Page 171 of Outlaws of Tulsa

Calla whimpers from beside me, tripping over her feet and nearly falling. One of the men yanks her by her hair, righting her. Dragon is in some kind of trance, blindly walking without putting up a fight. The whole situation freaks me out.

We’re in an old, abandoned hotel. It was in a remote area. No other buildings or service stations. Just woods and a scummy looking building. They brought us in through the reception area and through a series of hallways. I’m not sure where they’re taking us, but it doesn’t look good.

“Here,” one of the men says, pointing to a door with several bolt locks that have been installed on the outside. “Night Giant texted to hold them here with the others until he comes for him.”

Dragon shudders, his head bowed. I have the urge to hug him and promise him we’re going to get the fuck out of here. Maybe even smack his head and remind him he’s Dragon, not scared little Chase.

They open the door and usher us into a dark room. The windows have been boarded up, not allowing light in, but the bathroom door that stands ajar offers some light. It’s an old hotel room, missing sheets from the stained double full bed mattresses. There’s no television or décor or lamps or even a phone. It’s sparse aside from the people huddled in one corner, all clinging to each other.

As soon as I see a familiar blond head, I nearly sob in relief. He’s here. Cove is here. This is good. If I can figure out a way for us to escape, I can save Cove too.

“Welcome to orientation,” one of the goonies grunts, ripping the tape off Dragon’s mouth. “Caught here can fill you all in on what to expect.”

Caught?

He shoves Dragon to the floor, who manages to twist his body just as he hits the stained carpeted floor, taking the brunt of his fall on his shoulder rather than his face. The man rips off the tape from Calla’s mouth too.

“You,” the man says, gripping my jaw brutally and angling my head up to meet his beady stare beyond the mask. “You’re a fighter. I can see it in your eyes. These guys in here already gave up, but you think you can save them.” He laughs, dark and demonic. “The bosses will love this. Maybe they’ll let me have a go at you. I’ll fuck the fight right out of you.”

“Hog,” the other guy growls. “Cut your shit before they do it for you.”

Hog holds me for another long moment before shoving me onto the nasty bed. Rather than pouncing on me and makinggood on his promise, he and the other goon leave. The sound of the bolt locks engaging echoes with finality.

A woman with scraggly brown hair prowls over to me. She wears a dress that’s stained with blood and ripped in several places. Slowly, she rips the tape off my face.

“Welcome to orientation,” she mirrors Hog’s earlier words, grinning at me.

Okay, fucking creepy.

“Where are we? What is this place?” I demand. “Can you get this tape off my hands?”

The woman snaps her teeth at me and cackles. “We’re in the Hotel of Whores. Or is it Horrors? I forgot.” She rolls me to my side and her hot breath tickles my wrists. “They like the pretty ones and you’re pretty.”

I hold my breath as she gnaws through the tape with her teeth like a fucking piranha. I’m praying she doesn’t accidentally bite me. As soon as my hands are free, I pull them away from her unreliable teeth and stretch my arms. I climb off the bed and make my way over to Dragon since he’s closer. Quickly, I rid him of his bindings.

“Dragon,” I say in a calm voice. “It’s me. Stormy. You have to get it together, buddy.”

He shudders away from my words, curling himself into a ball on the filthy floor. I’d hoped he’d be the one to help me out of this place, but it looks like I’m on my own. I rush over to Calla, who is whispering soft words to Cove. He stares straight ahead, his dirty face streaked with tears.

“Hey, kids,” I whisper in the same tone I used when I’d catch them giggling late at night while at Grandma’s house. “What are you two up to?”

They’re in their twin zone, ignoring me. With a sigh, I rip off the tape on Calla’s wrists. Cove doesn’t have any tape on him. I quickly scan the other four people in the room. All of them havetheir heads bowed and seem to be clinging to one another. Two more females and two males.

I stand up and glower at the crazy lady grinning down at Dragon. “What’s your name?”

“Smelly Melly,” she chirps. “That’s what they call me.”

Jesus.

“Mel,” I say instead of the horrible name. “What is this place? Stop talking in riddles.”

“We’re stars.” She leaps to her feet, hops onto the bed, and spins in a circle before bowing. “People pay good money to see us.”

“What do they see you do?” I urge.

“Whatever they want, we do it if we want the opportunity to star in the next film.” She drops to her ass and then proceeds to pose as though she’s a model at a shoot. “I’ve starred in many. Only a few since we moved here, though.”

“Where is here?”

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