Sociopaths and Serial Killers

BY: Montana

Disclaimer: I do not own Jean-Claude, Richard, Anita, Edward, or anything else that belongs to LKH.

Author Note: This is set after Obsidian Butterfly.

We got our stuff, and drove home in the Hummer. Funny, that I was calling Edward’s house home. And in a way, I suppose it was home. We arrived around 11:00. I went to bed immediately, and fell asleep.

***

I wandered into the kitchen, up later than Edward, as usual. I sat down to a plate full of bacon and eggs, with milk. Nice. Edward remembered not to put chili peppers in mine. Thank you.

“So who the hell are the men in black,” I demanded, as soon as Edward sat down to eat.

He smiled that irritating smile, secretive, keeping it to himself. I knew he liked his secrets, but damn it, I had a right to know!

“They worked for Xander Riker, Riker’s younger brother,” I found myself saying. “He wanted you dead, because he believed you killed Riker.”

“So when are we going to go get him?” I asked, taking a sip of milk.

“I’ve already taken care of it.” He popped a bite of egg into his mouth, smug.

I raised an eyebrow. When the hell had he done that? And he left me out of the fun! Not fair. “When?”

“Last night. But Ted was with you, if anyone asks.” He smiled at me from across the table. I loved his smile..

I shook my head, failing at my meager attempt to hide my smile. “Awww. I didn’t get to play.”

“I thought you don’t do murder, Anita.”

“It would have been self defense. He was trying to have me killed, remember?”

“What ever you say.” He took a sip of milk, grinning like the Cheshire cat. I took it with a grain of salt. I knew he liked to tease me.

We sat in silence. There was a topic on my mind though, that I had to bring up. “Well, Olaf is dead. Riker #2 is taken care of. This is usually the part where I go return to the safer home front.”

“Do you want to go home?” he asked. I didn’t. I wanted to stay down here in NM, with Edward. But I had stuff to do in St. Louis. I had to take care of Jean-Claude. I had to tell Richard to find another Lupa. I had to find a suitable leader for the pard. I had to hand in my resignation to the squad. And then, my life could finally be my own once again.

I shrugged. “I don’t want to leave you. And I don’t really have a home, per se, in St. Louis, anymore. But I need to tie up loose ends with the triumvirate, and the Pard. And I’ll bet the cops are missing me. Lord knows what cases I’ve missed, being gone this long.”

“You’ve been on the squad so long, you’d think that they’d be able to solve a damn case by themselves.” There was a bitter note in his voice, that took me by surprise.

I frowned at him. “You’re mad. What gives, Edward?”

He shrugged, and went back to his eggs, pushing them around his plate. I sighed. Only children and grown men pull this shit. I stood from my chair, and walked over to him, kicking the leg of the chair until he was facing me. I straddled his lap, kissing him gently. I loved kissing Edward. Even a small chaste kiss like that.

He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me even closer, burying his nose in my hair. He took a deep breath, I knew he was taking in my scent. “I don’t want you to leave,” he murmured.

“I don’t want to leave either. But I’ve got stuff to take care of back in St. Louis, before I can come back down here.”

He pulled away to look at me, and odd astonished look on his face. Had I stepped too far? Did he not want me around here? “Did you say come back down here?”

I looked away. “I’m sorry, it was assuming. I didn’t mean—”

He hushed me, placing a finger over my lips. “I want you to come back, Anita. If we have to live miles and miles away for too much longer, I might go insane.”

I smiled. “Well, we can’t have that.”

***

I stayed for three more days. They were the most wonderful days of my life.

I kissed him farewell, before walking through the metal detectors at the airport. He had to tip his cowboy hat up so he wouldn’t clock me with the brim. He looked quite handsome in that well worn white hat. I promised I would be back within a month. I hoped I wasn’t lying. I didn’t know how the boys would react to my permanently packing up and leaving for Sante Fe. But as they say, there’s only one way to find out. And I wasn’t looking forward to it.


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