A Big Shiny Blue Marble Ch. 52

"Where do you have to go?" Rudhi asked.

"I'm pretty sure this is the place," Callie said.

"What place?" Rudhi found her words being echoed by Shane's, who now looked embarrassed, "Sorry."

"There's a wolf hunter who lives not far over that ridge there," Callie said, "I want to go see if I'm right, and if I am, I want to kill her."

Shane's eyes opened wide, "Why? You're human."

"I don't know if you'd understand it," she said, "She took somebody from me. I can't do anything to bring him back, but I want that murdering piece of shit dead and cold, as long as I'm this close. I don't know if I'll ever get another chance."

She looked at Rudhi, "Will you help me? Just go with me. You don't even have to do anything unless I fail and she kills me. I'd like it if you could kill her then, so at least it wouldn't all be for nothing. The things that I just saw you do, you must be able to kill a bounty hunter without thinking on it too hard."

Shane looked as though he couldn't comprehend her words, but Rudhi got it right away. "He was not human, but he was everything to you, no?"

Callie's head hung down as she nodded, "I was six when demons killed my mother. I found out when I walked all the way home from school alone since my mother wasn't there to meet me because she was dead. When I got home, there was nothing left but smoke and fire.

Bobby found me three days later. He was the same as what you are, Shane."

Shane looked a little shocked but Callie nodded at him, "I know what to look for, believe me, ok? I guess most little kids would have been scared shitless, but I wasn't. Bobby was only about sixteen then and on his own. He kept me alive. Bobby fed me and took care of me and he held me at night when I cried for my mother.

He was like my brother and my father all rolled into one. Bobby raised me. I guess we were together maybe ten years and I learned everything from him; how to count and read and work numbers and ride and shoot. We never had much, but we had each other. Bobby was everything to me. He was my family."

She looked up with her eyes blazing. "Until that hunter skank decided that Bobby had to die for what he was. She made out like she was in love with him and while he was distracted over a human woman who said she wanted him, he made his mistake and she shot him for his fur.

Silver bullets. Nine silver bullets and then she skinned him and turned in his hide for the bounty. His body went into a hole in the ground and that was it. The only person who loved me in the world and he was gone so she could get richer."

"How much was the bounty?" Rudhi asked.

Sam turned toward Rudhi then, "Two hundred silver -- or forty gold," she said, "It's been the same on us for a long time now. You'd think we'd be worth a little more to cover inflation at least."

Rudhi's eyes opened wide at that, but Samantha waved her hand and shook her head, "it's a figure of speech. Forget I said anything."

Callie said, "Look, you don't know me and I know that you don't have any reason to want to help me, but if you could, I'd do anything to repay you."

"Callie," Shane said quietly, "I know how it feels to lose everything. If you need help, I'll go with you."

"Thank you, but no you won't," Callie said determinedly, "I don't know you much, but I like you a lot, Shane. I think out of anyone, a wolf-born would be in the most danger from her. I'm not doubting your ability or your courage or anything at all. It's just that the way I see it, she's made her living at killing wolf-born and since she's still alive, she must be at least a little good at it and I'd rather that you don't lay anything out on the line for me. Rudhi would be like an unknown to her. I think I'd like that better. She wouldn't see it coming." She looked over, "I just don't think that I've got anything that you'd want."

"I think that you do," Rudhi smiled, "and we can go now. Just help me to find a way to get onto this horse."

Sam walked back to th ewagon and saw Ewan's questioning look. "We're staying here for the night, so right here's where I get to clean you up a bit." She set her bag down on the wagon and withdrawing a pair of scissors, she began to trim his beard shorter so that it was just long stubble on his face. He'd sat holding still for it, still not daring to believe that he was on his way to freedom. As Sam worked, he had hie large hand on her hip as though he was afraid that the dream would end and he'd find himself back at the quarry again.

"I like your hand there, Ewan," Sam smiled, "but is there a reason?"

There was just a hint of a tear in his eyes when he spoke, still in a low and very quiet growl as though he was a little ashamed, "If you disappear, I hope that by touching you that I can go along. I don't want this to end yet."

