Awakening the Red Claws

by C P Sennett

  The grey-haired wolf with patches missing walked forward. As he did he slowly changed back into his human form, muscles contorting in a painful looking way but as he did he was then hunched over the form of Samuel.

  As he changed you could see the angry scars take on a purple marking. They looked old but still somehow sore.

  The now grey-haired man didn’t look up, instead he remained as he was over Sam before he spoke. “He is fine, he isn’t in any danger but he is exhausted and drugged, ketamine I think. He has had a rough night.”

  Then, the grey haired slim man stepped forward, past Sam and slowly changed back to his animal form, the patchy grey wolf. It was amazing to see as it slow yet quick at the same time. It was odd to see it so close, far quicker than I expected it to be and it did look painful to me but it seemed simple enough to him, natural even. It was different to the way many of the texts claim it to be.

  Andrew put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “We can take this man in and question him, if we do though it means we are not done here. It means Leo and my pack may well come back to revisit this. Do you understand Carval?”

  Carval nodded with reverence and handed out a card to Andrew. “You can reach me on this but we are sure you will find everything is in order here. It will all be as I’ve explained, as hard as that is to find.”

  The vampire then turned to me. “We do not wish hostilities to return between any party. The lycans of Kent and the vampires of Essex have no need to be at odds again. Also, I thank the Order for its help in mediation on this. You are always helping us when called upon.”

  Funny, the sincerity wasn’t there when he discussed me and the Order, tosser! Also, his implication that I was under their wing grated.

  “If that is all then, gentlemen, ladies I will take my leave.” said Carval cheerfully.

  “Thank you for your assistance.” said Andrew formally, as I chimed in. “Thanks be to the house Coyne, I’ve still yet to meet your Lord Richard and Lady Vanita. Be sure to pass on my regards and say that I will see them before the festive break and take up their open invite.”

  Carval bowed deeply, a flash of annoyance again showing in his eyes. He also didn’t know I knew the names of his betters. Well, that’s the pot stirred I thought.

  The vampire then spoke again. “By your leave ladies and gentlemen.” said Carval as he stepped back away from us. Again, his eyes flashed to the black hound that still hadn’t moved. Carval, then, stepped back a few more paces before finally committing to turning away from us.

  We watched as the vampire walked slowly out of view…

  Then, Andrew spoke to me. “Do you believe him?”

  “You know the answer to that already, why ask?”

  Andrew chuckled. “Good point. So, we need to see what the deal is with your young Samuel here. Before we do are you a hundred percent sure he isn’t responsible?”

  “Yes.” I said with a sigh as I moved to the stricken man on the floor.

  His jaw was at a bad angle, I could see now as he had rolled into a different position. A clearly unnatural shape visible to it. Also, his right arm hung twisted at his side, a break not easy to see given the leather jacket he wore. “Poor sod.”

  “I need to report this back to Leo. Raff, can you take this back and share it only with Leo and Deeks. Actually, forget it. I’ll need to go as well, we may well all need to.”

  The wolves all looked up at him again apart from the black watcher. It just kept watching from where Carval had gone.

  “What do you want me to do?” I asked Andrew.

  “What can you do, can you care for this man and see exactly what has happened to him?”

  “In some manner I can but perhaps he needs a hospital more than me. I can’t cure much of these injuries at all. I can possibly remove the poison in him and reduce the pain a bit but that’s really it. He needs someone with medical training more than me in case bones need to be set.”

  “Tom here can treat him. Do you have a spare change of clothes in your truck?”

  I nodded. “I can’t guarantee the fit but I’ll have something for him.”

  Andrew asked, “Do you have a safehouse here?”

  “No, not in Essex.” I replied. “Do you?”

  He paused and smiled. “No.” he said slowly, recognising my wordplay with a nod. “We’ll find one.” “Nadia, can you go look for somewhere close and then take Tom to it to treat this man. We need to keep him alive as he could be an innocent. Also, he may prove that there is treachery in this. Guard him and expect trouble.” and with that, Nadia in her animal form was off into the night.

  “I could speak to Malcolm to see if he has found anything out?”

  “A good idea, how long till you find out?”

  This was an odd thing, perhaps they thought us in some telepathic link or something. Often people think you can do anything at a moment’s thought when you know magic. “I’ll ring him now.” I said taking my mobile phone out and dialling him.

  Chapter 4

  The call to Malcolm didn’t produce anything. Malcolm was trying to find out what he could but most of the people in his Kent circles didn’t know anything had happened.

  In the park, I had done what I needed to do. The meeting ended, and Samuel had now been taken away. The massive lycan form carried him with ease and the location Nadia found was close, just two streets away at a new bungalow still in development. I now had a contact number for Andrew, the lycan noble and the number for the vampire Carval which Andrew had given to me.

  So, this left three choices. I could wait with Samuel, go home and wait till I was contacted or shake the tree and see what fell out. As usual, I liked to give things a shake.

