Moving his flashlight in a circle, Willy caught a man sheathing his sword inside his coat and picking up another sword from the floor. Before he could decide what to do, the man disappeared into the blackness.
They’re all too fast! He was tempted to unload his gun into the darkness.
The wounded man continued to scream.
“Get him up!” a male voice said.
Two pairs of gloved hands hoisted the screaming man to his feet, and the werewolf spat out the remainder of the arm, the fingers on the hand twitching. The creature tried to rise but pitched forward with a wet-sounding sigh and stopped moving.
What caused that?
The man who had picked up the sword darted into the light again, plucked the severed limb off the floor, and disappeared.
Whipping the flashlight around, Willy glimpsed a woman and another man supporting the screaming victim between them while holding the three standing werewolves at bay.
“Stop or I’ll shoot!”
The werewolves advanced on the humans, and Willy squeezed the trigger. The deafening gunshot caused the most aggressive werewolf to flinch with a startled howl, and a bloody hole appeared in his long torso.
The Torquemadan leader removed something from his coat, and Willy heard a hissing sound. The man waved his arm, dispersing a spray, and the werewolves clawed at their eyes and whimpered. He threw the canister at the floor midway to Willy, who heard the metal object rolling in his direction but lost sight of it in the darkness.
A moment later, his eyes filled with tears and his nostrils seemed to catch on fire.
Tear gas!
Covering his eyes with his free arm, Willy dropped his flashlight. Coughing, he slid down the wall and kicked out until he heard the metal canister rolling away from him.
“Get him out of here!” the same man said.
Willy heard a staccato of footsteps as the humans rushed by him and retreated down the corridor. He heard claws on the floor and deep panting, like that of a dog. At least one of the werewolves bore down on him, and he couldn’t see the damned thing! His fingers found the edge of the door, which he slammed shut. He threw his weight against it just as a heavy body slammed against the other side. Planting his feet, he twisted the feeble lock in the doorknob. On the other side of the door, the werewolf roared in anger. And Willy had shot one of them …
Oh, God, I have to get out of here!
His eyes and throat burned. Holding his breath, he snatched the flashlight and staggered blindly down the hall, then opened his eyes again and gasped for breath. Nothing eased his pain, but at least when he aimed his flashlight he could see where he was going, and he ran through an open door.
Where the hell is Karol?
Praying she had not run smack-dab into the Torquemadans, he took out his cell phone, but even with the aid of the flashlight he couldn’t discern the details of the phone through the tears in his eyes. He drove himself forward through the crematorium, confident that a left turn would bring him to the door he had entered in the first place. His brain felt like it was boiling in the tear gas.
Feeling fresh air on his face, Willy slammed into a closet door, rebounded off it, and staggered outside, where he filled his lungs with fresh air. Coughing, he fell to his hands and knees and turned his head in time to glimpse two of the Torquemadans hauling their wounded comrade, a black man, over the top of the wall. The wounded man was black. Staggering to his feet, Willy raised his Glock, but the Torquemadans vanished. He ran forward but stopped when he heard something growling nearby.
Wiping the tears from his eyes, he lifted his gaze to two black shapes perched on the railing of a fire escape ten feet above him and realized they must be the sentries he had seen posted outside earlier. Taking a step back, he swallowed. The werewolves leapt from the fire escape and landed on the ground before him. They rose like men and snarled at him like beasts, their eyes blazing with hatred and spittle flying from their jaws. As frightening as the creatures inside had been, these two, fully illuminated by the lights mounted on the surrounding walls, seemed far more ferocious. A similar monster had torn Patty apart.
Willy aimed his Glock. Maybe a head shot would take one of them out before the other one could tear into him.
On the other side of the wall, the SUV peeled out.
The werewolves turned at the sound and glanced at each other. The one on Willy’s right dropped to all fours, sprinted to the wall, and leapt over it in a great bound. The remaining creature stepped toward Willy, whose gun shook in his hands. A powerful figure landed in the space separating him from the monster and roared at the advancing creature. Another werewolf.
