Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

" A bsolutely not!"

Jasmine crossed her arms over her chest as she glared at Bulldog. She'd explained everything that happened since she was taken outside the clinic and Bulldog had given her the latest update on Jumper's and Demo's conditions. Now the four MC brothers were planning on tracking Doug McCrery down. They believed he was also in Johnstown, which was apparently where Jasmine and Sophia had been taken.

Jasmine kept her eyes on Bulldog, specifically not looking to her left where Tim's body now lay. Bulldog swore that neither he nor his brothers had killed Tim or the driver, who was also lying dead in the basement. Both had been killed by various knife wounds. Based on the muffled voice she'd heard and the gap of silence between when Tim and the driver had been attacked to when she believed she'd heard the MC come down the basement stairs, she believed him. Something had been not right about that voice and Jasmine knew she hadn't recognized it to believe it had been one of the men in the basement with her now. The question still remained, though, of who had killed Tim or the mysterious driver.

There had been something on Bulldog's face as she'd described what she'd heard through the pantry door. Like maybe he knew who had killed them. The look he'd exchanged with Ghost had confirmed as much.

"Wait," Bulldog interrupted her. "He spoke ?"

Jasmine nodded. "He said, ‘he's not here' and then said he was headed somewhere else next." Ghost and Bulldog exchanged yet another look, one that made her think they didn't know who had killed Tim McCrery and his cohort. "Why? What is the significance of him speaking?"

But Bulldog just shook his head, refusing to answer.

As much as Jasmine wanted to get back to Mount Grove and to Jumper, who was still in the hospital, she felt her place was remaining in Johnstown with Bulldog and the others. If the MC took the time to bring her from Johnstown back to Mount Grove before heading back to Johnstown then there was a greater chance that Doug McCrery would get away and that King—whoever he was—would never know who had killed Venom.

Stupid names , Jasmine thought. Then again, she was in love with a man named Jumper , so she was pretty sure that made her a hypocrite.

Additionally, if the McCrery brothers were running a dogfighting ring like they suspected, then there would be dogs needing her attention.

Bulldog, however, was not seeing the logic in that decision. "Ranger is going to take you back?—"

"And what about Aerial?" Jasmine demanded to know. "I'm not leaving her here."

Despite the arrival of the VDMC and Aerial's outwardly calm demeanor, she also had not left Jasmine's side. Even now, she was standing with her side pressed to the back of Jasmine's legs.

"We'll figure something out for her," Bulldog assured Jasmine gently.

"The longer we stay here arguing about this, the more of a chance we'll be discovered by either the police or that man's," she blindly pointed in the driver's direction, "club. I'm assuming he belongs to a club, based on how he was talking anyway. He's not wearing a cut like you are."

"We're assuming he's with the Black Pythons." Jasmine turned to Ghost, who had been in the pantry wiping down any evidence of her having been in there.

Jasmine still wasn't a hundred percent sure why the police weren't being called, but she trusted the VDMC to know what they were doing. She recalled Abby's words from their conversation a few nights ago and was showing her loyalty to the MC by not arguing. Well, about calling the police at least.

"They're a one-percent club from Pittsburgh," Ghost continued. "We haven't had any run-ins with them because they've always stayed in their territory to the north. He's not wearing a cut, but, from the names you gave, that's our conclusion. Denton "King Cobra" O'Malley is the President and second generation. Steel met him once to basically give him the head's up that the Via Daemonia were building in Mount Grove and to stay out of our territory. We wanted no part in their drugs or skin trade."

"And I'm guessing Venom is one of his club members?" Jasmine asked.

Ghost nodded. "His VP—and his brother," he added.

Jasmine's eyes nearly bugged out of her head.

"I don't understand why King would keep his brother's murder quiet," Ranger said as he approached. "Even from how little I know about the guy, I'd think he'd be out for blood. Especially with his body being discovered so close to our turf."

"What if he doesn't know?" Pumpkin offered. He and Sophia came walking down the basement stairs. He'd taken her to go wash up after undoing her bindings. After the gag had been taken out of her mouth, Sophia had felt sick and dehydrated. "What if somehow the McCrerys and this fella here"—though he pointed at the driver's dead body, Jasmine purposefully didn't look—"were able to hide the fact that he's dead?"

