Today was the day. He felt so giddy that it took him a moment to calm himself. Were he completely alone he would have whipped out his cock and jerked one off, his satisfaction was such. But he wasn’t. Men and women watched him. He had to be the warrior and they were composed.
Yes. I am. A warrior. No matter what Harrington Prescott Leighton III said and believed.
He scowled at the thought of that man. His nemesis. The one who would suffer the most at the end of this. The fucker took away his chance at happiness, now he was going to repay the favor.
They would know. Soon, they would all know. Last night’s snow hadn’t lessened, instead it had strengthened. The storm was bearing down on them and it would be much uglier before it was over.
“Radio check.”
Fifteen responding clicks in his ear made his cock thicker still with anticipation. Revenge was his aphrodisiac. Thinking about planning that’s what got him. And pain.
There would be time for pleasure later. Mission first.
He picked up and caressed the sniper rifle. There was a bullet with the victim’s name on it.
“Yes,” he whispered to the howling winds. “Christmas is coming early this year.”
He strode to the door. He had several hours before his plan would be put in motion. Well, further, as it was already in motion. Time to get all the players in position. All the parts into place. Set the stage before the final curtain rose.
A smile turned up his lips and he went out the door. A Christmas tune on his lips.
αβ
“Where are they?” Osten looked around.
“You sound scared.”
Osten glared at the man beside him, Ghost. “Damn right I’m scared. Anyone with a fucking lick of sense would be. There are eight women out there that are looking to prove a point that they not only took on but also defeated a group of former Navy SEALs in a snowball fight. And no matter what spin we try to put on it, like we let our wives win, it won’t matter.”
Ghost formed another snowball. “Very true, but they have someone on their side who trained us in snow survival. That has to count for something.”
Osten doubted it and scanned his surroundings. Nothing to give away any hint the women were near. How the hell did they do it? They’d been in bright jackets, hats, and scarves. They should not be hard to spot against a snow-white backdrop.
Granted, the snow had picked up. Maybe we should head back, this storm is getting worse. They weren’t that far from the lodge, but it wouldn’t take all that much to get turned around and lost out here. However, as the finishing touches on the dinner were handled, it was up to him and some others to keep them outside and occupied.
Yet, here he was—struggling to see even one of them.
“With our luck they’re inside, warm, drinking hot cocoa.”
He chuckled at Ghost’s comment, his own not far off. The wind picked up swirling around more snow. He blinked it away. A flash of pink. One hundred yards ahead.
“Got it,” Ernst muttered prior to breaking off left to circle around. The women may have Xaria but they had years of working together, working as a single flawless unit.
They may be up against their wives but this was about winning, not making nice. This was war and the wives were going down.
Silent, he stuck to the slim protection offered by the trees. Eyes fixated on the spot the pink should be next, determined to get ahead of her.
His bet, Landi, the all-consuming lover of pink. However, he could be wrong. They were sneaky as fuck. Weaving closer, he spotted it again and where he’d expected it to be.
“At least my skills haven’t gotten rusty.” He picked up speed, confidence growing.
The arrogant smirk on his face fell away the second he saw the trap. He’d just sauntered his happy overconfident ass directly into their impressively laid plan.
The pink jacket was there but its wearer wasn’t alone. All but two women awaited him in the swirling snow.
“Come quietly.” Xaria beckoned.
He shook his head. All he had to do was wait until Ghost came up from the back side. “You ladies did well. I’ll give you credit.”
“Funny,” Landi said brushing her hand along her flawless pink leather jacket—her own design. “We were thinking the same for you.”
Her confident tone had him drawing up in concern.
Come on, Ghost.
“He’s not coming. In fact, you’re the last one. We’ve already captured and defeated everyone else.”
He snorted. “No way.”
The women grinned and his unease grew. Were they serious? Seconds later, a massive amount of snow dropped on him. Peeling laughter hit him as he wiped the snow from his face and shoulders.
His wife, CJ stepped forward and added her touch to the assistance of removing the snow. “I think this should be the image on next year’s Christmas card.”
He tried for a growl but it came out as a smile. “Hell no.”
She brushed their lips together. “I think so. I also think Ghost got a great shot of your expression as that snow fell on you.”
“Did he now?”
Mental note, kill the fucker. He never took his gaze from the love of his life until in his periphery, Ghost stepped into view. The man had a camera in one hand and held his wife’s hand with his other.
