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The bastard smirks at me. He knows I won’t risk her life.
That’s when I see him. Another Serpent, riding up fast on my left. I barely have time to register the glint of a gun before the world explodes in pain. A bullet rips through my shoulder, jolting me backward.
The bike wobbles beneath me, but I fight to stay upright, my vision blurring as blood seeps from my wound. I see Sadie screaming, her hands reaching out toward me, but her voice is drowned out by the pounding in my ears.
Then the ground rushes up to meet me, and the world goes black.
CHAPTER12
Sadie
I awaketo a throbbing pain in my head, my surroundings unfamiliar and dim. My body aches with a ferocity that makes me wince. My hands are tied and feet are tied, the rough rope biting into my skin. I feel the coolness of the concrete floor beneath me and the dampness of the air against my skin. Where am I?
Panic rises within me, a cold, sickening fear. A flood of memories wash over me, each one more terrifying than the last.
Flashes of the abduction flicker in my mind like a broken film reel. The explosion. The chaos. The terrifying roar of an unfamiliar motorcycle engine. The Serpent’s menacing face. The helpless feeling of being snatched away. The wind whipping my hair as we sped away from the safe house, from Slash, from safety.
My heart hammers as I relive the moment. The memory of Viper’s cold, triumphant laugh echoes in my ears. He’d taken advantage of the confusion, swooped in like a vulture, and stolen me away from my protectors. The Reapers, Slash... they were supposed to keep me safe. And they’d failed.
One memory stands out among the rest: Slash. The image of him, charging after Viper and me on his motorcycle, is seared into my mind. His eyes had been fierce, determined, filled with a mixture of rage and desperation. He had been so close, close enough to reach out and grab me. But then, just as he was about to close the distance, he pulled back. And then the gunshot—a sickening sound echoing in the night. My heart had dropped, my stomach twisting with dread. I tried to look back, to see what had happened to him, but the darkness had already swallowed him up. After that, I didn’t see Slash again. The uncertainty, the not knowing, gnaws at me, adding another layer of fear to my already anxious state.
I force myself to take slow, deep breaths, pushing down the rising tide of panic. But the fear remains, a persistent undercurrent to my thoughts. I’m in the hands of the Iron Serpents, at the mercy of my worst nightmares.
Yet, even in the midst of my terror, a spark of anger ignites within me. I refuse to be a damsel in distress, a pawn in this deadly game between the Reapers and the Serpents. I won’t allow it. Fear might have its claws in me, but I won’t let it control me. I can’t.
I close my eyes, pushing back against the fear, against the horrifying memories of the abduction. I need to think, to plan, to figure out how to get out of this mess. Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned from living in Packwood, it’s that sometimes, you’re your only hope.
With my memory of the abduction pieced together, my focus shifts to the present. I’m in a room that smells like musty leather and stale beer, the air thick with menace. The only light comes from a single bulb hanging from the ceiling, casting long shadows that creep and twist around the room. I’m tied to a chair, the ropes digging into my wrists, a dull throbbing pain that grows with every futile struggle. I glance around, searching for anything that could help me escape. But the room is nearly bare, save for the chair I’m bound to and a small table in the corner, offering no obvious means of escape.
I’m trying to work out a plan when the door creaks open, throwing a sliver of harsh light into the room. A figure steps into the dimly lit space, the door closing behind him with an ominous thud. As my eyes adjust, I recognize the sneering face of Viper.
“Well, look who’s finally awake,” he drawls, his voice like gravel. “You’re a lightweight, aren’t ya? Didn’t expect that little dose to keep you out so long.”
My heart hammers in my chest, but I force myself to meet his gaze. So that’s why my neck is sore below my left ear—the bastard injected me with something. “What do you want?” I ask, my voice steadier than I feel.
He chuckles, and the sound sends a shiver down my spine. “Oh, it’s not about whatIwant, sweetheart,” he says, leaning in close. “It’s about what weallwant. You’re going to come in real handy. The Reapers will mind their own goddamn business after this.”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut, my worst fears confirmed. But despite the terror welling up inside me, I force myself to remain calm. I won’t give him the satisfaction of seeing my fear.
Two more of the Iron Serpents enter then, and they circle around me, running their hands over my body and through my tangled hair. My stomach is clenched with terror, but now more than ever, my fear is tinged with a spark of determination. I won’t just sit here and let them use me. I need to get out of here, and I need to alert the Reapers. I think about Slash, about the determination in his eyes as he chased after me. He won’t let me down, I know it. He and the Reapers will come for me.
That hope, as thin and fragile as it may be, hardens into resolve. I won’t be a helpless victim. I’m stronger than that.
When I don’t flinch or beg, they lose interest in me, it seems, and start talking as though I’m not here. They’re talking about the Reapers, about a planned attack, and a horrifying thought occurs to me—if they’re saying all this in my presence, either they’re just as stupid as they look, or they don’t intend to let me out of here alive.
One of them, a man with a whiny voice that doesn’t match his hulking body, says, “This is going to be even sweeter than when we offed his brother. Should’ve seen the look on that little shit’s face when I pulled the trigger. Didn’t even see it coming.”
I stifle a gasp. Tommy, Slash’s brother—that has to be what they’re talking about. This information is crucial. If I can get out of here, it could be the key to helping the Reapers take down the Iron Serpents once and for all. I stare intently at the man speaking—I need to remember his ugly face.
The conversation continues, but I barely hear it over the rush of blood in my head. I need to get out of here. I need to tell the Reapers what I know. The stakes are higher than ever, but so is my determination.
The voices outside the room fade away, leaving me alone with my thoughts and my newfound resolve. I glance around the room, searching for anything that could be of use. My eyes land on a rusty pipe jutting out from the wall within my reach. One end of it looks loose, jagged and sharp. If I can get to it, maybe I can cut my bonds.
With a deep breath, I rock back and forth until my chair tips, and I stifle a cry of pain as I land hard on my shoulder. I manage to flip over and shuffle toward the pipe, the rough floor scraping against my knees. It’s slow and painstaking work, but eventually, I reach the pipe. It’s just as jagged as I hoped. Carefully, I start to saw at the ropes binding my hands together, wincing as the rough metal scrapes my skin. But I don’t stop. I can’t stop.
After what feels like an eternity, the ropes finally give way. A sigh of relief escapes my lips as I pull my hands free. I quickly set to work on the ropes binding my feet, and soon, I’m free.
Now comes the hard part. Should I wait for the Reapers to rescue me, or should I attempt to escape on my own? Both options carry their own risks. But as I think about the information I overheard, about Tommy and the Iron Serpents’ plans, I know I can’t just sit here and wait. I need to act.
