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Venom: Beautiful Killers. Part 42

"We could use someone like you to lead us."

[I look at my phone beside me on the tray table. The time is 5:45. Going by what the doctors have been telling me, I will be home in about five hours. It has been six long days since I got here; I have never had such a long hospital stay before in my life. Then again, I had never before had such a complicated health issue before. Now, everything is just fine. The new kidney works, I've lost a ton of weight, and the only sign of physical trauma is the small scar on the right side of my abdomen. One of the nurses even said it was sexy.]

[There is still some annoying pain on the site of the scar, so I will most likely be given a prescription for some medication before I leave. I've lost some strength and I'm tired all the time; I guess that's my fault though. I haven't really been doing much aside from eat and sleep. I've barely left my bed, I haven't been doing any exercise, and I've had just one bath since I've been here. So not everything is positive.]

[Hidden in the nearby closet, along with my clothes, are my notes. I have been keeping a journal of the dreams I've been having since I have arrived here. The nightmares that started two months ago before I go here have turned into a chronological, recurring story that appears every time I close my eyes. Without disappointment, they come like clockwork and add to the story. Since the third day, I have written the story down to the best of my recollection. I may have missed the first couple of days, but I think what I have makes a pretty good read.]

[Having formed a kind of bond with some of the characters, I've tracked the progress of each one in my notes. I'm especially attracted to the female wolf and the female fox who have appeared in over half of the dreams, either separately or together. What attracts me to Winter is her bubbly, almost-always positive demeanor. For the most part, she is optimistic and hopeful, but intriguingly, it changes rapidly whenever she is on the job or when she gets nervous. Her vicious side has been on rare display and definitely not as prevalent as her mate's. But it is there and it makes me more interested in her exploits.]

[As for the fox Pamila, she is funny, quick-witted, strong, and a cantankerous firebrand. It serves her well most days, but lately has not been doing her much good. Now she is quieter and, dare I say, a little wiser now that her hunting has been curtailed. She is every bit as strong as Winter but does not have the wolf's bubbly personality or optimism. They are almost polar opposites.]

[I will be out of here by noon today. I don't expect to take the dreams with me; instead, I expect the nightmares of Shiloh, Winter, Pamila, and Camille killing people in brutal ways to return. In any case, I'll be at home, trying to cope.Until then, I've got one more session of sleep ahead of me....]

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Shiloh is sitting in the middle of an empty tent, legs crossed under him and hands pressed on his knees. His eyes are closed but he is not asleep. He is breathing rhythmically, deeply inhaling and exhaling to a timer in his head. He looks peaceful and, more importantly, comfortable. He has taken off the suit and is dressed in a red undershirt and blue boxers. He looks very much like the owner of the place.

Under him are a few layers of cloth that protect the residents of the tent from the hot ground. To his left are the flaps that make up the tent entrance. Behind him are three pillows, complete with relatively clean pillow cases, and two folded up blankets. To his right are three more pillows and one blanket. More than two people, maybe even up to four, use this particular tent. Scattered in front of him are four paperback books that are in several states of completion; each of them has a bookmark in it. There are a few empty, plastic bottles on a pile near the books. A couple of dirty plates and a half-consumed roll of toilet paper complete the mundane decorations.

There is a small, white towel wrapped around his neck, no doubt keeping him cool. Even so, it seems that he is acclimatizing himself to the conditions pretty well. It helps that the sun is going down outside. There is also a slight smattering of voices outside the tent that opens his eyes. There is cheering from some of the women followed by a couple of male voices. Shiloh makes note of the sounds for a few seconds before closing his eyes again. A couple of those noises get close enough to jostle the tent. He opens his eyes again, sees the entrance of the tent moving, and sighs heavily. His quiet time is about to get interrupted.

As he removes the wet towel from the back of his neck, a face appears at the opening tent flap. It smiles at him. "May I come in?" she asks. The voice is frail and a bit gravely, as if its owner is an elderly woman with sinus issues.

Shiloh returns the smile and with a finger beckons the guest inside. Clio quickly crawls in and sits in front of the wolf. She is wearing a red tank top and a blue, denim dress. The dress is quite old; it has a couple of torn holes on the front and the color has faded from its original brilliance. She mimics Shiloh's lotus-style sitting and folds her arms casually.

"How are you?" She asks.

"Well, I'm just fine. And how are you?"

"Can I hide here?"

"Hide?"

"The men are returning home. Aleph will be here very soon."

"Where have they been?"

Clio stands and looks around. "Hunting, gathering, searching for things...like they always do." She heads to the three pillows on Shiloh's right and sits on them. "It's their job and it provides for us. If they're gone for as long as they have been, it usually means we'll be eating well."

"Do you know if Aleph's returned too?"

"I don't know and I don't care. I want to be as close to safety as I can. That's why I'm hiding."

"But how can you be safe if his tent's pretty much close to this one?"

Clio points at him. "You're here." She smiles and starts to relax. "With you here, I can fear nothing again...just like old times...before I was attacked."

