Soul Of A Woman (The Dark Souls) (18 page)

“You are so beautiful. When you come, it’s like you’re handing me your soul. This time, I’m going to take it and never give it back. Do you hear me?”

She nodded her head against his chest.

“Good.” He flipped her onto her back, remaining inside of her.
“Before I’m done with you tonight, you’re going to forgive every time I’ve hurt you.” The egotistical conqueror was back, staring down at her. Broni blamed herself for loving a vain man. On the other hand, he did deserve adulation for the way he had just fucked her.

“Every time? I don’t think even you can accomplish that in one night.”

“That’s okay. There’s always tomorrow night.”

Broni gave him a mischievous smile. “I’m certainly willing for you to try.”

Chapter 26

Broni refilled Mason and Harlow’s drinks before turning back to the sink to finish washing the dishes. It was well after dark, but Broni didn’t worry about going to the bedroom. Anyone that dared to touch her met with her warrior’s fist. Even Tank had become afraid of him, only challenging Adam’s authority when Rhys wasn’t around. He had become Adam’s enforcer, able to do what the other bikers had not, preventing anyone that dared to go against Adam. The clubhouse strangely had fallen into a routine while the rest of the world fell apart around them.

Nikki, Dee, and Becca were dancing on the stage. When Broni had told the women they didn’t have to any longer, they had looked at her as if she was crazy. After that, she didn’t try to interfere with the women, the choice had been given to them. They enjoyed being the club’s property, and it wasn’t up to her to judge except when one would approach Rhys.

The new blonde woman, Jessie, that had been brought back a couple of weeks ago was making her way through every biker in the club. She had finally managed to fuck Adam last night, which she had bragged about all morning to the other women who had learned to ignore her. There remained only one left, Rhys.

Broni wiped her hands on the sides of her jeans when she saw the slut edge her way closer to the table he and Adam were sitting at.
Rhys, to his credit, didn’t notice her until she sidled up to him, brushing her bikini-clad breasts against his shoulder. The club was hot and most of the women wore as little as possible, so it wasn’t all that odd for Jessie to be strutting around in a bikini top. Only Abby and Broni had continued to wear their normal t-shirts and jeans.

Broni watched to see his reaction, a stabbing pain plunging into her heart when he smiled up at her. The last two weeks had been perfect, she should have prepared herself. The man couldn’t be faithful.

When he stood, picking Jessie up easily, she wrapped her legs around his waist, giggling as she ground her pussy in tiny shorts against his stomach. Broni gripped the counter, her worst nightmare coming true.

Confusion filled her when instead of carrying her to the bedrooms, he walked to
the stage. Once there, he roughly jerked her legs from him then stepped away.

“Shake those tits for the ones who want to see them, I don’t.” With that, he turned, walking away without looking back, returning to his table and continuing his conversation as if he hadn’t been interrupted.

Jessie sat for several seconds before she got to her feet and started dancing with the other women. Broni didn’t think anything could faze the woman.

“Broni, come here.” Her attention was drawn from the stage. She walked to Rhys’s table where he took her hand and then pulled her down onto his lap.
“Did I not tell you that I can be faithful?”

Broni looked into his eyes, realizing he had seen her hurt feelings and wanted to soothe her. The old Rhys would never have cared whether she had been hurt or was jealous when Jessie had pressed against him.

His hand reached up, pulling her face down, and her mouth met his, giving him what he wanted and she needed. His hand slid between her thighs and Broni tore her mouth away, about to jump from his lap, but his arms refused to let her go.

“I never said I was a gentleman.”

Just as she glared back at him, a loud squeal came from the stage. Jessie’s scream turned to laughter as Tank plucked her from the stage, tossing her over his shoulder before carrying her back toward the bedrooms.

“She’s going to get more than she bargained for. Tank’s been pissed all day,” Adam commented.

Broni felt sorry for the woman. All the other women were aware of Tank’s violent tendencies and stayed away from him. Adam had threatened him that if he beat another woman he had to leave. So far, he had behaved himself, however Broni was sure it wouldn’t last. He wasn’t capable of changing the ugliness in his soul.

