A Troll is Haunting Tex's

Yeah, I was, like, totally fucking nervous.

"Come on Chloe," Steve said, opening my door, gentleman that he always was. "Quit with that chickenshit stuff 'n move your ass."

So okay, I did move my ass, kind of steeling myself and wondering why Steve was carrying that big black garbage bag in one paw, the one with the chupacabra heads and after a couple of hours in the Texas sun, it was kind of starting to smell just a little. He took my hand in his other paw and I kind of felt a lot less nervous right away. There was just something so secure about being with Steve and I went with that and just kind of tucked myself up against him and went along with the flow.

Wish I'd asked about that garbage bag though.

"Anybody want some head?" Steve kind of had that command voice that carried when he wanted to and when we walked through the doors and into Tex's, he used it. "Got me some good head here if you want some?"

Everybody looked at Steve, then me. Then at me. Then at me. Me? I looked around and I blushed.

"Fuck yeah," one of the guys grinned and yeah, he was looking at me and okay, I was pretty sure what he was thinking and I had no idea which of them it was coz about the only ones here I'd seen actual photos of were Tex and EB and it wasn't them and it wasn't Lovecraft coz I knew he always wore black and there was a dude there in black that must be him and I knew it wasn't MelissaBaby or Barefootgirl or Lori coz they were, like, girls and yeah, I was wearing my pink Doc Martens, the ones with spikes. I'd put them on where we were driving into town and the look that dude gave me, the way he grinned when I kind of instinctively licked my lips, my right foot was kinda twitching.

Time to reduce some libido in Texas, maybe.

"Relax, Chloe." Steve musta guessed, he gave me that special grin before he let go my hand and looked back at the guy. "Here ya go, dude," Steve said and he reached into that black garbage bag and pulled out one of those chupacabra head's by one ear and he tossed it towards the dude. "Catch."

I had to giggle, 'specially when Steve said "Gives a suckjob like you wouldn't believe, dude."

The dude caught it and then he looked at it and then he frigging screamed like a girl and dropped it like a hot coal and yeah, if someone tossed me a chupacabra head with a coupla bullet holes in it leaking blood as well as what passed for a brain in a chupacabra and I'd caught it, I'd drop it and scream like a girl too. As it was, I laughed, which probably sounded a lot more maniacal than I meant it to coz everyone kinda looked at me.

Tex, he'd been looking at the head on the floor but when I laughed he looked at me. Looked at Steve. "Chloe and Steve, I presume," he said, and he was grinning. "Bearing gifts?"

"Could say that," Steve grinned right back. "Ran into these little mothers an hour or so back." His grin kind of grew as he emptied the rest of the bag out onto the floor. Wasn't too messy coz the blood had pretty much dried and they didn't have much in the way of brains to leak but they did smell a little strong.

"Six bleeding heads, sitting on the floor," someone sang. One of the Aussies, that accent and I could smell the beer from where I stood. Older guy and it wasn't EB so it had to be ColdDiesel or Ishtat or maybe Bramblethorn but I had no idea which but EB was there with his koala on a chair next to him and damn, I didn't realize koalas were so big. I wouldn't be picking that little guy up for a cuddle coz, well, it was bigger than me and it was sitting on that seat drinking a beer.

Definitely an Aussie bear. That Aussie, the guy that'd started singing, he leaned forward, picked one of the heads up, sat it on the table next to him and yeah, I'd cut pretty clean so it just sat there. Actually, it just sat there looking godawful 'n it looked worse when he stuck a cigarette in its mouth.

"Real cute," the Aussie said. "What the fuck is it, mate? Don't have any of these back in God's own land."

"Chupacabra," Tex said. "Bloodsucker, they come in packs."

"Got half a dozen, 'bout twenty more chased us down the road," Steve said. "Still out there, lucky we just ran into these ones by themselves. Figured we'd come in for reinforcements and go back this afternoon if anyone's interested."

"Why not now?" someone asked, "Only ten. Got all morning."

"Gotta shake everyone down," Steve said. "Assign teams, do some contact and action drills, make sure we don't shoot each other up, make sure everyone's got the right equipment, get the coms-net working, lot of stuff like that. Got a load of gear in the truck, Tex. Anyhows, they likely won't go far by this afternoon, easy enough to track and better to hunt these mothers in daylight, they're slower then, don't see as well."

"You hunted them before?" someone asked. "I'm Doom," he added.

"Hold the questions and the intros for ten, guys. These two look like they need a cleanup," Tex said. "You both go take a quick shower, come out back, I'll show you the sleep out, drop your bags, we can off load everything, make sure everyone's kitted up we'll get the MRE's fired up for lunch 'n we can introduce everyone and then go get us some chupacabra's."

