CLAN

by Harry Shannon

  …The wolf whirled, pushed off from the flooring, dropped back down to the top of the couch. He spun and vanished into the gloom below their position. The thing had not even noticed that Case had yet to notch a second arrow.

  "They're smart," Case whispered. He notched another arrow and pulled the string back. "Stay on your toes."

  "Do you think they are as intelligent as when they are in human form?"

  "I doubt that, but who knows? I'm damned sure they can hear and smell us better, even if they don't always understand what we're saying."

  "What are they going to do now?"

  "Come up with another plan."

  Paws and growling: All three wolves burst into the gloomy living area below. The two dark brown ones split up, one at each end of the room. They spun in brisk circles, taunting Case to shoot. The world exploded into snarls, barks and shouts of defiance. Case used the crossbow as a threat. Every time he raised it the wolf would back away or seek cover.

  The confusion cost them several precious seconds. Kelly stabbed out at nothing and Case searched the shadows with the weapon, but before they could find an adequate target things had gone quiet again.

  …And meanwhile the distraction had worked well enough to cause Case to lose sight of the big grey. The monster appeared in virtually the same position as before, but this time prepared to jump over the prone ladder. The dress rehearsal paid off; the wolf arrived at the edge of the loft and scrambled over the ladder within seconds. Kelly scratched him slightly with the spear, but was immediately driven back by the huge and horrifying presence on their upper level.

  "Joe!"

  She lost her balance and flailed with the spear. The pointed edge caught the bed and threw her further off her stride. Kelly fell backwards and leaned dangerously close to the edge of the loft space. Case moved forward to catch her. The quiver of arrows tripped him and his foot nudged it to the edge of the floor of the loft. The arrows scattered down below and were lost.

  The huge grey wolf shifted his behind back and forth, settling his haunches and preparing to strike. His jaw dropped and those cruel fangs gleamed by the light of the nearby lantern.

  Case caught Kelly in his arms. Her weight drove him to his knees. He kept his eyes fixed on the grey wolf. "Move to the left!"

  She crawled away from him. Case barely noticed; he was too busy moving forward to raise the spear. Some dim part of his brain registered that there was only the one arrow left in the crossbow. Other than that, the bow was now useless. Their best weapon had been neutralized.

  The grey jumped forward. In one bound it arrived close enough to Case to threaten his extended leg. He stabbed with the spear and the knife blades grazed its chest. The man/animal made a deep coughing sound of some kind and turned sideways like a cat. Case was close enough to see the small clumps of raised fur. It threatened him with sounds and teeth.

  Kelly was now half behind Case, between the bed and the wall. She had another spear and was pointing it up in the air at an angle so that the werewolf would not be able to get to her, or to Case's exposed left flank.

  "What now?" she cried. Her fear was palpable but so was her determination. "What are the others doing?"

  Case risked a quick glance at the two wolves down below. They were sitting as quietly as pets in a dog show, orange eyes fixed on the battle taking place up above.

  "We're in luck."

  "What?"

  "There's no room for them up here except one at a time." Case stabbed with the spear. The grey wolf reacted with a shift in position and some exposed teeth. "Hey, I hope you can understand me you son of a bitch," Case said. He forced a wide smile. "Get ready, because I'm going to kick your furry ass."

  The wolf started to spring and Case braced himself. But then the grey, with cunning intelligence, changed directions almost in mid-air and came down on the bed. Startled, Kelly stabbed with her spear but missed. The grey was now inside her comfortable range, leaving her nearly defenseless. It went for her throat.

  Case cocked his arm and threw his spear as hard as he possibly could. It entered the grey wolf's left flank and penetrated. The creature howled in pain and snapped at the wooden shaft. That allowed Kelly a few seconds to re-adjust her position and stab the grey in the stomach. The werewolf flailed about, hissing and snarling, while Case groped in the air for the shaft of his spear. He got a grip, twisted and withdrew it.

