Blood Cursed

by H. L. Graham

  I nodded. I can do this, ‘head, shoulders, knees and toes,’ I sang in my head. I closed my eyes, centered, aligned and radiated my power outward. Eyes and hands only, I directed the power. I felt Jacob’s energy flash hotter while the others began pacing around the rock, their howls intensifying.

  I opened my eyes and saw Rebecca awaiting my permission to change. She was not in Jacobs pack and would not take orders from him. She was still my right-hand woman and would only look to me. I nodded toward her. Rebecca walked into the moonlight and released her power. She changed instantly, similar to a flash of lightning. It was stunning, beautiful and magical. Wow, that was way faster than I had seen the other night. I made a mental note to ask her how she did it.

  The other wolves made a tight circle around the altar. They were having a difficult time controlling themselves and I could feel their rising need to hunt.

  Jacob took my paw in his. The pads touched, which felt rough from many nights of exploring. He raised my arm over my head as someone might raise a boxing champions arm after he won the big bout. Sweat continued to pour down Jacob’s face from the exertion of holding off the change. I, on the other hand, stood there fresh as a daisy. I hoped it pissed him off just a little bit.

  We stood 10 feet above the others. I had a spectacular view of the water which was on the other side of the saw palmetto trees and mangroves. The trees protected the outer circle from onlookers. At that instant, everything felt surreal. I looked upward toward the moon, allowing its light to pour over my body into my center. I was ready to shift. The night was perfect in its shadowed beauty. I heard insects humming all around us, singing the songs of the night. Smaller animals scurried away looking for hiding spots, instinctually knowing larger predators were near. I realized the night was mine and the others were there for me, only me. Jacob thought he was my co-Alpha, but I knew at that moment I was meant to be the only leader. As soon as the thought entered my mind, I filed it away for another day. Tonight was not the time to fight Jacob for leadership. I had Kristi to worry about.

  And right on cue, I smelled her scent nearby. She awaited the end of the ceremony to make her entrance. She already shifted to wolf form. I could feel her power pulsating outward from where she stood.

  The wolves suddenly became very still and deathly quiet. Jacob leaned toward me, “When I howl you will bite my right shoulder and I your right shoulder. As we pierce the skin, allow the change.”

  YES! My eyes grew large with anticipation. I was going to get to bite him after all. How convenient. I nodded. Jacob opened his mouth, displaying his growing fangs and howled at the moon. I smiled and allowed my teeth to elongate. I wanted it to hurt when I bit down.

  He moved closer, embracing me with his arms. I could feel his claws pricking my skin. “Bite,” he ordered and I opened my mouth. I copied his position and looked into his changing eyes. My teeth elongated, becoming razor sharp. Smiling, I bit down into the meat of his shoulder hard enough for him to groan in pain. I felt him flinch under my teeth, but he did not attempt to move away. I felt something brush against my stomach and realized that Jacob was erect. Gross!

  You’ve got to be kidding me, I thought. Men were so predictable. I shifted my body so that mini Jacob couldn’t touch me. If Jacob thought for a second I would let him touch me in that way, he was delusional. I was a happily married woman. An array of pictures flashed through my mind of all the evil things I could do to Jacob to punish him for being so presumptuous. But since I already had him gripped hard with my teeth I did what any self-respecting wolf would do. I bit down harder with the intent to cause more pain and allowed his blood to pour into my mouth. He was immediately ripped from whatever fantasy he was having. He remembered where he was and bit down onto my shoulder, the same shoulder that the witch had ripped open during my dream.

  “Owww,” I screamed as I released my grip. I also released a bit of my stored energy. The change rushed over me faster than before. I felt no pain. I was all light and energy as I became what I was always meant to be.

  Jacob changed more violently. He collapsed and shuttered as his body grew into the form of wolf. I waited for him to finish and stand on four steady legs. Jacob’s coat was midnight black. Grey fur dusting his head and face. He was six inches taller than me, thick with new muscle. He was much leaner in human form. He sat on his back haunches and together we lifted our muzzles toward the moon and howled. The pack joined us, howling their power toward the sky. The ceremony was complete. I was now their new Alpha.