Bulldog scratched his long beard. "How did the McCrerys get involved with the Pythons anyway? The Pythons deal in drugs and hookers, not dogs."

"We're not going to get any answers here," Jasmine reminded him. Sophia walked over to her and placed her head on Jasmine's shoulder. Her friend was being uncharacteristically quiet. Jasmine wrapped an arm around her waist to help support her. "Do you know where the Pythons are?"

Bulldog let out a snort. "Going after the Pythons now too? Taking down the McCrery brothers isn't enough for you, Jazz?" He tipped his chin in Sophia's direction. "I thought she was the bloodthirsty one of the two of you."

She felt her face flush. "I want the dogfighting to be stopped and Doug McCrery to pay for it." Then specifically added, "By going to jail." Because Tim McCrery had paid a different price that Jasmine couldn't help but feel guilt over.

"Agreed," Bulldog stated with a nod, "but you still aren't coming with us."

Jasmine ground her teeth. "You're wasting time taking us back to Mount Grove! What if you need Ranger where you're going?"

"You think if I take the two of you with us that I'm not leaving Ranger with you regardless?" She did not appreciate the amused look on Bulldog's face.

"Aerial will stay with us," Jasmine bargained. "I just… I need to see this through, Bulldog. Please. I need to know it's over and that Sophia and I are safe."

"And your definition of being safe is to head towards the lion's den?"

Jasmine felt her cheeks flush again. "Please," she pleaded again. "We'll stay out of your way, I promise! We'll guard your bikes for you." When the van had sped into her clinic's parking lot, it had taken out numerous bikes that had been parked there. Jumper's, Demo's, and the prospects' had been among them. Ghost and Ranger had also been parking their bikes there but theirs had not been damaged other than some scratches. "And what if there are injured dogs there? You'll need me."

Bulldog looked to Ghost. The two had a silent conversation before Ghost eventually shrugged. Bulldog let out a long sigh. He reached into the back pocket of his dark jeans and pulled out his phone.

"You can come with us." Her elation at his decision immediately plummeted when he added, "But you have to be the one to tell Jumper."

"Sweetheart, stop!"

Jumper ignored his mom as he pulled the IV tube out of the back of his hand. His head was still throbbing, and his right eyelid kept twitching, but he was not staying in this fucking hospital bed.

Jasmine, damn her, was going with Bulldog, Ghost, Pumpkin, and Ranger. What the fuck was Bulldog thinking? What the fuck was Jasmine thinking? She'd been rescued! She was safe . Why the fuck was she going with them to that dogfighting warehouse?

Jumper ignored his mom's protest as he made for the hospital bag filled with his boots and clothes. He didn't see his cut in the bag and hoped one of his brothers had it. He had no idea how he was getting to Johnstown, but he was getting himself there. He stumbled as he reached the chair the bag was sitting on.

His mom continued to protest, even said something along the lines of insurance wouldn't pay for the hospital stay if he left against doctors' orders.

His head was swimming by the time he put his pants on under his hospital gown. Jumper was surprised he didn't pass out as he bent down to shove his feet in his boots. He forwent putting on socks, knowing those would be too much of a challenge.

The shirt in the bag was covered in blood. He left that behind as he shoved his wallet in his back pocket. Jumper was making his way to the hospital room's door when it opened. Gus and their father walked inside.

Before Jumper could say anything to his brother, their mom spoke up. "Thank God! Stop him. He's going to get himself killed!"

Rather than try to push him backwards, though, Pirate looked his brother in the eyes. "What happened?"

"Jasmine," Jumper gasped out. He was out of breath and only just to the door. He feared he wouldn't even make it out of the hospital, let alone somehow commandeer a cage to get him to Johnstown.

Gus stepped forward and slung Jumper's arm over his shoulder. Jumper leaned heavily on his brother. His head was pounding painfully and his ears were ringing loudly. To his great surprise, though, Pirate took him forward, out of the room.

Jumper looked over at his brother in confusion.

Gus shrugged innocently as he pulled his phone out. "I expect no less than a jailbreak when I meet my ol' lady, yeah?"

He snorted. "I owe you, brother."

"Big time, brother. Pretty sure Mom's writing me out of her will as we speak. Also, I'm texting Bear. Probably a good idea to take him with us in case you, you know, die along the way."

