Were-

by Seanan McGuire

  Beth loved her Pomeranian, Missy, with all her heart. Missy was pretty and smart and Beth’s best friend in all possible ways. Of course, Missy was far more than just a Pomeranian. But then, Beth was far more than just a girl, too. So it all worked out.

  Beth lived in the Big City, where crime had been wiped out by the Super Team. Of course, half of the Big City had also been wiped out by the Super Team destroying all the Crime Lords and Mega-Villains of Villainy and all the other Teams of Evil that the Big City seemed to generate on a regular basis. But, as Beth’s grandfather liked to say, those were the risks you took in order to live in the best darned city in the world.

  And everyone living—well, still living—in the Big City was used to that, too. Sadly, her father’s parents had been wiped out when Lord Megaboss had done his run through the Big City when Beth was only seven, which was when her parents had said, “The hell with this,” and moved their family in with her mother’s parents.

  This meant that when danger appeared, which it regularly did, they all trotted down to the basement and moved the family and whoever might be visiting at the time into an impregnable underground bunker her maternal grandparents had built when the first Minions of Evil team had come to town, threatening nuclear annihilation.

  The Bunk, as her family called it, was a spacious four-story affair and quite well-equipped. It also had Impregnable Tunnels connecting to the many other bunkers in and around the Big City—what those who lived there called the Underground. So, whenever the Super Team and their latest group of adversaries were having it out, everyone who had enough sense went, as her grandfather called it, Downstairs. Her grandparents lived in the Bunk 24/7, because they’d decided long before Beth had been born that living Upstairs was for thrill seekers and lunatics.

  It was difficult to have pets in the Underground, and most had cats, who seemed reasonably content to stay down and inside and just hunt whatever burrowing creatures tried to get into the Impregnable Tunnels. The count was Burrowing Creatures 13,457, Cats 13,450, and Impregnable Tunnels 0, though those who built the tunnels insisted that the tunnels were keeping far more than thirteen-thousand things out.

  Beth, on the other hand, wanted a dog, in part to be different. And in other part because one of the Super Team had a Super Dog and Beth had Aspirations.

  Her parents had given her Missy on her twelfth birthday. At first Beth had been disappointed—the Super Dog was a Great Dane, after all—but Missy had been so fluffy and adorable that Beth had fallen in love with her within two minutes.

  For the first year or so of her life, Missy just seemed like a normal dog, albeit a really smart one. She learned every command right off the bat, and even used a litter box, just like the family cats did.

  But when Beth turned fourteen, everything changed. Well, Missy changed. But that also changed everything.

  Beth was sitting in the living room with her parents Upstairs, because the television reception was better Upstairs. The family cats stayed Underground, but Missy went wherever Beth went, and she was asleep on a cushion at Beth’s feet. It wasn’t too late in the evening, but it was the weekend so Beth was allowed to stay up past midnight as long as she wasn’t, as her mother put it, “Sullen and unpleasant the next day.” So far, Beth had a pretty good record on at least faking pleasantness when she hadn’t gotten a full night’s sleep.

  They were watching the latest exploits of the Super Team’s sister team across the country and the fight looked like it was going to go on for quite a while, meaning Beth was glad the fight was taking place on Saturday instead of Sunday. It was always fun to see the Amazeballs in action and, despite their name, the League of Losers were doing pretty well against them, so it was a really good match. Well, as long as you didn’t live in Sunshine City. It was harder to go underground there.

  While they watched, Beth was also filling in her parents about what her friends were doing, why boys were kind of stupid, and complaining that her teachers never reacted fast enough when the Super Team announced a meet and greet, but acted too fast when the Super Team had to Take the Fight to the Streets.

  “It’s as if teachers don’t want us to even get a chance to see the Super Team, let alone meet them,” Beth complained.

  Her father opened his mouth, but instead of words, a really weird growl came out. He slammed his mouth shut and looked at Beth’s feet. She and her mother looked down, too, in time to see Missy jerking around and hear Missy make another wailing growl as she woke up.

  Beth dropped down next to Missy. “Are you okay, girl?”

