Loving Judas

Prologue.

From her hiding place under the rusty old hotel bed, she watched the boots circle the room.

Black boots with silver spurs, she would never forget the sound they made walking across the filthy beige carpet, inches from her hiding spot. There was a scuff mark on the right toe and the spur was missing one sharp silver tooth.

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, Looking for her.

There were four men altogether, 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. Her father's socks, her mother's cheap pearls, just items she had seen a million times that suddenly looked stranger among the chaos.

"Put the do not disturb sign on the knob, The one with the spurs said.

"Yes, boss." Another replied.

"What about the girl? We know one was here. Where is she?" A third voice asked.

One of them opened the door to the bathroom and she could hear him pushing aside the shower curtain, he was looking for her. He moved into the main room and checked the closet, she closed her eyes as his footsteps neared the bed. He dropped to his knees and just before he looked under the bed was interrupted.

"I don't know, but we can't waste any more time. Get up," The first one said.

The one near the bed paused, she could see his hand gripping the sheet. His knuckles were scratched and bruised, a large silver ring on nearly every finger. He released the sheet and stood, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"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, she probably made a run for it." the boss said.

The boots with the spurs started towards the door and a few other sets of boots fell behind him. She held her breath until her lungs ached, praying to whoever was listening that 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 didn't move a muscle.

She couldn't be sure how long she stayed there under that bed, but the room grew dark and cold the motel falling quiet.

Her body ached from being confined in the tight space for so long, her bladder screamed for release, her stomach rumbled but still, she didn't move, she did not sleep and she didn't make a sound.

Then the sun came up chasing back the shadows, from under the bed she finally drew the courage to move stiffly out from her hiding place.

Every joint protested the sudden movement, her tongue felt thick and her throat swollen from thirst. Her stomach no longer growled but felt hollow.

She choked on the smell of blood that permeated the air mixed with the scent of mold and mildew. Yesterday morning as they 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 doorway 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 stared blankly at her parents, her body going cold as if she also was dead.

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. She felt a sense of panic rise as she stumbled to the sink and retched.

Her body convulsing violently but not producing anything other than what little saliva she had left.

Finally, she turned on the cold water splashing her face and gulping some down, it burned her raw throat as she sank onto the toilet to void her bladder.

When finished she slowly opened the door and again carefully moved around her parents to step outside the motel room. The hot desert heat beat down on her and the sun made her temporarily blind.

Nothing but a lonely stretch of road and sand for as far as the naked eye could see, she stumbled down the front of the building to the main office.

Pushing the door open the bell above her rang but nobody answered, she rounded the large desk and saw a boy not much older than her laying on the floor. Blood pooled beneath his body and his skin an unnatural pale color.

She gagged at the smell of decay and covered her mouth and nose with her right arm as she reached for the phone. Pulling it from the hook she found silence, it wasn't working.

She dropped it on the counter and walked back outside her parents' car was the only one in the parking lot, she hurried back to their room.

She pulled a sheet off of the bed and carefully draped it over her father, then did the same for her mother before dropping to her knees and beginning to search for the car keys among the items that had been tossed on the floor.

She was having no luck and slowly losing hope when she heard the bikes coming back, cold fear settled into her stomach making her sick. She stood up on shaky legs and looked around the room for anything to defend herself with.

She saw her dad's old straight razor laying on the bathroom sink, she had often teased him about being old fashioned but now it may save her life.

She rushed to the bathroom carefully closing the door behind her, she picked up the straight razor gripping it so tightly that her hand ached, and waited.

She heard the bedroom door open and someone 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 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 its hinges. She shrunk back allowing the now broken door 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 hair slicked back from his face 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 tiptoes to reach and she still barely managed.

She hoped he couldn't feel her shaking or tell she was unsteady.

"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 backward.

He seemed even taller and more muscular from the front and her five-foot six-inch frame seemed inadequate.

"Put the gun down, you can't win in a shoot out." He said.

"I can shoot you." She said, not at all sure she could.

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 to bolt 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 made it no use and he began walking towards the rest of the group.

"I'll scream." She warned him, hoping he didn't want the commotion.

"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 begun 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 large pastry and a bottle of water from his saddlebags holding it out to her. She stopped squirming and stood there staring at him.

"Take it," 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 pasty 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 eaten in a while?" 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, 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.

She felt as if she would be sick again and paused to allow herself and her body time to adjust.

"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 asked.

"Shut up Rogue. We don't have time for no little girl." Another man said.

"She seems pretty tough, I bet we can straighten her out, "Rogue said.

"She's a kid, she probably has a family." The boss said.

An older man who looked about the age of her grandfather swung off his 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 around 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.

It might be a bad idea to head out with strangers but the idea seemed better than staying stranded at the motel until more help arrived if it ever did.

"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 bike and Alice 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 kickstand 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 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 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.