From her hiding place under the hotel bed she watched the boots circle the room. Black boots with silver spurs, she'd never forge the sound they made walking across the filthy beige carpet. The man paused at the end of the bed and she held her breath, she could feel her heart pound in her chest and she was afraid they could hear it as they circled the room. There were four men all together, bikers but the one who wore the spurs was the one who had killed her parents just a few minutes ago, or had it been days? It felt like she'd been hiding under this bed a lifetime.
They finished going through her suitcase and clothing, hers and her parents things lay scattered all over the floor.
"Put the do not disturb sign on the knob." The one with the spurs said.
"Yes boss." Another one said.
"What about the girl? We know one was here. Where is she?" Another voice asked.
"I don't know, but we can't waste anymore time." The first one said.
"Too bad, after watching her all day I was looking forward to playing with her a little." Another one said.
"We can't wait around for her." the boss said.
The boots with the spurs started towards the door and a few other sets fell behind him. She held her breath until her lungs ached hoping they left. When the door clicked softly closed behind them she still didn't move or breathe. She heard the motorcycles starting up with a thunderous roar outside the room that made her jump and chills run down her spine, it sounded as if hell itself was outside that room.
She heard them drive away, probably off to their next victims but she stayed where she was.
She couldn't be sure how long she stayed there under that bed, but the room grew dark and cold the motel falling quiet. Then the sun came up chasing back the shadows, she had to pee and she was sore from being cramped under the bed when she finally drew the courage to move stiffly out from her hiding place. She choked on the smell of blood that permeated the air mixed with the scent of mold and mildew. Yesterday morning as the unpacked her father teased her about developing black lung from the mildew. She laughed and shook her head, now he lay dead no more than twenty yards from her. His sightless eyes staring at the door way and blood pooling from the back of his head. Her mother lay a few feet away face down in the carpet surrounded by blood, this carpet would never come clean.
She had moved towards the bathroom door pausing beside her mom, she choked on a sob and quickly covered her mouth with her hand. Hesitatingly she stepped over her mom and ran into the bathroom slamming the door behind her and locking it tight, she pressed her back into the wood and slid down the door burying her face on her arms. What was she going to do now?
She stayed in the bathroom as long as she could and then she heard the bikes coming back, cold fear settled into her stomach making her sick. She stood up on shaky feet and looked around the bathroom for anything to defend herself with. She saw her dads old straight razor laying on the sink, she had often teased him about being old fashioned but now it may save her life. With shaking hands she grabbed it and backed into the corner of the bathroom.
She heard the bedroom door open and someone heavy stride into the room, he cursed under his breath when he saw her parents. The doorknob rattled on the bathroom door and then he knocked, he actually knocked as if he thought she'd answer.
"Is someone in there?" he asked, his voice deep.
She bit her lip and tried to control the way her body shook like a leaf.
The knob turned again.
"I'm going to kick down the door." He warned and she shrunk back even more into the corner.
A second after the warning a loud crack sent the door flying inward swinging on his hinges to shield her in the corner. Through a crack in the door she saw the back of a large man walk in. He had jet black long scraggly hair falling almost to his shoulders and a leather jacket. He was at least six foot tall and his back was nearly as wide as the door itself, his blue jeans clung to long legs and she saw the gun hanging on his hip.
He took a few more steps into the bathroom his stance completely relaxed but screaming pure power, he was intimidating even from behind. She hesitated a second before slipping from behind the door, she wrapped one arm around his chest and brought the straight blade up to his throat. She had to stand on her tip toes to reach and she still barely managed.
"Hey, woah." He said attempting to turn around.
"Don't move." She said, surprised her voice didn't shake.
"Okay, just take it easy." he said.
"Hands in the air." She said.
He slowly raised his hands and with her free hand she went for the gun at his hip. He tensed but didn't fight her. She cast her glance to the mirror on the wall and their eyes met, he was studying her intently with dark brown eyes, nearly as dark as his hair. She hoped from his angle she looked tougher than she was, stronger, more intimidating.
She freed his gun and tossed the straight razor aside pointing the gun into his back. She knew how to use it, sort of.
"Okay, walk." She said, poking him with the end.
He walked out of the bathroom and stepped over her father, she winced and fought the urge to close her eyes. She stepped over him as well and if the big man noticed her hesitation he didn't comment. His stride was loose and easy, his arms in the air.
"Keep walking." She said when he paused at the door.
"Okay, but I should warn you..."He started to speak.
"Move I said!"She yelled.
He stepped out into the gravel parking lot his boots crunching on the stones. She heard a small commotion and a bunch of clicks, looking around the stranger she realized she was surrounded and guns were pointing at her from every angle by men ducking behind motorcycles. She froze and the stranger stopped walking.
"Lower your guns." He said in a deep voice.
"Boss, are you sure?" One of the men asked.
