Page 36 of Hell on Wheels

Woah. He never acted aggressively with me.

“What the hell, Kane.”

“He doesn’t like that you’re sending him away.”

I frowned. “You could be manipulating this whole thing to get what you want. It could all be a dream.”

Lucifer snorted. “Maybe. I certainly have the means to do it.” He shrugged. “Far too easy and boring. I like a challenge.”

“Right.” Kane bumped my hand with his nose. Big brown eyes searched mine. “You want this, Kane? To merge our spirits? Because it’s fucking crazy.”

He barked, lifting his head in wordless agreement.

“Okay,” I agreed. “Does this mean I’m a fucking dog now?”

Lucifer erupted in laughter. Tears leaked from his eyes as his humor continued for a full minute. He gripped his side, shaking his head with undeniable mirth. “Yes, I picked quite the pair with you two.”

Wonderful. I amused the devil. Didn’t sound like a good thing.

“Let’s begin.”

Kane’s body began to tremble as he pushed his nose into my shoulder.

My gaze shot to his brown eyes, knowing I would stop this merge if I saw any hint of pain, even if it pissed off Lucifer.

My own body jolted, a feeling of unease taking hold.

“It’s not physical pain you feel. It’s the merging of souls. A delicate surgery. Focus on his presence. Kane is already completely tuned to you and devoted. His portion is complete. Stop fighting the merge and allow the sensations to overtake you.”

Fuck me. This was the most insane thing I’d ever done.

I let the last of my need to control slip away, caught up in the emotions and feeling churning in a volatile tornado inside me. When I thought it reached a point when I couldn’t handle a second more, everything shifted. The pain ended. The murky cloud over my thoughts lifted.

The particles in my vision vanished. The floaters melted away. My sensitivity to light no longer existed. I tugged off my sunglasses and popped them into a pocket of my leather jacket. Everything was fucking crisp. Clear. Vibrant.

“No longer weak. No longer lacking.” Lucifer grinned. “You are the Mad Dog. Embrace your new abilities.”

The old Flint, with his physical limitations, had been transformed. I was stronger and more alert. My vision clearer and sharper. And my sense of smell. Holy fuck. It was almost too much. I could smell Lucifer’s nearly nonexistent sweat and his goddamn musk. Pheromones. A female dog in the distance. Dried blood on the sand from a scorpion’s fresh kill.

“Enjoy, Maddog, president of the Las Vegas Royal Bastards.”

Damn. This felt fucking amazing, overwhelming, and addicting all at once.

A new club. A new breed.

“Bring reckoning, Maddog. Unleash the hound within.”

GRIM SMIRKED WHEN HEsaw clarity return to my eyes. He stood a foot away, watching me as he took a hit from his cigarette. “Have a nice chat with Lucifer?”

“You could say that,” I groaned, rolling back my shoulders. “It was an experience.”

Rael chuckled. “Always is, brother.”

“I’m not,” I began, but Grim shook his head.

“No. Not Tonopah. You’re not a Reaper. I can sense when one of my brethren has merged with a new member of my club. You’re different.”

A Reaper? Blinking, I tried to make sense of his words.

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