Seven Sunsets (5 page)

“No, you’ll stay the night. You’re not needed in Texas for a couple more days.” Skitter walked on, ordering a round of drinks from one of the mama’s who’d come with him.

I slid into a booth across from Bones, thinking about what Skitter had said. “What are we going to do about this shit?” I was keeping my voice quiet.

“I hate that motherfucker. Little fucking mosquito,” he told me, mimicking pinching Skitter’s head from afar. “He’s got a fucking tiny head for his fucking tiny brain.”

“So what you want to do about it?”

“Are we outlaws or not? I’ll start a fight. Get your woman and get to your bike.”

I started toward the stairs while Bones turned up the music to ear bleed level. Black Betty was blasting when Bones took the first punch, striking one of the biggest of our brothers. The fight grew like a fire and caught up with me before I made it to the stairs. A man I didn’t know jumped on my back and knocked me to the floor. Some whore busted him in the head with a beer bottle, spraying me with bud light. He went down, and I ran up the stairs to get Emery. Fuck, the room laid empty. She was gone again. I ran down stairs and dodged my way through the mess, pissed that she was always vanishing. I found her outside, staring at the fucking sunset. Even in my haste, I noticed florescent orange splattered across the sky. I’d also noticed Emery had been crying, but I had no time to ask what was wrong with her.

“What the hell are you doing, always disappearing on me?”

“Why the fuck do you care? You changed on me as soon as you put that vest on.”

Oh, we were finally going there, right when I didn’t have the time. “You killed Kym and Shirley like it was nothin’. For someone who wanted to die, you seem to wanna save yourself awful bad.”

“I killed that whore and the Banshee to save you.”

We didn’t have time for this shit. “We’re leaving.” I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder.

Mud, Bones and Cowboy seemed to make it out the front just as we did. I ran to my bike, watching Raunchy coming with our food strapped on the back. He was waving his arms, and I waved to try to let him know to follow us on. But he drove on past. Behind him were ten motorcycles.

“He’s led them to us. Fuck,” I said to no one as we all tore out of the lot after Raunchy. I sped to get ahead of him. “Fuck,” I said again. Emery clung to my back. Soon they’d be close enough to take a shot. 

Sure my brothers would take my lead, I went toward the freeway. Lane splitting, I swerved into the oncoming traffic to cross to the other side to the exit. I was a one trick pony, realizing I’d already used it on the Heelz days ago. Pulling into a gas station, I took off my lid. “Fuck,” I said to Raunchy.

“Fuck yourself. It’s not like they followed me from Florida. They’ve been following you.”

It was true. If they were this far after me, Raunchy had nothing to do with it.

“We lost them,” Cowboy hollered as he pulled in, but he was wrong. Coming from the other direction was a pink Harley. Fuck, it was Rage and Dixie. The others wouldn’t be too far behind.

Dixie got off her bike before Rage but both of them had their weapons drawn in an instant. I drew my weapon as quick as lightening, putting us in a standoff. Sugar Hips squealed in behind us, two guns out. Dixie came straight to me while Sugar Hips inched closer in behind, training his gun on Cowboy too, who also had his weapon out. I glanced behind me to see Emery must’ve pulled her gun when Sugar Hips pulled in. While we all had our guns pointed at someone, Raunchy had both hands up. Fucking useless. It had also gotten dark, but we were under the bright lights of the gas station. This had to end soon or we’d spending the night in the slammer. Mud and Bones weren’t here yet but that was a good thing. Maybe they’d catch them off guard and we could be on our way.

“Get off your sweet ass off your scooter, Scar. I want your back warmer, not you.”

“I killed the Banshee, Dixie.”

“Bullshit,” Rage stayed on her bike. “Legs done told us you can’t kill a woman.”

“Yeah, you fuckin’ pussy. Give me the girl. Blood for Blood.” Dixie took a step closer.

“Mutherfukers want her too, alive,” Sugar Hips added, talking to the Heelz not me.

“But, they ain’t here, are they?” Dixie said, suddenly shooting in the air. The bystanders started to panic. I glanced around carefully to see a woman and child hunched down by the door to the gas station.

“Just hold up.” I held up my free hand. “Don’t get crazy.”

I heard the engines roaring up the road, getting closer. Unfortunately, it was two Mutherfukers, their white cuts giving them away right away. Fucking me, Emery and Cowboy against five. If Bones and Mud got here, it’d even it up some.

