Rolf couldn’t slay a vampire. What could a bird do about a monster? Sure, a hawk had swooped in and rescued me last Monday when Cassandra and I had faced off against the police officer and librarian, but all the hawk could do was scratch the vampire’s face.
Did Rolf know how ineffective birds were against vampires? Or was he the hawk who had helped me? Dammit. My palm slapped the table. I needed answers.
I slurped down my coffee and made my decision. I had to tell the slayers about Mr. Sherwood. I couldn’t risk Rolf’s family being destroyed because of my secrecy.
Grandpa had told me that the first rule of shifter law was “Never reveal your true ability to a Static,” and I didn’t intend to violate that. But I had to do something, right?
Swiping my phone to life, I tapped out a message to Natalie and Van. Mr. Sherwood is a vampire, I said. He owns Barktacular.
How do you know? Natalie responded.
I can’t explain it, I answered. I just do.
We need more than a hunch, texted Van.
It’s not just a hunch! I promised.
Let’s talk about this in person, suggested Natalie. Texting isn’t the right format for this conversation.
Yeah, said Van. Let’s talk.
I can’t. I tapped the phone. I couldn’t go back to the Academy now, not until I’d talked to Rolf at least. Either you trust my hunch enough to go investigate Mr. Sherwood or you don’t. Adrenaline made me shake. But I’m not going to let him kill another innocent human being.
I turned off my phone and chucked it in my backpack. Forget about a shower. I needed to go to Barktacular. But this time, not as a human.
I’d never smelled vampire at Barktacular. Never. Not one time. But I hadn’t seen Mr. Sherwood in person since Memorial Day at the employee barbecue he’d held in his backyard. He’d seemed perfectly normal then. But ever since the end of May, he’d communicated via email because he was transitioning into semi-retirement. He’d hired extra people and only came in to do inventory on the weekend. No wonder I hadn’t noticed a change in him since then. I hadn’t seen him.
But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t be able to smell him if I was a bloodhound or beagle. If Mr. Sherwood was truly a vampire, his scent would linger in Barktacular even after he’d left.
It was only 9:15 in the morning and my shift at Barktacular wasn’t until the afternoon. When I showed up four hours early, Maggie gave me a confused look. She was in the front office, sending a labradoodle home from a grooming appointment.
“Hi, Maggie.” I ducked underneath the counter. “I forgot my charging cord in the romper room. “I’ll be right back with it.”
“No problem.” Maggie went back to vacuuming fur.
Kate, Charlie barked as I entered the playroom. You’re here and you smell so good. He bounded up to me and licked sweat off my knees.
How do I look? asked Melvin. Be honest. Do you think the Furry Glowbright makes a difference? He did a few poodle spins so I could admire his fur. Professor Radcliffe gave me another bath last night.
“Yes, absolutely.” I petted both him and Charlie at the same time. “Guys, I need to ask you something. Does it smell weird in here to you?”
You smell delicious. Charlie stuck his nose straight in my armpit. I already told you. His tongue swiped up and licked my face.
“Stop it.” I laughed and jerked away. “I’m serious.”
This place smelled a little odd on Monday, said Melvin. But it’s freshened up since then.
Interesting. Hadn’t Mr. Sherwood texted me last week to say he was coming in on Saturday to do inventory? That would make his trail six days old. “I gotta go now,” I said. “But I’ll be back in ten minutes. By the way, there’s a new dog coming in here, and I want you to be nice to her, okay?” I made eye contact with the other dogs in the room: the two Labrador puppies and the schnauzer. “Be cool, got it?”
Do you think she’ll notice my gleaming white coat? Melvin wagged his puffy tail.
“Probably.”
I brought my backpack into the employee restroom with me and set it on the counter. I stripped off my clothes and folded them into a pile. Before I shifted, I cracked the door open a smidge so I wouldn’t be trapped inside. Taking the deepest breath possible, I let it out slowly through my nose and focused on the breed I thought would help me blend in and also discover the clues I desperately needed. A second later, I transformed into a bloodhound with a glossy brown coat and a nose that could smell everything.