Shiloh cannot help but laugh at her smile. "You seem to have a lot of confidence in me. Aren't you afraid that I'll lose a battle with Aleph...like the other girls do?"

"You don't have to fight him. Just kill him. It shouldn't take long, should it?'

He nods and straightens his legs. "No it shouldn't. You know, I like you. You make it easy to fight for you."

Still looking at him, she stretches and lies down. "Thanks. I'm not confident by nature. I'm kind of a wallflower. But Aurora's been helping me with my shyness. So when I hugged you earlier today, that was the first contact I had with another man since Aleph did what he did to me."

"I am sorry."

"Don't be." She curls herself on the pillows and places her hands under her head. "So, tell me about yourself."

He laughs, taken a bit by surprise. "You serious?"

"How old are you?"

"Thirty-five. I'm too old for you."

"How long have you had your job?"

"Um...." He looks at her unsurely and shrugs. "Over three years. I was the assistant to a private investigator friend of mine. We were both equally strong, but he did the investigating and I did the muscle work. Killing wasn't part of the job, but I eventually picked up my first kill. Actually it was two kills in one." He stops looking at her and stares off at the farthest side of the tent from him. "Actually, I think it was three kills."

Clio yawns and smacks her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "You have anyone special waiting back home? Does she know what you do for a living?"

He turns to her quickly then looks at his lap, chuckling gleefully. "Yeah, she's special, all right. She's a gem." He releases a loud, dry cough before adding, "And she's waiting for me back in L.A. Not only does she know what I do, but she does what I do. You know, I was against it for a long time?" His chuckle turns into a light laugh. "But she kept at it. She kept at me until I would tell her. Surprise, surprise; she wanted to join in. My chin dropped so fast, I thought I lost it. It was amazing. I thought it would never happen." He laughs to himself again while watching the young coywolf shift her weight.

"The second I said no, she was on me like wet fur. After a few weeks of no, I relented. Truth be told, I had my doubts, even when I insisted she'd be fine. Now, I have no doubts. She's good at doing this kind of stuff. And how could she not be? She's a natural. She's got the honed-in instincts. She's got the strength and confidence; I bet she could take on this mark too." He leans backwards on is palms, flattening them on the floor, and stretches his legs in front of him. "Yeah, she's special, all right. There's no one else like her in the world. If I could bottle and sell her to the public, I swear I'd be a rich man. Everyone would want one."

He looks lost in thought and keeps looking straight ahead. Then he hears light snoring coming from his right. Clio has fallen asleep with her head away from him. Her dress is draped over two thirds of her body. He shakes her head at her and crosses his legs under him once again. The entrance of the tent starts to move again as he tries to close his eyes.

Shiloh hears a "Psst" next to him and stares at the opening. The entrant falls down while trying to enter. Aurora crawls inside. "Hi. You okay?"

"That was fast."

"I ran most of the way here." She slides inside on her belly and kneels to remove her backpack.

"Careful. She's asleep."

"Who is?" She turns to where Shiloh points and sees Clio lying flat on the ground. She laughs softly and moves closer to the wolf. "How cute. I'll bet she's been panicking the whole time I was gone."

"Actually, she's been all smiles. My presence has much to do with that."

She sits next to him and opens the backpack. "I have the five remaining bottles of water...and your bullets. The guns are on their way." She hands him a bottle and shows a devious smile. "If you still want that bath, I can give you something like it."

"What do you mean?"

"Just step outside, handsome. Take of your shirt."

"Well, I have been inside for a long time now. I guess I should stretch." He pushes himself up while Aurora takes off her shoes. As Shiloh leaves the tent, the coyote rubs her feet and looks at Clio lovingly. The little girl shifts a bit, but remains peacefully still. "Hold tight, Clio. We're almost free." She takes out another bottle from the backpack and heads outside the tent.

The weather is more manageable now with the sun going down and the winds picking up. The sun is halfway behind the horizon, blanketing the land with a red-orange glow. The heat and stickiness of the day is now gone. The air no longer stifles, the sand no longer burns, and it actually feels good to be a furred being. Shiloh is clearly enjoying himself. As cool wind blows into his face, he laughs quietly to himself. His nearly naked body feels the distinct difference between now and hours ago.

He half-finishes the bottle given him as Aurora sneaks up to his right side. She playfully flicks his right ear and laughs along with him. "All right, big boy. Lower your head."

He is about to do so when they both hear a loud scream coming from the left. The scream is so loud that it feels closer to them than it really is. Shiloh's body jumps from the noise. "What the hell was that?"

Aurora jumped too, but quickly relaxes as if nothing happened. "Ugh. Don't worry about it. That's just the old lady. Bend down." She expects him to lower his head, but he stares at her with confusion. She shrugs. "Fine. Go take a look, but don't get too close."

Shiloh leaves the coyote behind and sneaks himself behind their tent. In the distance, many yards away, just in front of another tent, a tall, mature coywolf is stretching her arms out and greeting two visitors. She hugs them vigorously and the strangers hug her back. The embrace is a long and affectionate one with both strangers squeezing her tightly. It is so affectionate in fact that the one on her left lowers his hand until it has a firm grip on her backside.

