The Amulet

by Lisa Phillips

  Alyssa was first through the door, followed closely by Nevar. She had decided to shower before coming upstairs. Her tousled hair and the scent of Nevar on her skin had been sweet reminders of her night with Nevar, but she did not want to wave a flag in their faces.

  When she saw Jessie sitting up and lucid, she rushed to her side and threw her arms around her. "Oh, Jessie! I've been so worried about you!" She held her for a moment before realizing that Jessie had not returned her embrace.

  "You can let go of me now, Alyssa."

  Alyssa slowly released her friend. Whenever Jessie used her full name, she knew a lecture was behind it. "What's the matter, Jessie?"

  "'What's the matter?' Are you serious? I chase you all the way out here to bring you the script for this movie that will launch your career to the next level and you drag me into this fantasy world! I didn't sign up for this!"

  "But, Jessie..."

  "Don't 'but Jessie' me!" She interrupted. "My leg is probably ruined thanks to your little stunt! If this is your new method acting, you can leave me out of it!"

  Xander interjected on Alyssa's behalf. "Your leg is fine. You won't even have a scar."

  Alyssa hadn't even realized she had been crying until the teardrop fell to her collarbone. She shot Xander a grateful look and he answered with a nod. She felt Nevar place a hand on her shoulder in silent support.

  Jessie stared blankly at Xander, obviously annoyed with his interference. She tore the blanket off her lap and examined her leg. Her pants were ruined. The blood stains would never come out of the khakis and Katarina's jaws had shredded the material, but underneath, the skin was pink but un-torn.

  "How did you...?"

  "I'm sorry, Jess. I know how hard this is for you," Alyssa told her. "I didn't ask for this, either, but here we are."

  "There was silence for a moment. The air was growing thick and uncomfortable. Jessie looked like she was about to cry.

  "I'm sorry, 'Lyss. I shouldn't have snapped at you. I was hoping this wasn't real."

  "I know, Jess."

  "We need to find out what Katarina was after," Nevar broke in.

  "Do you think she's after the amulet, too?" Alyssa suggested.

  "Doubtful," he answered. "She has no claim to it, though it is possible that she knows we have it. I have a feeling this is ancient history repeating."

  Xander stiffened at Nevar's words. Alyssa could almost feel the cold chill that ran the length of his spine. His thoughts had paled to a sickening grey. Alyssa felt horrible for him. Nevar had changed her, but it wasn't the same as being bitten by a werewolf. She wondered how much of her dream had been real and how much was her imagination. She would have to ask him about it when she got a chance.

  "Xander, you need to sleep," Alyssa told him. It wasn't an order, exactly, but she had put weight behind the statement that left no room for debate. "You're looking very pale," she added.

  He gave her a soft smile and there was a hidden nuzzle in his thoughts. LunR returned his nuzzle silently, but she gave nothing away on the outside. There was something he was hiding from her. She felt the red hot pain in his thoughts, but he was careful not to let her know why he was in pain.

  "Alyssa, you should take Jessie out to hunt. She needs to let the wolf run," he responded aloud.

  "Not without you, Xander," she argued. She might be Jessie's friend, but she knew nothing about newly changed Weres and she was uncomfortable explaining things she had only just learned herself.

  "She won't need much guidance," he coaxed, but if she doesn't transform on her own, the wolf will do it for her and she could lose control.

  She understood why he didn't want to scare Jessie, but Alyssa knew they would need to tell her before she found out the hard way. "Alright. I'm up for it if you are, Jess?"

  With a heavy sigh, she swung her legs off the couch and stood up slowly, no doubt testing the leg she believed was ruined. Alyssa noted the high sheen to her once dull colored locks. So, the were gene enhanced her beauty as well. She took a more careful look at Jessie.

  Her legs were well-toned and had filled out nicely compared to the spindly sticks Alyssa remembered. Jessie had always been too thin, but now, her body held just the right amount of curve for her 5'7" frame. She had never had much luck with men in the past but Alyssa knew that wouldn't be the case now. She had been too shy and timid before. The wolf would remedy that in no time.