Sam stopped and stared at him for just a moment before she took him in her arms - which was a little silly, since there was far too much of him to hold properly lie that. "Oh Baby," she sniffled with her own tears, "I understand you, but you've gotta believe more. Believe in me, Ewan. I'll never let you go if you hang onto me. I've dreamed about finding somebody like you. I always have."

She opened her eyes and found herself looking into Nancy's hateful glare. "And you, you fucking exploitative entitled snot, this is where your nightmare starts."

"What are you going to do?" Nancy sneered, "Kill me?"

She watched the feral gleam in Samantha's eyes become an unearthly glow, "Fuck no," Sam growled down low, "I wouldn't dream of it. No death for you, though you may want that after a while. If it's up to me, you don't get death," she began to smile as she pointed to the others who were seeing to their horses.

"You get roadmen, if I can convince a couple."

"To what?" Nancy asked, "To rape me? You think that'll crush me or something? Fuck you. Bring it."

"Don't ask for what you don't want," Ewan said quietly, and he wasn't being particularly hateful anymore, "You don't even know what you're talking about."

"Sure I do," Nancy spat, "They're gonna rape me. Hell, a good fuck was what I wanted from you. So what's the difference, other than there'll be more than one man involved and committing the crime, I guess?

I guess I'll live through it and the first chance I get, I'll swear out warrants on all of you. I'll laugh when they drag you all to me in chains where you really belong anyway. If I'd known that you were a big dog, I'd have given you kitchen scraps, Ewan."

Ewan snorted, "I thought that's what I was getting."

Ewan had been feeling a little sorry and charitable toward the woman up to now. But as usual, she'd managed to piss on that in his mind. She didn't see it, since he gave no outward sign, but mentally he shrugged and closed a door on her.

He looked over and made certain that her bindings were tight enough. "Wrong again, Nancy," he said, "No man is gonna rape you. Take a good look. They're not men, any more than I'm a man."

Sam leaned close to Nancy and whispered so that only she could hear it, "You can call it whatever you want. They won't kill you while you're all having fun together. I'm actually looking forward to seeing you as you start to enjoy it, but that won't be the final payoff - the final reward that I have in mind for you."

She smiled as she whispered it even more softly, "When they're done with you, they'll bite you, Nancy, all of them. That way you'll know, won't you? Then we'll leave you tied up really tightly until you're done with your change and then we'll let you go before you wake up.

By then, we'll be long gone and you'll be a wolf-bitten bitch with the hunger. Only you'll have no way to control it, since it'll be brand new to you. You'd better not go back to the quarry, honey. They'll be so happy to kill the sad bitch who can't go back.

Welcome to the world of the wild, Nancy."

Sam and Ewan got out of the wagon and Nancy watched as Samantha spoke to the roadmen. Of the eight of them, two were in relationships and so they declined, but six of them looked over at the wagon and nodded a little hungrily.

Nancy began to whimper and yank at the bonds which held her.

A short distance away, Callie took Rudhi's arm, "This is just to show you. Never hit her harder than this on her shoulder," she said as she slapped Rudhi's arm, "This is how you tell her 'Good Girl'. "

She helped Rudhi find her way aboard and they rode off together a little slowly with Callie instructing all the way. "And watch what you do when you're behind her. She doesn't have eyes in her ass, so she's liable to get spooked and if she does, well then watch out for her hooves."

After they'd gone on for a bit, Callie turned and said, "None of this is worth killing somebody for, Rudhi. Are you really gonna help me if I need you to?"

"Yes," Rudhi nodded, "and you will not even talk to her. I will do it for you, just be sure that you are showing the right one to me and I will do the rest."

"But what about the price?" Callie asked, "I'd at least want to know."

"You said that Bobby was your family," Rudhi began, "so to me, that means that you lived with a wolf-born male very closely, yes?"

Callie nodded, "Yes."

Rudhi thought about it and then she just decided to admit it. "I want to have D'Arcy," she said, "and not only for a night. Could you teach me how I must behave if I wanted him for a mate?"