Jumper nodded, honestly not putting it past himself with the way his body felt. Still, he had to get to Jasmine.

Gus helped Jumper down the hall of the hospital, both brothers ignoring their mother's shouts as they went.

Jasmine was not exactly sure how she ended up in her current situation, but she did know it was entirely her own fault. Bulldog, Ranger, Pumpkin, and Ghost were riding their bikes. She, Sophia, and Aerial were in the stolen car that Tim McCrery and her other kidnapper had taken to replace the van. She didn't know whose car it was and refused to look at the registration in the glove compartment. Bulldog and Ranger were riding in front of them while Pumpkin and Ghost drove behind.

If she wanted to turn around and head back towards Mount Grove, all she had to do was flash her lights at Bulldog. Ranger would then make a U-turn and she would follow him home.

Jasmine had no intention of flashing her lights—but, damn, she was questioning her sanity. So was Sophia. Loudly.

As soon as they'd gotten into the car and started following the motorcycles, Sophia had rounded on Jazz. "What the fuck? Why aren't we going back to Mount Grove?"

Jasmine glanced at her friend before turning her attention back to the road. "I have to see this to the end, Soph. These people tried to steal Aerial and injured Jumper in their failed attempt, they broke into your apartment, they vandalized my clinic—not to mention what they did to that poor doe and the dogs—and, to top it all off, they kidnapped us and shot Demo!"

"I know all of that," Sophia snapped. She was definitely not acting like herself. If Jasmine didn't know any better, she'd think the kidnapping had caused the two of them to swap personalities, like a friends' version of Freaky Friday . "Is this really about seeing this through or are you going for the dogs? You know that the state will put down any dogs that are found dogfighting."

The idea that there were injured dogs or, worse, more dead ones turned her stomach. But Jasmine had to help them. It had also crossed her mind that the McCrery brothers had been fighting more than dogs. Sophia, though, was right.

"It's not their fault," Jasmine argued softly. "If I can save any from that fate, I'm going to."

"And the fact that you didn't say any of this to Bulldog?"

Jasmine kept her mouth shut. She didn't think Bulldog would be any happier with her ulterior motive than Sophia seemed to be.

"You didn't have to stay," Jasmine finally said. "You could have gone with Ranger back to Mount Grove."

Sophia snorted. "You might be insane, Jazz, but you're still my bestie. I'm not leaving you to go home while you drive off to play Dr. Dolittle."

"Robert Downey Jr. or Eddie Murphy version?"

"The way you're acting right now, I'm going with RDJ."

As Jasmine stared ahead at the motorcycles' taillights, she said softly, "Kinda wishing I had an Ironman suit right about now."

Sophia reached over and took her hand. "I think you'll need one more for when you have to face Jumper than you will now."

Jasmine winced, recalling Jumper's ire when she'd informed him over the phone that she was not coming back to Mount Grove right away.

Less than twenty minutes after leaving the restaurant, Bulldog pulled off onto an undeveloped side road that was probably a fire lane. They continued down it a ways until Bulldog slowed down and parked. Bulldog dismounted, and the others followed suit. Jasmine made to get out of the driver's seat, but Bulldog signaled for her to stay. She lowered her window.

"We're going to go have a look around," Bulldog informed the women. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his phone. "Take this in case of an emergency. The passcode is five-two-two-five-two-four." Then he pointed a finger at her. "I mean it, you two, stay in the cage. I don't care what you see or hear. The only reason you have permission to leave this cage is if your life is in danger by staying in it. Do you understand me?"

She nodded, swallowing hard. Jasmine took the phone from Bulldog. "I'm not here to cause trouble. I just want to help."

Bulldog and Ghost exchanged a look. Then Bulldog said, "Stay safe and call Ghost's phone if something comes up."

"I don't have my vet bag on me," she reminded him. "If you see any medical supplies, make sure you keep them safe. It's all I'll have."

Bulldog looked like he wanted to say something and then changed his mind. He made a whirling signal with his pointer finger to the others. For such big men, it was amazing how quickly and quietly they moved. Especially Bulldog, who was well over six feet tall.

As soon as they disappeared into the surrounding trees, Jasmine let out a long breath. She looked to Aerial, who was sitting with her tongue out like Jasmine hadn't volunteered them for a dangerous mission.

She turned to Sophia. "I guess now we wait."