  “She looks like she’s having a fit,” Beth’s father said. He wasn’t wrong—Missy was jerking all over the place, whining, and growling and acting like she was in pain or sick.

  “She looks a little…bigger, too,” Beth’s mother said. “And she’s kind of frothing. Ah, Beth, sweetie, get away from the dog.”

  “No, Mom! Missy would never hurt me.”

  “If she’s gone rabid she’d hurt you without meaning to.” Beth’s father stood up and came over to them. He reached for Missy, but she growled at him. Missy had never growled at anyone in the family before.

  Beth’s mother grabbed the phone and started dialing, but Missy made a new sound. “Nooorw.”

  “Mom, she’s calling for help!”

  “Nooorw! Rime frine!”

  At this everyone froze. “I could be crazy,” Beth’s father said, “but that sounded like Missy was talking. In a way, at least.”

  The Super Dog was said to be able to communicate with the rest of the Super Team, so Beth knew this was possible. “Missy, are you okay?”

  “Rort rof.”

  “Ah, is she saying ‘sort of?’” Beth’s mother asked.

  Missy nodded her head. She stopped shaking and the frothing seemed under control, too. Beth picked her up to cuddle her but Missy wrenched out of her arms. “Nooorw.” Missy backed away from all of them.

  Missy’s mother still had her phone. “Dad, could you come up here? Yes, up. Yes, I know you don’t like to take the risk. But we need you.” She hung up. “Your grandfather’s coming.”

  “How could Grandpa help?” Beth tried not to cry. Missy didn’t look like her normal self. She was still fluffy, but her fur looked thicker somehow. Also, Beth’s mother was right—Missy was a little larger than she’d been before. Her lower jaw was protruding now, the fangs sort of jutting out in front of her nose. Her claws looked longer and sharper as well. Her eyes looked a little bigger and a lot more predatory.

  Beth’s grandfather arrived and took a look. “Oh, fabulous.”

  “What is it, Dad?” Missy’s mother asked.

  “I knew we shouldn’t have bought a dog from a friend of a friend of those Conasons.” He sounded disgusted, but Beth wasn’t sure why. The Conasons lived two doors down both Upstairs and Underground. James was Beth’s age and they went to school together, and the families were friends.

  “What’s wrong with them?” Beth asked.

  “They know some shifty people,” he said with a dramatic sigh. “And one of those shifty types clearly has Evildoer Leanings.”

  “What makes you say so?” Beth’s father asked.

  Her grandfather shook his head. “Because apparently what we got Beth wasn’t a Pomeranian. Well, not a full Pomeranian.” They looked at him expectantly. He sighed dramatically again. “Missy’s a Werewolf.”

  They all looked at her. “I’m not seeing ‘wolf,’” Beth’s father pointed out. Beth and her mother nodded their agreement.

  “Were-dog then,” her grandfather said. “Were-something. It’s the first night of the full moon, and, from what we learned when the Super Team took care of the Doom Squad a couple of years back, they were doing experiments to create a stronger army. Experiments with animals and, I heard, lycanthropy. Clearly those experiments worked. After a fashion.”

  “We’ve had her for two years,” Beth’s father pointed out.

  He shrugged. “Lycanthropy isn’t an exact science, my
boy. Besides, maybe the Were-something has to mature, and two years is about what it takes for most dogs to mature.”

  “Does that mean that anyone Missy bites will become a Were-something?” Beth asked. She wasn’t opposed to Were-ness, but if Missy was any example, you didn’t look better as a Were-whatever. But maybe the Super Team would find it useful enough to add on a new Were-something member.

  “Maybe,” her grandfather said. “But I don’t recommend it. Becoming a Were-Pomeranian doesn’t sound like an immediate path to fame, fortune, or the Super Team.”

  “We don’t want Missy biting anyone,” her mother said sternly, “least of all Beth.”

  “Wron’t rite,” Missy said.

  Her grandfather perked up. “So, you can talk a little when you’re in Were-something form?”

  “Wress.”

  “And you understand us?”

  “Wress. Retter ris ray.”

  “Excellent. That could be useful. She’s still pretty cute, overwhelming underbite or not.”

