by Adam Millard
The logical, mature businessman in Brody, on the other hand, felt the idea that Mr. Lupta could be a werewolf was ridiculous. Lycanthropes were not real – they simply did not exist. While he might be dubious about the situation, Mr. Lupta had offered Brody legitimate reasons why things were the way that they were. The dog was shy, and did not like strangers, he was a very large and unrecognized breed, the finger was a prosthetic that would serve as a prop for a movie, and Brody did not know the reasoning behind Lupta’s schedule and therefore he could not make assumptions. They had a fine working arrangement in place and Mr. Lupta was a reliable paying customer. Why would Brody want to ruin that with foolish and intrusive questions?
Still, the part of him that dwelled on the idea that “Farkas” was no more than a charade would not let it rest. His sceptical side decided it was time he challenged the possibility and seek out the proof he needed to show once and for all that the European wolfhound actually did exist. Brody decided to schedule his following trip to the Lupta household first on his roster for the day. That meant he would be there before sun-up. Once he was done clearing the yard, he would take a sneak peek through the doggy door, while Mr. Lupta still slept. Brody had gained a little weight recently, as he usually did in the fall, but he figured he’d still be able to squeeze through, at least far enough to get a good look inside. It would be early enough that Farkas would hopefully be sleeping in his usual spot by the back door. If he could just set eyes on the dog, one quick peek, then all of his fanciful theories about Lupta being a werewolf would quickly be disproved.
Instinct told Brody, when he arrived that morning, that he shouldn’t do anything outside his normal routine, but he shrugged that instinct off. There was enough of a chill in the air that he could see his breath in front of his face, in the motion-detector light that turned on when he stepped into the yard. His breath wasn’t the only condensation visible either, one of the large piles that littered the yard steamed slightly as well. This suggested that it was a recent deposit. Based on its freshness, could he count on Farkas being asleep? If the dog was as large as his scat suggested, he expected he’d be at risk of losing his head if he thrust it through the doggy door and Farkas was there and awake. Brody promised himself that his intrusion into Lupta’s home would be brief, just a quick glance in and he would be out again equally as quickly.
Drawing in a couple of deep breaths to steady his nerves, Brody crouched by the doggy door and shoved his head through. It was shadowy in the room beyond, and the small morsels of light that managed to trickle in past him didn’t really reveal anything in the room beyond. He didn’t hear anything to suggest that a dog was in the dark space beyond the doggy door, so against his best judgement, Brody did not withdraw his head right away. He pulled himself in a little further, and felt around for a light switch, firmly wedging himself in the rectangular opening in the process. His fingertips made contact with the little lever and he flicked it upwards.
At first, Brody thought perhaps he had stumbled upon Mr. Lupta’s storage area for his props. There were multiple body parts strewn about the small mud room in various states of consumption and decay, reminiscent of the finger he had found. When the smell hit him, he realised that these were not exceptionally realistic props – they were absolutely the real thing. Brody’s stomach threatened to rebel and he decided catching sight of Farkas was no longer priority. He tried to back out of the doggy door in a hurry, and discovered, to his horror, that he was stuck.
The growling came moments later, as Brody struggled and squirmed in an attempt to free himself with no success. The creature that came around the corner was not the one he had been anticipating, walking upright on two legs instead of on all four. The hulking beast was extremely hairy and several times larger than Mr. Lupta, needing a doggy door the size of the one in which Brody was tightly wedged. It eyed him hungrily, licking its bloodied teeth with its blackened tongue. Brody could smell the stench of rotting meat on its humid breath from a distance, even with the other rancid odors in the mudroom. Then, it charged him.
His fanciful theories had been right all along, and he was staring at a grizzled silvery werewolf bearing down on him, its fur matted with blood, its fangs bathed in frothy saliva and its gray eyes savage.
The beast tore towards him and Brody’s squirming intensified but to no avail. Those few extra pounds had made all the difference. There would be no escape.
Brody’s only thought, as the monster reached him and tore into this throat, was that he should have trusted his gut about the scoop.
THE STRENGTH OF A PACK
By Rebecca Besser
I pressed the brake pedal, bringing my car to a halt in the gravel parking lot. The bar looked seedy and disreputable – a good place to find someone no one would miss. I got out, careful to balance in the unstable stones as I stood in my four inch heels.
A couple of bikers who were drinking beer and looking at their motorcycles turned their heads in my direction as I walked by on my way to the door. One whistled and the other tried to entice me to join them; with a saucy smile I continued on inside.
It was early so I didn’t expect many people to be around. I just needed to find one person, one good sized man. I stood just inside the door and surveyed the early drinkers stationed throughout the bar and grill.
There was a man and a woman at a table in the back eating burgers and talking quietly. A couple of guys were sitting hunched over at the bar, drinking beer and recounting stories of days past. Then I spotted him beyond an archway, playing pool in the back room.
I headed that way, hoping he was alone. I watched him as he moved. From his carriage and posture I could tell he was strong and agile. He would be fun.