“Traitor.”
The man shrugged unrepentantly. “Her offer was far better than yours.” He hefted the camera. “Although the expression I got from you was almost enough for me to do this.”
Ghost he had no problem growling at, causing the man to flip him off.
“I thought we were a team.”
“Let’s just say it’s a damn good thing Kacy didn’t work for the enemy, because I would sell you out for her anytime.”
He understood, there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for his CJ. Popping her on the ass, he charged Ernst with a low roar and tackled him to the ground.
After a bit, they all headed back to the warmth of the lodge. The other men joined them as they headed inside to the large game room. This was their night to treat the women. He went to take his turn in the kitchen.
Scott joined him and Osten hid his smile, the man was micromanaging. He was so nervous something would go wrong and the entire night wouldn’t go well. The situation would have amused him even more than it did had he not been just as concerned.
Even so, a chuckle slid free.
“What’s funny?”
“Just thinking about all of us. Retired from the SEALs and have a protection company. And yet, here we are, worried about how a dinner comes out.”
Scott punched him in the shoulder. “They deserve nothing less for all the heartache and stress we’ve given them over the years.”
The man sobered and he knew exactly where his mind had gone. The time they’d almost lost Scott. He still remembered seeing Lex collapse in tears, but she hadn’t been the only one. They all had cried as they hoped and prayed he would pull through.
“You ain’t ever spoken more truth.”
They fell silent for a brief time and both thought about their friends who never came home or whose marriages didn’t last through the numerous trials and tribulations they’d been faced with.
He cracked his neck and made his way to the one of several walk-in coolers where he grabbed the trays of veggies that had been cut and prepped. Placing the trays on a cart, he headed for the game room.
Besides just veggies, there were deli meats, cheeses, olives, and more. He pushed into the room pleased by the laughter.
Kacy and Landi were talking smack around one of the billiard tables.
“Appetizers,” he called out to the gathered group of friends.
Everyone surrounded him, Maverick helped place them out along the counter.
Osten took the moment to kiss his wife. “Everything okay?” He nuzzled her hair, loving every fucking inch of this woman.
“Fine. You guys didn’t have to do this, you know. I can come help.”
“No.” The seven men all spoke their vehement refusal as one.
CJ grinned and held up her hands. “Well, if you’re sure.” Her comment droll even as she grinned. “I mean, perhaps you’d like to reconsider.”
“Sorry, babe,” he said. “We got this. Tonight, is on us.”
“Stop asking to help, CJ. Let them do it,” Dez snapped playfully. “I’m looking forward to this.”
“We got this, bella. I promise.” Another kiss before he took the cart and left.
Scott barely stared at him when he returned.
Osten whistled at him. “Love the apron.”
“Fuck you.”
“I think I need a picture.”
“I will kill you,” his former CO and current boss threatened.
“No, you won’t.” He dug for his phone, frowning briefly. No reception.
“How can you be so sure?” He waggled a knife at him. “What we have here is a storm that’s increasing in intensity by the second. And let’s not forget, there’s a shit ton of wilderness to bury your tiny Italian body, where no one will find you.”
“True.” He popped a piece of white cheddar into his mouth. “But then your big Southern ass would have to elucidate to my wife you killed my tiny and adorable Italian body.”
“Well shit. Just for the record, I never said adorable.”
A piece of salami went in his mouth next. “That was implied by your tone.”
“I’m cutting you off. Obviously, you’re drunk.” Harrier turned to the oven and bent over to remove the rack of lamb.
“You sure it’s ready?” He peered around Harrier as he fixed his own apron.
“I followed the recipe exactly from Merlin’s mom. Hold this end.”
Together, they carried it to the counter. Seconds before they placed it down, a flash went off.
Merlin and the others had their cameras out. Fuck.
“Looking good, bitches,” Ghost said. “Wives are going to love these.”
“Fuck off. Bring out the salad and put it on the table.” Harrier waved a hand covered with a sparkled hot pad in his direction. “It has to rest for five minutes before I carve.”
The men worked well together and soon, they all left the kitchen, no aprons in sight, carrying the food to the long table, decorated with pine boughs and candles. The light from the Christmas tree adding to the ambiance as did the fireplace’s flickering flames.
CJ squeezed his hand. “This looks amazing.”
From the cheesy grins on the rest of the guys’ faces, their wives were saying something similar.
