Silver Stake (The Werewolf Hunter Chronicles Book 1)

by M. D. Bowden

  “She is a Hunter, created by the Order of Meeth, and her purpose is to kill werewolves.” said Mr Cole.

  “She was created? So she’s, what, like, not human?” said Ollie.

  “Maya is as human as you or I, but she possesses a charm, passed from one hunter to another at the moment of death.”

  “And this gives her, what, special powers or something?”

  “That is correct. She is strong, with fast reflexes and refined senses.”

  “Whew. Intense.” Ollie looked Maya up and down. “She looks so ordinary. No offence.”

  “None taken,” said Maya.

  “And what’s your part?” Ollie said to Cole.

  “I am a Seer. My purpose is to assist the hunter, to refine her training, and to predict what might happen. To enable us to be prepared.” Cole looked from Maya, to Ollie, to Kate. “It is not usual for others to find out about this, it may interfere—”

  “Our lips are sealed. Seriously. We won’t tell anyone,” said Ollie.

  “No! Of course not.”

  Cole nodded. “This business with your friends—”

  “Lewis and Will,” said Kate.

  “We must wait until tomorrow.”

  “What? But they could be dead by then! They may be dead already,” said Kate.

  “That’s right, they may be. But they were taken alive, which implies they were not merely to be used as a meal.”

  “A sacrifice,” said Maya.

  Cole nodded. “It seems likely.” He flicked through a few pages of his book. “Here, see. A sacrifice must be performed on a full moon. It all makes sense…”

  “But how do we stop it?” said Kate.

  “I have to stop it. It’s up to me.”

  “But Will. Lewis. We need to help.”

  “The best way for you to help is to keep safe. That way I don’t have to worry about you,” said Maya.

  “We must be able to do something, like, help you figure where they went?” said Ollie.

  “No. If they are to be sacrificed they must have been taken someplace where there’s lots of wolves. And I sensed lots of wolves out near where they were taken. I’ll just follow my nose, so to speak.”

  “You sensed them?” said Kate. She looked pale.

  “You must wait until tomorrow,” said Cole. “When the sun is up.”

  “But what if the sacrifice is tonight?”

  “The full moon is tomorrow night,” said Kate.

  “Are you sure?” said Maya.

  Ollie nodded. “She’s an astrology nut.”

  “She’s right,” said Cole. “You must go to find them tomorrow.”

  ∞

  “Maya!”

  Maya turned, just as she was about to enter her first class of the day. Ollie and Kate hurried to her side.

  “So what’s the plan? When do we go?” said Ollie.

  Maya shook her head furiously. “No way. We talked about this. I go alone.”

  “But it’s suicide,” said Ollie. “You should let us help. We could distract them.”

  “No way. Seriously. If you want to help go and see Cole. Help him work out what’s going on.”

  Kate nodded. “OK. That makes sense. I’ll see if I can find out anything that could help you.”

  “Thank you,” said Maya. “I’m going to head out after this class, and I promise I will fill you in as soon as there’s any news.”

  “Take care of yourself,” said Ollie.

  Kate nodded, tears in her eyes. “Good luck.”

  Isabelle firmly ignored her right through the biology lecture, but Maya barely noticed. She jotted down notes, but her mind was far way. All she could think about was Lewis and Will, and in what state she would find them. And if she would find them. She had put on a confident face to the others, but, truth be told, she had never faced more than a couple of wolves at once. And if she met the old werewolf again… He had been freakishly strong. And what if she came face to face with this Lord Alpha…

  ∞

  The school corridor was packed with students bustling around between lectures. Kate and Ollie walked hand in hand, in a daze, their brows creased.

  “I’m going to scan some old newspapers in the library, before I head to see Mr Cole. Do you want to come?” said Kate.

  “Huh?” Ollie looked up.

  “You know you can’t go after them,” said Kate, stopping and turning to face him. “Stay safe. Help me,” she pleaded.

  “I just can’t believe this is happening. I can’t believe they are missing. What if they are … dead?”

