by Lou Grimes
“I think we should ride it out until the last minute and put a bullet in Blaise’s head so he can’t ever lie to us again,” Rocco whispered back, leaning closer.
“And the diplomat kid?” Dean grilled him, looking toward her cage again.
“After we get rid of Blaise, we can double check with informants and go from there depending on exactly who we have,” Rocco told him.
“What if he is telling the truth?” Dean asked.
“I bet my first-born son that he isn’t,” Rocco declared.
Dean and Rocco started talking about what all they were going to buy when they got their share of bounty. Louvette focused in on the lowest man on the totem pole. Greg was rewrapping rope at the back of the vehicle.
She concentrated her mind on him, wishing she could get inside his head like Campbell’s. Judging from his demeanor, his mind would be much easier to rattle than Campbell’s. She could probably yell boo at him and he’d run. However, she didn’t need him running. Her wolf needed him unlocking her cage. There were plenty of others left to chase.
Louvette attempted to do it several times in various ways, but she got no response that he heard her. Having no clue how she had done it before it didn’t help; all she knew was that she had.
Closing her eyes, Louvette pushed her mind into his with all she had. Her head ached terribly for a second, but then she gradually became aware of someone repeating himself.
“Remember to pack up the lights last,” a foreign mind chanted over and over again. The voice of the mind belonged to none other than Greg, the office man himself. Louvette smiled like a pleased shark.
“Psst.” She spoke lightly because she didn’t want him to let the others know. Louvette couldn’t control them all.
Greg frowned, but kept on doing his tasks. He lifted his eyes toward the other men in resentment that they weren’t following orders. He was having to do this alone.
“Hey dude, could you stop throwing yourself a pity party and pay attention to me?” Louvette asked briskly. She had no time to listen to his whining.
The man paused and slowly looked toward the cage in such a comical manner that Louvette couldn’t help but laugh. Her laugh was too crisp and loud in his mind for him to even pretend that he hadn’t heard her.
“Why is there a teenage girl’s voice in my head?” he asked of own mind more than he asked of Louvette.
“I’m the Ghost of Christmas Past, here to tell you what a bad person you’ve been. Just kidding. Now, how about you unlock the cage?” Louvette asked sweetly. She could have been selling baked goods for her sorority from the sound of her honey toned voice.
“Why is your voice a girl’s?” he stammered awkwardly. He was having a terrible time staying on topic. His thoughts were all over the place and Louvette could hardly follow them. They’d flit across his mind faster than she could read. “I can’t let you go. They will hurt me,” he replied reluctantly, wishing he could let her out. He didn’t wish to be here at all.
“Well that makes two of us. Now if you don’t let me out, I’m going to hurt you,” Louvette promised. Greg started to physically shake his head and opened his mouth to speak the words that were already in his mind.
Louvette’s eyes darted over to the other two, but they were walking off together with their heads down low. While they were talking to each other and Campbell was gone, this was Louvette’s chance. She wasn’t about to miss it because of Greg.
“No.” He rejected her demands and was starting to call the others. Louvette did the only thing she could do in that moment.
“Let me out now,” she commanded his mind. In that moment, Louvette watched something happen. Greg’s eyes glowed yellow, like his wolf was just on the surface, but the pupils were too large. It almost looked like his eyes were solid black from her standpoint.While his pupil expanded from her control, his voice faded from his own mind to nothing but a tiny whisper. The man came to her cage as stiff as a robot.
“Slowly,” she demanded in the hopes that the lock wouldn’t squeal and alert the others. He turned the lock as commanded and she waited. Her breath was bated. The cage unlocked sluggishly, each bar sliding out of the mechanism. A tiny clank sounded as he pulled open her cage door.
She left his mind to return to her own. Greg blinked several times and his hazel eyes returned from whatever trip they had been obligated to go on.
The wolf’s eyes narrowed at Greg as if deciding his punishment and level of danger. Louvette wondered if he could even shift. Have mercy, she instructed her wolf.
Horror flashed across Greg’s face when he realized who was out. His eyes darted to his companions for aid, but they were nowhere to be found.