“Let’s hope it tastes good.” He winked. He held her chair for her and brushed his lips along her neck. The rich aromas filled the air and he smiled. Laughter had him looking over to where Jayde and Lex were whispering. Not too far from them stood Harrier and Cade waiting with endless patience for their women to be ready to be seated.
“You’re smiling.”
He stared at his wife. “I am. This is our family. I’d say the adult one but let’s face it. We’re not necessarily adults here. Not all the time anyway.”
She squeezed his hand, gave him a kiss, and turned to Xaria who sat near her.
He gazed about the room. This he wouldn’t change for the world. As he took his chair, he smiled again as Lex stumbled a bit and Jayde angled to help her. Christ was she tipsy already? Not that he blamed her, it was time to celebrate after all.
Her warm laughter cut short as the all too familiar and dreaded sound of a bullet shattering glass filled the air.
Chaos erupted as everyone hit the floor. Men yelled at their wives and to each other as they tried to ascertain where the main spray was coming from. More bullets rained in, tearing up the beautiful spread, sending chunks of food into the air.
The men were low, protecting their wives.
They needed to get the lights off. Seconds later, the power died and the only light came from the fire. Even the candles were out.
Osten directed CJ back, keeping her low and behind him until more suitable protection was there. “Are you okay?”
“What the hell happened?” Her voice strained. “What’s going on?”
He opened his mouth to respond but instead he heard, “Oh fucking hell, this can’t be happening. Don’t you fucking dare die on me. Don’t you fucking dare, Jayde!”
αβ
All his excitement had faded in that precise second. In fact, his stomach had turned into an ugly knotted mess.
“Why couldn’t you have stood still Jayde? You weren’t supposed to be hurt. That was meant for Alexis.”
He ripped up his facemask, muted his mike, and screamed in frustration, well aware the heavy snow and howling winds would whisk it away.
Jayde was the only one of the sixteen in that lodge he’d liked and had any respect for. Despite her ass of a husband. From the first time he’d met her, she’d been kind and courteous. Even when all the others hadn’t been.
“Sir.”
The voice squelched in his ear and he didn’t think their communications would be working much longer. Fixing his gear, he touched the mike once. “Go.”
Successive explosions went off. No generators.
Now, he truly had the upper hand. They had no communication to the outside world. This place was far enough off the map there weren’t neighbors to come see anything. The snow and the winds would bury the flames in no time.
“Maintain your positions. They’re not going anywhere.” His focus returned to the plan. “They show their faces. Cut them down.”
The weather had played in his favor. For a while there, the snow had lightened and he’d been concerned, not thwarted for this was going to happen no matter what, but this storm definitely helped. Even if it stopped, he had a signal jammer on four points to the lodge, unwilling to allow them to get a call out for help.
Nothing would be flying in or out. He and his team had the advantage. Weapons, gear, the surprise factor. Regardless, he hadn’t been stupid enough to come alone. After all, facing off with a former SEAL Team was stupid and just flat out idiotic if you were alone.
Especially when I’ve just killed one of their wives.
αβ
Her blood was everywhere. Pumping over his hand, warm and leaving streaks behind as he tried his damnedest to staunch the flow. Even with only the firelight to let them see, there was no mistaking what it was.
His chest hurt and all he could do was babble to her. Try to keep her with him. Fighting to stay. “Hang in there, baby. Come on. Please. Don’t leave me.” Tears burned as their too few years together flashed before his eyes.
“Move!”
He growled at the order but listened as Lex shoved him aside.
Her alcoholic buzz gone, eyes sharp, and movements steady. “I need clean towels, now. And whatever medical kit can be found in this place. You two move her closer to the fire so I can see all the damage and figure out what the fuck I’m dealing with here.”
Osten settled beside Lex and Ghost was on the other side. They lifted and moved her with Lex’s direction. Efficient. Even so, the others did what they could to keep everyone safe.
Someone brought towels…who he hadn’t any clue.
Tyson scooted closer to Jayde, reaching out for her.
Lex smacked his hand and he snapped his gaze to her, wanting to kill. “You can’t do anything here except get in the way. Go do what you need and let us do our job here.”
He couldn’t leave her. “What if she dies?”
Lex touched the side of his face, her hand covered in Jayde’s blood as well. “Tyson, I swear to you, I will do my best fucking work, right here. Right now. To save my friend, your wife. But there are still assholes with guns out there trying to kill us. I need you to protect her out there, okay?”
