Bitten 2

by A. J. Colby

  “You’ve mentioned your parents a few times. Are they...” I asked, letting my words trail off. I’d lost everyone I ever loved, I knew all too well what it was like to lose a parent. She didn’t need me to say the words to know what I was asking.

  She didn’t respond at first, just continued to gaze down at the bundle of fabric in her hands with a faraway look in her eyes. After a while she gave a slow nod.

  “They were geneticists. That’s how they’d met—as undergrads at CU. Love at first sight, my dad always said. Mom said it wasn’t until their fifth date,” she said with a solemn chuckle. “They’d gotten a grant to map the genomes that cause lycanthropy. They were making great progress and thought they were close to isolating the genes that trigger the change. Mom even thought they might be able to identify a single gene that creates an alpha.”

  Juliet’s expression turned wistful, and I got the feeling that she was seeing things beyond the four walls of her bedroom.

  “It really was very thrilling; you couldn’t help getting caught up in the excitement whenever they talked about it. They’d just received confirmation that they were getting another year of funding, and then...” a small, hiccupping sob broke through her words.

  “The bombing,” I said, filling the silence with two simple words that held so much weight and emotion. I’d known the name Stone was familiar, but hadn’t been able to place it until Juliet mentioned that her parents were doctors.

  Doctors Charlene and Thomas Stone had died in their research lab on the Boulder campus when a pipe bomb laden with silver nitrate had gone off. No one had taken responsibility for the bombing that claimed the lives of the doctors and two of their research assistants, but many suspected that Humans for Humanity had played a role in the attack. Three years later, no arrests had been made in the case and few members of the supe community were surprised. After all, what did the mundane police care about a few dead weres?

  “I’m sorry,” I said, cringing at my words, knowing how useless they were.

  Forcing a smile, Juliet pushed a few wisps of hair back from her face, and I pretended not to notice the moisture in her eyes.

  “These should fit you. I’ll go grab one of Hank’s t-shirts. I’m sure he won’t mind.”

  * * *

  I felt ridiculous standing in the middle of Congress Park, surrounded by the whisper of winter bare branches creaking in the breeze and the unceasing drone of traffic passing by. I’d balked at first when Juliet insisted that I would be plenty warm in the borrowed yoga pants and t-shirt that held the clean scent of laundry detergent overlaying the spicy musk of Hank. As it turned out, she was right—in no time at all my hair was plastered to my cheeks and forehead with sweat, and my own hot cinnamon scent had risen to perfume the air.

  “No wonder you’re so thin,” I said through panting breaths as I copied Juliet’s slow, but controlled movements, shifting into a position she’d called Snake Creeps Through The Grass.

  “Tai Chi isn’t just for old folks and yuppies. It can be a serious workout if you do it right.”

  Stretching my hands down towards my toes, frowning when they stopped several inches short, all I could manage was a wheezing “Uh huh.”

  Chuckling at my distress, Juliet stopped and asked, “Wanna take a break?”

  “God, yes!” I replied, sinking down to the ground in a sweaty heap as she went to fetch a bottle of water and her sports bottle from the bag she’d left under a nearby tree.

  Accepting the water from her, I cast a speculative eye at her unmarked sports bottle and asked, “Do I even want to know?”

  “It’s a mixture of wheatgrass, kale, and cucumber.”

  “Yup, didn’t want to know.”

  Taking the first gulp of cool water, I wasn’t sure I’d ever tasted anything so good. Guzzling down half the bottle, I flopped back on the ground, relishing the cooling damp spot in the small of my back.

  Sipping her concoction at a far slower pace, Juliet’s expression turned inquiring. “How’s the investigation going?”

  “I... don’t really know,” I confessed with a sigh, rolling onto my side to rest my head on my arm.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Before I came over, I was witness to a vamp execution. It was horrifying. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “So you got the guy? Isn’t that a good thing?”

