I hate myself for prolonging this story but its hard to try to make this as good as in my mind. im sorry for those reading this. also I won't be making much updates for this story for a while due to being in college and having a job.
Moving down into the basement, Malachi thought of all the family that would be in danger if he didn't kill the creatures coming around. He worried for everyone, this being the first reunion they ever had in awhile. It seemed like the family had attracts nothing but trouble. Grabbing his knife, he stopped at the last step in front of the two captees. Looking up finally he saw her.
For a moment, Malachi's train of thought paused for what seemed like an eternity. The blonde girl appearance was unreal to him: she had a face an angel, round face with small pop marks on the sides of her cheeks that were charming in a way along with big green/ blue eyes that raged like a sea with curtained black lashes and her peachy bow lips quivered slightly with fear and anger. Her hair was wild, wavy, and tangled. Even in poor lighting she shined and Malachi forgot entirely the situation he was too fascinated with her appearance that he didn't notice her saying something.
"...What?" Malachai managed to choke out.
Qiana was scared and the boy didn't have much to say except he kept staring at her. She hoped the growls and purrs she heard a while ago were still around, glancing over at the clutched bowie knife, she wasn't sure she would be alive after this. The look in his eye was one she had to re-read. The smell of his scent slightly changed along with his body temperature. But this look was almost unfamiliar.
Almost...
It seemed as if he snapped out of it and asked what she said. Becoming more angry and frightened, Qiana raised her voice loud, "I said who are you? And what do you want?!"
He was tall, broad shouldered boy with freckles and a slight overbite. His hair was orange reddish and even though he want as formidable looking as giant that threw her and Germs in the basement, he was still very terrifying.
Malachi couldn't believe himself, he had a job to do. Forcefully snapping out of it, he grabbed Qiana by the arms quickly tossing her away from Germs. Yelpping as she hit the ground, she watched Malachi dragging her dear friend to a strapped chopping table. Qiana quivering in fear, she still managed to stand up, she couldn't let this happen. Her friends were her family.
Determined, she hurled at Malachi full speed knocking the wind out of him and nearly over the table. Fighting with all that she could, Qiana was not that big and her claws and bite weren't much. Malachi then threw her down tumbling across the mudded and flooded floor.
He knew she was going to make a move. He saw the same sea colored eyes staring intensely at him in anger. In a sick way he wanted her to attack him, she wouldn't stand a chance being so weak. Qiana rolled over and got up, immediately latching onto his back trying to put him in a headlock, fighting dirty with every tooth and nail. Smirking, he caught her arms and threw himself forward making her flip onto the ground landing on her back.
Coughing, she felt her whole doom coming into flourishion as the ginger knelt onto her arms. He had her trapped and looking into her eyes he smiled as she knew it too. Fearing for her own life, shapeshifting now meant leaving Germs behind but it was the only option left. Qiana's eyes grew wider with a golden color, and Malachi's smile left.
"'Bout gat damn time you sons of bitches help me around with shit." Alfredo said to Tinker and Tex. They were out back about half a mile away from the Hewitt house burying and burning skeletal remains of victims. Because there was not a lot of help around besides Tommy some men of the family had to help clean up.
"Well," Tex started wiping the sweat from his brow, "I don't do any of this for you, I do it for Mama and Aunty Mae-mae. In fact, I gotta say I help more out than those two idiots." He thumbed back to where the twins Nubbins and Chop-Top were catching up, giggling and slapping each other.
"Aw shucks, them boys? Why to Drayton they do plenty!" Tinker said watching the inseparable twins fidgeting.
"Plenty of ass scratching." He snorted.
As both twins caught up, Nubbins was still giggling and pointed over to Tinker, "Ha! Ha! H-hey! Y'know what?! You just a tired mangey ol' dog is all! And you three mad that bubba ain't there to help ya no more!"
Chop Top joined in noticing his cousins getting irritated, "Hahahaha! Y'all wouldn't know how to pick up the slack even if your own Mama walked up outta that wheelchair!" He yelled out scratching his head plate with dirty nails.
"What you say 'bout our ma boy?" Tex yelled out grabbing Chop top by his collar quick lifting him off the ground.
Alfredo dropped one of the corpses to grab Nubbins hair, "Don't you know she kin? Hell, she be your sister and aunty too so bes' shut cha damn mouth!"