Broni was relieved an hour later when they returned and Jessie wasn’t hurt, which surprised Broni. She didn’t like the woman, but no one deserved the treatment Tank liked to dish out. Adam’s threat must have kept him under control.

Tank’s mood hadn’t improved, though. After he stormed back into the clubroom, he shoved Skid out of his chair, taking it for himself.

For a while afterward, Broni sat at the table listening to Rhys and Adam as they
discussed where the best places were to search for more food. She noticed Jessie sitting with two bikers, their table bursting into laughter as they stared at Tank. One stood up, picking Jessie up and laying her across the table. He then pulled off her shorts, whipping out his cock before plunging it into Jessie.

“Fuck me harder.” Her loud voice had everyone watching, which Broni was sure was what she’d wanted to accomplish.

“How does it feel to be fucked by a real man?”

“What the fuck do you mean by that?” Tank yelled, standing up.

The young biker made the mistake of laughing in Tank’s face. “You want to watch, Tank? That Jell-O you call a dick might actually get hard.”

That was all it took; Tank attacked him, and with his cock buried in Jessie, the kid didn’t stand a chance.

Tank stepped behind him, putting his arm around his neck and then twisting his head in one movement. The biker was dead in less than a second.

Broni screamed, rising to her feet while Adam and Rhys ran toward Tank who pulled his handgun from behind his back, pointing it at Rhys.

“No.” Broni tried to push him out of the way, but Rhys took them both to the floor, upending a table to block the shots that Tank was firing into the room.

Pandemonium erupted. Bikers and women ran from the room in all directions.

“Broni!” Broni turned, hearing her name. Abby was in the doorway, almost knocked over from the others fleeing. Abby ran toward her and the gunfire suddenly stopped.

Broni started to rise up, but Rhys pushed her back down.
“Stay put!”

He got to his feet, but before he could reach Abby, Tank put a hand around her neck, holding her still.

“No!” Broni screamed.

“Shut the fuck up. Take another step, Rhys, and I will blow her fucking brains out.”

Rhys and Adam immediately stopped. Jace tried to move closer, however one of Tank’s friends hit him with the barrel of his gun. Balder tried from another direction, only coming to a stop when Tank cocked the gun against Abby’s temple.

“Tank, stop. Let’s all cool down.” Adam tried to gain control of the situation. Tank was too far gone, though. He started edging toward the door with his four friends following him, their guns keeping everyone in place.

“If you come out this door after her, you’ll be burying her,” Tank threatened, going out the door with his friends following closely.

“Shit!” Adam yelled, running for the door without going outside.

Broni tried to run after them, but Rhys held her back with his arm around her waist. “Broni, calm down. We’ll get her back, but charging after him will only get her hurt.”

“He’s going to hurt her anyway, Rhys. If we don’t stop him—”

The loud sound of the motorcycles leaving had them gazing outside. They were leaving the compound, and Tank had tied Abby’s wrists around his waist. Her terrified face stared back at Broni.

“Harlow, get Balder. Jace, follow them.”

Jace took off.

“We’ll get her back,” Rhys said grimly. “Go stay in the bedroom. Adam and I will follow behind the others.”

Broni nodded her head, watching as both men left. She stood at the door for several minutes before realizing the futility of staring at the empty yard.

Slowly, everyone started coming back inside the clubroom.

“Are you okay?” Dee asked.

“I’m fine. Let’s get the room straightened.”

It took an hour to right the room and clean the broken glass up from the floor. Afterward, Broni couldn’t bring herself to go to the bedroom without knowing how Abby was. Dee and Nikki both sat down with her while Jessie stood uncertainly at the counter. The men, subdued, had ignored her the rest of the night.

Relief flooded through her when she heard the sounds of the motorcycles approaching the gate. The men came in tired with expressions that told the news wasn’t good.