Leaning against the arch, I surveyed the room. We were alone. I continued to watch him and waited for him to notice me; it didn’t take long.
He was bent over the table, lining up a shot when he glanced my way. His head turned back, then he did a double take. Once he was focused, his eyes traveled from my high heeled shoes up my bare legs and over my tight blue dress to my face.
He stood and leaned on his pool cue. “Howdy. You wanna play, beautiful?”
I grinned and nodded. We had time for a round or two of his game before it would be time to play mine.
“Sure,” I said. “Rack ‘em up.”
He grinned, collected the balls, and arranged them in the triangle.
“You wanna break?”
“Sure,” I said, leaning over the table to line up my shot, knowing I was giving him a good view of cleavage.
I pulled back and then slid the cue swiftly forward, breaking the formation and sending the back two balls into the far corner pockets; the game ensued. He was a good player and gave me a challenge.
I flirted with him mercilessly while we played game after game, brushing up against him whenever I could. He didn’t seem to mind. I knew when he grabbed my hips and brought them roughly back against his that is was time to leave and get on with my real purpose for him.
It didn’t take much convincing for him to leave with me, and it took even less to get him to go out in the woods with a blanket for what he thought would be some hot sex.
The sun was almost set when we came to a small clearing. He spread the blanket and lay down on his side.
“Come ‘ere, babe,” he said and patted the blanket beside him.
I grinned, thinking, This is almost too easy.
I slipped off my shoes and knelt beside him, bending forward to kiss him.
He was eager and pulled me down on top of him, before rolling on top of me, pinning me to the blanket-covered ground with his strong, aroused body.
I sighed as the finally rays of the sun began to fade – soon I would get to have my fun.
I let him strip me naked. I wouldn’t lose my clothes that way – they wouldn’t get shredded. No sooner had he removed the last scrap of fabric from my body than darkness swallowed the world and the moon shed its light u
pon us.
I growled and my body shuddered as I felt the beginning of the transformation.
He growled back as he kissed and nipped at my neck, mistaking the sound and shiver for passion.
My dark blue eyes reflected the dim light around us as I scraped my nails up the back of his shirt. My tongue darted back and forth in my mouth, rubbing against my teeth as they grew longer and sharper. My jaw popped as it dislocated and elongated, and that’s when he pulled back.
“Holy shit!” he exclaimed, looking down at me. “What the hell are you?”
I could hear the fear and disgust in his voice.
He jumped up and stared for a moment in morbid fascination as black fur sprung out of my flesh, covering my entire body. I felt my bones and muscles shift as he swore again and fled.
He did what they always do, and headed for the car. I’d locked it, so I knew he couldn’t get too far. Besides, the pack was out there, waiting, and they would catch him if I didn’t.
I stood on the blanket, stretching my front two paws out in front of me with my butt in the air. Yawning, I shook myself and my black fur shimmered in the moonlight. Putting my weight on my front paws, I stretched my back legs, holding one at a time in the air.
I heard the man in the woods: breaking twigs, swearing, and running in fear. His heart would be beating frantically by the time we ate him, and his blood would be laced with adrenaline.
Just the thought of sinking my teeth into him and tasting him got me excited. Throwing back my head, I let out a wild howl; it wasn’t long before I heard my howl echoed by others further off in the forest, each one getting closer and heading my way.
I took off at a lopping run, tracking the man in the night. I knew he wouldn’t be able to see well, but I could see just fine. As a matter of fact, I could see much better now than I could when it was daytime and I was in human form.
It didn’t take me long to find him; he hadn’t gotten as far as I thought he would. He must have fallen and hurt himself because he was limping and he hadn’t been before. I caught the scent of his blood as I got closer, confirming that he’d indeed caused himself harm.
He heard me behind him and tried to speed up, which didn’t do him any good. In a couple of bounds I was almost right on top of him. I veered to the right and ran beside him for a moment, my tongue hanging out in a wolfish grin.
I barked playfully and leapt sideways into the air, knocking him down and landing on top of him.
He screamed as I sunk my teeth into his soft neck. Blood spurted out onto my fur and down my throat. I growled and shook him violently, ripping and tearing until I pulled the meat free. I chewed it slowly before swallowing, savoring the fresh hot blood.
I heard the pack close-by and howled to let them know where I was before I indulged in another mouthful. Sinking my front claws into his chest, I ripped and jerked more flesh free.
A low growl emanated from behind me. I turned my head to see Isis. She bared her teeth in a snarl and snapped at me.
Licking my chops, I slowly climbed off the man and backed away. She may be the head female, but it was my kill and I wasn’t going to cower in front of her.
Kirk was the next to enter the clearing, just as Isis snapped at me again when she moved forward to eat. He growled at her in warning and yipped at me. This was supposed to be my official initiation into the pack. The proof that I could contribute and provide food when needed.
I watched as Kirk and Isis took what they wanted. Then I was allowed to choose my portion, before the other three got what was left.
