The Four Horseman

Zacky stared blearily at the ceiling, a grin lifting his face.
He had no idea what day it was, where he was exactly or who the two women were who were currently sucking his cock. He did remember the high grade cocaine and bottle of whiskey, that part had started a really good night. Just the rest of it that was hazy but he was sure there had been a strip joint at one point. He looked down and tried to remember their names.
“Fuck, don’t stop….”
The blonde winked at him and Zacky stuck the joint back in his mouth and inhaled, letting the smoke mix with the pleasure radiating out of his groin. Part of him knew he should be getting his stuff together and waiting for Johnny to roll in and break the seal but he had decided to have one last night of really good fun before the work began. It had been a different experience for him, their deaths and rebirths hadn’t robbed him of his memories of the accident like it had the others.
In fact they were now worse.
Zacky had lived through it, dying a day later in the hospital and now he could remember every detail of that twenty four hours. It didn’t exactly haunt him but the pain and fear had pushed themselves into his mind and being back and alive again….well, he sure as hell didn’t want to go through that again. Hence when the big guy had asked him to do this gig with his friends there had been conditions and one of those was Claire.
He had been lonely before, his love for Syn always tempered by the knowledge that he needed female company as well and that was where his friend had the advantage. Without Syn by his side he had always been rather shy and now he had asked for that one thing, that one person who would see past it and see the man beneath.
That man was currently enjoying his orgasm and let all the thoughts leave his head as the chemical high mixed with the physical and he giggled, grasping the two women to him as they littered kisses over the tattoos on his chest. Zacky was happy, aware that the time was coming when he would dispense his own brand of justice to the world. Just right now he wanted to sleep….and come down….and maybe play some more.
“Well, I can certainly say I found you.”
The two girls screeched and turned, Zacky opening half an eye and then closing it again.
“Hi Lilith, you’re early.”
“You know how it is when Matt and Syn get together.”
The demon turned her gaze to the two women and they fled, gathering clothes and just running. They would remember nothing of the evening or the handsome man that had taken them back to his room. Lilith watched him and then sighed, heading into the bathroom and turning on the taps as she spoke over her shoulder.
“Claire is downstairs.”
There was a loud thump and she giggled as a few choice swearwords followed it. Zacky had good taste, had to give him that. The hotel was one of the nicest in Flagstaff and his room looked out over the town and towards the Grand Canyon. He had no need of mortal money now and had clearly been taking advantage of it. However, Lilith and Johnny needed him sober if they were to break the seal and she wanted Claire to see the handsome boy at his best.
Which really wasn’t slumped against the bathroom door.
“How do I look?”
Lilith took one arm, Zacky expecting to be helped rather than promptly tripped into the bath of cold water. Lilith was soaked by the splashing, cursing and general spluttering until his head surfaced again and the green eyes had some clarity back to them. He coughed out some more water and pushed his hair back out of her eyes before looking up at the dark haired girl that was sending him a cheery smile from the doorway.
“You’re a bitch.”
“Yeah but you don’t want to meet Claire like that and we have work to do. Now get dressed.”
Lilith left him to it, heading back down to the bar where Claire and Johnny were also enjoying the hospitality. It had taken a couple of brandies to calm them down after the drive away from Reno. They had been followed for quite a while, eventually forcing Lilith to unleash a little demonic response of their own. After that it had quieted down and they had listened on the radio as the riot consumed the rest of the city. Matt and Syn had cleared the place, the population more than halved and the opposition pushed back as they entered Arizona.
“He’s on his way down.”
Claire blinked, the brandy burning her throat as she passed Lilith a shot.
“Then what?”
“We release Zacky and open the seal. Best to take him with us to release Jimmy. Once that happens all hell will quite literally break loose and we will need to meet up with Matt and Syn.”
Johnny was quiet, thinking all the options through. It was a harder thing to do than with the others. The seal that kept Jimmy from them wasn’t on the scroll they had with them, it was built into a wall on the side of a tomb in New Mexico. There was a lot of fighting to come and they needed Jimmy with them before Satan unleashed everything he had.
“Cheers…”
Four glasses clinked together and Claire looked up at the man who now stood next to her. Their eyes locked and she couldn’t look away. He was devastating, snakebites gleaming as he smiled and his face lit up. Johnny pulled a face as they continued to stare wonderingly at each other. Lilith gave him another shot.
“You want the room next to them?”
“Fuck no…”
Zacky giggled and hugged Claire, the girl tucking into his arms like they were made for her as he looked at his shorter friend. He hadn’t seen Johnny since the resurrection and it was like coming home. Claire shrugged at Lilith as he released her to grab the short man and almost strangle him.
“You got smaller.”
“Fuck you Zack.”
“Maybe later. Where are the other two, I saw Reno?”
Lilith pulled the chairs up to the table and quickly filled Zacky in as Johnny went out to the car to fetch the box containing the scroll and the roadmap. He sent Claire to buy more supplies with the money Zacky had given him and it was left to Lilith to run her fingers over the last seal on the wrinkled paper. They could feel the power in the room growing and also something a lot darker heading their way.
“Do it. I am going to get us to Jimmy.”
Lilith nodded at Zacky, Johnny gathering the returning Claire to him as the seal cracked. Nobody else in the bar could see the glow surrounding the handsome man in the bow tie, how it glowed and settled on him. Zacky felt it flowing through his muscles and stretched, his eyes settling on his friends with a bemused grin.
“Wow. That’s quite something.”
“Are you ready to go?”
Zacky nodded and they quickly picked up their possessions, heading back out into the night. They abandoned the car, Johnny managing to liberate them a large four by four which would take more supplies and gear. Zacky went into the hunting shop unseen by the staff and took rifles, handguns, anything he thought might be useful as well as a large axe.
Claire waited outside for him, the attraction so immediate and strong that she liked just looking at him. He dropped the lot at her feet and didn’t hesitate, sweeping her into his arms to kiss her, both of them caught up in the moment. His lips on hers took her breath, a moan coming involuntarily as he enjoyed the feel of her body pressed against him.
“I’m getting us through this. You and me.”
Claire smiled, her eyes locked on his.”
“I don’t understand this, we just met.”
He smirked and kissed her again.
“Great huh?”
Claire laughed and grabbed his hand. The air outside was getting heavy as a storm drew in and people were now talking of Reno in flames and the chaos now spreading. Lilith could hear Syn in her head, he and Matt were cleaning house and would meet them at the border of New Mexico. Once they were together again they could raise Jimmy.
Death would stalk the land.

Notes