I don't own any Twilight Charatures, only the ones I have made up. SM owns twilight.
The Cowboy and Skinwalkers.
"I wonder if Rose and Alice have gotten back from Seattle." Emmet mused as he and Jasper walked among the mottled colors of the forest above the small sleepy town of Forks Washington, Not really hunting, just looking for some fun with the local predators.
"You know how those girls are once they get the shopping bug in their ear." Jasper ran his pale fingers through his blond hair.
"Yeah, glad we didn't get drug along, yeesh I hate going to malls." Emmet grimaced as he thought of the sea of humanity he would have to swim through, all the while controlling the burn of thirst in his throat. "Wonder how Edward lucked out with Bella, She doesn't seem to even care what she's wearing."
Jasper chuckled, shaking his head, "It must skip a generation, either that or it's a learned trait. Nessie seems to be growing into a cloths horse like her Aunties" They both though to Nessie, their niece that looked five but was actually only about 1 ¾ years old, and had the mind of a very sharp very precocious ten year old. How she preened like a peacock when her aunt s got a hold of her when her parents needed the "alone" time that Emmet was no longer at liberty to comment about., ever sense he and Bella had arm wrestled and she beat him. Jasper chuckled as he remembered both the look on Emmet's face and the Pissed off mood that oozed from him after the match. He did miss Alice though, and her perky ways and her spunky attitude. The breeze changed directions and Emmet put an arm out across Jaspers Chest.
"Smell that?" Jasper tested the breeze with his senses and caught the heavy musk of bear. The animal was not far, for two vampires, over in a glade where he sat on his haunches, eating the late summer berries that adorned the bushes like small red and purple Jewels. The bear, oblivious of the two deadlier predators behind him, perked his ears to the west at a rustling in the bushes. Jasper and Emmet caught the whiff of Mountain lion. Emmet looked over to Jasper and whispered, "This is going to be great! Front row seats to Wild Kingdom!" Jasper nodded his head. Just then, the Biggest Mountain lion either had ever seen broke its cover and entered the clearing with the bear. In its jaws was a small rabbit. The Bear, fully aware of the big cat huffed at it, then, instead of attacking, went right back on eating the berries. Emmet and Jasper looked at each other, confused. They continued to watch the unnatural behavior of both animals when the wind shifted. The Cougar reacted immediately, jumping to its feet once the scent of vampires reached its nose. The bear turned and roared at the two hidden vampires. Not that it did any good, both of them had hunted, killed and drank the blood of bears before. However, they were not prepared for what happened next. The mountain lion spun and ran back in the general direction that she had some in, while the bear backed away from the two vampires slowly. The Vampires emerged from their thicket and the bear did something that neither expected, It turned and ran. They chased it, the animal moving faster than any other bear they had come across yet, every occasionally it turned its head back to see if they were still following it. Suddenly it stopped; it had nowhere else to go. The bear had worked his way to the bottom of a sheer cliff. Turning slowly the bear looked wildly around at Jasper and Emmet, as if to find a way out. This is strange behavior for a bear. We have not had one run from us EVER, Jasper thought to himself. Usually they charged right into their doom. This one showed cognitive though then the rest. All of a sudden
The bear reared on his hind legs and roared his challenge. Emmet laughed and was about to charge when the cougar bounded into the clearing, a low growl coming from its throat.
"What the…" Jasper exclaimed, "Animals don't DO this."
"That's because these aren't normal animals." Called a voice with a strong Texas drawl from the foliage where the cougar had made its entrance. Emmet and Jasper started as a man stepped out into the clearing. He was roughly 29 or thirty, short and stocky clad in a buckskin shirt, blue jeans tucked into knee high brown leather boots. A wide brimmed straw cowboy hat shaded his sky blue eyes. On his chin was a copper goatee and his skin had a faint luminescence. He was not particularly handsome, but he did have striking features. Around his waist was belted a wide leather belt from which hung a long bowie knife with a stag antler handle on his left and a cowboy style pistol on the right. In his arms was cradled the biggest rifle Emmet and Jasper had ever seen. They looked beyond him into the trees and observed three mules, one with a riding saddle and two with pack rigs, in the brush. They were sniffing the air nervously, but their attention was directed to the two vampires and not the bear and cougar, both of which were still in defensive postures.
