Night Howls (16 page)

It looks like the movie crew must have walked over because there is a great spot with my name on it right in front of the building. There are humans spilling out into the street and they are in various states of undress, which has me a little worried. Alcohol doesn't have the same effect on paranorms that it does on humans, so ours tends to be a little bit stronger proof. I wonder if the bartender informed any of the crew about that fact. Judging by what I am seeing, it hasn't been mentioned.

“This does not look like my idea of a good time,” Jonas says from the back seat. No one has made a move to get out, yet. I think we are hoping that if we wait long enough everyone will be sober. They didn’t let me hide out from Phee, so there is no way they are getting out of going in that bar.

“We should probably make sure no one has wandered off alone,” I say and make my way out my door. “Come on, Clyde.” He jumps over the console and into my seat. I don't bother to put his leash on. If he can sober up some of these people by biting at their ankles, I am all for it.

The guys reluctantly get out and meet me in front of the Suburban. I don't know any of the people standing outside the building, so I push my way inside. I haven't been to Bandits before, but the sight inside is probably a little out of the norm for them. It reminds me of what I usually see when I go to Sins. The humans are getting freaky on the tabletops. This is bad.

“Thank God you are here,” a werewolf says coming up beside me. “They have been doing this for the last thirty minutes. There are so many of them that I didn't want to just wolf out and scare them away. I heard about the attacks and didn't want them running to the Collective.”

“I will take care of this,” I tell the man and make my way towards the bar. Will is the only person sitting there and he seems to be watching the chaos take place around him. “You aren't joining in?”

“Nyx, glad to see you are here. Things are getting a little out of control. I don't think most of these people thought about protection,” he stands up and goes to hug me, but quickly changes his mind. “I don't drink or do drugs, which is what is causing the scenes before you.”

I am a little surprised to hear he is a good boy on those accounts, but I need to focus on stopping this. I motion Alex over to me and he helps me climb up on the bar. I take my Colt out and fire it into a table next to where Gene is banging one woman while snacking on another. I am glad I never got into the orgy scene.

The chaos pauses while everyone looks to see who is shooting at them. “Howdy guys. I hate to break your giant lovefest up, but this isn't the kind of business where public exhibition is allowed. We paranorms can get freaky, but we do it in our own homes or places that promote that type of thing.”

“But I am so horny,” someone whines from the back of the room. Gee buddy, I couldn’t tell.

“Then take your little party back to your trailer. I want to hear zips moving to the up position and I want to hear them now. I have enough bullets in my guns to shoot at least a third of you and then I have five knives that will go through your skin like butter, so make it quick.”

Everyone starts disengaging from what they were doing and I see a lot of crotch rubbing as people start heading towards the door. I think there is a little something more going on here than just an orgy to celebrate a good day of filming.

“What are they taking?” I ask Will since he is the only one that I think I can get an answer out of without being groped.

“Beats me. Like I said, I am not into that sort of thing. Some guy was in here passing out these little orange pills and people started popping them like candy.”

“Crap.” This is not good. “Everyone out of the building now,” I yell and start pushing our group towards the door. Someone was here passing out werewolf aphrodisiacs. I am pretty sure they haven't passed human clinical trials. Someone wanted everyone distracted and I can guess who that person is. You would think the humans would have learned by now not to accept candy from strangers.

We get everyone out of the building. I grab the people actually trying to run the place in all of the commotion and push them outside with no explanation. How their night was going so far, it isn't needed. The buildings next to Bandits don't smell like they are occupied, so I don't worry about running in to save anyone else.

When everyone gets a block away, an explosion rocks the ground. Sean isn't playing around anymore. He wants to take the humans out in one fell swoop. Good thing I was around to rescue their stupid asses. Seriously, just taking something a stranger hands you at a party? What a bunch of morons.

“What was that?” I hear many people say as they start to pick themselves up off the ground.  