I chewed on a leg bone and watched Isis eat. Her white coat shone brightly even in the darkness; the red of the man’s blood was the only thing that marred its perfection.
She glanced up and saw me looking at her. Growling, she picked up her meal and walked off into the darkness.
When we were all finished, we dug a deep hole and buried everything that was left: scraps of clothing, identification, and anything else we hadn’t eaten.
After that was taken care of, we yipped at each other and went our own ways into the night. Kirk and Isis headed off together. He turned back and watched me for a long moment before disappearing; Isis pretended not to notice.
I wandered back to the clearing and collected my clothes and shoes. I wrapped them in the blanket to make it easier to carry them to the car. Not having the use of my hands was one of the major drawbacks of being a werewolf as it made objects more difficult to handle.
When I got back to the car, I lay my bundle beside a rear tire and lay down to sleep.
*
I woke up freezing. Holding up my arm to keep the sunlight out of my eyes, I looked around. For a moment I was disoriented and couldn’t figure out where I was. Then I remembered. I licked my lips and was pleased to find that they still tasted of blood.
Shivering, I quickly stood and put my clothes on, thankful that today was Saturday and I didn’t have to work. From the position of the sun it looked like the morning was half over, and if it had been a work day, I would have been late.
I hurriedly got into the car, started it, and turned the heat on full blast. I had the blanket wrapped around me, but it wasn’t doing much good. I hated wearing such skimpy clothes, but it helped me get food in my stomach.
Humans were easier to manipulate when you were offering something they wanted, like sex.
When I could feel my fingers again, I drove home. No one seemed to be around as I snuck into my apartment, which was a good thing. I wasn’t dressed as the people in my building usually saw me; normally I was fairly modest.
My muscles ached from the change and from the exertion. A long, hot shower made me feel better. Pulling on a oversized T-shirt, I curled up in bed to get a couple more hours of rest. With a full stomach it didn’t take long for me to drift into a deep sleep.
*
I was startled awake by the phone ringing. Grumbling, I reached for the handset on my night stand.
“‘Ello,” I murmured.
“Wake up, sleepy head,” Kirk teased.
“No,” I muttered. “I don’t want to.”
“We’re having a meeting at two o’clock,” he said, all business now. “There are some things to be discussed.”
I looked at my alarm clock and moaned; it read one o’clock.
“Where?”
He chuckled. “My house. Try to be on time.”
The line went dead. I stabbed the end button and sat the phone back in its cradle.
I got up and dressed in a pair of jeans and a sleeveless blue button-down shirt. Grabbing my purse, I headed out the door; it would take all of the remaining time to get there.
Driving to Kirk’s house was a chore for me, since I usually got lost trying to find it. He lived in a huge house out in the middle of nowhere. Today was no exception, as I was almost late because I passed the entrance to his drive, but I realized it right away and turned around to go back.
I was the last to arrive, so I had everyone’s eyes on me when I entered the living room, where they were lounging.
“Ah, you made it,” Kirk said, coming forward to greet me. “On time even, I think you had two minutes to spare.”
I blushed. “Yes. You said to be on time.”
I looked around the room. You would never have guessed we were all werewolves. Clothed and in human form, we looked normal. Only another of our kind could spot us during the day; our scent distinguished us from humanity. It was faint, but very distinct.
“Have a seat,” Kirk said, gesturing to the room at large.
I nodded and sat between Frank and Angela. They smiled politely and turned their attention back to Kirk. It was a new experience for me to be part of a pack. I’d never been around others like myself.
“I would like to welcome Natalie into the pack,” Kirk said. “She has proven herself more than once, and last night she provided us with a meal. She has done all that we’ve required of her. Join me in maki
ng her feel welcome.”
Everyone murmured warm words of welcome, well, everyone except Isis. She sat in her chair and acted like she didn’t care what was going on around her, like she wished she was somewhere else.
Kirk glared at her.
Sighing and rolling her eyes, she spoke.
“Welcome, Natalie.”
Kirk’s jaw clenched at her sarcastic tone, but, since she was his sister, there wasn’t much he could do about her insolence. Or rather, not much he would do.
“Furthermore,” Kirk continued. “Natalie, I would like to invite you to come and live here – it would be safer for you than the apartment where you now live.”
Isis' head whipped around and she growled.
Kirk ignored her.
My jaw dropped. I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t believe they were offering me a place to live. The rest of the pack doesn’t live here with them, I thought, confused. Why is he asking me to?
“I don’t know what to say,” I stammered.
“You don’t have to decide right now,” Kirk said with a grin. “Just think about it and let me know.”
I bit my lip and glanced at Isis; she looked really mad. I nodded and looked down at my lap. I didn’t know if I could live in the same house as her.
The room had gone silent, with everyone’s eyes on me. I don’t think I was the only one shocked by his offer.
“Does anyone else have anything they would like to discuss?” Kirk asked.
No one answered.
“I guess this meeting is over then,” he said. “You’re free to stay if you would like, but if you have somewhere you would rather be, you’re free to go.”