However, I saw Cyrus giving Dexter a kiss on the cheek to reassure him that everything was alright, and with a tickle or two, he even got that little boyish smile to spread out on his face all over again. He made it look so easy. How in the hell did he even do that? As he approached me, rubbing Dex's blond curls roughly before sending him back outside along with the others, he gave me one of his patented brotherly grin, and threw a friendly arm over my shoulder. "You alright there, cowboy?" He chuckled. "You seem a bit shaken."

I tried to work up a smile, but the energies within me had let my leader down. And it made me feel really bad about it. I almost felt physically drained from it. "I'm sorry, Cyrus." I said under my breath.

"Sorry? Sorry for what?" He asked.

"You told me to keep an eye on Dex...and I...I just couldn't..."

He gave me a hearty shake, squeezing my shoulders together with one arm as he kissed me on the top of the head. "Don't let the twins get to you. They're just trying to get a rise out of you, that's all."

"But..." I said, confused. "...I failed."

"Hehehe, failed? Get out of here! I told you to keep an eye on Dex, ok? DEX! *I* can't even keep my eye on Dex!" He pulled me closer and said softly, "You know...honestly...I kinda expected him to cut a hole in you somewhere by the time we were through." And then he laughed. LAUGHED!

"You WHAT?!?!?!"

"Hahaha! Oh my God, the look on your face! It's priceless!"

"You knew he was gonna HURT me???"

"Don't worry! You would have healed up again!" How could he POSSIBLY find this funny! "Don't be baby about it, you came out of it without a scratch. The first time I told Kriegar to watch the little maniac, Dex chewed of three of his fingers!" I was paralyzed, looking down at the floor in horror. That could have been me. That could have TOTALLY been me. Cyrus slapped me hard on the back of the shoulders and gave me a grin. "Wake up, Tiger! It's not so bad."

"He could have...chewed my fingers off?"

"Yeah. But he didn't. You should focus on the bright side. He must really be fond of you, kid. There isn't a scratch on you. Not even Scout got off that lucky." He saw the others begin to cluster together in the center of the store, and he started off in their direction. "C'mon. Let's get some of this raw meat in that flat little tummy of yours, rookie."

The games he could play with your mind...they were like reckless chess moves sometimes. Just...risking it all to see what happens. The more I thought about it, the more I worried. And the more I worried, the more the calling crept in to take over new areas that it previously didn't have access to. I think that Cyrus knew all the right buttons to push to get me to let it in. Let it cloud the rest of my judgment. I just wish that it didn't feel so good.

I walked over to the register to watch Cyrus ring the bell to pay for the chains he bought. Dex stood by the door, staring out the window...emotionless...still twirling that cross around his fingers. Not angry. Just...waiting....with perfect stillness.

It was then that I heard a sound from the left of me. A quiet friction...like cardboard sliding against cardboard. And the light chemical fragrance filled the air. John Boy and I both turned at the same time to see Razor standing far away from us with his back turned. He had secretly opened up a box of matches, and was reaching in to light one...right next to the kerosene lamps. "Razor...?" John Boy and I said it simultaneously, surprising both of us, I think. I looked at John Boy, and he smiled warmly, impressed at my perception of what was going on. Razor turned around, and with a slight frown, he put the box of matches back on the shelf.

"I wasn't going to 'DO' it, you know? I was just looking. Quit being so paranoid." He grumbled.

John Boy's grin widened in front of my eyes. "You learn fast. I like that"

"I heard him open the box." I said.

"Well done. But you never know when you might be missing an important detail."

"Missing a what?"

"The box of matches...let me guess...it's not on that shelf any more, is it?" I looked back towards the shelf, and sure enough, they were gone.

"But...but I JUST saw him.."

"Razor slipped the entire box into his sleeve the second you stopped looking. And he spoke to you to mask the sound of the fabric sliding against it as he did so. You couldn't hear it...but I did." He told me.

