The Werewolf Whisperer (The Werewolf Whisperer Series Book 1) (26 page)

Claws and teeth will slice them. Bring
them to their knees.

The
bizarre words whispered through the recesses of Lucy's mind. Her hands
trembled, and she clasped them together.

Kai
came alongside her and lightly bumped her shoulder with his. He pointed to the
other three men, all neatly hogtied beside their truck. The loud music was
finally off, and Lucy could hear the rain coming down hard.

"Noh
warry, láng jiějie." He grinned at her with a smile so brilliant it
traveled all the way to his sparkling golden wolf eyes.

"Yeah.
No worries, little buddy," Lucy said, took Kai's arm and started walking
to El Gallo.

"You're
garbage." She could hear Xochitl mutter, as she hogtied the last Vigi Boy.
"Hide, boy. Run away and hide. Our Hound has your scent, and my friend was
not kidding. If you assholes do anything else, hurt a hair on a Hound's head, I
mean anything, we will find you and end you. You...are...done!"

Moments
later, El Gallo roared to life in the quiet of the night. Xochitl drove past
the aftermath of the fight at a crawl, taking quick shots with her cell phone
camera.

"For
the scrap book?" Lucy asked and reached for the radio.

"Just
insurance. I took pictures of each of their ugly mugs, and their license plate.
In case this comes back to us in any way, we know who to ground and pound."
She tucked the phone into her pocket and engaged the windshield wipers.

They
pulled onto the Vincent Thomas Bridge, heading toward the freeway. The pretty
blue LED lights caught the cloudburst, making the raindrops look like silver rills
coming down the windshield.

Lucy
tuned the AM dial to the classic country station. The unmistakable voice of
Johnny Cash filled the car. Kai, who had curled up in the back, stuck his head
over the seat.

"Hmmm?"
He looked at Lucy with raised eyebrows.

"Now
that's music, buddy. That's real music." Lucy ruffled his hair. "Go
back to sleep. We have a long drive."

"About
that?" Xochitl gave Lucy a sidelong glance. "Where are we going?"

"Empyrean,"
Lucy said firmly. "We're going home."

Chapter 18

To:
[email protected]

From:
[email protected]

Subject:
Your offer

Omega—

I'm
in...and I have information for you.

— Oracle

21 months ago

Xochitl stood in
the middle of Memo's chop shop, staring at the gold rooster key chain in her
hand. Eight weeks had passed since her near death experience at El Gallo's
warehouse, and the cops still hadn't found this garage.

Got
to hand it to him, the man knows how to cover his tracks
.

The
past several weeks were a blur to Xochi. She had woken up in the hospital
having suffered a ruptured spleen, three cracked ribs and contusions to her
eye, face and legs.

All
compliments of Memo and that cabrón, Tuti.

But
the worse wounds she'd received were the bites to her right shoulder and
forearm, both of which still experienced shooting pains regularly. The doctor
had told her the nerves were regenerating, that the healing process could take
up to a year, sometimes more. Xochitl knew it would take much longer to get
over the night her baby brother almost took her life.

"Miguel,
where are you?" Xochitl sighed.

She'd
spent two agonizing weeks in the hospital. The cops who had taken Xochitl's
statement would not tell her what had happened to Miguel. She'd requested to
speak to Officer Lowell but had been denied access to her. Even Captain Burch,
whom Xochitl had called after her release, didn't know where Miguel and the other
Werebeasts were being detained.

Anita
and her sister Gyssell, with whom Xochitl had been living while recuperating,
told her stories about squads of officers snatching up the Afflicted from their
homes, schools and work — never to be seen again.

Of course, the stories usually followed
one of their benders.

Xochitl
had brushed them off as drunken exaggerations until the night she had come out
of her room for a glass of water and had found Anita, sober, lying on the
couch, cradling Miguel's baby picture. Anita had looked so frail, vulnerable
— the pain in her eyes unmistakable. Without a doubt, Anita was a
horrible mother. But in that quiet moment, Xochi had witnessed Anita's love for
her son.

Not knowing what's happened to Miguel is
killing her too.

