ONE
STORM
DOTTIE
Thinking back to what happened a few months ago, with that human trafficking circuit that was way too close to my town of Timber-Ghost, is weighing heavily on my mind. It freaked our entire club out. Even though we did our best to annihilate them because it was totally us or their demented organization, the aftermath was and is heart-wrenching. Especially when Rebel, one of my club sister’s, ol’ man just about lost his mind when he found out his mom and dad were taken for no reason except pure hatred and revenge. The only thing that came out of it was Shadow giving me my club name. Not sure where it came from or why because, being Shadow, she won’t tell me, but once she called me it for some reason, it stuck. So now throughout the Devil’s Handmaidens sisters I’m known as Storm. The first few times Shadow called me it, I didn’t even realize she was talking to me. After I thought about it, I somehow got her reasoning. Besides it being a natural event, the word storm can also mean a tumultuous reaction which, apparently, I seem to have a lot. From what others have said, I either rage in like a storm or come in quietly like a gentle shower, unexpected. The reactions though aren’t in a bad way. When I assist Shadow during her job of being our Enforcer, between the two of us—and sometimesSpirit from the Blue Sky Sanctuary—we are the last person or people who our prisoners see. I’m good with that because, deep down into the depths of my soul, I know what we are doing is ridding the world of the most dangerous, sick, perverted mind-fucked assholes out there. So, I guess I am the storm because I am cleansing the earth. It’s still a work in progress for everyone to actually use my new club name.
Now my twin sister, Dani, who I would die for, doesn’t seem to see life like I do. That’s one of the many reasons she doesn’t help Shadow any longer. It was tearing her up while forcing our Enforcer to try to shelter Dani from the shit we did to these assholes and the aftermath of cleaning up what little remained. Usually, Dani and I are always on the same page but with this, not so much. Lately, I’m learning it’s okay to follow the road I’m on because even though we are twins, there has to come a time when we each find our own path in life and in our club.
Giving my head a small shake, I try to concentrate on the road because at any time a wild animal or dumb-ass human driving while on the phone could appear. Even though in and around Timber-Ghost, Montana, the highways aren’t as busy as in the cities, that’s for sure. Our small town is growing each and every year, but it’s still considered a small town and, hopefully, fingers crossed, it remains that way for a long time. Well, not exactly true. I hope it remains small for the remainder of my life, if at all possible.
Though with the expansion of our town and all the new folks coming to live here, it’s brought into our area the Blue Sky Sanctuary, which is an excellent addition, I think to myself. Helping ex-military folks find focus with some kind of purpose is so important for not only the ex-military who risked their lives for our freedoms, but also the four-legged animals they work with. That’s actually where I’m going because Tink, our prez, thought it would be good for all involved in the rescue of Atlas’sparents, Apollo and Athena, along with so many of the young children, teenagers, and women in those deplorable conditions, to talk to the sanctuary’s therapist. As much as I hate driving in my cage, we’ve hit an unexpected cold snap here in Montana, which isn’t unusual, to say the least. One of the reasons I love living here is because I adore being outside, no matter what season or how unpredictable the weather is, because this state is beyond beautiful. So, one day it can be cold, the next warm, and then back to bone-chilling and brisk again. Also, Montana still has seasons, which in this state, are beyond phenomenal. Again, as my mind drifts, I see the entrance to the sanctuary so I flip my signal on and slow down. Right before I turn in, I see something in the field before it drops flat down on the frozen ground, as if to try and hide from my view. Whoever it is in camouflage and trying desperately to shrink into the ground, trying to conceal themselves from me. I slow down and pull over onto the shoulder of the entry to the driveway. Reaching behind me, I check, though I already know, I have my weapon. One thing Shadow and Tink have taught me is to always be prepared for the unexpected. Just as I go to shift to open my door, out of the corner of my eye I see someone right at the side of my car. What the hell, where did this person come from?
Quickly pulling my weapon out, I fling my door open and literally roll to the ground—both hands on my gun—looking around to aim at… What the hell, no one’s there. Slowly standing, still holding my weapon, it dawns on me how I left myself vulnerable again just as the huge, camouflaged person appears right in front of me. I can tell it’s a male right before he grabs my gun but surprisingly doesn’t lay his hands on me. Son of a bitch, in less than a blink of my eye he has my weapon, and I’m beyond vulnerable. Knowing I’m alone with no weapon to protect myself, and on top of that, standing in front of a complete stranger out in an empty field has a shiver run downmy spine. I know no one’s around for God knows how many miles either way you look. Well, that’s not exactly true as it hits me there are cameras everywhere, so maybe I can stall whatever this dude has in mind. Again, before I can say a word, he clears my gun to make sure there isn’t loaded ammunition chambered, then he completely empties my magazine before handing me back my gun.