I looked over at the twins as they stood together by Dexter, both of them sharing a smug grin at my expense. "You're right. I didn't hear a thing." I said softly.

"Don't worry. Razor can be a slick one." John Boy said. "Next time, don't let him use your sight to deceive you. When Razor wants to get away with something, he makes a harsh eye contact. He stares at you to make you involuntarily stare back. But the eye contact keeps you from watching his hands." He moved a bit closer to me and lowered his already soothingly calm voice. "Keep your eyes and ears open. Observe the others. Learn their habits. It will help you define your position in the pack. Understand?"

At first I nodded, forgetting that he was blind. But somehow, it was like he felt the nod regardless. He truly was in touch with everything around him at all times. I don't think I'll ever think of blindness as a handicap ever again.

Finally, the guy working the register came back to the counter, and my attention was drawn to him instantly. Mid to late 20's...short brown hair..big brown eyes. No backwards cap this time, but I recognized him in an instant. It was the same guy that I was talking to in the magazine aisle of the megamart the last time I was there. The one that I...um...'flirted' with. The one that I knew wanted me, even though he tried his best to hide it from me. He had cut the chains for Cyrus himself, and was now standing not more than ten feet away from me again.

The recognition had sparked something in me, and the calling latched on to it with a passion. Constricting its already vice like grip on my mental process, and creating in me the desire to reconnect with this man. And to maybe make arrangements to finish what I started before having to run off without satisfying that need. His eyes glanced upwards, and he did a 'not-so-subtle' double take when he saw me in the store. He looked away quickly, attempting to be 'professional' about the purchase, maybe hoping that I had forgotten our previous encounter. But I hadn't. And this man...twice my age...began to arouse me as I sensed his attraction to me swelling up inside of him all over again.

He kept his eyes focused downward at the counter most of the time, a gentle blush appearing in his cheeks. But the feeling was stronger this time. I could smell the fragrant sweetness of his excitement from across the room. And it wasn't until I saw Kristin and Cyrus exchange a wicked smile between themselves that I realized that the others could smell it too. I could almost feel the vibrating trembles in his stomach. I could see the dilation of his honey brown eyes. And as I approached him, his increase in arousal brought a fever to me that made me smile wickedly in his direction.

"So...'ahem'...your total is fifty two dollars and thirty three cents." He said nervously. Even the tone of his voice enticed me. And when I reached the counter, and his eyes peeked up at me, I gave him a flirtatious grin that caused his blush to darken considerably.

And after that...it was as though someone had turned down a dimmer switch in my once innocent attitude. As though my simplest passions and curiosities had been magnified by his response to my presence...and that's when the idea of true power presented itself to me. It wasn't just this subtle hint of what might become of this if I were to pursue it. It was a direct connection to the very heights of my ego. My smile got bigger, and I felt my sexuality awaken with a tingly sensation that ran from one end of my body to the other and back again. His eyes connected with mine again briefly. Secretly. And it enchanted me. The offer for sexual intimacy had been detected...and welcomed. It was almost an unbearable tease for him to hold his lust back from me. It pained me to have him withdraw his nonverbal advances. I wanted them. I wanted them in abundance. Don't be shy...you can have me...if you ask.

He had almost forgotten to give Cyrus his change, and my grin caused one of his own to appear on his lips. Cyrus smiled, and told the others, "Why don't we go out to the truck and load up?" Then he turned to me, "Wesley..why don't you stay behind for a few minutes? Until we're ready to go." He looked over a the guy at the register again, and said, "Don't hurry yourself." And with that, they filed out into the parking lot. One by one. Kriegar gave me a bump on the shoulder as he passed me, but laughed it off as he knew what I was up to. Hell, they all knew. And something about that made it all the more interesting.

I felt sooooo sexy, approaching him at that counter. I could hardly hide my hardness from him. Not that I would have to. "Clark, right?" I asked, my voice dropping slightly to a seductive moan.