  I left Nadia, Samuel and whoever else was with them and I went to Samuel’s shop. There was nothing there and it was easy to get in, no wards, no glyphs or anything. Just a CCTV camera which only covered the main entrance, but I was after Sam’s flat upstairs. I climbed up on a bin and got onto the shop roof which was bigger than the flat above it. I then carefully moved into the flat with a bit of magic on the locks, something I had been working on for a few weeks now, doing this with precision and guile. Easy enough on this lock but inside, that wasn’t as I suspected.

  Now, I didn’t get far in but either Samuel was an epic slob who lived in a crime scene or someone had turned his place over. That or a fight had broken out as it looked like something went down and my money was on someone searching for something.

  I moved in with my gloved hands and once inside the kitchen window and deeper into the flat it was obvious that it wasn’t the scene of an altercation. It was the scene of a search and a hurried one by the looks of it. The question is, for what!

  I moved through the flat and reached out with my senses, there was a magical draw in the front room, it came from a few books strewn on the floor. That alone was interesting as whoever was here wasn’t looking for enchanted trinkets but something specific.

  Books were off shelves, sofas and chairs pulled away from the walls. The TV was moved due to the dust ring on the tacky black glass stand. Every door on a cupboard and any cabinet in the front room was open.

  Then I moved into the bedroom of the small apartment. The bed sheets were torn off. The mattress was on the floor as well. So, whoever was looking for something here most likely wasn’t magically attuned to find what they wanted. Interesting, that left me a few more likely options - human, vampire or lycan.

  There were pictures out of frames, pictures of Samuel and a dark haired looking gothic girl. They actually made a nice couple if they were one. You know, they fitted.

  There was a set of posters on the wall and even some signed movie stills for a film I didn’t know.

  The bedroom though had been done over in a rush. Stuff thrown everywhere, I looked at what was around, but it wasn’t clear what was about.

  Then, downstairs I heard a loud bang and I froze.

  I heard it again. I had been fairly quiet getting in here but
not overly quiet. The noise coming from downstairs was loud though, not a door slamming but something else - like something falling.

  I looked around the flat, seeing if there was an integral way down. There had to be and there weren’t many doors to choose from, it was a one bedroom flat.

  The first one was a bathroom, the second a storage cupboard and then another led to a small squared area, like a hallway but it was too small to call it that. At end of this was a door, an external door by the looks of it as I approached it. I checked through the spyhole in the door but there was nobody there. However, there was a security chain which wasn’t set and a latch bolt for the lock. I turned it slowly and quietly opened the door.

  Ahead of me was a short corridor, no more than ten feet and then a turning. I grabbed what I presumed was one of Samuel’s slippers and put it at the door to stop it closing behind me. Then, I moved forward towards the turning and followed it around and silently down some stairs.

  I was about half way down the stairs when I stopped and listened. I could hear movement through an open doorway at the foot of the stairs. This doorway presumably went into the shop and ahead of that was an external door. A door which I guessed led out onto the street.

  The noises seemed to be coming from inside the shop.

  I needed to be in control of this situation. I know a good bit of all the elemental forms of magic. Often, one of the first useful spells you learn is something simple and usually around water. It’s an easier curve but the few of my kind I’ve mixed with most of them, unlike me, started on air incantations.

  Although this wasn’t the first one I learned or even the first element I tried it was a spell which you could never overlook. The Descension spell is so simple and so useful. I cleared my mind, I pictured the air becoming denser, thicker around me and that it was clinging to me. That it wasn’t letting me pass through it easily. Then I took in a deep breath and when I exhaled I gave word to the spell “Covalis” I spoke and then I could see the air before me, thicker than normal. It expanded as if to grasp me as I gently leaped forward and the air held me. It made me light and let me gently float down to the floor. With the expert control of this I managed to land silently just behind the opened door to the shop.

  As my shoes touched down on the cheap, charcoal coloured carpet I made no sound.

  I breathed again ending the spell and I listened again. Once more as I drew my staff from its wrist sleeve. There was another noise inside, movement and hushed talking.

  It sounded like two men talking about how to get into a. I considered things for a second as I listened, but this was petty burglary. Surely not, also they seemed to have been here for a while. One’s breath sounded laboured possibly from heavy activity.

  I chanced a look around the doorway, just to be sure of what awaited me. I was in luck, in the darkened room I could just about see one of them. An average height male by the looks of him wearing dark clothes, ideally dressed for sneaking in somewhere.

  As I moved further around I could see the second man although only for a moment as I was worried he would also see me. He was tall and like the first, dressed in a dark, skin tight looking top. Both of them had items in their hands and now I could hear them speaking as their voices raised just a little.

  “Look let’s leave it and come back with someone who can get into it.” said one of the two with what sounded clearly like laboured breaths.

  “No” snapped the second man. “Keep hitting it near the lock, it’s going.”

  “Going. It’s knackering the lock plate up but the mechanism inside isn’t doing anything. These things are designed to take this kind of abuse. They are meant to keep people like us out. One of the others will be able to get into it though.”

  “No! Keep going and I’ll take over soon. If we don’t get in shortly one of us will go for help.”

  “We can both go, the guy who owns the place was lifted, he ain’t coming back.”

