Dogs of War

by Geonn Cannon

  "I know you're hurting right now, Ariadne. I know you're in pain, and you're confused, and you're angry. But you also know where you can go when you feel that way." She felt a tear on her cheek but didn't dare wipe it away. "You come to me. You come to me, and I don't know if I always make it feel completely better, but I always help. When you feel pain, I make it go away. When you feel alone, I'm there. I'm not your girlfriend or your secretary or your fucking therapist. I'm your pack. I'm your pack, Ariadne, and I'm here to save you."

  #

  8:08am

  I'm your pack.

  The words touched something deep in Ari's mind. She took a breath and caught Dale's scent, and it triggered her memory. Dale, whom she hadn't seen in two days. The woman she loved more than life, the woman she had defiantly claimed she would kill herself to protect. The tension went out of her body, her legs relaxing so much that she swayed to one side as she lowered her head and looked at the ground. She wanted to rip, to tear, to kill, but she couldn't kill Dale. She flattened her ears against her skull and dropped so that her belly was touching the ground. She crawled forward until her face was pressed against Dale's stomach, and Dale wrapped her arms around Ari's head.

  "I'm here," Dale whispered.

  Ari shivered violently and began to whimper, confused and disjointed, unsure of anything except the fact she didn't know what was happening. She heard voices, Dale and Milo speaking, and remembered the taste of Milo's blood in her mouth. It had tasted sweet, thick and delicious on her tongue, and she wanted more. She wanted to tear Milo open and spill all the blood she could, but she pressed tighter against Dale and breathed her scent.

  "Can you help me get her in the car?"

  "Yeah... Christ, she's got a vice of a jaw!"

  She let herself be guided into the backseat where she promptly crawled into the floorboards and tried to make herself as small as possible. Milo climbed in behind her, and Dale got into the front seat. Ari barely felt herself starting to change as it was more of a release, the grip of the wolf fading as she was allowed to retake her human form. Milo scooted forward and took a jacket off the front seat, draping it over her body before the fur receded enough to make nudity an issue. Ari remained in the floor but lifted up to rest her head on the seat. She was covered with sweat and felt as if she'd stood in front of a pitching machine for a few hours.

  "Sorry about your arm, Milo."

  Milo grunted. She had torn off the sleeve and had it wrapped around the wound. "You're just lucky you can't infect me with your disgusting American wolfism."

  Ari threw a weak punch at Milo's leg. She looked between the seats and her breath caught in her throat when she saw Dale's profile. "Dale..."

  Dale glanced back and smiled before she went back to watching the road. "Yeah, Ari?"

  She grimaced as another paroxysm of pain caused her to fold in on herself. When she was able to speak again, she smiled and said, "Nice to see you again."

  "You too." Dale's voice was tremulous, full of tears she was refusing to shed. "Oh, by the way, I'm billing this whole weekend as work hours. Plus time and a half."

  Ari rested her cheek on the seat. "I guess that's fair. Send me the bill..." She felt herself slipping into unconsciousness, sleeping even through the brief stop where Mia and Owen got back into the car. She didn't wake again until they were halfway back to Milo's house. She looked up and saw a stranger looming over her, legs bent to one side to accommodate the woman crouching on the floorboards. The woman had a strong, square jaw and dark eyes that seemed to examine every aspect of Ari's character without moving.

  "You must be Ariadne."

  "I guess so."

  "I'm Mia Cohen. The man in the front seat there is Owen Kiernan. We're friends of Milo's."

  Ari nodded and slurred, "Good to meet you."

  "I hope you're worth all this trouble."

  Ari chuckled and let her head sink back down, fading quickly back into safe unconsciousness. "You and me both, sister..."

  Chapter Thirteen

  January 5

  When they arrived at Milo's house, Dale climbed into the backseat to help Ari into a T-shirt and jeans. Ari was able to get out of the car under her own power but she sagged against Dale halfway up the drive. Someone slipped under her left arm and she found herself being carried up onto the porch. Only once she was inside did she look to see that the person helping Dale was her mother.