The newcomer rocked back on its haunches, ready to spring into action. The werewolf stalking Willy roared back and tried to dart around the smaller wolf to get at him. But the newcomer issued a barking command and feinted left, blocking its way. The two werewolves faced off against each other, and Willy debated whether to take the shot while he had it. Then the predatory werewolf turned, ran for the wall, and jumped over it. The remaining werewolf rose and faced Willy, who continued to back up. Even though slighter than the two wolves that had just departed, the creature stood taller than him.
But not for long: the wolf’s legs had three segments rather than two, and the bottom extensions drew in upon themselves, becoming shorter and human. Its body absorbed the black fur as if sucking it inside the skin, and the lupine head assumed human dimensions.
Oh, God, no!
Willy experienced a wave of nausea as the werewolf reverted into a naked human female with glistening black skin.
With her breasts rising and falling and vapor billowing from her mouth, Karol nodded at the entrance to the passageway. “Since I saved your life, how about getting my clothes for me?”
Michael climbed into the front seat of the SUV, tossed Henri’s severed and bloody forearm into the passenger seat beside him, and tore off his night vision goggles. As he watched Angelo and Valeria load Henri into the backseat, he found himself wishing they had brought a van after all.
Angelo sat in the back on the passenger side, with Henri’s head in his lap. He pulled off his goggles as Michael keyed the ignition, stepped on the gas, and roared out of the alley.
Valeria tossed her goggles aside and unbuckled her belt, which she pulled free of her belt loops. “Jesus, why did you cut off his hand?” She tightened the belt around Henri’s stump, forming a tourniquet.
Michael raced into the street, and Angelo supported Valeria as she tended to Henri.
“Because otherwise we would have had to leave him there,” Michael said. “That beast wasn’t letting go.”
Valeria took Henri’s goggles off and looked down at her comrade. His dome was covered with sweat, and his eyes lost focus. “He’s in shock,” she said.
Angelo stared out the rear window. “We’ve got company.”
Michael glanced in the rearview mirror. One of the beasts was galloping after them on all fours in the middle of the street! It kept pace with the SUV, then gained on it, then disappeared. An instant later, a thud shook the SUV as something slammed onto its roof. Michael saw Valeria gaze at the ceiling wide eyed, and he stomped on the brake. The werewolf rolled over the SUV’s windshield and hood into the street. As soon as it got to its feet, Michael stepped on the gas, launching the SUV forward. The vehicle’s headlights illuminated the creature, which shielded its eyes. Then the SUV slammed into the werewolf, spinning sideways through the air like a Frisbee, to Michael’s left and into a car parked at the curb, triggering an alarm.
As Michael sped forward, he saw the dazed werewolf roll over, get up, and slink back toward the alley. He wished he could have turned around and gone after it.
“Drastic measures,” Valeria said with disgust as she returned her attention to Henri.
Michael felt himself growing hot. “Of course. It would have been fine if that cop—if that’s really what he was— hadn’t shown up. We had everything under control.”
&nb
sp; “Bullshit. Henri would have lost his arm either way.”
“Then why are you giving me shit for what I did? We couldn’t leave him behind, and we couldn’t leave his hand behind. I did what I had to. Now you do what you have to—keep him alive and let me drive.”
Willy stood gaping at Karol. “I don’t believe this.”
She folded her arms over her breasts, hiding her large nipples. “I’m cold. Cet my clothes.”
“I fucked you—”
Karol strode past him. “Do you want a medal or a chest to pin it on?”
Taking out his cell phone, he followed her into the dark passageway. “You took the DNA test …”
“I was in human form when they took the sample, so my DNA was human too. If I’d been in Wolf Form, my DNA would have read as a Wolf’s, and if I’d been in mid-Transformation—like Jason Lourdes was—it would have looked like a combination of the two.”
