Page 24 of Saint's Sinner

You’d have thought Sinn was the younger brother the way Maddox spoke to him and gripped his upper arm, dragging him further into the darkness. It felt like forever as they wound their way through tunnels with only a weak flashlight beam for light.

“You should check the batteries in that thing more often, it looks like it’s about to die.”

“It isn’t, your eyesight has just gotten worse.”

“Joy.”

He said nothing else, just focused on keeping his feet underneath him and the fear of slamming into something from consuming him. Maddox wasn’t big enough to toss him over his shoulder like a few of their brothers were, but he was strong enough to yank his arm out of the socket if Sinn wasn’t careful.

He couldn’t hear gunfire anymore or the sound of rumbling engines. When the ground sloped upward Sinn knew they were nearing the end. It was an old storm cellar set back within a circle of trees that used to act as a wind break for the old house. The moment the cellar doors opened, he could hear engines again, but not gunfire. It sounded like the fight was over, but there was no telling who’d won until someone came for them.

“Great. I missed everything,” Maddox hissed.

“Good. At least you’re still in one piece.”

“Really? When are you gonna accept the same answer?”

Grumbling, Sinn didn’t want to admit that Maddox had a point Sinn wasn’t in the mood to hear. Instead, he listened to the fading rumbles of bikes moving further away, along with the whoops and hollers of victory.

“Sounds like we live to fight another day.” Maddox said.

“Can you see anything?”

“Didn’t exactly have time to grab binoculars. My eyesight might be considerably better than yours, but I can’t see that far without aid.”

“Then you know the rules. We stay put until someone comes for us.”

“Comes for you, you mean. I’m perfectly capable of getting back their unseen.”

“Go for it. Tell mom I saidheywhen you do.”

“I’d have been safer with the hail of bullets.”

“Maybe, but you’re here now, might as well see it through to the end.”

“Whenever that might be.”

“This fuckin’ sucks!” Sinn growled, keeping his voice low despite how loud he wanted to shout it. He was reasonably certain that they’d emerged victorious, but until they got face to face confirmation, he might as well get comfortable.

When cellphones got popular and damn near everyone had one, a younger Disciple had suggested they text theall clear. The old guys had laughed at that, said anyone could type out a message and drag everyone into an ambush. Even after thumbprint locks had been invented, they kept things old school. Unless someone wanted to wander out wearing a skinned face, there were few other ruses that would work.

He lowered himself to the ground between two trees, making sure he was tucked well and truly concealed behind a massive oak and tried to get as comfortable as he could, under the circumstances.

“Sinn!!”

“Sinn!”

“God damnit all to hell you answer me!”

He knew that bellow. His head smacked the side of the tree as he scrambled to his feet, shocked when Maddox gripped his arm to steady him.

“Slow down, for fuck’s sake, you give yourself a concussion and it will bemethat gets the blame.”

“What are you, ten?” Sinn snarled as he jerked his arm loose. “Here! Saint I’m over here!”

“Thank fuck!”

Sinn didn’t need help tracking that voice. Hurrying, he forgot about the random obstacles nature placed in one’s path. Several times he staggered and once a limb and several leaves cracked him across the face.

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