Page 108 of Banshee
“Not long,” Patch answered. He turned back around in his seat and muttered, “Oh shit.”
I leaned forward to look through the windshield. I had to close my eyes against the flashing lights on the police cars and ambulances that were in the lot. The SUV had been at the back of the pack. I watched as brothers threw down their bikes and ran inside.
“What the fuck happened?”
Johnny pulled in and shut off the vehicle without parking in a spot. He shoved his door open and ran to the clubhouse.
“Skinner set a trap. He knew King and Morpheus wouldn’t only send two people, and he attacked while we were gone.”
“Aspen,” I whispered, as I shoved my own door open. Patch met me outside the vehicle and caught me as I swayed.
“Easy, brother.”
He put my arm over his shoulder and helped me inside. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the bright lights. Bodies lay throughout the main room.
Many of them were wearing Death Dog cuts, but we hadn’t gone unscathed. My eyes searched through the chaos.
Gunner was in the corner holding Haizley. She had a bandage on her arm. Bane was at a table stitching up Ace’s shoulder, while Ben, Shotgun and Romeo sat waiting their turn. They each had their own wounds.
Cash sat at the bar with Kytten, who cried on his shoulder. They both looked uninjured. King stood with them, his arms around Grace.
“Where are the old ladies?”
“Beck and Sam were up at Jack’s place with the babies. Jack, Blade, and Derek were with them. A couple of Death Dogs broke off and made their way back there, but they took them out pretty quick. Ryder and Ellie and the girls were at home in town, thank God. Haizley and Indie were here. And thank fucking God Indie was,” Archie said. “She was fucking scary.” He held a rag against his head.
“What happened to you?”
“Bullet grazed my head.” Patch lifted the rag to check his wound. “I’m fine.”
“You need stitches,” Patch argued.
“Others are worse. Bane needs help.” Archie cocked his head in Bane’s direction.
“Where’s Aspen?” I asked with a tremor in my voice. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the covered bodies on the floor, butI refused to look at them. Those were our people. They were covered out of respect.
“Banshee!”
I looked up just before she crashed into me. As I let out a grunt and a groan, she pulled back.
“Oh my God, what did they do to you?”
“Nothing that can’t be fixed, baby girl.” Holding her in my arms, I checked her over, thankful she seemed okay, before finally looking at the bodies. “Who?” I asked; it was the only word I could muster.
Aspen followed my eyes. “Hash, Jade, and Crystal.”
“Fuck!” I hissed. I looked around and found Dec talking to Nav. Maureen would be devastated. She and Hash had gotten close.
“Also, Erebus and Kharon.”
I turned back to Aspen and noticed the tears in her eyes.
“Baby girl, I’m so sorry.”
“I didn’t know Kharon; he was a prospect. But Erebus...” She buried her face in my chest. I knew they were close by the way he looked at her. I suspected he was the one who’d taken her virginity, and while I was sad Zeus had lost a man, the asshole in me was glad she’d never be near him again.
“Baby girl, I need to ask you something.”
She looked up at me, worry on her face. I kissed her forehead and asked, “When you lived with Pepper, did you know a girl named Kyllian?”
