Free Betrayal of Cupids by Sophia Kenzie

wanting to make my presence known as I came up on the old farmhouse.  Danny sped in front of me, cutting me off before I could turn down the driveway.
    “Fuck man, do you have a death wish?”
    “Get out of my way, Danny.”
“No.  Have you even thought about this?”
    “About ripping Sean’s head off?  Yes, I spent the last two hundred and fifteen miles thinking about it.”
    “About storming a rival club member’s home?”
    “Bowie is dead.  He’s not coming after me.”
    “No, but we’re talking about the Brennan home.  They fucking run the mother chapter of the Shadows.  You have no fucking idea how many one-percenters could be in there right now.”
    I pulled off my brain bucket and ran my fingers through my hair.  He was right.  I could be stepping into something dangerous completely unprepared.  I’d be no good to Grace or to the Cupids if this jealous rage ended with me in the ground next to Pops.     
    “Fine, stay with my bike.  I’m going in on foot.”
    “You don’t have to do this.”
    “I heard him.  He’s fucking here.  God knows what he’s done to her.”
    “You heard a man’s voice, Ryan.  You assumed it was Sean.”
    “I know it was him!”  I was losing control.  Sure, there was no way of being totally certain that it was Sean’s voice that had chilled my body from the other end of Grace’s phone, but I couldn’t take the chance of her being hurt on my account.
    “You want it to be Sean.  Admit it.  You want him to be here so that you can have your revenge.”
    “No.”  I might have said ‘no’, but I knew he was right.  It would be so easy if he were in there.  I would put a hole in his head, grab Grace, and get the hell out of there.
    “Let me go,” He offered calmly.
    “What?”
    “You are not going to listen to me no matter what I say.  So let me go.  They don’t know me.  I’ll just make up some stupid story about how I know Grace from school.”
    “Absolutely not.  You don’t get to kill him.”
    “If, I’m saying if, Sean is in that house, I swear to you I will step aside and let you take care of him.”
    I felt the muscles in my face ease.  Okay.  Okay, maybe this would work.  And he was right.  They did all know me.  Danny could get away with talking to a Shadow without being immediately pulled down and tortured. 
    “Okay, Danny.  Play up the whole school thing.  Say that you were worried about her when she didn’t show up for a study group, or some bullshit answer like that.”
    “Yeah, I can pull off a student.”
    He could easily pull off a student.  Although he was twenty-seven years old, Danny had a baby face.  No one would see him as threatening.  That is, unless they saw him throw a right hook.  Yes, he was a good guy to have in my corner.  At least there was something working in my favor.
    “Get your ass to the front door before I beat you there.”
    Danny winked at me, hopped off his bike, and ran down the driveway.  I had given him a change of clothes: a pull over sweatshirt and a pair of jeans.  I had hoped that maybe Grace would recognize the shirt and know that I was close.  That is, if she was still alive.  I shuddered.
    The thought almost made me chase after Danny, but his point was still valid.  I needed to let him begin this battle, but I would be the one to finish it.  I slowly snuck down the side of the old red barn, scoping out the surroundings.  There weren’t any bikes in the driveway.  Maybe this was all an overreaction.
    Danny climbed the porch in two swift steps and turned quickly around, his eyes finding me in the shadows.  I gave him a nod, allowing him to continue his task.  His knuckles rapped on the door, and my heart jumped as I waited in anticipation.  There was a beat of silence.  Why was no one answering?  Why wasn’t Grace coming to the door?  But then, just as I was about to give up hope, I saw the door swing open.   
    The moonlight bounced off her red hair.