Chapter 1
HAPPY HALLO-WEENERS HONEYS!
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Foreword:
This SPECTER SHORT SPECIAL is best read if you have already completed THE SPECTER SERIES and first ANGELMAKER story.
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leelabellabooks Series Reading Order:
THE SPECTER SERIES
1. Hunting for Honey
2. Feilds of Clover
3. Broken Hearts & Coup D'etats
4. Secrets of Summer
5. Lace & Leather
6. The Colt & The Cobra
THE BRAVO BOYS
1. Killerwolf
2. Tigerlilly
3. Snake Eater
SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE
1. Red Reaper
SPECTER SHORT STORIES
1. Alfa
2. Bravo
4. Delta
18. Romeo
•Halloween Special - ANGELMAKER The Southside Slayer
•Christmas Special - Dasher & The Dancer
•Valentine's Special - Hellfire
•Halloween Sequel - ANGELMAKER II The Southside Slaughter
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WARNING:
This story contains extremely graphic violence and assault that may be distressing to some, reader discretion is advised.
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Bucky (Barclay) Barnes
B U C K Y
October 31st
Friday 7:22pm
A bitter breeze bites at my cheeks, icy cold and sharp as a swirling mist from the bay rolls into the downtown district streets. With a shiver I draw my overcoat tighter around myself with a cuss, seething internally at my shitty time management skills. "Fuck!" If I had just left the firehouse a few minutes earlier, I wouldn't have missed the 7:20 bus back to midtown and I wouldn't be stuck here, freezing my ass off in the fog for the next half hour.
I just know my spoiled brat of a sister, Scarlett, is going to pitch a fit when I don't make it back to the old family home in time for dinner with our folks. She hates it when I'm late, which is always, and she has never been shy about letting me know what a disappointing brother and son I am.
I can concede that my perpetual lateness is one of my less redeeming qualities and I'm well aware of all the ways my inability to arrive anywhere on time could be construed as a serious character flaw. A fact that Scarlett reminds me of every Friday night when we all get together for one of mom's famous cook-ups.
But it doesn't make her right about me.
She thinks that I'm always late because I'm selfish. But really it's because I work too fucking much. She thinks that because I miss special occasions and precious moments when I'm called in for duty that it means I don't care.
But I do.
She doesn't understand that being a firefighter is all I ever wanted, ever since I was just a kid it was my dream to wear the yellow and red and protect this city. Helping people is my purpose. It's my calling.
Maybe one day she'll forgive me for the sacrifices I've had to make to pursue this dream of mine. Maybe one day she will see that all I ever did was to make something of myself, to make my family proud.
I pull out my phone, tapping out an apologetic message to send to Scarlett in hopes of placating her wrath.. 'Running late. Don't be mad, Starlight, I'll see you soon..'
"Uhem- s'cuse me, Mister, could'ya help a girl out?" A slow and sweet southern drawl breaks my attention away from the cell screen as I lift my eyes to find the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.
Dressed in a tan suede fringe jacket and a tight powder blue denim mini-skirt, her long blonde hair falls in thick waves of golden curls, spilling over her shoulders, shimmering as she sways like silk. Her big brown doe-eyes sparkle under the streetlight, framed by thick fluttering lashes while she makes her way towards me, her dark leather cowboy boots clicking against the concrete of the sidewalk.
"Sure thing, Sweetheart, what can I do for you?" I smile at the beauty, wondering what she's doing in the shipping district all by herself at night. Doesn't she know the kinds of weirdos and criminals that call this place home?
She twirls a spiral of her honeyed hair around her finger.. "Well see, my truck broke down a couple blocks away and I've been wandering around forever trynna find a payphone."
"Here, you can use my phone." Taking the cell from my pocket I offer it to her and she slides closer, with her hand outstretched, her warm fingers brushing softly over mine as she accepts the phone.
"Thank you so much! You sure are real sweet, Sugar." She smiles at me before her shiny expression falters.. "Aw shoot! I dunno the number. I'm new in town so I don't even know where the nearest garage is."
"It's late, they'll probably all be closed by now anyway." I smile sympathetically.
"Darn it!" She huff's in somewhat adorable frustration, handing my phone back to me. "What am I s'posed to do now?"
I check the time on my watch to see I've easily got twenty minutes before the next bus comes. "Well- maybe I could take a look at your car real quick.. I mean- if you want?"
"Are you a mechanic?" she asks, blinking hopefully.
I shrug.. "I'm an equipment engineer with the fire department, so I know a thing or two about it."
"Oh my lord, that would be amazing! It's really not far from here."
"Lead the way, mam'." I hold out a hand in deferral and she turns northbound in her boots.
"You're a real lifesaver, Mister-" The girl chimes happily as we begin to walk side by side.. "Say, what's your name?"
"Oh, I'm Barclay. Barclay Barnes. But my friends all call me Bucky." I smile at her sideways.. "How about you?"
"Would you believe it, my name is Bambi Butcher.." She shakes her head with a sharp giggle.. "Ain't that just the worst!"
"Jeeze, your mom and dad really did you dirty.." I chuckle.. "Still, it could be worse.. I went to school with a girl.. Her name was Jenna.."
"That's not so bad-"
"Uh- lemme finish.." I smirk, holding up a finger in protest.. "Her name was Jenna Taylor."
"Oh, good lord!" Bambi snorts with laughter.. "Now that's just cruel!"
We laugh together as the block passes by and everything else turns to fuzzy background noise.. There is just something about this girl that is captivating and I find it difficult to take my eyes off her.. "You don't sound like you're from around here, Bambi."
"Naw, I'm from Bama', A little town called Magnolia Springs." She giggles, merry and cute.
"Oh yeah? Roll tide!" I cheer and she glances over at me surprised. "I dunno much about much, Mam', but I know football." I shrug.
"Go fight, win!" She cheers in that darling drawl as she makes a sharp left turn towards an alleyway that cuts between two blocks. "I think I came through here-"
I pause at the entry to the alley as she stops in her tracks turning back to me with a puzzled brow.. "What's the matter?"
Maybe I'm being paranoid, or maybe it's just the eeriness of the dingy, dimly lit alley. But something in my stomach twists with warning as I hesitate. "You came through here? All by yourself?"
The pretty girl looks around to offer a casual shrug.. "Sure.. Why wouldn't I?"
I shake my head, brushing off the strange sensation with a half-hearted smile.. "It just doesn't seem safe s'all."
Bambi laughs, a feathery melodic aria, teasing me with her pretty eyes and coy grin.. "You're not scared, are you Bucky?"
"Of you?" I grin, taking a following step after her as she meanders deeper into the darkness, almost disappearing in the mist. "Hell no."