"I'm Tex," the stranger stated, lowering the rifle to his left side and using his right hand to tip the brim of his hat, "and my friend's names'll have to wait 'till they don't feel threatened. We know what ya'll are, but your secret is safe with us, we've got secrets of our own we wish to keep."
"You're not afraid or surprised, stranger, why is that?" Jasper asked, his accent shifting from what it normally was to match Tex's somewhat.
"Ahh, a fellow Texican I see, Houston area? Round the turn of the century I'd say." Jasper nodded, "I'm not surprised due to the fact of who my father was." The bear and the cougar relaxed a bit now that action was not inevitable.
"And who was he?" Emmet asked, still wary but not in attack mode.
"He was a half-breed. A hybrid of Human and Vampire." Tex stated, he leaned the rifle on a tree and sat on a log. He pulled a can of tobacco out of the pocket of his buckskin shirt, took a pinch of the brown snuff and put it in his mouth, between his cheek and gum. "I was born in 1801 in Albany Texas. I didn't grow as fast as my father, and didn't inherit his ability to drink blood, but I did get his longevity and a bit of his strength, though not as much as ya'll. I'm still stronger than the average human." the cougar came and sat on it's haunches on the ground by him and Tex reached out and laid a hand on it's head and started to rub it between it's ears. The cat moved its head into his hand encouraging him to rub harder, a purr of contentment came from its throat.
"You're father was a vampire/human hybrid?" Emmet shot a glance to Jasper who returned it with a surprised look.
"Yep, he was 214 years old when he was killed. He fought for the colonials in the revolutions, the south in the War Between the States, went on some campaigns with during the Indian wars. Finally met his end to a crazed Navajo skin walker 1845, but he gave as good as he got and I finished off that bastard before he could do any more harm."
"Wait a second." Jasper said shaking his head, "you're telling me that a hybrid can have children?"
"Yep, the lucky ones I guess. See that dun mule back there?" Tex asked pointing over his shoulder. Jasper and Emmet both nodded. "She was breed back to a quarter horse stud, carried the foal and delivered him. Her son was ¼ donkey and ¾ horse. It happens, rarely, but it does happen." Tex got on his feet, brushed bits of dirt. He retrieved his rifle from where it leaned against the tree and addressed the two vampires. "Well gentlemen, I've told you about myself, but I know nothing of you, however I would think that you being the most civilized two persons of your particular persuasion, that you might have a residence near buy. I would hate to invite myself to your abode, but we've been living in the bush for a while and would appreciate a bit of civilized comfort, if you know what I mean. I would love to hear the story behind those golden eyes."
Jasper and Emmet looked at each other and with a shrug Emmet said, "What could it hurt, He's kind of like family in a way." Jasper nodded and looked back at his fellow Texan,
"Sure, follow us, we'll go slowly."
"Oh don't worry none pard, Ole "Kitty" can track you, she's got a nose for these things." With that, Tex walked over to the mule with a saddle, swung on with agility not normally scene in a man of his stature and motioned for the two Cullens to proceed. Jasper and Emmet shrugged again and took off, well aware of the five animals and one "almost" human following them to the house.
"Wow a real old west cowboy, who would have though?" Emmet laughed, "Maybe he'll let me try out his gun."
"Oh brother, Em, you with a gun." Jasper groaned. Emmet just laughed again and sprinted towards the house.
Emmet and Jasper made it back to the house, long before their guest. The gathered the other members of their family in the living room and told them about what they had discovered. Bella and Edward looked shocked and Nessie got thoughtful.