For
days, Xochitl had spent hours being shuffled from one department to another
until she'd reached Captain Burch. She'd accused Burch and his cops of
kidnapping people from the neighborhood, fully expecting his denial. Xochitl
had been shocked when Burch had told her that the squads were real, military
and not under his control. He had sounded sorrowful, dejected, having clearly
been shut out too. Xochi pitied the man.

He's a good cop.

Pain
shot through Xochitl's arm, jolting her from her thoughts. She dropped the keys
and clutched her throbbing limb. She sucked in a breath and waited for the
stabbing sensation to subside.

"¡Híjole!
That was a bad one."
She shook out her hand.

Her
ribs still bruised and tender, she bent down, exhaling slowly and picked up the
rooster key chain. Always athletic, Xochi was frustrated by her inhibited movement.

"Be
patient. Give it time to heal," the doctor had said.

But
Xochitl was running out of time to find Miguel. The cops were no help. She had
exhausted all conventional avenues.

Papa always said, "Mija, if you ever
need help go to mis hermanos. The Marines."

And
that was exactly what she intended to do.

Xochitl
took out her burner phone, flipped it open and dialed the one man who would
never let her down.

"Uncle
Vern?"

"Xochi?
Baby girl. Are you alright?" Xochitl's eyes welled up with tears, hearing
the voice of her papa's best friend — Colonel Vernon Jones, Retired.

"I'm
okay. You know a few broken bones won't stop a Magaña."

"I
swear, if I ever see that Memo Morales again. I'm gonna rip his heart out and
feed it to him!"

"I'll
help." Xochitl waited for her uncle to laugh, but there was only silence. "Vern?
You there?"

"I'm
so sorry...I couldn't come see you in the hospital...I..." An anguished
grunt divulged the guilt he couldn't verbalize.

"It's
okay." Xochi said sincerely.

"No
it's not. It's just this Werebeast thing..."Vern sighed sharply. "Well,
it's FUBAR. Until last week, the base was on lockdown."

"Wait.
Base? You're not at your cabin at Arrowhead?"

"Not
for two months now. Military's invoked Stop Loss. My retirement's on indefinite
hold."

"They
can't do that, can they?"

"Xochi,
we're in the middle of a crisis. Washington doesn't know what the hell to do.
So, they call on us Devil Dogs. Oorah!"

"Oorah."
Xochitl tried to mimic her uncle's bravado, but even she could hear her fatigue.

"Xochitl
Maria Magaña, I know you. What's going on?"

"You
mean, besides L.A. being infested with werewolves?"

"Besides
that, yes. You didn't call just to catch up."

"No.
I'm kinda having a crisis of my own." Xochitl tried to collect her thoughts.
"What do you know about military squads rounding up the Afflicted?"

"Not
much. Just that they're going in whenever there's a report of someone turning
and taking care of the situation. Why?"

"Miguel..."
Xochitl's throat tightened as she attempted to explain that her brother was one
of the Beast creatures.

"What
about Miguel? Is he okay? Is he in trouble?"

"He's
a werewolf...Werebeast...whatever they're called. He's one of them—"

"What
do you mean he's one of them? Anita never said—"

"You
called La Borrachona? How did that go for you?"

"It
didn't," Vern admitted. "What happened?"

"After
the raid, they took Miguel away. La chota. They took him away. I can't find
him. No one will help me. I don't know what to do." The realization that
she felt utterly alone slammed into Xochi like a Mac truck. She began to sob.

"Shhhh...Cálmate.
Cálmate, mija."

Xochi
focused on her uncle's soothing voice and slowed her breathing, calming her
self. Vern had always been a source of strength for Xochi, especially after her
father's death. He knew how to talk to her — make her feel safe.

"Can
you help me, Uncle Vern?"

"Of
course, baby girl. I've still got a few colleagues in D.C. who owe me a favor
or two. I'll make some calls. Can you get here?"

"Yeah.
I'm leaving now." Xochitl leaned on the garage counter and stared at the
draped behemoth parked across from her. "I'll see you in a few hours."

"Okay.
See you soon."

The
call disconnected. Xochitl flipped the receiver back down and walked to the
rear of the car.

"You
ready for a road trip?" She pulled off the tarp with a snap and marveled
at the bright orange 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado, shining like new — Memo's
pride and joy.

The
license plate read
EL GALLO
.

