His smell wafted back toward me and for a moment I felt like I was going to be sick. I took a deep breath, never loosing eye contact with him in a tense silence that seemed to go on forever.
“I’m done with you.” He smirked as he looked behind me, flashing a wink and a smile toward Cordillia before storming out of the tiny restaurant.
I could hear Annie take a deep breath behind me, we all did. It was over, he was gone and a sense of relief surrounded us as we went back to our meals and tried to forget him.
Before I moved back to the booth, I helped Annie to her feet and took my seat. After a moment’s pause, I pulled a pack of cigarettes out of my pocket and stood to go outside but before I made it up, Annie was standing next to me with a small ashtray and a smile.
“I can’t thank you enough for that, young man,” she spoke sweeter than someone who was just attacked should. “I won’t tell on you.” She gave me a wink as she placed the ashtray down in front of me.
“Thank you,” was all I could muster as I pulled one out and lit it, watching her as she walked over to the counter, grabbed a broom and began to sweep up the mess that he had left behind. Cordillia was still stunned. She half stood on the booth and gawked at me, eyes wide. After a moment had passed she sat and shook her head.
“What the hell.” She sneered looking down at the table. I took another deep pull off of my cigarette and shook my head to answer. She looked up at me and raised her eyebrow, I knew this was coming.
“Since when do you smoke?” she asked puzzled and a bit shocked. I laughed, it felt good to smile.
“Since my life went to hell,” I answered. We passed the time in silence before Annie came back with our meals. She sat the plates down in front of us and placed a hand on my shoulder.
“It’s on me, honey. What you did back there…” she trailed off for a second. Her face stained with shock. She shook herself back to reality and smiled again. “Well it’s the least I can do. You eat here for free from now on,” she added. I tried to protest but she just shook her head.
I dug into my steak. Perfect, just like I had hoped and it wasn’t until I began to shovel mouthfuls of food into me that I remembered just how hungry I was only a few moments ago. We finished our meals quickly and quietly, anything to get out of there as fast as possible. I flashed Annie a wink with the hope that it would make her day a little better before we headed out toward the truck. We didn’t make it far before Cordillia stopped me just and smiled.
“I have to pee,” she said as she handed me her bag and turned to run back inside.
“Real lady like,” I commented with a grin. “Hurry up, it’s nearly sunset and we have a long drive.”
“I just have to go to the bathroom, it’s not like I’m running a marathon.” She laughed as she pulled open the door and disappeared in to the diner once again. At least I could be sure she was safe without him in there. I growled at the thought of him anywhere near her and just as the thought crossed my mind, I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder as I was pulled off of my feet violently.
Chapter Five
He gripped me tight around the waist and the next thing I knew I was being drug around the back of the diner and away from prying eyes. Another shock of pain jolted through me as my back was slammed into an oversized dumpster, knocking the air out of my lungs and blinding me. It was open here, nothing to keep us from being seen, except maybe the lack of cars or people passing through. His hand found my face and I was forced to look into his putrid yellow eyes.
“Let me go!” I growled trying to find my feet. It was a moment before I realized they weren’t touching the ground and all I could do was kick helplessly as his eyes narrowed and his snarl turned into a smile.
“And why would I want to do that?” He smirked as he held my head still in his massive hand. I struggled against him but he held me as if it took no effort to keep me still.
“My sister will find us, she’ll call the police.” Almost immediately I regretted bringing her into this. His fierceness changed to amusement as he dug his nails into my face where he held me. I screamed as the sticky warmth of blood began to trickle down my cheek.
I tried everything I could think of as fast as it came. I kicked, I swung my arms, I thrashed against him but nothing worked. The more I fought the more he smiled like he was enjoying my futile struggle. I decided it was best not to give him what he wanted and quickly went limp in his hold.
“That’s better,” he growled as his eyes locked onto mine. My breathing became rapid, my heartbeat unbearable and I felt my body burning under his tight hold. “What’s the matter, sheep?” he asked with a grin as he inched his face closer to mine. The smell coming off him was putrid. God, what I wouldn’t give to never smell that again.
“Ethan?” Cordillia called out from the other side of the little restaurant. I closed my eyes and offered a silent frantic prayer Please don’t come back here Please just go back inside. She called my name again and this time her voice was closer. Please God no I begged but I never was so lucky.
A moment later, her head popped around the corner and all I could do was hope she wouldn’t see us. “Ethan!” she screamed as she turned toward me, her eyes grew wide as she saw who had me in his grip. He tightened his hold and clawed at my face as I reached out to her.
“Run, Cordy! Go back inside!” It was too late. He lifted me higher and threw me to the side, I flew like a rag doll and cried out in pain as I bounced off the hard dirt ground and felt my rib crack under the pressure.