The wolf gasps at the size of the two males, but what probably has him taken aback the most is their color. "Holy shit."

An unimpressed Aurora creeps up behind him and put a hand on his back. "The old lady's name is Xanthippe...as in Socrates' wife, Xanthippe. She thinks the name fits because she believes herself the wisest in the commune. I don't know about that, but she's certainly the oldest. She's in her late 40's. Anyway, whatever she says is usually the law here. Usually."

"Isn't Aleph the leader?"

"Yeah, well someone's got to take control while Aleph's away."

"What about those guys? They're so...so...."

"Red."

"How?"

"They're red coywolves...and two-thirds of Aleph's faithful entourage. Their fathers were red wolves. Everything about them is bad news. They're the strongest of the males, even stronger than Aleph, their senses are the sharpest, and they fast. That is, they go for long periods without food. On purpose."

He turns to face her. "Yeah, I know what that means."

"They're pretty hardcore. They're also your biggest competition between you and your mark. But like I said, as per the plan, Amanda, Drinkwater, and Livinia will make sure everyone is distracted. The second you wake up tomorrow morning, the plan will be put into action. While our team is making sure everyone is busy, I invite Aleph for some alone time. He should still be mad because of the news that I'm taken, so I'll ask for his forgiveness. I'll walk with him to the hiding place. I'll tell him it's some place I found that we can use for future sexual escapades. He'll like that. He'll also see the car that he told me to get rid of. It'll make him mad, but by then it won't matter, because you'll arrive with your Colts and put him to sleep."

"They're Berettas. And are you sure you guys can distract everyone in the commune for this to successfully go off? How would you distract those red guys for instance?"

Aurora sniffs. "Blow jobs."

Shiloh raises his brow. "Come again?"

The coyote points over the wolf's head, getting him to look at Xanthippe. She is squatting on the ground with the red coywolves in front of her. The one on the left had been wearing an unbuttoned cotton shirt and red shorts. The one on the right had been wearing a brown loincloth. Now, they are both totally naked. Xanthippe has their penises in both her hands. She strokes the one on the left while fellating the one on the right. The men stand with their hands on their hips, laughing and panting.

"They've been at it the whole time we were talking. She always did like double dates."

Shiloh looks on as Xanthippe's in-and-out head movement speeds up. Seconds later, a white load fills her suction-cupped mouth. When it overwhelms her, she releases her grip and coughs out some of the contents. "Ew." He turns his head.

Aurora, equally disgusted, shakes her head. "I think if Xanthippe can rapture them like that, then Drinkwater or Livinia could do the same, don't you? The one on the left's name is Benin, like the African country. The one on the right is named Enugu. I don't know if that's a plant or an animal or what. And...I don't know why I told you their names, except that it makes the danger even more real. If the girls can't keep them away from Aleph, you've got problems."

Shiloh stiffens and clears his throat in an authoritative manner. It sounds like he has an announcement to make. "Don't worry. I have bullets enough for all of 'em."

"That's what I like to hear. Now let's get away from the sex." Aurora walks over to her tent.

Shiloh follows her for a couple of footsteps, but stops and turns to watch Xanthippe in action. She is bent down in front of Benin, gently kissing and licking his eight-inch member. Enugu drifts behind her and picks her rear end up by the waist. He penetrates her with authority, knot and all. The watching wolf winces, but Xanthippe seems to enjoy it. She grabs Benin's waist for support and engulfs his organ. Her moans are muffled, but loud enough for Shiloh to hear. They are having sex out in the open, probably with an audience of coywolves in the tent next to them. The three continue without a care. When Enugu thrusts faster, the female releases Benin and presses her face against his belly, moaning through clenched teeth. As she climaxes, her tail vigorously slaps Enugu's chest. She clamps her mouth on Benin's abs, effectively muffling any noise. Benin grunts, but hardly budges. Soon, Enugu retreats and releases her. White milk pouring from her groin, Xanthippe collapses on the ground. Benin is bleeding from the bite marks, but he simply laughs it off.

Shiloh gets as good a look at the red coywolves as he can. Benin is chubbier and does not have the six-pack abs that Enugu does, but his arms and chest are clearly built really well. Enugu's muscles are as toned and as sharp as those of a professional bodybuilder, but he is thin and streamlined. The tightness of his body together with the redness of his fur makes him look like one giant muscle.

Shiloh is about to creep closer when he feels a splash of water on his back. Aurora has crept up behind him. "Get over here before they see you." This time he follows her to the tent. "Stand right there," she says. "Bow your head."

He does what he is told and she pours the entire contents of a water bottle on his back. She has a small washcloth in her right hand that she rubs all over his shoulders, back, and arms. He sighs with satisfaction as the light winds hit him. This is the most comfortable he has been all day.

"Thanks."

"You want me to get your underarms?"

"Just the back please."

"Boy, Xanthippe's really getting the business."

Shiloh chuckles through his hands. "Sorry. I don't mean to laugh. I've always been told to be respectful to my elders."