  The grey wolf went back across the bed and retreated into the corner.

  Case and Kelly knelt side-by-side on the wooden floor, spears raised. Their faces were streaked with sweat. The wolf eyed them with a new respect. He licked at his wounds and grumbled.

  Case looked down below. The two darker wolves were still sitting calmly. One of them bared its fangs at him.

  The grey wolf bellowed rage and pain. Case looked up to see it rearing up on its hind legs; it began waving those long front paws as if they were arms. The body seemed to morph somehow; become a bit more man-like. The lower jaw edged back into the huge skull and the teeth, although still huge, now jutted from a mouth somewhat simian in shape and size. It was…altering.

  Case crouched in the gloom like a caveman. He raised the spear and showed his own teeth. "Come on, Fido."

  The thing shambled forward, waving clawed fists. Case stabbed with his spear, but now the creature had human arms to use and digits to grab with. It seized the end of the weapon and held on. The werewolf was phenomenally strong; Case fought as hard as he could but began to lose control.

  Kelly darted under the tall thing's arms and stabbed at its vulnerable chest, forcing the grey wolf/man to choose opponents. It snapped at her with those viscous fangs, even caught some of her hair, but let go of that captured spear Case was fighting for. Kelly yanked herself away and scrambled back behind the bed. Her courage had bought Case some valuable time.

  Before the grey could pursue Kelly over the bed Case went for its hindquarters again. The leverage Kelly had gotten while it was up on its hind legs was not lost on him. He duck-walked forward and pierced the wounded side; the entry point was only a few inches below the previous injury. Case twisted and turned the sharp edged points and then yanked the weapon free before the grey wolf could seize it.

  The dark being retreated again.

  Case looked below. The brownish wolves were still sitting still but had become agitated. They were crying back and forth to one another as if concerned for their friend. Case tried to catch his breath even as he waited for the grey to make its next move. Suddenly his deepest fear was that the man/wolf would retreat and escape downstairs. If the three began tag-teaming them, he didn't see how he and Kelly could possibly survive until morning.

  Again, something strange and nightmarish happened to the wolf's body. Case blinked. He looked at Kelly, eyes wide. She nodded that she had seen it too.

  The werewolf was getting smaller. Somehow the loss of blood, the pain of being injured was altering its appearance. It was losing much of its size and power; becoming more like a man and less like a large wolf at every moment.

  Kelly said it first. "He's dying."

  The thing looked at Case with bloody, yellow eyes. It snarled, but the sound seemed forced and not very threatening. Case saw how badly wounded it was. He braced his back against the wall and got to his feet. He kept the spear pointed up at the ceiling, so that it could be dropped into place on a moment's notice. He wanted to keep the monster's attention so that it would not think of attempting to escape.

  "That's it, Lassie?" Case taunted. "You done already?"

  The grey turned in circles. Those primal eyes seethed hatred and bloodlust, but it was losing power and form. Case swallowed his fear, lowered the weapon and edged closer. "Come on, Kelly. Let's pin him to the damn wall."

  Kelly reluctantly got to her feet. Taking her cue from his posture, she edged back into the corner and then clambered up onto the large bed so that the wolf man would have to split his attention wide in order to watch them both.

  "Hey, over
here!"

  "No, here!"

  The grey head spun back and forth like someone watching a tennis match. His shoulders hunched forward abruptly and the skull shifted again. It made an odd whimpering sound. This new creature was neither wolf nor human; in fact, it was like nothing Case or Kelly had ever seen before. It was ugly and pathetic at the same time. The werewolf was also now about the size of an average man; one who was bleeding and contorted. But Case was under no illusions. In wolf form, the thing had easily jumped more than ten feet to the edge of the loft. It was still strong and extremely dangerous.

  Case tied some rags around his left arm to protect it. He began to edge closer. Kelly did the same from the other side of the room. Each of them stabbed forward with the wickedly tipped spears. Case's vague plan was to either pin the thing into the dark corner of the loft and stab it to death or perhaps pierce it and force it over the edge with the spear still embedded. They'd let it die on the floor below while they prepared to face the next attacker.

