Bound In Secrets : A Death Kings Novel
Spirit Free

**Riggs**

"Welcome to the family, Mamba King." I'm having a difficult time wrapping my head around those words-a Death King. I didn't have to worry about replaceing work before and it looks like that will continue. To top it off, I was just claimed as a Seraphim Serpent. Family. Another family outside of the brotherhood provided by the Death Angels.

I've never once considered myself a lucky man. Cursed is more like it. At the same time that I was being fired from my job, my family was killed. I was late getting home because my truck had a blowout that took out both tires on one side. I had to creep to the nearest tire place.

When I finally arrived home after draining half our savings, the police were there wheeling out my family in body bags. The entire side of the house was riddled with bullet holes. Gang violence. It was an initiation by the Ravagers. They picked my neighborhood and began shooting up houses. My family wasn't the only ones on the block being placed in black bags that night.

They were supposed to be home. We had planned on not being home that night. Instead, we were going to the movies, but because of the tires, we couldn't go. If only we had gone to the movies, my family would still be here with me. "Are you okay?" Sawyer asks with concern.

I open my eyes and lift my head from my hands. I had my elbows perched on my knee, but as bring my hands down, her hands replaced my elbows and she was squatted on the ground, looking up at me. The twin buns in her rainbow hair make her look like an anime character. I can just picture her threatening to punish me in the name of the moon.

"My family was murdered in our house. It was a gang initiation."

"It was the year the Ravagers shot up a whole neighborhood block, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. It was. When you came into power, they were the first gang you kicked out of the state. You punished them, didn't you, Sailor Viper?"

She snorts at me. "I didn't peg you for a Sailor Moon fan."

"Oh yeah. The outer senshi are my favorite. My wife used to say I'd make a great Starlight. I told her I'd make a better Sailor Pluto. She couldn't even argue."

Sawyer laughs. Her laughter is so bright that it draws the attention of the other men's eyes like a magnet. I understand their addiction. It's only been a few days and I'm craving her like an addict, and she is my drug.

My somber mood dissipates as I bring her to stand with me. Nate shouts for us to come sit on the lawn with everyone since the movie is about to start.

As we walk hand in hand, I ask, "Which Sailor Senshi would you be, and why?"

"Oddly enough, Sailor Star Fighter resonated with me the most. I felt I was the most like Seiya."

That's the Sailor Starlight my late wife said I was most like. Wow, the universe is interesting in how it works. I'm okay with this. It's as though I am destined to be here with these people.

Suddenly, my spirit feels lighter. Freed. Why or how, I don't know. The way Storm is looking at though, he just might. It's that, or just he wants to fight.

Once the smallest children are in bed, I'm all for an old-fashioned fight to work through our disparities. Whether or not they like me, I'm here to stay.