"She's a slut. She doesn't know what that word is." She grabs Shiloh's bottle from him and empties it on his head. They both laugh quietly while listening to the moans yards away. "You know, you're quite handsome. If you were a bit more ripped, you'd be one of them." She points to the red coywolves who are about finished with their conquest.

"Oh please."

Aurora presses and gently rubs her left hand on his chest. "Forgive me. I'm on a high. For the first time today, I really think we can pull this off. Let's go back inside and wait for your guns." She drops the bottles on the ground and playfully pushes the wolf back inside the tent, slapping him on the butt and giggling wildly.

Shiloh enters halfway through and stops. His face changes tone. There is a stranger inside the tent, sitting right next to Clio's head. He has his left hand on his crossed legs and his right hand on Clio's back, stroking it gently. The stranger looks up and is quite surprised to see Shiloh's face. He barely moves except to ask, "Hello?"

Taken totally by surprise, the wolf just kneels there looking at him and keeping Aurora out. "Hey! Get in there!" she yells, pushing him all the way in. She laughs at Shiloh sprawled on the ground, but stops when she sees the stranger.

He is a coywolf like everybody else in this place. His fur is bushy and dirty, almost matted. His eyes are sunken in and his clothes are tattered; definitely not as elegant as the red coywolves. He smiles at her and crosses his arms. "Ahh, a familiar face."

Aurora stands as tall as she can while bowing for the low ceiling. She folds her arms and looks at the man, turning angry and closing in on him. "Get away from her," she says. Her voice is low and gruff; her posture takes on a defensive tone. Shiloh sits up and looks at her with wide eyes. This is the first instance that she has ever shown anger. She looks completely different from normal.

The stranger turns his head away to look at Clio again. He continuously rubs her back. "Good evening, Aurora." His voice is just as low but not as angry. "I've missed you these past...what is it? Four days? I was wondering where you were or if anything bad had happened to you, but the other girls weren't forthcoming. I was starting to worry." He looks up at the coyote. "So was he."

"Get away from her."

"Oh, stop it. She doesn't even know I'm here."

"I do."

"So where've you been?"

Aurora bristles and unfolds her arms. "Getting water and other supplies. Where else would I go?"

"Without Aleph knowing about it? That's rather naughty." He looks at Shiloh. "One would even say unwise."

"I don't need his permission to leave the compound. I've never needed it before. Whenever I do leave, it's for a good reason. You know that. Aleph doesn't need to worry."

The man is about to speak again when he feels Clio shift next to him. It looks like she is close to waking up. He is still seated near her head, but he moves himself away from her and closer to the wolf. He leans in to get a good look. "Who is he?"

Aurora now knows it is time to deliver her message. She kneels down and tries to remain as stiff as she can be. Her hands grab the bottom of her shirt tightly. She clears her throat and speaks loudly, despite Clio sleeping in the corner. "Bonan, this is Shiloh. He is my boyfriend." She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes so as not to see the stranger's reaction. "He is from Carson City. I met him three months ago while I was getting flour and spices." She opens her eyes.

The coywolf has taken his eyes off of her and is now scrutinizing Shiloh. His brow furrows as he sits on his calves. He puts his hands on his knees and makes himself taller than the wolf. He sniffs in Shiloh's direction.

"He's been helping me procure a lot of items that he thinks could help us in a place like this. He's given me a lot of good advice. And in return, he's--"

"For him to know that, you'd have to tell him about us. You'd have to tell him that someone lives here."

"Yeah. So? Was what I did illegal? Am I not allowed to meet someone on my travels?"

Bonan sighs and crosses his arms again. He shakes his head at her as if she has done something wrong, then shrugs and extends his hand to the wolf. "Bonan vesperon. Kiel vi fartas?"

Shiloh was about to talk as he shook hands, but after hearing the foreign words, he just stares and clears his throat. The handshake is strong but awkward. As the wolf makes a confused face, the coywolf smiles heartily as if being reunited with a friend. The smile is a bit strange since he is clearly unhappy at the wolf's presence. He looks at Aurora and speaks with the same foreign tongue. To the wolf's surprise, Aurora answers back in the same tongue, speaking loudly and causing Clio to turn.

Confused and eager to do something, Shiloh stares at the two combatants as they argue in this foreign language. He may be on his knees, but he sees that Aurora may be in some trouble. He is ready to spring into action, just in case. As the argument gets heated, she moves closer to Shiloh and puts her right arm around him. Once she touches him, Bonan stops talking. He simply rises and skulks out of the tent.

Even a minute after he has left, the couple still looks at the entrance of the tent, as if waiting for his return. Shiloh wonders what just happened, but Aurora knows full well. She sighs with exasperation. "This means that Aleph's here."

"What the hell was that? What was happening there?"

"Keep your voice down." She crawls to the other end of the tent and checks on Clio. She caresses the young girl's head and clams herself down. "Sorry about that. That was Esperanto we were speaking. Aleph made everyone in the commune learn it. If a rival commune or any strangers to the Valley come around, we communicate in Esperanto. It helps us get an edge on our adversaries. Clearly, Bonan was telling me something he didn't want you to hear."