  “Grandpa, that’s not nice. Missy can hear you.” Beth put her hand out. “C’mere, girl. I’m still your person, and you’re still my dog.” Missy whined, but she came to Beth hesitantly. Beth could tell her parents were ready to leap, but Missy didn’t do anything aggressive. Just climbed into Beth’s arms and whimpered. Beth hugged her. “See?” She petted Missy’s head. “It’s okay.”

  “Rot rearry.”

  “Oh,” Beth’s grandfather said heartily, “not to worry. The full moon cycle only lasts for three nights. Missy, you can do some vermin hunting in the Impregnable Tunnels, but don’t bite or eat one of the other Underground pets—or the people, obviously—and it’ll be fine.”

  “Rot rit.”

  “You really think she’ll turn back in three nights, Dad?” Beth’s mother asked.

  “I do. She’ll be herself in the daytime, too. Figure she’ll want more meat than normal until then. Now, I’m going back to the Bunk where it’s safe, and I suggest the four of you do so, too.”

  Beth and her parents looked at each other. A Were-Pomeranian was definitely an exciting development, and a little more exciting than watching the Amazeballs fight, since that seemed to have moved out over the ocean, which was cool and all, but lacked the building collapses that made superhero team fights so interesting.

  “I guess we’d better go Underground,” her father said. “Missy seems under control but we don’t want her getting out accidentally.”

  “We don’t need a Were outbreak,” her mother agreed.

  They shut up the house and headed downstairs. “Ungrrry,” Missy said, sounding rather urgent. She was drooling a lot and Missy didn’t drool normally. Her mother pulled out a whole raw chicken that was supposed to be Sunday’s dinner. Missy scarfed it down, bones and all.

  “I’ve never seen her eat so much at one time,” Beth said.

  Her grandfather snorted. “Weres are big eaters from the little I know about it. But only during ‘the change’ time.”

  Chicken rapidly gone, Beth headed to her room, Missy trotting along behind her just like normal. The family cats weren’t happy as they passed, though, and a lot of hissing ensued. Missy growled at them and the cats shut up. They headed for higher ground and settled onto the top levels of their cat trees.

  Beth put Missy onto her bed, then started a search on Werewolves. TV reception wasn’t as good Underground, but the World Wide Web was plenty strong.

  Beth found a lot of information about Werewolves, but it wasn’t all that helpful. Almost all the texts indicated that a Were was a human who changed into a wolf or other animal, or vice versa. An animal turning into a Were version of itself wasn’t mentioned.

  “You’re extra-special,” Beth told Missy.

  “Groody.” Missy didn’t sound thrilled.

  “Oh, don’t be like that. It says that some Weres can change any time they want, with or without the full moon. So maybe you can, too. We can experiment tomorrow.” Beth yawned. So did Missy.

  Beth got ready for bed and, despite her mother’s worries, snuggled right next to Missy, who heaved a sad little doggy sigh. Beth hugged her. “Don’t feel bad. I have a Were-Pomeranian guarding me. Not even the Super Team can say that.”

  “Rue.”

  The next morning Beth woke up to see Missy looking normal. Tests proved that Missy couldn’t talk in regular dog form, which Beth found disappointing. However, Missy seemed to be thrilled to not have an ugly underbite anymore and she ate normally, though, at her grandfather’s insistence, Beth’s father went to the store and stocked up on a lot of raw chickens.

  As evening came around, the whole family watched Missy and, sure enough, she went through the change again. This time, Beth left her alone until it was over and her mother gave Missy a raw chicken right away.

  “Rank roo,” Missy said, once she was done eating.

  “She is sooo cute,” Beth’s grandmother cooed. “Isn’t she cute? You’re so fierce! Fierce, scary doggie!”

  Missy heaved a sigh. “Rye ress.”

  The family all agreed that Missy was still really cute, underbite and drool or no. “What’s the point of it, though?” Beth’s Aunt Cil asked. “I mean, yes, Were-thing, I get it. But why make a Were-Pomeranian? What can Missy possibly do other than bite ankles?”

  “Ro rirea.”

  “Yeah, we have no idea, either,” Beth’s grandfather said. “But you can’t necessarily understand the Crazed Evil Genius Mind.”

