Sanctuary Killer: Home

Chapter Three –Soldiers Eyes

Riese walks me over and waves his hand around, “I present to you the Hell Hounds also known as the Unit.” The entire table stands up in unison. I can’t help but let my eyes roam all over their very muscular and fit bodies.

“Damn. These are some really good looking men” my wolf Birdy says and I can’t help but agree with her completely. I notice all of them working my body over with their eyes as well. I but bite my bottom lip, thinking about having one of them stand at attention for me in the bedroom. Oh, my g-d where are these horny thoughts coming from, I ask myself. Seriously Birdy is a horn-dog.

Riese tries to cover the awkward silence by leaning over and whispering, “Don’t worry about these guys. They know to look but not touch.” I turn to look at him with what I am sure is a are you fucking kidding me look as he winks at me.

I turn and smile at the group and say “Hello. My name is Raelynne Wallace.” Please take a seat. No need for formalities.”

The man to my right responds with a shocked voice “You’re Fenris’ little sister?”

“Yep” that’s me” I reply popping the p.

To which he replies, “Oh wow so that makes you Lady Wallace. It’s a pleasure to meet you. You don’t look anything like your pictures. You’re so short and you sure aren’t dressed like what a lady should be dressed as. Oh, shit. I’m rambling again. I need to shut up.”

“Lady Wallace is my mother, please just call me Raelynne” I reply “I have something to shut you up and keep your mouth busy doing”, I hear Birdy say. With a low growl, I just roll my eyes. “Sorry my wolf and I are at odds at the moment, so please pardon us” I say.

Just then I let out a huge belch. Laughter ensues as everyone looks at the man to my right. A couple of the guys start teasing him by mocking in a semi-feminine voice, repeating what he just said. I can’t help but laugh. We all sit down and the guys start sounding off their names one by one. Birdy is already engaged in a game of Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Again, I mentally roll my eyes.

I recognize a couple of their names from stories Fenris would tell me on his furloughs. I say “I hope there won’t be a quiz at the end of the night ‘because no doubt by then, I won’t even know my name. I’ll remember your face thought…not your name.” “I’ll remember your hot damn bodies too”, the voice in my head says.

Everyone chuckles and beer comes out Riese’s nose as he was taking a chug of his beer. “I love you already” he manages to choke out between coughs. I slap Riese on the back as he grabs his bandana. And ask him, “Dude, what is it with you and that bandana?” Riese chokes again. I notice a look of sadness in his eyes. “Fenris used to tease me about the very same thing”, he says. Not wanting the evening to take a dark turn, I catch the bartender’s attention and motion for round of drinks for the table.

The next couple of hours are filled with drinking, laughing and cutting up. Occasionally one of the guys asks me if I would like to dance. I love to dance and anyone that knows me knows I can dance my ass off. I spend song after song on the dance floor bumping and grinding, which makes Birdy about have a meltdown.

Turns out the man seated in the chair to my right is named Winston. He seems sweet, very funny and must agree with Birdy, he is damn good looking. He’s also about six and a half feet talk and one fit mother-fucker for a human. He has blonde hair and a beard, which I’m not into beards but it looks good on him; neat and trimmed. He wears his hair almost shaved on the sides with the front pulled back in a short ponytail. I must say his muscles fill out his grey t-shirt nicely. I notice he has a full sleeve tattoo on his right arm in nothing but black ink. As I show interest in the design he tells me that it ends on his back as an angel’s wing that covers his right side. He then proceeds to take his shirt off and show it to me. The ink work is beautiful. Next thing I know my fingers are tracing the patterns. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that his arm and back muscles have muscles. I can’t imagine what a beast this man would be as a pissed off wolf. “I’d turn him” Birdy purrs. “Well that isn’t an option now is it” I mentally yell at her. She just turns her head pissed at me again. Oh, go pout again why don’t you, I tell her. I can’t do a fucking thing to make you happy anymore. If it isn’t you bitching about one thing it’s another.

