Page 4

FOUR

FIRE

“I’m in trouble.”

Evelin’s words ring in my head while I walk the perimeter of my property. I don’t know exactly what is going on, but I’ve never in all the years I’ve known Evelin, meaning her whole damn life, have I ever seen her face that pale.

I didn’t like it. The thought of her being scared out of her mind that she gets that look, it has me ready to lose my shit.

Whatever it was that had her spooked, though, it’s long gone, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t get a sense of it the moment I stepped foot out of the house.

Whoever it was, when I find them will learn you don’t mess with me or those within my club. The club is my family, the only one I’ve ever known. The woman who gave birth to me, she wasn’t a mom at all. It’s a good thing she’d given me to her brother when she did. I was raised by my uncle, who happened to be a member of the Kings of Anarchy MC. I grew up knowing where I belonged, and I didn’t mind in the least.

Being raised by my uncle wasn’t a hardship. If anything, it was a blessing. He kept me focused, taught me everything I know, and made sure that I grew up with those who I see as my best friends and brothers.

Herja took on the role of mother figure for me to help my uncle out. Whenever he was out doing something for the club, I stayed with her. I knew who she was and what she was. My uncle didn’t keep it a secret that the Kings of Anarchy weren’t a typical MC. This means I grew up knowing what other kids didn’t or thought was only ghost stories.

Moving back toward my door, my mind shifts to what I’m going to do with Evelin. She’s in there. I should call Heat and tell him she was here. He only just left maybe an hour ago, or a little more than that before she banged on my door. He and Pyro had been a big help, and the three of us ended up knocking out all the flooring. This means he’s probably deep in pussy right now and not gonna answer. He would, but he wouldn’t be happy about it.

I need to go in there, find out what the hell is going on with her, and fill him in on all of this after some shut-eye.

The moment I step over the threshold, I could sense her. Hell, I could smell that perfume she uses. I follow it to where I left her in what would be my living room. She was sitting right where I left her, only now she’s got her knees to her chest, arms wrapped around them.

“You gonna tell me what you mean you’re in trouble?” I ask, hands on my hips as I stare down at her.

Evelin slowly brings her gaze up to me. “They were gone?”

“Nothing outside that I saw,” I tell her.

“They’re still out there,” she whispers, her gaze drifting to the window. “I know they’re still out there. He’s not going to give up.”

“Who the fuck are you talking about?” I don’t remember a time when I’ve seen her in this kind of state. Not even when she found out she was adopted.

Evelin shakes her head, bites her bottom lip, and gets that look I know all too well. She’s not about to tell me, but she is gonna tell me. I’m done with the bullshit blowoffs.

“You’ve had plenty of time to come clean with what’s goin’ on with you, Evelin. Now is the time to start talking. You don’t, I put in a call to Heat and Herja, they come here, and you not only have to answer to them, but you also get the third degree in a way you don’t fuckin’ want.”

“You’d seriously go to my mother?” Evelin snaps, the fear taking a backburner to her anger.I’d definitely take her anger over fear any day. “You’d actually tell on me like a little child?”

“Baby, it was you that came to me,” I tell her, stepping into her space. “You, until just now, had a freaked look in your eyes, pale face, and fear coming off you while telling me you were in trouble. Now, you need to start talking right about now.”

“You . . . I . . .” I watch as Evelin’s brows draw together. She whispers, “Baby?”

I hadn’t even realized I’d called her that.

Fuck me.

“Evelin,” I growl, staring down at her. “Start talking.”

Evelin looks me dead in the eye, lets out a heavy breath, and turns away, hands going up to sink into those thick, long, curly locks of hers. For a split second, I thought I was going to have to follow through with my threat of calling her mom and brother. Thank fuck, though, she doesn’t make me do this.

Evelin takes a deep breath and slowly turns back to face me. Her eyes are wide with fear, but there’s also a steely determination in them now.

“His name is Holstein,” she says quietly. “I met him at college. At first, he seemed nice, charming even. But then . . .” She shudders. “I saw what he really was. The things he did . . . they were monstrous, Fire. Totally and completely hideous. He’s . . . well . . . Holstein and his friends, they’re, um, vampires, and the things he did to her . . .” Evelin clenches her eyes closed and shakes her head, her body starting to visibly shake.

