Burn by Rayna Bishop Read Free Book Online

The trigger wouldn’t move.   It was stuck.   Danni cursed herself for not checking the safety.   She slid the little bar over and aimed again, but she was too late.   She couldn’t see Fixer anymore.   Instead, she saw Tommy and another biker, big and bald with lots of tattoos on his arms, getting on their bikes.   She fired at the big man, missing him, but hitting his motorcycle.   Dark fluid sprayed from his engine.  

    She faced forward again and took off down the drive just as fast as she dared.   The gravel was slick beneath her tires and she was afraid of going down.   She heard the bikes behind her, but didn’t dare turn her head around.   The gravel path was a twisty affair with trees lining both sides.   From behind, she heard a shot and actually felt the air ripple next to her heard as the bullet tore through the air.   Instinctively, she ducked her head and stopped the gas.

    When Danni finally hit the pavement, her wheel skidded under her and she almost lost it.   This bike was much bigger and much more powerful than the one she was used to riding.   She needed to go fast enough to evade the Rattlers, but not so fast she’d lose her balance.  

    The road was wet and the cold air burned her face, but Danni knew this was it for her.   She was either getting away or dying—there was no way she was going back.   Her rearview showed the three bikes chasing her.   Another shot rang out, then another.   She took the bike to the absolute limit, but the Rattlers were still closing in.   Danni pulled the gun again and fired over her shoulder.   From her mirror, it didn’t look like she hit anything, not that she expected to, shooting blindly over her shoulder.   It was simply a warning to them.   She had reminded them she had a gun and they backed off a little.  

    She needed to come up with a plan, fast.   They were going to catch up to her eventually, so she needed a way to get away from them.   She was on a long country road with a few turnoffs, but if she darted in a new direction, the Rattlers would see her.  

    Fast approaching was an intersection, but not just an intersection that crossed with another small highway.   This road ran smack into an interstate.   This was just the break she needed, provided she avoided getting hit when she rode into traffic.

    She revved the engine and ducked her head down, almost touching her chin to the handlebars.   She fired behind her one more time, just to make Fixer and his crew draw back a bit.   Then, when the two roads met, she didn’t stop or even slow down.   Danni said a silent prayer as she rode wildly onto the interstate.   Cars honked and swerved to avoid hitting her.   She hit the brakes to keep from smashing into the side of a semi; its horn rang out.   It passed and she hit the gas again, pulling the bike hard to the right as another car swerved into the next lane to avoid her, and ended up hitting the car next to it.  

    Danni’s wheels nearly went out from under her, but she managed to keep the big bike upright.   She was much better on it than she thought, and would’ve given anything in that moment for Mercer to see her ride.   The wind in her hair, the sun on her face—she felt truly alive.

    After a quick look, Danni saw the Rattlers had also merged into traffic on the highway, but they had been more cautious about it and she was getting a good lead on them.   She weaved through the cars, trying to keep out of the Rattlers’ direct sight.   She got in front of a semi and waited for the next turnoff.   When it came up, she darted off the highway and got down the road quickly.   After stopping, Danni checked over her shoulder.   Sure enough, the three remaining Rattlers on working bikes zoomed past, searching the line of traffic for her.   Danni kicked off and headed down the road.

    ***

    Danni was free.   That was the first thing that came to her mind as she took her new bike down the old country road.