I didn’t know these Mutherfukers. They both got off their bikes at the same time and started shooting, first the people at the pumps then the woman with the child hunched by the door took a shot in the leg. The kid was screaming. While Dixie looked distracted, I went to the little girl on instinct. When I got to the girl, someone opened the door and took the child, probably afraid I was going to hurt her myself. Another shot rang out, and when I turned my head, Emery had her gun pointed at Dixie instead of Sugar Hips. I hoped she’d get off another perfect shot, right between the bitch’s eyes, but she didn’t shoot. Dixie fired, and Emery was down, bleeding.

The world stopped as I ran for Emery, afraid she was dead. Her head was bleeding. Falling hard on my knees, I frantically searched her body for a wound.

Cowboy, well he went Cowboy on their asses. Unlike the Mutherfukers who’d been setting up a negotiation by maiming the innocent people around us, Cowboy shot the two Mutherfukers dead without hesitation and had Dixie by the throat. Mud and Bones pulled in just as Rage and Sugar Hips took off.

“I’m after them. You all go on ahead to Texas. I’ll catch up,” Mud announced. “I’ll make sure they don’t follow you.”

“Alone?” Bones asked.

“What kind of man am I if I can’t take care of a queer and a woman?”

I didn’t have time to worry about Mud underestimating either of them. I noticed Emery was alive, her eyes fluttering. I fought the urge to hug her to me and celebrate. Instead, Dixie got my attention. Cowboy held her tight, his gun under her chin as I jumped to my feet.

“I don’t have a quarrel with the Gods. We want the woman dead,” she said through clinched teeth as Cowboy ‘bout snapped her arms off. Hearing sirens in the distance, I took my blade and slit her shirt open, pushing my blade against her soft skin just as Serpentine had mine.

“Scar, hurry up. We’ve gotta go. Do you need me to kill the bitch?” Bones asked, helping Emery up behind me. “Raunchy’s dead,” he added.

“The woman is mine,” I told Dixie, looking deep in her eyes. I’d seen the evil that laid in her eyes before. She wouldn’t rest until Emery was cold. “The Heelz want blood, they can come get mine.” It took so little effort, pushing the sharp metal into her flesh. I ran it down, slicing her open, spilling her guts. Cowboy dropped her, and I watched her bleed as I mounted my bike, fighting the memories of my own mother’s death that threatened to surface.

My mind was racing the whole ride. I’d never killed a woman before and something about that invisible line had kept me sane. Now, I was going crazy inside as I pushed my cruiser to its limits to get away before the heat caught up to us. Trying not to think of the first time I’d cut someone like Serpentine had me was no good.

I was only fifteen, tired of people saying how lucky I was to be living. Life was shit without the ones you love. I missed my daddy telling me about his work at dinner and mama kissing me at bedtime. I missed my annoying little sister too. Then I wondered if all those were childish thoughts and my mama had been right all along. I wasn’t a man at all. My sadness turned to anger like souring milk. It’s like when Serpentine cut me, his evil slinked in, and Legs had sewed it up in me. The boy she saved hadn’t woken up the same. Looking at my scar in the mirror, I’d imagine it bubbled up because the evil was trying to get out. One day, I took it out on a kid who’d done me wrong. Slit him like a frog on dissection day. Until that moment, I’d thought I could grow up and leave the Asphalt Gods MC, but the General cleaned up my mess and gave me a back patch that week, celebrating my first kill.

With nothing but the field of stars ahead of me, my thoughts thankfully turned to my mission. It hadn’t gone as planned, but it would end on my terms. I could leave this outlaw life and give Halley the life she deserves. Thinking of her growing up with the SOS made me sick. I’d turned out to be a bad man, an evil man under the wing of a club who was a hundred times better than the Sons of Satan. Would Halley be a hard woman? Would she even want to change? Of course she will, I told myself. I’d help her. I’d cross the stars for her.

We rode to the mountains. Emery had been well enough to ride all night, straight through to about an hour outside of San Antonio where we made camp. Trying to avoid our brothers in Texas, Bones knew a little secluded place near a state park we could rest for the day. We’d ride again at dusk.