  I felt alive. I felt powerful. I felt hungry.

  We stood side by side on the throne looking down on our pack.

  Jacob radiated his power over the others, challenging me to do the same. He glowed with power and I glowed alongside him. Thanks to Rebecca’s instruction, I understood the power of the moon flowed though Jacob and I. I filtered down to the pack which kept us linked.

  As I was feeling the power pulse through me, I heard rustling from the trees. Kristi in her wolf form and two very large black wolves entered the circle. Crap, I had actually forgotten about her for a minute.

  Chapter 30

  Kristi trotted toward the center rock, flanked by her bodyguards. By their scent, I identified them as the same two flunkies who accompanied her to my office. My pack backed away as she progressed forward. I smelled their fear. I was positive this would only benefit her.

  “Very impressive ceremony. You are more powerful than I thought, but are you powerful enough?” she said in her wolf voice. Even as a wolf she sounded bitchy.

  I replied sarcastically, which is difficult in wolf speak. “It’s the Bitch and her minions. Sounds like an 80’s punk band.”

  Jacob shifted. I may have heard a little wolf giggle sneak out of his mouth. Might be hope for him after all.

  She addressed Jacob, “My darling, it really is too bad it has to go down like this.”

  “Like what?” he asked self-assured.

  “Me killing your new Alpha. So sad. And then you dying by Alexander’s hand.” She sounded singsongy, also hard to pull off in wolf speak.

  “Enough talk. Let’s get on with it.” I jumped down from the rock alter, facing her. Growling at her flunkies, “Back away, unless you wanna get dead.”

  She nodded and they backed up to the edge of the clearing. I caught Rebecca’s eye and gave her a signal. She slowly began inching herself toward the flunkies. Another very large wolf began to follow. I guessed it was Baldy Bean. Good boy, I thought.

  Kristi turned toward Rebecca. “Be careful my dear. They like to bite,” she said as she gestured toward her flunkies with her snout. They both let out low growls, pawing at the ground.

  Kristi continued, “Oh, how delightful, I remember you.” She paused for effect, “You were the evening meal I never got to finish. Such a shame, you were quite tasty,” she smiled.

  “You seem to have a lot of food issues,” I said turning her attention toward me. “As a therapist, I could probably help you with them. Playing with your food, not finishing what you start, that kind of thing.”

  That pissed her off. She lunged at me.

  I had just enough time to blink before Kristi slammed into my side, knocking me back several yards. Flying through the air, I landed with a hard thump onto the soft golf grass. I didn’t have time to catch my breath before she leapt on top of me, digging her claws into my left side while using my body as a launching pad. I howled in pain, jumping to my paws as I scrambled away. I spun around and located her on the other side of the circle preparing to pounce again. Woo, I felt dizzy. I tried to take a step forward and staggered. My head spun and my peripheral vision narrowed. I paused, attempting to gather myself.

  I spotted Jacob from the corner of my eye watching intently from the rock throne. He looked confused. I weakly growled toward him. Oh crap, I felt nauseous. I staggered again and shook my head in an attempt to clear my vison.

  He looked at me, “Finish her.” For a minute, I wasn’t sure whom he was talking to
until The Bitch roared, “Bastard!” and leapt for me again. I knew pack rules dictated Jacob couldn’t intervene. I was alone. The others watched from a safe distance on the other side of the clearing. Chickens!

  My mind wandered again. We were going to have to talk about this at a later date. I mentally added a group therapy style pack discussion to my agenda.

  Jacob created this mess and now I was forced to clean it up.

  “Jerk,” I muttered to myself. So like a man to run away from responsibility. When this is over I will have to write a strongly worded letter about people cleaning up their own messes. With that thought I reconnected to my anger, motivating me to rush Kristi. Focus, Hannah, focus! If I keep daydreaming, I would certainly lose this fight. Ahhh, there I go again. Gaven must be pulling his hair out watching this on the CCTV. If anyone knows my attention level, it’s him.

  I met Kristi full on. My mind swam as I fought both Kristi and the dizziness. For a minute there was nothing but a swirl of fur as we scratched, bit, and growled at one another. A warped boxing match with no bell for breaks and no coach with a white towel. I just wanted to ride the bench on this one.

