Wolves & Monsters

by Dyan Chick

  "Careful," Jane said. "These demons are attracted to any heightened emotions, it's how they find the dead. They usually look for sorrow or fear."

  "How do you know so much about demons?" I asked.

  "I'm a mage," Jane said. "And I grew up without a mom. I was a weird kid."

  "Well, thank God for that," I said.

  She almost smiled.

  "Let's go," I said.

  "I'm coming," Jane said.

  My eyes widened slightly in surprise, but I didn't comment. I didn't like Jane, but I knew we could use her help.

  "What?" she said. "You think I'd miss out on the chance to see a demon burn?"

  "I have a feeling Jason's car is too crowded," Jane said.

  "You can ride with us," Gage said.

  Just when I thought we were starting to see eye to eye. I clenched my teeth, resisting the urge to throw back an insult her way. Now wasn’t the time. Jane and I were probably never going to be friends.

  "Wait, Angie," Minnie called.

  Jason lingered at the front door and I turned to Minnie as the others headed out to their vehicles.

  Minnie walked to the mantle over her fireplace and opened a small box. She pulled out a little bag and walked back to me. "You might need this."

  "What is it?" I asked, accepting the bag.

  "Very powerful healing herbs. Use them only in the most dire emergency," Minnie said. "And don't let the demon get a hold of them."

  I shoved the bag into my pocket.

  "You sure you want to do that?" Jason asked. "You have a history of losing things you put in your pockets."

  I narrowed my eyes, pissed that he'd bring up the missing wallet now. As much as I wanted to keep the gift on me, I had to agree that it was safer with him. I was going to have to start wearing men's jeans so I could have some actual pockets.

  Twenty-Two

  Jason

  Angie wasn't even touching me from her seat in my truck, but I could feel her body heat. It was as if something inside her had shifted since we had our little talk. Now that I knew she felt the same way about me as I did about her, it was hard to ignore the feelings surging through me. I should be more focused, though. There was a demon on the loose and here I was thinking with my cock. Dammit. Even if there wasn't a demon, there was still the maybe-cursed thing to take into account. Once we figured out this crisis, we were going to have to find out why all of her past lovers had ended up dead. I had to admit, there was a part of me that kind of wondered if it served them right. I mean, she was my girl. But they didn't know that. And Angie didn't know that, either. Well, not before the current dead guy problem.

  I shook my head, trying to send the thoughts of Angie with other men from my mind. That was not something I wanted to think about, but it was difficult to push it away considering this whole mess was brought on by her fucking some dude. She really had terrible taste in men. A mage in the Shadow Club should have been off limits. And then there was me. It wasn't as if my hands were clean. I'd done my share of terrible things that I hoped Angie never found out about.

  "Do you actually know how to kill this thing once we do find it?" Angie asked, finally breaking the silence.

  "In theory," I said. "All demons have similar weaknesses. Though, they can't be killed. Just sent back to wherever they came from."

  "Awesome," Angie said, her tone flat.

  I parked my truck in one of the reserved spaces in the back of the casino. That was one of the shitty things about living in a small mountain town. Very minimal parking. It was also the perk of being the boss. One of the spots was always left for me.

  Gage's Subaru was already parked and a black Cadillac Escalade with dark tinted windows was parked next to it. That had to belong to Draven. The vehicle practically screamed vampire. I rolled my eyes and got out of my truck, waiting for Angie to join me before we went in through the back door.

  The casino was in full swing tonight, packed with guests spending their money. Thankfully, I had a good floor manager and several decent employees I could count on to run things when I needed to be away. Once a month, on the full moon, the whole pack was gone so I had to make sure it could run without us.

  Angie and I blended right in with the crowd of people in tee shirts and jeans. Our casino wasn't the same as some of the bigger cities. Nobody got dressed up to come here. A man with a plastic cup of alcohol bumped into me and I growled on reflex. He skittered away with his head down. I was on edge. Thankfully, there were only a few more days until the full moon. Shifting always helped me ease the excess tension. I was going to need this shift more than usual.

