Page 72 of Deviants
He let out a sigh and glanced at me a brief second before giving the road his attention. “I meant it when I said someone should have been there for you. I’m not sure how this all works, but I’m here now. Always.”
I nodded, finding it hard to voice a worthy response. The feelings talk had drained me enough already, and this was something I needed to process in my own time.
Silence reigned again, but it was different. Companionable.
By the time we reached where we were going, my head was still all over the place, and my ass was numb from sitting for so long.
It all momentarily faded away as Grimm approached a twelve-foot barbed-wire fence. All I saw was an expansive desert-like field.
There was a guard shack on either side of the lone gate. Three acolytes manned each one. They had guns similar to those the skinners had carried.
Two held what looked like thin tow chains turned into leashes for the beasts at the end of them. They were funny shaped and had spots.
“Are those fuckin hyenas?” Arlen asked incredulously.
“Max and Toby,” Grimm answered, almost affectionately.
“They’re kinda cute,” I mused.
A buzzer went off, and the gate slid open with a clicking sound. Our small fleet of vehicles pulled through and continued down a long road.
“Where exactly are we goin?” Arlen asked after a minute rolled by.
“Home. The house is just up ahead.”
“You sure it’s not a prison?” I mumbled.
He laughed aloud and shook his head.
“Holy shit.” I stared up at the monstrous house rising in the distance.
“Your man’s been holdin out,” Arlen breathed.
The place was gorgeous, but I wouldn’t call it a house.
I heard a whirring noise and turned my head to see a golf cart heading off across the field.
“There are acolytes at the gate and four sets of two that constantly circle the fence,” Grimm explained.
“His following is crazy,” I said, more to myself than them.
“He’s loyal to those loyal to him,” Bryce stated. “They have homes on the rear of this property and everything they could need: food, water, clothes, and electricity.”
“So he has a compound full of devil worshipping psychos?” Arlen sarcastically drawled.
I smiled and shook my head.
“Romero is the devil, so I guess he has an army of worshipping psychos.”
Before she could say anything else, we were pulling around a circular drive and stopping.
Romero was at my door the second my seatbelt was off. He pulled me out and looked me over from head to toe.
“What do you think?” he asked once he was satisfied I hadn’t harmed myself on our journey.
“I think you need to explain why she’s here.” I not so discreetly pointed at Dhal. I had full confidence he wanted nothing to do with her in that way’ she still wasn’t living us under one roof.
“I wasn’t making a pit-stop to drop her ass off. She’s not staying, so don’t start your girly shit,” he smirked and took my hand, leading me towards the front door.
