Fangs of Vengeance

by Aaron Henley

  Together they went to work. A few hours later every piece of wood sparkled while a slight scent of silver drifted across the room.

  “Not bad rookie. Not bad at all.” As she gathered up the bucket they threw their used rags in and placed the two much lighter bottles on top them, she smiled up at him. “Well, I think that’s about all I need. You can head back upstairs and watch some TV if you want. There’s some snacks in the pantry you can munch on. Just don’t touch the chocolate chip cookies or you’ll have an angry orc to deal with.”

  Steve went upstairs and headed to the kitchen. Now that he knew the layout downstairs, he could see how the apartment was laid out above it. The bedrooms were over the kitchen and bar which led out to a wide open living room/rec room area with a large dining table and chair set in the far left corner with the kitchen above it. The bathroom was located in the hall between the stairwell and bedrooms. The corner of the kitchen was covered in a large blue marble countertop with cabinets above and below. A large island between the dining table and kitchen added additional workspace and seating. Not a bad place at all. Kinda reminds me of Becca’s place. He grabbed a bag of chips and sat down on the leather couch facing the seventy-inch widescreen TV. A set of matching recliners and loveseat were also grouped around the TV with a large bookcase against one wall stacked top to bottom with assorted paperbacks. Glancing at them, he could tell someone was a voracious reader as every book showed signs of being well used. He flipped on the TV and quickly found a local news station.

  An attractive brunette was just finishing her current story. “In other news, the Amethyst Pharmaceutical truck depot in Wilmington is reporting a break-in that occurred sometime last night. Three security guards were severely injured. If you call knocked unconscious and bound “severe” lady, I’d hate to see what you’d call an actual injury. Employees report nothing stolen or damaged so the cause of the break-in is unknown at this time. Local authorities are investigating.”

  “Still need to ask what they were doing there in the first place,” Steve muttered to himself.

  “Nothing that concerns you Cub,” Keith answered from behind him.

  Steve jumped up in surprise as chips spilled all over the couch. I didn’t hear him or even smell him. How the hell did he sneak up on me like that? No one’s been able to do that since my wolf manifested.

  “You can spend tonight here; but, in the morning, Mark’s going to take you out to the depot so you can take whatever brought you here back to where you came from.”

  “Oh hell no. Look, I appreciate what you’ve done for me but I’m not going back.”

  Kurt wasn’t impressed by the young man’s bravado. “You have no idea what you’re doing. You’re just some cub trying to fit in his father’s shoes off on a delusional quest to be a hero. I’m surprised he even let you go.”

  Steve tried to keep his temper under control. “Don’t you dare talk about him. You don’t know him.”

  “You’re right. I’m also disappointed your Alpha let you go as well.” Kurt shook his head slowly. “That must be one sorry pack if they’re letting cubs like you run around unsupervised.”

  Steve started growling loudly. “Look, out of respect for you’ve done, you apologize and I’ll call it water under the bridge but don’t push it any further.”

  “I really don’t know what you’re doing here honestly. Trying to bring back some dead girl’s body? That’s one of the stupidest ideas I’ve ever heard.” He raised both arms in a so-what gesture. He scoffed, “Was she really that good of a fuck?”

  That did it. Steve leaped over the sofa, immediately shifting into his hybrid form. Clothing tore and shredded apart. His arms outstretched, claws reaching for Kurt’s throat. In a fraction of an instant, Kurt suddenly wasn’t in front of Steve. As Steve flew past where Kurt had been, Kurt grabbed his neck and threw him to the ground. Steve felt Kurt land on his back pushing all his weight on Steve’s spine. With his other hand, Kurt grabbed one arm and pinned it behind Steve’s back. He started pushing it forward, causing Steve to yelp out in pain as he felt the bone reach the breaking point. Steve tried to reach him with his other arm but Kurt somehow managed to stay out of reach of the grasping hand. He leaned down and whispered contemptuously in Steve ear as the werewolf snarled and spat. “You are nothing but a Cub. Tomorrow you go home. Tell Richard I said “Hi.”.

  Steve instantly froze. Kurt got up and headed for the stairwell. Just as he descended the first step, he turned around and pointed at the couch. “Clean that mess up Cub. Ayla hates crumbs.”