Callie turned, "Is that what you really want?"

"The more that I think of it, "Rudhi said, "the more that I want him. From the little that I know, when they love, most human females might not survive it if they are loved often by them, correct?"

"Oh yeah," Callie said, "they can be rough and not mean it at all. I always wanted to be Bobby's bitch, but only after he bit me. We loved each other very much, and it was what I'd always wanted. It was Bobby who needed convincing. I almost had him agreeing and then we only had to wait till I was old enough. Bobby was a little funny like that. I had to be old enough first. But then he'd bite me and if I lived, we could be together, and have little ones and everything.

But the hunter got to him first. It took her a good six months to get Bobby away from me, telling him that it wasn't healthy, what we planned to do. Well it was a lot healthier than nine bullets," she said looking down with a tear on her cheek.

"She looked at me when I came. I wanted to take his body home to bury it there, but she'd already skinned him and she was just filling in the hole when I got there. She told me to be on my way or she'd shoot me too."

Rudhi nodded and rode on in silence for a minute before her face clouded over in thought as she looked down and then her arm shot out into the air beside her as though she was holding something. "Ride this way, "she said as she turned her horse around.

Callie was confused, but followed to find Rudhi getting off her horse next to a tall woman with a rifle on the ground in front of her. The woman looked to Callie to be held up by an invisible hand around her throat and she was on her tiptoes.

"Take a good look, "Rudhi said, "I need to know if this is the woman whom we seek. She was aiming that rifle there at your back from behind us."

Callie leaned forward and peered in the late afternoon light for a moment, "Yup, that's her."

Rudhi looked at the woman, "You hunt the werewolves for the bounty?"

The woman nodded, "Well yeah, or it wouldn't be worth the bullets now, would it?"

Rudhi looked at her a little thoughtfully, "You have skinned some before they were even dead, yes?"

"Bullets cost money. Why use two when one is enough to bring them down so you can tie them with metal cable? Then you just skin 'em and toss them in the hole."

"Do you know this woman?" Rudhi asked and the hunter shook her head, "No. Should I? Did I kill her pet or something? Wait a second.

Oh yeah, she was living with a werewolf for a few years like an animal. I'd have shot her too if there was any money in her hide."

Rudhi looked at Callie, "How long ago?"

Callie didn't blink, "Eight years, and yeah, this is her. For sure, Rudhi."

Rudhi looked away for a moment and then the woman disappeared.

"Where did she go?" Callie asked.

"Not far," Rudhi grinned, "She is over there in the ground." While Callie came to grips with it, a human skin fell to the ground in front of them in one piece and Callie knew all that there was to know then.

"Thank you Rudhi," she said, "Ask me anything you want to know and tell me anything that you need."

Rudhi picked up the rifle and handed it to Callie, "I do not know much about these, but this one looks to be well-made and expensive. Take it as yours, if you do not mind what it was used to hunt." Callie nodded and said thanks as they rode back discussing things for Rudhi.

"So you like D'Arcy, huh?" Callie smiled, "I think you'd look pretty good together, though I haven't seen him natural or anything. It's just the way that I feel it."

"Natural?" Rudhi looked over, "it means as he is?"

"Yeah," Callie nodded, "as he is. I really like Shane. That's why I didn't want him to come along. From what I've seen, he's good at what he does and I know that he's all brave and strong without being stupid, but I ... "

She looked over, "Do you know what it means to tempt fate?"

"I think so," Rudhi said, "To you, it would be tempting fate to have Shane there, yes?"

"Yeah," Callie said, "I just met him, and I probably would never, ever be lucky enough to get a little close to him, ever, but I do like him. So I was afraid that if he was there and somebody was gonna get killed, to have Shane there would just be asking for it to be him. Even if he wasn't in danger there, then I'd be in more danger -- especially if he liked me. 'Cause then, I'd probably get killed. "

"Then you were in greater danger than you knew, "Rudhi laughed.

"How do you mean?" Callie asked, not getting it.

