Hunter's Moon

by Rose Marie Wolf

  Simon never finished his sentence, but Rose didn’t need to hear the last few words to know what he meant. She drew her hand, muddy claws still extended, across his face in an angry slash.

  She felt her nails hit his flesh as she drew it across his face. She saw the flesh strip away instantly and felt her fingers gouge deeply into his eye socket. There was a horrible popping sound, a squelch and then screaming.

  Simon stumbled, falling back onto the ground. He rolled onto his back, clutching a hand to his face. Blood oozed from the various diagonal slashes on his face. He grabbed at his left eye, still screaming. When he moved his hand away, it was covered in blood.

  Rose was satisfied to find the socket empty, but there was no time to be smug. He held what was left of the mutilated eyeball in his hand. He forced himself to turn toward her. Tears leaked from his other eye.

  “You bitch.” He dropped the eyeball, clenching both hands into a fist. He glared in her direction with his one good eye, but it moved about too wildly. That’s when she realized he was blinded, temporarily. He couldn’t see her, not well at least.

  “That’s what you deserve!” She yelled at him. She struggled to stand, but could only manage a sitting position. She gathered up her strength and began to crawl—slide, more like it—away from him. Simon stepped forward, groping for where she had been.

  “You bitch,” he spat out. It seemed all he could say. “Bitch!”

  Rose began to crawl faster, forcing herself to suppress her groans of pain. She crinkled through the leaves. He was blinded, but his other senses were still keen. He could hear her and smell her. He dove for her.

  Before she had a chance to react, Simon had caught her. His hand closed around the ankle of her good leg. With a tremendous burst of his preternatural strength, he pulled her to him.

  She cried out, digging her fingers and nails into the ground to gain some sort of hold. It did very little to stop him.

  “No.” She kicked, wiggling her good leg out of his grasp just long enough to deal him a good, solid plant to his shoulder. It was enough to stun him and she pulled away, sliding across the wet, cold grass and leaves. She was forced to crawl, dragging her mutilated leg behind her.

  But it was an even playing field now. They both had their handicaps. Simon lifted his head, his dark eye darting back and forth. His other eye, empty and horrid looking, still oozed blood. It was half closed, barely a slit on his face. The gashes from her claws looked mean.

  “Get back here!” She was several feet from him when he scrambled toward her again. This time, he did more than grab her ankle. He pulled, increasing enough pressure on his hold. The bone in her good leg broke with an audible snap and Rose, now crippled in both legs, screamed in pain.

  He crawled over her, panting heavily. She sobbed out loud, lying on the bed of decaying leaves. They were tangled in her hair, her clothes muddy and torn. He tried to stare down at her.

  She had clawed his eye out, something that his werewolf healing couldn’t regenerate. She didn't want to know how much it had hurt, or how badly affected his perfect vision was now.

  Rose whimpered, no longer able to fight him. He pinned her to the ground and loomed over her, breathing hard. He lifted his head and smelled the air. Rose caught the scent just as he did.

  They were here.

  Quickly, without hesitation, he scrambled away from Rose and disappeared into a line of trees, opposite the sound. Taking advantage of the situation, Rose tried to move. The pain was too much and she collapsed back to the ground. She could only lay there, listening to the sickening sound of bones popping as Simon turned into a wolf.

  It was a trap.

  And she was the bait.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Jason followed the scent, moving as silently as he could through the fallen leaves. Glen did likewise, but Davis, the novice, was less than stealthy. Jason wished they could’ve just left him behind, but they needed him. Jason wished it wasn’t so.

  Simon’s scent grew stronger and so did the scent of blood. Jason felt a constricting pain in his chest as he recognized the smell. Rose was hurt, bleeding. Anger started to rise but he held it off. Soon, he thought. Very soon.

  When Jason told them of his vision, that Simon was waiting somewhere in the woods, they all became hesitant. Now that it was down to the wire, none of them seemed ready. Simon was so close and it was a dangerous situation, more dangerous, possibly, than anything they had come across yet.

