by now. The plan was to shoot whoever I could get, though you were the target, and then meet them just up I-75N on the route back home. But they would only wait for two hours. If I didn’t meet them, they would go ahead.”
“You’re going to tell us where in Albany your clubhouse is and anything else we ask you. If you refuse, I’m letting all of them loose with branches and anything else they want to use,” Pirate informed him.
And just like that, the information began flowing out of Caves. He knew there was no way to survive this. And I knew as I stood there, I’d nearly made up my mind about Zephyr and my future.