  "I guess I'm up for it. My leg seems to be okay, after all. It's gotta be better than sitting on my butt all day."

  Alyssa laughed at her. "You're going to love it here, Jess! I guarantee you'll never be bored."

  "Alyssa," Nevar put his hands on her waist. A gentle touch that sent heat pouring through her body. "I'm going to stay here with Xander. I think it would be wise if we stay in groups in case Katarina or Gabriel return."

  "Who's Gabriel?" Jessie inquired.

  "I'll explain later," Alyssa said. "Why don't we go outside?"

  Alyssa led her down the hall and through the front door. There was so much to tell her friend, but the easiest way was to show her through the mind of the wolf, and for that, she had to somehow teach her what she had discovered by chance.

  Once they were outside, Alyssa walked them away from view of the manor. She found a well-manicured hedgerow separating the manor from the edge of the vineyard and they walked around behind it.

  "Where are we going, 'Lyss?"

  "If you don't want to tear your clothes to shreds, what's left of them, you may want to undress. I knew you'd want some privacy," she said.

  "Alyssa, I don't know if I can do this. None of this seems real to me."

  She put her hands on Jessie's shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "To be honest with you, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this, too. Imagine finding out your dead mother is alive and well, and not only that, but she's a 500 year old werewolf. Now that you're here with me, I don't feel so alone, but I never wished any of this on you."

  "I wish your mother had left me out of this."

  She smiled at her friend, but words failed her. She was too happy having her friend with her to agree with her. "Are you ready to give this a try?"

  "Not really," she admitted.

  "Do you want me to show you first or would you prefer I explain it?"

  She had a frightened expression on her face. "I'd prefer you explained it while you still look human."

  "I don't blame you. I transformed by accident. Xander was in danger and I jumped in to save him. My anger unleashed the wolf. It might be helpful if you search inside yourself to find your wolf."

  Jessie was skeptical at first. It all sounded like a bad script to her. Still, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She felt a gentle breeze touch her skin and caught the scent of ripening grapes and the faint smell of hay and horses. The air was heavy with loss and she felt her world slipping away from her. The loss she felt was weighing down on her. A single tear trickled down her cheek. She let it fall.

  Then, she felt something she'd never felt before. She heard the soft whimper of an animal in pain, but as she tried to reach out to it, it vanished into the depths.

  "Jessie! You found it!"

  "For a second, I did."

  "But that's great! We need to strip before we try to bring her out anyway. Remember how you felt, Jess. Certain emotions trigger the transformation. Yours seems to be sorrow."

  Jessie considered for a moment. "Okay, I'm ready to try, but can I watch you first?"

  She smiled. "Of course you can, but forgive me for a moment while I undress, okay?"

  Jessie respectfully turned her back to give Alyssa time to disrobe. She supposed she had better do the same, but she was uncomfortable undressing outside in a strange place. The wolf tickled the back of her mind again and it urged her to do it anyway. She was self-conscious, but as she undressed, the presence of the wolf grew stronger. Perhaps embarrassment was related to sorrow, she thought.

  "I'm ready, Jess."

  Jessie
covered as much of herself as she could with her hands and turned around. She was starting to see the changes in her body and realized there was much more of herself to cover than there had been. Alyssa, however, stood proudly. The once modest model looked as though she were about to pose for a magazine.

  "Don't be afraid of me, Jess. I promise I won't hurt you," she told her. "Here goes nothing."

  Jessie watched quietly as Alyssa closed her eyes. She saw her clench her fists and her muscles tightened. Then, her body began to twist and stretch. Her fingers shortened and her hands grew fur. Her jaw stretched out and her teeth elongated. It was truly a terrifying sight, and yet, Jessie could not tear her eyes away from the half-formed figure in front of her. Alyssa reared forward onto all fours, nearly as big as a horse.

  Where the wolf that had bitten her had been vicious and terrifying, Alyssa was elegant and beautiful. She looked like a rare exotic circus animal and every bit as beautiful as a white tiger. She held her head and her tail high. She managed to look like she was posing for cameras just by standing still.

