by Cheree Alsop
I couldn’t hold back any longer. I threw down the cane and tore off my shirt. Another howl reverberated through the air, but it was cut short by the sound of another gunshot. I stopped fighting and willed the phase to come.
My joints shifted and fur ran up my shoulders and down my spine. My mouth elongated and ears lengthened, moving to higher on my head. The bones of my arms shifted, followed by those in my legs.
I bit my tongue at the knife of pain that ran down my damaged leg. Fire and ice warred through the muscles as the bones that had been smashed changed shape and struggled to find their true form. It was worse than I had imagined it would be. I could only close my eyes and will myself to keep breathing. Wolves whined and nudged me, trying to help the best that they could. The moonlight soaked through my fur. In its light, the worst of the pain began to die away. Tendrils of healing light wrapped beneath my skin, soothing the broken parts and easing the bones into their right places.
Only a few minutes had passed by the time I opened my eyes, but it had felt like hours. The wolves around me watched in worried silence. They could sense my pain, but knew there was nothing they could do about it; and so, in the wolf way, they waited to let life happen as it must.
I pushed to my paws. My body shook with the strain of what I had endured. The werewolves leaped around me, anxious to help our brethren and sisters. I wanted to join them, but I was afraid of what I had done.
Gingerly, anxiously, I set my back leg carefully on the step. Relief flooded through me when no pain followed. It held my weight without the shifting of bones and ache I expected. The moonlight had worked its magic. I was healed.
I let out a howl of vengeance. The werewolves around me answered, and their voices were met by those further across the arena. We would avenge our fallen, and we would save those who needed to be rescued. We were werewolves. We were a pack.
I loped down the steps and the werewolves flowed around me. We leaped fallen trees and streams, darted around groves and dashed across meadows as silent wraiths with retribution burning in every step. The Hunters had raised their prey in cages, locking dhampirs, werewolves, and witches and warlocks in prison camps for their pleasure. Then they had hunted them without giving them the chance to fight back. We would be that chance.
Scents of fear and pain drove me forward. The werewolves around me fell back, letting me lead them on the greatest hunt of all. I had said once that I would rather hunt demons, and it was true, but now I knew that demons came in every shape and form. These demons were even more terrible than those I had tracked down with the Division, because these demons knew what they were doing. They had chosen to give up the nature of their humanity and focus all their efforts on killing intelligent beings whose strength was inhibited by inhumane means. It made the Hunters the worst monsters of them all.
We neared the sounds of commotion. Shouts and gunfire peppered the trees. I dove through the last of the aspens into the clearing and paused. Werewolves and dhampirs fought in close combat while the witches and warlocks who had managed to free themselves from their irons used shields and spells to protect the others. The Hunters had massed together near the fake hospital Godnik had created. In the midst of the Hunters, I spotted Godnik with a gun in each hand and a snarl of rage on his face.
“You were raised for this,” he shouted at the paranormal who advanced on them. “Accept your lot in life!”
“Never!” The man who shouted bared his teeth. “We aren’t your pawns anymore, Godnik!”
Godnik lifted the cellphone he held. “I still own your families. One call, and they’re all dead.”
I was already dodging through the crowd. There was a line of Hunters standing before the man, but running in wolf form was effortless. My limp was gone, my gait was sure, and when I gathered my legs and leaped, I was locked onto my target.
I cleared the row of Hunters and slammed Godnik to the ground. The phone bounced out of his hand and smashed against a rock. I growled at the human, my teeth inches from his throat.
The sound of guns turning to point at me filled my ears. There was no way the werewolves would get to them in time.
I placed my mouth around his neck and bit down just enough to show him I meant business.
“Wait,” he croaked out.
“Give us the order. He’ll be down before the others can attack.” I recognized Vampire Bane’s voice. It shook slightly.
I bit down further. The taste of blood touched my tongue.
He struggled at the pain. “Put down your guns!” he forced out.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the Hunters hesitate. They could shoot me before I killed their leader, but the waiting werewolves and others would attack and there were too many for them to fight even with their weapons. It was a losing battle either way. Would they kill me and face the retaliation of the others?
The guns lowered, then were dropped to the ground in a loud clatter. I glanced around to ensure every weapon was down.
Kill him.
I let out a quiet snort. The Master’s voice was weak, barely a whisper. If I obeyed it and killed Godnik, I knew it would be stronger. But I was my own werewolf. He had no more control over me.
I opened my mouth and took a step back.
Godnik watched me warily. His eyes narrowed. “Who are you? You’re not from the cages.”
I studied him, waiting for it to sink in.
“Those eyes,” he said. His widened. “Wolfslayer! How could you betray us?”
I gave him a rumbling growl full of threat and choice words.
The werewolves around us snorted laughter.
Godnik stared past me.
“What do we do?” Vampire’s Bane asked.
“I’m not sure, Bob,” Godnik replied in a dry tone. “I’ve got a wolf ready to bite my head off. What do you suggest?”
“Yeah, Bob,” Seth called out from the group of armed dhampirs. “What do you suggest?” He took a step forward and pointed his gun directly at Vampire Bane’s head. “I would suggest letting our families go this instant.”
