Savage Redemption (3rd in Savage Series)

Chapter Twenty

Jack threw caution to the wind when the cabin came into view. He jumped from his horse and ran as fast as he could onto the porch, throwing open the door and freezing as the coppery scent of blood filled his nostrils.

"Allie! Lily! Sarah!" he called out each name and was met with silence. He walked around the table and that's when he saw the large dark red puddle on the floor. He swore his heart stopped beating in that moment. That amount of blood could only mean one thing. Whoever had left it here was dead.

He saw something in the blood and reached down to pick it up. His entire body began shaking as he used his thumb to wipe the blood away from the tiny wooden hearts and stared at the A and J carved into them. His entire world came crashing down around him. Allie was dead. This was her blood that was covering his hand. Who would have done this and where were they now?

He felt his very soul turn black. There was no reason for him to care about right or wrong any longer. His angel was gone and he was going to kill whoever had taken her from him. Nothing else in the world mattered. Only vengeance. He clutched her necklace so tightly that the wood cut into his palm but his mind was numb to the pain. He stuck the necklace into his pocket and then he heard the voices outside.

"Wolf, Janna stay." Hawke said sternly. "Where is my family?"

"Gone." a young male voice answered. Jack walked out onto the porch and felt his blood boil in his veins when he recognized Bearclaw. He didn't recognize the boy standing beside him with the fancy holster and smirk on his face though.

"Where is Allie?" Jack asked and Hawke saw the blood on Jack's hand and felt a mixture of dread, fear and anger fill him.

"Are you Jack?" the boy asked spitting at the dirt. "My names Kaid and your pa hired me on to kill you seeing as how I'm the fastest man alive with a gun." Kaid smiled up at Jack who stood there with a cold look in his blue eyes and his face a mask of stone.

"Where is Allie?" he asked again.

"Dead." Kaid said with a laugh. "You should have heard her scream. She begged for her life and screamed your name as she died." Jack didn't waste time listening to any more of this worthless bastards words. In a movement that was so fast that even Hawke's eyes missed it Jack pulled his gun and fired a shot straight into Kaid's forehead.

The man fell to the ground without even getting a chance to pull the gun he bragged about being so fast with but it wasn't enough for Jack. His mind was full of nothing but rage and pain and darkness and all he wanted to do was give into the blackness in his soul.

He ignored Hawke and Bearclaw who were circling each other with their knives drawn and crossed the grass to where Kaid's body lay. He pointed his gun down at the boys fancy fringed vest and emptied the last five shots into his heart.

Allie was gone.. His Allie was dead and it was Jack's fault. Jack had led these murdering sons of bitches to his family. Jack straddled Kaid's dead body and began driving his fist into his bloody face over and over and over again.

Hawke forced himself to ignore Jack as he circled the other Indian. This man was short and wiry and Hawke knew he would be fast.

"All the men say how afraid of you they are." Bearclaw said. "But I fear no one. I will drive my knife through your heart before you ever have a chance to….." Hawke had heard enough. He had to save his wife and daughter. He did not have time to listen to this man go on an ego trip. With a flick of his wrist he threw his knife and it sunk deep into Bearclaw's chest. Bearclaw looked down at the knife with shock.

"You cheated." he gasped. Hawke shrugged.

"There are no rules when battling cowards who attack and kidnap innocent women and children." he replied. Bearclaw took one last shallow breath and fell dead to the ground. Hawke used his boot to roll the man over and pull his knife from his chest. He went into the cabin, stepping around the deep puddle of blood on the floor and grabbed his rifle from the bedroom floor.