  It charged him.

  Case threw the spear up just in time, but the angle was weak. The tip snapped off in the beast's underbelly. Case threw up his rag-covered forearm before it could bite into the soft tissue of his face or blind him. He allowed the weight of the monster to force him back into the wall and down onto his knees. He could feel its growing excitement and pleasure. It wanted to take at least one of them with it. Kelly tried to stab at it from the bed, but her angle was even worse and she kept bouncing and losing her balance. Case wanted to shout at her to get back down on the floor, but didn't have time.

  Case knelt there, face-to-face and nose-to-nose with the demon, both of them baring their teeth in a primordial snarl. He slipped his right hand down to his belt and loosened one of the unused butcher knives from the kitchen.

  It had his arm in those wicked jaws, and although they were smaller and less powerful they were strong enough to grind through the rags and his shirt. The pressure alone caused Case extreme pain, though the sharp teeth had not yet penetrated his skin.

  Case brought the butcher knife up into the thing's heart. He stabbed and felt the rubbery muscle give.

  The wolf collapsed on him and began to twitch. Case struggled to shove it away. Meanwhile, one of the lanterns rolled over to the edge of the loft. Case grabbed for it with his one free hand but missed. It fell out of sight and he heard it crash to the floor down below.

  Flames licked the carpet. The two wolves down there reacted at once and howled again, this time with more than a little fear. Case had a flash of terror at the thought of them springing up while he was buried under the grey wolf. They might take Kelly out. He shoved the grey wolf away and rolled it over his right hip. The creature landed sideways and sprawled over the prone ladder, face down.

  The body bulged and morphed again, and then again. Suddenly Case and Kelly were staring at the naked body of a man.

  Case struggled up. His hands and chest were covered with blood and viscera. He saw the wolves below pacing and considering their next move. He kicked at the naked body, intending to send it down below. Perhaps they'd devour the corpse; perhaps it would frighten them away once they saw it. Anything was better than waiting to be attacked again.

  He kicked. The naked man was forced over onto his back, facing up at the ceiling. His shocked and sightless eyes glared up at Case. From behind him, Case heard a gasp of horror from Kelly.

  It was Sheriff Whitley.

  Disgusted, Case kicked the corpse again. The body fell over the edge of the loft, bounced off the covered coffee table and crashed to the floor below. The two dark wolves growled and paced around. One of them went over to sniff Whitley's body. As it did so, the fire began to grow.

  "Case, we'd better think of something and fast."

  She was a moment ahead of him. Suddenly Case realized their predicament had just gotten a whole lot worse.

  Down below, the two wolves were sitting calmly again, but now one was by the escape route leading through the kitchen and the other was camped in the foyer, right near the front door.

  If the trapped humans decided to jump down to get away from being burned alive, they would be eaten alive.

  32

  "Case, it's time to think of something brilliant."

  Downstairs, the entire room was brightly lit by small but quietly expanding flames. Much of the furniture already blazed yellow and white. Meanwhile, the two remaining werewolves waited patiently, content to let them roast in the fire or die while trying to escape. Case swore silently. Down there in the expanded area of the living room, with the odds even, the evil creatures would have the advantage. Some piece of burning furniture cracked like a gunshot.

  Should I shoot them or save the bullets? How many are there?

  "The balcony," Case shouted. "Kick out the wood and we'll try for the tree." He pulled the pistol to see what the werewolves would do. The wolf by the door cocked its massive head to one side and eased back into the shadows. Case knew he couldn't waste a precious bullet on such a risky shot, but he wanted them nervous. Behind him, Case heard Kelly banging on the wood.

  "I'm not strong enough."