"If y'all wanna have some shit to dish out about you need to be talkin bout them Slaughters!" Tinker called out to all of them, "Hell, that jezabel hussie Darla ain't even our kind." All nodded in agreement while the twins were let go of. It had been years that they have seen Vilmer or W.E, their long lost cousins and the only ones that were first to see them were the Hewitts. Because of their return a reunion was called and caught everyone by surprise.
Rubbing his neck, Nubbins said, "Nevermind her! Th-that shit stain of a traitor Vilmer and his dog dick of a brother ran out on us Sawyers a loooong time ago! Thinking he'd be the next Evel Knievel or sumthin."
Tex, Tinker, and Alfredo looked at each other realizing a long kept family secret that was never really talked about, until now.
"That's what happened?" Tex asked in a low voice. No one wanted to believe any of their family would turn against each other like that. That would make the Gatlin children more loyal than Vilmer and W.E.
"Oh yeah!" Chop Top said, "After Mama died, Drayton needed help with taking care of me and my brother. But lo and behold those ol' fags ran out." Chop Top explained in disgust while picking up a bag of bones from the ground. He hated to tell them that their long lost cousins which many believed to be lost or dead at first, that their disappearance was intentional, selfish and malicious.
"Aw hell! Why in the fuck they even here then?" Alfredo said fuming, "Of all the times they could've apologized and helped the family out when our backs were against the damn wall why now?"
"Oh naw come on now." Tex said with a heavy heart, "This is supposed to be a reunion. And our elders want nothing more than our family finally together now." Tex couldn't help but to feel a little sympathy for Vilmer. At one point in his own life he wanted to ran away from home to escape their abusive father. Whenever not beating their mom Anne to a bloody pulp, he would beat Tex and make his brothers watch whenever catching him putting on his mom's nail polish and clothes. He couldn't be mad at Vilmer and W.E for wanting to leave their life behind forever. But in the end, Vilmer became needing the family once again. Their bloodline ran thicker than water, more than most families.
Everyone grumbled with what Tex had said and proceeded to pick up the remains to dump and burn. Once everything was together, they heard a foreign voice creep up from behind.
"Sorry to interrupt."
All turned to see in surprise. Up the dirt trail from where the men walked from, stood a naked, pale, and freckled faced woman with short black hair. Next to her, a pack of panthers were snarling eyes and teeth gleaming, ready to pounce. Fear immediately stuck all of them as her eyes began to change large with color of golden green.
"You have our kin."
Luda Mae put the meat back in the oven after checking on it. She reckoned it wouldn't be ready for another half hour. Adjusting her glasses, she straighten up from bending over.
"This old back was not what it's used to be alright." She groaned. Tight and weary muscles contracted on her back as she sighed, "Ah hell, I do hope there will be enough food to go around."
Gladys shook her head which caused her chins to jiggle, as she set down her cup of tea, " Mm mm mm, you're busyin' yourself too much dear now come on and sit down."
Smiling, Luda Mae walked over to the main dining table adjacent from the kitchen, she sat down between her sisters Gladys and Anne Sawyer.
Pushing her electronic voice box, Anne started her endearments, "Oh dear girls, I have missed the both you. Y'know things haven't been the same not seeing y'all everyday."
Luda Mae gave a warm smile and held out a hand to her sister gently. All three had been through so much and splitting up to evade detectives and law was not an easy thing.
"Deary, y'all being here under this one roof with our families together can make me die happy."
Gladys nodded in agreement, "Makes me feel at more at home together, if only our brother Vincent and sister Velma were here. They'd be so happy." She adjusted her glasses in a way to not cry, Gladys would hate to ruin a happy moment.
Anne spoke up again, "I'm sure Vincent and our sweetheart Velma wouldn't miss it for the world." s
She smiled. All three were enjoying each other's company continuing to chat away over some tea when Luda Mae thought of their cruel brother Vincent, Velma's sad death during childbirth of the twins, and suddenly remembered of what Malachi had told her. She had sent out Tommy and Hoyt not too long after to check around as far as they could. Since nothing had come up, she figured the other boys that were out dumping the trash they would find the creatures first and hopefully would take care of it. She tried to control her quivering hands to be strong in front of her family as they weren't in danger yet. Sipping on earl gray tea in a porcelain cup, Luda Mae looked over to her left as she saw through the back door window. Darla and Vilmer, were outside talking on the porch. Her heart felt betrayed and still couldn't understand why Vilmer would come back again. Still, she couldn't help but to remind herself that family is family and couldn't be torn.