"Who is he?"

"Aleph's brother. They're twins." In a huff, she leaves Clio and opens the nearby backpack. "Fraternal twins. He looks nothing like Aleph, but they were born a couple of minutes apart. They are almost inseparable. About only time they're away from one another is when one's with a woman. He shouldn't pose any problems." She takes out a bottle of water and drinks it halfway.

"Still...there are so many obstacles."

"Don't worry. He, like the other men, is constantly horny. You saw what he was doing with Clio just now. If Livinia or Amanda can arouse him, he'll be easy to deflect. Anyway, Bonan's here, which mean's Aleph's now in his tent. I'm gonna tell him about you right now." She wipes her chin and untucks her shirt. "I gotta say though...this is gonna be hard."

"I'm ready. Just let me find my trousers. I should look presentable."

"Um...actually, could you do me a favor and stay here? In this tent? It would really take the pressure off."

"Are you sure? If you wanna make him mad, we should be together. We should probably hold hands in front of him."

Aurora clears her throat and adjusts her shorts. "Look, the moment's finally here and I'm a bit nervous. I'm going to be facing a couple of big men in there; big and moody. I already smell like you. Bonan could sense it...so Aleph will know it. I need to gauge his level of anger--"

"Let me protect you. I feel something bad's going to happen."

"Nothing's gonna happen. Aleph wants to bed me, not hurt me, and he wouldn't flip out in front of his brother. Of course, they were together when he raped Clio, but--"

"Listen to me." Shiloh gently holds her right hand in his left. "Didn't you tell me, when all this started, that you needed a bodyguard? You really want me not to go with you? If he's as dangerous as you say, I think it'll be better if you let me see him. I'll calm him down."

Aurora swallows and nods slowly. "You don't have your guns."

"I'm stronger than I look."

She leans down to kiss his forehead. "I'll be fine. Just stay here and look after Clio, okay? I won't be long. I'll tell him you're here and get him mad."

"If I hear you scream or if I feel anything bad's happening, I'll come running over."

She leaves right away, ruffling the tent and waking Clio. The young girl strains and stretches her arms over her body. Still lying down, she turns to the wolf and smiles sleepily. "You're still here," she says.

The wolf is speechless with surprise; the young girl is just now waking up. She apparently did not notice the commotion from earlier. She has been untouched by the events and did not hear that Aleph has returned. Shiloh bursts out laughing and shakes his head. "You're a heavy sleeper."

"I am." She chuckles and rolls on her belly. "But I thought I felt someone touching me just now. I thought my head was getting rubbed. Was that you?"

"Well...just now, it was Aurora." He looks carefully at her back; the visible fur there looks scruffy thanks to Bonan rubbing it earlier. He stops smiling and crawls to her. "But at first, it was me. Sorry about that. It wasn't my place."

Clio chuckles again and closes her eyes. "That's all right. I don't mind. It's nice to be touched by the right people. If you did it again, it would be all right."

He is right next to her now. Excusing himself, he adjusts her dress, pulling the shoulder straps so it covers the part of her back that Bonan was rubbing. "Just go back to sleep. Forget anything happened. In the morning, I'll have the mark bagged, and you can live in peace."

"Bagged. I like that." She sprawls herself on the pillows and lays her head down. "But once you've bagged him, you'll go away, won't you?"

"Well I have to. I've got family back home. There's also money waiting for me at the resort near this place. So...yeah, after I get that, I'll be gone."

"That's too bad. We could use someone like you to lead us. We've had Aleph's kind for too long. I've bet you've killed people like Aleph in your business."

Shiloh nods. "In three years, you kill a lot of people. You get used to it and so you get good at it."

"Once you kill him, you could take over. No one would mess with you. You could introduce your guns into the mix and everyone would follow you. Aleph doesn't believe in guns, so taking over would be easy."

"You look like you need someone to look after you full time. That's Aurora's job. I could never live here for too long. I had trouble adjusting only after a couple of hours. You're closer to leading these people than I am."

Clio rests her head and closes her eyes. "Leaders don't get raped." She sniffs and turns her head away. The wolf looks at her even more carefully and starts to take pity. He sits as close to her as he can and caresses her back. She sighs loudly and slides her hands under the pillow. "Could you lay with me until I fall asleep?"

Shiloh obliges and lies next to the young girl. He puts a hand on her left shoulder while she sinks herself into the soft pillows. She is dozing in no time. While he caresses her, he turns to look at the entrance to the tent, clearly worried about his coyote client. The atmosphere is quiet, the wind has stopped blowing, and it appears that everyone in the commune is inside a tent. It is quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Shiloh's sharp ears cannot hear anything out of the ordinary. Nothing untoward is happening and Aurora does not seem in trouble.

Still, Shiloh carefully leaves Clio's side after five minutes of listening to nothing. He is not as confident as he was earlier and frantically looks around the tent. Finding his trousers, he is about to put them on when the tent ruffles again. The coyote crawls inside and quickly zips the tent closed. She looks untouched and unruffled.