Sophia leaned her head back on the headrest. "Wake me if something happens. Apparently being kidnapped is exhausting."

Jasmine couldn't help but snort. Secretly, she agreed though. It was the adrenaline crash Sophia was feeling. Jasmine was sure hers would come soon enough.

Though Jasmine wondered if Bulldog had any games on his phone, she didn't unlock it. She didn't want to invade the man's privacy. Some texts came in, but she didn't read them nor did she answer. Especially not the ones from Jumper.

She wanted to call him, but was too chicken-shit. Jumper had been furious when she told him that she was staying with Bulldog and the others. He had ordered her to come home, which had only made her own hackles rise and shout back at him. Jasmine really hoped her choosing to stay behind didn't trigger an episode. Jumper was doing so well, and she'd hate to be the reason he relapsed.

About forty minutes after the others had left, Jasmine sat up straight in the driver's seat. She recognized the roar of a motorcycle. At first, it was too echoed to determine which direction it was coming from, and then she realized it was behind her.

Jasmine twisted in her seat to see a lone bike coming up the fire lane. She turned back and nudged Sophia on the shoulder.

Sophia sat up quickly. "What? What is it?"

"Someone's coming." Jasmine had no idea why she whispered. It wasn't like the motorcyclist couldn't see their car idling here.

The rider drove right up next to her car. She didn't see a cut, nor did she recognize the bike. It wasn't a Harley . It looked almost like a sports bike, and not one she'd ever seen a VDMC member ride.

The rider was wearing all black, despite the hot summer day. The helmet's plate covered his face and he even had gloves on. He turned his head to look at her and she stared right back at him through the driver's window.

"Who is that?" she heard Sophia whisper behind her.

Jasmine could only shake her head, though, because she had no idea.

Then the biker revved his engine. Just as he pulled away, Jasmine spotted the hilt of a knife on the rider's upper thigh. Tim McCrery and his accomplice had been killed by knife wounds. She thought back to the voice she'd overheard while hiding in the pantry. It had been muffled—like the person had been speaking through the Bluetooth in their helmet.

"Holy shit!" Jasmine would ponder later why someone would wear a motorcycle helmet indoors. "I think that's the guy who killed Tim McCrery!" she shouted to Sophia as she threw her car into Drive.

Jumper threw up for the second time. Pirate was driving one of the VDMC SUVs with him, Bear, Cage, and Steel. Jumper was grateful the others had come because, frankly, he had a feeling he was going to be useless in whatever situation they were about to find themselves facing. But he had to get to Jasmine.

There was no other option.

Bear, who was sitting next to Jumper, shook his head. "You really should not be here."

"Where would you be if it was Tessa?" Jumper threw back at him. Bear, wearing a pair of latex gloves, took the green emesis bag from Jumper and expertly twisted and closed it. Thankfully, the action immediately cut off the bile smell in the cage, though Pirate had put down the windows as soon as Jumper had started vomiting again.

Jumper took the offered water bottle from Bear and sipped it down between gasps of breath. Bear gave him a pointed look. "Just because I don't think you should be here doesn't mean I wouldn't be exactly where you are if it was my ol' lady in danger."

"She's not in danger," Steel pointed out from the front seat. "Bulldog assured me that she and Sophia are well over a mile from the warehouse on an abandoned road. They're with their sleds and locked in a cage with his phone."

Someone's phone rang then, making Jumper wince at the sharp sound. The pain behind his right eye was making it difficult to blink. When he did have both eyes open, his vision blurred, making his dizziness worse. He kept that fact to himself though.

Steel spoke. "What is it, Keys?"

Jumper leaned his head back against the headrest. It didn't help, nor did he find it restful, but it did take the pressure off of his neck. His head felt like it weighed about a hundred pounds.

"Thank you for letting me know." Steel paused as Keys spoke. Then he said, "Yes, keep me informed please."

When Steel disconnected the call but didn't explain to the others in the cage what Keys had said, Jumper got a bad feeling. He forced himself to sit upright and opened his left eye to look forward at his President. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Steel said. Jumper could see that he was texting but couldn't make out the recipient.

"Bullshit," Jumper snapped. He'd never contradicted or used any tone that conveyed disrespect towards Steel before. "If it has to do with Jasmine, I have a right to know."