The hackles on Louvette’s wolf rose. Springing forward, it gave Greg a small, hard attack to pay him back for resisting helping her. Then, it took off into the bushes. Greg slid to the ground and breathed a sigh of relief. Louvette mentally did the same. She hadn’t believed he deserved to be killed and she realized that maybe the relationship between her wolf and herself wasn’t one of control. Maybe it was more about compromise than anything.
“Where is it, Greg?” Rocco shouted. Greg said nothing. He seemed too relieved by the fact that he was still alive to even acknowledge the ones who were yelling at him.
The other two men shouted at each other, running for their guns. Louvette watched this debacle from the cover of the trees, waiting for a moment to catch them off guard. She had no doubt that it would be easy.
Several gunshots rang out as they shot at nothing. Greg ran the opposite direction, his legs pumping faster than any human could run. His hands were thrown awkwardly over his head as if to stop the bullets. The stench of his fear permeated the air as he passed.
“You idiot, don’t shoot it. It’s our payday,” Dean yelled at Rocco.
Ears perking up, her wolf noticed someone stalking through the grass toward the men. Louvette jumped out at the person, going for his throat. A familiar smell washed over her that made her close her jaws as she landed on top of her delayed rescuer. She licked Arsen’s face, causing him to laugh.
“I came to save you, Winter,” he told her in a deadpan voice. Obviously, he was a bit miffed that he hadn’t arrived in time. She threw him a completely sassy look that was lost in her wolf form.
Arsen turned into his wolf swiftly, then snuck through the bushes to come around the back of where Rocco was standing. Louvette’s wolf stalked the other direction to catch Dean off guard.
Rocco bellowed when Arsen hit him. Louvette knocked Dean’s feet out from under him after charging into the side of his leg, using all the strength her white wolf had. His body hit the ground and his head bounced off a rock. The blood oozed down Campbell’s forehead. Louvette’s wolf chalked him up as down and out for the count. His gun lay on the ground, discarded and useless. She turned her attention to Arsen’s fight.
Inhuman sounds broke the air as Arsen and Rocco twisted together. Rocco was obviously a more seasoned fighter than Arsen, but Arsen had the power of love on his side. He had someone that he cared about to protect. Arsen snagged Rocco’s thick neck in a choke hold after twisting around his body and changing midair. With his legs wrapped around him, he flipped him to the ground skillfully.
Before Arsen could knock him out, a gun shot rang clear in the sky.
“What the hell is going on?” shouted Campbell, while pointing his gun at Louvette. Arsen froze and so did Louvette. The two traded a look, then put their minds on Campbell. Rocco scrambled up and grabbed his discarded gun. He pointed it at Arsen while attempting to catch his breath.
Campbell looked to Dean’s body.
“Get in the cage, Blackwood,” Campbell snapped. When she made no move to do so, he brandished his weapon toward her. Out of the corner of her eye, Arsen’s snout flicked a fraction of an inch toward the cage as if to tell her to go. She reluctantly followed Campbell’s instructions.
“Lock the wolf up,” Campbell said to Rocco. Rocco latched her cage shut
and locked it.
“Just a diplomat’s son, right?” Rocco took this time to mouth off to Campbell, noticing Louvette had shifted to a girl. Louvette took this statement as a cue to inflict conflict upon the two.
“He never planned on telling you about me. He never would have even said anything if he didn’t have to. You were never going to collect any share of that money even if it was owed,” Louvette said like a dark fairy raining spite down on the world.
“Oh, is that right? I always suspected that you were a professional backstabber,” Rocco told Campbell bluntly.
Campbell blinked hard once and then turned his shotgun on Rocco. He blew his head off in seconds. A small amount of his blood splashed on Louvette and Arsen. She couldn’t stop the small gasp that escaped her. Campbell ‘s gun was momentarily not pointed at anyone.
Seeing his moment, Arsen darted forward toward Campbell in an effort to knock the gun out of his hands. Fire blossomed in his hand. He hurled a few fire balls at Campbell. It was the first time that she had seen exactly what his Gift could do. She felt entranced as the fire danced in his palm. However, Campbell moved too fast and his eyes changed to a deep purple.
