“You got it. I'm guessing he offered her freedom in exchange for theirs.” He rubbed at his neck. Purplish red bruises had started appearing on his skin where my fingers had dug in. I didn't feel guilty about leaving marks on him. He would heal.
“He won't ever free those kids. They were sold. He doesn't have power over their futures anymore.” I didn't get why Briella would do it. Risk herself for people who weren't even her blood. Except it wasn't entirely unexpected. Her loving and giving nature was what had made her such a prize.
“Briella doesn't know that. Anyway,'' Raze rolled his shoulders, “I watched and waited. Not even for very long. Acco picked her up outside the motel an hour ago. Drove off with her. I followed.” Catching my eye, he grinned. “They didn't see me. Acco is many things, but he’s not very smart about security. I know where she is.”
“Was,” I corrected. “If you have left to tell me then you don't know for certain that she is still there now.”
“Do you think I am a total fool, Tommy? I called in reinforcements. I have men watching and more on the way. Acco won't be able to take a shit without us knowing.” He fell into silence, watching me with hooded eyes. “Are you ready to do what needs to be done?”
I nodded once. “Yes.”
“Which is?”
“I'm going to kill him. I am going to…”
“Good. Acco is the problem Leviathan wanted you to take out, Tommy. Acco. He is too dangerous to be left alive now. He won’t let Briella go. Even if we get her out.”
“Acco will die tonight.”
Striding towards the door, I caught his smile and frowned. “What?”
“Welcome back, Bloody Bones.”
* * *
The rideto Acco's lair was deceptively short.
The fool hadn't even moved his operation. He had taken her back to the place it had all started.
Did he really think that I wouldn't find out and go to her? Was he that sure he would best me?
Acco was about to have a very rude awakening.
I had been so busy trying to be the man I thought Briella wanted - a soft, human man - that I had forgotten to be the monster that she needed me to be.
As a man I couldn't protect her from my world, but as a monster I could.
And I would.
“What's the plan?” Blade, my sergeant at arms, ground out a half-smoked cigarette under his heavy boot. His face was split open with a wide grin. He was excited. They all were I realised as I gazed around at them.
They were looking forward to a fight. For a chance to let their inner beasts loose. And if I was honest with myself, so was I.
I hadn't let Bloody Bones out to play properly for so long. The death of my brother had made me lock that side of myself down. For what I thought was forever. Being the monster was what had caused his death.
But it was only by being Bloody Bones that I had any chance of getting Briella back alive.
“Prez?”
I didn't look at Blade. My eyes were trained on the building in front of me. I searched the windows. Behind one of them was Briella.
“Guards?”
“None on the outside, but the magic surrounding the place tells me that the inside may be another story entirely.” Blade tapped out another cigarette from the box and placed it dangling from his lips.
“We go in our true forms then. Hard and fast. Kill anyone who gets in your way. Our priority is to get Briella out before he can mark her.” Taking a step forward, I paused, glancing at the men who were crowding behind me. Each of their faces were eager for the fight that was to come.
“But Acco is mine.”