My jaw clenches. “What kind of things?”

“He . . . he killed a woman. Ripped her apart while he . . .” Evelin trails off, unable to finish, the fear in her eyes back. I didn’t like it. It did something inside me that I didn’t understand.

What I do understand is the rage that courses through me at the thought of what this bastard did and that Evelin was a witness to it. This Holstein person, whoever, whatever he is, has Evelin terrified, and I want nothing more than to hunt him down and tear him limb from limb. It doesn’t matter to me if he’s a vampire or not. He won’t be able to stop me from tearing him apart when I get my hands on him.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone?” I demand, needing to know the rest of it. “Why keep this to yourself?” We’ve all tried to get her to open up since she moved back home after dropping out of school.

Evelin shakes her head, wraps her arms around herself, and starts pacing the length of the room. “I was scared. I didn’t know what to do. Holstein . . . I didn’t know at first what he was. He told me one evening. He was a student and taking classes at the same school as me. The fact he was a vampire didn’t really phase me. I didn’t mind because I knew a few already, and they weren’t so bad. But . . . Holstein, he . . . he wasn’t like the others. He’s something else. Something powerful and dangerous. After what I saw . . . what I . . . I thought if I just ran away, came back home, it would be over. That he wouldn’t bother coming after me.” She pauses and lets out a scuff.

I wait for her to continue. There was more she needed to get out.

“I was stupid to think that. I knew this when he kept calling me after I left school. He knew what I saw. Said he’d find me.”She takes a shaky breath, turns back to me, wraps her arms tight around her middle, and meets my eyes.“And he found me. Him and his friends. They were at my house tonight when I got home. That’s why I ran here.”

My fists clench at my sides as I process all of what Evelin’s shared so far. She didn’t want to share any of this with us when she should have. The club would have protected her. Saw to her safety. I would have kept her out of harm’s way.

“You’re staying here tonight,” I tell her, not giving a damn if she liked it or not. I wasn’t taking chances with her safety. It’s probably the worst idea, but right now, it’s what’s happening. Tomorrow is another story altogether. “Tomorrow, we’ll go to the clubhouse after you get some rest and fill your brother in on all of this shit.”

“No,” Evelin exclaims, panic flashing in her eyes. “Fire, please. Don’t! I don’t want him or anyone else to know. This is my problem. Not a club problem.”

“It’s not just your problem, Evelin, and you know that. You’re Heat’s little sister. A part of this club. None of us are going to let something like this slide.” I pound a fist against my chest and growl, “I’m not gonna let this shit slide.”

“You can’t make me go to Heat and tell him any of this. It’s my problem, and I’ll deal with it.”

“Yeah?” I cock a brow at her and cross my arms. I ask, “How you gonna deal with it? You didn’t tonight. You ran. Ran right to my fuckin’ door.”

“Because you were the closest to me.”

I knew I was the closest person to her. The house she’s renting, it’s not owned by the farmer she thinks it’s owned by. It’s owned by me. I bought all the land this side of the clubhouse when it went up for auction. The farmer who farms the land, I told him he could stay in the house he’s lived in all his life. It was only because of the economy he hadn’t been able to pay his taxes. I told him he could rent out the little house next to my place, but it had to be someone I’d approve of. Gotta admit, I hadn’t expected it to be Evelin who rented it, but it worked out. His place was well down the road, far enough away that he had the fields he tended between us and him. He also had a whole tree line that butted against the back of the land, which also butted the club’s land.

“Doesn’t matter I was closest or not. You came to me. Now that I know what the hell is going on with you, I’m not letting you out of my sight. You aren’t without protection. You understand me?” While I say this, I drop my arms, stalk toward her, and yank her to me without even thinking. All I could think about was the fact she was in danger. Has been and didn’t tell anyone. Didn’t tell me. I wasn’t going to let it slide anymore.

Before she can answer me, I let her go, take her hand, and move her toward the back of the house to my room. I grab a tee out of the draw and shove it at her. “Get changed. Get in bed. I’m making a couple calls, then we’re both going to bed.”

I didn’t know how I was going to be able to manage sleep with her so close, but until I knew exactly what was going on with this Holstein character, I wasn’t letting her far from me. Meaning, her ass was in my bed right next to me.