“Okay, you bastard, tell me who or what gives you the right to scare the shit out of me while grabbing my weapon, then emptying it before handing a useless piece back to me? I’m not the one trespassing, numb-nuts, you are.”
His head tilts one way then the other, though he doesn’t say a single word. He’s intently watching me with eyes so dark they appear black and look to be cold as ice and dead as the grass and trees we are surrounded by. Kind of reminds me of the way Shadow’s eyes get when she’s “working someone over.” His eyes slowly take me in from the biker boots on my feet to the kutte I’m wearing with the Prospect patch and nothing else. When our eyes finally meet, it feels like a lightning strike as an electrical current flows through my veins wherever his eyes had roamed over. Something about that death stare has my body warming up and doing things it hasn’t done in forever, which is starting to piss me off. Now is definitely not the time for this bullshit. I lean back a bit but don’t break our connection through the intense staring match. Something is happening and I don’t know what to do about it. Now, I’m no virgin, but also I’m not a whore either. Life had been dark and rough for Dani and me before the Devil’s Handmaidens motorcycle club took us in. Best day of both of our lives, that’s for sure. Dani and I have been accepted for who we are and been brought under the wings of some of the best women I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet, and truly get to know, and now call my sisters. The dedication to their cause is humbling, to say the least. Realizing I’m zoning out again, Ishake my head to clear the cobwebs out and closely watch the stranger in front of me.
“Who are you and what brings you here? I saw you trying to hide, which is stupid since you’re out in that open field. Not too covert, are you?”
Nothing. No reaction at all, not even a damn blink of those intense eyes of his. Those black orbs are reaching into my soul, or at least that’s how it feels. I’m sure if my club sister, Taz, was here, she’d tell him his eyes remind her of a polished obsidian stone. And she’d be right. So, again I ask him his name and why he’s here. Something clicks because he goes from semi-alert to vigilant in a split second. I’ve been so intent on watching his every move that it takes me a few seconds until I hear the noise of a vehicle approaching our way fast. For some reason, that I can’t make sense of, I don’t want him to get caught. I quickly glance behind me and when I look back he’s hightailing his way to the tree line. His path is clear through the field as long as whoever is in the vehicle doesn’t punch it and try to intercept him. As the vehicle, which is a Jeep, flies by I know they are going to go after him. Especially since it’s Phantom, Triple T, and Spirit, the three craziest of the Blue Sky Sanctuary people. So for whatever reason, I start to run after them as they quickly approach the stranger, who has a military pack across his back. Suddenly he stops, drops the backpack, then throws his arms up in the air. Phantom starts to slow the Jeep down immediately as Triple T and Spirit leap out before it even comes to a stop. Not sure, I can’t explain it, but I can feel the stranger doesn’t want anyone touching him.
“No, please, hey, Triple T and Spirit, leave him be. Don’t put your hands on him.”
I take off running toward the stranger with the intense black eyes. When I pass Triple T, he reaches out and grabs my arm, pulling me up short. Everything happens in slow motion. Oneminute Spirit is beside Triple T, with him holding my arm to keep me from moving toward the unknown man, who none of us have ever met, to that same man reaching behind him, pulling out a military grade weapon, pointing it at Spirit—who immediately braces—while Phantom starts screaming while hightailing toward all of us. I hear it before I see it, a drone, which the man turns his weapon to and immediately—and to my utter disbelief—shoots it down. Triple T swears under his breath “Motherfucker.” I can feel him tensing up but he doesn’t let me go. That is until we hear an animalistic growl, deep timbred whisper aimed toward us.
“Get your goddamn hands off of her. Let her go NOW. If you don’t do as you’re told this one here will die.”
“No, stop, please. No one means you any harm. They are—I believe—like you, ex-military. Let’s take a minute and everyone take a breath. Let’s start with introductions. I’m Storm, that woman is Spirit, and this guy here next to me is Triple T. Phantom is the big guy over there. Your turn, what’s your name?”
