Page 14 of Into the Dawn (The Devil’s Claw #3)

14

BEN

T he compound is like some post-apocalyptic hillbilly nightmare, all centred around a large, open dirt area.

My beast catalogues every detail, the way the buildings form a natural arena, how the shadows fall across open spaces, and where cover might be found. The placement isn't random; it's designed to trap, to corner, to control.

There's a haphazard circle of ramshackle wooden houses, and at the top of them all, one much bigger, fancier homestead with a wide porch and a swing that faces directly at the entrance onto the property. The perfect vantage point for an egomaniac alpha to watch his domain.

It's still early, and the sky is a pale, washed-out blue with streaks of yellow and a haze still hanging over the mountain. The air feels heavy, oppressive, like the land itself knows what happens here.

The trees around the compound are sparse looking, just as straggly and unkempt as the few mangy dogs that wander up to the truck as we roll to a stop. My nose picks up their fear scent; even the animals here are beaten down.

No healthy leader would let their territory fall into such disarray.

Doors creak open and faces appear through dirty, cracked windows as they look out to see what's going on. I note how they move, slowly and carefully, like prey animals watching for predators. No one makes eye contact.

When Jed glances their way, they shrink back into the shadows. The hierarchy here isn't maintained by respect, but by terror.

Apparently, it's unusual to have any activity this early in the morning around here. Except it's not really that early, it's almost noon. The whole place reeks of decay and stagnation, of a clan that's lost its way.

Something tells me this compound has seen more than its share of violence.

At the home directly facing us, which I presume to be Rusty's, a blonde woman steps out onto the porch. She wears a hard-looking expression, a faded apron tied around her waist, and a smudge of flour across her forehead. She looks like Vanessa, but with all the joy and life sucked from her. The similarities are haunting; the same graceful movements, same delicate features, but twisted by years of living under Rusty's rule.

This is what Vanessa will look like if her father hands her over to some guy to use like a broodmare.

My beast snarls internally at the thought while mentally marking another potential exit route behind the main house.

Jed frowns as she stares in barely concealed contempt at the two men when they exit the vehicle. Jed might be her son, but she doesn't look proud of him at this moment in time. Another crack in the family dynamic, something I file away for later use.

"This doesn't concern you, Mama," Jed says as he opens the door for me and gestures with his thumb for me to get out. His voice carries an edge of uncertainty that appears whenever someone challenges the family's authority, even passively.

I step onto the hard earth, rolling my shoulders and cracking my neck, always relieved to get out of a confined vehicle and back into the open air.

The woman's gaze drifts casually to me, giving me an appraising once-over, but I don't miss the flicker of recognition in her startling bright blue eyes.

She knows who I am.

Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, I'm not sure yet. But there's something in her stance, in the way she positions herself, that suggests she's not entirely under Rusty's control.

A potential ally?

"I know you," she says in a slow drawl, and I nod, waiting to see what she's going to say next.

"Yes, ma'am."

"You're one of those King boys." Her tone doesn't hold the same disgust as Jed's did when he said my name. Maybe she doesn't hate my guts like the others.

"Yes, ma'am," I say again, and she narrows her eyes at me, trying to figure out whether I'm mocking her or actually just being respectful. Do good manners stand out that much in this place that they warrant such suspicion? The thought tells me volumes about how Rusty runs his clan.

Arms folded across her chest, she gives a weary sigh.

"Son, I don't know what trouble you're in, but you don't belong here. Jed, why are we torturing this boy? Can we not just send him back down the mountain? I don't need the hassle, or the mess."

Jed's father laughs, but somehow, it sounds menacing. The sound sends the watching clan members scurrying back into their homes.

"Mind your own business. And you might not be quite so welcoming if you knew we just caught him with his pants down, tied to Vanessa's bed. Not quite so perfect now, is she? The slut."

Vanessa's mom blinks rapidly a couple of times, and her lips press into a thin line. She's equally displeased at the way he's speaking about Vanessa, but just like me, knows better than to run her mouth. Her fingers twitch slightly, her beast peeking out through the faint glow in her eyes; another natural predator forced into submission.

"She's a grown woman. She can do what she wants. At least she's getting some." That's all she says, one cutting caustic remark, before giving me one last look and disappearing back inside.

But that look carried weight. She knows more than she's letting on.

