Gray's Shadow (Kings of Hell MC 4)

Gray was still stunned when the shadow-like limb retreated, and the next thing he knew, Shadow opened the door with a light press on the handle. All of it had taken him less than a minute.

“Okay… that’s kinda impressive,” he said before carefully turning off his flashlight and slipping inside the dark vestibule.

Shadow followed him into the car, giddy like a golden retriever that had just successfully fetched a ball. “You liked that? Can I do anything more?”

Gray scowled at Shadow and pressed a finger to his lips. He might be a useful tool, but a goddamn talkative one, and on the job noise could mean the difference between life and death.

Gray shut the door behind them and looked around the small space at the end of the car. There were several reddish lights distributed along the interior, and he was surprised to see the ‘Kitchen’ sign on the narrow door that would usually be the entrance to a toilet in most passenger cars. His brain exploded with anger that they might have mistakenly entered the wrong train, but his agitation soon dispersed when he realized the on-board restaurant wouldn’t need to be secured with complicated locks.

“But I did well,” Shadow whispered, as if Gray told him to tone down instead of remaining silent. Out of nowhere, he sandwiched Gray between his unwashed body and the wall, sniffing him loudly. “I deserve a reward.”

Gray slipped away with a scowl. “Your reward is being out of the cell. Now shut it,” he said in the quietest whisper and pressed his back to the wall before glancing farther into the car. Beyond the glass door he could vaguely recognize the shapes of restaurant booths in the pulsating glow of the red safety light.

“Is a kiss so much to ask?” Shadow went on, ignorant of the situation around them. Did he have no comprehension that they could die if things went south?

Gray fled the insistent hands rubbing at his flesh and moved toward the entrance to the dining area where the jewel was supposedly hidden. “We’re at work. Shut up.”

“Just one,” Shadow whined, clutching at Gray’s shoulders and burying his nose against the sensitive skin of his neck.

That was it.

Gray shoved him back, unable to think straight when he remembered the way this fucking monster had tried to pin him down, undress him, and do so much more damage. Shadow had learned nothing since.

“Fuck off. Don’t touch me. Are you deaf?” Gray barked, his shoulders so rigid the push ended up way more powerful than he had intended. The red eyes glinted in the dark like warning lights just before the huge form clashed with the door separating them from the dining area.

The crack of breaking glass was like a screech of nails against a blackboard, followed by a choked sound from Shadow. Gray switched on his flashlight without thinking, shocked to see tar-like blood dripping out of a large cut on Shadow’s forearm, down the glass, and all the way to the floor. Gray’s limbs froze, and his throat clenched, but he couldn’t let the sad, shocked expression in Shadow’s eyes affect him now. The bastard had been asking for it, and maybe a bit of pain would finally teach him about boundaries.

“Open the lock. Right now. We need to get in,” he said through clenched teeth, keeping his gaze away from Shadow’s face, away from the blood and the curled shoulders. If Gray couldn’t focus now, he would fail, delivering the proof that his brothers needed to retire him.

Shadow moved without a word, efficient despite the black goo dripping around his feet. He was leaving his biological signature in the place of the crime, but Gray doubted anyone could recognize the blood for what it was anyway. And even if it came to that, Shadow would be gone soon, like stolen evidence during a cover-up.

The door opened, and Gray entered the dark car, eyes trained on the wide muscular back making way for him. The interior smelled of bleach and, very faintly, of rather obnoxious cologne, but that only meant guards could be nearby.

They needed to leave as fast as possible and find their way back to the motorcycle before they passed the little town where Gray had planned to hitch a ride. Unsure on which side of the car he should search for the Pigeon Heart, he got to his knees by the third booth from the door and looked under the table, seeking anything that would seem out of place. He smiled, shocked that he found it right away.

There was a small black box hidden beneath one of the seats and screwed to the wall. When a quick survey confirmed that this was the only such object within sight. Gray put the flashlight between his teeth and pulled out his multi-tool.