"He's a Quarter Vampire?" Carlisle asked,
"That's what he said," Emmet replied leaning on the wall behind him.
"I thought Hybrids are Sterile." Bella said, looking first at Edward and then at Carlisle, both of them were the most scientific minded of the family.
"Well, he said that sometimes you can have a fertile hybrid, he said that one of his mules had a ¾ horse foal." Jasper stated.
"Well the Romans did have a saying kinda like our "Once in a Blue Moon" that translated to "When mules Foal" so apparently they do." Alice said, her brows furrowed together. Edward swung his head to the glass back wall of the house.
"They're hear, Bella, you'd better call Jacob, he needs to be here for this." Bella looked at Edward quizzically,
"He does?" Edward nodded,
"Yes he does," He walked over to the back wall and looked at the procession that had just emerged from the woods, The Mountain Lion was in the lead, followed by the man on a gray mule and bringing up the rear was the a huge black bear. "Apparently the quilutes aren't the only sharpshooters around.
The Cullens all exited the back door of the house, minus Bella and Nessi who went to call Jake, and stood in a group, waiting for the Texan and his companions to get closer, stopping about twenty feet from the group of Vampires. Tex swung down from his mule, petted the nervous animal on its neck, went back to the second mule, and rummaged around in one of the bags on the mules packsaddle. He withdrew two bundles, which he tossed to the bear, and the mountain lion, which caught them in their mouths and went around the other side of the mules. The Texan then went and with a hammer drove a stake into the ground and tied the lead mule's reins to it. He then stood, at ease and waited. Directly two figures, defiantly human, not the cougar, and the bear appeared from around the mules. One was a female, in a long buckskin dress, decorated in Native American style, her moccasins peeking out from the hem when she walked She was taller than the Texan, and her long raven hair was pulled into two pony tails. Her brown skin and facial features marked her as an American Indian. She took the left hand that the Texan offered and together they walked towards the Cullens. The other, a male, had a shirt that was like the Texan's was as tall as the Quilutes and could have passed off as one of them. Though the Quilutes were big they were not as Massive has he was.
Carlisle and Esme took as step forward and Carlisle extended his hand "I am Carlisle, this is my family, Emmet and Jasper you know," he said motioning to his adopted son's, "This is my wife Esme, My son Edward, my Daughters Alice and Rosalie, and Edward wife Bella, and their daughter Reenesme." Bella and Nessie had made their phone call and had joined the family, standing by Edward and Rose.
Tex took Carlisle's hand in his and shook it saying, "I'm Tex Montgomery and this is my Miss Kitty,"
"Kathryn," the female said, playfully punching Tex's shoulder, Tex grinned at her and continued
"And this 'Bear of a man' is Teddy," Teddy waved at everyone with an easy smile and said, "Theodore actually, Tex likes to think he's very cleaver." Emmet laughed a hearty laugh,
"I just got it, Teddy bear!" Teddy blushed and scrubbed his foot on the grass shaking his head. Carlisle gestured towards the house.
"Won't you come in? We have refreshments if you desire." The three started to follow the Cullens inside. Tex suddenly stopped and said, "Oh where are my manners," He turned trotted back to the mules, who were busy munching grass, casting wary looks at the vampires. While he traversed the ground to them, he reached down, unbuckled his gun belt from around his waist, and deposited it into the saddlebags on the back of the gray mule. He gave her a pat then turned and trotted back to the group.
"Sorry I sometimes forget to check my iron. I don't like to wear it around little ones." He said motioning to Nessie.
"Oh she's more than aware of what those do, her grandfather is the local police chief." Bella said looking at Nessie affectionately. "Not that it would hurt her or anything, considering how tuff her father is."