Holding my side, I looked up as he began to move toward her catching her just as she turned to run. He grabbed her ponytail and pulled her back into seclusion. I tried to get my footing but the world spun around me and I slipped back to the ground with a shock. My vision went white as I was painfully reminded of my broken rib.
I cried out as he pulled her closer to him, his arm wrapped around her neck as he held her back tight against him. He brushed her hair to the side and ran a finger down the side of her throat. She elbowed him as hard as she could and I was proud but as I tried to get my footing again he pulled her in tighter.
“Now that’s not very polite.” He chuckled as he leaned in and planted a kiss on her neck. “This is gonna be fun.” He laughed as he threw her to the ground. She shouted as her head bounced off the gravel a few feet from where I lay. He knelt down on top of her and pinned her arms to her chest. I struggled to get to my feet as he laughed loudly at her attempts to fight him off. I got to my feet and just as I did his head reared back and Cordillia screamed, staring up at something I couldn’t see.
“No!” I yelled as I ran for her but it was too late. He sunk his teeth into her shoulder and ripped his head back, streaking the ground with blood and filling the air with her screams.
I don’t know when it started but I felt the tearing under my skin, the fire in my veins and the searing pain that ripped through me as my body began to change. Cordillia opened her eyes to me as I howled into the sky and stood, towering over them. A roar escaped from my chest as I ran toward them, it was like moving in slow motion and everything was clearer now. I could hear the blood pumping in his veins, his heartbeat even the smell of fear seeping off of Cordillia. He looked up at me and a sick smile crossed his face as I swung for him. He dodged my attack, rolling off of her and getting to his feet faster than any human should.
“Now that’s more like it.” He laughed as he began to change. I heard his clothes rip and his bones snap as he became less and less human by the second. He shot up easily three feet and doubled that in girth as I watched his body transform. I was dumbstruck as thick patches of black fur began to sprout over every inch of him, I knew the last thing I should be doing is standing there watching but I had never seen the change from the other side.
I was brought back to reality as he threw his head back and howled into the air, it seemed like minutes but it was more like seconds before the transformation was complete. Before I had a chance to strike, he lunged for me and
his blood curtailing roar pierced the silence of the desert. I managed to knock him back but he was on his feet as quickly as he had landed and I ran toward him, hoping to land the next blow before he had the chance.
I swung at him as hard as I could with a massive claw and somehow it landed sending him flying away from me and knocking him onto his side. He glanced up at me, growling as he got to his feet and charged me once again. I ran toward him, my heart pounding as I slammed into him and knocked him to the ground. He reached up and pressed his arm into my throat as I snapped at the air just inches from his face, that same twisted grin curling his lips and proving that he was at least in some small way enjoying the fight.
He knocked me to the side, snarling as he got to his feet and hurried toward me. I dodged blow after blow, whipping to the side and dropping to the ground as his massive claws came whipping past me. I grabbed his arm as he leaned in for the last blow and pulled him down, snapping his arm over my knee before tossing him to the ground. He yelped loudly as he rolled against the dusty ground and I followed his stride, rolling him onto his back as he finally stopped moving and pressed my elbow into his throat. I stared down at him as he struggled for breath but my victory was short lived.
I felt a sharp pain as he bit down on my free arm and a whimper escaped me as he knocked me to the side and jumped to his feet. He turned his attention to Cordillia and I struggled to get to my feet as he ran toward her. I leapt at him and a deep guttural growl shook me as I flew toward him landing on his back and knocking him to the ground beneath me.
I bit down as hard as I could into the back of his neck and held tight as he howled into the darkening sky around us. He thrashed against me, crying out and shrieking into the sky but I had him pinned tight, there was nothing he could do. My claws dug into his back and I bit down once again, ripping my head back as I latched on. I felt his body go limp, I couldn’t hear his heart beating in his chest anymore and in that moment, that second I knew he was dead. Something in me snapped and a deep well of rage grew as I clawed and bit, destroying what was left of him. After what he had done, he didn’t even deserve a body.
After a few minutes reality began to sink in and I lifted myself, the taste of blood in my teeth as I looked over his lifeless form. I crawled off of him and without a second thought I began searching for my sister. I saw her curled in on herself by the dumpster, her head hidden in her hands as she shook with silent sobs. I made my way over to her and I was thankful that I couldn’t smell her blood anymore. Her shoulder was healing and for that I was grateful, at least I was until I realized that he might have infected her too.