Jed mutters something about Vanessa never being able to do wrong in his mother's eyes. He gives me a shove in the shoulder, trying to act like a big man in front of the nosy neighbors who've come outside to see what's going on. My beast notes how he always performs for an audience, always trying to prove himself.

He knows they don’t respect him the same way they bow down to his father, who waves them away, an evil grin on his face. The morning sun catches on the knife still at his belt.

"Go on, get. I've got nothing to tell you yet, other than we're gonna have some fun with this one. But until then, you stay clear, all right? It'll be no fun if you kill him before then."

Twisted smirks meet my defiant stare as one by one, they disappear back inside their dilapidated shacks and shut the doors, turning a blind eye, as I'm sure they've done on numerous occasions, to whatever these men are up to.

An older lady gives me a sad smile before shuffling off with a shake of her head.

The sinking feeling that I felt this morning returns. I'm gonna kill Jed, and I'm gonna kill his father, but I have a feeling I'm gonna endure some pain first. Still, every step we take reveals more weaknesses in their security, and more potential allies among the downtrodden clan members.

My beast memorizes each detail, each scent, each fearful face that might be turned to our advantage.

"Let me show you to your accommodations," Jed says, enjoying his big moment and opting to drag it out. His excitement leaks into his scent. He's been waiting for this chance to prove himself, and he thinks he has his chance now at my expense.

When we round the corner, he points to an old barn, but once we step through the door, instead of leading me into the depths of the building, he points at what looks to me like a few planks covering a hole in the damp earth.

"Hiding in plain sight," Jed says, laughing. "Vanessa just never spent long enough up here to explore properly. She probably walked past this a hundred times and thought it was an old store. But this is actually a relatively new addition. Dad wanted to build some fancy jail, but I'm not spending no big heap of money keeping John locked up. So this is gonna do for now. And look, now you're here, so we're getting lots of value out of it."

I don't give him the satisfaction of commenting, merely waiting as he waves an arm out, indicating I should go first.

The temperature drops the second I step down into the dark hole, which opens out into a much better formed tunnel. Four exit points that I can see already, possibly more, once we're inside.

The way in was left poorly finished and rough-looking so that nobody looking in would think there was anything more than a storage pit down here. But as Jed descends, flashlight in hand, I can see it's more substantial than it appeared from above.

Block walls, battery and oil-powered lanterns provide some illumination, and spread out along the tunnel, and boreholes up to the surface let in shards of light and air. The construction is sloppy, they cut corners and hurried through it. It’s a miracle it hasn’t caved in.

"Cosy," I mutter to myself as Jed jabs me in the back with the flashlight.

"Hurry up, Ben. You're just delaying the inevitable, and I want to make it back for brunch, or Mom will kick my ass."

I take the opportunity to get under his skin, scoffing at his comment. "Well, that's gotta suck. Being fourth or fifth in the family pecking order."

Through our bond, I feel Vanessa's savage pleasure at my needling her brother.

Instantly, he tenses, and I know I was right. This is a sore point. Another weakness to exploit when the time comes.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Jed snarls. "I'm number two. And it's not gonna be long until Dad retires. Then I'll get to make the rules."

I laugh to myself, letting Jed see my disbelief. The sound bounces off the tunnel walls, making him twitch.

"Well, you just admitted your mother can kick your ass. We know your father is the most dominant in your family, by far. Vanessa's about to get matched with one of your daddy's favorites. If Vanessa gets pregnant, all will be forgiven. The clan will welcome her back into the fold. And those grandkids, judging by the way your daddy treats you, might come in above you in rank."

"Shut the fuck up." Jed hisses. He really hates talking about this.

I'm just thinking to myself that this might actually be a bit of fun until he cracks me over the back of the head with his flashlight, and I fall to my knees in the dirt.

Maybe not.

"Think it's funny now, fucker? Let's see if you think it's so funny when you get tossed into a ring with some pissed-off family members looking for vengeance."

I blink hard against the stars appearing in front of my eyes. If Jed needs to lower himself to taking a cheap shot like this, then the guy is never going to be strong enough to run a clan.

"And let's see how funny you think it is when, before you die, you watch your mate being hurt in front of the clan. Because that's how we do things here, King. You're not in Kansas anymore."

My beast makes note of the threat, adding it to our tally, using it to fuel the fire burning inside me.

These men have no idea what's coming for them.