Dylan's Reaper: Soul Reapers #3 (17 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Dylan

A feeling of dread filled me as I shot up in bed. I
was breathless and my heart pounded as I looked around the room. I was alone,
just like I had been when I fell asleep. The window shades were still open,
showing me it was pitch black outside. Standing up, I paced back and forth
trying to rid myself of this awful feeling. Something was wrong!

At the sound of rolling thunder approaching from the
distance, I raced out of the room and down the steps to the main area to find
Logan and Campbell hugging each other, while Emma talked on the phone.

“
Just tell me Tru,
”
she
demanded as she racked her fingers through her hair.

“
Oh shit,
”
she
sighed.
“
Ok.
I will hide the boys and get everyone armed in here.
”
A
pause as I looked at the Reed sisters whose mouths were hanging open.
“
Ok.
We will barricade the doors as well.
”
Emma
hung up the phone and looked at us.

“
We need to wake everyone up NOW,
”
she
said before Campbell broke in.

“
Why?
”
Cam
said at the same time Logan asked,
“
What
is going on?
”

“
Listen to me,
”
Emma
instructed.
“
The Night Demons are here.
”

“
Here?
”
The
sisters inquired at the same time. Their usual jinx not even on their minds.

“
Yes. As in outside our gates.
Someone tipped them off that the majority of our Reapers left, so they came
here,
”
Emma
explained.
“
Logan, go wake everyone up right
now. Cam get the gun cabinet open. Dylan, start barricading the door. I am
going to go hide my boys and be back.
”
She
turned and raced up the steps with Logan hot on her heels.

“
Fuck,
”
yelled
Cam as she ran over to the bar. I raced to the couch and started to push it
towards the back door. It was heavy as hell, but with each passing second it
seemed to get lighter and lighter until I had it up against the door. I bolted
the door before running into the kitchen to lock that door and try to barricade
it. The sounds of gunfire filled the eerie silence. It started out small but
grew and I knew that we needed help. I sprinted out the back door to the cellar
as male voices mixed with gunfire. I swung open the door and ran down the steps
jumping over the last three. Both Max and Sam were struggling against their
restraints. I grabbed the keys on the far wall.

“
These might help,
”
I
said, drawing their gazes.
“
Sam - are you
with us or against us?
”

“
I
’
m
with you,
”
he answered.

“
Not just me,
”
I
said.
“
There
’
s
Ax and a lot of women and some kids in the clubhouse. The Reapers aren
’
t
going to know that I freed you. They may think you are the enemy.
”

“
That
’
s
fine. The risk is worth the reward of saving you and Ax,
”
Sam
said as he shoulder bumped Ax.

“
Then let
’
s
go fuck some shit up,
”
Ax
exclaimed as I tossed him the keys.

“
Just like ol
’
times,
”
laughed
Sam, as Ax undid his restraints and then Sam
’
s.

“
Let
’
s
go,
”
I
said as they followed me up the stairs and into the clubhouse.

We went through the kitchen. I locked the door while
Sam and Ax worked to get the refrigerator in front of it. After it was blocked,
I led the guys into the main room where all the women had gathered. All at once
about ten guns pointed in our direction, stopping me in my tracks. Ax ran into
me as I tried taking a step back with my hands up in surrender.

“
What are they doing here?
”
Emma
asked. Who knew the petite nurse would end up being the hard ass leader of this
rag tag group of women.

“
They are here to help,
”
I
promised.
“
I trust them and so should you.
”

“
I trust Ax,
”
said
Logan as she walked to stand next to him.

“
Me too,
”
Cam
added, joining her sister.

“
I don
’
t
know,
”
Emma
confessed.
“
I can
’
t
mess this up. I can
’
t let my boys get hurt.
”
The
stress of the attack was evident on her face.
“
I
just can
’
t.
”

“
And you won
’
t,
”
I
said.
“
We
need their help. We don
’
t know what is going on
out there. We only have four brothers here. Two more will do wonders.
”

“
Dylan.
”
Her
voice a plea.
“
Do you swear to God that they won
’
t
hurt us or my boys?
”

“
I swear Em,
”
I
pledged. And I meant it. Nothing was going to hurt my new friends.

