Page 2 of Ravaged Saints (BloodHawks Duet #1)

Why did she tell them that? Is she insane?! These are men!

The taller guy moves in front of me, blocking my view of Bryn, and my pulse quickens;

every hair on the back of my neck stands on end, and I want to tell her to shut up; this is dangerous. Didn’t she learn anything from the Hunters who grabbed her?

“Bryn!”

I snap, unable to hold back.

The taller guy turns, a slow grin spreading across his face, and my stomach twists.

“What, ?”

Bryn glances over her shoulder, a mischievous smile curling her lips, her eyes glinting with something teasing.

I’ve never noticed before. “You told me there was nothing to be embarrassed about.”

Is she mocking me? I stare; what the hell?

“She is right; it’s nothing to be embarrassed about, sweetheart,”

the other one, with a British accent and a cocky demeanor, chimes in with a wink.

“And you?”

The tall tattooed guy faces me now; his eyes darken with amusement, and I take a step back instinctively.

“Not a call girl,”

I deadpan, crossing my arms tightly over my chest.

He nods once, almost to himself. “I knew that.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

I snap, and he just smirks, turning his attention back to Bryn.

I glance at Bryn again. She’s everything I’m not: tall, toned, and glowing even after weeks of near-starvation. Her blonde hair catches the fading light, shining like some fairy in the woods. I get it, okay? I get why these two are practically drooling over her, but that’s all the more reason for her to keep her mouth shut.

We keep walking, and my ankle burns with every step, a sharp pain shooting up my leg; the wet dirt sucks at my boots, slowing me down, and the cold is sinking into my skin. I’m exhausted.

“Want me to carry you, sweetheart?”

The British guy falls into step beside me, his grin wide, eyebrows raised in playful challenge.

“I’m fine,”

I mutter, keeping my tone icy.

“Max,”

he says, holding out his hand.

I stare at it, then at him. I roll my eyes and keep walking. He did help get me down, but the trap was his, so…

“Do you two live nearby?”

I ask, breaking the silence. The question has been on my mind since we left, and my instinct is telling me something isn’t right.

“Yeah,”

Max says, not meeting my eyes, his eyes locked on the path ahead.

I study him more closely. He’s…different. Not as tall as the other one, maybe six-five, but lean and strong, his muscles shifting beneath his shirt as he walks, his pushed-back dark blonde hair catches the breeze, and his hazel-green eyes seem far away; he also has a faint scar that cuts across his chin.

“So?”

His words cut through my thoughts, and I blink, realizing I’ve been staring for far too long.

“So?”

I arch an eyebrow, trying to sound annoyed.

“You’re staring. What’s your conclusion about me?”

His lips curl up, and there’s an irritating confidence in the way he asks it.

“I don’t know yet,”

I say flatly, forcing my gaze forward.

Up ahead, Bryn walks close to the other guy. Her hips sway, and I see her arm brush against his.

“Knox,”

Max says suddenly.

It takes me a second to realize what he’s talking about, and he smirks.

“Knox. Or Reaper,”

he says with a shrug.

“Reaper?”

I repeat, a little too loudly.

Knox stops short; I slam into him, and because he’s built like a damn wall, I nearly fall over, but his hand shoots out, steadying me with ease.

“You called?”

he says, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, his eyes glinting with amusement.

“No.”

I step back, shrugging off his touch. His arms, tattooed and corded with muscle, make me shiver as his baby blue eyes lock on mine, sharp and unyielding. He’s taller than Max, broader too, with a commanding presence that sets my nerves on edge.

He could break me in half like a twig if he wanted.

The corner of his lip lifts slightly as he exchanges a brief, unreadable look with Max. “We’re almost there,”

he says, his expression blank, his posture rigid and distant.

I let out a breath, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle in my bones. I’m so damn tired. I just need a few hours of rest, but I know it won’t be enough. There’s no way I’m staying with these two, though. Not a chance in hell.

I drag my feet, trying to focus, but the ache in my legs is starting to take over.

“She’s very resourceful,”

I hear Bryn’s words from up ahead. It’s casual, but the way she says it pulls me back into the moment. Wait. Is she talking about me?

“I’m right here!”

I snap, my tone sharper than I intended. They both turn to look at me, and I narrow my eyes at Bryn, a slow heat building in my chest.

She blinks, putting on her most innocent face. “What? I was just making conversation.”

I can feel it in my gut—Bryn isn’t as helpless as she likes to pretend. There’s something off about her, and I’m starting to think she’s playing a game of her own. She’s too comfortable with these two.

Knox and Max don’t speak. They just lock eyes for a long beat, like they're having a conversation without saying a word.

We push on, the forest growing denser as we move deeper. Knox leads the way with his easy, confident strides, and Max stays behind, keeping a steady pace. His presence looms over me, a constant reminder that I’m not free here.

It’s already dark, and I can barely see anything, but Knox seems to know where he is going, keeping his step steady until he stops, giving a loud whistle, and another one sounds up front, and I freeze. Wait, they aren’t alone?

“Let’s go, sweetheart.”

