“Shifter Grove,” the short boy said immediately. “It’s less than five miles up Kennebec River. Just follow the River Road.”

“Good boy,” Rex said getting up with a lazy grace. The fat boy hadn’t moved and Rex could smell the terror off of him. “Try not to wet your pants, boy,” Rex said and patted the boys cheeks, a noxious stain bloomed on the boy’s crotch and Rex smelled ammonia. Rex laughed and walked towards his car, his hands in his pockets a cheerful tune on his lips.

‘Oh this is going to be a good day!’

Chapter Eight

Gunslinger

Sonya was having the time of her life. She’d shot up. She’d shot up eight targets at the shooting range, her aim getting better with each target, and she had imagined one of her loser ex-boyfriends and it had been very cathartic. She’d selected her navy blue dress with the hot pink polka dots for the day. It showed off all of the right curves and Diesel hadn’t been able to keep his eyes off of her all day.

They were sitting in Waterville’s most expensive restaurant. It was on a quieter stretch of the Kennebec River, unlike the Pig Out diner where one had to talk loudly to be heard over the noise of the river. Sonya’s steak was rare and bloody and she moaned in pleasure, licking her lips. Diesel attacked his fish with gusto.

“I didn’t pick you for a fish person,” Sonya said.

“I had enough meat in the Navy for a life time,” he said evasively.

Sonya sucked her thumb thoughtfully.

“Was it that bad?” she asked placing a hand on his thigh.

“No,” he said considering, “I mean it wasn’t all bad. I’d finally met people like me and we still keep in touch but I guess I never got used to the carnage.”

“I can understand,” she said. “My Dad was a butcher.” She promptly sawed off another bite and ate it. “But it never put me off meat,” she grinned.

“I can see that,” he laughed. “Tell me about your childhood. You just mentioned your father was a butcher. What about your mother? Any siblings?”

“Nope,” she said, “Mom and Dad were so busy bickering and throwing furniture at each other they didn’t find time to have another baby. My mother worked two jobs as soon as I was born; she was a janitor at a hospital and a school, then she also started work at an office building by the time I was four.”

“Wow,” Diesel said, “It must have been rough for you.”

“Well not really,” Sonya said. “I hardly ever saw her; she was never around so I’d never learnt to miss her. My Dad though I would miss because he had proper shop hours and most of the time I’d be in the shop with him. But I guess he missed her for me which is why he would fight with her; for the attention my Dad thought I was owed from my mother.”

“I didn’t have a father,” Diesel said, “I mean I never knew him. He left before my Mom even knew she was pregnant. Actually, now that I think about it I doubt if he left her. She wasn’t very pleased when she saw that I was a Shifter like him,” he shrugged nonchalantly but Sonya sensed a sore resentment.

“Are you in touch with her?”

“No,” Diesel said his mouth turning in to a thin line, “Once both of us knew I was a Shifter she didn’t really want me around, I sensed that and so I left. She didn’t stop me.”

“My mother didn’t want me either,” Sonya said with a sweet understanding smile and squeeze his thigh. “She told my father that having me was the worst mistake, that I’d ruined her body and the way she felt about my Dad and that she blamed me for everything, the money that wouldn’t stretch to feed and clothe three people, the fights they’d been having ever since I was born, how he didn’t love her anymore, only me.”

“She said all of that in front of you?” Diesel looked shocked.

“She was screaming in a studio apartment,” Sonya laughed, it was hollow. “She left soon after that. Last I heard she was married to some big shot in Brooklyn.”

“What about your Dad?” he asked quietly.

“He passed away when I was sixteen,” Sonya said playing with the mashed potatoes, “pancreatic cancer.”

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