Tex's eyes go wide and he knelt down to see Nessie more clearly. "Well I'll be," He whistled through his teeth, "another one." He looked up and pointed wordlessly between Edward and Bella. Edward and Bella nodded. He stuck his hand out towards Nessie who took it in her what seemed to be five-year-old hand. He shook it gently and said, "My daddy was like you." Nessie grinned her bright dimpled grin. She liked getting attention from people who knew exactly what she was. Tex returned to his place by side Kathryn, both she and Teddy more relaxed with the discovery that Nessie was a hybrid. They were about to enter the house when Kathryn and Teddy tensed, spun and looked to the woods. Tex swore and took off towards the mules, faster than a normal would human take but not quite as fast as a full blood vampire, and tore his rifle from its scabbard when he got there. With a practiced motion he jacked a shell into the weapon and placed it at the ready on his shoulder. He and his friends eyed the woods when all of a sudden Jacob, Leah, Seth, Quill and Emory all came out of the woods chatting and laughing. The Quilutes stopped when they caught sight of Kitty, Teddy and Tex. Jake looked at the trio shook his head as if he could not believe what he was seeing and came forward, his arms raised in a sign of peace
"Hey Bells, what did you want us to see?" The New Trio looked at each other, confusion written on all of their faces. Tex put the hammer down his rifle and placed it back into the saddle scabbard on the side of the mule. Jake walked over to the Cullens, with the rest of his pack not far behind him. Bella, gestured to Tex, Kitty and Teddy,
"Jacob, you'll never believe it."
Every one clustered into the house after the new comers were introduced to the pack, and they all listened as Tex recounted the tail that he told Emmet and Jasper. When he got to the part about his father, Jacob interrupted him, "What's a Skin walker?" Everyone was surprised when Kathryn answered,
"It's what you and your friends are and what we are." She pointed at Teddy and back to herself.
"Skin walkers huh?" Emory shook his head, "I thought Quilutes were special in that we were the only people that turned into animals"
"Well you are very special," Teddy said looking at the pack, "Only the most powerful of skin walkers can change into wolves. Can all of you hear each other when you're in your wolf form?"
"Yeah, Jake can even hear the Alpha of the other pack." Quill told the two other skin walkers.
"There's more than one pack?" Kathryn looked around the room with wide eyes as those in attendance nodded.
"We ran into some trouble with the "Vampire" police soon after Neisse's birth. Big miss understanding." Carlisle, "we had to gather enough of us to bear witness on what actually happened."
"Yeah, all those vampires in once place triggered something in us and we started to become wolves" Jacob continued, "How do you guys first find your gift?"
Tex and Teddy looked at Kathryn who cleared her throat and said, "Well, the Navajo's have always had skin walkers, though most of our people think they are evil, you know how is, one rotten apple spoils the entire bushel. They call us yee naaldlooshii, which translates to 'with it, he goes on all fours'." People have been hurt and even killed when a skin walker couldn't control his anger, joy or whichever emotion that triggered the transformation." The Quilutes and Cullens nodded in understanding, all thinking about Emily Uley's disfigured face that her husband, Sam the Alpha of the other pack of Quileute wolves, had caused by accident when he phased to close to her. She continued, "But for the most part we are protectors of our people from the 'nightwalkers'."
"Nightwalkers huh? Why do I think she's talking about us?" Jasper said, looking around at his family.
"Well, we do protect people from the ones that prey on humans, though we know you are different, we just don't know how. That is why when I saw you in the woods I told Teddy to lead you off while I went to get Tex. I didn't want to try to talk to you in human form for fear that you were like the rest."
"How could you tell the difference? They all stink to me, even you Bells, no offence." Jacob added as Bella threw a couch cushion at him.
"I can tell a subtle difference in their sent. It still burns, but it has a less of an edge to it." Kitty answered. "I've come across it before in our travels, but haven't really thought much of it. Do all of you have golden eyes?"
"We're different from others of our race because we don't partake of human blood, only that of animals." Edward explained, "Animal blood dilutes the color of our eyes from red to amber to gold. We call ourselves vegetarians"
"Hmmm, I didn't think that was possible, I mean to abstain totally from human blood." Tex shifted his in his chair, "Dad was always telling his cautionary tails of how his father would go after humans when ever he could without drawing attention to himself."