  "Mom."

  "Hello, Ariadne. You've looked better."

  "Well, you know. Weekends with Dad aren't exactly how I pictured them when I was little."

  She faded in and out of consciousness, fighting the twists in her memory and thoughts as she was guided into a bedroom and put down in a bed. She was aware of time passing quickly, and of a woman seated in a bed across from her. Sometimes the woman was watching her, other times she was looking out the window or dozing. She looked Asian, her hair loose around her face. She was dressed in a tank top and shorts that showed off her tattoos.

  "Nice ink," Ari said at one point.

  "Thank you. It's nice to finally meet you." The woman said her name at that point, but Ari was already unconscious again.

  She had dreams of violence, of blood and viscera. During the worst dream she woke in a cold sweat, choking on a scream, but she was pushed back down onto the mattress and held there by strong arms. She fought Dale, kicked and scratched at her, but she had enough control to never bite her. She woke on the first night with Dale in her arms and she spooned her from behind, sniffing the back of Dale's neck as she stroked her stomach through the thin shirt she slept in.

  "I'm sorry."

  Dale shushed her and Ari turned her head so that Dale's hair brushed against her cheek.

  In the morning she woke nauseated and spent a half hour kneeling in front of the toilet trying to purge the wolfsbane out of her system, then spent another fifteen minutes in the shower. She was hanging her head under the spray when the curtain was pushed aside and Dale joined her. Ari turned and embraced her, holding her for a long moment as the water washed over them.

  "I'm sorry," she said again, kissing Dale's ear. "The phone call, the last time we spoke, I said some truly horrible things and it's been killing me that I couldn't apologize."

  "You didn't have to. I know you were just trying to protect me. I know you didn't mean it." She kissed Ari's jaw. "I have been worrying about the fact I didn't say I loved you the last time we saw each other. So... Ariadne, I love you."

  "I love you, too. You've made me so proud these past few days. I heard you cursing on the phone. He tried to make it sound like you were angry at me, but I'm too smart for that." She grinned. "So what were you really telling him?"

  Dale thought for a second. "I'm not sure. What part did he play?"

  "Something like ‘go to hell' and ‘fuck you.'"

  "Oh, that. He wanted to trade the wolfsbane for you. I knew you wouldn't want us to do that, so I told him to take a flying leap."

  "You were right. How did Mom take that?"

  "She took it well. I don't think she necessarily agreed with it, but once I made the play she backed me up. She said you had run away from her and ended up with me, so I got to make the choice." She hesitated before going on. "I know you've been working with her."

  "I figured that would slip out."

  "I understand why you did it. I would have tried to help, and that's not what you wanted. Going to her was a means to an end, and you didn't need me complicating it with feelings and trying to rebuild bridges."

  Ari leaned back and brushed the water out of Dale's face. "I guess. I didn't really think it out that far, but I'm glad you understand. And I'm sorry I left you here to deal with my mother all by yourself."

  Dale shrugged. "She's not so bad. She accepts us as a couple, so that's something." She rested her arms around Ari's waist, stroking the small of her back. "How do you feel? Any lingering effects from the wolfsbane?"

  "I don't feel homicidal anymore. Just woozy and hungover. I
feel like I could sleep for about a week." She kissed Dale between the eyebrows. "God, it's good to see you again. I can't believe it's been two days."

  "Technically three. You slept through all of Sunday, pretty much."

  Ari grunted. "How is Milo's arm?"

  "Patched up. And to answer your next question, we have no idea where Keighley and Lorne went. His men chased Mia and Owen for a while, but they managed to get away without too much trouble. I thought it was more important to get you the hell out of there than try anything too risky. Owen went back while you were out yesterday and he said the house was quiet. No signs of anyone, not even security. Looks like they cleared out quick. I can't help but kick myself for losing them but--"

  "Don't. You made the right choice." The shower had pushed Dale's hair into a wide curl across her forehead and Ari pushed it back behind her ear. "You were very badass, swooping in there to fight a ravenous wolf to save your lady love. I wish I could remember it more clearly."