  Reluctantly, they gathered their resolve and started to cross the road into the woods. That’s when the scent became strongest and Jason was hot on the trail. Simon was close. Jason could feel it.

  Suddenly, he stopped. Glen nearly plowed into him, but stopped just short of him. Davis wasn’t so fortunate. He crashed into Glen with an audible groan. Jason shot him a warning glance, then looked back into the thick foliage.

  “I see something,” he said in a low whisper. “Through the trees, there.” He pointed.

  Glen moved to stand beside him, peering as well. He could see a shadow of something on the ground. He blinked, trying to make out the shape.

  “It’s Rose,” he finally said, after a sniff. “She’s bleeding.”

  “I know,” Jason said. He resisted the temptation to run right out there, to her side, but he knew better. If this was a trap, Simon was waiting for that right moment. They would have to exercise extreme caution.

  Jason suddenly wished he had brought a gun with him after all. It would’ve given him the edge. He regretfully let the thought go.

  “What do we do?” Davis asked. Both Glen and Jason glared at him and he went silent. But he did pose a good question. They needed a plan and quickly.

  Jason tried to think quickly, but his mind drew a blank. He couldn’t think of a coherent, workable plan. All he wanted was to rush out there and grab her. But Simon was waiting. It was a trap. He could smell it.

  Slowly, Jason lifted a hand and indicated he was going to move forward and they would stay behind. Glen nodded that he understood, but Davis seemed oblivious.

  “What are we going to do?” he asked again, his voice louder. Jason hissed for him to be quiet and turned his attention. Rose, who had been lying on the ground when they first arrived, had moved into a sitting position. She was looking in their direction, but Jason couldn’t be sure if she saw him.

  “I’m going to go out there,” he tried to whisper as low as possible. If Simon was anywhere near them, he would hear every word. Jason had tried to sniff for his scent, but had found nothing.

  “Not without me.” Davis moved closer to him and his voice was low near his ear. “I want a piece of him.”

  “Shut up,” Jason hissed at him. “Now is not the time for that. It’s a trap. He’s waiting for us to make a move. I’ll go first. When he attacks, you two intercept. Got it?” He looked back to Glen for confirmation.

  “Rose needs our help,” he said, staring past Jason and his eyes fixed on his cousin. “I’m going to check on her.”

  “She’ll be fine.” He was sure of it. After all, she was sitting up, moving a bit. She was alive. Their main concern at the moment was Simon.

  But Glen disagreed.

  “You might be a cold bastard at times, Jason, but this really takes it,” Glen growled low. “She is your wife and she needs you.”

  “But Simon—”

  “Forget about him for a moment. There are more important things.”

  “No, there are not,” Jason said in a growl of his own. “This is just what Simon wants us to do. It’s part of his trap.”

  They stared at each other for a long while before Glen spoke in hushed tones.

  “I don’t care. She’s my cousin and she’s in pain. You may not care any more, but I do.”

  “I do care,” Jason whispered back. He looked toward her. She was looking in their direction. He was sure she had seen them, heard them maybe. She could probably smell them. “I do care. She’s my mate and I love her.”

  �
��Could’ve fooled me,” Glen responded bitterly.

  “Stop fighting,” Davis broke in, momentarily taking Glen’s place as mediator. His eyes darted away from them, toward the foliage. “I thought I heard something.”

  They all went silent. Jason heard the slight, anxious rustling beyond them and felt his adrenaline begin to pump. He was ready.

  “It’s him. It’s Simon.”

  Jason moved into action. Without warning, he lunged forward from their hiding place.

  Glen tried to grab him, but it was too late.

  “Jason,” Rose shouted when she saw him, “watch out!”

  Her warning came too late. A snarl was the only signal before Simon, in his wolf form, jumped from the shadowed foliage. Claws flashed in the light of the half moon. Their bodies collided and Jason fell, rolling with Simon on the wet ground.

  The black wolf’s teeth snapped at Jason’s throat. Jason held out his arms, muscles straining as he gripped the wolf’s lower and upper jaw to keep it from closing on him.

