Animal Behavior and Other Tales of Lycanthropy (8 page)

The winged creature bellowed in pain and remained hovering above. Adam landed on his feet, dropped the legs, and jumped straight into the air. He drove his claws into the chest muscles of the demon and pulled it to the ground. Once it was dismembered, he barked at Patrick. The boy’s shaky form turned in his direction. He signaled for the boy to follow with a nod of the head. He stood and obeyed.

Using the boy’s own scent, which was rubbed into the rock floor when the demon dragged him, he escorted Patrick back to the portal. He hung back and waved the boy on. Once he passed through, Adam took a look back.

If they didn’t kill him there could be others that need saving.

He passed through the portal, believing the boy’s safety was more important than going back for potential survivors. He found Patrick waiting for him just outside the crypt.

I’m surprised he stuck around. Kid’s got guts.

“I want to know what’s going on, and I want to know now.”

Like I thought: guts.

The transformation reversed and Patrick immediately let loose his questions.

“What was that place? Are you a werewolf? Is the world ending? How is all this possible?”

“Easy, kid. I’ll answer your questions one at a time and to the best of my ability, but I don’t think this is a safe place to do so.”

“No place is safe. That thing snatched me from my bedroom. It came right in through my window.”

“Fine, you have a point. That demon took you to Hell because you have a pure soul.”

“Well that goes against every belief.”

“I know. Let me explain.”

Adam told the boy everything Joel had shared with him and his own role in the events.

“I want to help.”

The boy’s words shocked him. That was not the response Adam was expecting. He was bracing himself for the mockery, the finger pointing, and the shame.

“You have your whole life ahead of you. You can be anything you want.”

“Good. ’Cause I want to be a guardian. There is no way I will sit around and watch this crap happen to my friends and family. This is the most important thing I could do.”

He is pure and headstrong. My instincts tell me I can trust him, but am I condemning him to failure?

“I see the doubt in your eyes,” Patrick said. “You don’t think I’m strong enough, do you? Well, I broke free from that thing’s grasp all on my own, and I was running back to the portal well before you showed up.”

“True. But you’re going to need more than physical strength to combat this evil. They will try to recruit you. Corrupt you.”

“I understand, and I won’t let them. I have too many loved ones here.”

“And are you prepared to watch those loved ones grow old and die while you stay young and hidden in the shadows?”

Patrick lowered his head as he gave careful consideration to the notion.

“Better that than to live with the guilt of them being condemned for all eternity and knowing I could have done something,” he finally said.

Couldn’t have said it better myself.
“Prepare yourself.”

Adam transformed into the wolf and towered over the boy.

“I’m not afraid,” Patrick said as the wolf’s maw lowered toward him and clamped its teeth onto his shoulder.

He winced and turned his head the other way as the teeth penetrated skin and into the muscle. The wolf released the bite. Its long tongue reached the left edge of its jaw and circled the jaw line.

The blood . . .

It continued to clean the blood from its fur.

It likes it too much . . .

A low, guttural growl caught both Adam and Patrick by surprise.

No. You mustn’t . . .

Patrick stepped back and the wolf stepped forward.

“This isn’t funny,” Patrick said.

I agree. Why does it feel like we are of two minds on this?

The wolf’s lip trembled as it growled again. It stared at Patrick intently and Adam could sense its murderous thoughts.

Adam concentrated on reversing the transformation. He thought of happy times with his beloved wife and daughter; the nights he and Betty read Julia to sleep; bath time in the kitchen sink when she was so small and still had those baby-blue eyes. In that kindergarten play, Julia was the best tree in the forest.

It’s working
. The beast’s blood lust subsided and the transformation reversed.

“Sorry about that,” Adam said, standing there in the buff.

“What happened?”

“Guess I’m going to have to be more careful. The taste of blood almost put the beast in a frenzied state.”

“Oh,” Patrick said with a look of doubt.

“Don’t worry. You shouldn’t have the need to bestow someone else with this gift. I’m new to this myself. Joel showed no sign of losing control so it’s safe to assume better control comes with experience.”

“I hope you’re right. There’s no going back now.”

