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Richie grabbed her by the elbow. “Stay close to me.” He didn't look at her, his eyes were glued to the big, carved, wooden doors in front of them.
“Like hell she will.” Seth snapped to her other side as he took a step closer to her, protectively.
They had arrived at the Titty Twister in one piece. The truck stop was settled in the middle of nowhere, dusty desert as far as the eye could see and out of that emptiness the Twister rose up like a mirage from a deranged man's mind. The sun was yet hours from the horizon but there were already fires burning on the top of the gate posts, Olympian torches to some long since banned sport.
As they walked up to the entrance, Kate flanked by the Geckos with Jacob and Scott trailing behind, a scrawny looking man jumped out in front of them. First thing she thought was that the hat he wore must've made up at least a fifth of his height. He caught her looking at him and gave her a wide, unnerving smile and said something to her in Spanish. She didn't understand it but she got the picture as he licked his fingers, tittering 'cherry pie' while he seemed to undress her with his eyes.
In almost humorous synchronism the brothers walked up to him and planted a fist each on the small man's face. He fell limp to the ground and Richie took the opportunity to bend down and whisper something in the Mad Hatter's ear. Kate couldn't make out what was said but the man on the ground retorted with cursing and spitting blood with a wide grin. Richie stood back up and his upper lip twitched in a silent snarl before he returned to her side.
“See?” he turned to his brother, on the other side of Kate. “I'm telling you, the world is coming apart around us.” Then he looked down at Kate, flashing blues. “Now stay close to me, precious, and I'll keep you safe.” It was almost a murmur and she felt it vibrate through her veins.
She was brought back by Seth scoffing next to her. “Yeah, except for you, dear brother, being one of those things coming apart. The girl's with me.” He demonstratively put his arm around her waist.
“Are you calling me unstable, brother?” Richie's eyes shot daggers.
“Oh God..” Kate muttered and looked over her shoulder to where her dad and Scott were following the ongoings with wariness. She nodded her head towards the entrance. Followed by Scott and Jacob she left the brothers to their bickering and entered the establishment.
It took a moment before the Geckos had realized that they had been left behind.
“Now see what you did.” Richie blamed. It was met by a hard slap at the back of his head from his older brother as they hurried up the steps to the club.
~~~
Kate was taking in the sights. The dimly lit club was filled to the brim with strippers and bikers and hookers galore. The air was heavy with the smell of stale beer, tequila and various body odours and it was all wrapped up in a strange mix of mariachi surf rock that blasted from a small stage in the back of the club.
She felt like a fish out of water and for a second it was so overwhelming she couldn't breathe. She saw Jacob and Scott make their way to a small table but she couldn't move her legs. It felt as if the whole room was spinning and just as she thought she would loose her footing she felt a warm hand at the small of her back.
“I told you to stay close to me.” Richie's velvet voice as he put his lips next to her ear was like balm down her spine and her eyelids fluttered as she leaned in to his touch. She held back a small sigh of contentment and then she felt a second hand at her back. She looked over to her right and Seth was standing there, surveying the club before he shot her a sideways glance.
“Don't ever do that again, princess.” He tilted his head and raised his eyebrows in a way that probably was supposed to be scolding but it only made her blush, and it wasn't from reproach. He continued with his eyes back to the club. “Given the chance the patrons in this place would probably eat you alive.”
He moved his hand from her back and slid it down her arm to hold her hand in his, fingers entwined, as he led her to the table her family was sitting at. Richie kept his hand at her back, constantly darting his eyes around, shooting ominous looks at whoever glanced at her the wrong way.
As they approached the table Kate met her father's eyes and he looked far from happy about the way the brothers encircled her. She ignored him and sat down next to Scott who was watching the strip show with candid interest.
“I'm gonna go see if our man's here. Sit tight and do not wander off.” Seth commanded her before he left towards the bar. She looked up at Richie who was still standing by her side. His eyes were distant and after a moment he patted her on the shoulder.
“Stay.” was all he said before he disappeared amongst the hordes of leather vests and sequin bras.