He averted his eyes from mine for a second, pretending to busy himself with something under the counter. "Hey..what's up?" He was trying to be calm about it. But I knew that I aroused him. I knew that I was making him extremely nervous just by being close to him. Cyrus was right. Despite all the social taboos, all the brainwashed prejudices and judgments, beyond all of that so-called civilized self control...I could still easily hit all the right nerves. I could stroke his emotions, and there was nothing that he could do about it. The animal inside him wouldn't allow its passions to be ignored. He knows it's wrong...doesn't he? He's seen the news articles, the prison sentences handed out like free cookies at the blood bank. He's seen them make a 'game' out of catching pedophiles on TV shows and humiliating them in front of the whole world. And yet...at this precise moment, that has absolutely nothing to do with what's going on between the two of us. He sees my beauty. He feels his attraction. And social norms be damned...all of the appropriate responses are taking place. His temperature is rising, his heartbeat races, and that nervous jitter is fluttering ever so slightly in the center of his chest. He tries sooooo hard to deny it, but with every glance he takes at me from the corner of his eye...the chemicals in his system translate every second of our contact into one of intimate bliss. Denying it is a waste of time. It's no different than a small child pretending that he can fly....closing his eyes and stretching his arms out...as if he could really deny the existence of 'gravity'. It was a game. A sham. A bad act. And I had the power to get him to drop the mask. I had the power to set him free, if only for a little while. 'Self' control? Heh...the very idea of it is a joke in itself. He was mine. He just didn't know it yet.

He was silent for a moment, not knowing exactly how to approach me after our last conversation. But when I got tired of waiting, I said, "I met you at the megamart a few nights ago. You remember?" He nodded bashfully, his eyes taking another timid look at me as he tried to pick the right 'smile' to show me. One that would be friendly, but not give away the desires that I could already detect inside of him. "We never did get to finish our conversation. Did we?" I said, leaning my elbows on the counter.

Feeling a bit more bold, I saw Clark's eyes look back and forth around the half empty store to see if anyone was within earshot. "No. I guess not." His eye contact got a little braver, but not by much. And yet, the scent increased. Almost doubled in its concentration. The pheromones coming from him were like a powerful narcotic to me. And my whole body vibrated from the sensation. My God...I didn't know that I'd LIKE this game so much!

"I think I remember something about you...suggesting some 'fun' activities for me to get into. Am I right?"

"Um...yeah. I think I know of a....a few places. Sure."

"Well, you know, I'm kinda new to this area, so...I don't really know my way around much. It would help if I had somebody nice...somebody cute...to drive me around." I had never done anything like it before. I had NEVER been able to muster the courage to talk to another guy before, much less FLIRT with one! Especially an older guy! Where was this coming from? Who was I becoming?

"Hehehe...damn, kid...what are you doing to me?" He gave me a sheepish grin, and put his hand over his eyes as though he could hide his blush and joyful discomfort in front of me. But I didn't let him go. I wouldn't be laughed off. I wouldn't give up my 'prize'. "You're just fucking with me, right?"

"Not yet." I replied, and licked my lips as I saw him press himself into the counter. Our eyes stayed locked for a moment, and he examined my gaze to see if I was being for real.

Then he said in a soft voice, "I'll tell you what..." He looked around the room again to insure our privacy, "...Why don't I give you my phone number? And if you...maybe wanna get together later...you know...hang out...you can give me a call."

"I'd like that." I smiled.

"I get off at six."

"And maybe again at six thirty." I grinned.