Chapter 19

If
you have reason to believe your Hound is ill or injured, you must stay calm. A
sick Hound may not exhibit outward signs but may mask or hide symptoms. Loss of
focus, excessive pacing and lethargy could be clues to underlying issues.
Monitor your Hound
'
s
intake of fluids and output of waste. A sick Hound may have trouble controlling
normal bowel movements, even if usually house-trained. There is always a reason
for behavioral changes in your Hound. Hounds are creatures of routine and
habit. If a Hound starts acting different than usual, you must investigate.

If
your Hound has been injured, caution is imperative. A hurt Hound may have
difficulty controlling the bite instinct. Approach your injured Hound with
caution and call your doctor immediately.

On
that note, it is crucial you establish a rapport with a trusted physician
before a time of crisis. Many health insurance companies offer lists of health care
providers qualified to treat Hounds. Your vet is not the right choice for your
Hound!

Please
be aware that as of this printing, health insurance companies
do not
recognize your Hound as a dependent. You
must purchase separate Hound health care. Please note: FERALS are automatically
disqualified from any insurance plan. Be sure to get Hound certification when
signing up for any Hound health insurance.

For certification
rates, please visit our website
www.werewolfwhisperer.com

-excerpt from
Hounds, and Ferals, and Werebeasts! Oh, My!
by Lucy Lowell "
The Werewolf
Whisperer
"

Sunrise
was still nearly an hour away when Lucy drove El Gallo through the quiet,
shadowed town of Empyrean. The rain had let up, and Lucy briefly felt at peace.
She'd been gone for almost two years, but Empyrean hadn't changed. The old
General Store was still nestled between the Empyrean Library and the hardware
store. Molly's friendly diner still sat at the corner of Main and Maple. And
the high school still dominated the west side.

The
pride of the family-friendly town, Empyrean High sat at the center of well-kept
grounds stretching into football and baseball fields as well as large areas
dedicated to farming and animal husbandry programs.

As
Lucy put El Gallo on the winding mountain road toward the ranch, she glanced at
Xochitl curled up under Lefty's military jacket. She wondered what Xochitl would
think of her idyllic hometown.

After
having been gone for so long, even Lucy looked at Empyrean through different
eyes.

Returning
home with a trunk full of guns, an illegal Chinese Hound —
if that's what Kai is
— and a
catalog of questionable, though arguably necessary, accomplishments, she felt
dirty and out of place.

Am
I so fucked up I don't even belong here anymore?

Empyrean
was something out of a storybook, Lucy realized. The small town nestled at the
foot of the Tehachapi Mountains had been virtually untouched by the troubles of
the outside world — until now.

El
Gallo managed the first sharp turn up the mountain with little difficulty,
though the unpaved road to the ranch was still muddy from the late night rain
shower.

"A
lack of road, keeps solicitors away," Mama had always said. "If
someone really wants to come see us, they won't mind the rugged climb."
Lucy suspected her mama preferred spending her money on rescue dogs instead of "wasting"
it on road improvement.

As
they slowly snaked upward, the breathtaking skyline views were still hidden by
darkness, and Lucy chose to let Xochitl and Kai stay comatose just a little
while longer.

All
the running around, followed by the rumbling freeway miles flying by, had been
an effective lullaby for their new companion. As for Xochitl, the last
thirty-six hours had netted a boatload of sweat, pain, and aggravation, but no
sleep. Lucy had been relieved when her friend finally gave in and turned the
wheel over after they'd stopped for fast food tacos. Lucy was even more
relieved that their destination was only minutes away. She was starting to feel
the effects of the infection that was undoubtedly spreading through the leg
Travis had slashed. She'd have to have it looked at when she got home.

Home.

A
fleeting touch of amorphous pain smashed around the inside of her head,
temporarily blotting out the sharp physical pain radiating from her leg. The
other cuts, scratches and bruises clamored for attention as well. She tried to
ignore them.

Lucy's
eyelids drifted closed again from the stupefying fatigue, and she cracked the
window to let the brisk pre-dawn air revive her. Struggling hard against the
advancing daze, she inhaled deeply. The wood and earth fragrance from the
outside briefly overpowered and then infused El Gallo's smell of old leather
and muscle car exhaust.

Home.