  Chapter 12

  Steve shifted back to human and just laid there. How? How did he do that? He didn’t even shift! No wolf can move that fast, not even as a full wolf.

  You’re asking me? I’m just as stunned as you are. My head is still throbbing from that impact with the floor.

  Tell me about it. My arm felt like it was about to be torn from the socket.

  It’s my arm too you know.

  Right. Also, how the hell does he know Pops? Something’s going on. We don’t know what but one thing is sure. We aren’t going anywhere tomorrow.

  Agreed. But two things first.

  What?

  It may have escaped your notice but everything you were wearing is now laying in scraps around you. So you may enjoy laying there bare-assed for the world to see but I still have my modesty. So get back to our room quick and get changed. We haven’t let anyone see us naked since we were five.

  How’d you remember that? You weren’t there yet.

  What you know, I know. Want me to show you just what you did when you turned seventeen and saw Becca naked as she sneaked away from the lake that night when you went camping with her folks? Pretty sure you could go to prison for that one.

  Okay. Okay. I got it. So what’s the second thing?

  You’re going to clean up what little is left of our clothes and those chips. I sure don’t want to get on Kurt’s bad side. I’ve got a pretty good feeling he was taking it easy on us.

  Yeah. I think you’re right.

  Later that evening, Steve heard the tavern start filling up and the smells coming up the vents were just too good to ignore. He came downstairs and grabbed a stool. Michelle was working the bar. “No free meal here. You want to eat or drink, you better have the cash to back it up.” Steve reached into his wallet and pulled out a twenty dollar bill. He laid it on the counter. “Give me a beer and one of whatever is smelling so good back there.”

  “You got it.” Grabbing a bottle of the local brew, she popped the top, handed it to Steve and yelled, “Charlie! One special!”

  “Special on the way ‘Elle!”

  As Steve sipped the beer, finding it surprisingly good, he looked around the dining room he had spent all day cleaning. The tables were about half filled with a mix of singles, couples, and even a few families. Everyone was laughing and having a great time. Steve could hear Charlie singing as he worked wonders with a grill and pot. He saw Ayla walking the room checking on customers. Her ears were hidden beneath the Howling Moon ball cap she wore. What surprised him the most was seeing Bob over by the door keeping an eye on the place. It wasn’t that Bob was there but that his skin had gone from green to a golden tan, with his top knot braid, he looked vaguely Samoan. There’s a story. Ayla said they had something to allow Bob to mingle with humans. Wonder what?

  “Order up!” Charlie called from the kitchen and placed a large steaming bowl on the window sill.

  Michelle picked it up and placed it in front of Steve. “There you go. One bowl of Charlie’s world famous Jambalaya.”

  The scents of the spiced meat, rice, and vegetables immediately set Steve’s mouth watering. He wasn’t quite drooling but was definitely skirting the edges of the word. “Thanks! Looks amazing.” He began to dig in. After a few bites, he called out to the dwarf. “Hey Michelle, can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.”

  “Where’s everyone else?”

  “Mark’s in back help
ing Charlie and washing dishes. Lexi normally serves but it’s her night off. Kurt’s in the back in his office. He comes out every now and then to check on things but he knows we’ve got everything well in hand.”

  “Sounds like you’re a well-tight crew.” Michelle nodded as she started filling up glasses for other orders. When she finished, Steve leaned in and whispered, “What’s the story with Bob?”

  “Check out his left hand,” she whispered back. “That wedding band also contains a glamour. It was mighty expensive but all of us chipped in for them as a wedding present. When he wants to go all natural, he switches to a regular ring.”

  “So glamours are a rare thing then?”

  “Not as much as you think. There’s a lot of folks that need them so they are pretty common. The cheapest are good for a day or so. The rest vary in time and strength. Permanent ones that allow themselves to be turned on and off are the most expensive. You do have to register with the Wizard’s Guild so they know which glamour went where and what the appearance is. It’d be too easy for some smuck to grab...oh say...the President’s look and have a little fun with the nuclear codes otherwise. Used to involve a lot of paperwork and a waiting period. Nowadays, it’s all done over the Internet the same time the glamour is purchased.”

  “Wizard’s Guild?”

  Michelle laughed and patted his shoulder. “Welcome to the real world kid. It’s a pretty big place.”

