Crooked Crows by Elena Lawson

I forcedthe air to enter and exit my lungs in slow, quiet breaths, clinging to the base of an old redwood for cover as I watched the exchange unfold.

Four against seven.

I didn’t like their odds, but Diesel St. Crow and his sons didn’t seem bothered by them in the slightest. In fact, with the exclusion of Corvus who looked wound tighter than a top, they all looked calmer than they had right to be.

Rook especially. I eyed him suspiciously. The fucker had draped his arm over the seat and his fingers brushed into my hair. Like an idiot, I shied away, moving away from his touch. Unless he was more drunk than he was letting on, there was no way he hadn’t figured out there was something back there that shouldn’t have been. But if he’d known, then why not say something?

Why not call the whole thing off?

Turn around and take care of their unwanted passenger?

It didn’t make any sense to me.

He didn’t make any sense to me...and yet, he didn’t have to. I felt like I knew him on a level where sense didn’t have to play any part at all.

“Welcome,” Diesel called into the chasm of devoid space between their two gangs. “I think we all know why we’re here, so let’s get to it, shall we?”

I dug out my phone and flicked to the video screen, tapping record.

I hadn’t had a chance to spot the man himself last night at the fight and now, seeing him for the first time, I could see why he was their leader.

Formidable. Tall and thick through the shoulders with hooded eyes that cut like a shard of ice. A tapered beard and strong jaw. But it wasn’t his looks alone that made him exude power. It was something in his stance. A relaxed power. A predator’s grace. The unfeeling, unflinching mask of his expression gave not even an inkling of what he might be thinking beneath it.

If I was a weaker person, I’d cower at the mere sight of him. It was said many had, but he only served to pique my interest further, and I watched him closely, trying to figure him out.

A man across the yard stepped forward, putting himself a few paces ahead of the others. It was clear this was their leader, though he didn’t have the same atmosphere about him as Diesel.

I’d done a bit of digging, well, as much as I could without drawing unwanted attention, to know that his name was Leonard Boniface. Aka Lenny Ace.

Shorter than I thought he would be. Younger, too. With coiffed brown hair and a clean-shaven, gaunt face. In a black t-shirt, bulky with what was unmistakably a bulletproof vest beneath, with two silver-handled pistols proudly strapped over his chest, lying flat against his ribcage.

He was the original Aces leader’s nephew. Took up the position when his uncle died a couple years back under suspicious circumstances. As an outsider, it was easy to see how the death wasn’t an accident. That it was very likely Lenny Ace himself that did it, but his gang brothers didn’t seem to mind. They all stood in a neat row behind him, ready to give their lives for whatever their leader deemed a fair price.

“We heard about your man,” Lenny replied. “Sorry for your loss.”

Diesel cocked his head at Lenny, and a moment of silence stretched on between them. Long enough to make me squirm internally, my pulse picking up speed with anticipation.

“Appreciate it,” Diesel replied finally. “Though I’ll admit we were under the impression you might’ve had a hand in it.”

A tick made Lenny’s jaw jump. From my vantage point set a ways back from mid-field, I could see it easily, but I wondered if Diesel could. If his sons were paying close enough attention because that man was definitely lying.

He may not have pulled the trigger himself, but he knew something. I was certain of it.

I glanced to the Crows, finding Grey and Rook watching intently, studying Lenny and his entourage as closely as Diesel seemed to be. But Corvus...Corvus’ eyes skimmed their faces. Unseeing. His brows were pinched tight and there was a distance in his eyes like he was a million miles from here. It wasn’t what I expected from him and made my insides chill.

What was he doing?

Why wasn’t he paying attention?

“Us?” Lenny asked, a brow lifting. “What made you—”

“The ‘A’ carved into Randy’s chest. Your gang tag. The same one you paint over your territory.”

Lenny’s jaw ticked again.

This wasn’t good.

“Now,” Diesel continued, raising a hand in a calm gesture, not allowing Lenny to rebuke him. “I’m not saying it was by your command, but perhaps one of your men went a little rogue. It happens. You understand, Lenny, that blood must be paid for the life that was taken. Think carefully before you speak again.”

The thinly veiled threat hung in the air like a promise and a thrill went through me, making me shiver despite the warm black pullover I wore.

The thrill quickly morphing to something else as I spotted one of the Aces slip a gun from the back of his jeans and press it to the side of his thigh. His black hair was slicked back, giving a fully unobstructed view of his face. The way his upper lip was twitching into a snarl.