“
Ok.
”
Emma
pointed to the gun cabinet.
“
Arm yourselves,
”
she
instructed as she turned back to the group.
“
We
need to split up. Half on the front of the house and half on the back. We don
’
t
know how many Demons are going bump in the night and we need to be ready. Don
’
t
fire unless you are absolutely sure it is a bad guy. Reeds and Ax take the
back. Dylan, you and the scary man stay with me and Tricia. Everyone else
upstairs. You will be the second line in case anyone gets through the door.
There is only one way up those stairs so we need to concentrate our fire and
funnel them through that small space if we are going to have any chance of
making it through this. Ok, everybody. Go to your spots.
”
With
that everyone dispersed as Sam went to the front windows looking out.

“
You
’
re
doing great Em,
”
I
whispered as I walked past her.

“
Thanks,
”
she
mumbled as she went to the other window. The gunfire had gone silent just as
banging on the front door started. Ax came running down the back hall as Sam
stood before the door with his guns pointed.

“
Emma.
”
A
voice muffled through the door.
“
Open
the door.
”
Emma raced to the door
avoiding Sam as he tried to stop her.

“
Left, is that you?
”
she
called through the door. Her hands and forehead pressed against the wood.

“
It
’
s
me.
”

“
Do you swear no one is holding a
gun to your head?
”
Her
voice trembled as much as her hands as she placed one on the door handle.

“
I would die first Em. Open the
door,
”
Lefty
directed.

Sam rushed forward and pushed Emma behind him as he
slowly opened the door.

“
Fuck,
”
yelled
Lefty at the same time Emma yelled,
“
NO.
”
She
pushed Sam away from the opening right as Lefty fired his gun, saving Sam
’
s
life. Thank god no one was hit with the bullet as Emma took Sam
’
s
place.

“
He
’
s
with us,
”
she
informed Lefty, stepping through the door.
“
Everything
ok in here?
”
Lefty asked as he took
in the room and the women peeking down from upstairs.
“
Where
are the Reeds?
”

“
Guarding the back,
”
Ax
answered.

“
And you are okay with this?
”
questioned
Lefty, gesturing to both Ax and Sam.

“
Yes.
”
Emma
’
s
tone brokered no argument.

“
Alright.
”
Lefty
was good like that. He would take your word for it.
“
The
clubhouse is our fallback position. Right now they are just testing our
defenses which are sure as shit with all the work Gunner has put into them. If
. . . when they breach them, we will come straight here. I group text them
letting them know the Night Demons were here.
”

“
How did they know everyone left?
”
Tricia
asked from the window position she took.

“
Good question,
”
Ax
said as he looked at her from head to toe as if trying to find the answer to
her question from her. I followed him down the hallway to ask him about it when
a blast rocked the clubhouse.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Dylan

“
Dill.
”
I
heard Sam calling my name from the front.
“
Get
back here.
”
I rushed back the way I
had come while Ax ran to the opposite direction to Logan and Cam.

“
What the hell was that?
”
I
asked as I came into the main area.

“
Not sure, but it didn
’
t
sound good,
”
replied Lefty as he
made his way to the front door. Keep this door locked but clear in case we need
to get in quickly. Don
’
t open it for anyone
that is not a brother,
”
he
instructed as he looked at Emma.
“
I
don
’
t
care if they have all of us on our knees getting ready to meet the Reaper himself,
you understand?
”

“
I do.
”
Emma
hugged Lefty, whispering in his ear, before she locked the door behind him.

More gunfire and another loud explosion sounded. Sam
had sent Tricia to check on the back first and then the ladies upstairs. There
was an eerie silence inside while all hell broke loose outside. We waited and
waited as the noise levels grew. We all jumped when there was a loud banging on
the door. Sam went over first with Emma close on his heels.

“
Who
’
s
there?
”
Sam
’
s
voice loud as he spoke to the person on the other side.