  "Get back here and guard the edge," he called. He traded places with her. Case threw his shoulder against the boarded up window. It hurt, but he tried again anyway. On the third try he felt something give. He braced himself against the corner and kicked out with his left leg. More splintering followed and finally he could see the starry night sky through a gaping hole. Case looked back over his shoulder and was startled to see that although the blaze was still relatively small, the smoke had already climbed up the living room wall and was hovering at about eye level. Kelly had covered her mouth and was coughing.

  "Come on!"

  She grabbed the briefcase, whirled and raced to the window. He helped her squeeze through the opening and outside onto the narrow balcony.

  "Can you see anything?"

  "It looks clear."

  "Step away." Case kicked at the wood again and created a larger opening. He stepped through and out into the crisp night air. They looked down below and saw nothing but cliffs dropping away into emptiness. At the end of the balcony one large tree stood like a sentinel. Case pushed Kelly toward it. He followed her, with one eye on the half-shuttered bedroom window. He didn't think the wolves would follow; in fact, he expected them to be outside and waiting at the base of the tree. But at least he and Kelly would have the high ground and be close together. If the cabin didn't burn completely, they could always force their way back inside after the fire died down.

  "Get in the tree. Now."

  Kelly handed him the spear she was carrying. She kept the briefcase and jumped for the branches without a second thought. Case appreciated her more with every passing minute. She scrambled to the trunk and turned and put out her hand. Case gave her the weapon. He tucked the pistol in his pants and the knife in his teeth and jumped from the edge of the balcony. The branch cracked a bit. For a long moment he thought he'd fall to the ground some fifteen feet below, but he made it. Kelly pulled on his shirt and helped him into position.

  "Do we go down?"

  Case shook his head in the darkness but then realized she couldn't see him. "No, we wait here."

  "Are they still in the cabin?"

  "I think so."

  And that's when something large came through the brush down below.

  Case groaned in frustration. He tried to adjust to the new threat and instantly recognized a second form and then a third. A small group was coming their way.

  Kelly caught on and whispered. "Oh, damnit."

  The first figure stepped out of the brush and onto the dead lawn near the foot of the tree. The shape was humanoid, but Case knew that meant nothing. It still might be a man/wolf in some stage of transformation. He raised the pistol. The form moved out into the clarity of the moonlight and stopped.

  It was Jennifer Fowler, carrying a shotgun.

  "Psst! We're up here!"

  Jennifer crouched
and looked up, seemed to spot them right away. The other forms came out into the clearing. Case saw Jake, also armed, and then Doc Cherry. He slithered down the branch to the trunk, climbed down almost to the bottom and motioned for Kelly to follow him.

  "There are two of the creatures inside the house," Case said. They're huge. Watch yourself."

  As Case dropped to the ground, Jake stood next to Jennifer, the shotgun held across his chest. Over their shoulders Jake saw one of the wolves peering around the corner. It saw the three extra people standing there and also appeared to take in the additional weaponry.

  The second wolf, curious, stepped out into the open and snarled. But Jake and Jennifer held their ground.

  Kelly stopped before leaving the last branch of the tree. She clutched the briefcase and watched the tableau for a moment, then finally let herself drop to the dirt. She set the case down and held the spear point up above her head.

  The wolves turned and fled. Jake ignored them. 'They'll bring the others," he said. He sniffed the wind, smelling smoke. He looked at Jennifer with real alarm.

  "There's a fire in the cabin," Case said, stupidly.

  "Stay on guard," Jake said. "Doc, come with me." He gave the second shotgun to Kelly and ran for the front door. Case, Kelly and Jennifer walked briskly into the driveway and divided the territory between them. Jennifer took the east, Kelly the west.

  Case stood guard in the middle. Over his shoulder he watched through the open doorway as Jake stamped on flaming couch cushions and Doc Cherry used a throw rug to smother a second blaze. Between them they managed to kill the small fire within a couple of minutes. Jake kicked most of the smoldering carpeting, wood and cushions out onto the porch and then into the driveway, where they could do no harm.