Chapter 3: Packing

I needed a few things from home before I left town for an extended stay on the road. My women wouldn't be happy that I was leaving them again. Tera and Connie had come to know that I would be gone until I found what I was looking for or died in the attempt. The later wasn't likely. Sometime ago on my return from another trip, in another world it seems now. I learned some things about Connie that sent me on a soul-searching ride to West Texas where I had met Tera.

The short of it is that Tera and her "family" were werewolves and they chose me and my partner, Steve, to induct into the pack. But, that's another story. We received their gift and I have yet to regret it. It has saved my life more than once and been a blessing to me in my work.

The only drawback is that lately I have been yearning more and more to be free and return to my most basic nature, that of a predator in the wild. It is only my will and my sense of duty to my family that I remain. If they would follow, I would go today. But, to what?

I reassured myself as I entered my home that I belonged here with these two beautiful women. They were lolling about in the den playing with my three-year-old son. They were three pictures of health and love as I spoke," I'm home."

"We heard you before you turned into the drive. We know your home, and we now know you've been with another woman. Her scent is still on you, and maybe you should have changed shirts before you came in. The buttons on that one seem to be missing." Tera was a crime scene investigator, a trained observer of detail.

She has saved all of us from more than one investigation by using her skills to cover up the scenes of rather bloody attacks on our home and family. It has also been near impossible to try and slip something by her, but she is beautiful. Even as she admonished me, she melted my heart with her smile. I walked across the room and hugged my son, and gave her a kiss.

"And what about me?" Connie asked in mock jealousy.

"I love you both. You know that."

"We know you can't keep it in your pants, or at home?" Connie jabbed as she kissed me and stroked my cheek.

I sat my son between them and tousled his hair before breaking the news," I have to go on a trip. I shouldn't be away for more than a few days at the most."

"Another trip. You know we don't need the money. Why do you have to keep doing this?" Tera asked. She already knew the answer. We've been down this road before.

"This one's special. I think this girl may be running from more than the law. If I don't go she may be hurt, or killed."

"What do you mean? What's she running from if not from you?"

"Carter sent another man before me. If it's Roger Conaroe I think she may be in serious danger of being brought back dead. He has a two week head start."

"Who is this, she?"

"Elizabeth Jones. She was arrested for cutting her husbands throat as he tried to rape her. You should remember it from the local paper. You two were cheering for her as you read the story."

"Yes, I remember. You go help the girl. I like her already, and I don't want her to suffer at the hands of an incompetent. What are you waiting for?"

I went upstairs to pack my equipment. I showered, shaved, and was headed back downstairs thirty minutes later. Tera flagged me into the kitchen in time to see Connie taking a steak off the grill. Tera retrieved an ice-cold beer from the cooler next to it and sat it on the table in front of me. Both of them sat across from me and watched lovingly as I wolfed down the hot rare steak and cold beer.