Kate worried her bottom lip, she somehow felt naked without the Geckos around. She looked over her shoulder to see if she would catch a glimpse of Seth but he seemed to have vanished as well. She heard her dad and Scott exchange words on how and when to get out of there. Her father was notably shaken and he looked at her with listless eyes when she got up from her chair.
“Where are you going?” he worried.
“I'm gonna get us out of here.” she answered confidently. “Just stay put and I'll be right back. Enjoy the show or whatever.” That last part generated a smile from her brother and she smiled softly back before she made her way through the crowds.
She thought that if she could only find the brothers maybe she could talk them into letting her family go. She ignored that as for now her inner dialogue didn't mention herself leaving with them. It wasn't that she wouldn't leave as soon as they got the keys back, of course she would! Right..?
She found a doorway to the side of the stage, probably leading in to one of those secluded rooms where creeps got lap dances, or more. She was just about to walk past it when she heard Richie's voice from inside. She stopped and sidled cautiously in between the red fabrics that veiled the inner room from unwanted view.
On the lavishly cushioned seat in the back was Richie, his face seemingly buried in the waist of a barely clad stripper. Kate felt as if someone had hit her in the stomach with a rock. She wanted to run out of there but she was trapped by the scene in front of her. She watched Richie's hands move up the back of the woman's thighs to settle on her hips. Kate inhaled sharply and looked away, it was too much to bear.
The sound she made caught Richie's attention and as he saw her in the doorway he harshly shoved the stripper from his lap and brushed off his suit. The woman passed Kate with a spurned look on her face and just as Kate was about to follow her Richie called out her name and her body no longer was under her command. She turned around slowly and instinctively folded her arms over her chest.
“Hope I didn't interrupt anything.” she said, barely able to look at him.
“Kate, I had a reason to be here.” He got up from the couch and closed in on her, carefully as if not to scare her.
“Yeah, I could see that.” She pursed her lips as she bit the inside of her cheek and looked to the side. He was just an arm's length away and it felt as if her heart would burst out through her ears.
“No, Kate, not this.” he made a small gesture with his hand to where the stripper had left. “It's something much bigger.” He gave her a smile as if it all was just a silly misunderstanding that they would all share a laugh about later.
“Sure it is.” she mumbled then she took a deep breath, straightened up and looked him straight in the eye. “Now, I sure didn't mean to interrupt you and Miss Teen Guadalajara 2004 over there and I'll leave you to your reasons in a minute, I just need you to give me the keys to the RV.” She dished it out in one long barrage and she was glad the room was badly lit cause otherwise he might have seen her shaking. She drew her arms closer around her as she waited for a response.
Richie tilted his head to the side and furrowed his brows as if he hadn't understood half of the words that had come out of her mouth. He reduced the remaining space between them into nothing and put one hand up to the side of her neck, caressing it with his thumb. “Hey, what are you talking about?”
“Keys, please.” she said, taking a step back and leaning away from his touch. She put her hand out, palm up.
She looked to the floor but she could feel his eyes on her as if they were emitting heat. “I can't give you the keys. Seth's got them.” He took her outstretched hand in his and put her palm up to his cheek. “Besides, I don't want you to leave.” He spoke softly and planted a trail of kisses from her palm to the inside of her wrist. She wasn't prepared for how sensitive she would be to the gentle touch, and his lips on her skin made her gasp.
She quickly drew back her hand and tried her best to collect herself. She walked past him towards the back of the room to put some space between them. She had her back turned to him and looked down on the lounge where she had seen him a moment earlier. Once again her stomach turned to marble and she felt a chill down her spine. Her jaws clenched. “I'm sure there's plenty of company for you here. You hardly need us to keep you occupied.”
She heard him walk up to her, but he stayed back, just enough for her to feel his presence but not enough for her to feel his warmth. She felt her body wanting to lean back to him, like he was a magnet and her veins were filled with powdered iron.
“No, Kate, I want you to stay. Here. With me.” She felt him close in, his chest against her back and she couldn't help but give off a quiet sigh of satisfaction. He brushed her hair to the side, revealing her neck to his warm breath and velvety lips. She unintentionally tilted her head to the side, giving him easier access. She felt his arms wrap around her like twin snakes, one resting right underneath her breasts and the other finding it's way inside her tank top, going around her waist. “You know, there's a reason for you to be here too.” he murmured in her ear while nibbling on the lobe.