Shower? Sounded like bliss to me but I was hoping he was joking about the MRE's. Meals, Ready to Eat. Army Surplus probably. We used them for hiking. You could live of off them. That was the best I could say. Sometimes it was hard to tell the food from the wrapping though. He was joking, wasn't he?

"You got a freezer we can throw these heads in, Tex?" Steve asked.

"Matter of fact, yeah, out in the back shed," Tex said. "Cleaned it out thinking we might pick up one or two heads worth turning in. Off to a good start."

Fifteen minutes later we were heading back to the coffee shop and that'd been the fastest shower I'd ever had in my life. Steve and that military way of doing things. "Times up, Chloe," he'd said.

"It hasn't even been five minutes," I'd said, enjoying the cool water. Bliss.

"Thirty seconds should be enough," he said. Ruthless. That's what he was. Ruthless.

"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhwhatdidyoudothatforyoubastard...." Frigging heck, that cold water was frigging freezing. I kindof liked what it did to my nipples though but that was pretty much wasted coz someone was not thinking sex. Oh well.

"Times up. Out. Chupacabra's are calling our name." Ruthless. That's what he was. Ruthless. Cruel, heartless and ruthless. But I didn't argue. I knew him. Like this, monster hunting mode, I was gonna lose.

"Okay okay" and I was outa that shower and he was in and he didn't bother turning the water back to warm. Goddamn Marines. What did they make them from? He was back out before I'd done more than slip my panties and a sports bra and my socks on. Had to decide on which color didn't I?

"Come on, Chloe, move your ass, girl. Times wasting."

"Yes, Sir! Ooorah, Sir!" I gave him the finger. I also sped up. Black tee. My black leather stretch combat tights with all the extra pockets. Black leather jacket. Combat boots. The rest of my gear was in my bag in the box. I was ready when he was. He grinned. Bastard! But I smiled back. This was gonna be a fun afternoon. Firepower! Yes! No more running from those frigging chupacabras. They were so dead!

"Come on, move your ass," I said, giving it a whack as I slipped past him and out the door. Nice of Tex to let us stay in that trailer back of the barn. Seemed pretty comfortable to me. I stayed well ahead of Steve down the side of the barn coz if he caught up, that whack to the ass was coming back my way and I was laughing as I flew round the corner into the dustbowl otherwise known as a parking lot just as this green sportscar stopped, right in front of me.

A beautiful green two door sports car, low and sleek with this leaping cat thing on the front of the long hood.

"Haven't seen one of those in years," Steve said from behind me.

"What is it?" I asked, thinking yeah, well, I'd like one of those for Christmas. Looked so cool.

"This?" The large gentleman sliding out from the driver's side stood, stretched. "This is a fully restored Jaguar E-Type Series Three Vee twelve. You must be Chloe? And this is Steve?" He extended a rather large hand which I took a little hesitantly. It was bigger than Steve's but carefully gentle. His unbuttoned suit jacket fell open and I saw the label on the inside pocket. It was. Dege and Skinner. I knew the name coz my Dad had a suit from them. Savile Row. Wow! This was just the coolest.

"Handley Page?"

"Major the Honourable John Wickham Gascoyne Beresford Handley-Page, MC, at your service. And this is Sam Scribble." He gestured at the slowly opening passenger door, the smiling face. Then waved at the Ford Expedition that'd just pulled up other side of that E-Type. One very large guy in the front and the back was just packed full.

"And I don't need to mention who this is."

He didn't. The behemoth working his way out from that Expedition and ambling around beside Sam was undoubtedly Ogg.

"Chloe, I'm absolutely positive this must be Chloe," he said. "And Steve? You lucky young dog!" He slapped Steve on the shoulder. I'd never seen Steve rock before, but he did. Me, I felt like a little doll all of a sudden. Not that I didn't most of the time, but surrounded by all these big guys? Well, I just knew who the monsters would be going for and I kind of gulped. Coz monsters, they always go for what they think is the easy kill.

The smallest one.

"Come on guys," I said, "let's get you inside, we can meet everyone, grab some chow and get the guns sorted out, then we're going hunting."

"Hunting?" HP said, his eyes lighting up. "This afternoon? Let's go."

We goed.

We goed straight into Tex's Coffee Shop and the place was humming and as soon as we were in the door, it kinda quietened down coz Tex'd jumped up onto one of the tables and for an old guy, he sure was athletic.