He chuckled to himself a bit over my forwardness, and I noticed a rather large lump in the front of his pants as he reached for a piece of scratch paper and a pen. He was already trembling. I was probably the most unbelievable, most exciting thing to happen to him in his entire life. And I soooo enjoyed being such an important part of this game. Nobody ever thinks that they'd toss their convictions aside and sleep with a minor. Not until that fateful day when that beautiful teenager comes scratching softly at your door, tempting the most erotically charged parts of your very being into an act that was once such a blasphemy in your mind. Most are unable to fight of such a temptation. It happens every day. And to the few who pride themselves on being strong enough to resist...I assure you that they spend the rest of their lives aching over the regret of the lost opportunity. Right now, at this very moment, I was this man's sensual gateway into an act of sin...and I LOVED it! I wallowed in the sensation. The mystery, the naughtiness, the seductive secret of it all. I had brought an entirely new angle into his life...and I knew from the heat radiating from his body that he could already 'taste' my flesh on the tip of his tongue. He wanted to intertwine with my youthful body in the most erotic ways imaginable. To feel his warm skin slide against a smoothness that he has not experienced since he was a young teen himself. He wanted to taste my purity, feel my responsive twitches and spasms, and absorb my honey sweet explosion as I released it into his throat. There would be no area on my body that he couldn't kiss, no heated area that he couldn't penetrate. I was his ultimate fantasy. His unicorn. His Holy Grail. And he was practically salivating over the slim and flexible sapling limbs of the blond boy standing before him. I made him want me HARD! Nothing had ever enticed me more than creating such a heated lust in this man. It made me feel so in control. It put him beneath me. Bowing at my feet, willing to do whatever it took to keep me interested. I wonder...if this was the 'weapon' that Sebastian enjoyed so much.

He's really writing down his number. I can't believe that I'm doing this right now. If only I had known how easy it was to get a phone number before now. I only I could have been this 'courageous' when it came to talking to...

When...when it came to...talking to...

It came to me suddenly. As if waking up from an extremely long dream. And as soon as it entered my mind, I felt the calling swiftly receding like the tide on a beach being yanked back out to sea. I could see it clear as day in my mind's eye. It took me away from my focus, and small traces of 'me' became more evident. A flash of soft sandy blond hair. A sparkle of green and yellow mixed, shining in the beauty of his hazel eyes. His smile was magic. His voice...angelic. His very presence was soothing in a way that could almost lull me to sleep in his warm embrace. Not lust. Not sex. But something more. Something more alluring. More fulfilling.

I thought back to just sitting behind that counter with Casey at his uncle's gas station...just sharing a few moments together. Some fun conversation. I could almost....reach out and touch him from memory. Something about him...something about his heart...made the confusion go away. It broke all ties, and caused the darkness inside of me to retreat back to the depths where I once believed it belonged.

I had never seen Casey naked. I had never pressed my lips against the softness of his cheek, nor ran my fingers through the loosely feathered locks of his shiny blond hair. I had never groped the deliciously tight globes of his ass, or smelled the lingering scent of soap and shampoo in the nape of his neck. And yet...just a 'hint' of Casey's infatuation excited me more than all of the orgasm inducing experiences that I've had thus far combined. To see his smile again...to just...trace the sweetness of his lips with my vision just one more time...would mean so much more to me than any of the guaranteed promises that I was sure to get from Clark or anyone of the people in that truck outside in the parking lot. I yearned for his light. I longed to be in sync with him again. Something about Casey reminded me of my family, reminded me of my home, reminded me...of myself.

"So, you're gonna call me tonight, or what?" Chuck asked me, sliding the slip of paper across the counter with his number on it. He had gotten much more brave now, and his once bashful grin was now tainted with an almost cocky appeal. The scent was still sweet, but slightly different now. I wasn't sure that I liked it as much.

"We'll just have to see, now won't we?" I said, attempting to maintain the same smile that I had given him when I first walked over to greet him. But it wasn't quite the same. "I'll talk to you soon." I backed away from the counter and walked towards the door, Clark's eyes watching my ass from the counter as he adjusted the hardened meat in his pants.

"Mmmm, the sooner the better." He said to himself.