The memory from the night before, when she opened the door to their motel room and found her family at gunpoint flashed before her eyes and she tensed up. She broke loose from his embrace and turned around to face him, eyes glistening from haunting imagery and voice low. “Yeah, I think that reason was the end of a gun pointed at my family. A gun that constantly sends reminders and that has got my brother and father almost killed twice already and it hasn't even been 24 hours.”
A single heartbeat passed and Seth walked in, eyes flashing as soon as he saw Kate's distraught features. “Hey, what the hell's going on?” he barked at his brother.
Richie didn't shift his eyes from Kate even the slightest, his face an unyielding mask shielding a writhing turmoil underneath. “There's nothing going on, Seth.” His voice was dark, Kate almost didn't recognize it. “This doesn't concern you.”
“Like hell it does!” Seth was furious and had somehow placed himself between Richie and Kate without her even realizing he had closed in. He had his back to her and turned to glance at her over his shoulder. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” As he spoke he reached a hand back to grab hers. Kate was too taken aback by the whole thing to do anything and she felt his warm palm wrap around her fingers.
“What the hell! Of course I haven't hurt her!” Richie's cool came to boiling and his blue eyes where ablaze.
“Yeah, of course.” Seth mocked. “Cause you have been such a shining example of restraint lately!”
Kate could see Richie reaching his breaking point and she knew it must be intentional, Seth knew exactly what buttons to push with his baby brother. She moved out from Seth's cover and faced them both. “Stop it! What the hell are you doing?” She didn't know what made her interfere - if it was fear of ending up in the middle of something that might get her hurt or if she was more worried that the two men in front of her would hurt each other.
Seth turned to her, his eyes switching from hostile to merely annoyed. “What are you even doing back here? I thought I told you to stay put?”
That did it. Kate jerked her hand out of his with such fury that it left him startled and he looked from his hand to her, puzzled. “Yeah, well no one was there to put a gun to my face so I guess I must've gotten confused.” she scorned. “Now, do me a favour and give me the keys so that I can take my family and get as far away from here as possible.”
Seth lowered his eyes and grimaced. He seemed torn. “No can do, princess.” he sighed. “But you have my word that as soon as my deal is done you can have the keys and be on your merry way, but until then I'm keeping hold of the RV.”
“I am not your princess.” Kate growled, tears threatening to flood the banks. Through her blurred senses she thought she heard a smug scoff from Richie but she couldn't care less as she added, “And if you won't help me I'm sure I'll find someone else that will. I apparently attract all sort of filth.” The last word was not so much spoken as spit out. Then she turned on her heels and rushed out, hearing both brothers calling out to her which only drove her on, like a whip at her back.
~~~
Yes, she had had every intention to go fishing for help from the various lowlifes in the club but as she wandered aimlessly amongst bikers and creepy looking old guys she felt her resolve falter. Whenever someone bumped in to her in a crowded spot or brushed against her back in passing she wanted to run but some deep rooted instinct told her that running would only make the predators come after her. And she couldn't afford to look like a prey in a place like this. Although she was sure she already did, running or not. She met eyes all around, predatory, devouring.
She decided to find her way back to her father and Scott but in the same moment the music ceased and a man, Hispanic, handsome, walked out on to the stage and someone grabbed her by the shoulder and forced her into a nearby chair.
“Sit. The show's about to start.” the glooming bartender rasped close to her ear before he turned and disappeared again.
Kate found herself sharing a table with four large, biker vest and gang tattoo adorned men, all of which turned their attention from the stage to her when she sat down. Don't be a prey, don't be a prey, don't be a..
“Is't your first time at the Twister?” Kate's train of thought was abruptly interrupted and she almost jumped out of her chair. When she realized the large, bearded man two chairs over was talking to her she quickly nodded affirmatively. “Well, then!” he gave her a big, and surprisingly warm, grin. “You're in for one helluva show, sweetie!”