  I led Angie down the secure hallways, past the breakroom to my office, deep in the heart of the building. It was a roomy space, with a couch in the back and a desk with chairs for guests taking up the prime placement of the room.

  Gage was leaning back in my chair, his feet propped on my desk. Cody was pacing, and Jane and Miles were sitting in the guest chairs facing my desk.

  Draven sat on the couch alone, one arm stretched out over the top, his ankle crossed over his knee so he was taking up as much space as possible. He wore a knowing smirk on his face. I instantly regretted inviting him and wondered when he last ate.

  I stood back to allow Angie to enter, then stepped into my office, closing the door behind me.

  "I hear you have an undead problem," Draven said.

  "Not yet," I said. "At least, that's what we're trying to avoid."

  "Well, it was all caused by a dead guy," Angie said. "Apparently the Shadow Club sent a body snatcher to find him."

  Draven's brows lifted. "They must really need him back. They wouldn't go through the trouble of summoning one of those dreadful things unless it was very important. Who did you say this guy was, again?"

  "I don't know," Angie said. "His name was Magnus, that's all I remember."

  Draven dropped his arm and leaned forward, his relaxed manner gone. "I know you didn't say Magnus."

  "What the fuck kind of name is that?" Gage asked. "Sounds like it's made up."

  "That's what I thought," Angie said, "but it was on his driver's license."

  "Which we don't have, so don't ask," I added, knowing that would be the next question.

  "Look, Draven, spit it out. No time for theatrics." I folded my arms over my chest. This was taking too long. I wanted to get to the point and find the demon and send it back to where it had come from, empty handed.

  "Now it makes sense why they sent a demon to find him," Draven said. "Your John Doe is probably carrying a family name. And if he is, he's from a long line of Magnus's."

  "So?" I asked.

  "So, you either have a dead Shadow Club high priest or you have one of their offspring," Draven said. "They're the guys who run the whole organization - they've been around since 1822, did you know that?"

  "You're kidding," Angie said. "He didn't seem like a leader. Guy barely had traceable magic on him. How could he be a high priest?"

  "If he didn't have much magic, he's probably a younger child. From what I've noticed over the years, the oldest mage child gets the most magic. That's probably why so many mages only have one kid." Draven shrugged.

  "You've been studying magic all these years," Angie said, sounding impressed.

  "What else is there to do with eternal life?" Draven asked.

  "Great," I said. "So you're a philosopher vampire. Please don't tell me that means you can't help destroy a demon. Cause that's what I need from you right now, not a fucking history lesson."

  "You're lucky I know history," Draven said. "Otherwise I wouldn't know how to even find a flesh hunter."

  "Flesh hunter?" Angie asked.

  "You're not dealing with a body snatcher," Draven said. "They go after the living. Nasty creatures. You've got yourself a big, slimy flesh hunter."

  An uncomfortable sensation slithered across my skin. I didn't know what a flesh hunter was, but I wasn't a fan of anything slimy. But who was?

  "Tell us about this
thing and how we get rid of it," Miles said.

  "Should I grab some of the artillery?" Gage asked.

  "Won't work," Draven said. "These things are immortal."

  "Magic?" Jane asked.

  "That'll help," Draven said. "But it won't be enough."

  "Do you have any good news in that head of yours?" I asked.

  "Sure," Draven said. "They aren't invisible. So you don't need me."

  My blood ran cold. If they weren't invisible, that meant the town would be able to see them. It was tourist season and if we had a monster rampaging down Main Street, we'd lose a lot more business than we already had. I shook my head, angry at myself for thinking with my boss hat instead of my pack leader hat. That wasn't the big deal right now. What mattered was saving the town. There were at least a hundred supes who called this place home. We were one of the few safe havens for our kind. If we started getting monster attacks, more people would move to the cities. I couldn't let that happen. "So what do we do?"

  "You need water," Draven said. "Lots, and lots of water."