  Dale smiled, but it was a short-lived expression. "Ariadne, is this our life now? Hunters and kidnappings and rescuing you from bastards who drug you to attack me?"

  "No. One way or another, we're going to find a way to stop this. Even if we have to move somewhere the hunters won't think to look for us."

  Dale said, "I hear Vegas is nice this time of year."

  Ari grinned and tilted Dale's head back to kiss her lips. "Does Mom still have the wolfsbane?"

  "Yeah. She said it's in a secure place, but we still don't know what we're going to do with it."

  "Okay. I think I might have an idea." She shut off the water and they toweled each other off. Once they were out of the tub, Dale picked up the collar she'd been wearing since she found it on the office door. Ari smiled. "I was wondering where that went. How'd you end up with it?"

  "Keighley used it to let us know he had you. Want me to put it on you?"

  "More than anything." Ari moved her hair out of the way, and Dale slipped the collar around her neck. She bit her bottom lip as she fastened the clasp. Once it was on she reached up and stroked the leather. "That's more like it."

  Dale smiled and stepped away from her to take her clothes off the hook. Ari had some clean clothes she'd borrowed from Milo, and she grimaced as she put them on.

  "I feel like a little kid playing dress-up. The clothes are nice and all, but if we're going to stay here for a while, I'm going to need some clothes. Maybe later we can find time to run by the apartment and pack a bag."

  Dale paused as she pulled her underwear on. "About that. Uh. After you were captured, Keighley and Lorne searched your apartment. We don't know what they found because, ah, they... they set fire to it when they were done."

  Ari leaned against the counter. "They burned down my apartment? How bad was it? How much did I lose?"

  "I don't know. We haven't had a chance to go check it out because they might be watching for us." She put her hands on top of Ari's. "Are you okay?"

  Ari shook her head, but then she shrugged. "I don't know. Sure. Maybe. I mean, everything I can't live without is over at your apartment anyway. So I guess when this is all over, I'm going to officially be moving in with you. If that's all right."

  Dale thought for a second and then slowly shook her head. "No."

  "Oh. I understand. That's fine. I'll find a place..."

  Dale chuckled and put a finger over Ari's lips. "Hey. I just meant that when I moved into that apartment, I got it for me. For a college student who didn't have any idea what she was going to grow up to be. I'm not that person anymore. I think we should find a place for us. We should find a place we can make our own rather than just plunking you down in my apartment."

  Ari smiled. "Are you sure? If we stay in your place you can always just kick me out when you get sick of me."

  "Yeah, I'm sure."

  They moved in for another kiss but they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Milo said, "Oi. This is a big house, but you got eight other people here who would like the chance to pee sometime before lunch. Stop being romantic shits and free up the room."

  Ari said, "We'll be out in a second." Dale chuckled as she finished dressing. She opened the door to find Milo leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. "Sorry about that. And sorry about that." She gestured at the bandage on Milo's arm.

  Milo lifted her shoulder and affected nonchalance. "It was either my arm or Dale's face. I'll make that trade any day."

  "So would I, by the way," Dale said. "Sorry about hogging the bathroom."

  "S'awright," Milo said. "You guys have had a time of it this weekend. You deserve a little time. But seriously, out of my way."

  Ari stepped aside and Milo ducked into the bathroom.

  Downstairs, Gwen was in the kitchen with Paige. The other members of Milo's pack were seated at the kitchen counter or around the dining room table. Dale quickly introduced them to Ari, and ended by saying, "Everyone, this is Ariadne Willow."

  "Ah, finally a face to put on the myth," Tarun said.

  "And quite a face it is," Owen said, earning him a kick from his wife.

  Ari looked at Hannah, who was the woman she'd shared a makeshift hospital room with. "I assume you were the one who got shot during the attack."