  “I know … it’s too much. That’s why I have to keep my mind busy. I have to find a way to help.”

  Ollie nodded, but Kate frowned at him. She could tell his attention was elsewhere.

  Ollie scratched the back of his head. “I don’t think I can focus right now. I’ll catch you in a bit, Kate.” He brushed his lips against her cheek and pulled her briefly against his chest, then he walked away.

  Kate stood still, watching him go. She couldn’t help it, but felt a heavy sense of worry, and helplessness. Ollie turned the corner and disappeared from sight. She shrugged her shoulders and headed for the library.

  ∞

  After class Maya stashed her rucksack in a locker and then walked briskly through the corridor towards the exit. She wore her hair fixed in plaits either side of her head, close to her neck, along with a black leather jacket and black jeans. Her silver stake was tucked out of sight.

  Mrs Kinnley stepped into Maya’s path.

  “Miss Ellis, if you’ll accompany me please.”

  Maya silently cursed and followed Mrs Kinnley in to her office.

  “Although we have a policy that allows you to leave the college grounds, I do not think it is wise in your case. You have shown an inability to settle into a routine of classes and the best way to tackle this is to spend ALL your time right here. Between classes you are to stay in the library and catch up on the work you have missed. Do you understand?”

  “Yes Mrs Kinnley. Of course. Is that all?”

  Mrs Kinnely gave her a brisk nod and Maya stood, then turned and headed for the door.

  “I’ll be watching you,” Mrs Kinnley muttered, as Maya left.

  Did she seriously just say that? Maya shook her head, swung open the door to the exit and ran down the steps, refusing to look over her shoulder, even though she could practically feel Mrs Kinnley’s eyes on her back.

  Outside the sun peeked out from behind a cloud as Maya broke into a gentle jog and then hopped onto a bus. Ten minutes later she jumped off and walked toward the graveyard. As the iron gates appeared before her someone stepped out of an alley and into her path. Her heart leapt.

  “Ollie! What the hell are you doing out here?”

  “Waiting for you, of course. I couldn’t let you do down there alone,” he said.

  “Yes you could. You—”

  “No. I couldn’t. Will and Lewis are missing. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least try—”

  “You need to leave.”

  “No. No way. I’m coming.”

  “Ugh. Fine. On your head be it.”

  “Fine by me.”

  Maya started walking and Ollie hurried after her. At a heavy touch the gate to the cemetery creaked open. It felt practically as eerie in day light. The gravestones were old and overgrown, and ivy grew up scraggly, gnarly trees. As they stepped further in a heavy silence surrounded them, transporting them away from the sounds of the city. Maya scanned the horizon, and it seemed the cemetery extended for miles.

  “How big is this place anyway?” she said.

  Ollie shrugged. “I—” he started.

  “Shh,” said Maya. “I need to focus.”

  She focused on her werewolf sense, but it gave her confused signals. It seemed like there were wolves everywhere, up ahead somewhere, and below her, too. She eyed the stairs leading down to the underground tunnel where she had discovered Lewis with the werewolf, and she rememb
ered how that old werewolf had seemed to come from behind her, from further within the tunnel.

  “We go down there,” she said.

  “So this is it,” Ollie said, rubbing his hands together.

  “Wait a sec,” said Kate, and she fumbled in her pocket. “Here’s a silver cross. It might come in handy.”

  “Thanks,” Ollie said, and clutched the cross in his hand.

  Together they walked down the steps to the passage, Maya in the lead.

  The door to the passage creaked open and Maya stepped through, Ollie close behind her. He pulled the gate closed behind them. She scanned the immediate area, illuminated by sunshine, for signs of danger. The place looked less creepy with day light streaming through the iron bars of the door. Nevertheless, she walked in slowly, tentatively, and jumped at a tiny squeak, which was probably a rat.

  She sighed, and walked further, past the brick that had been thrown at her the night before, into the shadows. She squinted ahead and spotted a heavy wooden door with a chunky padlock.

  “Strange,” she murmured.

  “What’ll we do?” Ollie said. “Find another way?”