"Listen up, everyone, we're going Chupacabra hunting. Nothing special about chupacabras, they're vicious and if they catch you, they'll suck your brains and blood outa your skull and drain you dry, they come in packs but a good rifle, even a good handgun up close, that'll take 'em down and we've got the numbers and the firepower to take down a pack. You've all seen the heads 'n Steve and Chloe took those ones up close with 1911's, no problem.

Now this little hunt, we're all taking a rifle, we're all taking a handgun and I'd suggest a backup weapon as well so we're going to get everyone geared up, Steve, BB, Zeb and I, we'll check weapons and ammo loads. Steve'll fit you all with the communications headsets and then we'll move out. We're going to do a quick round table on names here, assign you to four man teams if you can't put together your own. You all already know the names, try and keep the faces that go with 'em coz we're moving out as soon as we have everyone geared up and ready to go."

Tex glanced at Steve. "Let's get your gear inside, Steve, anyone needs anything we can get it sorted out now while we eat." He raised his voice, looked around. "Early lunch's on the counter, help yourself, everyone bring your gear in first, clean your weapons, get your ammo ready. Few of you help Steve unload his truck 'n then we'll gear up anyone who needs more guns or ammo."

He hadn't been joking. Lunch was MRE's and they were as godawful as ever. The coffee was good though.

"Some bleeding resort this is," HP muttered as he looked skeptically at the thing he held in his hand. "What exactly is this?"

"Barbeque chicken sandwich," Steve said helpfully, taking it from HP and stuffing it in his mouth. "Here, try the Italian." He handed his to HP. "They're fucking awful." Gulping down some coffee. "Helps if you drink coffee while you eat it, improves the taste. Or you can use tabasco sauce." He offered his bottle. "Or both."

HP took it. "Doesn't taste of anything," he said, taking a tentative bite. "I was expecting something perhaps a little more Texas gourmet."

"Tonight," Tex said, mug of coffee in one hand, MRE, nameless rodent, held in the other "Was going to do a spread for lunch but those chupacabras showed up, plans changed fast."

"Understood," HP said, chewing. "Yes, it's better with that Tabasco."

"Just swallow it," I said. "Just bite of small pieces and swallow them. They don't chew real well."

"What're you eating, Chloe?" HP looked at my hand.

I grinned. "Mars bar. I hate MRE's. Want one?" I pulled another one out of my jacket pocket. Always have a few Mars Bars handy for emergencies.

HP took it. He did look grateful. Steve took the half-eaten Italian from him and ate that too. I kind of wrinkled my nose. Marines! Him and Tex, they looked like they were enjoying them.

"Brings back a few memories," Steve said, eyeing my MRE. "What've you got in here, Chloe? Hey, Tortilla."

"I like those ones," Tex said, and it was gone and he'd lifted the Tabasco Sauce from HP as well.

Me? I laughed. That look on Steve's face, it was priceless.

"Gotta be quick," I sang, coz that was what Steve always said when he snaffled something I was thinking about. "Too slow," I added, snaking my hand out and grabbing the crackers coz they were about the only thing I liked.

"Ten minutes and we're moving out," Tex called out. "Get your shit together now. Everybody make sure you got full water bottles. Pays to stay hydrated."

"Before we move out", EB called, "everyone dab some of this behind their ears."

"What's it for?" Voboy asked.

"So Cuddles here knows you're on the team," EB said, gesturing at that giant frigging koala squatting next to him, cigarette in its mouth and Jesus, that couldn't be good for its health coz it'd been chain smoking since we arrived. Wasn't going to risk removing that cigarette though. I'd seen its teeth and let's just say I was staying well back until I was sure Cuddles was safe. Right now, I wasn't at all sure.

"Jesus, what is this stuff?" NotWise asked and he did look kind of quizzical.

"Vegemite," EB said. "Dab it behind your ears like this." He dabbed behind mine, this greasy black stuff and it smelt just disgusting. Some kind of rat poison or something? "Cuddles, he goes on scent as much as eyesight and he knows vegemite. Don't ya, mate?" He looked down at Cuddles.

Cuddles kind of grinned. Looked more like a snarl to me. Showed his teeth and holy frigging fuck! I stuck my finger in that container of vegemite and got myself a big dab more. After seeing those teeth and those fangs, I really wanted to make sure Cuddles knew I was on the team. I wasn't the only one. Just the first.

"Okay, we're gonna load up in five and move out," Tex called. "Anyone needs to pee, take it now."