“No . . . there isn’t.”

“What now?”

“Have there been any other missing persons reports lately that you know of?”

“No.”

“Then I suggest we stay together and not chance going back in for more survivors. Do you have any idea where it was taking you?”

“None. It didn’t say a thing.”

“They are of few words, that’s for sure. Once you’ve undergone the change, I’ll move on to Texas and either take my post there or find someone worthy like you.”

“You can’t stay there without going to New Mexico. That portal cannot remain unguarded.”

“I know. I agree. Maybe you should go back to town. People there are worried. This way, no one comes out into these woods looking for you.”

“Good idea. You’ll be okay by yourself?”

“Yeah.”

“What about—”

Both Patrick and Adam looked downward at his nakedness and smiled.

“I should be able to find my clothes while you’re gone. Then I’ll come right back here.”

“You don’t think they’ll try to break through while you’re gone?”

“Not during the day . . . no.”

“All right then, I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Good luck,” Adam said. As Patrick ran toward home, Adam could already sense the change in the boy. He was running faster than any mortal man.
It was the right decision
, he thought.

Adam set out to find his clothes and to finally have the meal he was so looking forward to.

* * * *

“How did you make out?” Adam asked as Patrick appeared from the woods, pushing a tree branch aside. He carried a lantern and a backpack.

“I had to sneak away from my parents. They didn’t want to let me out of their sight. I brought food and a change of clothes.”

Smart kid
. “Your parents’ reaction is understandable. What did you tell them?”

“Half-truth. That some stranger took me from my room and dragged me into the woods.”

“What about the cops? You didn’t—”

“Relax. I know what you’re thinking and they’re not going to search these woods. I pointed them in the completely opposite direction. And I mentioned he was planning on moving on. They put all their men on searching the area.”

“And why, exactly, did he take you?”

“I said he was a pedophile and that I escaped before he could touch me. Brilliant, right?”

“Not exactly. They’ll never stop searching for a predator like that. Especially in this backwoods town.”

Patrick’s eyes grew wide. “Hey!”

“No offense.”

“It’s all right. Maybe you’re right, though.”

“I think you laid it on a little thick, but it’s too late to worry about that now. How are you feeling?”

“Strong. I’ve never been the physical type. It’s quite amazing really.”

“Don’t let it go to your head.”

“No worries there. When will you be heading out?”

Adam put a hand on Patrick’s shoulder. “I’m not leaving until you’re confident enough.”

“I feel pretty good. I’m torn, though.”

“On what?”

“What if there are more people in that portal? You saved me, we can save them.”

“I know how you feel . . . but we can’t risk it. There’s a good chance we can’t save any of them. We have to accept that it’s too late for them and we need to do everything we can to stop it from happening again.”

Patrick hung his head.

“Promise me you won’t go back when I leave.”

The young man looked him in the eye. “I promise.”

“Good. Now, no more talk of this. Let’s talk about something else.”

As the night progressed, Adam and Patrick’s conversation ran the gamut from girls to sports and the powers of the wolf. Outside of the riveting campfire conversation the night was uneventful. The demons stayed in their prison and Patrick’s transformation had yet to happen. The two managed to get a couple hours of sleep before daybreak and Adam awoke to the smell of bacon cooking on a griddle.

“Mornin’.”

“What’s this?” Adam asked as he sat up.

“Breakfast.”

“Aren’t you a regular Betty Crocker.”

“I can toss yours aside if you want.”

“No . . . no . . . I’m sorry,” Adam said with a smile, realizing Patrick was teasing.

“The water’s ready for coffee. Hope instant is all right.”

Adam stood and stepped toward the kettle dangling over the campfire. “Better than nothing, right?”

“Absolutely.”

“How do take yours?”

“One cream, two sugars.”

The mugs were already placed out along with some small containers of liquid creamer and sugar packs.
Impressive
, Adam thought.
Kid’s thought of everything
. “Where did you get this stuff? Did you steal it?”

“You can’t steal what’s free.”

“True. Here you go.” Adam offered the cup of coffee to Patrick and as he reached for it, Patrick’s hand trembled. The hand smacked against the cup and knocked it out of Adam’s grasp.

