Page 64 of Loki’s Spellbinder (Hunters Creek Archangel’s Warriors MC #14)

“Gladly. Joe Scarelli might not want to know what we do all the time, but he knows that with us around, the regular people are safer than without us. We support and keep our community safe. As long as we do that, Scarelli turns a blind eye to the rest. I dropped a bug in his ear about an inmate at another prison. I thought it would be better if the inmate were moved closer to where he could at least have more contact with his friends and family. He has spent enough years far from them. It’s not easy to go all that way to see him.

And since there is no chance of parole, couldn’t we do that?

He misses the green and beauty of Georgia and Tennessee.

Arizona has too much dry heat and desert for him. ”

Bull paused. I was at a loss. I had no idea who he was talking about, and judging by my brothers’ expressions, most of them didn’t either. Pres glanced over at me.

“I didn’t mention it and only talked with the officers about it. I didn’t want to get your hopes up for nothing. Before we left tonight for our meeting, I got the call from Scarelli.” He turned back to the Rebels.

“Scarelli is the chief of police here in Hunters Creek. He has friends in law enforcement all over the country. One of them happens to run a prison in Arizona. The one where that inmate is. Some favors were exchanged, and strings were pulled to make it happen. As of today, our brother is closer to home. It’s been twenty years since he’s smelled the freshness of the South.

For those with us back then, you’ll remember Hard Target. ”

This name caused murmurs and exclamations to burst from many. Even if you hadn’t been with the club then, everyone knew who Hard Target was and his story. My heart jumped.

“So why the fuck would we care if some old Warrior got moved to the same place as Attila. He’s too well protected in there. Even though the men who protect him are from other clubs, they’ll safeguard him,” Dago said.

“It matters because Hard Target has nothing to lose. He’s got life without parole.

He was the enforcer long before me. He protected his club and paid the ultimate price, yet he doesn’t hold it against us.

Before Hard Target was the enforcer, he led a colorful life.

Attila will be dead within forty-eight hours.

The order has already been passed to Target.

He’ll kill Attila and anyone who gets in his way,” Payne explained with a smirk.

Payne’s words got a reaction out of the Rebels. They exclaimed denials, shouted obscenities, and verbalized all types of threats. But we saw the fear in their eyes. They knew there was no way out, and before they died, it would be horrible for them.

I was exhausted. We’d been at it for hours.

Even with all of us having considerable skills, plus Payne and Sarge, we still didn’t have everything we needed.

The Cellar stank of sweat, blood, vomit, piss, and shit.

As weird as it sounded, fear had a sour smell and was heavy in the air.

I wanted this over with so I could go home and curl up with my woman.

The things we’d done to get the answers we wanted were ugly.

Scattered around the floor and tables were tools covered in blood.

The Rebels were a mess. We knew they wouldn’t last much longer.

Three of the Rebels had already died. The only ones left were Zombie, Nutcase, and Nelson.

Iceman’s dad was practically catatonic from watching what the others received.

He’d been left alone on Iceman’s orders.

Our brother would end his dad when he felt the time was right. Bull agreed he had the right.

We’d gotten the names of those they partnered with from the Rebels.

It had taken more than beatings, cutting, and burning to get them, yet they broke.

Pieces of them had been removed. What they weren’t giving up was the identity of the man who had accepted the assignment to kill Braelyn.

We needed that name. Without it, there was no way Outlaw could find him.

I had to remove the danger to her, no matter what the cost. It was with that in mind that I was working over Nutcase.

Payne had spent a lot of time on him. The Rebel enforcer was unrecognizable, but the bastard hung on and refused to tell us the name.

I was at the end of my patience. I’d asked my brothers to get him down and place him on the embalming table.

It was still here, and the sight of the metal table with the sink on one end was recognizable to anyone who had watched medical shows.

When they took him to it, he was moaning.

Our table was modified to have metal cuffs attached at the top and bottom corners.

It didn’t take them long to have him lying on his back and his extremities locked into place.

“I want you to look at this,” I snarled as I held up the item in my hand.

Nutcase stared at it. I wasn’t sure if he knew what it was, so I explained.

