.. AIM... FIRE!"The crash of seven rifles shooting was the first any of the Indians or the man inside the line shack knew of the presence of the milit...a. This first shot was not very easy, considering the distance to the target, the speed of the horses running past the shack, and the angle of the shots. For whatever the reason, only 2 of the Indians went down, and the rest were now alerted to the second group of foes.The Indians reacted with admirable speed. Without hesitation, they turned to. "Jeff Spencer went to Ringers that night, too - looking to score with her. Susan had been ranting in his ear all week about how you had left her high and dry - as though you owed her and her lover a life. He needed a good lay without having to listen to her whining. He spotted you and Dianna leaving the club - and recognized you immediately. "He confronted her the next night and fed her some line about you having fucked him over on some deal or another. He told her he would make it worth her. I have to be ready for this. Hard for this. I couldn’t be weak. I had to hurt my sister. I had to end our relationship to save her. To save all of my women. I needed to rip out my own heart.I didn’t want to.My teeth ground together. What choice did I have? Rithi would undo her miracle that saved my wives. All my women but Ealaín, Ava, Greta, and Carsina would die. I trudged against the weight in my boots. My heart beat faster and faster. It ached. I wanted to clutch it.Zanyia, padding beside. A couple of moments passed silently. Then, all of a sudden you could hear a scream of grief penetrating the walls of my home. It was a cry of such unearthly anguish that we all started to cry right along with her. Where, just a few minutes earlier my living room had been the sight of so much laughter and commotion, it was as if all of the air had been sucked out of the room. Marilyn O’Neil may have been the first victim of The Black Creeper, but she would not be the last. No words had to be.