  "And then what?" Gage asked.

  Draven shrugged. "Any of you the praying type?"

  "That bad?" Angie asked. She looked a little green.

  "Well, the old stories say holy water helps, but I'm guessing we don't have any priests around," Draven said.

  "Why send water spirits to me if the monster doesn't like water?" Jane asked.

  "My guess is they weren't sure the body was here," Draven said. "Water spirits travel through pipes. They can get anywhere."

  "Why water?" Angie asked.

  "These are sea demons," Draven said. "They secrete a protective gel to allow them to walk - or rather slither - on land. They only produce enough to coat their body once every few weeks. If you wash it off, they have to return to water or they die. So either way, they're no longer your problem."

  "At least not for a few weeks until they regenerate," Gage said. "What happens then?"

  "You hope you've solved the problem by then," Jane said, glaring at Angie.

  "Hey, this isn't Angie's fault," I said.

  "Actually, it is," Jane said.

  "She's right," Angie said. "Which I hate."

  I stared at the two women, my stomach in knots. It was so odd seeing them agree. Angie and Jane didn't get along from the moment they first met over three years ago. I wasn't sure why and I wasn't sure they'd ever tell me, but here we were. The two of them agreeing on something for the first time. I couldn't really argue with that. "Alright, fine, it's Angie's fault. But we're not going to dwell on that. We're going to fix it, right?"

  "Wrong," Angie said. "None of you are going to fix this. You're all going to stay in here, where you're safe. I'm going to fix this alone."

  Twenty-Three

  Angie

  There was no way I was going to let the rest of them die to clean up my mess. Well, I wouldn't object too hard if Jane wanted to tag along. And to be honest, she was probably the only one who could actually help me. The wolves didn't have magic. They could heal faster and they were stronger than humans, but they could still get hurt. And I wasn't willing to risk any of them. "I made this mess. I'm cleaning it up."

  I turned to Draven. "Tell me what you mean by water? How much do I need?"

  Jason grabbed my upper arm. "Angie don't be stupid. You can't do this alone."

  "Why not?" I asked. "I killed him on my own."

  Jason's jaw tightened.

  "Jason, I'm a siren. Water is my thing," I said.

  "But you don't know how to use your powers," Jason said.

  I scoffed. "Excuse me? I can control water just fine. I might not know all the nuanced things a siren can do, but I can at least manage that."

  "And lure men to their death," Jane mumbled.

  I glared at her. "Yeah, I've got that down just fine. It works on women too, in case you're curious."

  Jane narrowed her eyes. "You wouldn't dare."

  "You're right, I would never use my magic on you because you're Jason's friend and that means you’re off limits. No matter how much of an insufferable bitch you are to me." The first time I'd met Jane, she'd pulled me aside and told me she'd do everything in her power to keep me away from Jason. She never gave me a reason why and I never knew why she hated me so much. I'd tried to ignore her, but it was really starting to get on my nerves.

  "Maybe if you'd packed up and left town like I suggested when we first met, none of this would have happened," Jane said.

  Jason let go of my arm and I felt a shifting tension in the room.

  "You told her to leave?" Jason asked.

  Jane shrugged. "She's not good for you. I told you that."

  "That's not your choice, Jane," Jason asked.

  "She didn't listen to me, anyway," Jane said. "Though I stand by my words, she should have left when we first met."

  "She's my mate," Jason said, a growl seeping into his words. He stepped in front of me, blocking me from Jane.

  I felt his body heat rise. Jason was pissed. As much as I wanted to let him direct all his anger at Jane, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I was responsible for destroying a lifelong friendship. I didn't like Jane. But I knew the two of them had a strong friendship that went back to their younger days and to be honest, I was a little jealous of that. I didn't have any long term relationships. This pack was as close as it got for me.

  I placed my hand on the small of Jason's back, trying to calm him with my touch. Then, I moved to his side, keeping my body close to him. I knew it was a few days until the full moon and his temper would be shorter this time of the month. Keeping me close would help him stay calmer.

