The Axelridge Series Book 4 Griff's Red Card

GRIFFIN

My eyes shoot open and I suck in gasping breath as I hear my Ivy screaming. I try to move, but my hands and feet are bound. I pull and twist my wrist and ankles as look around in a panic.

The light is low and I see a skylight with the moon just heading to its peak.

“Ivy?!” I call out.

“Griffin!”

I shoot my head up and see her tied to a pole and surrounded by demons

“WHAT THE BLEEDING HELL?!” I roar as I shoot daggers with my glare.

“Morning, Griff.”

My eyes meet Brock’s and I snarl my lip. “You foul, fecking maggot. You touch her…”

He slowly walks over to me. “What are you going to do? Insult me with colorful slang?” He smiles as he stands at my side.

“I’ll do a lot more once I’m off the ropes.” I growl.

He shakes his head as he stops at the side of the table. He lifts his hand and extends giant claws.

My eyes widen as he places the tip on my chest, just between my pecks. I clench my teeth as he looks me over.

“Griffin. Griffin. Griffin…”

I throw my head back and hold my scream as he slices a line in my skin down the middle. I blow out breaths to absorb the pain.

“LEAVE HIM ALONE!” Ivy yells.

He leans down to my head and my eyes meet his. He grabs my hair and runs his claw down my cheek. I scream behind my lips and slam my eyes shut as he cuts my skin.

“She’s so cute, Griff. She thinks she’s tough. You’re lucky I want to take my time with you. I never got you on the slab the first time. My tour with Eddie was before you. This should be fun.” He grins.

“Torturing me…isn’t going to…make you’re wee pecker grow.” I sneer as I pant.

“No, but I don’t need to impress you with my size. It’s all in the skill, baby.” He slices my neck and I suppress another round of screams.

“GRIFFIN!” Ivy wails.

“It's…alright, love…” I pant and close my eyes as I fight the pain.

He walks to my head and leans to my ear. “Yeah, it’s alright…” He quickly reaches out, grabs the middle finger on my left hand and snaps the bone.

I scream and arch sharply as the broken bone fires pain down my arm and up my spine.

“NOOO!” Ivy cries out.

“Now…Not so much.” He smirks in my face and taps my cheek with the back of his hand.

I hear Ivy sobbing and my rage fuels me. My body’s shaking as I clench my teeth and give him a death glare. “Mallacht Dé ort!” I spit.

He leans to me. “Sorry, buddy. God's not here. He’s not the one with the curses…I am.” He smiles evilly and bounces his brow.

He raises up and I huff out pain filled breaths behind my teeth.

He runs his claw around my shoulder and down my other side as he walks around the table. “You know, I think I really like you, Griff.” He stops and turns. “You’re not like the rest of the pussies. You see the bullshit just as I do. The worthless sacks of shit walking around this planet.”

“Not all of them.” I pant as I watch him walk around the table. My eyes flick to Ivy and he turns.

He looks too, then turns back. “Who? Her? I guess I can see how you could say that.” He continues to walk. “I mean, a fine, upstanding guy like yourself can completely overlook that’s she’s a fucking whore, am I right?” He laughs.

“Keep yer trash mouth off her!” I growl.

He pulls out his phone then leans down to my eyes. “It won’t matter soon, Griff. In a few minutes, I’m ripping the sluts heart out then feeding her to my dad. I’ll make sure you have front fucking row.” He snarls his lip as I glare.

My own lip curls and I throw my forehead into his, smashing him with a head butt. He grabs his face and stumbles back.

“Son of bitch!” He hollers. His demons all growl and he raises a hand to them as he straightens himself up then checks the cut I made on his head. “Brock isn’t gonna like you messing up his face, Griff.” He lowers his eyes, rushes me and drives his clawed fingers into my side.

I scream bloody murder as I fight to get away. He grabs my hair and stares into my eyes. “I’m gonna have so much fun with you after I’m done with your bitch. Sit tight, buddy. It'll be a grand show, bye Jesus.” He smiles as he produces an Irish accent.

I grit my teeth and wince as he rips his claws out and walks away.

I’m breathing hard as I feel blood pour out of the holes in my meat. My wolf is trying to heal, but the ropes make it next to impossible.

As I try to stay focused, a word he said stuck out. I shakily raise my head. “There…was no…curse…”

His steps to Ivy then stops at my words. He turns back to me. “My, you are a smart one.” He smiles. “How ever did you figure it out.” He slides his hands in his pockets, lifts his chin and takes slow steps to me.

“I’m…smart.” I grit.

