The Axelridge Series Book 4 Griff's Red Card

(Chapter song ‘Like Real People Do' by Hozier, ‘Radioactive’ by Within Temptation)

IVY

“You have to turn down 91.” I point to the highway as I follow the GPS on my phone for the fastest route to my mothers summer house.

“I know where I’m headed, Lass. Don’t fret yer wee head.” Griffin glances at me as he signals his black, Jeep Wrangler and passes a small, blue civic.

I watch the turn off go by. “Do you? Because the next turn off is on the other side of the county, past where we need to go.” I cross my arms and arch a brow.

“It’s not.” He whips his head to me and I show him the GPS. He looks and presses his lips together. “Bollix.”

“I told you.” I say as I turn my eyes to my window.

“I know. Don’t rub it in.” He clenches as he settles back for the drive to the next off ramp.

With the top down, the wind blows my hair as the sun beams down on us. “So, we'll be staying at my brother’s house. There’s not a lot of room, but I have my own room.”

“We could get a hotel room.” He suggests.

“True, but I’d feel more comfortable being with them now that I know the attacks have started again.” I run my fingers through my hair and watch the road ahead.

He smiles and places his hand on my thigh. “If you feel safer there then that’s good with me. Probably a good idea. With 8 men, a demon would be a right chancer to attack then.”

“I hope not. My brothers may be large, but they’re quite passive. Except, Jon. He can fight. The others, not so much.” I smile.

“Don’t worry, lass. I’m sure they got the fight in them when needed.” He smiles back.

He turns onto the off ramp and we head back the way we came through town.

“Your grams really that bad?” He asks as he turns a bend down a two lane road.

I sit back in my seat. “The worst.” I tuck my hair behind my ear as the thoughts of my grandmother’s abuse go through my mind. “She blames me for everything. It’s like I ruined her life or something.”

“What about yer pops?” He glances at me.

“Don’t know. Nobody ever talked about him. He was gone before I was born.” I answer.

“Oh. I’m sorry, lass.”

“It’s alright. I didn’t know him. In fact, it’s weird. Aside from my brothers, there’s no men in our family. They just up and leave all the time.” I scrunch my brow and turn to him.

“Even yer dad?” He asks.

I nod. “Yep. Just decided my mother was too old one day and left. They were fated. I don’t understand it.”

“Some bodach be like that, unfortunately.” He tilts his head to me.

“Bodach?” I narrow my eyes. I’ve picked up quite a few Irish words from working with Griffin, but that’s a new one.

“Low-life pig.” He smirks.

“Oh.” I chuckle. “Yeah. I always thought the fates mark wouldn’t allow that. That this was your person no matter what. I can see chosen mates going through that, but fated?”

“Aye, the fated mark is strong, but we still favor free will. People can change their minds later, but I think point is, why bother? Fate has decided this person is perfect for you, why search for one more perfect when they don’t exist.” He smiles as he looks out the windshield.

“You believe that?” I ask.

“I do, love. Every word. Fated mate is commitment. There ain’t nothing more holy than that.” He holds his chin up and side eyes me with a grin.

“I think I do, too. It’s hard to believe after the moon says this is your person, that you could just not love them anymore and leave.” I pick at my flower dress. “It’s kind of scary to think that it could happen.”

He leans to me. “That’s why it’s important to have trust and faith. Yer heart never lies. Some people don’t even trust they’re own guts.” He leans back. “It also helps to not give other people a thought, Miss. Ya start doing that, ya ruin yourself in the future. Their problems aren’t your problems, get me?”

I meet his eye. “Yeah. I think so.”

I direct him to the house and we park behind the six cars in the driveway. I look at the time on my watch. “Wyatt must be doing a shift. Oh well, you can meet the others. Prepare for a grilling."

“I love a smashing barbecue.” He chuckles.

I look over my shoulder at him.

“It’s a joke, love.” He smiles.

I shake my head with a chuckle and open the door. “RICHARD?”

“IVY?”

We both look to the stairs as my brother Richard bounces down them. “I’m so glad you’re home. After the craziness out there, I was going out of my mind.” He wraps his arms around my neck and hugs me. He looks to Griffin. “Oh…Hi. Ivy? Who’s your friend.”

“Griffin Ford.” He holds out his hand.

Richard takes it and narrows his eyes at him. “Griffin Ford…The soccer player?” His brows go up and he turns his eyes to me.

“One and only, mate.” Griffin gives a showboat smile.

“Wow. Nice to meet you. How do know Ivy?” He takes his hand back, wraps his arms around himself and lifts his chin. I have to quietly chuckle because he looks like a dad.

