Everlyn Chapter 19
I was back at the Prowlers’ compound. Not a surprise, considering that since returning from Gainesville, other than going to work, I've stayed here with Zephyr every night. And before the trip, I’d done over half my nights here.
It wasn’t because he refused to stay with me.
I kept gravitating toward being at the compound.
I would’ve felt guilty for it, thinking I was ditching Allegra because we tended to spend time together several nights a week, but she had been super busy.
Her work had been taking her away on business trips and requiring her to take on more jobs.
She was in high demand as an interior designer.
I warned her not to overdo it, but I think all the work was good for her.
It kept her from dwelling on the fact that Jeremiah was gone.
Zephyr, the club, and my work, plus the prospect of taking over Moore Enterprises, kept my mind off Jeremiah, too.
My excitement and nervousness about taking over were growing, but in a good way. It was a motivator for me.
Today, I dropped in at her office. She had a rare day there.
I brought lunch from a French bistro that we both liked.
We spent an hour eating, talking, and getting updates.
I told her that I’d accepted Zephyr as mine, and he did the same.
I announced I was now his old lady. Allegra hugged and congratulated me.
She wanted to return to the compound soon.
I knew the club wouldn’t mind, so I told her to let me know when she could do it.
I hoped I’d be able to show her the clubhouse soon.
It was so cool. And as a designer, she’d love how it was designed.
Tonight, I was allowed to hang out in the clubhouse for the first time while the members had their weekly meeting. Sea Rover and Thor weren’t in the meeting. They were doing restocking and stuff. I wondered why they weren’t, so I decided to ask.
“Hey, guys, I’ve got a question,” I called out to them as I approached the open bar area next to the kitchen. They stopped restocking.
“Ask away,” Sea Rover said.
“Why aren’t you two in Thing with them?”
“It’s tradition that only fully patched members attend. As prospects, we don’t earn the right unless we get our patch,” Sea Rover explained.
“I don’t understand how you’re prospects, and they’re all members. How long do you have to prospect? You’ve been together for hundreds of years, according to what Zephyr said. Shouldn’t you all be equal?”
I hadn’t thought of it until I sat here watching them work, and after Sea Rover’s answer. They exchanged a look I couldn’t interpret. To me, it seemed like shame. I thought neither would answer, but finally, Thor did.
“They were all together and formed this club, and the Uppsala chapter together. However, we weren’t part of that.
You know how they came to be together. And you learned about Aksel and his bunch.
What they didn’t tell you was that when Raider and the others escaped Aksel’s rule, they stuck together.
However, they weren’t the only ones who got away.
“There was a smaller group who left but scattered or went in small groups of two or more. They didn’t band together, thinking it was better to make their own way.
We were part of that bunch. We were afraid to trust being together.
That Raider, who was the mastermind behind our freedom, would try to control and rule us the same way Aksel did, even though we had never seen him be cruel like Aksel.
No one wanted that. We had enough being held prisoner. ”
As Thor paused, Sea Rover took over.
“Yeah, we were idiots, but at the time, we didn’t realize it. For centuries, we wandered the country, hell, even the world, looking to belong, to connect, to find some kind of happiness, but it never happened. Rover and I stuck together. Upon a rare occasion, we’d run into one of the others.
“It was by accident that one of those run-ins led us to Raider and the club. A former fellow prisoner of Aksel’s had heard what Raider did.
He told us about the club and where it was.
He was just passing along information he thought we’d find interesting.
Rover and I talked it over for a couple of days, then decided to come check it out for ourselves.
That was three years ago,” Thor concluded.
“They had built something incredible, and no one was miserable or being used, commanded in the way Aksel does it. We liked what we saw. And it was the one place after all these years since that night where we felt connected. They were nice enough not to turn us away and invited us to get to know the area and them. After a week here, we asked them to consider taking us on. That’s when we learned about prospecting and what it entails.
We said yes and haven’t regretted it,” Sea Rover added.