  I pulled the moon’s power into my center. My inner voice said, ‘Go for her throat.’ Since no one else was making any suggestions, I’d listen to my instinct.

  I managed to get on top of her back and took a mouthful of her flesh, biting into her neck and tasting her blood. I bit down as hard as I could, ripping out a chunk of meat. She screeched and rolled away. I tossed the chuck of meat towards the onlookers. It would make a good snack for later. The effort rolled me and I sank to the ground. I struggled to get up, but my limbs wouldn’t obey. What was happening? As a runner, I had learned to gauge my output by my level of pain and exhaustion, but this was way beyond anything I’d experienced. It felt like I was drugged. Then it dawned on me, “The Bitch cheated! She drugged me!”

  Kristi growled as she came at me with a newfound force biting into my right rear leg. It twisted until the bone fractured and stuck though my skin. I screamed from the pain. She was trying to cripple me before she went in for the kill. Next, she attacked my front right leg tearing a large gash above the knee. Blood gushed out of my body. She didn’t pause, attacking again, slicing open my stomach. I couldn’t get up and fought to stay conscious. She laughed as she circled me, “Me, cheat? I would never…”

  “What are you talking about?” Jacob yelled. “I should have known you would pull something like this.” Despite this revelation, Jacob still didn’t move. I’m not sure why he didn’t come down off his high horse, or was it his high rock, and help me. Apparently, he’s a stickler for decorum, despite her actions. But the rules weren’t going to help me now and I desperately needed assistance.

  “Help! I’ve been drugged, and I can’t get up. I need my senior alert necklace,” I was getting delirious and my usual internal dialogue was sneaking out.

  Rebecca started toward me, but was quickly flanked by Kristi’s minions. She froze, the anguish in her eyes spoke volumes. The other pack members stood frozen as well. Even though I had just been made co-Alpha, they got their marching orders from Jacob and he wasn’t helping.

  I stayed down, not that I had a choice. I could see the worry in Jacob’s eyes as I squirmed on the ground in pain. He must have realized I was done for and he was next.

  Black dots flashed before my eyes. I was falling in and out of consciousness. Kristi had only to strike my throat and it would be over. She reveled in her victory. Pacing around me. Playing with her kill. She wanted to demonstrate her power and that I was nothing.

  Then, even in my weakened state, I knew Kristi made a critical mistake. She started her villain victory speech. “SHE IS WEAK. YOU ARE ALL WEAK. LOOK AT HER.” I felt all eyes turn to me. I know I looked pathetic. The Bitch drugged me somehow. She must have poisoned her claws. It’s was the only thing that made sense. In my dazed state, I was still able to put a few puzzle pieces together. Then I gagged and vomited. Nice Hannah!

  Kristi laughed, “You call this your Alpha? She’s a joke. Look at yourself Jacob, you can’t even come to her aid. So tied to the old rules that you’d let her die then break them. You’re the bigger joke.”

  “Jacob do something!” Rebecca yelled. In my haze, I felt so proud of her. She never gives up.

  “I love you,” I said weakly.

  A tear slid down her face.

  “Move one muscle and I’ll kill them all,” Kristi laughed. I hated that laugh. “Take one step and I’ll make sure that Alexander knows you interfered with the challenge. I’m sure he won’t have any issues with killing off your entire pack.”

  “I wasn’t planning on letting you get that message out,” Jacob growled.

  “Honey, what makes you think that Alexander isn’t watching right now?” She gestured toward the CCTV camera mounted on a nearby tree.

  Jacob screamed from frustration, but didn’t move. I get it. Lose me or lose the whole pack. Damn it! I would have done the same.

  “Good boy,” she said to Jacob.

  She turned to the pack, “You call yourself wolf, but you follow Jacob. His weakness makes you inferior. Jacob and his new bitch would lead you back into the dark ages. You will take your place before me so I can present you to the Ft. Myers pack. Only then will I decide who lives and who dies. Jacob, of course, will be the first to die,” she laughed.