"Because I can say that Shane has been pacing restlessly ever since we left,"Rudhi grinned.

"How do you know that?" Callie demanded and Rudhi shrugged, "I cannot explain it so that it makes any sense to you. It is just something that I know. You do not see your long hair as it blows behind you in the wind and yet you know to a fair degree that it is alright and not on fire now, correct?"

"Well... yeah," Callie said, a little nervously.

"Just so," Rudhi said, "I just know. You could ask one of the others when we return if you wish, but I know that it is so because Shane likes you. They do not have these hopes for anyone because of what they are. To meet someone like you, who is lovely, and who knows the life of the wolf-born -- even though she is human, " Rudhi smiled over, "that is rare and he knows it."

What about D'Arcy?" Callie asked.

"Why do you think I wish to know so much?" Rudhi smiled, "I see that I have the chance that I desire so much, and I will not waste it. In all of my time, I have never met one like him. I have never even seen one like him."

"Can you uh, ... " Callie thought hard on just how to frame her question, "Can you see them as they really are?"

Rudhi nodded, "I can. I see everything at once. I see them as the men that they hide as in their human clothes but I can also see them without all of that. Why do you ask?"

"Please don't misunderstand me," Callie said a little uncomfortably, "but what does Shane have, uh, ..."

She motioned a little lower with her hand and her companion laughed, "I cannot say. I see what is there, but it is a little different from what I have seen on other males here,"

Callie nodded, "That's because they're made more like wolves there. But what you ought to be seeing should be bigger than what you'd see on a wolf."

Rudhi began to laugh, "I have not seen many wolves here. I was not looking at the ones that I saw for this! But I think that I can say that if there is what I think there is there, we should be pleased. "

She looked at Callie, "But -- "

Callie shook her head, "Not like a man. It's different. The end is more pointed though it ought to be fat overall, and the part close to his body is the thickest. I don't know exactly because I was just a kid and Bobby wouldn't do anything until I was eighteen, but there's a part there that's supposed to feel pretty good to a girl."

"How do you know that?" Rudhi asked, intrigued now.

"Because Bobby had an older sister who was married, that's how I know," Callie stated with a degree of certainty, "I asked her and she told me. She and her husband had to go to Mexico to see his family, but before they left, she was always telling Bobby to hurry up and make me his bitch because for sure, he'd never find one who'd love him as much as me.

And I ought to say that to them, they use that word to mean a female of their kind and it's not like we say it. They mean it with respect, not as an insult like humans do. They'd call a human girl a female, but a wolf-born girl is a bitch."

"What about someone like me?" Rudhi asked, "I do not think that a bite can make me what D'Arcy and Shane are. What if I am with D'Arcy as his female? Is there a name for that?"

Callie shook her head, "No. If you mean that you're paired with him, but you can't be turned, well then, I guess that if he loves you, then you'd still be his bitch."

Rudhi smiled a little at that. "Then if I can have my chance, I wish to be D'Arcy's bitch. I do not know how, but I will try to be a good one."

She looked over and Callie was smiling at her warmly, "They have a name for that, Rudhi, and I'm sure that if I asked him, D'Arcy would already tell anyone that you're a fine bitch to his eyes. Hell, even I could see that just by looking at him. I don't even have to be a super girl like you for that, Rudhi."

They rode on in silence for few minutes before Callie turned and looked at Rudhi, "Hey, you do know that they're different to human men in bed, don't you?"

"Yes, Rudhi nodded in a general sort of way, "I thought that they would be. Stronger, rougher as you said. Does that mean that they go longer?"

"How would I know?" Callie laughed, "but Bobby's sister said they did. She also said they were were different in another way."

Rudhi listened looking over and then her jaw began to fall open. "How many times?"

Callie laughed as she held up the number of fingers and then she rolled her eyes, "Oh, so now you want to hear about that, huh?"

Shane and D'arcy looked up from their meal as they heard the two of them, still far out in the darkness and laughing as they approached slowly.

"I guess that must have gone well then," Shane volunteered.

"Must have," D'Arcy nodded as he made up a plate for Rudhi.