“Move it, Cade,” Harrier barked with enough order in his tone to make him listen.
Still on his knees, he bent to Jayde’s face and lowered his mouth to hers, willing her to hold on. To stay alive, for him, for their children. Don’t you fucking leave me, Jayde. I can’t live without you. His heart was being ripped from his chest, as Osten pushed him away and bagged her.
He didn’t even know who’d found and dropped off the medical kit. Eyes locked on his wife who lay bleeding out in front of a fire on what was supposed to have been a special night, he stood and forced himself to turn away.
Tyson had to lock his heart down. The woman lying behind him was his world. She’d saved him on so many levels. More than his soul, she’d also saved his life. Made him a proud father. It wasn’t supposed to go this way. They were supposed to have enjoyed sitting in goddamn rockers on the front porch together when they were old and gray. He wanted to chase her around in a walker. Not leave her to die without him at her side.
He’d been the one to travel all over the world, making enemies. Not Jayde. She was the purest hearted person he’d ever met. She painted. Now she lay with a very weak pulse.
Dying.
He met Scott’s gaze as they upended tables and put them around the group near Jayde. The wind and snow blew in from the open, shattered windows and they did what they could to block it out. They released the heavy drapes, cutting out much of the cold and snow.
Then they retreated into the dark for the office. Hondo and Maverick joined them, faces serious and angry.
In the main office, Scott handed him a flashlight as he worked a safe code and opened the wall to expose a small array of small arms. Nothing like what the men out there had, but some sort of weapon was better than nothing.
The men loaded up with guns, ammo, and flashlights. Tyson scanned the dark room. He slowed his breathing and forced himself to disassociate from all emotion. He wasn’t a doctor like Lex nor a medic like Baby Boy. He couldn’t do anything there as she’d said other than get in the way.
What he could do, and would do was find the fucker who’d shot his wife. And when he got a hold of him, he would rip him apart until he begged for death. Only then would he start to torture him, make him suffer far beyond anything humanly possible.
αβ
He stared at the men with him. Correction, men and women alike. Most of his crew were still spread out, holding on the lodge. The explosives were on the vehicles, if by some chance they were able to rig the guts that had been torn out.
It wasn’t just the men in this group of people who were skilled. The women were as well. He knew. He’d studied them all.
Rage pumped through intermingling with the thrill from having the drop on the legendary Megalodon Team.
“Get to your spots. Stay alert. We had the drop. They’re scrambling and while it would have been easier to take them all out instantly, it would not be fun for me. I will make them suffer even more.”
Those with him began to vanish into the windy night and biting snow daggers that pelted any exposed skin. Not that he had any but he knew how it felt.
Stopping one of the men leaving, he waited until they were alone and indicated for him to switch to a different channel.
“What’s up?” Frank’s deep voice had the appeal of a life time smoker.
“Who shot beside me? Don’t say no one because all of you were supposed to go wide. I was to take the one shot at Lex. Someone else shot.”
“The tweaker.”
New kid.
Damn it. He’d done his best to build his own team so he could command the respect he deserved and craved so desperately. Chris, the tweaker, was new, over confident, and an arrogant ass at times. He’d come on the recommendation of his uncle, Lawrence, a man also who’d been discharged dishonorably from the Army. Most of his mercenary recruits were ex-military. And angry.
“Why?”
“Two bullets hit her. I want the ass who did that.”
Frank grunted and readjusted as if he were standing in the desert in the middle of the day. Nothing ever seemed to bother or rile this man. “Are you mad because he didn’t hit Lex either or because you both hit Jayde?”
He forced his expression to remain neutral despite wearing a face mask. Knowing Frank, he’d find a way to see it. “None of your business but I want my orders followed. He didn’t.”
He craved the respect and adulation he saw others get. The men and women in his group were there for the money. He wanted to believe it was for his leadership but didn’t think so. Not yet. After this however, they would. He would be the one who masterminded the take down of the SEAL Team.
“Get to your position.” He turned his back on Frank.
“Whatever you say, boss.”
Those words had about as much respect as he’d get from a pile of shit he just stepped in.
αβ
Maverick alternated between cursing and sending up prayers to the Great Spirit as he sprinted up to the top floor of the lodge to let himself out onto the roof.