“This is an arterial tube. You might be asking yourself, ‘What is he gonna do with that?’ Well, let me tell you. Since you refuse to tell me who was hired to kill my old lady, you have no worth to me. And you’ve pissed me off enough that I want you to die slowly and in agony.

You’ll feel the life slip from you. This tube will be jammed into your artery.

I might start with your leg or maybe your neck.

“As the blood drains from your body, I’ll ram another in the opposite side of your body. It’ll be attached to tubing hooked to a bottle of fluids. We’re gonna embalm you while you’re still alive. We haven’t done that before. It should be educational.”

Was this sadistic and a mindfuck? Hell yeah. Was it dark for me? Yes. However, it was the life of my woman at stake. I’d do whatever it took to protect her. And this piece of shit was a stain that wasn’t needed on the earth.

“Hot damn, Loki’s coming out to play for keeps,” Player muttered.

While we were dealing with the three remaining men, some of my brothers and the Marauders were dealing with disposing of the bodies.

The crematory oven was blazing hot and consuming the bodies.

They could get away with doing two at a time, though they would have to burn longer than the standard two to three hours.

Even then, the burned bones would be put through a grinder once cooled to grind them to ash.

All metal would be removed with a magnet before that step.

We’d educated ourselves on the process. A few guys teased Bull, saying we should open a funeral home. He told them not to tempt him.

“It’s ready, brother. Let me cut his pants for you, and then I’ll show you where to shove it in,” Payne said gleefully. He held a sharp knife in his hand. Payne barely lowered his hand when Nutcase screamed.

“No! Stop! Jesus Christ, don’t! I’ll tell you, just stop.” He was practically sobbing when he finished speaking.

There was a loud, strangling sound drawing our attention from Nutcase to Zombie. His face was purple, and his eyes were rolled into the back of his head. His entire body jerked.

“Well, fuck, I didn’t expect that. He’s having a grand mal seizure. Who wants to bet he won’t survive it?” Payne asked casually. We were used to his personality, so we didn’t say anything, just chuckled.

“You’re animals!” Nelson shouted as he watched Zombie and then Nutcase in horror. While they were a mess, he was pristine.

“Shut up,” Iceman snapped. Nelson did as his son ordered.

We heard the final breath leave Zombie’s body, then he hung there limp.

Besides the hitman’s identity, we’d already gotten everything we could from him.

Turning back to Nutcase, I demanded, “Tell me who you hired, or so help me, I’ll ram these tubes and needles into every artery I can find.

And just for fun, we’ll see if I can get this up your ass and cock,” I hissed.

“Please, if I tell you, let me go. I swear you’ll never see me again. I’ll disappear. Everyone will assume I’m dead. I don’t want to die,” he whined.

“Tell me what I want to know and I’ll consider it,” I growled.

Nutcase stared at me for several seconds, then he broke.

“His name is Stepan Belov. He’s a merc now.

When I knew him, he was part of Russia’s GRU, which they now call the Special Operations Force.

We met in the Middle East when I was over there.

We discovered we had a similar mindset. I lost track of him until I came across his name on the dark web.

I knew it had to be him. I reached out through back channels and got in contact with him.

That’s it. I don’t know where he is. Once he takes the job, you don’t know when he’ll carry it out or how.

Only after it’s done will you get a text telling you where to send the money. ”

“What if you fuck him over and don’t pay?” Ace asked.

“Then you and your family are dead. Believe me, you don’t want him after you,” Nutcase rasped.

“What’s his code name?” Outlaw asked. He was seated with his ever-present laptop.

“I can’t,” Nutcase moaned. His moan changed to a cry of pain as Payne sliced up his pant leg. He didn’t care that the knife was cutting the flesh underneath.

“I’m still ready to shove this in,” I reminded him, holding up the tube.

Nutcase broke down in tears as he shook his head, but through his blubbering, we got a name—Death Blade. Outlaw tapped away for a couple of minutes while we waited, and Nutcase continued to rant. Suddenly, Outlaw looked up, smiled, and gave a nod.

Not wanting to prolong shit now that we had the last piece of vital information, I let Payne finish what he started with Nutcase.

He stood over him and slowly cut his throat from ear to ear.

