Free Warlord Metal by D Jordan Redhawk

this...." She played a simple melody with an odd half note that elicited feelings of strangeness and a vague sense of unease in the listener. Then, the redhead began singing, her sweet voice inconsistent with the lyrics.
    "I hurt myself today
    to see if I still feel.
    I focus on the pain,
    the only thing that's real.
    The needle tears a hole -
    the old familiar sting.
    Try to kill it all away,
    but I remember everything."
    The guitar melody changed to a more conventional tune and Atkins picked it up with his own.
    "What have I become,
    my sweetest friend?
    Everyone I know
    goes away in the end."
    Jordan stopped playing. "And here's where Tom comes in with heavy drums," she pointed at the piece of paper she'd scribbled the music on.
    Atkins nodded. He took up the tune, his throaty voice rough and dark.
    "You could have it all -
    my empire of dirt.
    I will let you down.
    I will make you hurt."
    "Yeah!" The redhead began the odd strain again and Atkins continued on to the next set of lyrics. The two then worked their way through the next chorus and finished the tune.
    "Oh, wow!" the groupie gushed at the woman beside her. "Isn't she great?"
    Hampton's girlfriend smiled politely and nodded before turning away just enough to make a face at Sonny.
    The teenager stifled a laugh. A peek at Jordan verified an annoyed look on the guitarist's face. Well, Fifty-Six, looks like you're not gonna make it to round two! she thought with smug satisfaction.
    The redhead frowned in irritation. I hate it when that happens. Sounds like my mother gushing over Elvis on TV. Another little voice made itself known - Besides, you ain't all that anyway. "Let's take a break," Jordan growled as she turned and settled her guitar in its stand. She stepped off the stage, ignoring the suggestive leer from her band mate. "C'mon," she said to the woman.
    The groupie seemed to sense she'd made a mistake. She swallowed nervously, her eyes flickering around to look at the other people. "Sure, okay," she said softly, collecting her jacket and purse.
    As the couple headed for the door, Sonny couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy for the woman. And a little bit of guilt for her own thoughts. Lord knows, I wouldn't wanna be where she is now!
    Hampton chose that moment to walk in. He passed the women at the door and continued towards the stage, unzipping his coat. Glancing back over his shoulder, he asked, "Where's Jordan going?"
    "Takin' out the trash," Atkins snorted as he fiddled with one of the strings on his guitar.
    "Lando!" Sonny exclaimed in indignation. She leaned forward and slapped him on his booted shin.
    The tall man blinked down at her. "What?"
    Hampton's girlfriend, Foley, rose and gave the bearded man a welcome kiss. "She'll be back in a minute."
    "Good," he said as Middlestead approached them. "Got some big news for us." He took off his coat and tossed it onto a nearby chair.
    "Any hints?" Sonny asked hopefully.
    The shorter man chuckled and rubbed his bald head. "Nope."
    "Bummer."
    A few moments later found the band looking expectantly at their bassist/manager. Jordan had returned alone to her stool on stage and Middlestead was standing behind his sister's chair, arms crossed.
    "Alright, Max. Whaddya got?" the drummer asked.
    Hampton clapped his hands together and rubbed them vigorously, a smile on his square face. "Okay! I don't know if you guys have noticed, but we're getting really popular in the area. We've got people coming from as far away as Seattle to give us a listen."
    "Really? That's cool!" Sonny piped up.
    Hampton nodded. "And apparently there are bootleg tapes of our shows all up and down the west coast."
    "Yer shittin' me!" Atkins exclaimed with a surprised grin.
    "Nope." The shorter man stepped over to his coat and rummaged through the pockets. A cassette case appeared in his hand and he tossed it to the guitarist. While Atkins looked it over with Jordan peering over his shoulder, he continued. "There's a lot of interest out there