“How long do you have to prospect? And what do you have to do to get membership? What if you don’t make it?”
They had all my attention at this point.
“It’s more about proving you can handle anything without whining or breaking.
You can handle stress and keep your club’s secrets.
Sometimes, they push it to see if they can make us break or give up.
If you show loyalty, staying power, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to protect the club, they can decide to keep you and make you a member.
If you don’t, or you quit on your own, you’re kicked out with a warning to keep your mouth shut about anything you know.
If they find out you didn’t, they’ll make your ass disappear,” Thor stated.
“As for how long we have to do this, we don’t know.
They’ve never had prospects before us. We’re the guinea pigs.
But we’re happy and have everything we need, so we’re good.
The day we hopefully get our patches will be a great day.
But we have brotherhood and protection as prospects,” Sea Rover added.
I thought over what they shared. I saw their contentment. Another thought rose.
“Would they take on more like you guys, if they’re interested? Have they ever asked?”
“We’ve had a few come by, curious about what’s going on.
They’ve been asked if they want to learn more and possibly prospect, but so far, no one has.
Even after hundreds of years, they’re still skittish.
And they like to stay under Aksel’s and his people’s radar.
There have been rumors that he’s found others and forced them to rejoin him or imprisoned them.
We haven’t verified that, but no one wants to chance it,” Thor added, speaking softly.
Anger flared inside of me. The more I learned about Aksel and his people, the more I disliked them and wished there was a way to get rid of them for good. They weren’t people who should be left to terrorize the world.
“We didn’t mean to upset you, Everlyn,” Thor said.
“You didn’t. It’s the thought of Aksel and his followers. I wish there were a way to get rid of their asses forever. Being immortal is an impediment when you have devils that need to be eliminated.”
“Damn, Zephyr sure lucked out with you. You’re taking everything really well. I hope that if what your mom told you about a way to find redemption is true, our matches will come waltzing in the door soon,” Sea Rover observed.
That led us to talk about what it would be like for them.
That conversation carried us until we heard multiple voices approaching.
One of the rooms along the perimeter of the longhouse was larger than the bedrooms, storage rooms, and bathrooms. That was where they held their meetings.
Some went straight toward the pool tables.
Others broke off and went to tables to sit and chat or to the bar, no doubt to order drinks, meaning Thor and Sea Rover were back on duty. Zephyr was headed toward me.
“Thanks for the chat. Sorry, I interrupted your work,” I told them.
“It wasn’t an interruption. We’re happy to get to know you, Everlyn. Ask us anything, anytime. And if we don’t know, we’ll find out,” Thor offered.
I reached across the bar and squeezed both their arms.
“What’re you three up to?” Zephyr asked as he reached us. His arm went automatically around me.
“We’re plotting how to steal your maiden. She’s fantastic. Better hang onto her,” Sea Rover said boldly, then winked at me.
Thor nodded his head, saying, “Yep, you’d better sleep light.”
“Those are fighting words. Sounds like it might be time for more glima,” Zephyr stated.
This remark caused both prospects to laugh before getting to work filling orders.
“Do you want anything?” Zephyr asked me.
“I still have water. But grab whatever you want.”
“I’ll get it so we can have a seat and talk,” he said.
It took moments for him to get the bottle of water and then move us over to a couch along the edge of the periphery. We got comfortable before I asked anything.
“So, how did it go? Did you figure out what you’re gonna do about the Wanderers, and in particular Aksel? Did the club think my idea to eliminate their support is a bigger impact than skirmishes where no one dies?” I asked.
“We talked it over. And I won’t go fully into specifics, but they agreed.
And the first blow will have to be against the Albany, Georgia, chapter.
We can’t sit here waiting for them to make a move.
Bone, the club president of the Marshfield, Wisconsin, club, sent some of his guys to see if they could find Aksel’s clubhouse.
And if they could spot any of them. They hung out for a few days.
They heard rumors around town that there is a club supposedly outside Rhinelander, but the citizens don’t know where it is.