The gurgling sounds were disgusting. I was more anxious than ever to get out of there, but Iceman had to finish up one last thing.

He’d supported me. I would do no less for him.

We got quiet and moved so we could see Iceman and his dad. Nelson was shaking like a leaf in the wind, his entire body swaying.

“No, Jake, you can’t. I’m your father,” Nelson Newman pleaded.

“You didn’t let it bother you that you were my father when you’d come after me and Mom.

The beatings we took. The rapes she endured when you wanted sex, and you knew she hated to be touched by you.

I regret that I didn’t find a way to remove you from our lives.

Mom missed meeting my wife, my club family, my woman’s wonderful sisters, and our children.

But I promised Mom at her grave that you’d get your punishment one day, which is now.

I’ll go to bed and sleep easier, knowing that the monster who took away my mom is dead.

That the baby my woman carries will never know you.

I’m a better husband, brother, and friend than you ever could’ve been.

And I’ll be a better father because I have a ton of amazing men to help me know how I should act toward my loved ones. ”

“W-what are you gonna do to me?” Nelson asked shakily.

“I still hear those screams she made when I tried to get her out of the house after I beat your ass. If only I’d ignored her hysteria and taken her to the neighbors.

If I had, she’d be here. The neighbor’s questions and begging me to stay with her, as well as my call to the cops, delayed me.

I should’ve been faster. The sound of that gunshot was like a knife through my heart.

I knew it wasn’t her shooting your fucking ass.

Finding you standing over her dead body was the last straw.

I wanted my hands to be what ended your life, not the gun or that knife on the floor.

You didn’t feel the same. When we fought over control of the knife you picked up, I kept praying I’d come out on top.

When it ended up in your stomach, I was thrilled.

Then you attempted to say I killed Mom and had tried to do the same to you.

Thankfully, it backfired. I regretted for so long that the knife didn’t end you.

Well, today is the day payback and justice are served,” Iceman hissed.

He paused to let his father see the unrelenting hatred Iceman had for him. Nelson was shaking from head to toe. I heard him whisper, “I’m sorry, Jake.”

“Fuck you, and fuck your pathetic apology. Mom, he’s on his way.

Rest in peace. I love you,” Iceman said to the ceiling, as if he were talking to his mom in Heaven.

Then his head turned to Hatchet and Gears.

They were across the room, dealing with the oven.

The two bodies in there had burned for several hours.

“Open the door,” he demanded.

Iceman began to undo the cuffs around his dad’s wrists.

Nelson glanced from his son to the open oven.

We could see the burned skeletons inside.

Realization of what was about to happen dawned.

Nelson screamed and tried to fight, but he was no match for Iceman.

When Nelson’s wrists were free, our brother hoisted his dad over his shoulder, carried his fighting body to the oven, and then somehow shoved Nelson’s writhing body inside.

The door was slammed shut and secured. Then the dial for the flames was twisted as high as it would go.

It had been at the lowest setting since the bodies inside were cooling, so they could be removed to be ground up.

The thumps, muffled screams of horror and pain were evident as Iceman burned his dad alive. By the time there was silence, I was ready to puke. Today has been a harrowing experience. No one said anything for a few minutes. Finally, Bull cleared his throat.

“I think that we’ve had enough for today. We’re all exhausted. I hate to do it, but I’ve got to ask a few of you to stay here until the bodies have been burned, ground to ash, and everything cleaned thoroughly. I’ll ask for volunteers first.”

I hoped he wouldn’t ask me, but I’d do my duty if he did. Typically, we’d have the prospects do it, but they were at the clubhouse, alert for any trouble.

“Bull, we’ll stay and take care of it. You guys get some shut-eye and see your families. When we’re done, we’ll catch some Zs, then head home, unless you need us for more,” Jinx offered.

“Are you sure? You’ve already done your part,” Bull replied.

“Yes, I’m sure. We’re here until the job is done and our friends don’t need us. Go. We know how this works,” Jinx assured him.

There were a bunch of murmured thank yous, handshakes, and back thumps before we got out the door and headed to our houses. I couldn’t wait. It was four o’clock in the morning. The sun would be out soon. My body ached.