  The adults concluded that it was probably a useless trait but one they’d deal with because Missy was Beth’s dog. Beth felt that a Were-Pomeranian was still cooler than just a regular Pomeranian, but she kept those thoughts to herself.

  Monday came and with it school. Beth hugged Missy tightly. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out.”

  She headed Upstairs and over to the Conasons to pick up James, who was waiting for her. “Did you see the Amazeballs fight?” he asked as they headed for school, keeping a wary eye out for Enemy Attacks. “They really destroyed the League of Losers. Of course, they’re not a really good evil group. Not like the ones we have here.”

  Beth looked at him out of the corner of her eyes and considered how to answer this. Her grandfather was dead set on blaming James’ family for Missy being a Were-Dog, but that didn’t mean James had anything to do with it. Could she trust him? Maybe. Besides, he was probably her best friend, even though he was a boy.

  “Part of it, but then something really exciting happened. Missy turned into a Were-Pomeranian.”

  James stared at her. “What? Missy, your little girly dog Missy?”

  “Yes.”

  “She turned into a Werewolf?”

  “No. She turned into a Were-Pomeranian.” Beth waited. Maybe James knew about how this had happened.

  “She turned into a Werewolf version of what she already is?”

  “Um, yes. She did.”

  James shook his head. “Girls are weird. My mom warned me that this would happen. She said you’ll get through it, though, in a few years, and I should be nice and understanding when you act crazy because you can’t help it.”

  Beth sniffed. “My whole family saw it happen.”

  “Well, your family is kind of weird, so...”

  “Yeah? Well your family knows shifty people.”

  They glared at each other and walked the rest of the way to school in silence. The rest of the day Beth barely paid attention to what her teachers were saying. She was too upset with James and worried about Missy to pay attention to math or social studies, though she did pay attention in science class because they were talking about genetics. She wanted to ask her science teacher what he thought about lycanthropy but, after James’ reaction, she decided to wait a bit.

  She debated waiting for James to walk home. Their parents didn’t like them walking alone because an Evil Team could attack at any time and they felt there was safety in numbers. However, she was still mad at James. But, the Super Team didn’t Shirk Th
eir Duties and Beth figured she shouldn’t, either.

  She went to where they normally met up to see James with a bunch of other boys and a man she didn’t know. The man wasn’t a teacher at the school, and he looked vaguely familiar, like she’d seen him maybe once before.

  As she neared the group, the man gave her a calculating look. “So, this is Beth?” he asked James.

  “Yes,” James said, sounding a little uncertain.

  “My name is Laurence. I’m James’ cousin’s girlfriend’s brother,” the man said. “I hear you’re liking your dog.”

  “Are you who sold us Missy?” Beth asked.

  “I am!” Laurence beamed. “James seems to think there’s some trouble with her?”

  Beth hadn’t watched the Super Team all her life not to know when to lie. “Oh, no. I was playing around and James took it seriously. Missy’s the best.”

  “Ah.” Laurence looked just a little disappointed and a whole lot suspicious. “Well, that’s good then.”

  “We need to get home,” Beth said to James. “You know our parents will worry.”

  “Ah, I’m going out with Laurence this afternoon,” James said, a little nervously. “I forgot to tell you this morning.”

  “Uh huh. Okay then, I’ll see you later.” Beth turned to go.

  “Oh, why don’t you come with us?” Laurence asked. “I’m sure you’ll enjoy what we’re going to do as much as the boys will.”

  Beth turned but took a step back, so that she was out of reach of any of them. Ms. Super was quite clear on how a young woman should be prepared for an attack at any time, and Beth didn’t trust Laurence at all. “No thanks,” she said nicely. “My parents don’t like it when I change plans on them. Maybe next time.” She nodded to James and the others, then turned again and walked quickly away.

  They didn’t follow, for which Beth was quite relieved. She got across the street and then looked back at them. They were all watching her. She gave them a little wave, but kept walking quickly, just in case.

  Beth got home without incident. Her parents and Aunt Cil were at work, but her grandparents were home and she told them about what had happened.