"Then it's a good thing it doesn't," Steel told him.

However, Jumper didn't believe him. Steel hadn't reprimanded him for his impertinence. He was too even toned, telling Jumper he was lying.

Jumper looked to Bear, and noticed he was on his phone too. Had Steel texted Bear? Was he texting everyone but Jumper?

Without thinking, Jumper snatched Bear's phone out of his hand.

"Hey! What the fuck?" Bear demanded.

Jumper looked down, expecting to see a text from Steel—only to see a text message from Bear's wife. A very explicit message of what she planned to do to Bear as long as he returned safely. Apparently, they were going to be trying for cub number two soon.

Jumper's cheeks flamed. Tessa had not held back in detail. Sheepishly, he handed the phone back to Bear with a meager apology.

Bear took the phone back, looking more amused by Jumper's embarrassment than the fact that Jumper now knew his very petite wife planned to ride him to orgasm while wearing a black slitted baby doll nightie, crotchless panties, stockings, and a garter belt.

His brother chuckled from the driver's seat, probably guessing the type of message that could cause Jumper to blush like a schoolgirl.

"May he never doubt me again," Jumper heard Steel mutter under his breath.

To avoid doing anything else embarrassing, Jumper decided to rest his eyes again.

"Whatever that message says, you need to print it and frame it for me," Pirate told Bear with glee. "I have never seen his face so red before."

Bear laughed. "I would if it didn't describe my ol' lady in a way that's meant only for me. Sorry, Pirate. You're just going to have to live with the memory of his red face."

"Both of you just need to shut up," Jumper grumbled.

Silence fell as their laughter faded. Jumper rested but didn't fall asleep. His stomach kept threatening to rebel again, but thankfully nothing came up again. He was pretty sure there was nothing to come up. Then again, he'd thought that the last time too.

Jumper cracked an eye open as he felt the cage pull to a stop. He saw Bulldog and Pumpkin approach Steel's window. Where were Ghost and Ranger?

Bulldog leaned down into the open frame. "Warehouse is right up ahead. As far as we can tell, there's no fight going on tonight. Doug McCrery is in there, along with three other tangos. We heard him on the phone not too long ago, though, and it sounds like there's more on the way. If we're going to take him, it should be now."

"Put your cuts in the cage," Steel ordered. He turned around to face the backseat. "Jumper, you stay here."

"Where's Jasmine?" he demanded. He was not going to wait in a cage here while Jasmine was waiting alone in a cage elsewhere.

"I sent Ranger and Ghost back to be with her," Bulldog said.

Jumper's eyebrows drew down. "Is she in danger?"

Ghost and Ranger were heavy hitters. If they were going to take down Doug McCrery with the possibility of others crashing the party soon, wouldn't Bulldog have sent Pumpkin to Jasmine and kept Ghost and Ranger with him?

The only reason Jumper could think of that Bulldog would send Ghost and Ranger to Jasmine was if she was in danger. And if she was in danger, he needed to get to her.

"Bear, stay with Jumper," Bulldog ordered without answering Jumper's question.

The others filed out of the cage, pulling out different types of weaponry. Jumper slapped his hand on the glass. "Where's Jasmine?" he demanded again.

Bulldog turned back towards the open window and said evenly, "She's with Ghost and Ranger. I'm sure she's fine."

Jumper had never wanted to punch another member, someone he considered a brother, before. Yet, he wanted to punch Bulldog now. He was not accepting that half-answer. Not when it came to Jasmine.

As the others wandered off into the trees, Jumper turned to Bear. "Either you drive or I will, but I'm getting to Jasmine."

The biker had to know they were following him. Jasmine was by no means proficient in stealth or tailing someone without being seen. Plus, she was far too close not to be noticed. The fire lane was extremely bumpy. Sophia even made a snide comment about it being a good thing she was wearing a bra or she'd have gotten a blackeye by now.

The biker made a sharp right turn that Jasmine almost missed, and then had to slam on her brakes to avoid running over the stopped bike. Sophia nearly hit her head on the dashboard and Aerial fell over on the backseat.

He turned his helmet-covered face towards Jasmine. Once again, they simply stared at each other. Then the biker pointed ahead.

Jasmine followed the invisible line from the biker's finger to what appeared to be an abandoned shed. It was oddly out of place and looked like a solid wind would end its miserable existence. What was weird, though, was that there were lights on it, making it easy for her to see in addition to her headlights.

