Riders of Tyr

AVA

Oh, fuck!

I watch the biker’s eyes widen, recognition spilling across his gorgeous features…

We both sit there, frozen, like we’re in some kind of trance.

He parts his lips slightly, like he might say something…

Then a hardened look comes over him.

He reaches a hand behind him—I can’t see what he’s going for.

“Holy shit! He’s got a gun!” my bounty screams in the backseat.

Well, that puts a new wrinkle in my plan.

I zoom off in my Prius, pedal to the metal across the intersection while the man on the Harley races after us.

“Oh God! I’m too young to die!” the bounty shrieks in a voice too high for a man pushing forty. “I haven’t written my novel! Or moved out of Mom’s place—”

“SHUT UP!”

I glance at my rearview mirror. The biker’s closing in fast.

He raises his pistol, aiming at my car—

Shit!

I swerve out of the way just in time, nearly crashing into the Jeep in the lane beside me.

BANG!

I hear a gunshot, and the back tire of the minivan in front of me explodes, sending the car skittering all over the road.

And then all hell breaks loose.

Brakes are screeching, horns are blaring behind us; I see a side road and pull off—it’s a run-down allotment. I seem to have shaken the biker…for now at least.

Clocking in at fifty mph over the limit, my mind works overtime trying to concoct a way to make this biker abandon his gunfire and lend me an ear.

“Hey, Jackson,” I bark to the man in the backseat, turning down the radio.

“It’s Jasper.”

“I don’t care. Does the name Riders of Tyr mean anything to you?”

Jasper goes into a full-blown hysteria.

“Holy shit! The Riders of fucking Tyr are after us?” He’s starting to hyperventilate now.

Well, I guess that’s a yes…

I slam on my brakes, skidding a few feet before I stop and tap the unlock button.

“Get out.”

My bounty whimpers, his eyes darting to the road behind us.

I roll my eyes again. “For fuck’s sake, Jasper, he’s not after you!”

My bounty reluctantly climbs out of the car, still handcuffed.

The second his door closes, I’m off—whipping my Prius around in a 180, zooming past Jasper as he waves his cuffed hands at me.

I catch his muffled shouts: “What about the key?”

Figure it out, motherfucker.

All I can think about is the dark-haired hunk who just tried to kill me.

A shame he has to be so pretty…

Oh, well.~

Turning up the radio again, I head back up the street.

Toward the place I last saw him.

So this Rider of Tyr wants a fight?

Time to introduce myself…

BJORN

Fuck!

The Prius swerves out of the way, just in time for my bullet to clip the tire of a minivan ahead of it. It zigzags all over the road.

A pickup truck swerves out of the way, heading straight for my bike.

I merge into the other lane, seconds away from becoming a pancake.

Where the hell did she go?

The Prius is gone, and I’m not sure I’ll be lucky enough to find her again.

I pull off onto one of the side roads and start combing the run-down streets for her.

I practically run over a dude in handcuffs standing in the middle of the road.

Weird.

When I reach the main road again, there’s still no sign of her.

And this chick is starting to get to me.

Haf said that he didn’t care who she was.

That he just wants her dead.

But…

What’s the harm in a little chat first?

I’m starting to formulate a new plan in my head.

Maybe she works for Pasado. Maybe I can use her to get to him.

And then I’ll take her out, like Haf ordered.

But first…I’ll need supplies.

***

Duct tape…check.

Rope…check.

Scented candles, chocolate…

Kidding.

I run through my mental shopping list as I push my cart through the home improvement section of a local Walmart.

It’s late afternoon, and the only other shoppers are housewives and senior citizens.

And me—the guy who’s about to go kill someone.

Or not…

Searching all night and day for this woman has me fucking exhausted. Not completely alert.

I take a little breather here in the aisle, slipping into a daydream, remembering what it felt like to hold her in my arms.

It hadn’t exactly been romantic…

In fact, she probably hates my guts.

If she even thinks about me at all.

Even still…

I can’t stop the memory from running laps around my mind.

That instant spark. The immediate desire to rip her clothes off…

It wasn’t even like that with Lily.

That final thought is enough to snap me back to reality.

Jesus, what’s wrong with me?

I scan the aisle, decide that I have everything, and turn my cart around to check out.

Then I freeze.

A woman pushes an empty cart just past the end of the aisle.

She flicks her long, dark ponytail over her shoulder, and I catch a glimpse of her face.

My heart practically skips a beat.

It’s her!

I’m about to walk straight up and throw that tight little body over my shoulder, but then my rational brain takes over.

We’re in public.

I can’t just kidnap her in the middle of fucking Walmart.

No…I need to be patient.

I follow her to the beauty section, trying to blend in with the other women checking out makeup.

It’s not exactly working.

Twice, I catch her looking over her shoulder, dangerously close to the display of sale items that I’m hiding behind.

Finally, she heads for the self-checkout.

I stalk over to a register, keeping my back turned to her, continuously glancing over my shoulder to make sure that her perky ass is still in the store.

“Paper or plastic?” the cashier asks.

“I don’t give a shit.”

Throwing the confused cashier a wad of cash, I turn to see her leaving the store.

Perfect timing.

I bolt after her, my heart racing.

Should I grab her in the parking lot? Or follow her? I can’t decide.

She’s already at her Prius, a row away from my bike.

Thank Tyr she didn’t recognize it.

When the woman’s safely in her car, I make a break for my bike and follow her out of the parking lot at a careful distance.

Tailing her is almost too easy. She drives like an old lady.

When she pulls off into a seedy motel, I can’t help but grin.

This is going to be a piece of cake.

AVA

What.

An.

Idiot.

I can’t believe he actually fell for it.

The same woman he’s trying to kill magically appears right under his nose?

Completely oblivious to the hulking, impossible-to-miss biker following her around Walmart?

Men.

He was easy enough to track down after ditching my bounty. Driving that Harley of his around in circles, searching for me.

People may shit on the fact that I always drive a Prius, but they’re quiet.

Perfect for tailing my prey.

I’ve been following him for almost an hour now. Trying to figure out how to get him alone.

Somewhere out of the public eye.

This is America. I can’t just cut someone down in the street and not expect repercussions.

So after a while, it dawned on me…why not make him come to me?

Back at the motel, I bite my lip, trying to hide my satisfaction as I climb out of the Prius. I can feel his eyes from across the street.

I walk up toward my room on the second floor, making a show of dropping my bag—lingering outside my room in case the Neanderthal isn’t so great at reading.

Room 2H.

Come and get me.

My heart starts beating fast—anticipation coursing through my veins.

I close the door behind me, setting my bag of random items on the windowsill.

Sauntering across the room, I take a seat on the bed—eyes glued to the door.

Patiently waiting for him.

A minute passes. Then two.

I’m starting to wonder if he chickened out. Or maybe he went to call for backup…

Fine by me.

The more, the merrier.

A shadow dances across the dimly lit room, which is only illuminated through the sheer curtains drawn over the window.

Finally!

With one massive bang, the door comes crashing down—knocked in by a single blow.

I spring to my feet, crouching low to the ground, reaching for the throwing knives tucked in the back of my boot.

A dark figure stands in the doorway, filling the entire frame.

Towering over me.

Him.

The Rider of Tyr.

And he’s pointing a gun directly at my head.

I stifle a smirk, trying my best to look afraid.

This is going to be so much fun.