Page 7

Sally

He'd lost his mind, and that was the only explanation for what had just happened.

Xantos licked his lips, and her taste was still on them, and it was good.

Why had he done that? That was something he would have to figure out because he'd decided not to do anything unless she showed that she was interested.

Sally hadn't shown the slightest interest until he had kissed her, and that didn't really count because she had been half drunk.

That could give her a little bit to think about, and that was the way he needed to look at it.

If that didn't prompt her to consider being together, nothing would.

He'd get a good night’s sleep, but he knew he was going to dream about her. It was his own fault, really.

It was morning now, and he headed downstairs to grab a bite of breakfast. He wondered what she'd cooked, and he was surprised to see what looked like steak and eggs.

That had to be Caribou. Either she'd been hunting, or she'd bought some from someone who had.

The food smelled delicious, and he really didn't care where she got it from.

Sally had a way of finding local food at a reasonable price, or she'd be charging them something.

Perhaps the boss was paying. It was hard to say because she didn't talk about it.

He grabbed some food, said thanks, and sat down and ate like a wolf.

He'd be training Cindy Lou, the new girl, today.

He hoped things would go well so he could let her go the next day.

They would be getting someone new almost every day until they were filled up.

Once that happened, he'd be doing more supervising, but he could handle it.

He was sure Sally wouldn't have any problems either.

With a full crew, she wouldn't have to go out in the field or do any training.

That would give her time to do the office work.

Xantos watched Sally out of the corner of his eye while he continued to eat.

He did that often, and he was sure she'd never noticed, and he was glad because if she did, she would probably have something to say about it.

She was a beautiful girl with soft curves despite being short.

Most of the ladies who worked out of this office were of short stature.

On that rare occasion that she smiled, it lit up her face and made you want to smile at her.

Her eyes were green, which complemented her hair well, as it had a tendency to appear red in the light.

The others had arrived about the time he finished his food. They all grabbed a plate and filled their own. When he was done, he went out and checked the trucks to ensure they were fully supplied. Cindy Lou either didn't eat much, or she ate quickly because she joined him in no time.

“I would have helped with the truck had you not started early.”

“That's all right. Maybe next time you'll get there early and get it done.”

“I did well with my training, and you will probably cut me loose after today, so that's unlikely to happen," Cindy Lou observed.

Xantos hoped she was right and that he would be able to cut her loose after that.

He simply enjoyed working alone, and he had no need for company.

If he got lonely, it was after work was over because he was busy while working, and there was no time to miss the company.

He liked to get things done quickly, stay on schedule, and earn the bonuses that he usually qualified for.

Since he worked alone, he didn't have to share the bonus, and he received the entire amount.

It wasn't that he was greedy. It was that he was building towards his future because he wanted a lovely home someday.

When he'd been little, the pack house had been nice enough, although it had its oddities.

Once they had left, they never had a nice place to live again.

That had not been his mother's fault because they had been on the run, often leaving a place about the time that it started to feel like home.

“You sure think a lot.”

“Thinking is often underrated. How can you do anything well if you don't think about it?” He asked.

He'd given her something to think about, and now maybe she would leave him alone.

They arrived at their first job. He sensed no danger, so they both went in and completed the task.

It was a small job. It had been easy, and she had contributed what was expected of her.

Once they started working, he appreciated that she didn't talk and concentrated on her job.

She enjoyed talking so much that he had worried that she would pay attention to what she was doing.

Hopefully, the rest of the day will go the same.

They packed up and headed to the next place.

It also went easily, as did the next. The fourth place triggered his inner alarm.

Not because the house looked abandoned but because it didn't. Xantos couldn't say precisely why, but something seemed wrong here.

“Do you feel it, too?” Cindy Lou asked.

“Yes, something is wrong here. We need to make sure, so I will go in, and if anything happens, call for backup.”

She held up her hand. “See, I have a panic button. I will press it first and then make the call.”

He just nodded and headed to the door with a couple items that he could use against whoever was there. Maybe he was wrong because a lady answered the door, and she didn't look stressed or worried. She invited him in so he could do his work.

“I'm glad you got here because we've really been wanting the security system. I've heard there's a lot of trouble going on around here, and I don't need any of it. Are you working alone today?”

Why did that sound strange to me? It was almost like she knew that I worked alone most of the time. Were they working with women now?

“Where did you want me to start?” He asked, ignoring her question.

“I'll show you.”

As soon as he entered the back room, he saw that there were several guys in it waiting for him.

The Taser he brought with him was immediately put to good work, and he pushed his back up against the wall so no one could get behind him.

It was a shame he didn't have a panic button because he could certainly use one.

His hammer had taken out one guy, and he glanced over at the woman, seeing that she was excited to watch the fight.

What the hell was wrong with her that she would like something like that?

Xantos had taken almost all the males out, but he hadn't watched her close enough, and she hit him with the Taser.

Even a paranormal could be taken down with one of those, and he was.

As he started to fall, all he could do was hope that Cindy Lou had pushed that damn panic button.

He woke, and someone had taken his shirt off and unbuttoned his pants.

“Glad to see you're waking. Paranormals certainly have a big package. Maybe I'll put it to good use before we take you out.” She observed.

She was about to put her hand in his pants when the doorbell rang. “Who the hell is that? I thought he was alone. Maybe it's someone you guys can have fun with?”

One of the guys went to answer the door, but he didn't come back, so she sent the other guy.

He didn't come back either, so she had to go herself.

Since he was tied up, he began to work on the ropes that had been tied around him.

He heard a scream, and he hoped like hell it was the female and not Cindy Lou.

It was a few minutes, and Cindy Lou entered the room. She quickly cut him loose.

“The police are on their way, and I tied that stupid bitch up as well as the two guys. I'd heard they only used guys, but apparently, they found a girl as sick as they were.”

Xantos had to admit that had he been alone, he'd have been in a world of hurt.

He'd never expected a female to be in on this kind of crazy stuff.

That had been a mistake and one he wouldn't make again.

If nothing else, Xantos had learned a valuable lesson, Cindy Lou could take care of herself.

He wouldn't let her work on her own the next day.

There was too much danger. She would need to work with someone.

There was a knock on the door. The troopers had arrived.

“We have job security because of you. How many this time?” Carl asked.

He was the trooper that showed up the most often in this area.

The guy was a polar bear, seven feet tall, with blonde, almost white hair that was shaved in a buzz cut.

His eyes were pale blue, and his skin a light color.

Cindy Lou was giving him an eye, and Xantos had a feeling the male had no trouble with the opposite sex.

“We’ve got 6 males and a female. She was the ringleader, and I couldn't tell that she was involved in it until it was too late. This one is a sadistic bitch.”

“I would have never expected it either. These guys don't even like women except so they can abuse them.”

“She's as bad as any of them, and maybe she's related to one of the bosses, I don't know," Xantos admitted.

“She won't like it where she's going.”

“Maybe she will if she is in a position to take advantage of others. I heard a lot of that happened in that place.”

Stories about the council prison were pretty bad, and the women were often mistreated, but someone like her would probably be at the top of the heap doing a lot of the mistreatment. Couldn't help but hope that she would be on the receiving end of a little bit of it for what she had done to him.

“I've got your statement, and my partner will load these people up. We'll have to squeeze them in the back, but that'll be all right.”