Twisted Steel: An MC Anthology: Second Edition by Elizabeth Knox (top 5 ebook reader txt) 📕

I hear something crying in the background, I think it might be a deer or something like that but I can’t focus on that. What if they follow the sound? The acolytes know better than to harm me but Emerson will deliver extreme penance. I don’t know how much more I can take.

I keep myself upright as I slide down the side of the steep hill.

“Fuck!” I hiss out as my foot catches on one of the errant branches on the ground and I stumble slightly, not falling all the way thankfully. That was the same shit that happened the last time. I can’t afford to incapacitate myself again. I sit down on my ass and basically slide down, so I won’t have the chance to fall. I make it to solid ground and I no longer hear the animal crying. I don’t know if that is better or worse for me. If that noise isn’t around to distract them, maybe they will be able to hear me better? I feel my breath coming faster and I do my very best to calm myself down. Thankfully there is no snow on the ground but that doesn’t mean that it’s not still cold as hell. When I stand up on the more level ground, I can see the cabin that I saw the last time I managed to make my way out. It looked a little worse for wear but I didn’t really care about that. It was safe. I was sure that whoever was there would help me. There is no way that they wouldn’t. I stop in my tracks at the thought. What if they were part of all this? What if whoever was in that house would take me back to Emerson.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” I cry silently and pull my fingers through my hair. I’ve seen policemen, politicians, and royalty come to partake in the sacrifices. It would make sense that they would get the public in the area to be on their side. I close my eyes and think about my options.

It doesn’t take long for me to realize that it’s worth my chances. I can hear people running behind me. They are out to find me again.

I take off in a crouched run. I have to get away.

I try to stay behind the trees and pray that the brush and the leaves are enough to hide me. I doubt it though, my cloak is a bright red. It really stands out, still I have to try.

I throw a hand to my mouth in a gasp as a large figure pops up in my peripheral vision. At first, I thought it was a bear, it’s large and dark but it’s walking up right and I can see the flesh color of his hands. It’s a man. He has a walking stick in his hand and a bunch of traps hanging over his shoulder. I don’t say a word.

I know it’s not one of Emerson’s acolytes because he isn’t dressed the right way and I don’t see the tattoo on his neck. Though I can’t see much of his neck from where I’m crouching. Could it really just be my luck that this man is walking through the forest or is it another trick to get me to come out of hiding?

I take a few steps in his direction. When he doesn’t turn around right away. I take a few more. I see him stop, he is trying to listen behind him. If he were one of Emerson’s he would know that it was me. He would have turned and pounced but this man is acting like he doesn’t know who is behind him. I take a few more steps in his direction and I know I have to get to him before he turns around. The last thing I need is for him to say something and draw attention to us. I take off in a run and collide with him just as he is turning around. I put my hand up to his mouth. He tries to move away only slightly before his eyes focus on mine.

“Please help me,” I mouth.

When he doesn’t immediately start calling for the acolytes on my tail, I feel a bit of hope. I squash it back down though. The last thing I need is to be caught off guard right now.

“Please don’t scream,” I whisper, and he nods his head.

I pull my hand down. I can still hear things behind me but now it seems as though they are going in the opposite direction.

“Please help me,” I say again to the man before I turn my head to make sure that they aren’t closer than I think they are.

“What’s wrong?” he whispers back to me.

“They are trying to catch me. I have to get away,” I say as my response.

A flash of anger sweeps through his gaze as he looks over my head into the forest behind me.

“How many?” he grits out and pulls me behind him.

“No, you can’t fight them. Please, let’s go. We need to run.” I pull his coat and pray that it’s enough to stop his line of thoughts. Women the COG treat as if they are precious angels. I’ve seen them kill men that have gotten too close without a care in the world, not even for their own lives. The fact that this man was near me is enough for them to try and shoot him directly in the head. He’s tainting me as Emerson would say.

He looks back to me one more time before he grabs my arm and pulls me in front of him. “Fine, come on.” He gently pushes me until I’m walking ahead of him. His body shielding mine from the back.

A low whistling sound stops me in my tracks.

Guns N’ Roses.

“Don’t stop, I’m here. I won’t let him get you. Keep going,” the large man behind