  “Get off me,” Jason demanded. He was able to pull his leg to his chest and kick with enough force to dislodge Simon from his dominating position. The wolf yelped with the pain and rolled back from him. Jason scrambled to his feet. Scratches from the wolf’s canine teeth bled down his arms.

  The wolf lay on the ground a moment, then turned to face his enemy. His one good eye was golden, feral. Blood matted around the fur of the empty socket. Jason got into a fighting stance and waited for the wolf to charge.

  Davis stood just behind the wolf. His hands were drawn into tight fists. Like Jason, he was waiting for him to attack.

  Jason pulled back form the wolf, facing him. He fought to keep his guard vigilant against his enemy, but found his attention drifting back to the injured Rose. Glen was there at her side, trying to comfort her as she whimpered pitifully. She looked as if she was in extreme pain, and Jason could understand why. Both her legs looked broken.

  But there was no time for him to think on that now, or to help her.

  “He’s going to kill him,” he heard Rose say. “He’s going to kill him.”

  Once again, Glen tried to comfort her, throwing a glance at Jason. Jason couldn't look at him for long. Simon was ready to pounce. It was now or never, Jason realized. The wolf stepped forward, a growl starting in his throat. Jason braced himself.

  “Simon!” Davis shouted. The wolf turned away from Jason to face Davis, who had appeared on the other side. It was just enough of a distraction.

  Jason slipped off his leather jacket, tossing it aside. The noise caught the wolf’s attention and he turned back to Jason. Another low growl rumbled in his throat.

  Then a rock thudded off the back of his skull and he snarled.

  “Hey.” Davis grabbed another rock and threw it. Simon turned, the rock slamming into his side. “I’m not through with you yet.”

  Another rock planted against the side of Simon’s head. He snarled, revealing his yellowed canine teeth. He turned to fully face Davis, his back exposed to Jason. It was an impromptu plan, but it was working so far. Whenever Davis would goad the wolf, he would turn his attention away from his main objective, Jason. The fact he couldn’t see well with only one eye gave them an advantage. They had the upper hand this time.

  Jason had seen Davis’s anger first-hand, but never anything like this. Davis’s face was red and a vein bulged in his neck. A rage shift would follow soon, he knew. He also knew it could mean Davis’s death.

  “You’ve taken everything from me!” Davis pelted more rocks, gaining force with each throw. They bounced off the wolf’s back. Simon took one step forward. Davis didn’t move, except to throw another stone.

  ”You killed Claire.” Tears rolled down Davis’s angry face. The shift wasn’t far off. “You made me kill my mother. You fucked up my entire life!”

  “Davis, that’s enough!” Jason called from behind Simon. As if just remembering his true target, the black wolf turned. While he had been distracted, Jason had taken it upon himself to prepare for the shift. He was naked, his clothes tossed aside. The wolf stared at him at first as if shocked but slowly a sly smirk spread over his muzzle, replacing the mock surprise. He stared at Jason and then began to turn. It was then they realized that Simon hadn’t been fooled in the least bit. He knew their game and it was over.

  “Simon is mine!” With that, Davis charged.

  Jason and Glen both shouted at the same time. The shift hit Davis in mid-charge and sent him reeling. The pain, Jason knew, was incredible and Davis screamed in agony as it ripped through him. His bones began to pop and snap, changing. His clothes ripped as his muscles bulged and strained. Blood poured from his nose and mouth as his skull extended into a grotesque muzzle.

  Jason only had a moment to react. There wasn’t enough time for him to shift and come to Davis’s defense. Simon was already on the half-blood, his claws drawn. He slashed, bringing it across Davis’s half-shifted back.

  His scream amplified and he fell to the ground beneath Simon. His claws dug into his back and the smell of blood was strong in the air. Liberated, the wolf tore through the human surface. Jason embraced the pain of the shift. The pain gave him strength this time, not weakness. This time he was ready.

  Fur began to spread over his body and he emerged completely as wolf. Without a moment’s hesitation, he lunged forward with claws bared. The razor sharp nails dug into the flesh of Simon’s backside and sent up a ferocious howl of pain and anger.