  "I was. Hannah Milsap." They shook hands. "I owe my life to your girl."

  "So do I." Ari looked at her mother, still amazed to be in the same room with her after all these years. "Dale said you were trying to figure out what to do with the wolfsbane."

  Gwen nodded. "It's far too much to just bury and hope no one finds it. In addition, if we put it in containers that leak, and it gets into the water..."

  Ari said, "Right. What about concrete?"

  Owen straightened slightly and said, "Concrete. Huh. Would that work?"

  "I think so. I had some time to think while Keighley had me in that cage. The hunters are putting it in food, in water, so we know it can be mixed with something else. We put it in concrete, let it cure, and that renders the wolfsbane inert. If it ever gets broken by construction or an earthquake, the dust would be harmless because the drug will have lost its potency. There's a construction site near my apartment... my old apartment, I guess I should say. Someone could get in there and mix the drug in with their concrete. Then it would be safely buried underneath a building from now until... well, until who cares."

  Owen said, "It's worth looking into. We'd have to know a lot more about what the drug is made of."

  "We can find that out. Orarian Group."

  Gwen said, "Their security will be heightened after the stunt we pulled."

  Ari shook her head. "Heightened, maybe. Impossible to break, I don't think so. The hunters are just piggy-backing on Orarian's labs. The people producing it probably don't even know about wolves or hunters, they're just being used for their facilities. I think I can get in and snoop around a little without drawing too much attention to us."

  "You?" Mia said. "After everything that's happened I think you might be a little too conspicuous for any kind of undercover operation."

  Dale said, "Yeah, and I don't like the idea of you wandering around somewhere with wolfsbane being produced all around you."

  "So, what, we're just supposed to let you do everything because you're not affected by the drug? We have to take risks."

  Gwen said, "I think you've taken enough risks this month, Ariadne. You need to take some time to rest and recuperate."

  "I'm fine."

  "You were dosed with God knows how much wolfsbane, you've been held hostage..."

  Ari said, "I know what I've been through, thanks."

  Dale put her hand on Ari's wrist. "Someone else can go undercover in the lab, Ari. With all the stress you've put yourself through because there was no one else, now you can share the responsibilities with everyone here."

  Tarun cleared his throat. "I, um, I have a degree in biochemistry. It could get me in the door, at least. Be nice if it came in handy for once in my life. As for the wolfsbane itself, I doubt
there will be much risk of exposure in the lab itself. It's probably created under the strictest of safety regulations, just like everything else that gets made in labs."

  Owen said, "I've worked in construction. I can check out a few sites around town to see which ones are the best candidates for disposal of our little time bomb."

  Gwen said, "I know you're used to doing things on your own, Ariadne, or only relying on Miss Frye. But for the time being, you're dealing with something much bigger than you. You have a temporary pack to help take some of the burden from you. Let them."

  Ari nodded. "You're right. But I'm not going to just sit on my ass and let you guys have all the fun. Keighley is still out there, and Lorne has a bite that's not getting any better. If I have to step back from the front lines, I'm going to focus my energy on making those bastards pay for sticking me in a cage and making me a danger to my partner." She picked up a piece of bacon off her mother's plate, her appetite returning with a vengeance. "You guys focus on the war. I'll focus on taking down their leader."

  #

  Gwen knocked on the bathroom door and Ari opened it from the other side before cupping her palms under the sink faucet. She let her hands fill and then splashed the water onto her face. Gwen took a towel off the rack and handed it to her. "Are you certain you're okay?"

  "Yeah. I just wanted to get that queasy feeling out of the way before we hit the road."

  "You're still suffering the effects of the wolfsbane. You should be in bed right now, not going off on some vengeance quest."

  Ari shook her head. "Is that your professional opinion? I mean, it's a little poetic that the only people who have ever dosed me with wolfsbane are my parents."

  Gwen looked down at the floor. "I regret that, Ariadne, but I had to make you see how dire the situation was. I didn't think you would be willing to sit down and have a conversation with me, so..."