What in the name of all that was holy was going on? They were supposed to be having a fun week with just the adults until their children arrived. Affrica, Hondo’s sister, and her husband Reeve, Harrier’s brother, were coming along with his eldest son Dakota and his wife Shelia would be the ones who brought the rest of their children to the lodge.
His heart thundered within his chest, feeling like it would bust through his ribs. What if their children had been here during this? Cold anger washed over him, making the icy snow pellets a warm caressing breeze.
He hadn’t wanted to leave Tempest down there but he had to. They couldn’t all be congregated in that front room with heavy curtains doing its best to keep out the cold and wind. There was so much blood from Jayde as she lay there.
“I have to go, Mitawin,” he’d told Tempest as she shivered next to him. “I have to see if I can locate those doing this.’
He knew she didn’t want him to go. In her eyes the fear there was much like the day he’d found her on the edge of a cliff and he’d feared she was going to jump. The fear, devastation, and uncertainty. Tonight, had been more however. She’d just seen one of her friends, best friends, get shot and was bleeding out on the floor.
He kissed her on the temple and began to rise.
She gripped his shirt and yanked him back to where they were eye level.
He cocked a brow and waited for her to say something to him.
“You come back to me,” she ordered.
“Always, Mitawin. Stay low, stay safe, and listen to the team. They’ll keep you safe.”
Tears shimmered in her eyes by the firelight.
He stopped her from looking over once more to where Jayde lay. “She has the best help she can get. Both Lex and Baby Boy are working on her. Help where you can. I love you.”
Cupping his face, she nodded slowly. “I love you too, James. Kill them all.”
He’d paused at the door before reaching up and unscrewing the lightbulb there. He didn’t want to let anyone out there in on the secret he was going out on the roof. “You got it baby,” he’d muttered, his words being whipped away by the swirling winds. He then stayed low and made his way to the edge.
He may not have brought his sniper rifle with him to this holiday getaway that had turned into a night from hell, but he had a scope with him. Always did. It wasn’t as good as the one he had on his rifle but right now, he’d take anything he could.
Working slowly and methodically, he made his way around the roof, checking off in all directions. He pushed the cold from his mind and put his laser-sharp focus on the task before him. Find those out there… pinpoint their location. Eliminate.
He didn’t get any hits on the thermal reader but that was to be expected. It was fucking cold out and he only had a five-hundred-yard range at the moment. He could feel it in his gut though. They were still out there.
Before he went back in, he tried to grab a signal for his phone, but that didn’t work either, they were shit out of luck. No way to call for a chopper to come in and get Jayde, no way to call for any reinforcements either.
Back inside, he made his way back down to the main room only to find it completely empty, all that was left were the remains of their never eaten dinner and the blood stain on the floor from Jayde.
He tracked them down in the game room. There was a fire burning in there as well.
Baby Boy met his gaze when he stepped in and gave a small shake of his head.
Maverick didn’t ask anything else.
Stepping over to where Merlin and Hondo stood, armed to protect the women he exhaled. “I didn’t see anyone out there but it’s going to be hard to get anything on that during this storm. I’m going out there.”
“I’m coming with,” Hondo said instantly.
The men stepped out into the hall and looked at the others coming closer to join them.
“What’s going on?” Scott asked, pistol in hand.
“I didn’t see anything with my scope, so I’m heading out. Hondo’s coming with me.”
Harrier nodded. No warmth at all in his blue eyes, these were the eyes of a man who was more than ready to find those responsible and mete out punishment.
Personally, he was all on board with that.
“Baby Boy will stay here and help Lex best he can. The women are also there, grabbing things for her. They’re armed as well but we need a few to stay in the room.”
“I’ll stay.”
Everyone looked at Tyson.
“No.” Scott touched the man’s chest. “You’re with me. Merlin, go through the cleaning and make us some explosives. We know these fuckers will be back, you don’t do what you did, taking out our generators and blocking our signal out, if you’re not planning on coming back to finish the job. But they won’t catch us unaware this time. I want this place a mother fucking fortress. When they come in here, there will be booby traps and other things to kill them.”
“If there was enough light in the kitchen, I’d say move the group there. That’s going to be the most secure. We can give them all the lights and lanterns we got.”
Ghost nodded. “I’ll go with Kacy and we’ll rig something up. Then we can have Jayde up on a table and there aren’t windows in that room. It won’t be as warm but we can bring blankets down.”