The artificial spring rain scent coming from the toilet bowl immediately threatened to gag me. I nosed the bathroom door and got out of there just in time. But once I entered the romper room, I realized it wasn’t only the toxic soup of bathroom cleaning chemicals making be queasy, it was also the scent of decay. I smelled death everywhere.
Why, hello there, Charlie barked. You must be the new girl. He trotted up to me and stuck his nose against my butt.
Hey! I jerked away. Back off!
Nice to meet you, new girl. I’m Melvin. The poodle wandered over and politely wagged his tail. I hear you’re a friend of Kate’s.
That’s right, I ruffed. Kate hired me to do an important job. Excuse me while I get to work. I planted my nose to the ground and began sniffing.
Death stuck to Mr. Sherwood like a wad of used gum. I tracked him footprint by footprint as he circled the romper room. The trail was strong enough for me to smell but was definitely a week old. No wonder the other dogs hadn’t detected it.
Out in the lobby, the front door slammed. Shoot! That must have been the grooming customer leaving, which meant Maggie would come back to the romper room at any moment. I raced back to the bathroom and shut the door partway, just as I heard a familiar voice say, “Hello, friends. Nice to see you again.” It was Mr. Sherwood!
Okay, this wasn’t great, but I could manage it. I took a deep breath and prepared to shift back into my human self. If Mr. Sherwood hadn’t slain me last night when he’d had the chance, he probably wouldn’t hurt me now. Maybe he had a soft spot for me since I was such a dedicated employee. My lungs burst with the chemical scent of spring rain and I was about to let it out slowly and shift back into my human form when I heard Mr. Sherwood say one more thing.
“Sorry to eat in front of you, friends, but I’m starving. And Maggie here looks so delicious.”
“Mr. Sherwood!” Maggie screeched. “No!”
Chapter 28
I used my deep breath to morph into a Doberman pinscher instead. The smells swirling around me became fainter, but my hearing grew sharper. “You will quench my aching thirst,” Mr. Sherwood crooned. “You’re such a tasty morsel.”
“What are you doing?” Maggie screamed. “Get away from me!”
Baring my teeth, I shoved open the restroom door and prepared to attack.
No! Charlie growled. Don’t hurt her! The dalmatian leaped through the air and plowed into Mr. Sherwood, sinking his teeth into the old man’s thigh.
“Get off me, you mongrel!” Mr. Sherwood shook his leg, but the dalmatian wouldn’t let go. “I said, get off me.” Mr. Sherwood throttled Charlie and squeezed.
I charged across the room, saliva dripping down my gums, and howled. Let my friend go! I went for Mr. Sherwood’s arm first so he’d release Charlie. My powerful jaws cracked through the vampire’s wrist like his bones were Snap Bricks breaking apart. Charlie fell to the ground with a thump, and Melvin raced to his side.
Charlie! Melvin cried. Wake up, Charlie. Are you okay?
Save Maggie, Charlie groaned before his head flopped to the linoleum.
The rage I felt multiplied into a thousand roaring infernos. Melvin snarled at the vampire, and so did the puppies and schnauzer. But it was up to me to end this, once and for all.
“It’ll take more than a pack of dogs to stop me.” Mr. Sherwood snickered. He looked down at his broken wrist and shook it out. “My vampiritis is so strong that my bones heal instantly.” At first, his arm went rigid, but then he flexed his
fingertips like he hadn’t been so much as scratched.
“Mr. Sherwood, please,” Maggie begged. “I don’t know what’s happened to you, but please don’t hurt me.”
“I not going to hurt you, silly girl, I’m going to eat you.” He lurched forward to grab her, even as the puppies and schnauzer went for his ankles.
I don’t think so, I growled. This time, when I aimed my teeth at Mr. Sherwood I went for his throat. My powerful hind legs helped me push him over.
“Oh, no you don’t!” He rolled across the floor, sending me flying. My claws offered no traction on the linoleum, and I skidded all the way over to the dog bowls. The puppies whimpered and sheltered in the corner while the schnauzer peed himself. “Stupid mutts,” Mr. Sherwood muttered. His hand guarded his neck, but he was still in a prone position on the ground.
Snarling, I lunged for him again, going for the wound I’d already inflicted. Flesh ripped open as my fangs sank into his throat. I chomped down hard and heard his neck crack. Remembering the vampiritis healing his broken wrist, I gave his spine a good shake until Mr. Sherwood’s head ripped off completely.
