Raven wakes up early the next day and checks on her sister. She was sound asleep and still had an IV hooked up to her. Since the Scorpion gang was still active in their town, she knew her sister would still be in danger. She wasn’t being moved from the house. Two bike members were guarding the house, and Amber said she would be back. She had something to do but would be back.

Amber had left with her father on his motorcycle, leaving her motorcycle in the garage. After checking on Eddie, Raven walks into the kitchen and starts a fresh pot of coffee. The two members who stayed to protect them were people she didn’t know, but Jacob said she could trust them.

“Are you guys hungry? Because I’m going to make some breakfast for myself.” Raven looks at the two huge men in her living room.

“If it’s no problem.” Grinder looks at the black-haired woman wearing shorts and a Marine PT shirt.

The other guy nods. Vapor didn’t speak much and had a healed jagged scar that went across his throat. Raven figured the injury must have damaged his vocal cords. She had noticed his slight nod.

She steps back into the kitchen and takes a can of biscuits out of the refrigerator, ground sausage, and a container of flour from the cabinet. She sets the oven temperature and prepares a cookie sheet. Before long, she starts making sausage and gravy. She makes plenty for all of them.

“Thanks.” Grinder accepts the plate of food from Raven.

“Any time.”

Raven hands the other plate to Vapor and notices him nodding his thanks. After serving the guys, Raven sits down at the table to eat. The three of them eat in silence, and afterward, Raven cleans up the kitchen.

She refills Grinder’s and Vapor’s coffee mugs and joins them in the living room. She looks at both men, “So, how long have you guys been with the club?”

Grinder looked at Raven and knew she had been gone when he joined. He had come from another branch of the club in another state.

“For a while. I knew your father and Jacob. You know, your father was very proud of both of you.” Grinder looks at Raven and sees the pictures of her as a male.

From what he noticed in the pictures and how she looked now. She must have had extensive facial surgery to make her look more feminine so that no one would recognize her. He had to admit she looked cute and would turn some heads. He wonders if she had implants to make her chest look so big.

“I know that. I wish I could have been here when he passed away. I feel guilty that he had thought I had died.” Raven was feeling guilty that her father and sister had thought she was dead. She might have been if Qais and his son hadn’t rescued her. But it still weighed on her conscience.

“If you don’t mind me asking. Why did you change your gender, and why didn’t you remove that tattoo on your forearm?” Grinder was curious why someone like Raven would do something like that.

Raven takes a deep breath before speaking. “It’s something that has been inside of me for a long time, Grinder. Off and on, I gave in to it, but felt guilty about how I felt. Boys/males aren’t supposed to feel like that, and how some of the guys in MC felt about people like that. So, I joined the military to help me overcome these feelings.

“Did it help you?” Grinder watches Raven’s body language.

“At first, yes. Boot camp, and then my specialized training afterward, helped me not feel the way I did. Sure, there were times when I went out with my fellow recruits to enjoy ourselves. I just wasn’t into the spirit of the enjoyment. It just didn’t feel right to me at all. Some of the feelings I buried surfaced, making me question myself. It wasn’t until I was near death that I finally decided to change my life and accept how I felt. As for my tattoo, it reminds me of the men that I served with, bled for, and killed for. I don’t want to forget who they were or what we did.”

“You know people are going to ask you about that tat and your Grim Reaper tat as well.”

“I know, and I’ll be honest with them. If they accept me, that is fine. If they don’t, so be it. I really don’t care. All I know is I’m being honest to myself and the hell with how others feel about it.”

Vapor gives Raven a thumbs-up in response to her statement. He had been listening to her story and could understand how being close to death could make things clearer. He didn’t care because he had a niece who was a female-to-male, and a nephew who was a femboy who enjoyed wearing leather. Not leather for a male, but made for a woman.

“What are your plans now that you’re out of the service and back home?” Grinder wonders what Raven’s plans are.

“I don’t know. I’m still suffering from PTSD and nerve damage to my gun hand. I can still work, but I don’t need to. For now, I’ll help protect my sister and members of the MC.” Raven knew she would never turn her back on her little sister.

“There’s always the open road.” Grinder knew some vets had wandered from place to place.

“I’ve done enough travel for a lifetime, Grinder. I’m going to stick around and try to rebuild my life.”

When Eddie wakes up, Raven tends to her. She makes sure Eddie moves around and steps outside. Crazy Horse and Beater replaced Grinder and Vapor. Crazy Horse was an old Native American cowboy, and Beater was a middle-aged body shop guy. He could take a wreck and return it to its original shape.

Around noon time, Amber returns to the house with four extra-large pizzas, several cases of beer, and specialty drinks. Instead of coming back on her motorcycle, she arrived in a satin black, tricked-out SUV that looked like it could have come off the Count Kustom show.

“Where did you get the fancy SUV?” Raven had seen it pull up in the driveway.

“Oh, that thing?” Amber puts the drinks and pizzas down on the table.

“Yes, that thing.” Raven looks at Amber with a puzzled look on her face.

“That’s a donation from the Scorpion gang. Don’t worry, I’ve already cleared it of the hidden trackers it had inside. They also donated some nice weapons as well.” Amber took a drink and opened it.

“When did you run into them?” Crazy Horse looks at Amber. He knew she was Hammer’s youngest daughter.

“I ran into them on my way to my hotel room.” Amber takes a slice of pizza and starts eating it.

“How did they even know where to look for you?” Beater gives Amber a strange look.

“Oh, I let it be known I was hunting them. You see, my boss said I can take as much time as I need off to help protect Eddie. Now, if for some
reason the Scorpion gang learned that a certain agency was out looking for them. I have permission to use whatever method I wish against them. In other words, I have permission to hunt them down and eliminate them.”

“But, doesn’t that put your family in the crosshairs?” Raven was concerned about her uncle and aunt.

“Nay! If the Scorpion gang moves against my family. They will encounter a major problem. The person that I’m employed by has sent people to watch over them, who I don’t even want to cross.” Amber shivers just thinking about who was coming to protect her family.

“Does your father know?” Raven knew Hammer would want to know.

“No, and I’m keeping it that way. Dad doesn’t need to know that the family is being protected or by whom.” Amber knew her father was proud.

Amber takes another sip from her drink. She looks at Raven, Eddie, and the two MC club members. An evil smile appears on her face. “I told you I work for a dangerous person.”

“But you said your job was just to find people.” Raven couldn’t believe what her friend/sister was now.

“I do. But it doesn’t mean I don’t know how to defend myself or protect someone. It’s not something I’m proud of, but I know it's necessary.” Amber takes another slice of pizza from the box.

Raven jut shakes her head as she retrieves a stack of paper plates and set them on the table. She takes a few slices of pizza and a drink. She takes them over to her sister.

“Eat, sis.”

Eddie accepts the plate and drink. She looks back at her sister “sorry for bring this mess to your doorstep.”

“You didn’t know I was here, so it’s not a problem. Your family and my baby sister. My job is to protect you.” Raven made a promise to always protect her little sister.

Everyone grabs pizza and a drink or two and enjoy lunch.