  Steve shook his head in amazement. “So I’m guessing Lexi has one too then? She’d pass for a human except for the size of her eyes.”

  “Yep. She’s got a ring and all it does is shorten her eyes. Now considering just how fast you scarfed down that bowl, am I correct in thinking you want seconds?”

  Steve threw down another twenty. “Make that thirds and fourths. Charlie’s one hell of a chef.”

  Michelle grinned. “Hope you got a strong constitution if you eat that much. Let’s just say that it could be a might unpleasant in a few hours.”

  “For how good it is, I’m willing to take the risk.”

  ***

  Oh god! What the hell was I thinking?! I don’t think even dragonfire could burn this much! I’m a freaking werewolf. I can live with massive bullet wounds but I’m pretty sure Charlie’s cooking is going to kill me.

  To be fair, she did warn you.

  I thought she was joking! OH GOD!

  You should know better than to ignore the advice of people preparing your food.

  Oh now you tell me!

  Eh….it was pretty damn good. So what did we learn?

  One bowl. Two at the most. Not six. Definitely not six.

  Good boy. See you can learn from your mistakes.

  Steve flushed the toilet and washed his hands. He grabbed the can of air freshener and liberally sprayed it around the bathroom. As the lilac scent filled his nostrils, he looked at himself in the mirror.

  Mark’s supposed to come get me in about an hour. I have to convince Kurt to let me stay. After talking some more with Lexi last night, it’s clear they’re going to hit that depot again. I need to get in there. It’s my only lead to Becca. As much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. I can’t do this on my own. Plus I still owe him for that crack about Becca.

  His wolf snarled in response. The man needs taken down a peg or two. No one talks about our mate like that.

  Steve’s eyes suddenly glowed amber in the mirror for a brief instant, so fast that Steve thought he may have imagined it. Steve left the bathroom and headed into the living room. Bob was on the loveseat watching TV while Lexi was curled up next to him with a paperback in her hands. Michelle and Ayla were finishing breakfast at the dining table.

  Michelle looked over at him and grinned. “Feel better kid?”

  “Yeah. I should have listened to you. That stuff packs a kick.”

  “You’re not the first to underestimate Charlie.” She pointed to the orc. “Bob ate eight bowls his first time. We almost had to burn the bathroom down and rebuild it after he got through with it.”

  Steve chuckled. “Hey I just wanted to say thanks again for all you’ve done. You’ve been really kind.” He reached into a pocket and pulled out a wad of bills. “I want to give this to your for your trouble.”

  Ayla smiled. “It was our pleasure. Please put that away though. The look on your face as you ran to the toilet was payment enough.”

  Bob laughed loudly at that. Lexi elbowed him for disturbing her reading time. He leaned over and kissed her forehead in apology. She looked up and he repeated the kiss onto her lips. “Sorry love.”

  “You guys remind me of Kiera’s parents a lot. I’m glad to have met you. Look, before I go, can I talk to Kurt?”

  “He’s down in his office doing some paperwork,” Ayla said.

  “Thanks Ayla.” As Steve went downstairs, Ayla thought to herself, Don’t be too rough on him lover. He’s a nice kid and you know it.

  ***

  Well, let’s try the soft touch first. Steve knocked on the doorframe. Kurt didn’t even look up from the stack of paper he was reading. “What do you want Cub? I’m busy.”

  “Before I head out, I just wanted to say thanks.”

  “Thank Lexi and Ayla. If I had my way, you’d have been dumped at the depot. Last thing I wanted was to drag your sorry ass home.”

  Ok. Let’s try a different approach. “So how do you know my grandfather? You from Derrick’s Falls?”

  “Long story. Not one I’m interested in telling some wet-behind-the-ears cub about.”

  Ok. Hard touch it is.

  Mind if I take over? You seem to have been having a little trouble.

  Yeah I do. We’re wearing our last pair of sneakers. We have to get to a store and get another backup pair.

  His wolf sighed. Okay. Fine.

  “Look Kurt, just what the hell is your problem with me? You’ve been on my ass since the moment we met and it’s really starting to piss me off.”

  Kurt looked up at Steve but said nothing.

