“Place is fuckin’ creepy,” Rael whispered behind me when I stopped, listening for any indication that Noah was in danger.
“Don’t be a pussy,” Grim admonished.
“Right,” Exorcist muttered under his breath. “It’s only a motel on the edge of the desert decorated with thousands of clowns and conveniently located next to an abandoned graveyard. No worries at all.”
“Shut up,” Bodie snickered, elbowing Ex in the ribs.
“I fuckin’ hate clowns,” Ex complained.
I ignored my brothers and thought I heard what sounded like someone slapping flesh. Frightened for Noah, I ran for a room on the upper floor and kicked the door in, shocked to find an overweight middle-aged man on all fours with a ball gag around his mouth and a chick dressed like a clown pegging him from behind.
“What. The. Fuck.”
Grim made a sound in his throat like he was about to puke.
Rael burst out laughing.
Bodie blinked and then slapped his thigh.
Exorcist gave them a thumbs up. “To each his own.”
“Sorry!” I blurted, pulling the damaged door shut as I refocused my attention.
A few doors down, I heard a whimper that sounded an awful lot like a child. Running across the upper deck of the motel, I kicked that door in too and hoped my son was inside and unharmed.
A gun was pointed at Noah’s temple as a total stranger stood in front of me. He wasn’t Chet. Xenon found a picture and texted it to me and this guy was someone else. An accomplice.
“Drop the gun or die,” I threatened.
Jigsaw had been quiet up until now. He stepped forward, staring intently which was enough to be fuckin’ creepy all on its own. “Better listen. Last chance.”
The man started cussing us out and Jigsaw shrugged.
For a few seconds, nothing happened. Jigsaw’s gift always took a minute to be effective, but it never failed to bring the carnage. I noticed the first few cuts appear on the guy’s skin and smiled. My Reaper loved that shit. Blood. Death. Reaping souls.
The cuts grew larger and deeper. The guy hissed, his hand trembling as the weapon shook in his fist. Fuck, I didn’t want it to discharge.
Blood began to leak from the ears, nose, eyes, and mouth of the guy. He dropped the gun at the same time I darted forward and snatched Noah into my arms, turning his head away so he couldn’t see the bloodbath unfolding before us.
I watched the guy fall to his knees and then he began convulsing as I picked up my son and ran out of the room, not pausing until I was down the stairs and far from the body of the man who breathed his last breath. We entered the office to escape the snow. I heard screams coming from the room and I hoped they would end soon. Silence filled the air seconds later. Only my enhanced hearing caught what followed. The tearing apart of the man’s soul was like sweet music to my ears. My brothers reaped together and sent him straight to hell.
Lucifer Morningstar was going to enjoy that guy. I had no doubt.
I leaned back, staring at Noah, and looking him over for injuries. Other than being wrinkled and a little dirty, he seemed physically fine. “You okay?”
His lower lip trembled. “Yeah. I knew you would come for me.”
“Always. You hear? I’ll always come when you need me.”
“I know.” He sniffled, wiping his nose on his coat.
I tilted his chin up and gave him a smile. “I love you, Noah.”
“Papa!” he cried, rushing back into my arms. “I love you too. Just as much as Mama.”
Swallowing hard, I returned his embrace.
He didn’t say Santa. Noah said Papa. Not like it was my road name.