“Tank took her to a YMCA at the edge of town. It’s been taken over by a large group,” Rhys told her.

Broni’s eyes filled with tears, imagining Abby’s terror.

“We’ll get her back, Broni. We have to figure a way that won’t get her killed first, though.” Broni leaned against Rhys when he pulled her up from the chair.

“I know you will. Let’s get some sleep.”

They went to their room, neither speaking until they slid into the bed.

Rhys pulled her close and Broni slid her arms around him, holding him tight, shivering in the warm night.

“Why did you try to protect me when Tank shot at me? The bullet couldn’t hurt me.”

“Reflex. I’m so used to protecting you I didn’t think,” Broni admitted.

He loomed over her in the darkness. “If you died on Earth, what would happen?”

Broni was silent.

“Broni?” His voice turned harsh.

“If I die on Earth, then Cara will come for my soul.”

“Where will she take it?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered.

“How do you go home again?”

“I don’t.”

Chapter 27

Broni moved through the silent street, trying to remain in the shadows for the brief moments they would last; the sun would be up soon. She had sneaked out of the clubhouse while everyone still slept.

She edged a little closer, seeing the bikes parked outside the YMCA the Road Demons had taken over. Broni was sick at the thought of how many survivors they had killed taking it. The government had already disposed of the bodies while the few survivors that remained were held captive inside to serve them.

And Abby was now one of them. She swore she would kill Tank for kidnapping her and giving her to the monsters inside.

Adam and the men were planning their attack after having Balder watching them the last three days. Broni had every confidence they would succeed, but in the meantime, Abby was suffering. She knew the men in the club better than they did. If they were like the ones she’d left behind, they would be passed out. She was going to take the opportunity to steal Abby back.

Gripping her sword hidden under her cloak, she walked confidently toward the building with her heart in her throat.

“Where do you think you’re going?” A thin scraggly youth guarded the door.

“Tank sent for me.” The boy nodded, opening the door.

Broni inched inside to a large, empty room with broken furniture, glass, and trash everywhere. The stench was terrible. When Broni accidently kicked a bottle that had rolled across the floor, she paused, unsure of where to go now.

Taking a deep breath to gather her courage, she began searching the rooms, and what she found sickened her. Broni hated to leave anyone behind, but knew she wouldn’t stand a chance of taking more than Abby with her.

She slowly unlocked a small door, peeking inside. The flickering light showed it was a small closet, and sitting on the floor was the child Broni recognized from the fire. She had aged since she had last seen her, however Broni easily recognized her.

Broni squatted down before her. “Zandra? Can you hear me?”

The girl’s frightened eyes flickered open and she was about to scream when
Broni quickly put her hand over the girl’s mouth.

“Sh… they’ll hear me. I can help you get out of here, but you have to stay quiet, okay?”

The terrified girl nodded her head. Broni carefully removed her hand. “Okay, follow me and be as quiet as you can.”

Broni closed the closet door, moving on to the next room.

“Stay here,” she instructed Zandra.

Broni opened the door quietly to find an empty room. She motioned for Zandra to come inside. Broni closed the door once she entered then went to the window which was probably why they didn’t use the room; it was too vulnerable. She gave thanks to Mother when the window slipped open.

“Zandra, I want you to climb out and run to that building there. I’ll meet you there when I find my friend, then I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

The girl nodded, climbing out the window with Broni’s help.

As soon as she made it to the building, Broni resumed her search for Abby. When she finally found her, Abby was lying under Tank with her eyes open. What he had done to her friend was the most horrific sight Broni had ever seen. For a second, she thought she was too late, however, the movement of her blinking had Broni breathing a grateful breath.

There were two of Tank’s buddies lying on the floor near the bed. Broni put her sword silently in the loop of her pants, pulling out a dagger she kept hidden in her boots. Saying a brief word to Mother for the demise of their souls to Hades, she moved to the first man.

Broni felt the ice cold presence of Grimm as she slit the sleeping man’s throat. Swallowing down the bile, she moved to the other man on the floor, slitting his throat without remorse. Both men were too drunk to feel the knife at their throat.