“W-we can’t,” Godnik said.
I took a step closer to him and growled again.
His face paled and he pointed to the phone. “If I don’t call in every hour during a Hunt, they know to shoot your families. It’s our balance system.” He rolled his eyes, showing a hint of his original fortitude. “It was supposed to prevent a takeover like this.”
“How do we find them?” an older dhampir demanded.
Godnik shook his head without saying a word.
“Tell us!” Seth yelled. He turned his gun from Vampire’s Bane to Godnik. “Tell us, now!”
Godnik opened and then closed his mouth. He sighed, then opened it again and said, “The location’s on my desk in the house.”
“Godnik, you’ve killed us all!” a woman shouted from the group of Hunters.
He shook his head. An eerie calm settled over him and he said, “We held the Great Hunt only to realize that we were the hunted.” A smile twisted his lips and he concluded, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
I stepped back and let the dhampirs, witches, warlocks, and werewolves surge forward. Screams and a few gunshots sounded as those who had been targets took revenge on the Hunters who had held them captive in terror. The smell of blood washed over the clearing and the screams stopped. It was done.
Chapter Twelve
“Our families.”
Seth and several of the other dhampirs caught up to me as I trotted through the forest back toward the mansion.
“We’ve got to free them,” another dhampir said. “We’re the only hope they have.”
“Does anyone know when Godnik checked in last?” Seth asked.
Nobody spoke. The knowledge that the lives of their families hung in the balance made us break into a run. Soon, the werewolves joined us. I could hear the slower progress of the witches and warlocks. Everyone depended on the fact that the location to the camp was on Godnik’s desk. If we
could get to it in time, there might be hope yet.
But I had someone of my own to worry about. I made a detour toward the old west set.
“Where are you going?” Seth called out.
When I didn’t answer, he followed me along with several of the others. The rest of them branched off toward the mansion.
“This is crazy,” Seth said when we reached the outlying buildings. “Godnik actually built all of this with the intention of killing us here.”
“He’s sick,” the female dhampir who followed him said. “I never thought it would look like this.”
Her voice shook slightly. Seth and I looked at her at the same time. Tears showed in the dhampir’s eyes.
“It’s alright,” Seth said. He opened his arms. “Come on, sis. You’re okay. I’ve got you.”
She hugged him tight and closed her eyes. The tears spilled free and trailed down her cheeks.
“Breathe,” he told her quietly. “We made it.”
“That Hunter had a gun on me,” she said in a shaky voice. “He was going to pull the trigger, but then a werewolf attacked him.” She sniffed. “That wolf saved my life.”
She stepped away from Seth and looked down at me. “It wasn’t you, but I’m grateful for you.”
Seth nodded. “Zev’s the reason the rest of the paranormal are even out here.” He gave me a grateful smile. “He freed the others from the dungeon so we had enough people for a rescue.”
“Thank you, Zev,” she said in a voice that was thick with emotion. “I can’t thank you enough.”
She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around my neck. I looked up at Seth, unsure of what to do.
“Zev, this is my sister Rainy. Rainy, Zev. We’ve got to get going. Zev’s got some reason to head over this way; let’s find out why and get back to the house so we can take down that camp.”
Rainy sniffed stood back up. “Let’s do it,” she said.
I led the way through the western set. My heart slowed with fear as I neared the saloon. What if a Hunter had found them when I went to help the others? I had left them with only a few guns to protect themselves. What if it hadn’t been enough?
I sniffed the air anxiously as I stepped onto the boardwalk. The winged doors brushed my back and creaked when I ducked beneath them.
“W-who’s there?” Revna called out. “I’ve got guns!”
She peered around the edge of the bar. Her eyes widened when she saw me.
“Fray, it’s a wolf.” The fear in her voice echoed around the room.
“A wolf?”
Fray’s voice made my legs go weak. The dhampir’s pale face appeared next to the witch’s. When her eyes met mine, a smile crossed her lips.
“Zev,” she said.
“Zev! You mean Wolfslayer?” the witch replied.
A laugh escaped Fray. “That sounds like Sutter.”
I grinned at how well she knew her teammate.
Revna shuddered. “That’s terrifying. Wolves should not do that.”
Fray laughed again. The sound was music to my ears. “Stop smiling,” she chided. “You’re too human for a wolf.”
That comment warmed my heart in a way I couldn’t explain.
“You’re the one he came for?” Seth asked.
Everyone looked at the dhampirs who peered into the room from the top of the winged doors.
“I am,” Fray replied.
“He said he loves you,” Seth said.
Fray turned back to me. Her gray eyes searched mine. My heartbeat pounded in my ears, drowning out all other sound until she said, “I love him back.”
“You’d better,” Rainy stated. “You’re the reason he freed all of us. We owe our lives to both of you.”
Seth nodded and moved from foot to foot with anxiety. “We need to get to the mansion and find the camp so we can free the others.”
Fray nodded. “Let’s go.”
Revna ducked under her arm and helped her to her feet. The dhampir wavered.
At my concerned glance, she forced a smile. “Don’t look at me like that, Zev. I’ve been worse.”