He was at the very end, closest to me. The light from the battery-powered spotlight hung off the back of the rusted metal warehouse wall didn’t quite reach him. The only one who might’ve been able to catch his movement, or the glint of his gun in the moonlight, was Corvus, and he was clearly distracted as fuck.

Look, I wanted to shout. Pay attention, you fucking idiot.

I had to reposition my phone, having lowered it while I, myself, was distracted by everything they seemed to be missing.

“I can assure you, Diesel,” Lenny replied after a moment. “None of my men would have acted so recklessly. They wouldn’t dare go against my orders.”

...unlike yours... Lenny seemed to be implying and a small fissure formed in Diesel’s perfectly crafted facade. That struck a nerve. So the king didn’t have full control over all of his men, then. Though I doubted any gang leader did. It came with the territory, didn’t it?

There was clearly a history between these two, one I wasn’t privy to.

The man with the greasy black hair fixed his sights on Corvus and my lips parted in wordless alarm as his thumb pushed the safety off.

Oh god.

Why wasn’t anyone noticing?

I raced to check all the other Aces, checking to see if they were readying weapons, too, but none seemed to be. Just this one. The one at the end looking like he had an ax to grind.

Fuck.

Fuck. Fuck. Fucking fuck.

“You wouldn’t lie to me would you, Lenny?” Diesel asked, his tone one he might use on a child who’d misbehaved. Trying to tease out the truth with the promise of accepting it without punishment.

Something told me Diesel would, too. If Lenny admitted one of his men had acted without his permission, Diesel would have demanded that life in exchange for Randy’s and no others.

A fair trade if you asked me.

People had to pay for their mistakes or else they’d just keep making them.

Blood for blood.

It was the one adage of theirs I could get behind.

But Lenny wasn’t going to budge, I could tell by the way he was standing. Defensively. Chin raised.

It had to be this clown at the end, the one still looking at Corvus like he might want to carve out his eyes. Maybe?

Ugh.

If Corvus would just fucking look then...

The Ace’s hand moved to rest beside the trigger and I could feel his readiness from here. Like a strain in the air I was breathing. Making it harder to inhale. Thicker.

He’s going to shoot him.

“No,” Lenny told Diesel. “I wouldn’t lie to you.”

“You know I don’t like being lied to.”

“And you know the Aces own their shit. I’m telling you we had nothing to do with it.”

Diesel bristled. “Very well. If you had nothing to do with it, then might you know who does?”

Lenny opened his mouth to reply, but I wasn’t paying attention to him anymore. My body flooded with heat, flushing my cheeks as a fresh wave of adrenaline pulsed through me, narrowing my focus.

Don’t do it, I mouthed, eyes fixed on the guy with his sights set on Corvus. I slipped a blade from my ankle and held it loosely in my palm, turning to flatten my back against the rough bark of the tree, positioning myself. My phone was forgotten, slipped into my pocket with the video still recording.

I hesitated, my hand jerking with my own indecision.

If Corvus was killed, there was a good chance my problems would be over.

With Corvus killed, the remaining three Saints would stand even less of a chance against the seven Aces.

Once the first shot was fired, and the first man fell, I had no doubt it would be a bloodbath.

If I let that greasy motherfucker shoot him, I could be kissing my problems goodbye. I could delete the videos, slip out of here and go back to a boring life of books and a future of freedom.

I tested the weight of my blade, lifting it over my shoulder, pinching the edge of it, at war with myself. My pulse pounded in my temples until all I could hear was the rush of blood in my ears, making every other sound distant and garbled.

I couldn’t hear what Diesel and Lenny were saying, not really. I couldn’t even hear my own breathing, though I knew it would be shallow and slow, measured as I lifted from my knees, my sweater catching on the bark as I uncurled to my full height.

Sweat beaded at my brow.

All you have to do is let it happen, I told myself. Just close your eyes and let nature take its course.

My stomach turned, and I swallowed back acid, my teeth grinding.

The man with the black hair bared his teeth, and Grey noticed, squinting at him, but he couldn’t see what was hidden at the guy’s side. It was too late.

I saw the moment the Ace made his decision, jerking forward, his arm snapping up like a whip, his gun trained on Corvus.

My heart stopped.

I threw.

The bone-chilling pop of gunfire ricocheted through me, the sound coming only a split second before the Ace’s shriek of agony. My blade speared through the meat of his palm. His gun thudded uselessly on the ground.

The shot went wide, and I sighed loudly, my breath leaving me in a painful gush when I found Corvus alive.

Guns raised all around.