Broni really wanted to use the sword on Tank, yet she was too frightened she would endanger Abby. Raising the knife, she was prepared to drive it into his back when Tank rolled over suddenly as she plunged the knife downward. Unable to stop her forward momentum, she barely managed to change her trajectory, driving the knife deep in his chest.

He sat up with a roar, and if Broni didn’t shut him up instantly, they would be found. Not wanting to take a chance with the knife again, she reached over to the nightstand and picked up a bottle that was almost full, hitting him on his temple. Thankfully, he fell off the bed, unconscious.

“Abby? Baby, do you hear me?” Broni picked up the sheet from the floor, wrapping it around the woman, attempting to tug her up. When she didn’t make a sound, Broni became more scared than she had ever been in her life at her vacant look.

“Please, Abby, you have to help me. I can’t pack you out of here.” Broni tried to shake her, but there was nothing inside the glazed girl’s eyes.

Broni sighed, sitting down on the side of the bed and coming to a decision. She couldn’t leave the girl. Come what may, she would accept what happened next as long as Abby would know she wasn’t alone any more.

Broni took her hand in hers and waited.

It didn’t take long before the door slammed open. Broni blinked her eyes twice at the man standing in the doorway.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing sitting down? Get her the hell out of here,” Adam said, coming into the room, slipping in the blood. “Jesus Christ. Did you do this?” His amazed eyes took in the carnage.

“Yes. I can’t get her to move.”

Adam went to the door, motioning to someone outside. Ransom came in, carrying a gun. “Get Abby out of here.”

The man didn’t waste words, picking the girl up and running out of the room. No sooner had he left than Adam motioned her to come to him in the doorway. Broni was walking across the room when Tank rose from the floor. He raised her knife, striking out to plunge it into her back when Adam fired his gun, shooting him through the heart. The man fell forward, knocking a stunned Broni down. Adam pulled the limp body from her.

“What the fuck? I thought he was dead.” he said as he helped her to her feet.

“I was only able to knock him out.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he yelled.

“There wasn’t time.”

“Next time, tell me when they aren’t dead. That shit is kind of important.”

“How was I supposed to know he was going to rise up right then?”

“I’m getting fucking tired of your attitude. You aren’t even supposed to be here. Rhys woke me up. You’re lucky he loves you, or I would have let them keep you for this stupid stunt. Hell, they would have probably begged me to take you back you’re such a pain in the ass.”

Broni wanted to snap back at him, instead she took out her sword, slashing it through the air at the Road Demons barreling down the hallway toward them. Adam raised his gun, firing into the men trying to overwhelm them.

“Move.” Rhys appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her, pushing her behind him. “Harlow, get her the fuck out of here.” Broni was jerked down a different hallway to a doorway that led outside and to one of the RVs.

“Get inside,” Harlow ordered.

Broni started to climb inside the huge vehicle then remembered Zandra. As she took off running to the small building, Broni heard the sound of racing motors. Dozens of bikes came toward her. She tried to run faster, knowing deep in her heart she wasn’t going to make it when suddenly Rhys was there, transporting her from the middle of the road to the RV.

“I have to get Zandra!” she argued, trying to get out.

“So help me, if you make one move, I will make you sorry. Stay here and don’t move.”

Rhys went across the street, coming back with Zandra cradled in his arms. Thrusting her inside with Broni, his fist hit the side of the RV.
“Get them back to the clubhouse.”

When the door snapped closed, Broni was thrown off balance as the vehicle took off, leaving Rhys behind. Broni turned to see him running back inside the YMCA where Adam and his men were still fighting, and she prayed for their safety.

Gathering herself, she made sure Zandra was safely seated before rushing to Abby. Her blank stare told her that none of the excitement had brought her out of her daze. Sitting down next to her, Broni held her close.

“It’s going to be all right, Abby,” Broni lied to her friend, fully aware she was never going to be the same.