"Why do we have to be here Vilmer? If anything we should've stayed far away." Darla had just lit a cigarette and was leaning against the door when Vilmer snapped back at her.
"Won't you shut the hell up for once?" He sighed. Vilmer never was at peace with himself anymore since the day he ran away. Standing, he looked down to his handicapped leg and wondered if getting shot was worth it. It seemed like yesterday when he was 12 and W.E was 9 had ran away to leave the Sawyer house. A tan backpack was all that the two boys had to make a run for it, but Drayton had spotted them running down from the house. He aimed and shot his gun at Vilmer's leg, probably to slow them down and to make them stay. But with luck, W.E helped his brother up and thankfully a truck was nearby enough to pick them up. Both brother's had dreams of being stuntmen at that young age and didn't want a deranged family dragging them down, of course that never happened and the habits and sacrifices that the family made caught up to Vilmer and W.E. Slaughtering, killing, and torturing were these habits that could never go away no matter how far they could run.
Remembering this, he looked by Darla to inside the house where the kitchen was. He saw Luda Mae drinking tea and thought about the last time he ever saw her before he ran away. In the past she had few wrinkles, and her light brown hair still poked through grey roots, she was beautiful then and still so now. He wondered if the stress of protecting the family took a toll on her health or perhaps bad ageing. Her hair was thinner and her dancing eyes now became glossy as if she was always in a deep thought that had her worried. He couldn't help to blame himself.
Darla crossed her arms taking a long drag from her cigarette, being around all of Vilmer's family wasn't the greatest experience. On the way to the reunion Vilmer had taken a lot of his frustrations out on her and W.E. As much as she hated him she couldn't let him go. He controlled her, and if she even thought about leaving, Rothman would come after her. Still, being with his inbred family was a lot better than being killed. Despite their problems she hoped Vilmer's family would find it in their hearts to forgive him eventually. She recalled meeting the Hewitt's last month and the new kids from Nebraska that helped out the family. Before leaving that same day, Luda Mae had offered a reunion, Vilmer wasn't too excited but accepted anyways. Darla wanted to know how the family was connected to Rothman but didn't want Vilmer to shoot her down.
"Hey, did you see that?"
Vilmer broke Darla's train of thought when suddenly around the corner of the house, both were pounced to the ground. Darla screamed in agony as large claws tore down her back and another cry was heard as Vilmer's arm was bitten by a large, dark beast. The snarling black panthers teeth only dug deeper.
In the living room, Hoyt, Drayton, Monty and Tommy were playing a game of cards. Sitting on Tommy's lap was his daughter Babi holding a deck of cards. He missed her as he could only see her every so often as she bounced from family to family. Due to her having to be the most protected as she symbolized the family bloodline would survive.
Hoyt wanted nothing better than the family being whole. Admittedly he didn't like Vilmers rat ass being here at his house but he did it out of love for Luda Mae. An ass beating would have to be addressed later for the Slaughter brothers.
"Boy I tell you what amazes me," Monty started, scratching his chin, "How can you hold back your fist seeing those boys Drayton?"
Drayton answered, "Ahh hell they ain't worth a damn though you know, I'm not holding back any tongue to those damn empty headed fools. Heh, I tell you that much."
"Y'know, me and Monty here been thinking about giving those boys a nice welcome back home," Hoyt said to Drayton, "See, Monty aint got no legs so maybe you ought to help out with our late night "welcome back home" gift." He finished, chuckling a bit with Monty.
Drayton for a moment had an expression of concern, but for those who knew him his feelings would change constantly and in the next moment, he gave his brother's a wide grin, "Ah hell sure! It wouldn't hurt none I reckon we show their little girlfriend a nice time too."