Bleh! The wretched taste was too much for me. I puked a second later, and the poached eggs and grapefruit came back up. I looked over my shoulder to check that the vampire was truly destroyed, and then went to nearest doggie fountain and cleansed my palate.
That was amazing! barked Melvin. You saved us all.
All of us? I trotted over to Charlie and nudged him with my nose.
Go get Kate, Charlie whimpered. Make sure she’s okay.
“This isn’t happening.” Maggie put her hand to her forehead. “I’m imagining all of this.” She sat down on the ground next to Charlie. “This is what I get for trying that mail-order CBD oil. I think… I think…” Maggie keeled over in a dead faint.
I used the opportunity to run back to the restroom and shift back to human. I threw on my clothes and swiped on my phone.
Natalie or Jill—whom should I call? The decision was too difficult to make, so I texted them both. Decapitated vampire at Barktacular, I wrote. Come quickly. Then I raced back to the romper room to see if Charlie was okay. Thank god he was breathing, and there weren’t any signs of broken bones. “Charlie, can you hear me?” I asked.
He barked weakly. You bet, Kate.
I leashed up all of the dogs and brought them out to the front room. Then I came back to the romper room and carried Charlie out to the lobby in my arms. I nestled him into a soft dog bed.
What the hell happened? Melvin barked. The poor dog couldn’t stop shaking.
“It’s okay.” I stroked the poodle’s fur. “Everything is okay.” I took down several more dog beds from the display area and spread them out so that everyone would be comfortable. “Help is on the way.” I closed my eyes for a second, willing it to be true. Then I whispered the prayer to Bernard of Montjoux. When I opened my eyes again, I remembered something extremely important. I’d forgotten to lock the front door.
“Hi, Kate,” said Joshua, standing in the doorway and holding a bag of Subway sandwiches. Beside him stood a middle-aged woman wearing her sleek black hair parted to the side and delighted expression on her face. “I was hoping you’d be here.” Joshua patted the woman on the back. “My mom really wants to meet you.”
“You bet I do.” Dr. Chow pulled her hand out of her coat pocket and aimed a gun straight at my heart.
The last thing I remember was the whizzing sound the tranquilizer dart made as it flew through the air and burrowed into my shoulder.
Chapter 29
There was a Malamute in the backseat of the Subaru Forster. An enormous, fluffy Malamute. When I woke up the dog’s blue eyes stared into mine, but he didn’t say anything. Not one peep.
“Where am I?” I mumbled. I wanted to bark it, but I didn’t speak Malamute. I’d never had the opportunity to learn. “Can you speak English?”
“Of course I can speak English,” snapped Dr. Chow. “Just because I was born in Beijing doesn’t mean I’m not American. I grew up in Texas.” She settled back into the passenger seat.
Joshua drove the car. I could see that now. The fog of confusion from the tranquilizer dart rolled away and things became clearer. “Where are you taking me?” I asked again in a more forceful tone. My hands were wrapped with duct tape. There was a horrible itch on my nose, but I couldn’t scratch it.
“To my lab, obviously.” Dr. Chow offered me a bottle of water. “Drink this. You need to stay hydrated.”
“Where’s your lab?” My mind still didn’t work right. I wasn’t entirely sure what was happening.
“In San Francisco. It’s a seven-hour drive—eight if we hit traffic, and we’re not stopping.” Dr. Chow withdrew the bottle of water. “So maybe it’s better that you don’t drink water. Less chance you’ll soil the interior of my car.”
“San Francisco? I can’t go to San Francisco.” I pressed my cheek against the glass and watched the ocean go by. When I saw the signs for Carlsbad, my heart pinched. A seagull swooped in the distance and buzzed right next to my window before floating away on the breeze.
“You’re the missing link in the DNA research I’ve spent two decades collecting. My ancestors were dog shifters too, but they polluted their pedigree with Statics who ruined their bloodline. With your DNA to play with, I might finally be able to reinvigorate my true potential—and become rich.” Dr. Chow squealed with glee. “Nice work, Joshy. You finally brought home a keeper.”
