Wild West Part 8
Heero took a deep breath, tempted by the offer that the preacher had breathed into his ear.
But he couldn't take him up on it.
"Once the creature's gone, you'll be on your way? Off to fight the next one, right?"
"Yes," Duo answered, puzzled.
"Then no thank you," Heero gently lifted Duo's arms off of him and stepped out of his embrace. He turned to look into the preacher's eyes. "Since you'll also be off to seduce the next poor sucker as well, most likely."
Duo's expression tightened. "You think I make this a habit Sheriff?"
"How would I know?" Heero countered with a shrug as he headed down the hall towards his bedroom. "It's not like I know you very well at all, nor will I get a chance to."
He shut his bedroom door firmly behind him. Duo growled and slammed his fist into the wall.
~*~
Heero surveyed the five people in front of the stables from his place on Silver's saddle.
"I thought there was supposed to be more of us," he said to Quatre.
"Everyone else backed out," Quatre replied. "What happened last night spooked them."
Heero frowned, but how could he blame them after what they had seen last night?
"We'll be plenty," Duo swung himself up onto Shadow. "Trust us. We need to track this thing down before nightfall."
"I meant to ask you about that." Heero nudged Silver closer to Shadow. "If this is a werewolf and not a Fenrir, won't it only be out at night? During a full moon?"
"Nope." Duo shook his head as the others mounted up. "It's more like a disease. The beast takes over more and more until there is nothing left of the person that once was."
"Do you want lead or second, Maxwell?" Wufei asked. Meiran was perched behind him on their big black horse. She looked tiny and fragile. Heero wondered again what kind of help she could be.
"Second. You go first. Meiran will have to track him for us, once we get into the wilds."
Meiran frowned slightly, but nodded.
Chang went first, Duo behind him and the other three followed behind watching the hunters closely.
They made their way out through the town. Heero could feel the eyes upon them as they passed. The town had already written them off as dead.
They went past the silent church, and crossed the over the plowed fields behind it.
Once the trees and brush grew thick around them, the horses making their way on the path two by two, Chang brought his horse to a halt. The others stopped as well.
"It's time beloved," he said gently to his wife.
She looked back over her shoulder at the others.
"You must swear not to hurt me, no matter what," she spoke sharply. "I can not help you otherwise."
"I don't see why we would want to if you are helping us," Quatre replied. "But I swear."
"So do I." Trowa nodded.
"Very well." Heero agreed.
Meiran leaped lightly down from the saddle and walked a few paces forward on the trail. She turned to face them and... stretched.
Heero could think of no other word to describe it. Her neck and limbs and face lengthened. She grew taller than the horses, her body towering over them. Her skin turned reddish gold and scales sprouted. A crest shook itself into place on her head and a tail twitched, knocking over a nearby tree.
Silver snorted, tugging on the reins, frightened. Trowa and Quatre's horses were also beginning to buck, trying to turn and run away from the predator that now faced them.
The hunters' horses stood with no sign of fear.
The dragon in the middle of the road snorted and hissed and the frightened horses calmed.
"Forgive me for asking this," Quatre leaned over the neck of his horse, directing his question to Duo. "But what promise do we have that she won't harm us?"
TBC...
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