"Lower them."He said, keeping his own hands up.
"What is this?" She asked, instantly thinking she was done for.
"They're going to put their guns down, then you do the same. Okay? Nobody here wants to hurt you." He said.
She watched as the bikers all holstered their guns, but kept watching her. The stranger lowered his hands and she began to panic.
"Put your hands up! Now!" She yelled.
He turned around the face her and she took a panicked step backwards. He seemed even taller and more muscular from the front and her five six frame with her one hundred pounds of weight seemed horribly inadequate.
"Put the gun down, you can't win in a shoot out." He said.
"I can shoot you." She said.
He reached out and grabbed the barrel of the gun, she gripped it tighter. He jerked her a step forward and put the end of the gun in the middle of his chest, spreading his arms out wide.
"Go ahead then, shoot." He said.
She realized she was shaking, but she tried to steel her nerves. She lifted her head a fraction trying to feel taller.
"That's what I thought." He said, with a sudden jerk her ripped the gun from her hands.
He holstered the gun and she turned bolting for her room, he reached out a strong arm snagging her around the waist and hauling her off her feet. She began to struggle but his height, and muscles mad it no use and he began walking towards the rest of the group.
"I'll scream." She warned him.
"If it makes you feel better." He said with a shrug.
He moved next to a black and silver Harley and stood her on her feet, she tried to run again and he caught her arm, his hand holding around her wrist like a vice. She squirmed and pulled until her shoulder burned from the pain and her wrist had began to bruise, he continued to dig around in his saddlebags giving no indication he felt her pulling.
"Are you hungry?" He asked.
He pulled a bear claw and a bottle of water from his saddle bags holding it out to her. She stopped squirming and stood there staring at him.
"Take the food." He said.
Tentatively she took the bottle of water first, and drank it. The cool water slid down her burning throat and cleansed her dry mouth. She drank most of it while he watched her, then he offered her the bear claw again releasing her arm. She took it and despite always being taught her table manners began to eat like a starved animal choking more than once on the flaky pastry.
"Haven't ate in awhile?" He guessed.
She shook her head and took another large drink.
"Do you know what happened here?" He asked.
"Bikers." She said.
"It must have been the red dragons, we've been following them and their trail of destruction for three days. The motel manager is dead so are the couple in the room next to yours, those people in your room, were they your folks?" He asked.
She gave a slight nod and slowed down in her eating, her empty stomach rejecting the sweet food and water after going over a day hiding under the bed in hunger.
"Well, we best be going then." He said swinging one long let onto his bike.
He straddled the bike like a man completely in control and she took a step back, grateful for the food and wondering what she'd do now.
"Hey boss, why don't we take her with us?" The guy to the left ask.
"Shut up Rogue. We don't have time for no little girl." The man said.
"She seems pretty tough, I bet we can straighten her out."Rogue said.
"She's a kid, she probably has family." The boss said.
An older man who looked about the age of her grandfather swung off his own bike and walked towards her, he had a white beard and white hair. She backed away and he looked her up and down taking in her ripped skinny jeans, dark blue hoodie and mess of brown hair.
"How old are you?" He asked.
"Nineteen." She said softly.
"You have a name?" He asked.
"Alice." She said.
"I'm Dave, people round here call me pops, this here is my son people call him Judas." He said motioning at the biker beside her. He gave her a nod that she assumed was a hello.
"Do you have a family Alice?"Pops asked.
She thought about the only member she had left, her grandfather was old, sick and in a home. She slowly shook her head no.
"Well, you can run with us as long as you want to and you listen to orders." Pops offered.
She looked at Judas who had slid on his sunglasses and shook his head in annoyance.
"He won't bite you." pops said.
"I might just hitch along for a little while." She said softly.
"Alright then, welcome to the disciples." Pops said.
"Where's she going to ride?" Judas asked.
"With you, for now." Pops said.
"No, not happening." Judas said.
"It is happening, this is my crew and you're my son. You do as your told."Pops said.
"Fine." Judas agreed, his voice biting.
Pops walked away towards his own bike and alive tucked her hair behind her ear in a nervous gesture. Judas glared at her with eyes as cold as ice and dark as hell, he slid up on his seat and used one booted foot to push the kick stand up using his legs to hold the bike upright.
"Are you getting on or what?" He asked, not looking at her.
Still shaking with fear she stumbled clumsily onto the bike, she tried to keep her distance and he sighed heavily.
"You have to move up close and hold on." He growled pulling her arms around his muscular chest.
"Thank you." She squeaked.
"This isn't the wonderland you think it is Alice."
Before she could reply he started the bike with a loud roar and a deep rumble, following his lead all the other bikes started as well. Pops pulled out onto the road first and Judas slid in behind him, the rest following him. She took a deep breath and tried to control her shaking, this might not be wonderland but she felt like she was going way down the rabbit hole.