  Spinning, the black wolf diverted his attention from the half-shifted Davis sprawled and bleeding on the ground. Jason slashed again and blood sprayed into the air. Simon howled and stumbled back.

  Suddenly, the black wolf was no longer there. In its place was Simon, naked and bloody. He was hunched over, clutching at his chest. Deep lacerations split his chest diagonally from shoulder to stomach. It bled profusely. He stared up at Jason with his one golden eye, panting heavily. A drop of blood dripped from his parted lips.

  “You,” he said in a voice that sounded too much like a growl. “I only want you.”

  Jason responded with a growl. Bring it.

  But Simon remained where he was. Blood now covered his chest and lower torso. The wounds were serious, near fatal. They would take a while to heal. Jason wasn’t going to wait for Simon to gain that opportunity and advantage.

  Jason risked a glance at Davis.

  Davis had finally shifted back to his human form. His back was a mess of bloody scratches, but they would heal in time. He sat up, moving back a few feet from Simon. Jason took a slow step forward and growled low at the human Simon.

  “You don’t scare me, mutt,” Simon spat out. Blood flew from his mouth. Then he laughed, a scary hysterical kind of laugh. “Mutt. That’s what you are. Half and half. A mutt.”

  Simon backed up a step and removed his hand from his wounds. The slash pulsed with the beating of his heart and blood oozed out fresh.

  “A mutt,” he said again. “My father fucked a human bitch and got a mutt son. No wonder he got rid of you—”

  Simon sat back on his haunches and looked down at his blood stained hands. His empty eye was only a partial slit, but the one eye that could see was flickering quickly. Something was working in his mind, a plan, an attempt.

  Jason knew it was just a matter of time.

  “The mutt son, the one he never wanted. It’s okay though.” Simon began to stand, shakily and unsteadily at first. Then he was at his full height. The blood from his wounds already began to congeal. “I took care of the problem.”

  Jason growled.

  Simon chuckled, more or less his old self again. “I killed him. You know that, right?” he said, eyeing the wolf. “You know I killed him? It was easy. He never expected it, not from his own son. I killed her too, my mother. They were weak. They were both weak. I can’t stand weakness.” Simon paused to take a deep breath. It sounded ragged going in as well as going out and he coughed. Blood splattered on his chin and lips.
r />   “You punctured my lung,” he said, this time with real surprise.

  “You deserved it. You deserve more,” Davis said from behind him. Simon pivoted to stare at him with his good eye. He narrowed it.

  “What was it like,” he began, a sadistic smirk spreading over his face, “finding Claire’s body like that?”

  Davis began to visibly tremble. He lost his composure and he began to sputter, trying to come up with a response. He balled his hands into tight, white-knuckled fists. He took a step forward, but stopped.

  “I will kill you for that,” he said instead, in a low voice.

  “Not if I kill you first, lover boy,” Simon answered, cockily. He turned his head to look at the white wolf. Still waiting, Jason had lowered his head to the ground. His feral eyes regarded Simon with pure hate. “You would like that too, wouldn’t you? To kill me? Too bad.”

  Then he laughed and his eye flickered to Rose. “Rose, you might want to watch this. It’s what you’ve been waiting for.”

  Then Simon turned and lunged for Jason. The shift happened in mid-air and was instantaneous. In the next moment, the black wolf had collided with him and it began.

  Jason barely had time to react. Claws tore at his flesh as he ripped at Simon with his jaws. Over their snarls, he heard Davis shout, “Simon is mine!”

  It was enough of a distraction. Simon threw himself at Jason, throwing him down. Jason was on his side, Simon on top of him with his jaws clamping firmly around his neck. He kicked with his hind legs, his claws desperately digging for purchase anywhere he could find. When he finally found a hold, he was able to hurl all his weight into Simon, throwing him off. Jason skittered across the ground and crouched low, waiting for his moment to lunge at Simon.

  He didn’t get the chance. A groan alerted him to Davis, who was crouched across from him, on the other side of Simon. He was shifting, dark gray and brown fur began to sprout all along his body and he seemed to welcome the change, though Jason knew the pain was terrible.