“That was someone getting tired of taking you out one by one. Everyone needs to buddy up and get back to your trailers. Groups of five or six are preferred. That will even give you a chance to work the aphrodisiac out of your systems. Just try to use rubbers this time.” We cannot let them breed more little humans that may inherit their brains.

“What are we going to do about our building?” the man that first asked for my help questions.

“You are going to wait here and in about five minutes Collective agents are going to storm the streets. Tell them it was The Enlightened and I am going to bring them back the leader's head on a pike.”

“What about me? Is there anything I can do to help? I really don't want to head back with the others right now,” Will says and I can understand where he is coming from.

“Unless you want to be bait, there isn't a lot I can have you do,” I say and contemplate how we are going to get across town. I am pretty sure my Suburban is now toasted. Judging by the interspersed popping I hear, I think the fire has reach my ammunition. I will mourn my girl later. Right now, I really have to focus.

“I am good at being bait. If it will help, take me with you.” It is an interesting idea, one that will most likely get him killed, but it might be a good way to draw Sean out.

“We will change to wolves and meet you there. You can fly him to the location. Clyde is fast enough to run with us, just meet us five blocks to the west of the mansion,” Alex says. Apparently he doesn’t mind using the human as temptation.

“Wait, fly me?” Will asks and before he can even ponder anything more I unfurl my wings, wrap my arms around his midsection, and take to the sky. My wings are strong enough to carry both of us, but it takes just a second to get the weight situated.

“Surprise,” I say loving the feel of the wind in my face. With this mode of transportation it will only take me a couple of minutes to get to the rendezvous spot.

“What are you?” Will asks clearly in awe.

“You still don't get to know. I have to tell you that this probably won't end well for you. Being in between me and a psychotic werewolf seldom ever does.”

“Believe me after today, I would die a happy man. You know you really nailed your scenes earlier. I know you are taken and all, but I wish you weren't. There is something really special about you, Nyx Slaughter.”

“That's what I keep hearing. Here, this is our landing spot. The guys should be here in another couple of minutes. They travel fast as wolves, but not as quickly as I do with wings.”

“Your wings are so pretty. I know it is dark, but they shimmer. What color are they?”

“They are gold and I am putting them away now,” I say as I wrap them up.

“So, you are a princess to the werewolves and you have gold wings. Do you have a little bird in your blood somewhere?” he asks joking, probably trying to take some of the stress out of the situation.

“Not that I am aware of. I am a very special case.” I hear the guys’ paws getting closer and I turn to look at them. My pack of misfits is growing. It looks like Sam and Phee came along. I had forgotten they were even around. A bunch of humans having sex all over the place has that effect on you. I won’t even mention the giant explosion.

“I tried to stop them,” Alex says shifting. “You know how Phee is, though.”

“I couldn't let my big sis face the evil werewolf alone,” she says coming closer in her humanoid form.

“Sean has an army of at least one hundred werewolves that will do anything he tells them to. This isn't exactly the situation I wanted you to cut your teeth on,” I say knowing it doesn't make a lick of difference to the irrational teen.

“We got this one, so what's the plan?”

“Will is going to be the bait. I don't think Sean will be able to resist coming out to take care of a human walking on his property personally. The key will be for him to not get taken inside. If that happens we are screwed.” I turn to Will to give him instructions. “I want you to stand in the street and yell about how you know he is the one that has been killing your friends and you are going to turn him in. Just silly nonsense like that. We need him outside.”

“I can do that. You said his name was Sean, right?”

“Yes, but dickhead or asswipe will also do. The bad part is we will have to be far enough away that he doesn't sense us at first. He is a werewolf, so I doubt his sense of smell is all that good, but he can hear. We have to be able to take him by surprise.”

“Got it. Can I have something to try to protect myself? I know it won't do much good, but I would like to have something.”

“Here, take my Beretta. It has silver bullets and just one of them will kill him. He will probably sense you have it, but you having silver shouldn't surprise him. We will be about a block away and be able to hear your conversation. When I know it is him, I will be by your side in a second.”