The fire hit various trees and soon it was spreading. But Campbell’s words snared her attention then, and the fire was temporarily put on the back burner.
Arsen turned his body into the general direction of Campbell and threw a couple more off-target fire balls. Campbell’s vision interference made Arsen’s fire miss. Louvette believed Campbell did it to create chaos with his enemies. Lacking the ability to orient oneself would make even the greatest fighters become weak. Arsen was a great fighter when he had all his senses. He had the most strength, speed, and size that Louvette had seen in a Lupine.
“That almost hit me,” Louvette proclaimed when one of his attempts at hitting Campbell narrowly missed her.
“Sorry, Winter,” Arsen apologized, turning towards her words. His fire dimmed out of fear of hitting Louvette, who he could probably no longer see.
“Aww, Winter is a fitting little nickname for the little Blackwood. After I sell her to the highest bidder, I’m going to send a video to your father Kenneth of me making you scream,” Campbell sneered loudly, his purple eyes pulsing. Campbell was using all of his Gift possible, she realized suddenly. Two can play at that game, Campbell, she thought wildly.
“Over my dead body,” Arsen said while his head twitched around, searching for the body that belonged to Campbell.
“I think you need to sit down, Whitecreek,” Campbell informed Arsen. Arsen bent to sit, but there was no chair. His vision gone, he landed roughly on the floor. Louvette remembered all too well how lost she had felt when Campbell had worked his Gift on her. She had to do something.
Louvette closed her eyes and took complete control of Campbell’s mind. It was becoming easier and easier each time she did it. As she turned off Campbell’s Gift, Arsen’s was launching another fire ball in Campbell’s direction. His sight returned and Louvette pulled out of Campbell’s mind to return to her own body. The two of them watched the fire engulf Campbell.
After extracting herself from his mind, she noticed that she had paws again. Louvette had to greatly call on her wolf to use her Gift. For some reason, she didn’t tell Arsen because she had the idea that this wouldn’t be normal, and she just needed some normal for as long as she could. Arsen hurried over to where she stood in the cage, and after a moment, she was free once more.
Louvette notice that the fires were now engulfing trees as the air became thicker. A tall billow of smoke that she knew could be seen for miles was going into the sky. This billow consisted of ash and flying embers. The mountain was almost completely hidden behind the start of a forest fire.
“I’m sorry. I had to tell Garrett. I had no idea what I was walking into,” Arsen apologized. She nipped him lightly, her tail swishing softly. Louvette searched off into the direction of the forest worried. Part of her was looking for Garrett to reveal himself any minute.
“Stay in your wolf form until we are out of here. We have to hurry and meet Garrett to avoid the fire,” Arsen commanded. He walked off toward the other part of the clearing to grab a dropped gun.
Twigs snapped across the glade as Dean stumbled out. His handgun was trained on Louvette, his face dripping with blood. Her heart stopped. Her breathing stopped. Arsen whipped around, but there was no way he could reach her before Dean fired. So, he did the only thing that he could do.
“No!” Arsen shouted, pointing his gun at the man. Louvette heard the sad click of Arsen’s empty gun. She realized in that moment if it had been full, the man wouldn’t have had time to shoot her.
Dean pulled the trigger and the thick hollow sound of a bullet being dispensed resonated in the gun chamber. Louvette felt the bullet hit her right where her shoulder met her chest. An intense burn started in her wound.
Arsen shifted to a wolf as Dean also changed. They crashed and Arsen was the underdog. That changed in a heartbeat. Louvette slid to the ground as she watched them. Her tired muscles could go no more.
The two twisted about each other to get the other one’s neck. Arsen waited for an in and then maneuvered to get the upper hand from getting on top. He was a much better fighter, and larger than his opponent. The man died from a broken neck. The fight lasted less than a few seconds.
While they were fighting, Louvette felt her shift reverse steadily. A poison was spreading through her veins. It burned like her circulatory system was full of icy hot. This was how her grandfather had died. Arsen ran to her side and scooped her up. She was sick to her stomach.