“You lied to me?” I tried to glare at Joshua, but my mouth gaped opened and drool dribbled down my chin.
“I didn’t lie exactly.” Joshua tugged at his collar. “I really like you, Kate. That’s why I brought your favorite sandwich for the road.” He reached into the center console and pulled out the Subway bag. “Italian meatball. Your favorite.” Joshua passed back the food and the Malamute whimpered but didn’t budge.
I remembered the dog’s name now. It was Angus. Joshua had told me the dog’s name was Angus. I remembered other things, too. Like how I’d texted both Natalie and Jill before I’d been kidnapped and how Rolf might be up in the sky right now searching for me.
I smashed my cheek on the window again, only this time I looked for Rolf. I didn’t see any sign of him. We were driving over fifty miles per hour. No bird could keep up with that speed, right? I honestly had no idea.
“I’ve tracked Canis DNA across fifty states and four continents.” Dr. Chow pulled down the rearview visor and stared back at me. “You’re the first person I’ve found who had the proper combination of alleles. If my research is correct, you have paranormal potential.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I said. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Angus barked and I flinched. I’d never met a dog I didn’t trust until now. “Why are you doing this?” I asked in a clear voice. First, I looked at Dr. Chow, but then I turned my head and looked straight into Angus’s blue eyes.
“I’ll clone your DNA,” Dr. Chow said. “Do you know how much money parents will pay for designer babies someday? It’s the next billion-dollar industry. The market will be huge. Most clinics will only be able to offer the usual. Intelligence. Beauty. Artistic talent. Disease-free DNA. But I’ll be able to give them something else.” She sighed contently and flipped up the visor. “The ability to shift.”
I gulped and wiped saliva off my chin with the back of my arm. “You’re better than this,” I said, still staring into the Malamute’s eyes.
“I don’t need to be better.” Dr. Chow laughed wickedly. “You know what people on two-hundred-foot yachts don’t care about? Morals.”
Angus flicked his eyes to the left and looked behind me. When I turned around to see what had caught his attention, I saw a blue-gray bird with darker gray accents zoom beside the window like the high speed didn’t faze him one bit. I couldn’t identify bird species beyond the basics, but it looked like some sort of hawk or falcon.
Help me, I mouthed through the window. A few seconds later,
the bird flew away.
The Malamute barked.
“What’s got into Angus?” Joshua asked, keeping both hands on the steering wheel.
“He must sense Kate’s canine DNA.” Dr. Chow clapped her hands together. “This is more exciting than I could have ever imagined.” She reached over and pinched Joshua’s cheek. “I’m so proud of you for finding Kate.” Dr. Chow reached into the back seat and took the sandwich out of the bag. “Silly me. I forgot that your hands were tied. Here, Kate, let me help you eat.” She unwrapped the wax paper.
Angus barked again.
“Not for you, Angus.” Dr. Chow gave the dog a stern look. “You’ll have your dinner later.”
“I’m not hungry,” I said. I’d rather starve than eat anything the Chows gave me. But my stomach was also reeling from having puked up breakfast back in the romper room.
“You’ll eat because I told you to eat.” Dr. Chow shoved the sandwich into my face.
You eat it, I tried to say. Only my brain was so addled from the tranquilizer that my words came out in bark. Seconds later, Angus gobbled up the sandwich in one bite.
“Angus!” Dr. Chow cried.
“What happened?” Joshua looked back over his shoulder.
“He ate the sandwich!” Dr. Chow reached for Angus’s collar, but it was too late; he was already slumping over.
“Did you drug the sandwich I bought for Kate?” Joshua stared at his mother with a look of annoyance.
Sirens sang out in the distance, so softly that I wasn’t sure if the Chows could hear them.
“I thought it would be easier that way.” Dr. Chow pouted. “It’s a long drive to San Francisco and I didn’t want her to cause problems.”
“So you drugged the sandwich? You should have known Angus might go for it.” Joshua reached back and lifted Angus’s limp paw. “My god, Mom. What if you killed him?”
“I didn’t kill Angus. Don’t be ridiculous.” Dr. Chow pointed at the windshield. “And keep your eyes on the road and follow the speed limit. I hear sirens.”
Secret Shifter Page 20