He glances through each and every one of us with little to no emotion in his eyes. He lingers on Spirit for an extra second, like he’s trying to remember something. When his eyes fall on me once again, he takes me in from my motorcycle boots up my body, which again starts tingling in every place those eyes have touched. When he looks into my eyes I feel dizzy, at the same time extremely hot. Damn, why does he have so much power over me? I jump when he finally speaks.
“I’m called Halo. I’m looking for Ollie as I was told he ran this place.”
Phantom puts his hands up slowly.
“’Kay, Halo, right? I’m gonna reach into my pocket to grab my phone. I’ll call Ollie and tell him to get his ass out front. That work for ya, friend?”
Halo tips his head to one side, studying Phantom. What he says next sends a shiver down my spine.
“Yeah, it works for me. And to be clear, we ain’t friends. I don’t even know you, so don’t push it, or me, ‘friend.’”
Halo smirks at Phantom as I listen to the big man calling Ollie. He tells his boss how some dude that goes by Halo is here for him. We can all hear him screaming not to go crazy and to give Halo space. Well, we fucked that one up, for sure. Everyone stands waiting for Ollie to make his way to the front of the Blue Sky Sanctuary entrance. When he finally shows, of course, he’s not alone. I turn as the truck makes its way to us. Driving is Ollie, besides him is Noodles, and in the back seat are Panther and Avalanche. When I glance at Halo his eyes are narrowed, but his body is still, tense and alert. Once the truck parks, everyone gets out. I watch Ollie assessing the situation then very cautiously approaching, hands relaxed at his sides. He steps forward putting his hands out toward the stranger.
“Halo, hi I’m Ollie. I apologize; thought you were gettin’ in tomorrow. Didn’t get a chance to inform every one of your arrival. Can you do me a favor first? Put the weapon down?”
“Yeah, when he releases Storm.”
Ollie turns, giving Triple T a chin lift, which has him removing his hand from my arm. I raise my other arm, using my fingers to rub the spot where Triple T’s fingers dug in. When I look up, Halo is watching me with a look that scares the shit out of me, and that’s saying a lot since I know and work with Shadow. Ollie turns back and motions to the weapon, which the stranger puts somewhere on his back. Ollie puts his hand out to shake Halo’s but the guy looks Ollie in the eyes, giving his head a quick shake. Not sure how but Ollie understands and puts his arm down. Then he introduces everyone. Now we are at a standstill. Well, leave it to Avalanche to break the ice, so to speak.
“Halo, right? How long has it been since you got back home? Anyone you want us to call?”
I’m beyond confused but say nothing. Instead, I just watch as the sanctuary people, along with Panther and Avalanche, try to make Halo feel welcome while they handle him with kid gloves. Oh God, I hear that voice of his and my head snaps back to him.
“Back a while. Been wanderin’ here and there. Havin’ the ability to go anywhere I want whenever I want is something I need after, well, think ya know. When I checked in with my team they were shipping back out. Since I can’t pass my psych shit, one of my team leaders heard about this place and guess he knows you, Ollie, so he talked me into giving it a try. I took my time and saw some of our country on my way here. I’ve always been a wandering man so it wasn’t too much of a burden on me. That’s why I got here a day early.”
It’s so apparent he’s not talked to people in a while by his body language and the way his eyes keep shifting from one side to the other, making sure no one sneaks up on him. Something really horrible happened to this wandering man, I can feel it deep in my soul. I jump when a hand goes around my shoulders, and I turn to see Spirit standing next to me watching with those purple eyes of hers. This woman is way more intense than Shadow, which is hard to even comprehend. No one knows her whole story, but all you have to do is take one look at her to know life has not been kind to her. From what I’ve heard through the Devil’s Handmaidens’ gossip chain, Spirit’s man was taken, tortured, and murdered. He was being held captive and she never found out who did it or why. Worse, she wasn’t able to locate his body either. Though, again from the gossip, part of a tattoo on his chest was returned in a box. Kind of explains her ability and willingness to give a hand to Shadow. She told the two of us she was her team’s “muscle” when she was in the military. Then she worked with a unit after they gotout of the military, where she was also the intimidator, which brings a small smile to my face. She’s tiny with those lavender eyes and long, dark-brown almost-black hair. What I know is, I would never challenge her unless it was a life or death situation. She raises an eyebrow at me then looks back at where Ollie is listening to Halo. She mouths, “What’s his name again?”