Emery hadn’t been shot. She must’ve fallen off my motorcycle, avoiding it and hit her head, because she had a nasty gash across her pretty forehead. Her leather had protected the rest of her. Not sure if she had a concussion or not, I let her go to sleep as soon as I laid out my old plaid blanket on the ground. The boys and I napped then shot the shit until Cowboy and Bones left to rustle up some dinner. Bones had loaded his gun, so I wasn’t sure if they meant take out or they were hunting rabbits. I built a fire waiting for them to return. With them gone, I noticed we were camped amongst the fall colors, I smiled thinking Emery would probably enjoy the view. Her face would light up like it did when she saw the sunset. It’d been a long time since I’d appreciated the view, the sky… even the sight of a pretty woman like I did with Emery. She’d woken up something inside me, a different man who wanted her to be happy.

Watching her sleeping, I thought of her lying on the ground bleeding. I’d thought I lost her, and those few minutes, well, they about killed me.

I woke Emery up. “You alright?”

She felt her forehead. “I think I need to get cleaned up.”

I handed her my canteen. I’d already cleaned her up some while she was sleeping.

“Little girl’s room?”

I pointed to the woods, and Emery scowled before disappearing.

When she got back the sun was setting, the sky streaked with yellows on dark blue but not a cloud to be seen. “What do you think about this one?”

“As beautiful as any other,” she said, but I was looking at her beauty as she got that twinkle in her eye.

“Still say you need some clouds.” Even with the gash in her head, she was breathtaking as usual. 

Emery sat back on the blanket. I moved to sit with her but she scooted away. Fuck! She’d seen me slit Dixie wide open. Did it scare her? I tried to put my arm around her.

She shrugged me off and got up to stand. “That woman back there…”

I hung my head. “Didn’t choose this life, it chose me. You knew I was a killer.” I looked at her dead on. “Why didn’t you shoot her?”

“I didn’t want to shoot one of your friends again.” Emery gave me a sullen look. Her voice shook, “I walk after California, right?”

“Walk right now if you want.”

Fuck—she turned around and walked. I waited, but a man can only wait so long. I followed her, caught up with her and slung her over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes, taking her back to camp. Emery fought, that fire in her flickering once again. Hell, she fought and hollered so much I went to my bike for my chain. I sat her down and wrapped the length around her, tying her to a big tree.

“You gonna kill me too?”

“Thought that’s what you wanted.” I regretted the words soon as I’d said them.

“Fuck you,” she all but spat.

I softened, “I’m not going to kill you.”

“Yeah, really? I know about Halley.”

I glared at her. What did she know? Just when I thought I was sure… Had I been wrong about her again? Was she really after me and mine? “What the fuck do you know?”

“I’m not stupid. I can put two and two together. You need a hundred grand to save your woman, and I’m worth that much.”

“My woman? You’re my woman,” I bellowed, barely believing my roar.

“No, Scar. I heard the Banshee, even though I tried to tell myself it wasn’t true. Then I heard you on the phone with Halley and her captor. Why else would you need me to go to California?”

“You don’t understand.”

“Sure I do. I have myself all figured out. I’m too easy. I fall too easy. I fell for a killer.”

“I’m not going to kill you.”

“Don’t matter. Mark my words, I’ll be dead before you can trade me off for your whore. I won’t make it back to Manul alive.”

“You’re wrong. Halley’s my baby sister.”

Emery looked like she didn’t believe me.

“Listen here. Sons of Satan MC, Serpentine, their Prez—the one who did this.” I lifted my shirt to remind her the nasty mess I was. “He killed my parents and took her. She was only five. It’s been ten goddamn years since I found out she was still breathing. Known she needed me. I promised my mother I’d take care of her, and I’ve failed. Instead, I’ve been a good solider. For ten fucking years I’ve listened to my President make excuse after excuse for not being able to go in guns blazing and rescue a little girl from Satan. Do you know how insane that is?” I hit the tree beside her head, scaring her even more. “But I’ve finally woken up. It only took years on my own to do it. I’m rescuing her. The General don’t own me. I’m not one of them.” I was breathing hard, saying more than she’d even been looking for.

Emery’s eyes were wide. “So, you’re not trading me in.”

“No.” I kicked the dirt. “I’m not saying I didn’t think about it, but I was a damned fool to. You killed my friend, and fuck, I don’t know why the hell the mob is after you but I’m not trading you. I’m fixing to kill the devil. Then I’m leaving the Gods for good. Halley and I weren’t made for this life.” We were meant to live the kind of life my parents had. No killing, or orders, or double crossing bullshit. I had Emery tied to a tree for god’s sake. I was tired of a fucked up life. I let Emery out of the chain. “You could come with me.”