  She shook her head, frowning at the lock. She touched it and got a firm grip, then gave it a serious yank. The wood around the lock splintered and came away.

  “Whew,” said Ollie. “I knew it would be handy to bring you along.”

  “Ha, ha,” said Maya.

  Maya pulled the door towards her, the wood scrapping across the ground. Beyond was another passage and some steps, and it wasn’t as dark as she had expected. A high up drainage grate gave a subtle light. Maya stepped carefully down some concrete stairs. The walls were black with dirt and there were no handrails. She heard another rat squeaking and a scurrying up ahead. Moisture dripped off the walls, echoing along with their footsteps. She took a deep breath and continued walking. The passage wasn’t straight. She kept turning, expecting to find a werewolf each time. Her spooky sense still tingled, but she couldn’t exactly pinpoint how far away the wolves were.

  They turned a corner and found a hallway lit with bare dusty bulbs at wide intervals.

  “So, will this cross kill a werewolf?” Ollie muttered.

  Maya laughed quietly. “No, but if you press the silver against their skin it will burn, and that might give me enough time to save you.”

  “Right. Great.” He said. “Anything else?”

  “Huh?”

  “To help fend off the big bad wolf.”

  “Well, shoving a silver stake in their heart seems to be a failsafe method. The rest is just conjecture based on myth. Maybe Cole will be able to help with that.”

  “How long have you known him?”

  “A couple of days.”

  “So, you’ve been in this, on your own, for how long?”

  “About a year. It began not long after I started college.”

  “Shite. Must have been tough on you.”

  “You could say that,” Maya muttered.

  Ollie gave an uneasy laugh.

  They continued on along the passage, following it up a gentle incline.

  CHAPTER 8

  Maya and Ollie continued on down the underground passageway, past rows and rows of dusty pipes.

  “I don’t think it’s much further,” Maya said.

  “What makes you think that?”

  “This incline. I reckon we’ll hit the surface soon.”

  “I wonder—”

  Ollie spotted something and his feet scuffed the floor.

  “Oh god, Lewis!” Ollie said.

  Maya spotted Lewis lying face down on the dirty ground.

  As they ran up to him Lewis groaned. They rolled him onto his back. He had a streak of dirt across his cheek and a long rip on his sleeve. He looked sweaty and scared.

  “Ollie,” he said, and threw his arms around his friend.

  “What happened?” said Maya. “How did you get here?”

  Lewis groaned again and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m not sure, some wolf dragged me I think. A werewolf! Can you believe it?”

  “Where’s Will?” said Ollie.

  Lewis shook his head. “Man, I have no clue. We got separated back somewhere.” He gesticulated vaguely, not really with it.

  “We’ve got to get out of here,” said Lewis.

  “You two go,” said Maya. “I’ll continue on and find Will.”

  “If you go, I go,” said Ollie.

  Maya stood up and looked him directly in the eye. “You need to look after Lewis. He’s in no state—”

  “I’m all right. Really,” Lewis said. “I can continue on. I think I can remember the way. I can help.” He stumbled to his feet unaided.

  “Fine,” said Maya, through gritted teeth. “Just so you know, this is going against my better judgement, that’s for sure.”

  “This way,” Lewis said, and he started to walk further along the incline.

  Maya and Ollie, both looking uneasily around them, followed. They came to a place where the passages split.

  “I think I remember being pulled up a slope, so I reckon it’s this way,” Lewis said.

  Suddenly they heard footsteps coming from the lower passage. The three of them glanced down, into the dark.

  “You two stay close,” Maya said, taking the lead.

  “Maya,” Ollie gasped. “This might be a set up.”

  They rounded a corner and came face to face with a pack of wolves, fur standing on end and teeth bared, yellow eyes gleaming.

  “Run!” Maya shouted.

  Ollie and Lewis took off and she followed. A werewolf sprang towards her and she turned to face it, but jumped when she heard the sound of grating metal behind her. She glanced back and saw a barrier had been cast down. Solid iron from the looks of it. The wolf lunged towards her and she pulled out her stake.