Grey and Rook were fast enough to grab what looked like fully automatic rifles from the bucket of an old bobcat. Corvus and Diesel had their guns drawn, too. Safeties clicked off. Hammers were drawn back. Fingers rested on or next to triggers.

I waited for the bloodbath with bated breath, but it didn’t come. The standoff held until Lenny broke it. They must’ve known that one more bullet would spell all of their deaths.

“Shut the fuck up, Carl!” he snarled, shouting at the hunched form of the black-haired man clutching his hand to his chest and whining obnoxiously loud. He was lucky I didn’t aim for his thick skull. If I’d had the time to, I would’ve. As it was, the best option I could think of was to make him drop the gun or at least alter the trajectory of his shot.

Lenny side-stepped, keeping his sights trained on Diesel as he kicked Carl’s gun far out of his reach. “Idiot,” he hissed and then chanced a look into the trees. I ducked down, crouching in tight to the tree again, trying to shrink into the shadows, cursing myself for not beginning the quiet retreat straight away. For being too damn curious.

“What the fuck was that?” Lenny demanded. “Who do you have out there?”

Diesel’s face betrayed nothing as his lightning-quick eyes flitted toward the trees and away again.

Corvus held his gun high, but his face visibly paled and his chest heaved.

Rook smirked, and my spine tingled when I realized he had a grenade clenched in his left hand while the rifle was butted to his shoulder and held with his right.

Grey was a study in mute power. His sights fixed on the injured Ace and nowhere else. Murder in his eyes.

“It’s not ours,” Diesel admitted, though I was willing to bet he hated owning to it. An honest man, I’d give him that. I wondered if he thought the next blade might be meant for him.

“Not yours?” Lenny hissed. “Then who the fuck—”

“Get out of here,” Diesel barked right back. “We’ll handle it.”

I froze, drawing out another blade as I tried to soundlessly back away from the gun-toting gangsters in the yard before me.

Lenny squinted at Diesel, confused, but the Ace’s leader backed up, gesturing to his men to get their fallen man and move out. I wouldn’t question it either if someone gave me a get out of jail free card.

“Not him,” Diesel said in a cold monotone, his gun still trained on Lenny’s head as his eyes flicked to the injured Ace. “He tried to kill my son. The reason for which I’m sure you will fucking explain to me at a later date. But for now, I’ll accept his life as payment for his mistake.”

Lenny’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

“Boss?” Another Ace pressed, torn between helping his buddy Carl and leaving like he was told to.

I lost sight of them as I crept backward, remaining crouched as I began my slow retreat.

They are coming for you, my darkness whispered, unspooling to her full power in my gut. Any minute now. If you don’t get away, your heroic display there will have been for nothing. It’ll be them or you. Blades versus bullets.

Time to find out if all that running was worth it.

I may not be faster, but I would bet my left kidney I could run longer. Go farther.

Then what, idiot? That’s your blade in that asshole’s hand. The Crows will recognize it. They’ll know it was you, even if you do get away.

Stupid didn’t even begin to cover what I’d just done.

“Leave him,” I heard Lenny order, and a cry of protest came from Carl before a gunshot rang out in the night, marking the start of my sprint.

I jumped to my feet and ran like hell. Flying over dirt and rock and tree roots. Honing in on those other senses. The ones that only flourished under extreme pressure. Relying on reflex and the strength of my body alone.

The feel of the blade clenched in my fist gave me the extra dose of fortitude I needed to keep pushing when the sounds of them giving chase reached my ears.

My legs pushed me impossibly fast until I was soaring through the darkened trees like an arrow shot from a bow.

The dirt and tree roots gave way to rockier terrain and the ground underfoot turned upward, the earth and grass giving way to a rockface slick with moss. I had no idea where I was going or where this path would lead me, but I didn’t like the look of the long incline ahead. The trees were more sparse here, and thinner. There would be nowhere to hide if...

A shot blasted apart a thin tree to my right, the splinters of it exploding into my path. If I hadn’t been running with quick, jerky movement in a zigzag, it would’ve hit me, I had no doubt. My heart shriveled in my chest, imaging one of the Crows on the other end of the bullet.

Corvus shouted to stop, but another shot was fired, this one narrowly missing me. The bullet tucked itself into the stone at my right with a crack!

The inclining stone sloped down sharply to my left and when I thought I had enough cover, I dared the fall, jumping down to skid on my heels all the way back down to level ground. My ankle twinged with pain, but I didn’t let it stop me, pushing forward.