I found myself back out in the daylight again. I had become a bit...'confused'. Slowly, but surely, I could feel the calling creeping back into my mind state. Sneaking softly into my thoughts, trying to fill in the gaps again. But it was almost 'fearful' in its attempt to take control again. Instead of the forceful wipeout that it had brought down on my shoulders before...this time it inched back into position. Like a pack of jackals coming back to feed after being 'chased off' by a stronger animal. It begged for me to accept. It compelled me to simply lay back and drift all over again. Didn't it feel good? Didn't it feel free? How could I deny the effect it's had on me? How could I dispute the change it has made in me? I allowed it take me. To cover my senses with darkness and bring back some of that wicked feeling of power and grace. But...there is something about purposely returning to madness that brings with it a certain level of shame. Guilt. You allow it access when you know you shouldn't. And you begin to question whether or not....you've simply given up one illusion for another.

As I walked back to the truck, my emotions slipped further into darkness, and the calling began to quickly erase those feelings of home. It helped me to forget. And you can't really miss what you hardly remember.

"You find yourself a nice warm popsicle in there, Wesley?" John Boy asked as I came back to the truck.

"Hehehe, I dunno...maybe." Their energies added a boost of speed to the already rapid fall. And my conflicts dissolved into thin air. "I got his number. Maybe we can have him over some time?"

The back of the truck erupted in laughter, and I couldn't help but grin a bit myself. "Maybe you should go easy on the poor bastard and let him get off with just ONE teenager for his first time out, Daddy-O!" Kriegar joked. "We don't wanna overload him! We'll be cleaning cum off the ceiling for weeks!"

I climbed on and sat down next to Dexter. He turned his back on me at first, pouting over being tricked in the store. I put my hand on his shoulder to pull him closer to me, but he jerked away from me. Now...I'm not sure what the hell made me do this, considering that he had just threatened to basically cut a hole in me and eat the eyes right out of my head...but there was something about him jerking away from me that my current state of mind would not allow. I roughly grabbed a hold of his shoulder, yanked him back, and I forced him to lie against me like he was SUPPOSED to! Dex fell back against my chest...and while he continued to pout for a second or two...he then turned over...and I felt his arm drape itself lovingly over my stomach. It was only a moment before I heard a soft whine escape his lips, and he snuggled in close to my side.

It wasn't until I looked up at the others in the back of the truck, that I really became aware of what had just happened. They looked at me with a certain level of surprise at my actions, but smiled in their approval of it. I had to look at my own hand for a moment...just to see if it was really...mine. I mean, I had never been angry or forceful a day in my life. CERTAINLY not abusive! And even if I had suddenly decided to start throwing my temper around, I sure as hell wouldn't have started with Dexter. Because whether he was being too adorable to be mad at or too sinister to approach...putting my hands on him in a threatening manner would have never crossed my mind.

Kriegar took a sip out of his bottle as Cyrus pulled out of the parking lot. "Out of all the GRIEF that crazy little fucker's given us over the years...it takes a new kid to finally tame him. Go figure."

"I'm NOT crazy...!" Dex started, sitting up to argue it out with Kriegar. But before it even became an issue, I lightly put my hand on the side of Dexter's head and pulled him back down in to my chest, where his arms snaked around me again.

"Shhhh...it's ok. He's just poking fun. Shhhh..." I said, and kissed the top of his head as he closed his eyes and cuddled up again. I saw a mischievous grin on Kriegar's face, and he was getting ready to lean over and say something else to further aggravate him. I could see it in his eyes. Dex was actually being PEACEFUL at the moment! I didn't need to have him all riled up again. "Kriegar?" I said. "Don't. Just leave it alone."