"Aurora. You're back." He kneels in front of her and tosses his pants aside. "What happened?"

She lowers her head and coughs twice, then she turns her head to spit. "Ugh. Well, I told him. I told him everything." She sits on the floor and covers her face in her hands. Physically, she looks fine, but she is acting rather strange.

"Did everything go as you wanted it to?"

Aurora lowers her hands and looks at him. She is breathing heavily through her mouth like she has just been in an argument. "I need to lie down." Without warning, she leans over to Shiloh and hugs him. He returns the hug, surprised and understandably confused. "I told him I had you now. I told him what I just told Bonan. I got him mad...just like we wanted."

"That's good right?"

"He didn't react. He just sat there on his chair with his hands on his knees, looking at me as if I didn't say anything at all." She releases him and closes her eyes. "He looked at me as if he knew. He got mad when I told him, but he just sat there. I couldn't tell if he was stewing or if he was just tired. He asked me a couple of questions; he was calm and composed the entire time. He didn't get all batshit crazy like he normally does. Bonan was there the entire time, standing by his side, sucking up all the bad vibes I was trying to foist on Aleph. They outnumbered me."

"So he didn't react like you wanted. But that's not too bad, is it? Did he ask about me?"

Aurora crawls to her right to the left corner of the tent, arranges some pillows, and sits on them. She brings her knees up to her chest and practically hides her face. "Shiloh, I have a confession to make. It's probably not surprising to you now, but I'm a fraud." She sniffs and presses her forehead to her knees. "All that planning with the girls, the pooling of the money, and the meeting with your boss...it was all done by a scared amateur. I fooled Livinia and the others that I had a plan to save us. I've put up a brave front until now, but...Aleph just scares the shit out of me. All he had to do was just sit there and he made me afraid to face him. I wanted him to get mad and now he is, but...." She sniffs again, causing Shiloh to close in. "But he's more put together than I am. I don't think I can handle it."

He sits next to her and touches her back. She responds by raising her head, revealing tears in her eyes. Shiloh closes his mouth and caresses her left cheek with his other hand. Her resemblance to Winter creates the illusion that he is back home, in bed, comforting his girlfriend. He rubs her back the same way he would for his real mate. As if by instinct, she scoots herself until her right side is on him. She wraps her arms around him and looks into his eyes.

"Wow," he says. "He's got some kind of hold on you."

"I can't fight. Even after what I just told him, if Aleph ever says he wants me, I'd stand up to him, but I couldn't stop him."

He shushes her gently. "I'll stop him."

Aurora's uses her closeness to Shiloh to stop herself from crying, but her hands start to shake. It spreads quickly to her shoulders. When he sees her shudder, he sighs tenderly and leans his head down until their snouts touch. "You heard me, right? I said I'll stop him."

She nods, then turns to face him and sits on his lap, straddling him. He is so worried about her that he simply watches what she does, without showing surprise or giving any words of deterrence. He allows her to put her arms around his waist and give him a gentle kiss. She moves closer until her chest touches his. It does not take long before they are fully making out, just a few feet away from Clio. Aurora presses her mouth on his while he caresses her shivering shoulders. Shiloh usually feels awkward about such actions right before a kill, but there are no signs of hesitation right now. She pulls her head back to allow herself to take a breath, and he dutifully resumes kissing when she leans forward.

This sensuous meeting becomes therapeutic for the coyote. Her nerves calm down and her face mellows as she makes the wolf's arms her temporary home. She stops kissing him and places her head on his right shoulder. Her infectious smile returns as she licks his neck. "Thank you."

Shiloh does not answer but gives a warm smile that she does not see. He holds her in the familiar way he holds Winter, with his arms under hers and with his hands sliding down her back. "You feel better?"

"No, but I'm warming up." Aurora releases him and grabs the bottom of her shirt. Before Shiloh can object, she takes her shirt off and leans into the wolf once again. She forces her muzzle on his again and they kiss a little more deeply. He can feel her breasts pressing against his chest. While they feel supple and pleasant against him, the strange environment makes him uncomfortable. He lets her get the kiss in before gently pushing her away. His right hand is under her left bra strap.

"I'm not sure I want to do what you want to do."

She kisses and licks his neck. "I'm right where I need to be with the one man that can solve my problems. You're making me feel better about myself. Nothing bad's gonna happen."

"No. Sex is gonna happen...and I can't let that happen." He holds on to her torso to keep her from kissing him again. "I'm sorry, but it's a rule of mine and it's one I believe in strictly."

"We've had sex already."

"Yeah, but I don't do it the very day before the mission. Not even Winter gets to do it. I'm glad you're not so scared now and I'm glad I helped, but I can't go further."

Aurora stares at him with a bit of a frown, but she is not discouraged. She gently grabs his wrists and places each of his hands on her breasts. His hands are big enough to completely cover each one. "This isn't sex," she says. "It's just pleasure. There's nothing wrong with that. Besides...." She puts her hands on his cheeks. "You have no idea how good this feels right now. Whatever happens next will feel even better. Couldn't you give in? Just a little bit?"