With the tree cover, they wouldn’t be able to see me from above, but more importantly, they wouldn’t be able to get a clean shot on me. I growled inwardly as the pain in my ankle grew, forcing me to slow despite the adrenaline still pushing me onward.

I wouldn’t be able to go much farther.

Fuck my life.

Rocks slid and tumbled as they made their way down the incline after me.

I would be shot like a fish in a barrel if I didn’t hide or run, and since the latter seemed to be out for the moment, I crouched low and made for the deepened shadows of a fallen tree. It was held up by the rock face, and I folded myself into its dead, scratching branches, sandwiching myself in between stone and insect infected wood.

Cobwebs tickled my neck and face, but I didn’t let myself think of all the things that might be crawling in between layers of my clothes right now. It wasn’t important. Not even a little. I drew my last two blades, promising them I’d retrieve their brother from the dead guy in the yard if I made it out of this alive.

There were four Saints in these trees, and they all had guns.

If I had all four of my blades and the ability to throw them, I might’ve stood half a chance, but now, with only two, my only chance would be to stay hidden. To not be found.

I held my breath as their footfalls grew louder, until I could hear their heavy breaths.

Please, I sent a plea to whatever gods could hear me. Please keep going.

“Diesel,” Corvus said, and I shuddered, closing my eyes against an assault of mixed emotions.

His father hushed him violently and all sound ceased. They were listening for me. I gave them nothing to hear.

“You hear that?” Diesel asked after a moment.

“I don’t hear anything,” Grey replied.

“Exactly,” Diesel said in a husky whisper. “They stopped running. Whoever it is, they’re hiding somewhere.”

“Dies, come on,” Corvus said, his voice taking on a tone I didn’t recognize. What was up with him tonight? “They’re gone. Let’s just—”

“Spread out,” Diesel barked, cutting Corvus off. “Rook and Grey, that way. Corv, you’re with me. We’ll find this son of a bitch.”

They spread out, and I evened out my breathing, not moving a muscle as I caught sight of two silhouettes approaching. Grey and Rook.

Rook broke off from Grey and headed further away to the right, bent low with a mischievous grin on his face, his gun raised. This was all just a massive game of hide and seek to him. Unlike the others, he didn’t seem bothered by the fact that the person they were hunting had blades, and maybe even a gun. Or maybe he’d already put it together.

The thought struck a nerve. Rook knew I was here.

What would he do if he found me?

But it wasn’t him I had to worry about as he moved further and further away, it was Grey, who was carving a path almost straight for me.

“Clear!” Corvus shouted from somewhere far off in the distance.

“Clear!” came Diesel’s brusque voice, closer than I’d have liked.

“Clear!” Rook.

Grey stooped low, tipping his head to the side as he examined the hollow between the tree and the stone. I held my blade high, but my hand trembled as he crept closer.

Don’t make me kill you...

He darted forward, yanking a branch out of the way, handgun raised.

I could have thrown. I could have stopped him. I didn’t.

I stood there in full view, blade at the ready if he looked like he might fire.

He didn’t.

Grey’s lips parted in silent horror as he took me in, his gun lowering.

“Grey!” Diesel snarled from somewhere far too close.

Grey blinked, stepping back and releasing the branch. His eyes didn’t leave mine as he hollered back. “Clear!”

Then he was gone.

I sighed, my breath tripping from my lips, broken as I let the relief cascade over me. My breaths loud in my own ears, but they’d already moved on. I didn’t think I could hear them anymore.

Never let your guard down, that was rule number one that Dad taught me when he took me on our first job. When he bought me my blades after a good win at the private casino. Rule number fucking one, and for just a second, I forgot.

I didn’t even see him coming. His hand curled around my forearm and dragged me from my hiding place, tossing me to the ground as though I weighed no more than a sack of potatoes.

My shoulder and the side of my face knocked into the hard dirt, and I scrambled to get to my feet in the dark, shaken but regaining my balance quickly.

I lifted my blade, ready to throw it straight into the heart of Diesel St. Crow before he could lift his weapon to take aim.

“Sparrow, don’t!”

Corvus’ shout shattered my resolve, but I held there, blade at the edge of my fingers, ready to throw as I heard their footsteps running toward us. In a second, I’d be surrounded.

In a second, it would be too late to do anything.

I’d lost my chance.

Diesel’s blisteringly cold stare bored into me like a spike of ice as he trained his gun on my face, but I showed him no fear. I always knew I’d meet my end by the bite of a bullet or the slice of a blade. I’d just hoped it would come later. Much later.

“You know this girl?”