Page 27 of Rattlin' Bones

“That’s why I’m taking you home. I’ll talk to the judge as soon as I clean up here.”

She buried her head in my neck. “Okay.”

“IS IT DONE?” MADDOGasked as I parked my bike inside the lot of our new clubhouse.

The old casino renovation had been a brilliant idea. We had plenty of space, and the original wood added a rich accent to the interior. Construction was coming along, and most of the rooms were in the drywall stage, which was ready for paint next week. The floors had been in great shape beneath all the old carpet, and Maddog opted to hire a company to refinish them. The building no longer resembled the late seventies hotel and casino.

We just had a ton of electrical and remodeling to do with the bedrooms, bathrooms, and main floor. Maddog had shared the plans with us, which included a massive bar, industrial kitchen, and a chow hall that could feed over a hundred people in one sitting. It reminded me of our boot camp days without all the bullshit.

“It is,” I answered, noting that he straddled his Harley.

“Good. We’re takin’ that ride, Skel. It’s time.”

“No church?”

“Not yet. You’ll understand after we ride into the desert.”

Yeah, I didn’t get that part. That terrain could tear up my bike, and I hated getting a scratch on her. “Alright, pres.”

I followed Maddog as he left the lot. Manic and Creature followed as a prospect closed the gate of our new fence behind us. It didn’t take long to pass beyond the Strip and out of Vegas, heading down the highway until we turned onto a dirt road. After a few minutes, we veered off and turned right, crossing into the desert as our tires sped over hot sand.

Anyone who’s ever traveled through the desert has learned about mirages. They spring up when least expected as a sheen of water across the sand. An optical illusion known to make men crazy with thirst when they’ve been in the sun too long.

So, I didn’t trust the mirage I saw heading my way. It didn’t seem like more than a dark blur until I rode closer, catching the image of a horse.

Not justanyhorse. A skeleton that moved with a grace that shouldn’t be possible. No mane but fiery waves that resembled moving hair. He made a noise that sounded like tiny cracks of thunder and pawed at the air as his rider stopped him only a few feet from where I hit the brakes and skid, nearly colliding with the bony beast.

I stared at the being who dropped from the seat, dressed in a long flowing robe. Cinders crackled across the material as red eyes focused on me, glowing with a demonic hue. His hood hid his features as I peered inside.

“Ah, at last, I meet the infamous Skeletor.”

He knew my name. My road name, to be precise. The moniker I’d been given as a Marine because I always wore my skeletal mask overseas while on active duty. It kept the dust out of my nose and mouth and intimidated my enemies.

I narrowed my eyes, wondering if I’d fallen off my bike or crashed, and smacked my head. Was this a dream?

“Not a dream,” the being chuckled. “You’re here. I’m here. It’s real.”

“What do you want?” I glanced around us, no longer seeing Maddog, Manic, or Creature. “Where are my brothers?”

“Brothers in arms. Brothers in a club. You all enjoy your bromances, don’t you?”

I shot him a look. “I don’t fuck men.” Not that I cared if anyone else did; it just wasn’t for me.

“No, you don’t. Far too infatuated with a woman’s pussy, especially your sweet girl.”

I froze. “You leave her out of this. Don’t speak her fucking name.”

The hood knocked back, and I stared into a skeletal face not so different than the mask in my pocket. Where this was plastic and other materials, his was made of sinew, bone, and a few vessels. Not fake. Visceral. Intimidating. And scar as fuck.

“Woah,” I blurted, backing up.

“No need to do that. If I wanted you, I’d take you. If I intended harm, you would have experienced it already. Alas, I’m only here to broker a deal.”

“What kind of deal?” I asked, instantly suspicious.

“It’s more like a trade.”

He shrugged, whipping off the robe and flicking it with his wrist, grinning when it flung toward me and settled around my shoulders with a light hum. The vibration felt warm and soothing but also potent. Almost hypnotic.

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