“We got the blankets,” Landi said.
He turned to see her standing there with Dez.
“You should be in with the others.”
“Fuck that,” Landi snapped. “They shot my friend, shot at me. We’re here to help. You guys have enough on your hands. Let us help. We’ve decided. And yes, we know to be careful.”
They were gone before anyone could say anything else.
Merlin shook his head. “We use civilians all the time and let’s face it, our wives aren’t going to sit by and cower in a corner. They know how to shoot and they all have things they can do.”
“I hate it but he’s right.” Jeb crossed his arms. “How are we splitting up? If Merlin has explosives to make, I’ll take his place in the room.”
Harrier spoke next, “Once they get all the blankets they can, that floor will be off limits to them. They will have to stay in the kitchen once everything is ready. That way, there will be no risk of them setting off any of the explosives.”
Maverick agreed with Harrier’s declaration. He allowed his gaze to drift back to Cade. He’d locked in on this mission and without a doubt, he knew any men he caught would die. Harrier was the only one who would be able to get through the fear and rage surrounding him if it came to that.
It curdled his stomach, he hadn’t a clue what he would be like if it was his wife lying there dying from a bullet. Correction…bullets. The simple fact the man was here with them was a fucking testament to how strong he was.
The shared a look and split off to do what they had to do in order to protect their families and hopefully, give Jayde a chance not to die out in this lodge. Bundled up, he stole a look in the kitchen and saw Dez laying blankets where directed, Kacy and Ghost rigging up some flashlights overhead to give Lex more light to see as much as she could on Jayde and his wife, Tempest was speaking to Xaria.
He wanted to kiss her lips once more, but this wasn’t about what he wanted. This was about keeping them all safe. He stepped back and headed for the door.
Hondo met him there also bundled up. “Ready?”
“Let’s do this.”
“I’m coming too.”
Both men turned to find Xaria hurrying up, wearing her winter gear and with a rifle over one shoulder. Anger burned eerily in her green eyes.
He sliced his gaze to his best friend, leaving this battle up to Hondo.
“Move out,” he said when Hondo didn’t dispute her. Hell, the man didn’t so much as blink
They headed to the small back door by the generators that would still be showing a bit of a heat signature.
αβ
He squinted through the snow to read the readout on his watch. Not even thirty minutes since the initial attack. He knew precisely where his team would be on their approach to the lodge. A few hung back and were looking for those who would be dumb enough to try and sneak away, like on the roof or something.
So far, there’d been no alerts to that fact.
A sadistic grin filled his face. They were still scrambling. It had been a relaxing day for them, lots of fun and games, and alcohol. They weren’t at their best.
In the back of his mind, that bothered him. Would his legacy be less because he took this team down when they weren’t at the top of their game?
He shook his head. No, of course not.
Soon, he would have his crowning glory. The ultimate pleasure of killing the head of Tungsten Protective Services and leader of the Megalodon Team, Scott Leighton.
There wasn’t anything to stop his plan now. He had the complete upper hand. They were injured, out gunned, and outnumbered.
He smiled behind his face mask and began to prowl closer to his end destination.
The closer he got, the swifter that slither of unease pushed up his spine. Why hadn’t they tried to run or at least get out of the cabin to one of the cars?
αβ
Merlin held the flashlight in his mouth as he scanned the well-stocked laundry room. Hell yeah, I can do a lot with this here.
He began pulling to him, gallons of cleaner, buckets, and more. There were a few items from the kitchen as well. Anger streamed through him, pumping with each beat of his heart.
He dropped a gallon of bleach and had to take a deep breath. His hand shook for a moment as he squeezed his eyes shut and fisted his hands. The look of pure fear on Landi’s face when those shots had rung out wasn’t something he would ever forget.
Not like I’ll ever lose the memory of Tyson’s cry for Jayde.
Jayde and Lex were pretty much the mother hens of the team. Jayde had been the first woman to break into the group when she met Tyson and became his wife. She hadn’t had an easy life and yet, her goodness and pure light shone through the dark all the time.
Tears burned the back of his eyes as he once again saw her lying there, all that blood streaming from her onto the floor of the lodge.
“Fuck,” he swore. Punching the wall, he swore once more and kicked one of the heavy shelves. Product rolled from its position and hit the floor. He ignored them and reined in his anger. Several more deep breaths and he was doing what he did best.
Build items that bring other things down.