  “This territory will be added to Alexander’s. I will take us into the light and show the humans who rules this world. Jacob would have you hide away for eternity. We deserve to be the ruling class. We are more powerful than our food. Only I can see a future without hiding. We will conquer this world…”

  She blathered on for a bit. You know the usual bad guy trying to take over the world and if you follow me, you too can be powerful speech. As I fought to stay conscious, I wondered why all the bad guys had to give the same evil speech. The Bitch even gave away her plans to dominate the humans. Now, that was just plain stupid.

  I couldn’t care less about her world domination. I need to find a way to survive this night. This small consciousness problem was getting out of hand.

  I dug deep into my chi, trying to remember what Rebecca and I had practiced. I thought about Gaven’s spell and decided it was time to use the energy. I pulled more energy from the moon and the stars into my body. I stiffened with pain, trying to stand again. Kristi was still talking about her evil plan and didn’t notice. She thought she’d already won, leaving me lying on the ground, drugged and mortally wounded. She’d kill me later and offer me to the pack as a snack.

  I continued to pull on the moon and stars, adding more power to my already full body. Something was happening. I started to leak energy. The weakness and dizziness began to dissipate. My head started to clear. I continued to pull power like an asthmatic sucking on their inhaler.

  The power picked up speed. As Rebecca instructed, I gave over to the energy and directed it toward Kristi. The power swirled, enveloping everyone in the clearing. I felt a blinding pain as my broken bones reconnected with a decisive pop. The pain subsided. My head fully cleared, allowing more access to the stored energy. I pushed the flow around me and toward the pack members. They were caught in a cloud of stardust.

  Kristi saw it a moment too late. She spun on her haunches and leapt to finish me. I rolled a moment before she dug in her claws, jumping onto her back and knocking her down. I pinned her paws to the ground as she struggled to break free, hissing and growling. I pushed more power toward her, holding her to the ground while she struggled. I pushed harder until she stopped struggling. Kristi’s growl changed from anger and to fear.

  I let out a primal scream that even frightened me, reaching back my head to bite her throat. I focused on one thing and one thing only, KILL! My teeth sank deep, muffling her growling. I bit down and tore another chunk of flesh, this time severing her arteries and ripping out her esophagus. She continued to struggle as her life drained from her body into a red puddle.

 
I rolled away as she shuttered and stopped moving. I lay next to my kill, chewing the bit of meat in my mouth. I heard a scuffle from the edge of the clearing, but couldn’t find the energy to move. Jacob jumped from the rock altar and ran toward the scuffle. I heard screams and growls. I knew the two flunkies were being finished off.

  Jacob barked some orders and Kristi’s body was taken away. It had returned to human form. She was cut up and missing large chunks where I’d bitten. I guess you kept all wounds when you died. Healing occurred during the change back to human form if you were lucky to still be alive.

  Blood was everywhere. I weakened again.

  Rebecca appeared in front of me, “Well done sister, you did good.”

  “I used the stars. The energy that Gaven gave me, just like you said I could. I didn’t have to use the packs power, I did it all by myself,” I whispered weakly. It seemed a little hokey, but I was a werewolf and wasn’t that strange enough?

  “Yes you did,” she said proudly.

  As she licked at the wound on my shoulder, I curled into her allowing myself to fall into the blackness.

  Chapter 31

  As I regained consciousness, I was surrounded by the pack still in wolf form. I attempted to sit up, but several paws gently pushed me back down.

  “Try to relax,” I heard a female wolf voice say. She was a blond wolf with white patches throughout her coat. She introduced herself as Andrea Shepherd, a doctor of internal medicine and the go-to person for pack injuries, both wolf and human form. I tried to make a joke about her name being related to a character on the TV show ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ but it came out as an “uggg.”

  Jacob padded over, “Don’t try to talk or move, Dr. Andrea is going to take care of you and she needs you to be still.” I was too tired to argue. I closed my eyes and felt something wet gently touching my body. Actually, many wet things. Jacob, Andrea, Rebecca and about six more wolves circled my body and were licking me. They licked my wounds, cleaning the blood and chunks of Kristi off my fur. It grossed me out, but I could do nothing but lie there. I was too tired to fight them and the wolf in me enjoyed being licked.