Realizing what was happening, Adam put down his mug and drove Patrick’s seizing body to the ground, pinning him under his weight. There was no way to know if this was a simple seizure before the final transformation or if this was the real deal. All Adam could do was wait it out.

He suddenly felt hair tickle his palm.
This is it.

Adam pulled his head away from Patrick’s elongating maw. Being this close to the large canine teeth growing from his gums unnerved him, but he kept the pressure on the expanding arms.

The power is incredible
.

When the transformation completed, a low growl emanated in Patrick’s throat. Adam put all his strength into leaping off the beast. He thought about transforming himself as Patrick stood. The beast looked at him, then to his own clawed hands.

“Patrick?”

The beast looked at him, the wildness in its eyes replaced by ration and understanding.

“It’s done, Patrick. Now try to reverse it. Think of happy things. Calm yourself.”

The werewolf lowered its arms to its side and stood there, eyes closed. Before Adam could blink, the beast’s hair fell to the ground, its muzzle receded and Patrick stood naked before him. The boy’s hands shot downward to cover his unmentionables and a pinkish hue radiated in his cheeks.

Adam smiled and said, “Welcome to my world.”

* * * *

Adam stuck around Jefferson County for the next two days. He had to make sure Patrick would be all right on his own and with no demon activity, he assumed Hell’s prisoners caught on to the fact this was once again a stationed portal. The two exchanged cell phone numbers, said their goodbyes, and parted ways. Though he was racked with guilt for abandoning him, there was no other way. Their existence was one of solitary now.

As he planted himself in the driver’s seat of his van he thought of his wife. He pulled the visor down and stared at the picture clipped behind it. There, cheek to cheek, his two leading ladies smiled back at him.

My beautiful angels. Man, I miss you both.

His daughter had her mother’s dimples and looked so cute in her pigtails and that one missing front tooth. He dragged his index finger over her face.
You would have been a heartbreaker. I can’t help but wonder what you would have grown up to be? I know you wanted to be a princess, and I’d like to think you are one in Heaven’s Kingdom. Are you watching over my little girl, Lord?

A tear ran down his face. He let it fall away and inserted the key in the ignition. The engine roared to life. He changed gears, then headed toward the interstate. His thoughts lingered on his wife and what the doctor had said to him.

Could it work
? he thought.
Could I essentially scare her back into her right mind? Now that I know You exist, maybe You can make us whole again, Lord. That’s not how it works though, is it?

A whoosh of air escaped as he sighed heavily through his nose. The idea of revealing to Betty he had become what he had spent so much time and energy fighting frightened him. Fear of losing her over it tormented him. He didn’t think his heart could handle the rejection, not from the one person in this world he deemed worthy of loving.

Still . . . even if she ends up hating me, it would be what’s best for her. I think I’d rather have her hating me than wasting away in that facility.

He stopped at a red light and looked to the highway sign. An arrow pointed left for west and another pointed upward for the north interchange.

Texas or New Jersey? Left or straight?

The light changed to green and Adam drove straight ahead.
I have to try
, he thought.
It’ll be a constant distraction otherwise.

With the endurance of the wolf, he drove the twelve-hour trek with ease, and made only three stops. One was to shave and get a haircut; he didn’t want Betty to see he had let himself go. When he arrived at Forest Hills there was only a half hour left for visiting time. He thought about waiting until morning, but then decided he’d have an easier go of it with the smaller night crew.

He parked the van and headed toward the lobby. The receptionist had her nose buried in a romance novel; the finely chiseled man on its cover gave him a brief sensation of inadequacy. The feeling passed and he cleared his throat to get her attention.

“May I help you?” she asked, not bothering to lift her gaze from the pages.

“I’d like to see my wife, Betty Corne.”

“Visiting hours are almost up. Couldn’t you have come earlier?”

“Perhaps,” he said coldly, “but I’m here now.”

The young woman flipped the book upside down and placed it on her desk. “Let me see if she’s up for visitors.”