All men began to laugh except Tommy. He loved his family but didn't like how they talked about all this in front of his daughter. Sure, Babi wasn't technically his but she was still blood and he was the only one who bothered to claim her. It all started way back when he still lived with the Sawyers. In the middle of winter he had overheard the twins, Tinker, Tex, and Alfredo laughing and a girl screaming over at the old abandoned Hardesty house. He knew what they were doing but went near the house anyways as he wondered why they would waste time doing something like this? Maybe it was fun and felt good but all Tommy could think about the bloody mess he had to clean up or else he'd get yelled at and beaten by Drayton. Once her screaming had stopped and his brothers had left, Tommy went inside to see the bloody and naked girl curled up and limp. Picking her up by her blonde hair the girl let out a quiet whimper. It had been the only girl that had survived the brutal rape out of many. He secretly took care of the girl in a remote place up until Babi was only 3 months old however when her mother took her own life. It wasn't easy for the family to accept her right away seeing as Tommy had lied. But she became everyone's sweetheart.
After Monty decided to retire in his room til dinner was ready, Tommy picked up Babi in his arms, and walked up stairs to a spare room where Henrietta and her baby were. He really liked how sweet Henrietta was, but knew how terrifying she can be.
Henrietta was laying down on the bed with her baby when she noticed Tommy in the doorway holding his sleepy Babi in his arms.
"Hey You," Henrietta patted the bedside next to her, "C'mere."
More than willing, he quickly made his way on the bed laying next to her. She smelled of black tea her and her mother Gladys always drunk and her short fine hair was slicked down for the family occasion. She wore an ankle length dark green dress w white floral design. Tommy thought she looked more beautiful than ever. Rocking their children in their arms Henrietta offered a friendly smile.
"So she turned 7 recently huh?" She asked Tommy. He shookhis head a yes and inched a little closer to her.
Sighing she said, "Wish we could've been there at the Sawyers to celebrate. But I guess that's all gonna change now huh? Luda Mae sure does miss everyone together. Might become a permanent thing."
Tommy thought about that decision. He did miss his family even his estranged cousins, and being with all of them in the same place in a while was quite nice. However, tensions were still high with not only family troubles but what Malachi had warned of.
His cousins and brother were out before they could tell them to be on the lookout. And even though Drayton, Hoyt and him couldn't find anyone or any animals in sight there was still a fear. It had only been discussed with Hewitts and Drayton.
Henrietta pulled Tommy by the sleeve. "Hey sweet boy, you daydreaming off again?"
Before Tommy could pat her knee in assurance he heard a loud roar and Luda Mae screaming.
Quickly putting a sleeping Babi on the bed Tommy wasted no time and ran out making Henrietta stay put with the children. Running downstairs, Hoyt and Drayton were standing outside with Luda Mae crouching in the doorway, sobbing. Tommy grabbed his chainsaw by the couch and revved it up.
"Set that damn thing down boy!" Hoyt yelled out, "Your cousins hurt!"
Looking outside the back door lied Vilmer in Luda Maes lap and his girlfriend Darla both crying out in pain with blood oozing out their wounds.
"I saw it! i saw it!," Luda Mae screamed out to Hoyt grabbing onto his arm,"Charlie! It was a huge devil cat! It ran off over there!" She pointed toward the left where the cat leaped back. Hoyt grabbed his gun and Tommy out into the direction with Drayton following. "Take care of Vilmer, and don't fucking call me Charlie."
In what seemed like mere moments walking into the bush, the three men looked around when suddenly three panthers pounced out of the shadows by them - Tinker having been caught.
Caught in their jaws, tinker tried to fight back as his arms and right leg got mangled. Trying to break free he kicked a panther on its face and nose repeatedly until it let go, wailing in pain. Just as he had seen it happen before, the beast warped back to a girl with short platinum blonde hair bleeding out her mouth and nose. Seeing Hoyt, Drayton, and Tommy, he yelled out to them.
"Help me! Get these fucking things off me!" Tinker screamed in agony.
Afraid of Tinker getting any more hurt, Hoyt yanked the chainsaw from Tommy, "Get those goddamn beasts off your cousin!"
In a flash Tommy used his brute strength and grabbed one panther by its neck and threw it down away from them. It howled and screeched as it hit the ground and stayed on its side transforming into a human girl. Something that would freak out Tommy but didn't pay any attention as he grabbed the last cat by the scruff of its neck. Tommy was in full rampage, lifting the last beast in the air he threw the cat far enough through the kitchen window.
Luda Mae and her sister screamed in horror as the bloodied panther broke through the window and onto the table.