Max touches the low of my back, and I glare at him, but I move, and as we follow after Knox, I see it.

“Oh my God!”

Bryn screeches and picks up her steps.

I stay frozen in place. Is this a military base? In the middle of nowhere?

It’s not too big; not a normal base. There is barbed wire all around it, covered with plants and hidden under the trees; the building itself blends perfectly with the surrounding nature.

There is a gate, and Knox punches in a code, and I step back. How on earth am I going to escape once inside this place?

He watches me for a moment, his gaze sharp, then steps forward, his gun raised slightly, his eyes never leaving mine. “Come on, . Get in,”

he growls, his jaw clenched, eyes dark with a quiet, menacing promise.

There is a wooden plaque at the gate with burned letters on it: BloodHawks.

Oh no, what have I done?

Bryn walks through the gates, not a care in the world. She is confident; she walks with a purpose, unbothered by her surroundings.

“What do we have here?”

A deep voice echoes from the left side, near a heavy steel door.

I freeze, my pulse racing, eyes snapping toward the source of the sound.

I take another step back, my mind spinning. Who the hell is that?

“Tsk, tsk, get in there. Now!”

Knox’s command cuts through my thoughts, low and dangerous, his growl vibrating through the air, making every hair on my body stand on end.

His grip on the gun tightens, knuckles going white as he steps forward, towering over me like a predator closing in on prey. I instinctively take a step back.

His chin jerks toward the entrance, his silent command unmistakable.

I don’t have a choice. If I try to run, I know he’ll shoot. I can feel it in the way he holds himself—his patience is thin.

Slowly, I walk inside, my fingers fidgeting with the frayed edges of my sleeves. The sound of the metal door clanging shut behind me feels like a death knell, the echo of its finality ringing in my ears. I’m trapped.

My thoughts spiral into overdrive, my chest tightening, my hands clenching at my sides. I need to focus. I need to stay calm. But my breathing betrays me—shallow, fast, like I can’t quite catch my breath.

“This is Ryker,”

Max says, pointing to a man stepping out of the shadows. Another tall one, of course, with jet-black hair and eyes to match.

Ryker strides over to Max, clapping him on the shoulder and whispering something that makes Max grin.

“And this,”

Knox says, stripping off his gear without even glancing my way, “is Bryn, and the one over there looking like she wants to kill you with her eyes is .”

“Nice to meet you, ladies,”

he says with a wink, his smile unwavering.

“Where are the others?”

Knox asks, and Ryker nods with his head.

Are there more of them? How many more?

Max puts his hand around Bryn’s waist. “Let’s get in so you two can meet everyone.”

His grip is steady, and the way he says it, you’d think this was just another ordinary day for him.

Bryn glances back; her lip trembles slightly before she shakes her hair, and the mask is in place again.

As we enter, a large open room greets us, and music is playing, a song I recognize, Sleep Token—The Summoning. I can’t remember the last time I heard music!

Looking around, I notice that the kitchen occupies the left side, with sleek black cabinets lining the walls, its stainless steel appliances reflecting the dim lights. Adjacent to it, the living room is centered around two black leather couches, facing each other with a third couch nearby by the window. A flat-screen TV is mounted on the wall, an old DVD player hooked up beneath it.

To the right, a pool table stands under a set of bright lights, and at the far end of the room, a door leads somewhere deeper into the place. The smell of roasted meat lingers in the air, my stomach growls in response. The space is decorated, with skull posters hanging on the dark concrete walls. A few mismatched rugs—some tattered, others newer—cover parts of the grey floor.

“How?”

I murmur, unable to hide the surprise, my pulse picking up.

“Generators.”

I jump, heart racing, as the words come from behind me. Ryker leans casually against the wall, his posture relaxed but still imposing. My eyes fall to his toned arms, the veins pulsing with each movement, and I notice, unlike Max and Knox, the skin of his arms is unmarked, no tattoos in sight.

I nod, my mouth still open; he lets out a soft smile.

A whistle comes from the door at the far end of the living room, and two more men come in, both dressed in cargo jeans and t-shirts.

“This is Dante,”

Max points to the guy in the black shirt, his brown hair messy, with curls; his eyes are hazel, and like Knox, he is fully tatted, and a skull on his hand catches my eyes. He looks at Bryn first, taking her in; his eyes travel all over her body.

“I’m Bryn,”

she says, sounding shaken and a little defensive; at least I’m not the only one feeling like we just walked in the lion’s lair.

He nods, but his eyes shift to me almost immediately; the corner of his lips turns up, and he licks his bottom lip. “And you?”

I swallow the knot in my throat but stand my ground, tilting my chin up, “.”

His gaze shifts to Knox and back to me, a smile playing on his lips.

“I’m Ethan,”

the other guy walks up to Bryn, offering his hand, and she takes it. “You’re shaking, babygirl,”

he says, moving to the couch. He takes a soft brown blanket and puts it around her shoulders, and then he looks at me.

“I’m good.”

I raise my hands and step to the side, before he even asks anything.

Knox murmurs something to Dante and Max, and they both shake their heads, looking at me, and my heart is beating in my ears; I can feel the blood coursing through my veins; this is bad.