  ∞

  Ollie and Lewis whipped back around at the noise, and ran back the way they had come, immediately spotting the barrier that had descended.

  “Ahh, this isn’t good,” Lewis said.

  “Good observation,” said Ollie. He started pounding his fists against the barrier. “Maya!” he shouted.

  She didn’t reply, but he heard snarling, then thuds and a high pitched whine. He got down onto his knees and tried to push his fingers under the rusted metal of the barrier, to pry it up.

  “Come on, help me,” he said to Lewis.

  Lewis got down next to him, and together they tried their hardest to lift the thing, but it was no good.

  “Is there some sort of mechanism?” Ollie said, scanning the walls.

  “Probably there is. Other side of barrier, I reckon.”

  “Well, that’s a lot of help,” Ollie muttered. He went back to trying to prise up the door. “I think it’s going to work!” he said.

  ∞

  Maya pounced forward, springing over the wolf as it lunged. Quick as a snake she jumped onto its back and jammed the stake right under its ribs. The wolf gave a high pitched whine and then started to simmer and melt. Before it could become mere residue Maya turned to face the next wolf. She had one advantage in this situation, she decided, and that was the narrowness of the tunnel. There was only room to fight one wolf at a time. She could hear banging and shouts from the other side of the barrier, and she cursed. They should have left her.

  A mottled brown and white wolf jumped forward, snarling. His muscles looked large and his teeth long and sharp. He snapped his jaw shut and growled, and the back of her neck tingled as the little hairs there stood on end. She brandished her stake at him and his eyes flashed with menace, then he jumped. She stepped back, surprised, and his paws hit her chest, knocking her back, and as her head hit the ground she felt a tugging on her foot. She met eyes with the wolf and it looked like it smiled, its eyes dipping to her throat. She drove the stake into its chest, and as it howled at the pain, she pushed it off her and caught sight of the wolf with her thick boot in its jaws. She slashed at its muzzle and it released her foot, but as
it did another wolf jumped over her head.

  She heard a creaking, grating sound and looked behind her in time to see the barrier slowly rising, and then Ollie and Lewis came into view.

  “The cross!” she shouted.

  Ollie grabbed it from his pocket and held it out as Maya jumped after the wolf between them and lunged on top of it, staking it quick.

  “Behind you!” shouted Ollie.

  She turned just in time and threw her knee under the chin of a white wolf. Its head snapped back, causing it to fall, and Maya jumped to her feet. She saw more wolves appearing at the end of the tunnel.

  “Run!” she shouted.

  She tore after them.

  They quickly got back to the junction.

  “This way will be quicker,” said Lewis, pointing up the hill the way they hadn’t yet been. Maya nodded and they went that way. She stayed at the back as the wolves were fast approaching. They rounded a corner and came face to face with a couple of snarling wolves, with teeth showing, midway through their transformation. They were half way between beautiful and grotesque.

  Ollie immediately held out his cross and the werewolves fixed their glowing yellow eyes on the silver, wary.

  “Oh no,” said Maya.

  “Shit, what do we do?” said Ollie.

  “We fight them,” said Maya, pushing past, but just then five wolves appeared at their other side.

  “This is not good,” muttered Lewis. “Wha—”

  A wolf jumped at him and he screamed. Maya hurtled in between them, flashing her silver stake in their midst, slicing the one going for Lewis across the eyes. Steam gushed from the wound and the werewolf whined and cowered, giving another the opportunity to butt in. Maya could hear grappling behind her, but she couldn’t do anything about it as the onslaught was fixed on her. She kicked and thumped and staked, then kicked and thumped, elbowed, kneed and punched.

  “Maya!”

  She heard a strangled cry and turned to see Ollie on his back, pinned down by the final wolf. He was managing to fend it off with the silver cross, but it was salivating and growling not far from his face, trying to take a bite out of his arm. Maya leaped to Ollie’s side and kicked the wolf in the stomach. It flew back, hitting the wall and Maya staked it while it was down.