She is about to kiss him again when the tent budges. The opening splits and someone slides inside. It is Livinia, the tallest of the conspirators, holding a green duffle bag inside as she enters. "All right. I'm here. The others are on their way. I just brought...." She gasps when she looks to her right. Aurora has her legs around Shiloh's waist while he is cupping her breasts. It looks like she is interrupting something important. Embarrassed, she averts her eyes and tries to leave the tent. Her feet slip on the ground and she falls on her belly, losing the duffle bag. One of the Berettas slides out through the open zipper.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't know you two were...." Livinia scrambles to her knees and returns the gun back inside the bag. "I'm sorry. I'm going now."

"Keep your voice down." Frustrated, Aurora stands and leaves Shiloh. "It's all right."

"I got the guns. We kept them separated from the bullets like you asked, Shiloh."

He receives the duffle bag from her and pulls out his two firearms. He tries to hide his flushed face. "Thanks a bunch."

As he looks for his bullets, Aurora carefully checks on Clio from a distance. Livinia looks at them remorsefully and clears her throat to get their attention. "Look guys, I wanted to apologize. I was the main voice of doubt for a while there, but the other girls have convinced me it's feasible. I believe it's going to work."

Aurora smiles. "You do, huh? Clio would be glad to hear that."

"Don't judge me to harshly, okay? Around here, Aleph's strength is truly without measure, but I'm willing to believe Shiloh can defeat him. Also, the more I think about it, the more your plan makes sense. Framing our rivals for Aleph's death would get the men over here to seek revenge against that commune. Once they're killed, we can join our rivals. I didn't think much of it at first, but I like it now."

"What made you change your mind?"

Livinia smirks as she watches Shiloh load one of his guns. "I just thought that I could use a change of scenery. A commune closer to the big cities and without an asshole as a leader would suit me just fine. Also, I can't think of any ideas of my own." She looks at Shiloh, still smirking. "And if this guy says he can get Aleph, then I'm counting on him just as much as Amanda and Drinkwater are."

Shiloh nods but does not look at her. "Thanks, I guess."

"You're the boss. Just tell me what you need me to do, and I'll do it." Livinia turns to leave. "Everyone's gathering at the mess tent now. Are you bringing him? Or do you want me to bring your food here?"

Aurora puts her shirt back on. "That's a good question." She turns to the wolf. "What do you think, Shiloh? You wanna meet everybody or do we keep the surprise going?"

"I'd like to get a look at the main man in person. I've been patient enough." Shiloh clicks the chamber of the gun into place. "I got a question though. Would it really be earth-shattering if I just finished him off at the mess tent?"

The coyote answers with a loud laugh and unintentionally wakes Clio. She hears the young coywolf moan and sighs in frustration. "Great." She approaches the sleeping girl and kneels by her side. Clio waves her greeting.

"Is it morning yet?"

"'Fraid not. It's evening and the commune is ready for dinner."

"He's here, isn't he? Aleph is--"

"Never mind about him. Would you like to go to the mess tent with us?"

"I don't want to be in the same room with Aleph right now. But if Shiloh's going with you, would you tell me how he reacts when they meet? I'd like to think he gets scared a little. If he doesn't, could you take your guns and shoot up the place?"

Shiloh stands and looks down at her. "I just want to see him. I won't take action yet. If you're staying, could you be a dear and watch my tools?" He leaves the loaded gun with her. "I'd appreciate it very much."

"For you? Anything."

Aurora nods. "We'll be back with something nice." With that, she, Shiloh, and Livinia leave.

"Aleph's head on a plate!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

[The nurse is in with orders from the nephrologist. I've been given prescriptions to fill as soon as possible. I should start using them tomorrow. They're for keeping my kidney from being rejected by my immune system. Since the immune system will be affected, I can get colds, the flu, and even pneumonia much easier than before. So I have to avoid situations that can lead to infections. I'll also be given morphine pills to keep the remaining pain away. Luckily, I'm covered for all of this.]

[These are the rules for the next month. I have to undergo a one-month sequestration. I have to stay home for one month. I can be driven, but I can't drive anywhere. I have to stay away from the sun or I could suffer certain side effects from one of the medicines. I have to be careful every time I go out to wear clothes that protect me from UV rays, and I have to start putting on sun block.]

[A nurse is going to come visit me every Monday morning for the next four Mondays. She'll take blood samples and check my blood pressure and stuff. I have to make sure I'm awake early those mornings. Otherwise, most of what I'll be doing is sleeping, reading, and other activities where I don't move to much. So in summary, I stay cooped up in the house for a month, I don't drive, I take pills, and I try not to get sick. It sounds harder to do than it sounds to say.]

[As I leave the hospital, I bring the folder the nurses provided for me when I first got here. It's just literature containing phone numbers, hospital policies, and other important info. The folder is also crammed with my writings. I'm holding on tight to it as I get into dad's car. Home's fifteen miles away, so dozing is almost guaranteed.]