  “Yes and no. I mean, we know a were is involved, too. That’s how this all started. But I have no idea who it is.” Pushing myself up on one elbow I said, “There was an attack on a fae last night, and he said it was a were. We only caught the vamp because he came back to finish the job.”

  “A vamp and a were working together?” Juliet asked. “No way.”

  “I know, that’s what I thought too, but how else do we explain what’s going on? I can’t believe that a vamp and a were decided to start killing supes off for the hell of it at the same time. Coincidences like that just don’t happen.”

  “Did the vamp say anything?”

  “Nothing useful,” I said, pushing myself up to mirror Juliet’s cross-legged position. “He ranted a bit at Cordova about favoring his Day Servant above anyone else, but nothing that would explain why he was attacking people. None of this makes sense. Even the information Dermot gave me asks more questions than it answers. I mean, how am I supposed to find a big were covered in scars?”

  Venting my frustration on the grass in front of me, I pulled at the dry stalks. Across from me, Juliet had gone still.

  “I can’t exactly go around and ask every were I meet to take off their shirt, can I?”

  “That would be funny, though,” Juliet offered with a weak smile, her laugh sounding thin.

  “Oh yeah, I can just picture Metembe stripping down to his skivvies and letting me inspect him for scars,” I snorted. “Or worse yet, Squatch. I mean, don’t get me wrong, he’s a nice guy, but grizzled old were is not my type. The thought of all that grey and white chest hair... ugh! No thanks.”

  Noticing that she didn’t appear to be sharing my disgust at the prospect of inspecting all the weres in Colorado, I asked, “You okay?”

  “Hmm? Oh, yeah, fine. Getting tired is all.”

  “Tired? How can you be tired? You do this kind of thing all the time. I’m the one who feels like they just went through boot camp!”

  “I picked up a couple extra classes this week at the rec center. I guess I overdid it. Do you mind if we cut this short?”

  “Not at all,” I said with a relieved sigh, not sure if my legs would be able to carry me back to the car, let alone support me through another thirty minutes at Juliet’s pace.

  * * *

  Watching Juliet get into her car and drive away, I couldn’t help wondering at her sudden shift in mood. Together, we’d trekked back to where our cars were parked at the edge of the park, Juliet lost in thought while I concentrated on putting one tired foot in front of the other. Longing for the comfort of my bed and the reassuring weight of Loki against my side, I dismissed my concerns and decided they could wait until I’d gotten some sleep.

  Yawning for the fourth time in half as many blocks, I decided that I needed to stop for some fuel before making the long haul up the mountain.

  What better than snack cakes and soda? I thought as I spotted a 24-hour convenience store a couple blocks ahead. I grabbed a pack of mini donuts covered in a thick coating of grease and powdery sugar, and a gallon bucket of Cola. It made a nice contrast with my borrowed fitness wear.

  * * *

  I was ready to collapse when I eventually pulled up in front of my cabin, road weary and stiff from the rigorous routine Juliet had put me through. My cabin was dark and had a deserted feel to it when I stepped inside and groped for the light switch on the wall. I’d spent so little time here over the past few days that the silence was almost overwhelming, that is, until Loki let out a loud welcoming yowl and barreled into me like a freight train. Managing to stay upright despite his best attempts to knock me off
my feet, I scooped him up into my arms to bury my nose in the thick fur of his neck.

  “Hey, buddy. You would not believe the night I’ve had.”

  Making my entire head vibrate with the strength of his purrs, Loki rubbed his cheek against mine, mingling our scents to create an aroma that could only be described as home. Even the wolf relished the familiar scent of our furry companion. This was home. This was our pack.

  Shedding my borrowed clothes, I managed to stay awake just long enough to wash off the sweat and lingering grime before pulling on my fuzziest pajamas and crawling into bed. Lulled by the rumbling warmth of my best friend curled up against my chest, I slipped into sleep surrounded by the soothing scents of home.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  THE SOUND OF my cell phone chirping woke me from a dead sleep, my jerk as I came awake hard enough to send half the blankets sliding to the floor and draw a rumbling meow of protest from Loki.

