Page 20 of Unmasked Prophecy
What I see makes my knees buckle.
Just outside of the front gates, something is burning. All I can see are flames, large and angry, catching onto the trees nearby.
I don’t think, I just move.
I run outside of my room and towards the gates where everyone is gathering. Wolfe is barking down the phone, no doubt to the fire department, and all the bikers are trying to gather what they can to put out the fire that is blazing. As I near it, my entire body jerks to a stop when I realize what it is.
This isn’t an accidental fire.
This is a large scarecrow, strung up to a wooden cross.
This is a message.
But that’s not the only thing that makes my blood run cold.
It’s the clothes it’s wearing.
It’s wearing one of my dresses, I would know them anywhere. We all had clothes that were uniquely ours.
The scarecrow has been dressed just like me.
I don’t even realize I’m screaming until Mera is holding me, shaking my shoulders, trying to get me to stop. The sound rips from my throat so violently it feels like it tears something inside of me. I’m shaking all over as the message hits, loud and clear.
“Hey, honey, it’s okay,” Mera soothes, rubbing her hands frantically up and down my back to calm me.
I finally stop screaming, now in some kind of shock as I stare at the horrifying image before me. A black smoke plume billows into the sky, thick and choking. The cross on fire is a harrowing reminder of what they are capable of, and they are making sure I get that message loud and clear.
“What the fuck is that?” Kael roars, the last to come out of his room.
He’s shirtless, sleepy-eyed, but as he stares at the scarecrow, he quickly comes to life.
“That’s me,” I croak.
Four bikers turn to stare at me, their faces masked with shock and rage.
“Motherfuckers,” Talon barks. “Fucking cunts.”
“It’s a message,” Knox growls.
“It’s because I didn’t go with him,” I murmur, more to myself than anyone.
“We should have had people on watch,” Zane barks. “Fuck me, how did this happen?”
“Fire department is on their way,” Wolfe growls, striding over, his eyes pinning me. “Want to tell me what the fuck this is?”
“This is just the beginning. I told you...I told you what they’ll do. Do you believe me now? Do any of you believe me now? They’re fucking crazy.”
Silence.
My legs tremble and as if in slow motion, my body starts falling to the ground. Somehow, Talon is there to catch me. He is always there to catch me when I fall. My face hits the leather of his jacket as he hauls me against him, the scent of smoke and sweat surrounding me. My body is shaking, but nothing I do will stop it.
“You don’t get to fall apart. Not now. You wanna be here, with us, you better fucking understand what that means. They want you scared. They want you weak. You give ‘em that, you’re already gone.”
I flinch at his words, but he doesn’t stop.
“That scarecrow? That’s war. They made it personal. Which means you stay close. You listen. We will fix this, but you gotta trust us.”
“They’re dangerous,” I whisper, clutching his jacket in my hands, as if that will stop anything.