  Then, came the same thud I heard from upstairs. It rang out again and again.

  I decided not to wait till one of them left for help. I wanted to interrupt them as chances are, one of these knew some of the pieces I was looking for to solve this puzzle.

  I wouldn’t or shouldn’t need magic as I suspected them both as humans like me, but I didn’t want to take a chance.

  When dealing with humans it’s easier to take it easier. Our bodies can be weak in the right places so if you want to avoid questions and keep the Veil low. Take it easy!

  I needed some water, more than my spit so I looked through the darkened room but I couldn’t see anything well in the low light. I didn’t want to chance going back up into the flat either so it was time to improvise again as I needed some water for some mist. I undid my flies and pee’d on my hand, I know, gross.

  It was just a little you know but in hard times you just have to make do. Going the extra mile had saved me more than once I can tell you.

  When speaking the incantation, on the activation of the word the spell was sealed. “Sirissst.” I spoke, and the fog began to rise around me and also quickly out in the room. It came on as thick and fast as I could make it. I could hear the men in the room see it. After a few seconds it had built up around them and they began to panic.

  I like this incantation, it works best when you’ve not got anyone around you. It doesn’t affect me much as the originator of the spell which is good. However, that is only when you are advanced with wielding this type of magic. This said, make it too thick and you can mess up.

  As this mist quickly thickened, panic hit the men. They were not sure what was happening, and it was then I got a good clue as to what was going on. One of them said something among the panic over “Electrical fire?” and “Should we run?” etc. One said something very interesting indeed.

  “Carval, is it Carval, can he do this? C..C...Carval, is it you?” one stammered.

  Boom, got them!

  I silently extended my staff to about half length, a solid three feet of cane as I went in. I was happy enough to hit these guys but I didn’t want to hurt my fingers, you see, I needed them for my magic. A staff is far friendlier and kinder to my hands.

  I walked into the room able to easily see through the mist I had summoned. To me it was just a thin will-o’-the-wisp like mist but to them it was thick and disorientating.

  I could now see the layout of the shop and I had actually been here before, just not upstairs so I had some idea of the layout.

  As I rushed in I reached the first man who was looking away from me. As I approached him I took a large swing, baseball bat style with my short staff. It struck him across the side of the neck and dropped him instantly. The second person in the room was looking around, able to hear something but he couldn’t see.

  “B.” was all he said, calling out to his colleague. I guessed it was a nickname as I struck him in the stomach with a stiff thrust from the staff. The man let out a rush of pain and fell to the ground on all fours. As he did, I then stood over him, putting the cane under his neck and I squeezed.

  As I did the man tensed up. He struggled a lot but I kept on pulling. The leverage of my body stronger than just his arm strength. He struggled to both sides but was unable to escape. As I held my position his strength then began to fade. His torso grew rigid as he struggled. Then, he went limp.

  I kept the pressure on his neck for a second or two longer as I wanted to be sure he was out.

  Then, when I was sure he wasn’t about to spring up and go for me I turned my attention to his still, slightly conscious, friend.

  “Hello cutie.” I said standing over the short but stocky man.

  The man groaned, lying prone and disorientated.

  “Your friend over there, he says you will tell me what I want to know.” I said with menace, stepping on his ankle and applying my weight. The man groaned in more discomfort than pain but it seemed to sharpen him up a bit.

  “Why are you here?” I asked.

  “Here, what…�
�� he said, as his brain was starting to right itself.

  Then I just about noticed recognition in his eyes as he said, “Piss off.” in a strong Essex accent. “I ain’t telling you anything.”

  The tip of my cane shot out and hit him in the groin.

  The man cried out and rolled over onto his front, both hands cupping his groin.

  “Listen, one of you gets out of here alive, just one. I know Carval sent you and I know the owner Samuel isn’t here. So, what did he send you for?”

  “Nothing.” coughed the man. “Nothing.”

  “I am looking for Carval and I’m going to kill him when I find him. He is running scared from me so you had better pay attention. Your late-night shopping is over. You morons are standing here with a hammer, a hand axe and some other low-grade tools trying to get into a safe. Come on, think hard, think before I shoot you and talk to your mate B.”

  The man on his front panicked as I bent down and pressed my index and middle finger to the back of his head like a pistol. Then, with my mind clear I mimicked the sound of a pistol chambering a round. The sound of a pistols slide clicking in is a sound most of us know. It’s a cruel but effective trick. So simple I think that Tabitha could most likely do it with not much more than a week or two’s training at most. The thought of her reminded me I needed to check in with the girls as well when I got the chance.

  “Ok, ok.” said the man on the floor awash with fear. I think that adding that I was looking for Carval was enough to let him know I was serious. “Just don’t fucking shoot alright! I’ll tell ya, I’ll fucking tell ya.”

  Time to crank it up a bit now. “3…2…1.” As I reached one, the man then blurted out what I wanted to hear.

  “Carval, you see, he wants a book from here. A book the owner won’t sell him. Now he’s not here he wants us to come get it. He’s off, the owner like, he’s off doing something else.”