Shadow Riders

Chapter 1

"John, I swear to god if you don't stop bitching, I'm going to shove this spatula up your ass!" Caressa growled at her brother, shaking her head, still not believing she took him with her. Not that he wanted to come, but then again, he had begged her, saying she couldn't live in Texas alone. Apparently he thought a bunch of creeps and weirdoes lived in the south. Caressa snorted, unloading more silverware and kitchen supplies from the box, wiping the sweat from her brow.

John was East Coast through and through, scowling and pulled off his white beater, using it wipe sweat off his forehead and upper body. "This place is hotter then hell, not to mention you live in the middle of nowhere! Haven't you ever seen the Texas Chainsaw Massacre?" He growled, busy unpacking her dishes and setting them out to be wiped down.

"I like my privacy." Caressa replied simply and rolled her eyes before grabbing another box full of pots and pans. "And it's like you didn't have to come you know." She pointed out, smirking when he scowled at her harder, and chuckled. "Come on John. You know how much I love the south. This is a nice change for me and you." She stood back and pulled her dark tan tank top from her chest, sweat forcing it to stick to her body, along with her blue jean shorts. "Besides, look at the size of this house!"

John just grumbled out of his breath, hardly believing he hadn't been able to talk her out of this...fiasco. "We'll have to get you some air conditioners." He said at last, having noticed there were spots for them but none installed. "One upstairs and down. Who the hell owned this place?" He demanded, surveying the neutral colored kitchen, already knowing Caressa would be redecorating.

"I'm not sure, didn't really look into the previous owners." She shrugged when her brother gaped at her, rolling her eyes before shutting the cabinet with the pots and pans in it. "Look John, if you don't like it here than leave. I can handle it here by myself. You're paying for your own plane ticket though and when mom and dad ask you why you're back so soon, you can explain to them why you have to take over their space AGAIN." Caressa snatched the box from him, anger in her fiery golden eyes. "And this house has central air, it just has to be installed."

"That was low." John snapped, not believing she had used the parent card against him. "Besides, if they find out I left their little baby all alone in Hicksville, Dad will murder me." He had been expressly warned to not let Caressa get into trouble, their parents were seriously over-protective. "This house is big enough for you to let me stay awhile, you'll hardly even know I'm here. Mostly."

"Then quit bitching and make yourself useful." Caressa spat back at him, eyes flashing angrily, knowing how protective their parents were.

That's why she moved away from West Newbury, to get away from them, to start her own life. She was twenty-five and could clearly take care of herself. She didn't need big brother here to protect her and scowled at the mere thought before unpacking another box.

"What do you think I've been doing?" He growled, tossing the empty box aside and starting on another, smirking when he seen a spider crawling along the counter. Texas was filled with creepy crawling things. "Don't they have scorpions here?" He asked casually, beginning to rinse off the plates and dry them before putting them away.

"If they do, I hope one bites you." She stated heatedly, smirking when he just glared back at her.

This was how they got along and Caressa seemed to always get the best of John. They were five years apart, John being thirty, though they weren't related by blood. Caressa took after her mother and deceased father with her red hair, which was now dyed a dark blood red, along with her amber colored eyes. She inherited them from her father, who had died in a factory accident. It was right after she was born that it happened and soon after, her mother met John's father. They were married in a small ceremony, John was eight and Caressa was three. They never got along, each set in their own ways, but Caressa would die for her brother and she knew he would do the same for her.

"Good, then I'll die here and rot in this damn heat. You know, that's probably what happened to whoever owned this place." John teased. "Somewhere out in your brand new, dirt backyard is a dead body, stinking in the sun, all because a scorpion got to him or her." He ducked when a frying pan came flying at his head. "Close, but not quite-" He groaned when a pot struck him between the eyes, stumbling back into the wall.

"I hate you." Caressa growled before going back to washing the dishes, scrubbing furiously at the pot because her brother refused to leave her alone about her decision. 'I should've never brought him with.' She thought bitterly, slamming the pot in the sink, growling when he wrapped an arm around her waist. "Don't touch me, John." She sighed when he simply kissed the top of her head, knowing he meant well, but sometimes he could be so damn overbearing. She finally turned around and looked at his forehead, shaking her head, glad she hadn't busted him open. "Stop complaining so much, alright? This is my decision and I'm sticking to it."

"Yeah, yeah." John said, rolling his eyes. "I'll TRY to keep my opinions to myself, but no promises." He flexed his muscles, stepping away from her. "I'm going to bring in your couch, where do you want it?" Okay, maybe it was more like a loveseat. Caressa was going to have to get some new furniture when she got settled in because their parents had loaded her ass on old, 'starter' pieces.

Smiling at him, Caressa pulled him into the living room and pointed at the space. "There. Make sure you bring the carpet in first that I bought because it's going underneath that." She explained softly, knowing there was no way she could lift the heavier furniture.

