Soul Of A Woman (The Dark Souls) by Jamie Begley Page B

know how to convince them.
    She turned to Dee. “Go to the store next door, grab as much water and food as you can. Jace, you and Bones should go with her. Adam, you should wake your men and prepare the clubhouse to be attacked.”
    None of them moved.
    “Adam, if I’m wrong, you won’t have to buy groceries for a month, but what if I’m right?”
    “Do what she says.”
    Broni gave a sigh of relief as Adam moved toward the hallway.
    “Layla, close the shutters. Jace, close the gates when you come back with the groceries.” Adam paused. “I don’t believe the shit you’re saying, but I would be stupid not to take precautions with a riot going on.”
    “I don’t care why you’re doing it, Adam, only that you are. Thank you.”
    Broni went to the doorway, opening the front door and then staring out at the large city. Her eyes widened at the view, and a moan of anguish surfaced that she barely managed to hold back with her hand across her mouth as she witnessed what her mother had warned her and her sisters about since they had been children.
    There was smoke billowing from different buildings, the faint shrill of the sirens sounded in the distance. Any doubt she’d had about being wrong disappeared.
    The Apocalypse had begun.

     
    Chapter 9
     
    As the men came out of their rooms half asleep, Broni was sure it was the earliest most of them had been out of bed in years. They each shuffled in as she stared out the window, seeing Dee, Jace, and Bones coming back across the compound loaded down with groceries. Each was pushing a buggy that looked like it would topple over as they raced back. Jace only stopped long enough to close the gates. By the time they made it to the doors, Broni could smell the smoke; the fires were drawing closer.
    “Adam, if you have any water hoses, I would get them ready,” she advised.
    He came to stand in the doorway next to her. “Rucker, get the water hoses. Rhys, go to the kitchen and get the fire extinguisher. Fin, open the door to the gunroom. Everyone get prepared, the riot is getting closer.”
    Broni went back behind the counter to help Dee put up the groceries while the men stood in the doorway watching. Fin brought out a radio and plugged it in. The news bulletins sent chills down Broni’s back as they described seemingly normal people suddenly turning violent. They had formed in large groups and were slowly moving from one end of the city to another.
    “They’re searching for me,” Broni said softly.
    “What in the fuck is going on?” Layla screamed, her frightened eyes were on Adam who was staring back at Broni grimly.
    “Do you believe me now?” she asked.
    “I don’t know what to believe. Tell me again how you came to be here, and what’s going on out there?”
    Broni could tell that, this time, they listened with at least an open mind.
    “The Apocalypse,” and then it closed.
    “That’s ridiculous.” Adam’s face showed she had confirmed his opinion that she was crazy.
    “Is it? What do you think is happening? The whole city is on fire. People are turning on each other. My mother, our family, is very powerful. We can go back and forth between time periods. We are only limited by the future. Because of this, someone is trying to start a war between good and evil, needing us out of the way. Without me, Cara, and Zerina, the balance of life is interrupted, causing chaos. If we were to be killed, the result would be disastrous.”
    “What is this bullshit?”
    Broni tried to be patient with Layla, but her attitude with her was wearing thin. “Layla, imagine if when you were a child and were riding your bike, you rode out in front of a car, and it stopped just in time. What if it didn’t stop? What if that child was killed? She wouldn’t be standing in front of me now, would she?” Broni turned her attention to Rhys. “I fight the battles that determine the course a life may take. It doesn’t necessarily mean a physical fight, it can also mean