The biker dismounted. He walked several paces forward towards the shed and then paused. He turned in a way that clearly showed he was waiting for Jasmine to join him.

She swallowed nervously and looked at Sophia. "I really hope I'm not making a mistake here."

"You mean driving us to this guy's serial killer lair?" Sophia asked with some vehemence in her voice.

She took out Bulldog's phone and sent a text to Ghost.

Bulldog: It's Jasmine. I think I found Tim McCrery's killer. I don't know where we are, other than we followed the fire lane as far down as we could go. There's a shed here. We won't get out of the car until you get here.

Ghost's reply was almost immediate.

Ghost: R and I are almost to you. STAY IN THE FUCKING CAGE, JAZZ!

Jasmine looked up. Did Ghost really think she was reckless enough to leave the car? She had no reason to trust this biker. If her suspicion was correct and he had been in that basement, then he was a killer. She certainly wasn't going anywhere alone with him, nor was she dragging Sophia into yet another dangerous situation.

The biker watched them for several minutes, but Jasmine only moved to reaffirm that the car's doors were locked. However, he never made a move towards them. Instead, helmet still on, he walked towards the shed.

If he pulled out a pair of keys to unlock the padlock, Jasmine was driving away. Her foot hovered over the gas and her hand was prepared to throw the gearshift into Reverse. Sophia's snide use of the phrase ‘serial killer lair' was not that far off.

The biker lifted a leather clad leg and broke the door down in a single kick.

Jasmine's ears perked up as she heard the echoes of a lot of barking. There were also audible sounds of pain. Jasmine's hand was on the car door handle before she made the conscious decision to leave the car.

"Jazz, what the fuck?" Sophia scrambled out of side of the car.

Jasmine paused, torn between whether to bring Aerial or not. She didn't want Sophia and her to be alone with the biker, but the dogs inside that shed might take Aerial's presence as a threat and become more agitated.

Please don't let me regret this , Jasmine prayed to the cosmos and then shut Aerial in the car.

She rushed over to the shed just as the biker, still wearing his helmet, carried out an injured Staffordshire terrier. The poor thing looked half-starved and was bleeding from several wounds. Its ears had also been clipped, a giveaway that it was used in dogfighting.

The biker nodded his head over towards her car. She followed as he placed the terrier on the ground in front of her headlights. Jasmine knelt down in the dirt to see what she could do to help and desperately wishing she had her vet bag with her. She had no sedatives or anything on her.

She looked up at Sophia. "Rip me off a piece of your shirt. I need to stop this bleeding."

Movement out of the corner of her eye drew her attention to the biker as he walked back inside the shed. Jesus, how many more injured dogs were in there? When Jasmine had told Bulldog and the others that she wanted to help, she hadn't expected to find more than one or two injured dogs.

From the noises coming from that shed, there were at least a dozen.

The biker carried out another dog. This one had pulled on its chain so much, it had an active bleed from its neck. Jasmine's heart broke.

The second dog looked close to unconsciousness. She needed something to stem the bleeding on both dogs.

The biker was smart enough to place the second dog away from the first one, but still in the beam of the stolen car's headlights. He went back inside the shed.

Jasmine ordered Sophia to go to the other dog. If the chain collar was imbedded into his skin, leave it. If it was loose, she told Sophia to remove it.

Recalling the barn where she'd rescued the puppies, Jasmine was grateful he was going inside and not her. She didn't think she could face that again.

She was concentrating so hard on the terrier at her knees that she missed the footsteps approaching from behind. When she finally heard them, she turned, expecting to find Ghost and Ranger. The apology on her lips for leaving the car against Ghost's orders died as soon as she saw the barrel of the gun facing her.

Sophia screamed.

"Who the fuck are you?" The owner of the gun was a stout man, maybe five-nine, five-ten. He reminded her of Bulldog in that he was completely bald with a shaggy full beard. That was where the similarities ended though. He was wearing a brown button up with a leather jacket, despite the summer heat, with black jeans and scuffed boots. His beer belly indicated that he did not exercise much.

Still, it didn't take muscle to pull a trigger.