  "Oh, 'Lyss! You are stunning! I think this life agrees with you," she told her, hoping she understood. She nodded her head to her, but she wasn't sure if she meant that she understood, or that it was her turn. Her lips parted in a sort of wolfish grin and she nodded again.

  "Okay, I get it. My turn," she said. Okay, she could do this. Here she was, standing naked in a vineyard next to an enormous white wolf and having a conversation. If this was some sort of prank, she was going to kill someone. She closed her eyes and focused.

  Trying to bring out the wolf, she remembered how she felt when the man she had hoped to one day marry walked out on her, leaving her alone and empty. She had cried for weeks and the pain was still there, buried inside her where she had fought to hide it. Now, she let it out. All the tears and the heartache exploded inside her.

  The wolf rose like a dark cloud inside her, raging like a storm. Tears poured from her like rain drops. Her body was alive with power and electricity. Her muscles coiled and stretched and her bones felt like they had burst into flames and melted. When she screamed, it came out as a snarl. She contorted so that she could no longer stand upright and fell to the ground. She opened her eyes and saw paws instead of hands holding her up.

  Alyssa was watching intently as Jessie finished her first transformation. It was a milestone, to be sure, and the first of many for her. Being only half-were, Alyssa had more control over the wolf than even Xander did, but even she had to fight to keep the beast in check now that it had awakened in her.

  Jessie had a beautiful gray coat with black markings. Had she been smaller, much smaller, she would have passed for an Alaskan Malamute. She had piercing ice blue eyes that were nearly white. She looked like a storm rolling across the sky.

  She wagged her tail at her friend and gave her a play bow. Her thoughts danced like the waters of a river frolicking over rocks. Jessie looked around, seeing the world with new eyes and her nose worked furiously.

  She had enough of the were gene in her now that her senses had improved significantly, although, her thoughts appeared fuzzy compared to Alyssa's. She wasn't quite there yet, but already, she had progressed beautifully. Her body seemed to have accepted the gene rather than fight it, which was lucky for Jessie. It would be another week, at least, before she was fully were, but that was much quicker than they could have hoped for.

  Let's go for a run, she sent to Jess.

  There was a look of surprise on the she-wolf's face and she shook her head as if trying to clear it. She had swirls of pink confusion dancing around in her head.

  You're not crazy, Jess. You can hear my thoughts, and I can hear yours. You should listen to the wolf, but make sure you maintain control. Let it guide you, but do not let it be your master.

  Jess nodded her head. She turned towards the vineyard and sniffed again at the air. Alyssa followed her lead and caught the scent of decay. A low growl rose from her throat and her hackles raised. She was on edge before she had a chance to realize that the scent was old, but she recognized it instantly. Gabriel had been here.

  Jessie had caught onto her thoughts and Alyssa picked up the hint of fear that she was tying to hide. Alyssa ran through what she knew about Gabriel in her mind, from the amulet, to the encounter she had with him in the woods, and the dream she had of him attacking humans in broad daylight and leaving them like rubbish on the sand. She gave her his scent so she would be able to detect him and warned her to be cautious. He had overpowered Xander and it would be dangerous for her to encounter him alone.

  Jessie shivered as she interpreted her thoughts. She had no desire to meet Gabriel and wanted to head in the opposite direction as the lingering scent in the vineyard. Alyssa agreed with her and together, they headed towards the pasture beyond the lake. They started out at a trot, enjoying the cool night air and the gentle breeze off the ocean. It would be nice, Alyssa thought, if the night held no surprises for once.

  Her stomach was beginning to ache with hunger. The wolf wanted to hunt. Her appetite bothered her. If she kept up at this rate, there would be no game left to hunt, but Jessie would need to eat and satisfy the wolf. Alyssa searched the air for a scent. She found what she was looking for at the edge of the lake. A good source of water was helpful for tracking prey.

  Alyssa knew what she was after was risky and a bit intimidating for Jessie's first hunt, but LunR was not backing down. Stubborn wolf, but so was she.

  Alyssa had picked up an interesting scent by the lake. Jessie did not recognize it and there was nothing in Alyssa's mind to identify it. She saw simply the smell as a trail of gold. Jessie was fascinated by the way the trail seemed alive. Alyssa was stalking after the trail with her head low and her tail swinging behind her.

