Page 26 of Property of Blade (Kings of Anarchy MC: Alaska #1)

––––––––

Prophet

T he female is petrified . I can feel the tension in the air, thick enough to cut with a knife.

It’s taking all my skills to project a calm, safe environment around us, but it’s not easy.

The others use me for this all the time during deals to keep the peace, but damn, it doesn’t work on the supernaturals.

Some of them can sense things I can’t even begin to understand.

Glancing over at her, the pale light of the morning sun casts an orange glow across her face. Her eyes are wide, darting between the truck’s interior and me, but I don’t make any sudden moves. My hands stay on the steering wheel, steady and controlled, letting her feel the rhythm of my calm.

The soft hum of country music fills the truck, its low, familiar tones creating a blanket of warmth around us. It’s Morgan Wallen, singing “Last Night. ” I reach out and turn up the volume a little, letting the music settle into the silence between us.

“You really like country music?” she asks, her voice still shaky but not as much.

“Yeah,” I reply, glancing at her with a grin tugging at the corner of my mouth. “Don’t you?”

She gives a slight shrug, the tension in her shoulders loosening just a bit. “I’m more of a rock girl. The Grinders are my favorite band.”

Raising an eyebrow at her, I’m impressed. “Old-school respect. You can change the station if you want.”

“They aren’t that old,” Tessa says, a flicker of a smile crossing her lips. I can see the gears in her mind shifting—she’s starting to get comfortable. Good. That’s what I need.

“They’ve been around for over twenty years,” I say, trying to keep my tone light but factual.

“Yeah, but they’ve only just released a new album,” she counters, sounding a little defensive but in a good way. It’s like she’s proud of her favorite band.

Tilting my head slightly, I consider that. “Have they now? I didn’t know that.”

I let the silence stretch for a beat before I speak again, noticing how she’s still glancing at me, her gaze flicking from my hands on the wheel to my eyes. She’s watching me more carefully now as if she’s trying to read something in me.

Then, out of nowhere, she asks, “Why do I feel safe around you?”

I turn my head slightly, my smile just a little tighter now. “Well, you can tell I’m not a threat.”

Her eyes narrow just the slightest bit, studying me for the truth in my words. “But you are, aren’t you? In fact, you might just be the scariest one of them all.”

I laugh, low and rumbling in my chest. Tessa is smarter than I gave her credit for. “How’d you figure that?”

She tilts her head, studying me for a moment before answering. “Here I am, tapping my foot, having a lovely conversation, and I’m not scared. Even though I know I should be.” She pauses, then glances out the window, her fingers tapping on her knee nervously. “How are you doing that? What are you?”

Laughing again, I lean back slightly in my seat. “Didn’t Vex tell you it’s rude to ask one of us that?”

Her lips twitch upward. She’s caught between frustration and curiosity. “Yeah.”

“But you asked anyway?” I question, raising an eyebrow.

“Yep.”

I let out a breath and turn the truck down a dirt road that leads toward the outskirts of the town, the trees around us swaying gently in the breeze.

It’s quiet here, peaceful, the kind of quiet that makes you feel as if time slows down.

She’s trying to make sense of everything, but there’s only so much I can give her.

Here I am, with her sitting next to me, tense and uncertain, yet I feel Tessa is starting to trust me just a little. It’s all part of the game, part of who I am.

Leaning in closer, I flash her a grin that I know is charming. “Here I was thinking you were smart. It’s part of my personality. I exude friendship. Trust and, dare I say it, love. But...” I wink, “... you’re safe with me.”

Her heart rate skips a beat and speeds up. Aw, crap, I’ve made her nervous. The subtle shift in her pulse doesn’t go unnoticed, and I can almost hear it thudding in the quiet truck, even over the hum of the engine and the music playing in the background.

Glancing at her, my smile softens, but I keep my tone casual, trying to ease the tension I’ve just caused. “Would you like me to drop you at home or the diner?”

Her eyes flicker toward me before she answers a little too quickly, as if she’s trying to shake off whatever I stirred in her. “The diner.”

I raise an eyebrow at that, my mind already working over the possibilities. “Safety in numbers?” I ask, letting the words come out light, but there’s a hint of curiosity behind them.

She glances out the window, avoiding my gaze now, and I notice the way her fingers twitch against her leg, the little signs of anxiety that she’s trying to mask.

“Yeah,” she says quietly, almost to herself. “I guess so.”

I can tell there’s more to it, but I don’t press. The truck shifts from gravel to asphalt, the smoothness beneath us signaling we’re getting close to town.

“You know...” I say, my voice steady, “... both Blade and Vex meant it when they said we won’t harm you.

With both of them making that promise, if one of us hurt you, they’d kill us.

” I keep my eyes on the road, watching her out of the corner of my eye.

I don’t want to make this feel too heavy, but she needs to understand.