Willy called the squad room.
“Smalls,” Candice said. “What is it, Willy?”
“I guess you could say I engaged the enemy. There were four of them; one is seriously hurt. They got away in an SUV, last seen heading west on Twenty-seventh Street.” He read her the license plate number.
“I’ll put out an APB now,” Candice said.
Willy hung up. “You’re one of them. You’re one of Cabriel Domini’s fucking werewolves!”
Karol stopped where she had left her clothes piled up and dressed. “Boy, there’s no getting one over on you, is there?”
“You’re spying on the operation.”
Karol pulled her clothes on. “It’s not as shady as you make it sound. We have to protect ourselves. That means infiltrating human society at all levels. I worked my way into Homicide, but I didn’t tell Mace to choose me for the task force. When he did, I couldn’t ignore a golden opportunity to help my kind.”
“Those two wolves almost killed me.”
“You’re right. It’s a good thing I came along when I did.”
“Couldn’t you have just howled at them to back off without getting all furry? They must know you.”
“I could have, but I would have been in no shape to protect you if they weren’t willing to reason.”
“You’re a mole. You’re a werewolf and a mole.”
“I have the same objective as a Wolf as I do as a woman: to preserve my species. My interests aren’t at odds with the department’s or with those of the task force. We want the same thing: to stop the Torquemadans.”
“Does that mean you’re going to tell Tony about this?”
She zipped up her coat. “No. Are you?”
Willy considered her question. “Jesus, I don’t know. Why the hell couldn’t you have told me all this before?”
“Because I couldn’t trust you then. I don’t know if I can trust you now.”
“But you exposed yourself to save my ass.”
“Let me explain something to you. You were my first and you’ll be my last. Wolves are monogamous, and we mate for life. I tried to dissuade you, but you kept coming after me, like the dog you are. I didn’t ask you to do that. It’s bad enough being in an interracial relationship. It’s a lot harder being in an interspecies one. I gave in to your charms, and now I’m stuck with you. I couldn’t very well let Leon tear you to shreds.”
“Leon?”
“Never mind. Let’s go out front. It isn’t exactly safe here.”
“There are still three werewolves inside.”
“No, there aren’t.” Karol walked through the passageway toward Twenty-eighth Street.
“How do you know?”
“Trust me on this point. All we want is to be left alone. They’re not sticking around to answer questions.”
“You were in on their plan.”
“No, I wasn’t. I answer to Cabriel. I have no idea why Raphael and his crew decided to spring a trap on the Torquemadans without his say-so, and he would have told me if he knew about their plan. If you hadn’t walked in on them, maybe those Wolves would have killed those murderers, and the purpose of our task force would be moot.”
“Or maybe the Torquemadans would have killed your people.”
“Maybe.” She climbed the steps onto the sidewalk.
Joining her, Willy just blinked.
Karol sniffed him and frowned. “Tear gas. Delightful. You can’t tell anyone my secret. My life is in your hands.”
Willy studied her. “I don’t know what to say about any of this. I still can’t believe I fucked you.”
“And you’d better stop saying that, because your life is in my hands too. We’re forbidden from mating with your species and sharing information of any kind. If Gabriel, Raphael, or anyone else finds out, they’ll put it to a pack vote, and the outcome will almost certainly be an order for your death and possibly mine. Any number of Wolves would be only too happy to do the deed.”
“That’s some peaceful, loving people you have.”
“Rules, baby. We’re all part of one system or another, and self-preservation is the name of the game.”
“You’re feeding information to Gabriel. That makes you a traitor to the department. If I look the other way …”
“I’m no traitor. I’m a cop. I’ve served this city for six years, putting my life on the line every day. I protect the people here—human and Wolf—and I’d never do anything to put another cop in harm’s way. But this is a war, and my people are already endangered. I have to do everything in my power to stop these Inquisitors.”