He scratches his temple. “Ok. It doesn’t matter. Sure…There was no curse…per say.” He leans to me as he walks then straightens up. “There may have been a tiny set up.”

I stare into his dark eyes. “You made the whole thing up. This wasn’t about Ivy’s family.”

“No, it was about mine.” He grinds. “My power! My position!” He gets close and leans to me. “This was about my idiot son making me look like a chump in front of the boss!” He growls in my face.

He pushes off me and continues to walk toward Ivy. He stops in front of her then gently runs his claw down her cheek as she painfully whimpers.

“I knew Lefu wouldn’t understand. He’s a go getter. He expects results. Adam ruined the best proposition I had. With Lefu dead, I have to develop a new presentation to deliver to basement floor and what better idea than giving the CEO top side freedom.” He smirks as he paces around Ivy.

“Her mother…her brothers…” I breathe.

He stops in front of her, gets close and looks her over as she tries to hold back her cries. “Sacrificial lambs, I’m afraid.” He says quietly. “I’m sorry, Ivy. But to make an omelet, ya gotta tear out hearts.” He rubs her cheek and chin and she cowers away.

“Don’t touch her!” I yell.

His eye flicks to mine. “When Dad gets up here the last thing you’ll be worried about is her.”

“Hey…uh…boss?” One of his demons interrupts.

“What.” He says without laying off Ivy.

“How long did you say we had?” My eyes flick between the demon, Brock and the moon above my head.

My lips shrink when I see the moon hasn’t moved.

“5 minutes.” He responds as he turns around.

A second demon pulls out his phone, looks at it then turns it to Alistair. “It’s been 5 minutes for the last half hour.”

“What?” Alistair pulls out his phone and looks at the time. He looks up at the moon then back down to his demons. “You feel that?” He gets a curious, but concerned, look on his face.

The room starts to shake and the demons start to panic, whipping their heads to the walls and ceiling.

“Shit.” Alistair groans as he flops his hand to his side and turns to stare out into the room.

“Griffin!” Ivy calls out.

“HANG ON, LOVE!” I scream back as the room shakes more.

“ALISTAIR!”

A woman’s voice booms across the room as the walls developed sharp cracks up and across them.

“Look. I don’t have time for you!” Alistair walks to the edge of the ring and calls to the ceiling.

“I AM TIME!” She booms and shakes the room more.

“FECK!” I yell as the table is tossed to it's side and crashes across the floor. The wood breaks and I’m freed. I scramble to the get the ropes off and try to right myself as the room fills with wind.

The demons turn to escape an Alistair throws up an arm and points to them. “STAY WHERE YOU FUCKING ARE!” He roars and they freeze. They turn with cowardly looks on their faces. They know what’s coming.

Alistair places his hands on his hips, looks to the floor then walks out of ring, stepping over the hearts. He stops just on the other side. “I'm all for equality where evil is concerned. Big supporter of she devil rights, but this is one of those moments where you need to STAY IN YOUR FUCKING LANE!” He yells to the ceiling.

The ceiling explodes and the room fills with brilliant, thick bolt of energy. I jump for Ivy and we both crash to the floor. I cover her as pieces of the ceiling fall around us.

The dust clears and my eyes widen when I see a woman in brown leather pants and jacket, holding fists at her sides, standing 10 feet off Alistair. The wind blows her long blonde hair and the look on her face is pure fury.

As I untie Ivy in a rush, she looks the woman over. “Griffin, who is that?”

“Fucking Genesis. We gotta move.” I say in a panic.

“Genesis? Who’s Genesis?” She asks as I pull her to her feet.

“Trust me, love. Ya don’t want to find out. Move!” I push her to the outer walls of the room. All I can see is the one exit and Genesis is standing in front of it.

Alistair points to her with a snarl. “We had a fucking deal.”

“No. The deal was for you, not him.” She tilts her head to him.

“He can give you what you fucking want! I’m helping you!” Alistair argues.

“You know very well that’s not true. Lucifer doesn’t want what I want.” Genesis grits. “He will maim, torture and burn, but he won’t make anew. I can’t afford his reckless behavior.”

Alistair steps closer and scratches his forehead. “Ok, yes. He’ll redecorate with his own personal touch, but is it too much to ask? He’s killing these people for you. The least you can do is let him choose the paint.”

“No.” She turns and walks around the demons. “I will not allow him to reign on this earth.”

Alistair crosses his arms. “Good thing it doesn’t matter what you want. As soon as you release time, my claws are ripping out the last heart and there’s nothing you can do about it.” He smirks.

She whips her head to him. “How dare you.” She growls.