“We work together. Ivy's quite brilliant. She’s been a real help at the Complex.” Griffin smiles at me and I blush.

Richard snaps his fingers. “Right. You’re a council Alpha. That’s got to be special right now.”

“Not really. We lost 3000 in the flood.” Griffin says solemnly. I gently rub his back to ease his pain of the loss.

“Oh.” Richard puts his hands in his pockets. “Sorry to hear that.”

“I am, too.” He takes a deep cleansing breath and smiles in an attempt to change the mood. “So, our Ivy, here. She says you’re a surgeon."

“Yep. 20 years now.” Richard grins.

“That's craic, mate. Really. Got be getting ya some nice sterling or two.” Griffin look around at the house as we walk to the dining room table.

“Yeah. I do alright.” Richard says as he sits. “Ivy, put the kettle on, unless you’d like something harder.”

“Naw, lad. Cup ‘o cha for starters would be grand.”

“What part of Ireland are you from?” Richard asks as I pour the kettle and hand out the cups.

“Dublin, born ‘n raised, I was. The gaffer moved us here when I was a wee lad.” Griffin picks up his cup and leans back.

“Gaffer?” Richard inquires.

“Me dad.” Griffin supplies then takes a sip.

“Why did he do that?” Richard asks as lifts his cup to his lips.

“New life. Fresh start. He'd be a fan of America and I showed promise for football so he felt he'd give it a lash here.” Griffin sets his cup down.

“What about your pack?” I ask.

“Some came. Others stayed behind. Me dad goes over a few times a season to see to things. For now, we're but a wee handful. Fine blokes. They help my mother tend to things. There’s 20 altogether. 10 ya met already.”

“The Bulldogs are your pack?” I smile.

“Aye, they are, lassie. Me boys. They’re a group of the finest men ya ever laid eyes on. They helped me through a lot.” Griffin nods.

“With such a small pack, don’t you worry about being taken over?” Richard asks.

“Naw, mate. We got it covered. Our alliance with Axelridge protects us, but we hold our own.” Griffin glances at me then Richard.

Richard picks up his phone and puts it down.

“You expecting a text?” I ask.

“No. Just looking at the time. I have a surgery in a few hours. Brain tumor.” He smiles.

“Oh, well, we shouldn’t keep you then.”

We go to stand and Richard stands too. “No, wait!”

We both freeze.

“I can push it a few more hours. I really want to get to know Griffin, here. If you’re going to date my sister, I have to know you’re not an asshole.” He chuckles as he grins.

“Fair enough.” Griffin says as he slowly sits back down.

I lower myself into my chair. “Where’s the boys?”

Richard looks around then turns back to us. “They’re around. Probably listening to Lenard try some new material. The poor bastards.” He laughs and we chuckle as we glance at each other.

Griffin taps my arm then taps the side of his nose. “Actually. We best be off. Have to find a hotel room. It was a long drive and we're both knackered.”

“No. Please, stay. It’s fine. Ivy, I haven’t had a talk with you in a while. Here…I’ll cancel my surgery and push it until next week.” He dials his phone and puts it to his ear.

“No. Richard, don’t do that. It’s unnecess…”

The doorbell rings and he gets up. “Don’t worry. I have it all taken care of.”

He opens the door and we see four big men on the other side. He pockets his phone. “About time. They almost left.”

Griffin grabs my arm, his eyes widen and mine do, too. “Run!”

We throw the chairs out from under us and slide over the top of the table. Tea cups and the kettle spill onto the floor as the table tips and our feet hit the floor.

“Get them!” Richard calls out as we run through the large common room.

“OVER HERE!” Ivy points to French doors leading to the back of the house and we make a dash for them.

Demonic roars come from behind us as the men rush into the house.

“DON’T LET THEM GET AWAY!”

We slam on the door and try it. “It’s locked!”

“Shoot! You need a key!” I yell back.

“I got one here! Hang on!” He lifts a boot and just before he was about to kick it open, four sets of fire eyes glow from the dark.

“OH, SHIT!!”

They crash through the doors and lunge at us. I dart out of the way and land on my stomach. They grab at my legs as I scramble to my feet.

“COME ON!” Griffin grabs my arm and we run back the way we came.

The four at the front try to grab us. I kick one in the stomach and he spills into two of them. Griffin elbows one in the nose and grabs my arm.

Richard pins himself to the wall as we run by him. “Richard?!” I shoot him a confused look.

“IT'LL BE OVER SOON, IVY!”

More demons pour through the front door and we're forced up the stairs.

Griffin stops at a door and opens it. I let out a blood curdling scream at the sight in the room.

Griffin almost falls forward as he stops. “Oh fuck.” He huffs with shock.