Tessa’s eyes go wide, and I can feel the tension in the air as her pulse picks up. “Did you tell me that to relax me? ’Cause it doesn’t help,” she mutters, her voice a little shaky.

Chuckling, I shake my head and glance over at her. “Nope. I told you that so you’d know they were sincere. Think about it, Tessa. We’ve lived here for a while, and we haven’t killed anyone in town.” I let the words sink in, trying to offer some reassurance.

She raises an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. “That we know of,” she quips, and I can’t help but laugh at her sharpness.

Laughing loudly, I waggle a finger at her. “I like you. You’ve got spunk.”

It’s the kind of thing I don’t say lightly. There’s something about her resilience, the way she’s not afraid to challenge me even when she’s clearly nervous. It’s refreshing.

As we drive through town, I notice there are very few people out and about. The streets are quiet, save for the occasional car. When I pull up in front of Betty’s Diner, I spot Jasper sitting on the front steps, looking as though he’s been there for a while.

Tessa’s eyes are glued to him, and I watch as she stiffens, a look of concern crossing her face.

“We said you were safe,” I say, keeping my voice neutral, but there’s an edge of warning in it. “If you mention us to him, he might not be.” Glancing over at Jasper, I offer a nod and a smile. “You think about that before you go and divulge any of our secrets.”

“He’s always here early, and I’m late opening. What do I tell him?”

“Tell him it’s none of his business and you’re here now, so what would he like to order?”

Tessa doesn’t say anything right away, but I can tell she’s processing my words. She opens the truck door, and before she fully steps out, she almost stumbles, her foot catching on the edge of the step. Tessa catches herself just in time and doesn’t look back.

Jasper rises from the steps, his movements stiff as he moves toward her. His eyes flick from me to her, and I can see the calculation in his gaze.

Winding down my window, I give him a casual wave. “You all have a good day now!” I call out with a grin, keeping the tone light.

Jasper smiles, but there’s a flicker of something in his eyes before his expression shifts to a frown. His gaze sharpens, and I know he’s watching Tessa, calculating whether she’ll say something to him.

Tessa keeps walking toward the diner’s door, her head held high despite the tension.

“Give me a minute. I just need to turn everything on and then you can come in.”

She opens the door, closes it, and locks it behind her. Her eyes meet mine through the window.

Raising my hand again, I give her a casual wave, trying to ease the weight of the moment. She holds my gaze for a moment, then turns and walks farther into the diner.

As I pull away, heading back toward the compound, I see Vex high up in one of the trees.

He gives me a two-fingered wave and disappears into the foliage.

The road stretches ahead, the familiar view of the mountains in the distance.

There’s something about Tessa that sticks with me, the way she’s not afraid to stand her ground, even in the face of the unknown.

And that’s dangerous, especially with someone like Jasper.

I know Blade’s hoping she keeps her mouth shut about us and what went down.

If she doesn’t, well, it’s a shame, but they’d have no choice but to get rid of her.

Both of them.

It’s not that I want it to come to that. Vex cares about Tessa. And the last thing I want is to see him torn up over it. But Jasper, that old bastard? He doesn’t care who he pisses off, and it’s only a matter of time before his grudges bring too much heat on the Kings.

I let out a breath, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. The MC’s future depends on decisions like these. If Tessa can’t keep quiet, Blade’s not going to hesitate. Neither will the rest of us. And that’s a cost I’m not sure we’re ready to pay.

As the asphalt gives way to the dirt road, I think about leaving here.

Something in my gut twists, which means this is the place I’m supposed to be, but I can’t abandon my brothers.

There’s still so much work to do before I can leave them.

But the powers that be might revoke my life on this earth if I disobey them and stick with the MC.

Sighing, I change the radio station to a hard rock channel and turn up the volume.

Slipknot’s “Duality” blares out of the speakers, and as I sing along, my gut eases.

Maybe things will work out. You have to have faith, right?

My phone rings, jerking me out of my thoughts. The screen flashes Blade’s name, and I swipe to answer.

“Hey, Prez, everything okay?” I ask.

“Can you go get Hannah from my place and take her home?” Blade’s voice comes through low and steady.

I glance at the road, pull over to the side, and do a quick U-turn. “Sure can.”

“Thanks, man. I owe you one. Can you tell her I’ve got business to take care of, and I’ll see her later today?”

“Yep, not a problem.” I tuck my phone between my shoulder and ear, the words feeling natural. I don’t mind doing this for Blade. Not one bit. We are, after all, brothers by choice.

The engine hums beneath me as I drive down the road that leads to Blade’s place.

I’m looking forward to spending some time alone with Hannah.

Although my visions are rarely wrong, there’s a part of me that wonders if I’m reading this right.

The more I think about it, the more I want to find out what it is about Hannah that makes her different from the rest Blade has been with.