She looked over to the table where here family were seated. The Geckos had joined them and both were shifting in their seats, throwing searching eyes around the club. They were looking for her, she was sure, and the thought warmed her from the inside out in a way she didn't want to admit. She felt a smug tug to the corner of her lips. Suits them right to worry for her. Bastards.
She quickly regretted that last thought, but still, they deserved it.
The music started up again and the lights went low. Or, well, lower.
From the back of the stage a beautiful woman with a cape and a ridiculously large headdress appeared. She flourished with the cape for a bit before dropping it to the floor revealing a large, two headed python wrapped around her neck as she gyrated out on to the stage. The woman's full focus seemed to have been pinpointed at one single person in the audience – Richie.
Kate looked over to the other table. The focus seemed to be mirrored as there were no more stirring in Richie's seat, he seemed enthralled by the vision in front of him.
As the dance proceeded and the queen stripper offered Richie a drink from her foot Kate gritted her teeth. As she then watched the stripper sharing her liquor with Richie, mouth to mouth, Kate almost flipped the table. She wasn't aware that her nails had dug deep ridges into the top of the table before she got a nudge from the biker next to her.
“That good, huh?” he said with a wink and a smile as he hinted to her tensed up fingers clawing into the murky wood. She quickly folded her arms over her chest, leaning back into the chair, just wishing the show would be over soon.
A moment later she was reminded of the saying to be careful what one wishes for.
~~~
There had been a ranger with a knife, Richie calling out in pain, guns pointing in all directions, Snake-Humper turning into some kind of über-bitch and then all Hell had, more or less literally, broke loose.
There where fangs and claws and gore galore. The men by Kate's table had turned to her, long reptilian fangs protruding from under their lips. Under the circumstances they had all been actually quite courteous about wanting to rip her to shreds and eating her and when she thought back on it she might have actually liked their little clique, if it hadn't been for that ripping to shreds and eating her part.
She had managed to get away from them in all the turmoil and her only focus now was to get across the club to where she had last seen her family and the Gecko brothers. That was easier said than done. She got turned around so many times from dodging devil strippers that she found herself back by the bar again and she started to panic for real. She didn't care about looking like a prey or not, she thought that whoever wasn't wearing fangs was up for grabs and it was starting to look like slim pickings.
She felt a hand around her arm and for a brief moment of sheer relief she turned around, waiting to see Richie or Seth, but instead it was one of her biker friends from earlier. His long beard was tangled with blood and sinews and his fangs were out, ready to strike. She started praying, she didn't think it would help much but amongst all of the chaos it was something familiar. In one sudden move of divine intervention someone, intentionally or not, crashed a chair over the biker's back and he lost his grip on her.
She backed away in a hurry but tripped over a one armed man on the floor and fell over. She turned around to see the biker come at her again and she began to crawl backwards on her hands and feet until she didn't feel the floor underneath her hands any longer and she fell into darkness.
~~~
There was a strange noise close by, metallic, like the smell and the taste on her lips. She opened her eyes and as she adjusted to the faint lighting she wished she had kept them closed. She had fallen into Hell. She was sure.
She was lying on a slope on top of a heap of dead bodies, slowly sliding down towards a huge grinder. A human grinder. She had almost reached the edge before a spark hit her mind, screaming at her to move. She scrambled back up the slope as far as she could. There was no going back the way she had come and she started looking around for any other way out. It wasn't pitch black and she found the source of light coming from the other side of the grinder. A small doorway in the stone wall that could offer a way out.
As she edged her way past the diabolical meat mincer something caught her eye on one of the bodies. A machete. She jumped the last few feet over to the other side and knelt down to get it before it was lost forever.
If this truly was Hell she was determined to give the Devil a run for his money.
~~~
She didn't know how long it had been or how many corners she had turned. She didn't even know if she was moving towards any possible exit or if she only was getting herself deeper into the belly of the beast. She had kept to the corridors that were lit. From a distant she had heard low snarls and the sound of claws scraping against the stone. Whatever was down here with her she hadn't wished to meet in solid darkness.
When she encountered the first of them she didn't know if the light helped much though. The sheer vision of the creature had frozen her in place. It was a pale bag of bones with a gaping mouth filled with sharp, dribbling teeth. And the eyes. She had seen the eyes as it came out of the dark, they where aglow with hunger and madness.