Lenard’s room looks like a massacre. All six of my brothers were piled on the bed and floor, covered in blood with holes in their chests.

“Griff…” I choke.

“No time, love.” He grabs me as I try to not break into hysterics.

The demons crash up the stairs as we run down the hall to the next room. We leap over the bed and Griffin opens the window. “It’s a fair leap. Give it a lash?” He looks down to the grass two stories down and whips his head to me.

The demons slam on the frame and my panicked eyes widen. I slap his back frantically. “GO!GO!GO!”

He hops on the sill and jumps. He shifts mid-flight and lands on the grass.

As I follow right behind him, a demon grabs me and I call my claws, driving them into his face. He screams, lets go and I jump. I shred my clothes and land next to Griffins blonde wolf. He barks, picks up his shorts in his teeth and we take off to the front of the house.

At the jeep we shift and jump in. He fumbles through the torn fabric for the keys as the demons rush out of the front door.

“GO!” I push on him.

“I AM! QUIT SHOVING!” He growls. He finds the keys and slams them into the ignition, starting the engine.

The demons in front of the group, jump for the jeep as Griffin slams it into gear and hits the gas. Two demons hang onto the hood and their bodies are thrown side to side as we turn out onto the road and Griffin slams it in drive.

The demons roar as their pale, cut up faces twist into ghastly forms of human.

“GET OFF MY TRUCK, YA MANKY WRETCH!” Griffin hollers as he swerves to knock them off.

“LOOK OUT!” I scream as I point out the windshield.

He was so focused on getting the demons off, he didn’t see the oncoming truck a few car lengths up.

“SHITE!!” He swerves back and the demon on that side is hit in the legs by the truck. He’s pull off and left on the road behind us.

“Ho! Oi!” Griffin pants as he looks behind him.

“YOU'RE DEAD!!” The demon bellows. He throws a hand up and puts it on the top of the windshield. He pulls himself up as I turn in my seat and reach back for my bag.

He roars and grabs my hair.

He pulls my head back and I scream as Griffin swerves. “GET OFF HER! BE OFF TO HELL WITH YA!” He punches the guy in the face and he falls back.

He lets out a squealing growl as he hangs on. “YOU FIRST, SHITHEAD!”

I slam in my seat and aim my gun at his head through the glass. “I don’t think so, mother fucker.” I grit as I pull the trigger.

His eyes widen and he screams as the windshield shatters and the bullet lands between his eyes. We shield our faces from flying glass as his body rolls off the SUV and slams on the road.

Griffin fights for control as our tires squeal down the black top.

“Holy shit. Oh my Jesus.” He blows out a breath as he looks back then looks to the road ahead.

I turn the safety on my gun and put it back in my bag. “What was…”

I was interrupted by static pig squealing coming up behind us. Griffin whips his eyes to the rear view mirror. “IVY, DUCK!!”

We duck our heads as our Jeep is consumed in black smoke. Static electricity surrounds us, making our hair rise and the sounds of hell penetrate our ears.

“FUCK!” Griffin yells as our vision of anything disappears.

The cloud spins around us then lets out an ear bleeding scream before gathering into a snake and shooting up into the air above us.

We watch it turn in circles as it rises then fires out above the treetops. The last of it disappears in seconds.

Once it was clear that the demons weren’t after us anymore, I flop back in my seat, rest my elbow on the door and cover my eyes. My chin quivers and I can’t hold it back.

Griffin pulls over and gets out. I feel my door open and he grabs me in his arms, holding the back of my head. I sob uncontrollably in his chest.

“I’m sorry, love. I’m so sorry.” He holds me tight as he mumbled into my neck.

“Why? Why is this happening?” I cry.

“I don’t know, Ivy. But we know who’s doing it.” He pushes my head back, holds my cheeks and stares into my tear filled eyes. “We got ‘em now, lass. We're gonna end this. Your brothers didn't die in vain, ok? I’ll see to that.”

I sniff back my grief and nod.

He kisses my lips then wipes my cheeks. “We need to get back to Falcon Ridge.”

“Ok.”

He kisses my forehead and we take a few minutes to put some clothes on and clean up.

Griffin takes off his windshield and tosses it to the side of the road. “Bleeding hell. That windscreen will set me back.” He grits.

“Sorry.” I mumble.

“Not yer fault, love. I’m glad ya came prepared.” He smiles.

We get in, he starts the jeep and laces his fingers with mine. He kisses the back of my hand and I curl up in the seat, gently petting his fingers with mine and using the warm electric feel of his skin to calm me down.

I can’t believe the man that raised me betrayed me like this and killed my family.

What am I going to do now?