Page 87 of Viper

“Yes. The airfield where we landed. We circled the area for the first day, looking for you guys, but figured we’d have better luck on foot. Took me a minute, but I was finally able to track you all.” He glances at Reaper. “The airfield is just east of here. Just under a day’s hike. Father flew us in when he realized what Maxim had done. We just didn’t know which direction you went.”

I knew it. That sick bastard has something to do with this. Us in the wilderness unprepared while madmen dismembered people.

“He was the one shooting at us,” Breaker says.

Reaper gestures to the woods behind me. “I nicked him, but he got away. Fucker ran when he realized we were out here. He’s probably back at the lodge by now.”

“He was bleeding good,” Hunter said. “Led us right to Breaker, thank fuck.”

“But why?” I ask, handing Breaker my stick. “Why is he doing this?”

Reaper and Hunter exchange a look.

“Do you know who these people are?” I ask, not liking the silent conversation between them. They always do this and it drives me crazy. “Do you know what they are doing?”

Hunter’s midnight eyes slide to Reap. “Listen, we need to get Striker and get back to the airfield in time for the pickup. There’s a possibility Maxim is still out here.”

“Is he the one who gutted that man?” Breaker asks.

“What man?” Hunter asks.

Breaker looks between the two and shudders. “The one tied to the tree.”

“Gutted?” Hunter asks, frowning. “We didn’t see anybody.”

Reaper curses and looks down at his feet, adjusting his grip on his rifle. He seems to deflate some, a strange expression passing over his face. Remorse?

“They must have cut the body down,” I say. My gut roils at the memory. But why tie him to the tree then move his body? A skittering sensation moves over my skin, and I grip Breaker’s shoulder, grounding myself.

Hunter unsheathes his knife and offers it to me. “Take this. We need to get moving if we’re going to make it in time for pickup.”

“We aren’t leaving her,” Reaper snaps.

“Who?” I ask the same moment Hunter jabs him in the chest and grates out, “I’m not risking my brothers to save her.”

“Who?” I ask again, stepping between them, forcing Hunter to look at me. “What woman?”

“The one who was screaming,” Breaker says. “Reaper says they have her.”

My skin grows cold. The red hair tangled in the trees, the distant screams.

“We’re not leaving her behind,” Reaper says. “I refuse to leave her with him.”

“She’s probably already dead, or close to it,” Hunter says. “If they are out here gutting people, I doubt she’s still breathing.”

“I’m not taking the chance,” Reaper grates. “God knows what he’ll do to her.”

My gut sours, picturing Maxy’s stern face. The scar and the black eyepatch. The man is terrifying. I nudge Hunter. “Who is she?”

“She’s the goddamn reason we’re in this mess,” Hunter says, jabbing at Reaper’s chest again. “She made her bed. Let her fucking die in it.”

“Fatheris the reason we are here.” Reaper slaps Hunter’s finger away. “He’s the reason we’reallhere.”

“Fucking fine.” Hunter throws his arms up, then drops them and points at Reaper. “You take Break and go get Strike.” He turns to me and takes a deep breath. His jaw flexes, and he shakes his head like he’s already regretting this. “You and I will go find that woman. I just sure as shit hope we don’t regret it.”

Chapter 28

Delilah