During one of my drink breaks, Riese explains that Fenris had been the leader of their unit and started refereeing to them as the Hell Hounds and the name stuck. He explains how after Fenris’ was killed it took them all a long time to adjust to him being gone and that after leaving the service they became a “special force” team in honor of Fenris. “He always had plans to do this”, Riese says, gesturing to the group. They all have nothing but great things to say about him and they all loved Fenris like a brother.

I ask Riese how long he has been in command of the Hell Hounds and he laughs “Oh, no Raelynne. I’m second in charge. Marshall Conri is our Commander” he says. “Matter of fact Marshalls brother Maddox was best friends with Fenris. He was supposed to be the next Commander but decided to go the freelance route, so Marshall and I started the Hell Hounds. Hopefully they’ll show up so you can meet them.”

“That would be nice” I say. I can’t help but wonder if they could be the same Marshall and Maddox that Fenris and I meet the summer with we spent in Ireland. There’s no way, I say to myself.

I knew this wasn’t the time to ask about Fenris’ death but I would really love to talk to these guys about it, since most of them were deployed with him at the time. Maybe they can answer some of the questions I have. The official report was too vague. The military wasn’t very forthcoming with details. Even with my father’s connections and security clearance, he was unable to get anything but the official report that claimed it was an IED. Yet, they never found his body. Needless to say, a couple of high-ranking officials are still my dad’s shit-list for how uncooperative they have been.

I finally get around to asking Riese what they are doing in Dallas. He tenses up and a couple of the guy’s sort of cough. It’s clear they don’t want to say and are probably on assignment. I tell Riese I understand if he can’t say. “Raelynne, actually we are here at your father’s request” he says. “Tomorrow we are headed out to the ranch to go over the details of the job. Will you be there? he asks. “I’m sure I will be there part of the time” I say.

Eventually we all start talking about my job at the F.B.I. They all seem to find it interesting that such a tiny thing like me could be an F.B.I. agent. I tell them about a couple of cases that Griff and I worked. I hadn’t really thought about home much I enjoyed what I did. Griff and I were part of a special task force designed to work special cases. I thought about the last case we were working that as far as I know is still unsolved.

A couple of the guys start arm wrestling and soon, everyone is placing bets against who will beat who. I ask if I can wrestle the winner and they all laugh. This just pisses me off. I guess they think because I’m a female, I can’t arm wrestle. They seem to forget who I am and what flows through my blood. I throw a couple of hundred dollar bills on the table and say, “Ok I’ll put my money were my mouth is”. And looser can put his mouth wherever I tell him, I think to myself.

It isn’t very long when Winston is the last man standing so to speak. I walk over to arm wrestle him and he starts hem hawing getting all chauvinistic on me. Saying how it isn’t a fair fight and he doesn’t want to want to take advantage of a girl. I roll my eyes and taunt him saying. “What, you afraid of a little girl beating you? Fine. Double or nothing.” He grunts a quick “fine” as he throws his huge arm up on the table. “Ok. Start wrestling on the three count” Riese says. “One, Two. Three.”

Back and forth our arms go for several minutes. We’ve drawn a small crowd by now and most of the folks are standing there with their mouths open like fly traps, not believing I am still holding my own, not even breaking a sweat. Winston’s face is turning bright red from the strain. I can tell he is a proud man and he has put up a good fight. Normally I wouldn’t throw a fight but it doesn’t seem right to embarrass him in front of his friends. Just as I am about to throw the fight, his arm gives out suddenly I’m the winner.

Winston grabs his shoulder and I can tell he is in pain. “Good, fair, fight. You pleasantly surprised me Raelynne”, he says staring into my eyes. Just then he reaches over and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers brushing gently down my neck causing me to shudder. His lingering gaze catches me off guard and I notice him blushing.

I quickly look away as if to discover the bottles on the table are all empty with the exception of one. I’m not sure who has kept the booze flowing all night but I decide it’s my turn to buy the next round. Plus, I need to put some distance between Mr. Hunk Winston and me. He has that certain look in his eye that spells trouble for me. Yes, need a man but, I don’t have time for distractions. The only man I need is a boy-toy not a boyfriend.

Quickly I reach over and pour the last of the vodka in the shot glasses and yell, “Here's to being single... drinking doubles... and seeing triple! Next, rounds on me”.