Ghost and Darkness: Hunter
Thomas Sawyer was named after the great his father’s favorite story, written by Mark Twain. He was raised a good Texan Boy and held the values his family taught him. He was all-American quarterback in high school, dated the lead cheerleader, and went to Texas A&M. He was recruited into the CIA, for his sharpshooting skills and the ability to take any role necessary.
He was sent to South Africa.
Where everything he had learned from childhood was thrown into his face. He struggled to do his job will but doing it contradicted his own philosophies.
Then he met Alan Quartermain.
Who ended up a Vampire.
His Mate.
Who smacked the living shit out of him and told him to grow the fuck up.
He was dragged to an animal reserve, by a tall man he later found out was Tarzan. The Clan Leader stood by his Second and was ready to send him away, but it was Tess that stood by his side and told them he needed to learn.
He wasn’t sure how he felt about the whole situation. In the five years he learned a lot about who he was, truly was. What it meant to be a Mate. And more importantly what it meant to be a human being.
Thomas also had reality shoved in his face. From The Caretaker smacking the crap at him, Kumalo making him work at the soup kitchens, Dar letting his ‘big cat’ play with him, and Tiny Terror chasing him across the plains…
Two years in, he found himself in the middle of the open plains bawling his eyes out and screaming to the heavens. He woke up with a lion laying next to him, and Tao smirking.
It took another year for him to fly home, have it out with his family, quitting his job and flying back to Africa.
Another two years to get to know Quartermain.