Page 6 of Courting Mayhem

A disembodied voice announced, “You are passengers on an unusual elevator that is about to ascend into the terror zone.

With a crash of thunder and lightning the power died. Five ghostly riders appeared in the car ahead of us. The elevator shot up, and rocketed down several abandoned shafts, then dropped for what seemed like forever. Women screamed, kids shrieked, and I whooped. The car rolled to a stop at the exit. “That was awesome but over too quickly.”

With a hint of mischief in his eyes, Poppa Jacob asked, “Want to go again?”

“Hell, yeah.” I motioned the hunter over. “You got a name?”

“Derek Jones.”

Sonovabitch, he was one of the infamous Jones clan. “We’re going on the ride again and if it’s too much for your old bones, you should wait out here.”

The muscles in his left jaw twitched. “How old do you think I am?”

I tilted my head and studied him. His thick, black hair was streaked with silver at the temples. The lines around his mouth and eyes were either from too much sun or scowling. Damn, why did he have to be so sexy. “Sixty?”

“And you’re what? Twelve?”

“Close enough.” I patted his arm. “You need to relax, old man. Your muscles are all tensed up and if you keep grinding your teeth that way, you gonna break a fang.”

“Let’s go Mayhem,” Poppa Jacob said urgently and dragged me away. We joined the line again and so did Derek.

After riding the Tower of Terror five more times we went on every wild roller coaster ride in the park. Derek Jones stuck to us like glue. I think Poppa enjoyed the Star tours the most. He laughed at the storm trooper’s plastic armor and puny weapon. For a short time, my battle-worn father became a kid again.

“You have to try the corndogs and churros,” Poppa Jacob said.

“I’m game.” I spotted a lemonade stand. “You get the corndogs and I’ll buy us some lemonade.”

Poppa Jacob nodded.

Totally ignoring our stalker, I walked up to the concession stand and frowned. The Farin male behind the counter looked awfully familiar. Where had I seen him before?

The Farin male took one look at me, and his eyes widened in horror. “You!”

“Fuck!” I linked with Father, “Shawan is working at the lemonade stand.”

“What? Do you see Vrax?”

“No.” My berserker senses flared to life.

Ten seconds later, Shawan pulled a laser pistol and started shooting.

Drawing heavily on my powers, I managed to duck and dodge the laser beams. People ran screaming as tables, sculptures, and trees were vaporized. I dived over a planter.

“Drop your weapon,” Derek shouted.

I took a quick peek.

Derek was encased in top-of-the-line Coletti armor.

“Death to the Coletti tyrants.” Shawan fired at Derek.

His armor absorbing the multiple energy blasts, Derek casually raised his pistol and stunned Shawan.

Blowing out a breath of relief, I stood up.

“Not after a bounty, huh?”

I glared at him. “Even hunters need a vacation. Who’s the idiot that didn’t do a proper background check on Shawan?”

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