“I trust you. Let's go get him,” Will says amping himself up for the mission. If I thought just me showing up would draw Sean out, I wouldn't risk Will like this. I give him directions on where to go and we move in.

Chapter 21

A space alien has taken over my body

“Don't worry. We will all get through this just fine,”
Alex says from beside me.

“You know I cannot help it. Not only do we have a human helping us out on this one, but little Phee is out there somewhere. If she keeps herself from gabbing while she is supposed to be listening, it will be a miracle.”

“Luckily, she can talk to Sam like we are now and not give away her location.”
I still haven't confirmed that fact, but I am pretty sure it is true. They have a proper werewolf bond and if me and Alex can do it, those two should be able to.

“Hey asshole,” I hear Will start yelling. The games are already beginning and I am not sure I am ready. Something has me on edge. “Sean, I hear you are the one out killing humans. Just thought I would let you know I am going to the Collective to turn you in. I saw one of your flunkies passing out pills tonight at Bandits.” Things remain silent for a second, so he starts back up. “Hey, can you hear me? I think it is only right to give you fair warning.”

I hear a door softly open followed by someone running. “You know, little human, she thinks she is so smart, but yet she sends you who smell strongly of her weirdness. Her particular aroma is so unique I bet any paranorm can tell when she has been around. Even a lowly human like yourself could pick it up if you knew what to look for,” Sean's voice echoes through the streets. I immediately kick into motion with my gun drawn.

“I don't know who you are talking about. I heard rumors that you were the one gunning for us, so I came to verify them.”

“Cute. You are the lead actor in the human's little movie aren't you. I have done my research and you would have probably been last on my list to die. I have seen the way you look at her. I have been watching her for a while and it is the look I see on every male face that comes in contact with her. She is really something amazing isn't she?”

“You keep using pronouns and I have no idea who you are talking about,” Will says still buying time. I am about a hundred yards away when I see Sean grab him around the neck. Will has no chance of fighting back.

“Oh, I think you know exactly who I speak of. Nyx, it is nice to see you again so soon. I thought you gave me a full twenty-four hours,” Sean says as he squeezes his forearm across Will's throat. “It has been maybe two. I hope this means you have changed your mind about signing up with my team.”

“Let him go, Sean. This is between you and me.”

“You and me and the six other werewolves and the Hellhound you brought with you. I don't think this is between just the two of us at all.” He is right, but he needs to man up and lose the human.

“Let him go,” I reassert. He is using Will as a shield and I cannot get a good shot. I see Sam and Phee across the way and I shake my head no, so they don't take the shot either. There is too great of a chance it will go straight through him and hit Will.

“Why would I do that? I have everyone right where they should be. I just wish you hadn't given all of your wolves stinking protection against my crystal. It would have been so much more fun to turn you guys against each other.”

“No matter what happens, you get that crystal away from him,”
I tell Alex as I start to weigh my options. This is why I hate bringing anyone in on my missions. When it is just me, I don't have to worry about casualties.

“You can count on it. What's our move?”

“Follow my lead, I guess,”
I say and prepare myself for the very likely fact that someone isn't going to make it out of this. “Would you be up for a prisoner exchange?”

“Really? You are going to give yourself up for a human? You hear that boy; you actually made an impression on the great Nyx Slaughter. She is willing to die for you. That is kind of cute.”

“Enough talk, are you going to do it?” I don't need him making Will think he needs to protect me. I am a Hell of a lot more durable than him and I hope he realizes that.

“Remove your weapons first and then, yes, we can make an exchange. In fact, I think a lot of weapons should meet the pavement. Alex is the only one of you that I don't believe is carrying.” I never have figured out why my wolf beau doesn't tend to carry any weapons. He is the only one of us that has for sure been on the Collective's hit list and it doesn't even faze him.