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Shiloh and Aurora enter one side of the jumbo tent. Inside, the entire population is mingling. Most people are seated. On the right side of the tent, the catch of the day is resting. The meat has been skinned, quartered, washed, and is ready for cooking. It looks like the piled-up parts of at least two animals. Next to it is a pile of silverware--knives, forks, and spoons simply placed in a clump next to the main course.

In the meantime, Xanthippe is serving everyone pieces of fruit from a large serving plate. The coywolves are eating apples, red grapes, peaches, nectarines, and a couple of other stone fruits. The mood is happy and reserved. Also mingling among the seated masses is Bonan, shaking hands with the other men on the success of their hunt. He greets some of the women too. He bumps into Amanda, who has left her seat to observe the meat.

Shiloh steps forward, as if to sit down and join the crowd. Aurora grabs his left hand, stopping him. She points to the far end of the tent. Aleph is seated by himself at the smallest table in the room. The wolf nods emphatically, recognizing the mark from the picture he first saw back at Rapid Recovery. He has longer hair that reaches a bit beyond his shoulders. He is wearing a short-sleeved, forest ranger's uniform, complete with the green hat.

"He's smaller than I thought he'd be," Shiloh says.

"He's actually about your size," Aurora answers. "Same height, same weight, same body type, that sort of thing. I'd say you two would be evenly matched in the hand-to-hand stuff."

Before Shiloh can respond, Aleph stands. Nobody except the conspiring couple seems to notice at first. The main man stands there with his arms folded, looking at his followers. He simply waits there with a frown on his face. One coywolf looks at him then taps the nearest coywolf on the shoulder, getting his attention. One by one, the coywolves get one another to look at Aleph. One minute later, the room is silent and everyone is looking at Aleph. After seeing the whole thing, Shiloh looks at Aurora and scoffs. "Now that's power."

Aleph softly clears his throat and yells something in Esperanto. Everybody else answers back enthusiastically. "He says hi," Aurora says.

"Brothers and sisters, listen to me." The leader takes a couple of steps forward. He looks rigid but he has a smile on his face. "The hunt was successful and nobody suffered any setbacks. We have enough to satisfy us for the next few days. I would like to thank all the men who participated and all the women who had the faith in us to prepare for our return."

His voice is raspy, but it is also loud and authoritative. He is loud so that everyone can hear him, not because he is angry or agitated. Shiloh pays rapt attention to him while Aurora looks at her feet and waits for the speech to end. "I'm so hungry," she whispers.

"I would especially like to thank Aurora. Without her guidance and her brilliance, we wouldn't know what we need and when we need it. If we need salt, she gets it for us. If we need first aid, she knows where to find it. If we need weather reports, the rare times that we do need such things, she gets them for us. She is a great asset to our community...and a great friend when times are hard...."

Aurora looks at him as he keeps throwing compliments her way. She does not seem happy to hear them, but he smiles broadly as he acknowledges her. At this time, he sees the wolf, but does not seem put off by his presence.

Aleph finishes his speech. "Everybody relax in the tent. I will make the fire and cook the meat. May our ancestors look down on us this night and smile as we enjoy what they have left us. Bonan vesperon!" He gives Shiloh one more look before grabbing a couple of pieces of the kill and exiting.

The coyote simply brushes off the flowery speech and holds the wolf's hand. "Who's he trying to fool? I can tell he's still mad at me. You want an apple? "

"Sure. Let's eat." He watches as just ahead of them, Xanthippe hands the tray of fruit over to Amanda and sits down with some of her friends. Amanda sees Shiloh immediately and approaches him. The wolf sees the array of succulent apple slices and is eager to dig in. "That looks nice."

Amanda laughs. "Help yourself. You guys are just in time too. We're almost out."

Aurora puts both hands on Amanda's shoulders and whispers, "Is everyone covered? Do you know where everyone's going to be tonight?"

"Everyone's been accounted for. Drinkwater and I started asking the boys if they would spend the night with us. Every one of them said he'd be busy doing other things, so they're all covered. Except...."

"Except what?"

She holds out the tray for Shiloh. As he grabs some fruit, she says, "I've been invited to a threesome. I'm flattered, but I don't know whether to attend--"

"Do it."

"You kidding?!"

"Shh. Just do it. Keep them as busy as possible."

"When does the plan finally go into effect?"

"Tomorrow morning. I've met with him already, but his brother was with him and I couldn't get the words out."

Amanda nods. "Aleph's by himself now. Why don't you try again?"

Aurora looks around. Sure enough, everybody else is in the tent eating fruit, leaving Aleph by himself outside. "All right. I'll set up a meeting alone with him. You and the others meet me and Shiloh in twelve hours at the hiding place...after the deed is done. Just be sure to wake up early, that is unless the threesome isn't done."

"Ugh. I'm only doing this 'cuz I want the bastard dead."

Shiloh nods. "Do I join you?" He puts a hand on Aurora's shoulder.

"Hmm. Why not? Let's go."

Amanda clears her throat. "Beware if he starts speaking Esperanto."

Shiloh smirks and moves forward. "I speak four languages. Let's go."