I walked over to her slowly, carefully and lay down on the ground next to her, resting my chin on my paws as I waited for her to look up. We couldn’t stay here long but I wasn’t about to rush her. I whimpered and nudged her arm with my nose, hoping for something, any kind of response. She looked up at me slowly, her eyes filled with tears as she sucked in a deep breath.
Timidly she reached out and touched the top of my head. She was scared but at the same time intrigued and as she relaxed she ran her hand through my fur, stopping to scratch my ear. I wagged my tail hoping it would make her laugh and it did. It felt nice to see her as she smiled and looked into my eyes.
“I always did want a dog.” She chuckled weakly.
She wiped herself off and sat up slowly. I felt my body groan and crack as I involuntarily changed back. I looked down quickly and breathed a sigh of relief realizing that at least my jeans had survived the ordeal. I reached over to Cordillia and pulled her shirt away from her shoulder to get a better look. It was still bleeding slightly, there was no sign of healing and I was relived. At least there was a chance he hadn’t dammed her to the same fate as me.
“Does it hurt?” I asked
“Not really,” she spoke quietly.
“Are you okay?”
“Not really.” She shook her head. I took her in my arms and almost immediately felt my chest growing damp as she cried into me.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered as she shook. “I never wanted you to see any of this.”
“It’s okay, Ethan, really.” She sniffed loudly as she pulled away from me and wiped the tears from her eyes. “I’m not upset because of you.”
“Then why?” I asked as I leaned back against the cold metal siding of the diner.
“I was attacked.” She stated, looking over at me with red swollen eyes. “I’m upset because I thought we were going to die.” I smirked slightly and nodded.
“At least it’s over now.”
“Yeah.” She agreed as she slowly got to her feet. I offered her my hand and smiled down at her as the night air whipped past us and stirred the dusty ground to life. As I closed my eyes and breathed it in, I realized that Cordillia, in that moment was a lot stronger than I gave her credit for. She had witnessed something that would drive most to insanity and instead of succumbing to it she stood next to me with a faint smile on her face and for that I was proud. Maybe I was wrong to think that leaving was best for her, maybe I was wrong to assume that she couldn’t handle what I myself had no choice but to face.
I turned toward the parking lot, ready to leave this place but before I made it far, she grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. “Hold on.”
“What? Why?” I asked quickly.
“I’m just gonna go get you a shirt, I’ll be right back.” I didn’t want her out of my sight but I had no real choice as she walked away before I could protest. I took the free moment I had and looked over at the man that I had destroyed. It’s strange the things we become grateful for in times like these but I was happy; happy that we were safe, happy that the monster in me could be used for something good.
I’m not the type to wish death on anyone not even the worst of mankind or in this case my kind but something about knowing that he would never hurt anyone again brought a smile to my lips.
“Ethan,” a small voice whispered from behind me. I shook myself from my train of thought and turned to her, the coolness of the evening air whipping up around me bringing with it the scent of the desert and just behind that, the smell of death. I took the clothes from her and dressed quickly, tossing my tattered jeans into the dumpster behind me.
“Thanks.” I smiled as I pulled her in for a quick hug. She patted my back gently and pushed me away just as quick.
“As much as I would love to have this hallmark moment, Annie was on her way out when I left the truck.” I nodded and quickly followed after her as she led me around the building and toward the parking lot. We rounded the corner and I stopped as I saw Annie’s bright red hair in the doorway of the tiny diner.
“Hey there, Sugar,” she greeted me with a worried smile. “Is everything alright?” I froze. I couldn’t tell a joke convincingly let alone lie about something like this. Just as my fear was reaching its breaking point Cordillia stepped in front of us.
“Everything is fine.” She smiled. By the tone in her voice and the conviction with which she spoke, I was half convinced it was.
“I thought you all were leaving. What were you doing back there?” Annie asked. The confusion in her voice was unmistakable and we both watched Cordillia as she smiled up at the kind woman.
“We were,” she beamed. “But we heard some growling in the back there and Ethan wanted to check it out. There were a couple of wolves back there, it was so cool.”
“Oh my goodness.” She smiled brightly, placing her hand on her chest. “I bet that was a sight.”
“It was.” Cordillia nodded. “But they got kind of mean toward us, we were just lucky that man from earlier was there.”
“The man that started that fight, he came back? Oh, sweetheart, are you okay?” she asked hurriedly addressing us both.
“Yeah, we’re fine right, Ethan?” She turned to me quickly and I nodded in response.
“Yeah sure.” I shrugged.
“But anyway,” Cordillia turned back toward Annie and continued her story, “The wolves started fi
ghting. And one of them came after me. I was terrified,” She added as Annie hung on to her every word. “But he ran them off just a few minutes ago.”
Wolves among men Page 5