“I’m sorry, but I have no choice. You’ll die without belladonna. The only ones who have it are at Latitude 48.” He begged for forgiveness. Louvette couldn’t comprehend why he was taking her to a doctor at Latitude 48. All she felt was pain. The abyss of unconsciousness was attempting to swallow her whole. Each step Arsen made as they went through the woods was a drum, bouncing her head. It was a death march. To be exact, her death march.
Trees passed as she faded in out of consciousness. A car was waiting for them as they left the forest. Arsen set Louvette on the passenger side and squeezed himself in beside her. Arsen repositioned her back into his lap.
“She’s been shot. Go to Latitude 48. Uncle always has belladonna on him. Max this car. Don’t pull over for anyone,” Arsen commanded Garrett, slamming his door shut so hard it echoed in the car. The entire metal frame felt it.
“Shit, Arsen,” Garrett said as he floored it down the road. Each shift the car growled as they followed the curves of the mountain back into town. The fact that they were the only ones out made their drive easier. There were no possible signs of cops that night. No blinding headlights. Just them, the road, and the trees.
They knew where they had come from because their fire had transformed into a forest fire. A red and angry flashing thing it had become, rolling smoke out of it.
Louvette jerked in Arsen’s arms as wolfsbane delved deeper into her bloodstream. She felt herself partially shifting to handle the pain. Louvette cried out, tears streaming down her face
“Stay with me, Winter,” Arsen whispered. His cold fingers were ice against her fevered body. Arsen’s hand went to her wound and Louvette almost lost consciousness from the pain. Her body convulsions were growing worse each second.
“Hold on, Louvette because I can’t lie to Cara about how you died,” Garrett told her across the seat to keep her focused on them. White lights growing brighter meant they had finally reached the town. She didn’t want him to have to lie to Cara. Louvette didn’t want to die either.
A murmur of voices blended together as Arsen told Garrett what happened.
They turned into Latitude 48 and parked. Garrett ran to the door first, holding it open.
***
“Clay!” Arsen shouted as he turned to a room that had been rearranged from several circle tables to long rectangular ones. The place was very dead now, full of empty seats at the ta
bles. The treating party had left, and those who remained were a part of the Northline Pack. All the remaining people at the tables jerked toward the demanding voice, seeing who it was. Arsen’s dad stood, confused. His chair flew back, his face pale, when he saw who was in Arsen’s arms and what was happening to her.
“Clay, get the belladonna ready now. Clear the room. Arsen, set her on the table,” his father instructed, rolling up his sleeves. Garrett ushered the rest of the people out, save for himself, Arsen, Kenneth, and Clay.
Louvette’s body seized as it was put on the table. The poison was doing its work and doing it fast.
Another man similar to Arsen’s father in appearance came around and started giving out instructions.
“Hold her down, Arsen. I have to dig the bullet out,” Clay commanded as he pushed his fingers deep into her shoulder.
Louvette cried out at the intense pain. Her cry cut short as she coughed. Her lungs were full of pieces of metal. Each cough seemed like the pieces were tearing holes in her lungs.
“No alcohol?” she groaned. Arsen focused on her face when she spoke, but Clay beat him to the punch.
“It’s fine. We don’t get infection,” Clay said to her.
“Don’t forget about the forest fire.” She attempted to cough her words out.
“What forest fire, Arsen?” Arsen’s father asked, angrily, while they waited for Clay to finish his fishing. Louvette had given her last sentence everything that she had to be semi audible, she couldn’t be the one to explain to Kenneth that they had not listened to the warnings of Smokey the Bear and had set the place ablaze.
“Garrett told his father and he’s taking care of the fire and the bodies as we speak. The fire didn’t spread far, thanks to the snow,” Arsen answered back.
“Bodies? You have some explaining to do,” Kenneth demanded. Arsen opened his mouth, but a noise caught his attention. Well, it caught both of theirs.
The plink of something dropping on the ground announced that Clay had caught his slugger of a fish.
Though she had tried her best to hold it back, she turned her head off the table and proceeded to puke up her guts. The vomit was a charcoal oily black consistency.