It had charged at her and as a pure reflex she had raised the blade, held in both hands, and it had run right on it, impaling itself on the sharp edge. Before Kate had even found the composure to draw her next breath the creature had turned to ash. She had taken a couple of careful breaths, afraid that any movement would have the hellspawn arise again. It didn't. And she realized she could kill them.
She had taken down another two on her way through the maze. At first she had been reluctant to wield the crude blade, it had felt sinful and wrong, but with every slash she brought down on the creatures, and with each one that fell before her, she had felt an unfamiliar resolve. If she was doomed to stay here the rest of her life, or the rest of eternity, she would make sure to take down as many of these Devil's minions as possible. As the third creature fell for her blade she had never felt closer to God.
She made her way through a long corridor that was sided by a couple of dark doorways. She hurried towards the far corner, praying that she wouldn't get any demons at her back. She felt a stone in her gut as she heard a loud hiss behind her after passing the first doorway. She turned around, a firm grip on the haft of the machete. There where two of them and just as she was getting ready to deal the first blow she heard a snarl from behind. She cast a quick glance over her shoulder, there was another one. Fuck. Her heart pounded in her throat and she thought she would throw up. Then she remembered an old hymn her mother used to sing for her and her brother when they were little. As she backed up against the wall she started humming the tune, swinging the blade in front of her in rhythm.
“ ~Children of the Heavenly Father, safely in his bosom gather. Nestling bird nor star in heaven, such a refuge e'er was given..~ ” Her heart steadied slightly and as she started slashing with the machete at the creatures, one lost an arm and another it's intestines, she kept on singing. Her voice grew stronger with every hit. “ ~God his own doth tend and nourish, in his holy courts they flourish. From all evil things he spares them..~ ” at which she turned one of them to ash. “ ~..in his mighty arms he bears them.~ ”
One down, two to go. There were the one with only one arm and the third one that had managed to get away with only light scrapes so far. Kate's arms was starting to feel heavy and as she had hardly any breath left she kept the singing to her mind, still finding strength in the familiarity of it. She lunged out at the one to her right, the one armed bastard, and managed to get past it so that she had both of them in front of her. Now she had the unvisited corner behind her. She thought about turning around and running, hoping to find some place relatively safe further on, but she doubted that there was any such place down here.
The creatures snarled and lashed out at her as she shielded herself with the blade, managing to stab one of them in the chest, turning it to dust but in the process the last one somehow got it's claws stuck in the handle and Kate lost her grip. The machete was flung to the floor behind the beast and now she was left with nothing. She backed away from it, knowing full well it would be in vain and as she heard movement from the corner behind her she waited to feel claws at her back.
“Kate, get down!” She threw herself to the ground, hands covering her head. There was a loud bang close by and the devil's face scattered like cockroaches. She tried to get back up but her legs wouldn't move. Someone grabbed her by the shoulder and she tried feverishly to break loose but the hold was fast and in that moment she was sure she would die. It couldn't have been more than a fraction of a second before that hand on her shoulder had pulled her up from the floor and into a firm embrace. Her eyes were shut tight from fear but the warmth and familiar scent was like a lifesaver on a raging sea and she threw her arms around her saviours neck.
“Easy now, Katie girl.” Seth soothed, his lips close to her ear. One hand was brushing over her hair and the other was still outstretched in vigilance, holding the gun. “ Hey, it's gone. You alright, Kate?”
“Please, don't call me that.” she whimpered. Her entire body was trembling and she could barely keep her knees straight.
Seth turned his head to look at her. The flickering light from the flame on the wall veiled his features in turning shadows but still his eyes drew her in, like whirlpools to some foreign world.
"Then what should I call you, Kate?” It was breathless, anticipation hanging in the air.
Kate's eyes wandered from his eyes down to his lips. She tried but couldn't find the breath to answer him.
“Are you my princess, Kate?” he whispered, voice low and heavy. She felt it deep in her belly and could do nothing but nod, lips parted in shallow breathing. She didn't know what it was with that word, she had never much liked it before, but coming from him it was like salvation.