Jasmine slowly lifted her hands to show she didn't have a weapon. Aerial started barking ferociously from the inside of the car. She desperately regretted closing Aerial inside the car. Jasmine had thought she was protecting her from the injured dogs, but she hadn't considered her own protection.

The crack of a whip sounded and suddenly the man dropped his gun. He clutched his right hand as he cried out in pain. Jasmine looked to her left and saw the biker standing feet away. He was slowly backing up while wrapping something around his hands. It took Jasmine a second to realize it was his belt, which he'd snapped like a whip to make the stout man drop his gun.

Realizing the new threat, the stout man turned his attention onto the biker. He pulled a switchblade from his pocket. Jasmine could see the knife still on the biker's upper thigh, but he wasn't taking it out. Instead, he pulled his belt tightly between his two hands, reminding her of the chain between nunchakus.

The stout man thrust upwards with the blade, which the biker dodged. He sent the stout man backwards with a kick to the gut. The stout man scrambled to his feet, slipping slightly on the leaves littering the ground.

Jasmine inched herself backwards, her goal the driver's side door to release Aerial. Sophia was further from the fight than she was but still trying to get herself to the car.

The stout man tried to rush for his fallen gun, but the biker kicked it away with ease. That was when Jasmine realized how the biker had placed himself between the man with the knife and Sophia and her. Despite that she suspected he was a killer, he was clearly protecting them too.

In clear desperation, the man slashed his knife in quick succession over and over again at the biker's leather covered chest. The biker kept the taut belt between himself and the knife, using it to block the blade from getting too close.

A quick uppercut by the biker caused the stout man to stumble, though he remained upright. At the next swipe of the blade, the biker twisted the belt around the stout man's wrist. Then he twisted his own body to fling the stout man—who had to have a hundred pounds on the biker—over his shoulder.

He landed hard on his stomach on the ground. Jasmine saw the knife glinting in the headlights as it was flung out of the man's hand.

Using the man's captured wrist as leverage, the biker flipped the man over onto his back and dragged him into a seated position. The biker crossed the man's right arm over his own throat, pulling the belt backwards so his arm acted like a noose. The biker kicked his left leg over the man's head to add pressure onto the belt.

As the man gasped for air, Jasmine noticed for the first time that his leather jacket wasn't just a jacket. It was a cut with long sleeves. She couldn't make out the writing on the patches, but she recognized the diamond one-percent outlaw patch near where she assumed his name was.

"Where is King?" As soon as the biker spoke, Jasmine recognized it. She'd been right as to why the biker's voice had been so distorted in the restaurant basement: because he'd been wearing a helmet.

Jasmine still couldn't believe that the biker had fought and won that fight with it on. Wouldn't the helmet impede his vision?

The stout man tried to talk but his airway was blocked. The biker released some of the tension on the belt slightly. Still, the man struggled to speak. "He'll kill me," he gasped out.

"So will I," the biker told him. Even with the helmet, there was something off about the biker's voice. Jasmine's eyes narrowed as she watched, frozen only an arm's length away from the driver's door and Aerial. "Which," the biker asked, "of the two of us will make your death more painless?"

The man slapped his free hand upwards, like he was trying to hit the biker in an effort to free himself. He only ended up slapping himself in the face. Realizing his futile fight, he dropped his hand. His face was turning purple from asphyxiation.

"He's at the Pit!" he finally gasped out. "He doesn't come to the fights."

Frustration radiated off of the biker at this answer. He followed it up with a curt, "Fuck." He lowered his head for a moment and Jasmine could have sworn his shoulders slumped. Despite the hostage at his feet, she got the impression that the biker was tired. And clearly had not gotten the answer he'd been hoping for.

Seeming to realize he had let himself sag, the biker suddenly straightened. Without another word, he pulled up with his hand and twisted his knee downward.

Jasmine flinched and turned away in horror as she heard the stout man's neck snap. Sophia let out a gasp, covering her face with her hands. The biker released him almost immediately. The body fell limply to the forest floor.

Her heart racing and her breathing too fast, Jasmine aimed for the car door again. She had just seen the biker kill a man and did not want to be alone with him. What if he came after her and Sophia because they were witnesses?

Just as Jasmine's hand touched the metal handle, the biker removed his helmet. Or rather, the biker removed her helmet.

Long raven locks fell down the back of her shoulders as she tucked the helmet under her armpit. Then she pulled a handkerchief from her back pocket and wiped the sweat coating her face and neck.