  I’ve got to change that fucking ringtone.

  Groping for my phone on the night stand, I felt a jolt of surprise when I saw the clock’s glowing digits reading six p.m. I’d slept through almost the entire day and still felt like I could roll over and go back to sleep.

  This had better be something good, I thought as I swiped my thumb across the screen to bring the phone to life, though there was a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach it wouldn’t be.

  Hank’s text was straight forward and brief—there had been another attack on a were and he wanted me to meet him at Deer Creek Canyon Park—the same spot where I had run with the pack just days before. I was a little surprised that the murderer had attacked his latest victim so far from downtown, where all the other murders had been focused, but I guessed he was getting desperate. For what, though, I had no clue.

  Firing off a quick reply, I let him know that I was at home and would be there as soon as I could. Dislodging Loki from where he had sprawled himself across my legs, I swung my feet out of bed with a groan as I fought off a wave of dizziness.

  Ugh. How much longer is this damn bite going to make me feel like crap? I thought, reaching up to rub the swaddled wound on my shoulder.

  * * *

  “Great,” I muttered to myself as I pulled into the small gravel lot to see Metembe waiting for me, his golden eyes gleaming like twin embers in the light from the cloud wreathed moon. I’d expected Hank to meet me and felt a brief flash of disappointment he’d sent his surly lieutenant instead.

  At least he looks as happy about this as I am, I thought as I approached the large were, his sour look letting me know that we shared the same level of enthusiasm at seeing each other again.

  “Been demoted to guard duty, huh?” I asked, unable to resist taking a jab at the pissy were.

  A flare of anger lit his eyes for a moment, hinting at the dangerous beast within. And then it was gone, replaced by something far more unnerving—smug satisfaction. Before I could puzzle out the shift in his mood, he bared his teeth in a silent, humorless smile and turned without a word to stalk off toward the trees. He was walking in the opposite direction I’d gone with Hank and the others, but I just shrugged my shoulders and broke into a jog to catch up with his longer strides.

  “I’ll just follow you then, shall I?”

  As unpleasant as Metembe’s company was, I felt myself relax when I stepped beneath the canopy of the trees, the familiarity of the forest calming me. The cool moonlight filtering through the branches overhead was a soothing balm on my skin, seeming to sink into me to ease my hurts and invigorate my tired body. After just a few minutes of walking along the old deer trail, my steps had become light and almost jaunty. Around me, the scent of pine was a sweet perfume that cleared the lingering smell of car exhaust and hot rubber from my nose, washing away the reminders of civilization to leave me relaxed in a way no amount of sleep ever could.

  My feeling of relaxation, however, was not destined to last.

  Following my ill-tempered guide, I slowly became aware of a sense of wrongness that hung in the air like a foul odor, but couldn’t quite put my finger on what roused my apprehension. Drawn towards the surface by my agitation, the wolf let me know that she felt something was off too, and directed her attention to Metembe. Ahead of me, the large, dark were moved with his usual, almost feline, grace, his footfalls muffled by the thick carpet of fallen leaves and pine needles, and I suddenly got the impression of a lamb being led to slaughter.

  Why didn’t Hank meet me at the trail head? my internal voice asked, querulous with suspicion. Knowing our mutual dislike, wouldn’t he have met me rather than sending Metembe?

  As I drew a breath to ask how much further it was, the air moving across my tongue tasted only of the pines and the spicy scent of Metembe. I picked up no traces of other weres, though their scent on the trail should have lasted for hours after passing that way.

  Hank could have gone a different way, I tried to reason with myself, even as my stomach flip-flopped with unease. We were alone, and there was no way that was a good thing.

  I wonder if he’s got a camping shovel tucked away under his coat, I mused as my mind conjured up unwelcome images of a shallow, unmarked grave.