Headlights appeared in the distance: two vehicles.
“I saved your life, Willy. Are you willing to throw mine away?”
“I can’t believe I fucked you.”
Karol slapped him hard enough to leave a stinging sensation in his cheek, which he rubbed. Then she kissed him, pushing her tongue against his. He did not resist her.
“My life is at stake,” she said.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“All units, this is an all points bulletin for a black SUV heading west on Thirty-second Street, license plate CYT ,5166.” The voice over the police band radio came out a squawk.
“That’s us,” Michael said. “Looks like we’re taking the :train.” He turned right.
Valeria looked at him, aghast. “What about Henri? He Can’t take a train.”
Michael sped toward Thirty-third Street, then turned Jeft. “If he isn’t dead, he will be soon. There’s nothing we can do for him. He stays here.”
Valeria felt her eyes widening. “We can’t do that!”
“You’ve done all you can for him.” He pulled into a parking space and switched off the engine, then looked behind him at Henri, who had turned still and quiet.
A police car crossed the intersection ahead, moving downtown.
“He’s right,” Angelo said. “We have to go.”
Michael detached the police band radio. “Angelo, bring his Blade.” He opened his door and got out.
Valeria felt tears in her eyes. “Angelo …”
Angelo got out on the passenger side and hid Henri’s Blade inside his duster. “We have to get out of here.” He closed his door.
Valeria caressed Henri’s head. “Farewell, my friend.”
He did not respond.
She got out of the vehicle and closed her door. Michael and Angelo were already walking up the street, taking turns glancing over their shoulders. At the intersection, bright lights, numerous pedestrians, and heavier traffic distinguished the neighborhood from the one they had just left.
“I’ll go first,” Michael said. “You two come down a few minutes later. Pretend to be a couple. We’ll travel in separate cars.”
Angelo put an arm around Valeria’s shoulders, comforting her. They watched Michael cross the street and descend the stairs to the PATH station.
“That’s two men down, plus Eun out of action,” Valeria said. “Not a very successful campaign.”
“We’ve inflicted our share of casualties,” Angelo said. “Let’s go.
”
Angelo guided Valeria across the street, but all she felt was her Blade against her. Slipping her hand inside her pocket, she felt around for the remote control, then pressed the button on the detonator.
When Mace arrived at the Domini Funeral Home, he saw Candice speaking with Willy and Karol. Mace parked at the curb before the funeral home and got out. Crossing the sidewalk to his subordinates, he noted Willy’s and Karol’s nervous expressions and Candice’s look of incredulity. His senses told him that the call had not been a false alarm.
“You were right, Tone,” Willy said. “I saw them. I fucking saw them! Three inside, two more outside.”
“Class Ls,” Mace said.
“They were huge. And four Torquemadans, dressed to the hilt in combat gear and carrying swords. They all got away, but one of those assassins was hurt bad. Fucking Class L had its teeth in the guy’s forearm, and one of his own players hacked off the arm and took it with him.”
Mace glanced at Karol. “What did you see?”
“I was at my post when Willy called and said he was going in through the back alley. When I reached the courtyard through this passageway”—she gestured at the narrow tunnel running below the building—”he was alone. But there’s blood all over the ground and wall, and it leads through the funeral home to where Willy says the fight occurred.”
His instincts told Mace that Karol had seen more than she was admitting. He turned back to Willy. “Tell me everything.”
“When I saw that SUV parked in the alley, I recorded its license plate number, then I climbed over the wall into the courtyard. The door to the funeral home was busted open, so I went inside. I had probable cause. Then I heard screaming …”
Mace listened intently to Willy’s story. It felt good knowing that someone else truly believed what he had been through.
“… and two more Class Ls jumped off the fire escape and landed right in front of me. They stood there, snarling and showing me their gums. Then they both took off over the wall. I guess they wanted the Torquemadans more than they wanted me.”
The Frenzy War Page 20
