Mercenary Wolf

Ch 10 in the basement

The dad walked around the basement, his hand touching the wall in a few places where Jimbo had stood. I stayed put, blocking the stairs.

When the guy got to the far side of the basement, he started walking toward me. His bare feet took slow, measured steps. He moved like he was getting ready to fight. I recognized the same evaluating, almost challenging approach the kid had used on me his very first visit.

Something seemed off, but I couldn't put my finger on exactly what it might be.

The guy didn't stop moving, but veered off to the side, then took to pacing back and forth. He wasn't always looking at me, but I knew his attention was unwavering.

He didn't say a word.

He kept rolling his shoulders, his muscles moving under his skin. He was only wearing a pair of jeans. There was something...

He started staring at me as he paced, his eyes never wavering. I found myself mesmerized. His gait changed. Again, something seemed off but I couldn't quite place what it was.

Then I blinked, blinked twice. He was hairier than he was before. His hand moved, unfastening the jeans and letting them slide down. 

I honestly didn't know what I was looking at, except it sure as hell wasn't normal. I mean yeah he had balls, but he had... fur. Hair so thick it really looked more like fur. And... the red tip slipping into its sheath as if he was some damn dog!

His legs were bowed funky. His clawed feet...

My eyes jerked back to his face when I heard a low growl. It was automatic reflex that had me trying to back up a step and land right on my ass on the steps. But what really freaked me out was when he.... it.... spoke.

"Still think you can handle it Mac?" The voice was rough and gravely, but still recognizable as the dad's voice.

Suddenly he dropped to all fours and I was up the stairs before I could even think about it. Up and shoving the kid out of my way and out the door before the cold brisk air hit me and seemed to wake me up.

I did not just see... I couldn't stop the reflex that hit me then even if I'd tried, and I didn't try. Everything in my stomach emptied itself as I heaved into the bushes by the door. I stood there a second trying, really trying, to wrap my head around what I just saw.

I couldn't do it. Shock most likely, but my brain just refused to follow the logical path from what my eyes had seen. I needed... a second heave.

Yeah, it wasn't that second heave I needed. I needed that little bottle under the sink, that's what I needed. I don't think my brain was actually working. I went in and headed straight to the kitchen. It wasn't there! I opened all the cupboards, banging them shut. I couldn't help cussing.

I was desperate for something to counter the shock. I finally settled for a glass of water cause that's all there was to drink. I stood in the kitchen doorway for a minute chugging it down as if my life depended on it.

I saw the look Eddie gave me, knew what happened to my little bottle. He didn't need to take it, I hadn't opened the damn thing!

I know, at some level I really knew I should be grateful to him for watching out for me in Jimbo's absence, but not having it there when I really really needed it ticked me off. I slammed the glass on the kitchen table, trying not to look like I was throwing daggers at Eddie.

I went into the living room carefully. The dad was on the nearest couch where his back was to me. I was on eggshells peeking at him as I approached before actually going to sit on the couch across from... him...it... he was him again.

"Tell me I did not just see that," I said, hoping somehow, not even sure how I managed to get the words out. He shook his head gently.

"My father walked out of the Black Forest. I can't really tell you more than that."

I couldn't even think what that meant, but I knew it meant something. I'd work it out eventually. I was taking deep breaths. I had to know...

"You ever..."

I couldn't finish it. I don't even know for sure what I was asking. Did he ever kill, did he ever... my brain just didn't want to finish that sentence.

He looked thoughtfully at my crew that was standing off to the side before looking back to me.

"Twice. The first time by accident. The man was a rapist hunting on the college campus where I met his mother. We fought, he died."

He said that so casual-like. I knew my evaluation of him as a killer was right. He kept talking.

"Second time was his mother, at her request. She was beautiful..."

The silence drew out uncomfortably. Obviously he didn't kill his wife, did he? The report said cougar, but he had claws too. I almost trembled just thinking about those claws. The report also said he had killed the cougar. People would have seen the dead beast, wouldn't they have? I felt like my brain was running in circles in order to avoid...

The kid suddenly chuckled.

"Dad gets to thinking about Mom and he zones out a bit sometimes. Mom was awesome."

The two of them shared a smile. With them looking like that, there is no way he killed his wife. So, dead cougar. That means he was talking about biting and changing... my brain was finally catching up. She had requested...no way I ever could... I felt sick.

I cleared my throat to interrupt their private moment.

"You think that's what happened..."

I couldn't finish it. Thinking of Jimbo like that... trying to picture it... he wouldn't have asked for that, I knew it!

I headed to the bushes for a third heave.

As I stood there in the doorway the kid answered my question.

"Without a doubt. Shitty ass handling of it too. Owww!"

His dad had thunked him on the head.

"Watch your language."

"Yes sir."

The dad motioned to the spot I had been sitting.

The whole correcting his kid thing was so... normal.

I finally sat back down.