Page 169 of I Will Revel in Glory (Death by Daybreak MC 3)
We step over the body of a dead Daybreaker as Beast approaches the rear of the building. The mafia isn’t keen to let us continue sniping them from inside the house, so they’ve thrown everything they have at it. It’s a fucking bloodbath in there.
The wind is howling all around us, swirling smoke and ash like a gray blizzard. It sticks to my eyelashes, clogs my lungs, taints my lips. I can see that orange glow creeping closer, bright embers mixing with the cool ash. That stresses me out.
We had to get closer to the fire in order to take this route, and it’s catching up with us.
“This way.” Beast makes a decision to cross the open expanse of space between the rear of the house and the old barn near the trees. Just as we’re approaching the barn’s front entrance, I see Crown, Grainger, and Sin appear from inside. They spot us right away, waiting for us to catch up to them.
“Alvise is inside,” Sin pants, blood running down the side of his face. The sight stresses me out until I realize that it isn’t his, just a thick splatter that’s draining down his bronze skin. “He’s got an entourage, obviously.”
“Do you know where Cat is?” Crown asks, but Beast just shakes his head, casting a look back at me.
“More important things to worry about,” he says, which I appreciate, but which also stresses me out. Should it though? If Cat were to die here today, that might be best for everyone. Still, I can’t shake the wild rage that travels through me at the thought of my father going down under mafia gunfire.
“He’s not responding on the radio,” Grainger admits, sweat-soaked and agitated. He gives me another look and a scoff. “Can’t believe I brought my baby mama to a shootout.”
I ignore him as he takes off down the side of the barn and I follow, already noticing several small fires burning in the dry grass nearby. It won’t be long before this entire area goes up in flames.
The five of us move along the barn’s exterior until Grainger locates a ladder, climbing up it and moving into the shadowy interior with silent footfalls. Crown follows up after him, but Sin, Beast, and I remain on the ground.
The boys keep their gazes on the woods around us, and I do the same, holding my Magnum in steady hands and watching for the slightest flicker of movement. It’d be hard to spot someone behind a tree with all the smoke, the ceaseless fall of ash, and the spot fires. Doesn’t stop me from trying though, waiting for my opportunity to contribute.
A rifle goes off inside the building, and I hope to God that it was Crown or Grainger that fired it and not vice versa.
“Stay here,” Beast commands, running down the side of the building and rounding the corner. I’m left with Sin, his silver eyes a charcoal gray in the strange light. It’s so fucking eerie out here, knowing that there are literally hundreds of men in and around the house, inside this barn, in the trees. Yet, we see nobody.
Where are you, Grey? I wonder, knowing that I shouldn’t be concerned for him but that I am anyway.
A group of mafia soldiers appear at the back door of the Artefact. Sin spots them before they see us, cursing under his breath and making a snap decision. That’s a lesson I’ve learned today that I will never forget: always be decisive. Whether the decision is right or wrong, it’s usually better to make it quick and act on it.
That’s what saves our lives right then.
“Up the ladder, Gidge,” he says, and I start to climb, awkwardly holding my gun in one hand and using the other to help myself up the ladder. Sin is right behind me, but he keeps his body turned, watching my back as I scramble up into the loft.
I don’t see Crown or Grainger anymore, but I can hear shots being fired just below us.
Sin kicks the ladder down and then holds his position near the entrance to the hayloft, taking aim and firing several shots of his own as he trusts me to watch his back this time. I survey the loft, looking for any movement—friend or foe—but finding it empty. There’s another ladder to my left that I move over to, peering down at the melee below.
I’m surprised to see Grey and Alvise standing just below me. Crouching more like. It seems as if they’re trying to hide from the ruckus taking place in the rest of the barn. My eyes flick that direction, but I don’t actively see anyone except for hints here and there. Daybreakers and mafia men alike are using old farm equipment and rusted vehicles as cover, taking aim back and forth.