  "She wasn't the reason I left," I said.

  "She's your mate?" Jane asked.

  "Jason, how long have you known?" Gage asked.

  "Dude, I need to sit down," Cody said, taking a seat next to Draven.

  "Bravo," Draven said.

  "You knew?" Gage asked. "Jason, the vamp knew, but you didn't tell us?"

  "Now isn't the time," I said.

  "You knew and you left him?" Gage asked.

  Tears stung behind my eyes as I stared back at the horrified expressions on their faces. None of them understood why I'd done what I did. It was almost worse than leaving in the first place. Having to see their disappointment in me made my chest ache. "I know, I'm a terrible person. Can we not do this public shaming thing right now?"

  "This is between me and Angie," Jason said.

  "And we have a demon to get rid of," I said. "Can we wait until we've completed that crisis before we move on to my love life?"

  "Shit," Jane said.

  "Yeah, I'm not so easy to get rid of, now," I said. "I get it. You're pissed. You hate me."

  She shook her head. "No, well, yes. I'm probably never going to like you. But now I feel like I can't let you go out there on your own and die. It would make him too sad." She inclined her chin toward Jason.

  "I don't need or want your help," I said.

  "You need it, trust me," she said.

  "Neither of you are going to do this alone," Jason said.

  I knew he wasn't going to let me go solo. Mostly, because I'd never let him go on his own. As much as I was fighting my attraction to Jason, there was an almost predator like desire for me to keep him alive. I'd tear anyone to shreds who tried to hurt him.

  "You need water," Draven said. "Are you planning on stealing a firetruck?"

  I shook my head. "I don't need the truck. Siren, remember?"

  "We don't exactly live somewhere where water is prevalent," Draven said.

  "But we do have fire hydrants," Jane said.

  "There's like three. In the whole town," Gage said.

  "Six," Cody said. "I was a volunteer firefighter for a year."

  "Alright, how do we get the monster close enough to one of the fire hydrants?" Jane asked.

  "They're attracted to dead flesh, right?" I asked, avoiding eye contact with Draven.

  "Oh no, I'm not go
ing to be bait for a flesh hunter," Draven said.

  I frowned. "Well, if you don't do it, you'll need to find another casino for your poker game."

  He narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn't. I already have a bargain with Jason."

  I lifted an eyebrow. "Then find me another body."

  He smirked. "I like you, but I'm not willing to be eaten by a flesh hunter. No, thanks."

  "I'm not digging up a body," Gage said. "I only know how to dispose of them."

  "Don't look at me," Jane said. "I'm not that kind of mage."

  "What about the girl from the bathroom?" Miles asked. "She's probably still at the morgue. Nobody knew who she was. They were waiting a few days to see if they could find family."

  My skin crawled at the thought of stealing a body from the morgue. "Is that our best option?"

  "I'll help you get the body out," Draven said. "But that's where my involvement in this ends. You won't want me to distract from your bait."

  "That's fair," I said. "Thank you, Draven."

  "Look at us," Gage said. "Working with a vampire to save the town from a monster. Life sure is interesting with you around, Angie."

  "Hey, to be fair, this is the first time I've made it this interesting," I said.

  "So, let me get this straight," Gage said. "Our plan is to steal a body, set it out somewhere near a fire hydrant, and hope that Angie can send the monster packing?"

  "Yeah," I said, not feeling great about our flimsy plan. There wasn't any room for anything to go wrong.

  "I knew that vision I had meant bad news," Jane said. "I just didn't realize it was this bad."

  "You do realize that even if I leave now, the monster is still going to be here?" I asked.

  "Yeah, and I realize that even if we kill the monster, there's nothing stopping them from sending another one," she said.

  "What exactly did you tell those water spirits?" Jason asked.

  "Nothing," Jane said. "I told you that."

  "Then we have nothing to worry about. The creature will find a body, it'll be the wrong one, and if it doesn't leave, Angie will send it back to the depths where it belongs."