Been there, done that. Didn't need to be told that one and it'd only taken two hours to get everyone geared up and ready. Frigging hell. I'd been ready to roll in fifteen minutes, but then, I'd done this before and Steve, he was a hard taskmaster. Could do it faster if I needed to and me, I was all geared up. Totally tactical.

I tugged at the straps on my body armor, twenty pounds of black Kevlar, took one last look around at the group standing outside in the parking lot and yeah, it was a large group. Twenty four of us and the only time I'd seen more guns and ammo than this in one place before was that time I'd visited the local National Guard Armory with that buddy of Steve's.

Me? Yeah, well, I'm talking. Ruger SR9 in my ankle holster. Kimber 1911 on one leg and I'd thought about those Chupacabras and who knows what else might be out there so there was that Springfield 1911 in the other thigh holster where I usually had my SR9 coz 9mm wasn't going to cut it with those suckers. Katana in its back sheath with the hilt above my shoulder except that'd be a bit uncomfortable in the F350 so it was sitting on the front passenger-side along with my Remington 12 gauge that went in that back holster and my DD Mk18.

Another check, kind of nervous coz usually I just hunted with Steve and with a team this large, it was all a bit confusing and I really didn't want to fuck up, not in front of everyone. MUSAT knife in my chest sheath. A dozen mags of 12 gauge in pouches on my waist and in my camelbak. More mags for my DD, all 5.56, a couple of dozen 30 round mags, some in pouches, the rest in my camelbak along with my medical kit and the water and my camelback was on that front seat as well.

Eight extra mags of .45 for the 1911's in my camelback plus two in my thigh pockets each side, strapped in tight. Yeah, I was scared of those chupacabras. Headset on and we'd done a coms check, it worked. Kevlar helmet and goggles on the seat as well, pulled my tac gloves on and I was about as good to roll as I'd ever been.

Way more ammo than I usually carried but those chupacabras this morning, I was twitchy and we were going back for the rest of them so yeah, really twitchy. Those things were a lot more dangerous than trolls and yeah, I know I've talked about monster hunting and shit but it was Steve that usually went out with his buddies and shot the dangerous stuff. Me, I'd taken out some trolls and those were-hamsters and stuff that wasn't, you know, anything like as scary and dangerous as chupacabras and this morning it'd all been total fear and adrenaline and I'd just switched on and done it without thinking.

This was all a bit too real, really, but on the plus side, everyone along for this one was really packing heat. Some of those guns, Jesus, they looked more like frigging cannon and I figured I'd do what I normally did and just, you know, tuck in behind Steve and supply the covering fire and there were more than enough guys here to deal with all those chupacabras. Yeah, there were and I was with Steve and Lovecraft was playing on our team and the fourth guy was BiscuitHammer and he looked like he knew how to roll, so I was with a bunch of guys that knew how to handle themselves.

No need for me to worry. I kept telling myself that.

Lovecraft was as totally geared up as I was and he wore black like me. All black like me except he was wearing black jeans. Apart from that, we coulda been twins except he was way taller and bigger, almost as big as Steve but hey, everyone here except Barefootgirl was taller than me. Used to that one. But Lovecraft, he was big and tall and he moved like a ninja, flowed almost. He was packing that black Glock 17 American Eagle 124 High power, had a couple of spring loaded knives in wrist sheathes on each wrist coz we'd compared knives and he liked mine and I was thinking those ones of us, they'd be a useful addition and Steve kinda thought so too.

Main weapon was a beautiful black Mossberg 500 Persuader, and he was carrying an ammo load for that that would've had me buckling at the knees. When we found those chupacabras, it was going to get awesomely noisy real quick. He'd only had that Mossberg though, so Steve'd offered to loan him one of our rifles as well but he'd said no, he'd rather just go with what he was used to and knew how to use and yeah, that's what you should do unless there's no choice.

BiscuitHammer? Well, he was more of a martial arts guy, been in the Army, Airborne, he was familiar with guns so Steve'd given him a 1911 and one of our spare 12 Gauges and some ammo but he hadn't done any monster hunting before and I was walking behind him and Steve'd said "Just make sure he doesn't freak out and shoot Lovecraft or me in the back." As for Steve, well, I mean, Jesus, how many guns could Steve carry? Three 1911's -- each leg and that third one in an ankle holster.

His Remington Tactical 870, his Black Rain Ordnance Predator .308 and about a gazillion assorted magazines and I knew he had a few grenades coz he always did and there was that giant frigging kukri as well. Looked like he could take out all those chupacabras by himself and hey, I knew him, he probably could so okay, I was a lot more comfortable about this coz everyone else was weighed down with guns and ammo and some of those guns, Jesus.