I wasn’t sure about that, but wouldn’t push the matter.
“Let’s hurry,” Seth said.
“You guys go ahead. We’ll catch up,” Fray told us.
I didn’t want to leave her. She must have read the reluctance on my face because she said, “Don’t you start underestimating me now, werewolf. It’ll be the last thing you do.”
I chuckled internally and fell in behind the dhampirs, leaving Fray and Revna to catch up. The sight of a gun under each of the women’s arms was reassuring.
When we reached the mansion, Seth opened the door and we ran through. I snagged some pants from the clothing rack on my way to the panel in the corner and tried not to trip on them as I dragged them with me. I ducked behind the privacy of the screen and spat out the unsavory materials. But when I tried to think about returning to human form, nerves filled me.
The thought of the pain I had endured from my leg made me hesitate. What if this was the last time I could phase? What if doing so meant I was crippled for life? But I couldn’t help the paranormal save their families in my wolf form. They counted on me to help track down their loved ones and free them from the rest of Godnik’s guards. I couldn’t do everything I needed to as a wolf.
Carefully, cautiously, I focused on the thought of being human. I remembered hands with fingers, walking upright, and communicating with words instead of mere sounds. I pushed away thoughts of the forest and embraced a life with cars, walls, and shoes. Last of all, I pictured my leg straight and steady, with no need for the cane I dreaded.
The phase came slowly. I could feel my body’s reluctance to give up the wolf form. I promised it I would return as soon as I could, and hoped deep down that it would indeed be possible. I sucked in a steeling breath and prepared myself for the pain. I closed my eyes and accepted the knives and fire sensation I knew I would feel, but none came. Instead, the phase went as smoothly as it had before my injury. I felt the wolf fade into the background and the human side take precedence. Relief and gratitude filled me.
In human form once more, I rose unsteadily to my feet. I looked down at my leg. The bruises and redness of inflammation were gone. I eased my weight gently onto it. It accepted its roll without any of the ache I had come to expect. When I realized I was holding my breath, I let it out in a rush. The leg had healed against all odds. I could walk again without the cane.
“Zev, you coming?” Seth called out.
I pulled the pants on and ducked out from behind the panel.
“Let’s go find your families,” I told him.
Rainy looked me up and down. She whistled between her pointed fangs. “Were you tortured?”
I glanced down at the burns, gunshot scars, and the black pawprint on my chest from surviving the silver bullets. “I survived. Let’s go make sure your families do the same.”
I grabbed a shirt from the rack as we passed and pulled it over my head. We ran up the steps from the ballroom and were about to head up the sweeping stairs when a commotion caught our attention.
“I found the office!” someone yelled from above, “But there’s no location!”
My muscles tightened. I followed the others into the center of the foyer.
“There’s a note here from Godnik!” another person shouted. He crossed to the railing above us and read it out loud to those gathered below.
“If you are reading this, my greatest fear has come to life. The Hunt has failed and the predator has become the prey. You are no doubt searching for your families. However, my intention was never to raise such deadly paranormal creatures and allow them to be released into the world. As reckless as I might have been in the production of my grow ranch, I won’t leave the world to suffer from my mistakes. I am sorry to say that if I have not checked in with my guards at the camp, your families are dead. Please know that this is not personal; it is just my way of ensuring that the world doesn�
�t become worse off without me in it. Farewell. Theodore Godnik.”
The dhampir crumpled the page and let it fall to the ground. The sound of it striking the floor of the foyer was loud. Nobody spoke.
“There has to be a way,” I finally said.
The dhampir above us squeezed his eyes shut. “He didn’t call in at the hour. They’re gone.”
“You don’t know that,” I replied. “We have no way of knowing when he spoke to them last.”
“Yes, we do.”
Everyone turned to see the small witch standing in the ballroom doorway. She held up a broken phone.
Fray and Revna stood behind her. The dhampir looked exhausted but a smile touched her lips when she met my eyes.
“The last call was made forty-three minutes ago. We still have time,” the witch with the phone said. “But the phone won’t call out. The receiver’s busted.”
“Then how do we contact the camp?” the warlock beside her asked. “We’re always blindfolded and caged when they transport us. There’s no way we could find it in seventeen minutes.”
An idea hit me at the same time that Fray said, “Sutter.”
She met my gaze. “But how do we contact him?”
“The car,” I replied. I held out a hand. “Give me the phone.”
“What’s your car going to do?” the witch asked curiously.
“I’ll show you,” I replied.
The group followed me outside to where the vehicle waited in a wash of Godnik’s lamplights. The race red finish of the car glowed with the reflection.
An older warlock whistled. “Nice wheels.”
I pulled up the scissor door and slid inside.
“Sutter?” I asked.
There was no answer.
Fray opened the other door and sat in beside me. “Try starting it.”
I pushed the button with my heart beating a double staccato at what would happen if this didn’t work.
The car purred to life.
“Sutter, are you there?”
There was a pause, then, “Zev! Oh my goodness! I can’t believe you’re alive! You are alive, aren’t you? I’m not talking to a ghost, or to the car. That would be embarrassing and probably wouldn’t say good things about my mental health. I don’t think—”