  “I’m not an idiot Kurt. I know how stupid what I’m doing sounds like. I’m also finding out that I’m way over my head here. But the fact is---” Steve eyes suddenly started glowing amber in the reflected fluorescent lighting, “Becca was my mate in all but name. I know that. My wolf knows that. Hell, it’s about the only thing we do agree on. So if you think that I’d do absolutely nothing to avenge her death. I’ll eat your fucking heart right now you stinking rogue.” He finished in a soft whisper, each breath a growl of challenge.

  Kurt just stared at him. His face was completely unreadable. “Fine Cub. You really want to do this? Follow me.”

  ***

  Kurt led him behind the bar and into the woods. They walked a few minutes coming into a wide clearing surrounded by the forest. As they entered the clearing, Kurt said, “Stay here.” He then walked to the other side of the clearing and began taking off his vest and unbuttoning his shirt. “Strip Cub. You want to do this, we’re doing this right.”

  The two of them undressed putting their clothes into piles beside them. They stood there fully naked. Holy shit. Look at that guy. He’s a mass of scars and muscle. They both shifted into their hybrid forms. Kurt’s fur was a mix of black and various shades of gray. He stood a head taller than Steve and his eyes glowed a soft tan.

  “You going to stand there all day Cub or did you come here to fight? I’ve got better things to do than stand around staring at a young pup who barely cut his teeth.”

  Steve charged straight at him full speed. Kurt again dodged easily. Steve growled and tried again. Kurt moved just enough to keep him out of Steve’s grasping claws. Over and over, Steve tried to grab him but Kurt just sidestepped him each time. “I thought this was a fight not a dance Cub. You’ve spent too much time dancing with that corpse you call a girlfriend and not enough time learning to be a wolf.”

  Steve bared his fangs and howled. He stopped trying to grab Kurt and started slashing at him. Kurt finally stopped dodging but he used his forearms to keep
Steve blows from striking anything vital. Shallow cuts started appearing on Kurt’s arms but they were healing almost as fast as they were made. “That’s more like it Cub. Come on. Be a wolf. Show me what you can do.” Steve increased his speed; any normal human would have been torn to bloody ribbons by the amount of blows he threw at Kurt yet he hadn’t had one serious wound yet. “All right, time to show you what a real wolf can do Cub.” In a single move, Kurt ducked under Steve’s left arm throwing Steve off-balance. Kurt then grabbed the flailing limb and then brought his elbow down on it while bringing his knee up to meet it. There was a sharp crack as both bones in Steve’s forearm snapped. Steve let out a howl of agony but Kurt wasn’t quite finished with that arm. He then wrenched it up and behind Steve’s head, locking the joint. He brought his other fist down in a massive blow at the shoulder, cracking Steve’s collarbone. He dropped the wailing werewolf onto the soft grass of the clearing. “I told you Cub. You are in way over your head. Give it up.” Kurt walked back to his pile of clothes.

  All right. You’ve had your turn. It’s mine now!

  No, wait! I can -

  Steve’s wolf jumped into Steve’s mental image of himself and Steve’s body twitched. Amber eyes glowing, Steve curled his broken arm under his chest and curled his body over it protectively. Snarling, drool dripping down his muzzle, he looked every inch the predator. Kurt turned around and just looked at him. He slowly shook his head. “You’re even worse than I thought. You’re not even a cub. You’re just an animal.” Howling, Steve charged at him again. Kurt just sighed sadly and this time met Steve’s charge head on. Just before they collided, Steve ducked slightly to bring his jaws in line with Kurt’s throat. Kurt easily saw the lunge coming and leapt up high into the air. He landed behind Steve and wrapped him into a massive bear hug. The snarling werewolf tried to bring his jaws around to bite Kurt anywhere he could but he was just out of reach. “Time to put you down Cub.” Kurt slammed his foot into Steve’s lower left leg. There was another crack and Steve instantly went down to one knee. While Steve began his crouch, Kurt raked both arms up Steve’s back. The razor-sharp claws left deep bloody furrows that turned Steve’s fur black. Still Kurt kept raking his claws against Steve’s body. He was a whirlwind of grey and black fury as he used both his hand and toe claws on Steve. Steve couldn’t even react. All he could do was curl up into a ball in a desperate attempt to protect his vitals.