“You have to say it, Kate.” His free hand had moved to her back, pressing her to him and she could feel his heart beat through his chest. “I need to hear you say it.”
“Yes, I'm your princess, Seth.” It started as a whisper but ended in a soft gasp.
He placed his hand at the nape of her neck and pressed his forehead to hers. His breath on her lips. “That's all I wanted to hear, princess.” Then in one swift, gentle move he kissed her temple before taking a step back, taking her hand in his, still holding the gun in the other. “We need to keep on moving.”
Before he could drag her away she ran over to where her blade had fallen. As she picked it up and walked back to him, Seth raised a perplexed eyebrow.
“It's dangerous to go alone, you know.” She shot him a sly smile as they rounded the corner from where he had came.
~~~
As they moved forward Seth gave her the bad news that not only had Richie gotten shot and then dragged off by Santanico and apparently turned (and they weren't devils or hellspawn, they were snake vampires, which to Kate sounded much the same), but also her brother had been taken by the weird professor who was going to use him in some blood offering but instead had gotten them both ripped to pieces by the culebras. Now her father was with the Ranger and for the time being Jacob was safe but he had been bitten by one of the vampires and from what Seth had seen it was only a matter of time before her father too would become one of the walking dead.
They found Jacob and Gonzalez nearby a set of stairs. As Kate knelt in front of her father Seth gave a nod to Gonzalez and continued up the stairs, looking for a way out.
Kate took her father's hand in hers. He didn't have any strength left to move on. He was slumped against the wall, his eyes already beginning to loose their colour. As she saw the wound on his arm the reality of loosing him hit her like a truck in the chest.
“It will be alright, Katie-Cakes.” her father tried consoling her as the tears came streaming down her face.
“I can't do this on my own, papa.” she sobbed, slowly shaking her head from side to side. “You can't leave me alone.”
“You're not alone, you know that.” he lifted a hand to caress her tear stained cheek. “And even though I'd much rather have you kissing Kyle in the back of the church than keeping the company of killers and thieves..” he broke off as his breathing faltered in a weak cough. Afterwards his voice was solemn but soft, “If this is the world we live in now, Katie-Cakes, I trust that no one will keep you safer in it than those two.” Kate lowered her head but her father put his hand under her chin to look her in the eyes. “And I know that if there was ever one who could save the souls of men as those brothers, it would be you.” He smiled at her, his face wrinkled, a faint glint in his eye and she realized that this was the last time she would see that smile.
“Now, honey, you can't let me turn into one of those things.” As he spoke he put a stake in her hand. “Do me this favour and let me go to slumber knowing that I will never be a threat to you or anyone else.”
The stake felt heavy in her hands and she couldn't find the strength to grip it but her father wrapped his hands around hers, placing the sharp point above his heart.
“Papa, I can't do this.” she whimpered.
“Of course you can, Katie-Cakes. Don't you remember that time when you thought you wouldn't be able to climb all the way to the top of the jungle gym at the park? I helped you then and I'll help you know. We'll do this together, just like we always do.”
Kate gave a weak nod. “I love you, papa.”
“I love you too, Katie-Cakes.” And as his eyes turned yellow the stake pierced his heart.
Kate let go of the stake and slumped forward, shoulders heaving with each ragged breath. Gonzalez crouched next to her, putting his arms around her trying his best to ease her pain.
As she got up from the floor Seth wasn't there. She took her blade and ran up the stairs, looking for any door he could have walked through but there was nothing. He was gone.
~~~
Alongside ranger Gonzalez she fought her way back to the surface. They ended up back in the bar just as Seth and Richie walked in through the doors, arguing as usual, to meet up with Santanico. Kate felt a rush as she saw the brothers and were just about to run to them when ranger Gonzalez held her back. Next thing she knew he threw a knife, hitting Richie, and charged at him, stake to the heart.
“No! Don't!” Kate cried out, but the ranger saw red, gritting his teeth. “Please, ranger Gonzalez, don't do this.” she closed in on him, not knowing what to do but to plead with the man.
“Stay back, Kate!” he ordered. “I swore an oath that I would kill this man even if it took me to the gates of Hell. Well, now I've been to Hell and back and there's just one more thing to do.” He tensed up and Kate was sure that that stake would plunge into Richie's heart any second.
