Page 44 of Hell's Claim

Sunny glanced at me. “Would you like to hear the full story?”

“Yes, please.” I honestly did because it would help me understand him and Hellfire.

I listened for twenty minutes as Sunny drove, and he explained how the club had gone bad and the people who’d died. Sunny didn’t hold any of the ugliness back, and the storywas horrific. Innocent people and children had been killed, and the whole thing was nasty. I was saddened at those children’s needless deaths and horrified such evil existed.

I had my own nightmares to deal with, but I’ve never felt death close to me. Even when beaten with a chain. When Sunny finished, he fell quiet and allowed me to assimilate everything. I was startled when I saw Sunny parked up.

“Where are we?” I asked.

“Spearfish Falls. Stay there, Callie,” Sunny said, getting out. He walked around to my door and opened it. Sunny held his arms out, and I slipped into them, sliding down his body as he helped me out. A blush started at my cheeks as I felt every inch of his muscled body.

“Wait a sec, kitten.” Sunny headed for the back of his truck. He pulled out a picnic basket, and I smiled.

“This isn’t what I had in mind, but it’s perfect,” I murmured as he took my hand.

Sunny winked at me and led me into Spearfish Canyon Nature Area. As we approached the Falls, I could hear the roar of water, and then suddenly, I saw twinkling lights. Beside the falls was a table and two chairs, and fairy lights had been threaded through the trees. I gaped in total surprise as Sailor turned towards me and smiled.

“Everything’s ready,” he said to Sunny. “I’ll be back at my truck.”

“What’s this? Are we allowed to do this?” I gasped, struck by the beautiful scene in front of me. The setting sun glistened off the water, and reds, yellows, and oranges gleamed on the trees and surroundings.

“I know it’s not dark yet, but it’ll soon be, and the fairy lights will light up the water,” Sunny said. “And I got permission, don’t worry, Callie. We’re not breaking any laws and won’t get kicked out.”

Sunny walked over to a chair and held it out for me. I smiled as I sat down, and Sunny sat opposite me. He opened a cooler near the table and pulled out a bottle of white wine and a beer.

“Freddie told me your favourite wine, and as I’m driving, this is non-alcoholic.” Sunny indicated his beer.

“That is thoughtful of you.”

“I don’t drink and drive, Callie. That’s something I heavily frown upon.”

Sunny opened the wine and poured me a glass as he pulled two bowls from the cooler.

“I asked your team for your favourite foods. So, if this is wrong, I’m kicking their asses,” Sunny declared.

I laughed as he unwrapped them, and I found a crayfish and prawn cocktail with rose marie dressing.

“Oh, I do love this!” I exclaimed.

Sunny grinned as he placed a bowl in front of me. “Freddie said you can make a huge bowl of this and just sit there eating it with some bread and butter.”

“This is perfect, you’ve even got the chopped-up cucumber and spring onions in it, too!”

“Anything to make you happy,” Sunny said, and I smiled at him.

“This does,” I replied.

Sunny produced some rustic bread and chilled butter, and we talked as we ate. Sunny wanted to know more about what we found at Ravenberry Manor, and I was excited to tell him some of our discoveries.

“How does Aunt Aggie, Lavender, Ronnie, and Chatter feel?” he asked.

“They’re bemused, but Aunt Aggie says she knew the Manor was haunted. She says that she used to see the ghosts a lot as a child.”

“You got any on camera yet?”

“We’ve caught a few things,” I answered cautiously.

“Like?”

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