"Go in the bedroom!" Luda Mae yelled at her two sister's. She followed closely behind a struggling Gladys and Anne to the back room, when something caught her eye. On the table laid a limp naked body of a woman with short, and dark hair. Frightened at the transformation and Malachai's tale being true, her racing thoughts stopped when she noticed something strange.
There was a birthmark on her back. One that was very familiar. Luda Mae stopped in the doorway staring of what seemed like eternity. The woman passed out on the kitchen table had long legs and square hips, the birthmark was reddish in color that stretched from across her left shoulder blade, and scars marred her back up and down. Her hair looked all too familiar at a second glance also. Getting curious, she carefully inched closer to see the woman's face. Quietly and carefully she got close enough to see one side of her face: thick eyebrows, a boney nose, thin and shapely lips, and few dark freckles near her eyes.
She looked like Vera.
"Luda? Where are you girl?" Yelled out a worried Gladys.
Remembering again the a whirl of danger, Luda Mae began to back away into the hall. Turning around she stopped dead in her tracks. The basement door was shaking. Gladys and Anne were watching with horror from the bedroom doorway when suddenly the basement door burst open with a bloody Malachi on top of a torn up and beaten girl. Holding her down in restraints, she was beyond defeated and became too weak from Malachi's vicious attack. She thought she was strong enough. But the Redhead had won.
"Luda!" Malachi hollered in hysterics. All the woman into full panic mode now.
"Get some damn twinings around her wrists!" He said sitting up on top of Qiana's back.
Struggling to pick up her neck, Qiana looked at the older women in a bloody haze. She thought she could do it. She thought she could prove herself as a once lone shifter she would have some chance of surviving on her own, saving her friend Germs, and escaping with the Aussies. But even they couldn't help her.
Hoyt and Drayton came into the house with Tommy carrying Tinker on his shoulder. Slowly, Tommy put him down on the couch as Tinker groaned in pain. Hoyt and Drayton noticed Malachai tying the blonde girl down and their sister's relieved for their family be alive still
"There's another one laid splat on the table!" Gladys warned out. Hoyt and Drayton walked into the kitchen to see the unconscious girl covered in glass.
Without much of a care, Hoyt patted Drayton on the back, "See if you can get that thing downstairs, old man." Drayton nodded as he was handed some twinings by Malachai and made his way to the table while Hoyt then started to yell at Tommy for what he did to the window and for letting Tinker get attacked.
As soon as Drayton saw more closely of the girls face and her back he stood still. Carefully lifting up her head and dusting the glass shards away, he could only see a person he knew.
A person he knew from birth.
A wife.
A mother once.
His little sister vera.
The world stood still until he heard Tinker talked out loud.
"Them other beasts still out there," groaned Tinker. "They have Tex and the rest of them. Go get em Tommy Gadamn it!"
Picking up his saw, Tommy made his way angrily outside. He was beyond pissed. How dare these creatures come onto their property and attack his family on this very special reunion day. Seeing red, he hollered out madly and swung his chainsaw in the air as he ra down the back way his cousins went.
"I told them to get one of the councilmen." Jordon said to Caz.
It was quiet going down the desert paved road. One of the Australian shifters flew back to the camp spot where both teens were waiting and gave directions where to get Qiana and Germs back. But what jordan taking the initiative to invite one the the, "councilmen," was only going to put the plan and lives in jeopardy.
Punching the side of his face, Caz yelled out "WHY DID YOU DO THAT? You dumb bitch! You only get a councilman when we can't do shit, fucking shit, we had this under control!"
"I panicked, ok?!" Jordan yelled back rubbing his cheek. The Aussie in the back seat jumped up and pointed forward between the two.
"There! There! See?" She said in her squeaky voice. Down the way two houses appeared and the faint scent of their friends were still there in the larger house. Stopping the car far down the way, all three shifters got out but Caz insisted he would go in alone.
"I have to do this by myself, I'll let y'all know when I need help." The two other shifters nodded in agreement as Caz made his way to the house.
The other shifters scent was in the air, and for the time being none of them were close by. Running now towards the large front door, he could smell Qiana's blood, tears, and fear being surrounded by others. No time to waste, Caz kicked the door down where in the hall in front of him laid Qiana with ties around her wrists and ankles. Surrounding her were three old women and men, with a redheaded man kneeling over her. All looking back at Caz. With enough strength Qiana lifted her head to see Caz again, her best friend and defender was finally here.