Page 34 of Revenant's Fire

Granddaddy said God would forgive all men who were repentant. That’s the difference between me and God. I’m not here to forgive. I’m here to tell them their time has run out and send them straight to hell.

My slow, steady footsteps lead to the first of three men. His face is unrecognisable, beaten so badly his nose has collapsed and his mouth is void of teeth. His breathing is wheezy, labored, but that’s none of my concern.

“There is no forgiveness from me,” I murmur, palming the knife my grandaddy gave me. “Whatever waits for you outside of this room won't be mercy.”

The Wolf says nothing. No repentance. Just sobs. Bargaining to live. Begging. His pleas fall on deaf ears. His life ended as soon as he was dragged into this room.

I breathe in the scent of fear, my eyes closing at the tang of tears, piss and shit, the underlying metallic smell of blood that covers his body thanks to Hush and Coyote’s handiwork.

“You chose your path. Every choice brought you here. I’m not here to judge you.” I grip his hair, roughly pulling his head back. “Look at me,” I growl, jerking him, his head lolling side to side. “Give me your eyes, sinner.” His eyes crack open, offering me his gaze. I want to be the last thing he’ll see before leaving this world. “I’m here to tell you your time has run out. Make your peace.” My knife glides over the Wolf’s throat, his blood spilling down his chest before I’ve finished my cut.

My head hangs, gaze on my boots as the Wolf’s blood hits them. I stare as it pools around my boots, ignoring the sobs from the Wolf beside the condemned. He twists and turns as he hangs from the ceiling, his beaten and bloody body no match for the chain he's suspended from.

“There is no forgiveness from me,” I begin, my gaze on the second man. “Whatever waits for you outside this room won’t be mercy.”

“Please, please,” he wails, “please, I’ll tell you anything you wanna know!”

“You’ve already done that, you fucking pussy,” Hush growls.

“I - I can find out more! Just, let me go and I can get you anything you want!”

Gallows’ brow raises momentarily before he dips his chin at me to get on with it. A smile plays on my lips but not for long. Gripping the Wolf by his hair I stare him down until his gaze is on mine.

He lets out a sob and I wait, like a coiled snake. Silent. Patient. Waiting until his eyes are on mine. “I’m here to tell you your time has run out. Make your peace.” My knife finds his flesh, tearing one last sob out of him before the only sound in the room is the gurgling gasp of death.

Turning my attention to the last man, my head tilts, taking him in. His silence is deafening. No begging, no pleas for mercy. Only stone, cold silence.

“There is no forgiveness from me.”

He whimpers, his body convulsing as tears spill over his bloody, swollen cheeks. The sound grows more and more hysterical until his head tips, not tears, laughter, wracking his body as he hangs from a rusty chain from the ceiling.

“Crowe said you’d be here at the end.”

“What?” I ask, noticing my brothers straightening at his words.

“He said if we’re dumb enough to be caught by the Saint’s, Revenant would be the last thing we see.” I glance at Gallows. “Crowe has a question for you.” He wheezes, his body filling with enough adrenaline to fuck with me. I’ve seen it before, the body’s last fight before I send him to hell. “You still think you’re the shepherd?”

“What does Crowe fucking care?” Coyote growls, slipping his scalpel between two of the Wolves ribs.

The man screams in pain before going limp, head lolling, ready to pass out, but he doesn't. Instead he looks at me, a tiny slit in his swollen eyelid showing a glint of satisfaction. “Better keep an eye on your sheep, shepherd.”

His words are like a kick to the fucking chest, almost stealing my breath, “What did you just say to me?”

He grins a gummy smile and panic grips my gut and twists mercilessly. I don’t recite scripture. I don’t complete my ritual. Instead I take my knife and draw it slowly across the Wolf’s throat, one ear to the other. I don’t wait to hear him take his last breath. The only thing I care about is Sunny.

Dropping the bloody instrument I run from the barn, bursting into the common room full of my brothers, relaxed, not a care between them.

“Anyone seen Sunny?” I bellow, letting my gaze shift around the common room, not seeing my woman. I don’t hear her either, which worries me. The only place she is ever calm and quiet is in the peaceful silence of her father’s church.

“Yeah, I saw her outside with Bubbles. Said Jubilee asked her to move her ride,” Hollow says over his shoulder, his hand in Diamond’s hair as she blows him.

“Bubbles? Unless she’s beating Bubbles’ ass again, that don’t make sense,” Ledger growls, arms crossed over his chest.

“Just telling ya what I saw, brother,” Hollow replies before throwing his arm over Amethyst, pushing her head down to join Diamond’s in his crotch.

“Something ain't right,” Mercy murmurs, stepping up next to me on one side while Prez stands on my other, frown on his harsh face.

“Prospect!” Gallows barks.