Her parents had been gracious enough to give her a few things, but Caressa knew she would have to buy the brunt of it. She was prepared, having saved up for this since getting out of high school, nearly seven years ago. She'd seen this house in an ad in the paper, having decided long ago she wanted to live in Houston, Texas. And now here she was, with an overbearing brother, but her dreams were coming true.

"That's why you tolerate me, free labor." He joked, walking outside. He was gone for a moment before returning with the carpet over one shoulder, not even appearing to care that it was heavy as hell. "Here?" He dropped it and unrolled it, arching an eyebrow at the look of it. "What color is that exactly?"

"Midnight blue." She smiled up at him, having been measuring the flooring, and nodded before letting the tape slide back inside the contraption. "The couch will fit perfect in that spot. I knew it." Caressa sighed happily and kissed his cheek. "Thank you big brother." She batted her eyelashes at him and yelped when he smacked her ass, returning the favor. "Okay enough of this. Keep going."

She couldn't believe how strong her brother was, he'd worked out from the time he was fifteen and hadn't missed a day...until now. Though moving was a workout so technically he wasn't missing anything. Caressa went back into the kitchen and finished unpacking the boxes for it before starting on the living room.

John hauled in her furniture, the sweat glistening off his body, both from the heavy hauling and the hot Texas heat. He was going to have a heat stroke, he knew it. Finally, he had everything in the house and just dropped down onto the couch. The living room was cluttered, but when she told him where shit went, he would move it. Providing he didn't fall asleep of course.

They worked until sundown, in which case Caressa collapsed on the new carpet, right in front of the fireplace. They had moved every last item, every stitch, and unpacked most of it. Caressa sighed as she slowly sat up from the floor, her legs stretched out in front of her, seeing her brother was completely exhausted.

"So, what do you say we get cleaned up and go into town for some dinner?" She suggested with a sweet smile, causing John to groan, which prompted a giggle.

John arched an eyebrow, wondering if she was for real. Seeing she was, he just nodded, pushing himself up from the couch with a soft groan. "Give me weights any day." He joked half-heartedly. "I need a shower first, I stink to high heaven. Is there an indoor outhouse in this place?"

Caressa wanted to smack him upside his head, but refrained as she stood up, glaring at him. "Yes moron, there's two bathrooms downstairs and three upstairs. Take your pick." She snorted before walking past him up the wooden staircase, knowing she would have to re-polish it and whatnot.

Smirking, he opted for one downstairs, not in the mood to go up any stairs. He retrieved one of his bags from nearby the wall and disappeared. He shrieked when the water spurted out a yellow-brown color, jumping out of the shower. The house must have been sitting awhile because the plumbing groaned, the shower sputtering before going clear. Hesitantly, he stepped back in, really wanting that shower.

The house was centuries upon centuries old, Caressa knew that much, which is what attracted her to do it. Old houses meant everything was settled and used already. She didn't want a brand new house, there was always something wrong with them. Sighing gently, Caressa walked inside the door at the end of the hallway and smiled, knowing this was her new bedroom, the biggest in the house. It was almost the size of her old apartment back in West Newbury, with its own fireplace and bathroom. She peeled her clothes off on the way inside, not bothering to shut the door, and turned the water on, waiting for the pipes to drain of the muck before stepping in. It felt great having her first shower in her new home.

John made the shower quick, not knowing if he was going to get scalded or frost bitten. He dried off and pulled on a pair of blue jean shorts and a jersey, glad he had packed for the heat, not that shorts would be of much comfort. He didn't even like putting on his socks or shoes, they just made it worse. Grunting, he finger combed his short hair and walked out to wait on his insane sister.

Caressa walked downstairs a half an hour later, dressed in a blue jean skirt that went two inches above the knee along with a dark blue halter top, leaving her shoulders bare. Her hair was pulled back in a tight braid and she had silver hoop earrings dangling from her ears, a silver chain around her neck with an angel pendant attached and white Sketchers on her feet. She looked like she belonged and smiled at her brother, ignoring his disdain.

"I was thinking pizza, but it's up to you." She said, walking past him and out the front door.

"Pizza is fine, as long as it comes with beer. Oh wait- this is redneck central, if I don't drink the beer, I might be considered the devil or something." He mock smacked his head, snorting when she tried to slap him and stepped aside. "I promise, I'll behave myself." He said seriously. "I'll only THINK the comments."

"You are a piece of work, get in the truck." She ordered gravely, knowing she would have to do some car shopping in the morning, but right now all she wanted was food. She slid in the driver's side, waiting on her brother, and blasted the country music before heading out down the dirt road. She glanced back at her house in the rearview mirror, a smile on her glossy lips.

John had come prepared with a fully loaded I-Pod and slipped it over his head, bobbing his head to the beat, watching the scenery fly by. Why did she have to pick a house that was outside city limits? She could be murdered by some insane redneck and nobody would know for days. But then again, there were even more rednecks in town and she could just as easily be killed there, only her body would go into the road kill stew and they would all...He shook his head, trying to change his train of thoughts.

She could've easily been killed in West Newbury, no place to live was one hundred percent safe as Caressa sang to the radio, turning on the highway that lead to the city of Houston.