“
It
’
s
Mica. He is one of ours,
”
Emma
explained. Sam slowly opened the door and then dragged Mica in. He was bleeding
from a head wound as Emma helped him to an armchair.

“
Coming through.
”
A
voice yelled right as Sam went to close the door. Woods dragged Tru through the
door as Emma raced to meet them.

“
Tricia. Get my medical bag out of
my room,
”
she
commanded.
“
And hurry.
”
Tricia
took off up the stairs. Sam got the door closed as Woods looked around the
room. Emma began working on Tru immediately.

“
Everyone okay in here?
”
Woods
asked.

“
Yeah. How is it out there?
”
Sam
inquired.

“
We will have to fall back soon. I
don
’
t
know how we are going to keep them out. There are a shit ton of them and only a
handful of us.
”

“
Are there any clubs close that can
help?
”
It
was a good question from Sam.

“
Not close enough to help. Lefty
sent a group text to all the brothers, but they are over eight hours away and
in pretty thick shit themselves. It
’
s
just us.
”

“
Oh God,
”
Emma
cried. I looked to see Mica on his knees next to Tru
’
s
body as Emma continued to work feverishly. Tricia ran back down the steps and
handed Emma her bag.
“
Push this down,
”
she
told Mica as she searched through her bag, pulling out a pair of gloves and
what looked to be really long tweezers.  She put the gloves on as she yelled,
“
I
need vodka.
”
Woods went and grabbed
some, giving it to Emma as she poured it over the instrument. Removing Mica
’
s
hands from Tru, she stuck the tweezers into his stomach as she began rooting
around.
“
Fuck.
I need to find the bullet,
”
she
yelled as she used her other hand to move shit around inside Tru. 

I had to look away as she was now covered in Tru
’
s
blood and so was most of Mica. Sam diverted his eyes as well looking out the
window and Emma continued to swear and pray and beg until she exclaimed,
“
Got
it.
”
 
When
I turned around I gagged at the insane view of Tru
’
s
insides hanging out of him and Emma trying to stuff them back in.

“
Tru!
”
Emma
was not screaming.
“
You stay with me God
damn it.
”
His
skin was a grey color and his chest barely moved.
“
Shit.
Shit. Shit. Um. Um. He needs blood.
”
Woods
went to kneel beside her.

“
Emma.
”
His
voice loud in the silence.

“
No Woods.
”

“
I am O negative. I
’
m
a universal donor. I need you to help me hook us up so I can give him blood.

I stood now at the same window as Sam, with him on
one side looking out and me on the other. I could no longer watch the scene
unfold as Emma continued to beg Woods. The noise outside was no longer as loud
as it once was.

“
What do the Night Demons want with
the Soul Reapers?
”
A
question I had never thought to ask my father, brother, or Knox. Sam, at this
point in time, was my best option.

“
Revenge.
”

“
For what?
”

“
Killing our former Prez, Luc
’
s
pop.
”

“
They killed him?
”
I
was shocked.
“
I don
’
t
believe you.
”

“
Not them, just one. But he did it
with his cut on so now the club is responsible whether it was a sanctioned hit
or not.
”

“
Sanctioned hit? What the fuck? This
ain
’
t
the mafia Samael. Which Reaper?
”
His
answer of Whistler confirmed my guess.
“
And
what did the Demons do to Whistler?
”

“
It
’
s
a long, messy story Dilly. One that will give you nightmares.
”

“
Too late for that,
”
I
said cutting him off.
“
The Hellhounds saw to
that.
”
His
head jerked to mine. His eyes full of regret as he stared at me.

“
I am so sorry Dylan. I tried
everything I could.
”

“
No you didn
’
t,
”
I
argued.
“
You
could have told me. You could have warned me. Hell, you could have gotten me
out of the fucking bar where your brothers hang out 24/7. There is a lot of
shit you coulda tried.
”
I
air-quoted the last word.

“
You
’
re
right, but I chose this path. And the Demons have chosen theirs, just like the
Hellhounds and the Reapers. We are all here because of one selfish person,
”
said
Sam.

“
Who?
”
Please
don
’
t say my mother.

“
Your mother.
”
Shit.