Jasmine's jaw dropped and she was pretty sure she heard a small "holy shit" come from Sophia's direction.

Without saying a word to her, the biker winked at them and put her helmet back on. It happened so fast, Jasmine wasn't even sure she saw what she thought she saw.

Rustling in the trees to her right drew her attention as Ghost and Ranger burst into the clearing. The biker hopped onto her bike and quickly sped away.

"Fuck!" Ghost shouted. Then yelled louder after the biker, "Scar!"

Ranger ran up to Jasmine on the ground. She was still in a crab position by the car door. He looked her up and down. "Are you okay?" When she didn't answer right away, he snapped his fingers in front of her nose. "Jasmine? Are you okay?"

"Yes," she gasped out. "That man… He had a gun. I didn't… I didn't see where he came from."

Ghost walked over to the dead body. He put his hands on his hips and turned the man onto his back with a booted toe. "Fuck. It's Talon. He's an Enforcer for the Pythons," he added, though she wasn't sure if that was for hers, Sophia's, or Ranger's benefit. Probably all three.

Ranger helped Jasmine to her feet. "Did he hurt you?"

Jasmine shook her head. "The dogs. I need my go bag. I can't treat them here. There's so many of them."

Ghost looked like he wanted to talk about anything other than the injured dogs. He helped Sophia to her feet. "We'll get the dogs sorted," he said with an air of frustration. "Did you see where he came from? You said he spoke in the basement. Did he say anything now?"

Jasmine was confused. "He wasn't in the basement." At least, not that she knew of. She couldn't recall seeing anyone other than Tim McCrery and the driver of her kidnapping in the basement. Maybe the stout man had been there after they had been locked in the pantry?

"You said that Scar was in the basement, that he killed Tim McCrery and the Python down there," Ghost argued back.

"Scar?" Jasmine asked. "Like your friend, Scar? I haven't seen him at all. Not since maybe February? I think he was the bouncer at Demon's Valentine's Day party." Sophia had dragged her to the bar, even though Jasmine had wanted nothing to do with the holiday.

A week later had been Jumper's almost kiss after he'd called her in the middle of the night so the VDMC could use her clinic.

Ghost looked increasingly frustrated. He pointed in the way the biker had gone. "Scar was just here, Jazz. Did he say or do anything?—"

"That wasn't Scar," Jasmine interrupted quickly. She understood now why she and Ghost seemed to be having two different conversations.

Ghost stopped short. "It wasn't?"

He looked to Sophia, who nodded her agreement. "Not unless he got a sex change since the last time I saw him."

Ghost and Ranger exchanged a confused look. Then Ghost asked, "Come again?"

Jasmine pointed in the direction the biker had gone. "That was a her , not a him ." She wasn't sure which of their eyebrows raised up higher at her statement. For some reason, their surprise pissed her off. Jasmine crossed her arms over her chest.

Sophia, though, spoke before Jasmine could. "Women are capable of kicking ass too, you know."

"Oh, we're aware," Ranger said.

Ghost added, "Angel would never let us make the mistake of thinking otherwise."

Since they agreed with the statement, Jasmine dropped her arms as well as her anger. "Oh. Well, okay then."

Ghost pointed to the dead man. "She killed him?"

Jasmine nodded. "She wanted to know where King was. The man said that he'd kill him if he told. Then the woman-biker said something like, ‘of the two of us, which do you think would make your death more painful', which seemed to scare the man. Like a lot. Then he told her that King was at the Pit and didn't come to the fights. That's when she broke his neck."

Jasmine left out the part where she'd witnessed the woman's enervation. That seemed private, and Jasmine did owe the woman for saving her life.

Both Ranger and Ghost looked amazed at Jasmine's tale. Aerial's sudden barking turned their attention to the car and then the headlights approaching fast down the fire lane.

Ranger grabbed Jasmine's arm and dragged her behind him. She nearly tripped over the terrier still lying prone on the dirt. Ghost stepped in front of Sophia.

Ghost and Ranger unholstered guns and pointed them at the approaching car. Jasmine wanted to shout that Aerial was still in the car, but then both club members lowered their guns.

Ranger looked behind himself at Jasmine. "Your boyfriend's here. And, honey, he does not look happy."