“Where did you find,”

Dante looks at us again with a smirk, “these precious ladies?”

Knox shakes his head, heading to a bar that looks like something someone built with spare pieces of wood; he pours something, a golden liquid, into a cup. “ over there,”

he points his finger without turning to me, “got caught on the foot snare while we were sweeping the place.”

Bryn heads to the couch and sits; the last guy, Ethan, with his blond hair, looking like a tattooed Disney prince, sits next to her. “She pushed me. If she didn’t, it would’ve been me hanging upside down.”

She covers herself with the blanket and leans back, closing her eyes.

She looks so comfortable here; how is that possible?

I’m still standing near the door, arms crossed in front of me, my eyes darting between the five guys who live here, no women. They are all fit, and by the way they move and dress, I’m guessing they are all soldiers or…hunters.

“So you all live here. The five of you?”

I look at them; four of them are near the bar, talking and giving fast glances at me and Bryn.

“Yeah,”

Ryker answers, “We were returning from a mission when the plague started. We tried to help, but it was nearly impossible; none of us got sick, so we came here.”

“How did you know about this place?”

I ask, needing more information about this place.

“We were a special team; this was our base before missions, a hidden place to train and get intel,”

Max chimes in.

“This place is great,”

Bryn says; her tone is tired, but her breathing has calmed down. Ethan looks at her like a dog to a bone, and it makes me feel uncomfortable; there is something wicked in his gaze.

“No women here?”

I continue, trying to find out more about them.

“No,”

Dante pours another drink and heads to me, his muscles pushing the fabric around his arms. “You look like you need this more than us,”

he winks as he hands me the glass with the amber liquid.

Knox stares at me, waiting, and I throw it back in one sip, the drink burning its way down, and I realize they could’ve spiked the drink, but even if I didn’t drink it, there is no way out of here right now.

“Fuck,”

Max chuckles, and Knox’s eyes move up and down my body as he sips his drink, and I narrow my eyes at him, but he doesn’t care, just keeps his eyes on my boobs, asshole!

“There are leftovers in the fridge; eat, and Dante will show you the room,”

Knox orders. Bryn gets up and heads to the dark wooden table that sits near the kitchen, Ethan right behind her, and I can’t keep my eyes from rolling.

I walk to the table as Ethan takes out the meat and some vegetables. God, I can’t remember the last time I had a real meal.

“How long were you out there?”

Ryker asks.

But before Bryn starts talking and telling them about her profession, I give them a bone to keep them satisfied: “A couple of weeks since I found Bryn.”

Knox and Max look at each other. I bet they will tell the others about Bryn, but at least we will be in a room and probably safer.

“You were alone for weeks?”

Ryker's eyes widen, disbelief flashing across his face, his jaw tightening as if trying to process the weight of my words.

“Why is it so hard for people to believe that?”

I turn to face him. “Women can go to war and fight as much as any of you!”

“And shoot,”

Knox interrupts, and they look at him.

“She shot you?”

Dante releases a low laugh.

Knox tenses, cracking his neck side to side, “At both of us,”

his eyes on mine, and I feel the heat on my spine. There is something about the way he looks at me; it’s almost primal, like a wolf starving for prey.

“She missed, so is she really that good at it?”

Ethan chimes in.

Knox doesn’t acknowledge him. “I think she would’ve hit me if she really wanted to.”

There’s a hint of curiosity in his gaze, but I pretend not to notice it, focusing instead on the tender meat in front of me. The taste, rich with lemon and tomatoes, transports me back to that day—when my mom first showed the symptoms.

“Are you still with us, sweetheart?”

Max touches my arm, and I flinch, almost jumping from my chair.

They all stare at me; Dante’s eyes soften as he rises from his chair. “Come on, I’ll show you girls to your room. I think we all have had enough excitement for one night.”

He walks to the door with a smile and signals us to follow.

The stairs are going down, but from the outside, I only saw one floor, so I guess the rest of this place is underground, so crawling out a window to escape is out of the question.

He leads us down into a concrete hallway with wooden flooring and opens a black door. It’s almost like a dorm room: two single beds, each placed against a different wall, a small nightstand in the middle, the walls are white, and a small two-door closet sits in the left corner.

“There are sheets and blankets inside the closet,”

Dante points to the left, “And there are a couple of t-shirts and sweatpants there too.”

“Thank you so much,”

Bryn says, leaning into him and placing a hand on his shoulder; his hazel eyes lock on her hand, and I can see him tensing.

I just nod and turn my back; I’m not used to physical touch, especially towards men that I just met.

Dante closes the door, and I hear a lock being placed. Great!

“Relax, ,”

Bryn says softly, picking the clothes from the closet. She undresses, and I see her bruises are almost entirely gone.

“Relax? How?”

I pace back and forth.

“Listen, if they wanted to hurt us, they would’ve already done it. Trust me, they would not wait,”

she says with confidence while handing me a pillow.

I can’t relax! We are locked in an underground room in a house full of men who haven’t seen a woman in God knows how long. Is she crazy?!