Emery shook her head.

“Is that a no?”

She rubbed her arms where I’d hurt her. “It doesn’t matter because I’m doomed anyhow. I’m broken. I don’t know if I want to live most days.”

“Life without the Gods won’t be easy. I’ll have to become someone new.” I took a breath. “You could disappear too.”

“Manul will always find me.”

“So what’s your plan? Give up and die? Or do you want to fight?”

She showed me her arms littered in cuts and the jagged scar in her wrist, the one I’d sewn up. “I’m losing the battle.” Tears stained her eyes and she looked upset she couldn’t stop them.

“Look at my scar.” I lifted my shirt to show her. “I survived.”

“But, I’ve always been weak. There’s only so much a person can take. Manul’s ruined the last eight years of my life and plans to ruin the rest of it. I’d rather die.”

Bones and Cowboy were back with food, their headlights highlighting Emery’s tear streaked face. “We ride to El Paso tonight. You coming?”

“Do I have a choice?” Emery wiped at her face, trying to pull herself back together.

“Nope.”

Our brothers were waiting for us in Horizon City, but we made it to El Paso with only a few stops and no trouble. I was beginning to think we’d left trouble far behind but that’s what I got for thinking. Trouble was riding our way in the form of the Coyote Ghosts MC. Fuck—I sort of liked my scalp. What were they doing down from Oklahoma?

“Looks like we’ve been followed,” I said as Bones got off his bike. I wanted to run. We were outside the hotel we’d planned on staying in for the rest of the night and day in until we rode on to catch Polecat before he made it to the Texas clubhouse. There went our plans.

Cowboy shut off his engine too.

“What the hell are you thinking?” I was about to peel out of there with Emery when Cowboy stopped me.

“Chill out. Bones called them.”

“What the fuck?” The Coyote Ghosts weren’t supposed to mess with us anymore, nor us them.

“They’re going to run interference for us. Cause a ruckus tomorrow night.”

“What about the truce?”

“As long as they don’t shed blood, they aren’t breaking it. I can’t control what our brothers will do, though.” Bones lit a smoke, shaking the match out. Talking out of the side of his mouth, he said, “Relax.”

“Why would they help us?”

“You’re not the only one who trades favors. We’ve got to survive and sometimes counting on the club isn’t enough. They’ve been good to us in Louisiana.” He added, “It’s the General who agreed to the truce anyhow. Why shouldn’t we do business? Plus, they’d love to see Serpentine dead.” Bones’ big grin said he’d like it too.

As I mulled over the fact he’d told others I planned to kill Serpentine, Bones saluted them as they pulled in beside us. There were only four of them. We were greeted by a silent nod, and Bones handed Bald Beak a brown paper package—drugs or money one. Favor my ass. He was buying us some help.

Bones smirked, and I shrugged. Whatever.

“Like your bike,” one of them told me. His cut read Cujo. He was talking about my Indian, and I didn’t know if he was serious or not. Their center pie was much like the emblem on my bike, but they all rode Harleys. Not one feather or long hair among them, they were all Native American—had to be to be a member. They wouldn’t stay to party, as Cowboy suggested. When they drove off, I asked Bones what was in the package, not that I cared if he was selling drugs off the books.

“I cleaned something for him.”

“Gross,” Cowboy coughed. I’d been thinking it too. Bones had a bin of flesh eating bugs at home that helped in his collection of his namesake.

“You mean he gave you something to clean?” Cowboy asked, still grossed out, something meaning a body part.

Bones nodded, smiling.

I told him, “Man, next thing you know we’ll be calling you Hannibal.”

“Hell no. I don’t eat the flesh. That’s what the bugs are for.”

“Speaking of Hannibal.” Cowboy wanted to talk about our plan.

“Speaking of pussy.” Bones wanted to go to a strip club since we weren’t going to the clubhouse. “We’ll talk in the morning.”

“You two go on. I’ve got my pussy.”

Emery slapped my back. “Is that what I am?” She pouted as they rode away.

“No, but I plan on fucking you so good you beg to come away with me.” I kissed her, and we made our way to our room. Bones had checked us in this nice hotel with one of his business accounts. One I’m sure the club didn’t know about. He wouldn’t have risked us being found. I cleared my head and concentrated on Emery’s ass swaying in front of me. I’d thought I’d needed a drink, but now I wanted to bury my head somewhere else.