  A wave of caution rose up in the back of Jessie's mind, but something urged her onward. She let the wolf sharpen her wits and followed Alyssa's lead. The scent led around the edge of the tree line and into the woods. There was something dangerous in the air. The hairs on the back of Jessie's neck stood on end.

  The scent grew stronger as the followed the path into rocky terrain. Alyssa's mind was humming with excitement. It wouldn't be long now. She didn't know why she was seeking out a fight, but she supposed she preferred prey that stood a chance at survival. She had not felt that feeling of victory over the young buck as she and Xander took him down. Tonight, she wanted victory.

  The trail ended at a rocky cliff face. There was a jagged stone overhanging the entrance to a small cave. It was the perfect site for a den. Going in the den was a death sentence. Somehow, she had to lure the animal from its den.

  She lifted her front paw and let out a loud yelp, as if she'd injured herself. In her mind, she urged Jessie to get down out of sight. She would have her chance soon enough. It didn't take long before her ploy paid off. With a fierce yowl, the mountain lion emerged from her den. Her golden coat was sleek and she appeared well fed, however, she licked her lips at the thought of making Alyssa her next meal.

  Alyssa lured the she-cat away from her den by hobbling on three legs upwind of Jessie to avoid giving away her scent. The puma made no attempt to crouch or hide her approach, but broke into a lope after Alyssa. As she drew nearer, Alyssa dropped the act an turned on the cat with a ferocious growl of her own.

  The cat seemed startled that her prey had turned predator and she yowled in protest. Her giant paws slashed at Alyssa with her claws unsheathed. It was a warning strike, meant to frighten, but catching nothing but air. A surge of electricity raced through her veins as the cougar stared at her with piercing amber eyes.

  Alyssa drew back her lips to reveal gleaming white teeth and dared the cat come nearer. Though outmatched in size, the mountain lion lunged forward, claws outstretched. Her razor-sharp talons found Alyssa's shoulder, but she rolled her body to avoid the cougar's powerful jaws.

  Jessie emerged from the brush and flanked the lithe feline. The distraction allowed Alyssa time to gather herself
and she launched herself at the cat, but the puma turned nimbly before Alyssa could clamp down on the feline's neck. This time, the amber cat scored flesh with her claws. Pain seared Alyssa's flank and she retaliated by locking her jaws on the feline's withers. The cat screamed in agony as she writhed trying to inflict more damage on her attacker.

  Jessie saw her opportunity while Alyssa had the cougar by the scruff. The giant cat was fighting desperately to claw the silver pelt of her friend and add to the growing number of red slices. Jessie lunged for the animal and her canines sank into the soft flesh of the feline's neck.

  She felt the cougar's pain through her thoughts, felt her gasp to catch her breath, and saw the darkness creep into her mind. Jessie wept, even as the wolf in her rejoiced in her triumph. Something else crept into her mind slowly. The thoughts that she heard were happy. The monster that had been feasting on the forest was gone. It was a delicate balance between predator and prey. If there were too many predators, the prey population would plummet. It still did little to soothe her conscience.

  Alyssa collapsed to the ground in a heap. The wounds she had sustained were deep and her coat was matted with blood and dirt. Jessie dropped the cougar and walked to her friend's side. Alyssa's mind was as streaked with red as her body was. Jessie whimpered softly and nudged her neck. Her breathing was ragged and sounded labored. Jessie, unsure of what to do, lifted her head to the sky and shattered the air with a long and mournful howl.

  Alyssa could still feel the daggers raking across her pelt, tearing her flesh. She had missed her mark and left herself open to attack, and now she was paying the price for her mistake. She tried to reach through her thoughts to Nevar or Xander. Nevar could not read the wolf's cryptic mind, but pain was the same in any language he had said.

  She felt for them, but she was unable to make a connection. The pain blocked her mind from escaping. She only hoped that Nevar could feel her blood calling to him. She felt her strength leave her and she was unable to hold the wolf. She crept into the depths with wounded pride and left her lying broken and bleeding. There was little she could do but wait for her body to heal.