Kriegar's eyes connected with mine for a moment, and then he grinned and gave me a wink. "Whatever. Fuck it." And he went right back to drinking. I petted Dex softly in my arms, almost as if in apology for pulling on him so hard, and he cooed tenderly against my chest. He was practically falling asleep, his puffy little lips stuck out as he began to doze off, and I noticed a generous smile on John Boy's face that was pointed in my direction. Was it for handling Dex the way I did? Or for anticipating Kriegar's need to instigate a problem? Maybe for getting Clark's number in the store? Who knows? But the 'message' in his evil little smirk was well conveyed. I had done well...and he was proud.

We had just gotten to the edge of town and on the highway, when we met a truck coming in the other direction. It's not like it mattered much to either one of us when we passed it...but I noticed my senses had begun to flare up once we heard the other truck put on breaks and screech to a halt behind us. Both Shank and Razor turned to look behind us, and Dexter woke up instantly as we both sprung to attention. The other truck had stopped so fast that small clouds of smoke was coming from its tires as it slid across the hot asphalt. Then, it backed up, and dug in to the road as it turned around to chase us.

This definitely caught our attention, and the entire pack was on alert as our energies connected and coordinated our movements. New positions were made necessary, and when the other truck caught up to us, to ride along side us...we could see two or three guys in the front seat. Maybe twenty five years old from the looks of them. Stubble and shadows on their faces, one of them with a beer bottle in hand. They were cursing at us, and soon hurried up to get in front of our truck and cut us off.

Both vehicles came to a quick stop off the side of the road, and once some of the dust had cleared, and they stepped out of their truck...I knew that it was time for us to stand together. Especially....when I saw Cyrus reach forward, and slowly turn off the ignition...and remove the keys.

The men were walking towards the truck, but Cyrus opened the door and stepped out before they got there. Sebastian, Scout, and Kristen, all got out of the passenger side, while the rest of us stood up in the back of the truck. Only the twins were given the silent order to jump down to the ground, and expand their positions to keep all of us, and them, in sight at once. Our gazes landed on the men with such an intensity that they almost slowed down in their approach. That moment of hesitation, that shimmering glimpse of doubt, was all that we needed to intimidate them. Even from a distance.

If they were expecting us to be the cowards in this situation...they were kidding themselves.

The driver of the car marched forward, his breath reeking of alcohol and cigarettes, and he stood in front of Cyrus. He towered over our leader by a good 5 or 6 inches...but our father was strong. He was fearless. And by the smirk on his face, he displayed how unimpressed he was with the man's size or his threatening demeanor. "I would assume that there's a problem?" Cyrus said calmly.

"You're fucking RIGHT there's a problem!" The man said. Normally, such a disgusting display of disrespect would have us all tensed up and ready to take someone's head off in anger. But not this time. We simply waited. Patiently looking forward to the opportunity to slice one of these so-called 'bad boys' wide open. "So you boys like to get free liquor? Is that it?" The man sneered.

"I do!" Kriegar smiled, and tilted his head back to drink the rest of the liquid out of his handy pocket sized bottle. Then he tossed it to the side and wiped his mouth on his arm.

"Funny. Real funny." The guy moved closer, breathing down Cyrus' neck, and I watched as the twins took a secretive step forward themselves. We had nothing to fear. Nothing at all. Shank and Razor would intercept at a moment's notice. And the rest of us would be tearing the others to shred's before their buddy's guts even hit the ground. "You know...my kid brother, Robbie...he works hard to keep that place going strong. The last thing he needs is a couple of fucking punks coming by, and making trouble. To be honest, I don't even know why the fuck he would be scared of a couple of pissant kids like you in the first place!"

Cyrus grinned, "Ohhhh, I doubt you'd believe him if he told you."

"Somehow, I doubt I'd believe it either." He said, not knowing the hole he was digging for himself.

"So..." Cyrus smiled, "...Has sweet little Robbie been complaining about us to his big brother? Is that what's happening here?"

"Let's just say that I look out for my family. And you? I don't want you anywhere near them. Any more. You got that?"