“Wait!” she shouted out. “Please. You remember what my dad said?” Gonzalez turned his head to glance at her over his shoulder. “If this is the world we live in now... I think he might have been right and I don't want to find out without them here.” Gonzalez turned his eyes back to Richie, breathing harshly through flared nostrils like a raged animal. His face twitched as if there was a battle raging behind the exterior.
“For the girl, and her father.” he said through gritted teeth leaving both brothers looking puzzled. “But if I see anyone of you ever again I will take you down.” Then he backed up, walking towards the exit. He turned one last time to Kate. “I hope you know what you're doing.”
Kate looked down at the machete she still held in her hand, it caught the light from the neon lights on the wall. “I think I will be alright. Thank you. For everything.” she gave him a soft smile before he turned and walked out into the dawning light.
As the doors closed, the bar filled with culebras from every corner whilst Santanico took the stage. Kate backed up, holding her blade in a firm grip. She looked over at Seth who was just as wary as her and he reached over to grab her hand. She edged up close to him, nestling under his arm.
“Will I regret not walking out with ranger Gonzalez?” she whispered to him as the culebras started chanting in some ancient tongue.
“Hell, I regret even getting up this morning.” Seth scoffed. “Or I guess it's yesterday now. Who'd knew we'd survive this shit?” He looked down at her with a smile tugging at his lips.
They watched as Richie got up on the stage and stood next to Santanico. His face changed and there was a huge snake coming out of his mouth. It was too much and Kate hid her face in Seth's warm embrace.
As the chanting progressed the ground started shaking and the walls cracked open. Sunlight seeped in through the gaps and the culebras turned into ash as the scorching light hit their skin.
Kate looked back towards Richie, he was pulling back from Santanico and his face became his again. He's only missing the glasses, she thought in an extremely strange stream of consciousness.
Seth left her side to walk up to his brother. Kate didn't dare to move, but watched from the sidelines.
“I can't come with you, brother.” Richie said.
“What are you talking about? We made it through this, we're on top of the fucking world. We ride together, like it's supposed to be.” Seth objected, his voice hoarse.
“We have to go.” Santanico murmured in Richie's ear and Kate's knuckles whitened around the haft of the machete.
“Hey, if you ever find your paradise, let me know, brother. Maybe I'll come visit.” Richie said, voice breaking ever so little. Then he turned to Kate with eyes that made her think her heart would cave in. “I'm sorry, Katie. I truly am. But I'll see you again, I promise you.” Then he and Santanico turned and left through the back.
After a short while they could hear the rumbling engine from an SUV driving off outside.
“That son of a bitch.” Seth cursed as he turned and stomped out into the awaiting sunlight. He walked over to a black Corvette convertible and threw his jacket in the small space behind the driver's seat.
Kate followed him outside. She walked up to the car and folded her arms over her chest giving Seth an uncharacteristic scowl.
“What?” he demanded leaning on his hands on the side of the car.
“Are you just gonna leave like that?” she scolded.
“Well, princess, what would you have me do? My brother just left with Queen of the Damned and I don't really know what comes next, but do tell me.” He sarcastically motioned with his hand at her.
She put the machete down on the floor on the passenger side. “So you were just gonna leave without me?”
“No, or, yes, I..” he looked to the side as if searching for words. “You shouldn't come with me, okay? Here,” he flung her the keys to the RV. “you're free to go. Now, go. You'll be better off without me.” He wouldn't look at her but looked down at his hands and instead of taking his advice she mimicked his pose and leaned on her side of the car.
“You don't really believe that.” she said in a soft tone. “And neither do I. Now, I don't know what the fuck really happened in there but I do know that I'll be damned if I let some baboon ass lipped bitch drag away with our Richie.” Her tone was no longer as soft.
“What?” Seth jerked his head up. “Baboon ass..? Weren't you a preacher's daughter? And wait, did you just say our Richie?”
Yes, she just realized that she did, holy fuck. She wouldn't let that faze her though and gave Seth a long hard look as she opened the passenger door and got in the car. “Are we gonna go get your brother back, or not?”