“She’s catatonic. I don’t think she’ll mind.” He placed his palms on the desk, widened his eyes, pursed his lips, and tilted his head slightly to the right. “I just want to say goodnight and let her know I’ll be back in the morning. Can I do that?”

The woman looked deep into his eyes, released a nasal sigh, and said, “All right. Go on up.”

Gotta love the look. It never fails
. “Thank you.”

The elevator doors opened as soon as he pressed the up arrow. He stepped in and pressed the third floor button. As the doors closed he stared through the large windows in the lobby and caught the rustle of the nearby bushes.

Could be anything at this time of nig
ht, he reasoned and gave it no further thought. When the elevator stopped and its doors opened, a nurse greeted him.

“Nice of you to visit, even given the time. I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you.”

“Any change?”

“No. Go on in. I’ll turn her bed down last to give you a few extra minutes.”

“Thank you,” he said, then walked down the hall. Betty’s room was the fifth off the elevator.

When he entered the room, she was sitting in her wheelchair, staring out the window. There was no awareness of his presence and he felt his heart tighten as if a clawed hand had reached into his chest and squeezed.
Oh, Betty
.

He peeked out the door toward the nurses’ station, then back the way he came and saw no one. He closed the door and slid the chair in front of it. The risk was too great to transform without a lock on the door.

“Honey, it’s me,” he whispered as he approached her. His hand shot toward his mouth to stifle a gasp as he caught sight of the drool threatening to run from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes were wide, but vacant.

Please let this work
, he thought as he undressed. “Don’t be afraid, Betty. I would never hurt you. The doctor thinks that if the shock that put you in this state could be recreated, you might snap out of it. I do this because I love you with every fiber of my being.”

With his clothes piled on the floor he initiated the change. He concentrated on the image of his daughter in pieces in the woods; the one thing he had never wanted to see again was the one thing that brought on the necessary rage. As his body twisted, contorted, and reformed, his eyes were locked on his wife. Her body still refused to move, not a single flinch and there was no visible signs of comprehension until a single tear streamed down the left side of her face.

Betty? I’m sorry.

Glass shattered and a large figure tackled Adam to the ground. He was hoisted into the air and thrown against the nearby wall. Bones cracked on impact, his leg folded underneath him and twisted backward. He looked to see the freight-line truck that had taken him down with ease.

YOU!

Standing before Betty was the beast that put Adam’s life on this downward spiral. There was no mistaking that black fur and ring of gray around its neck. It pounced on him, its claws slicing wildly and tearing into his flesh. He struck outward with a few of his own blows, but they were swatted away with ease. Pain surged through his body as muscle and flesh parted to the razor sharp claws of the beast.

Just as Adam felt unconsciousness beckoning him, the barrage stopped and the beast backed away. In the blink of an eye, the beast was a strapping, finely-chiseled man with dark features.

“You were doing so well. Why’d you have to switch sides? The master had high hopes for you. You were successful where so many of his children were not. But all good things must come to an end, and my master wants you out of the way.”

Adam wasn’t about to transform and enter idle chit-chat with this monster. He needed to heal so he could slay him. Already he could feel his flesh mending itself.
Just a little longer and it’s round two.

“Suppose you’re wondering why you? Well, sorry to say, it’s as simple as wrong place, wrong time. If you gave into temptation you’d discover children are the sweetest meat. And I must say . . . your daughter tasted oh so sweet. So innocent.”

Shut up!

“Are you going to lay there beaten and broken, or are you going to stop me?” Merik transformed again, not a sign of pain on his face as he changed. He turned toward Betty and raised his clawed hand into the air.

NO!

Adam leaped toward his rival and grabbed a hold of the beast’s forearm before it could drag its razor sharp claws through the flesh of Betty’s face. The rogue werewolf’s free hand arced upward and Adam pulled his head back; the clawed hand harmlessly passed by his face. There was a knock at the door, followed by a jiggle of the handle.

“What’s going on in there? Mr. Corne, open the door.”

Adam turned away from his enemy for only a second to make sure the chair held steadfast against the door. A sharp, piercing pain radiated at the base of his neck and he howled as a chunk of his flesh was ripped away. He turned back in time to see the creature chew and swallow the missing part of his hide.