"Funny...I had no idea that I was causing poor Robbie so much trouble." Cyrus replied, and I felt myself wanting to step out of line. To move forward and add my own ingredient to the recipe. But...as our father was handling things on his own, I followed his order...and I remained still. "If he didn't want us around...all he had to do was ask us to leave. We're hardly the kind of people to stay where we're not wanted." Cyrus almost sarcastic grin caused the guy to get angry, but he managed to contain it for a few minutes more.

"Ok, well...let me put it like this then, kid....and I'm gonna go real slow so you teeny boppers can keep up." He said. "You can consider that little 'liquor raid' of yours...to be the last one you ever make at my Uncle Chester's shop. You understand? You don't go there. You don't visit, you don't shop, you don't even drive past that fucking place again! You take a different road from now on. If I hear so much as a whisper of you or any of your little geek squad here going by that place again..I'm going to personally see to it that you go home with something 'broken'. You hear me?"

"Really?" Cyrus said with a raise of his eyebrows. "Strong words. I should probably be careful of you guys. You look like 'trouble'."

Shank and Razor both shared a smirk, and the main got even more frustrated than before. This time, he used his finger, and pointed at Cyrus chest...hard. "I suggest you watch your MOUTH, dipshit!"

"I suggest you watch your finger." Cyrus told him, and that's when he noticed the rest of us now creeping around the truck as a single unit Every last one of us closing in on the three of them as he dared to make physical contact with our center. The air around us became hostile. Violent even. And we were prepared to do more than leave them with a few busted lips and black eyes this time. This was a much more direct offense. A crime of this magnitude...would cause them to lose a limb or two..just for starters. The man's finger was still touching Cyrus' chest, and without even getting a command, I walked over to lightly push his hand away.

He looked over at the others, who were all staring at them in unison, emotionless in their expression. A moment of silence passed between us as he tried to regain some false sense of bullyish control.

He didn't get it.

If anything, the dark energies flowing between us were only amused by his supposed superiority in a situation that he was NOT prepared to handle. His attitude, rugged roughneck looks, and ogre like voice, might work on a few timid townspeople and the God fearing locals on the outskirts...but to us...he was about as menacing as a bag of marshmallows. He was seriously about to get a deep bite taken out of his throat!

He didn't see us back down, and he pretended to laugh it off as he backed away from Cyrus and me. "I suggest you boys learn to get your booze from somewhere else. I don't wanna have to come have another talk with you. Because next time? I'm letting the crowbar do the talking."

"Anything else?" Cyrus asked.

And with hardly a moment's hesitation, the man turned around, and with his boot, he viciously kicked out at the front of the truck, shattering glass all over the place. "Yeah...you got a headlight out! Hehehe!" Him and his boys laughed to themselves, got back in their truck, and started it up as we all stood our ground in a single file line. "Stay out of trouble, kids!" They teased, and took off...the tires spitting dirt and dust back in our direction. But still we all kept our watch as they traveled down the road.

After a moment or two, all of our eyes still focused on the truck, Cyrus spoke. "John Boy?"

"Yes, Father."

"Did you mark them by their scent?"

"Naturally." John Boy said calmly.

"Good." Cyrus turned his head slightly towards Sebastian. "We're canceling our previous plans tonight. Instead, I want a few of you to pay our friends a visit. Maybe get them to...better understand their brother's fear of who we are."

"Are you sure? This will surely bring even more attention to us than ever before." Sebastian offered.

"Oh, I'm sure." He smiled devilishly. Then he looked at me, standing so diligently at his side. "And...I want you to take the new breed with you. No need for him to miss out on all the fun."

I wish that I could say that it bothered me, worried me, maybe even frightened me. But it didn't. Whatever it was that he needed me to do..I'd do it. This is the price of true freedom. This is the price of the truth.

And the way I felt, watching a truckload of those pricks disappearing over the horizon...I wanted to be ready. I wanted to know what it was like..

..To embrace the beast once again.