  Foreboding slowed my steps, letting me fall a few feet behind as we approached the end of the trail, and possibly, my life. I could try to make a break for it and hightail it back to the car, but I doubted I’d be able to outrun the bigger and stronger were over unfamiliar terrain.

  Not that the odds of me standing and facing him are likely to end up with me any less dead.

  Hoping that the slowness of my steps didn’t give me away, I stepped out into a clearing that was easily as large as a football field. The last of my hope withered to dust as I took in the mountain meadow; except for a few pine saplings and a large boulder off to one side, it was completely open and flat, and devoid of anyone who might come to my aid.

  Although I knew it was a trap, a tiny part of me had still hoped that Hank would be waiting for me, with his tousled golden locks and easy smile. As much as I didn’t want to see the remains of someone who had died a brutal and horrifying death, I would have preferred that to the equally brutal truth that it was my death that awaited me at the end of the trail.

  “What, no picnic basket?” I quipped, my voice sounding small in the open air despite the bravado I tried to imbue into the words. “And here I’d been hoping you were about to declare your undying love for me.”

  A furious snarl was already twisting Metembe’s lips when he spun around to face me, one massive fist swinging towards my head. I’d been expecting him to lash out right off the bat, and I danced back out of his reach and oriented myself so that the meadow was at my back. Given my less than stellar fighting skills, the last thing I wanted was to be avoiding punches and trees at the same time.

  Metembe’s voice was a vicious hiss when he said, “Shut up. You are filth!”

  “And apparently you’re a murderous psycho,” I fired back, careful to keep several feet between us as he stepped further into the clearing, driving me backwards.

  “They were already dead. Vile, soulless creatures. Just like you soon will be, mutt.”

  “So what if I’m a mutt? I’m as much of a wolf as you are,” I snarled in reply, my sudden anger at the derogatory term burning through what was left of my surprise at his trickery. “You’re no more pureblooded than I am. I’ve never heard of wolves in Africa.”

  Again, the light of his fury flared in eyes as he growled his rage. “Shut your mouth!”

  “Hit a little too close to home, huh? So which one was bitten, your mom or your dad?”

  The narrowing of his eyes at the mention of his mother was all the answer I needed.

  “It wasn’t her fault,” he snarled. “That filthy beast was too strong for her to fight off. No one thought that the baby in her belly would come out unclean.”

  “Is that where the scars came from?” I asked, the warmth of cruel amusement blooming in my chest when remembered pain flittered across his
face. “Daddy didn’t want a dirty little wolf as his son?” I goaded, certain now that he was the wolf who’d attacked Dermot and left him for dead.

  Although sorrow welled up within me for the kid whose father had beaten and scarred him, that didn’t erase the anger I felt towards the monster he’d become. For a monster is what he was; a vicious beast filled with only hatred and bitterness. Still, that didn’t explain why he’d done the things he had. Chuckles had given us a glimpse of his motives just before his death, but Metembe’s driving force remained a mystery.

  Any further questions I might have asked were cut short when he launched himself across the distance between us in a single burst of energy, his ferocious snarl the only warning I got. I’ve never been hit by a semi, but I’m pretty sure being tackled by 250 pounds of enraged werewolf feels about the same. I felt something in my ribs give way, but didn’t have time to investigate before I was fighting to keep his enormous hands from closing around my throat.

  Writhing like a barrel full of eels, I tried to buck him off, but may as well have been trying to move a mountain.

  “I told you to keep your nose out of it,” he hissed as he delivered a clumsy swing to my chin. I could tell he had put nowhere near his full strength behind it, but it still landed with enough force to rattle the teeth in my skull. “Even when I left that dead coyote on your doorstep you couldn’t stay out of it. You had to interfere.”

  “You were killing people!” I shouted, raising an arm to block the next fist that swung at my face. The blow sent a shock of pain up to my shoulder, only to be replaced by numbness a second later.

  “Vampires aren’t people. They’re corpses who forgot they’re already dead,” he snarled into the narrow space between us, forgetting for a moment to beat me to a pulp.