"What happened to your grandfather," Alice asked,
"He and Dad had a falling out, and Dad had to put him down. With out my father there to "temper" his actions, he went crazy, killing indiscriminately. See Dad cherished human life, he always kind of felt guilty about what happened to Grandmother." Everyone in the house thought back to Nessie's birth and how it nearly killed Bella. Only Edwards quick actions with Vampire venom saved her from dying, permanently. "So when Granpa went nuts, dad felt it was his duty to stop him. I guess it's because of him that I do what I do."
"What I want to know is what ole Tex there though he was going to do with those pop guns he has. So far I haven't found anything that man can make that'll destroy us." Emmet said with an I dared you grin. Tex chuckled.
"Well I agree, Vamps, and even Hybrids have tougher hides than normal, but that doesn't mean they're indestructible." He reached into his pocket and withdrew a large round, about the diameter of his thumb. "This is a Raufoss Mk.211 .50 cal round. It has an armor-piercing tungsten core, a small Explosive and an incendiary component. It's used by the military to take down helicopters, light armored transports and get to the people inside them. I use a custom Sharps style lever action breech loading rifle that has "beefed up" to lob these babies. What I do is let Teddy and Kitty work 'em over and then take my shot." The Cullens and the wolves looked at each other in astonishment.
Carlisle cleared his throat and asked, "How affective is it?"
Tex replied, "Lights me up like the Fourth of July."
"He took out one that was terrorizing a small Mexican Village at 2600 yards." Kitty said beaming with pride.
"That's over a MILE!" Jasper said as everyone's expression turned to shock. Tex and his two compatriots seemed uneasy as they looked at the gathered faces.
"Let me just say that, I don't get a kick out of doing it, I just don't want the Massive bloodshed that happened in the south and southwest around the turn of the century. I remember that vividly, it was all dads and I could do not to be caught up in it. We stayed out in the Guadalupe Mountains during those awful times. Still don't know what put an end to it."
"I was turned right before that, I remember it as well," Jasper said, his eyes vacant as he remember the bloodiest chapter in his history. He whispered, "No one wants that."
"So you're a bunch of vampire hunters?" Bella asked her eyes narrow. Tex shifted in his seat uncomfortably.
"We're more of bounty hunters. We don't go out and kill every vampire we come across. You two are still here." He gestured at Jasper and Emmet.
"And it's not just Vampires either. We go after any…" Kitty searched for the right word, "Supernatural creature that makes a nuisance of it's self."
"Such as?" Rose asked, her eyebrow raised in interest.
"Well, there were some rogue Skin walkers messing with people out in New Mexico and Arizona." Teddy ticked off each with his fingers, "a Sasquatch problems in Oregon, a pack of Chupacabra in Costa Rico, and most recently we bagged a Wendigo in Northern Canada."
"Who pays the Bounties?" Edward asked, leaning forward.
"Well, mainly the communities that the Creatures are tormenting, they get together and contact us through a cryptozoologist friend of ours." Tex answered
"Cryptozoologist?" Carlisle asked with a quizzical expression on his face.
"Yeah, a guy that searches for Unknown or Mythical animals. We call him Dr. J Doe. Totally anonymous, he knows us but we don't know him by name. He's got more money than sense. He doesn't go public, he just wants to know for his own reason." Tex chuckled while shaking his head.
"So what brings you guys up here?" Edward asked frowning, looking around the room
"Well, we're on the trail of a pair of outlaw Vampires that have started a small turf war in South America and the Vampires that they're messing with actually contracted the hit." Tex leaned back and put his hands on top of his head, his hat was on his knee. "They figured it would be better if we took care of it, so they didn't have to attract the attention of someone they called the Volturi."
Tell me what you think. I need some help on the Plot flow for the next chapter, any ideas?