A
sudden fever rushed through Lucy's body; sweat trickled from her pores and
alternated with a clammy chill that made her teeth chatter and her jaw hurt.
She hoped she could make the last mile without any problems.

Pulling over to pass out on the driveway
would be totally lame.

Lucy's
consciousness raced and connected memory and emotion in abrupt bursts. Detached
from linear thought, she grasped that El Gallo's unique scent and the purr of his
powerful engine oddly signified her freedom. Even as their car rushed ever
closer to Hanna's, Lucy understood that she was letting go of the ranch as her
home. As much as Lucy loved Hanna, Hanna couldn't replace Mama. And Mama was
gone.

Traveling
the road to help folks adjust to the disaster of the Were plague was how Lucy
had survived after Mama. This car, Xochitl, and possibly this peculiar rescue
were what she recognized as the contents of her heart. As her head nodded in
silent acknowledgement of the thought, she felt the strong urge to turn the car
around and drive far, far away.

The
AM classic country station had cycled back to Johnny Cash while Lucy was caught
up in her reverie.

"I
will let you down," Lucy quietly repeated the lyrics and peered past the
beacon El Gallo's headlights projected on the road. She watched as the ranch's
grey shingled roof and white gabled dormers came into view. The structure had
more mass than Lucy remembered.

"What
have I become?" The song's words seemed to indict Lucy. "What have I
become?" she repeated and switched off the music.

The
memory of the man forcing her to the ground flashed through Lucy. The encounter
with the Vigi Boys had been more than just a fight, she thought with disgust.
She had never seen such fanatical hatred toward Hounds, such vehemence against
her personally, and such casual, cold-blooded evil. She'd seen horrible things,
working for the LAPD, but The Vigi Boys had taught her a final, terrible lesson
about people and about herself. But, if she was honest with herself here alone
in the darkness, she had to admit that she had been feeling something
malevolent rushing toward them for some time.

She
promised herself to explore "Kyon Knows," to follow up on Bob's
stolen lab results and to thoroughly investigate Kai's astonishing talents.

As
she pulled El Gallo onto the gravel driveway, Lucy could see Hanna standing on
the lit up porch.

Lucy
would have recognized Hanna anywhere, no matter how much time had passed. Hanna's
strong, thin stature now clad in jeans and a pale fisherman's sweater hadn't
changed since Lucy was a child. Hanna had wrapped a brown and red saddle
blanket around her shoulders and was coaxing her long, jet-black curls into a
thick braid.

Gerri
and Ronna, still the most punctual of ranch hands, were walking toward the
kennels, which looked much larger and built-out than Lucy remembered. Both
women waved but didn't turn back. Lucy guessed they thought El Gallo had
brought boarders. Had they known it was her, Gerri and Ronna would have come
running.

Lucy
parked El Gallo in the little lot by the weeping willow. She paused a moment
before turning off the ignition. She felt nauseated and dizzy but couldn't
delay her homecoming any longer.

"We're
home," Lucy said, waking Xochitl and Kai. "Take the key." She
handed the rooster key chain back to Xochitl, who grabbed at it in slow motion.
The black eye Xochi had given herself in the container yard was reaching down
the side of her face like a blue Celtic knot tattoo gone wrong.

Lucy
opened her car door, holding Kai — who was climbing up the seat and
nearly over her shoulder — back with one arm.

"Stay,"
she told the boy. He let out an annoyed whine and flung himself back into his
seat. "Just a minute," Lucy said, trying to appease him. "Let's
give Hanna a chance to say hello before you run around the property like a wild
banshee."

"Bed.
Sleep." Xochitl stumbled out of the passenger side door and held on to El
Gallo to keep from losing her balance. She rested her head on her hands and
peeked at the house through half closed eyes. "Hi, Hanna."

"Lucy!"
Hanna came flying down the driveway, followed closely by a pack of seven dogs.
The giant Bernese mountain dog Chasselas, little Poppy, the German shepherd
Bonn, and Ellie's chocolate labs Brisco and Maggie were all familiar to Lucy.
The gorgeous Rhodesian ridgeback puppies were new.

Lucy
took a few steps toward them. Without hesitation, Hanna threw her arms around
Lucy and held her in the tightest grip imaginable. Lucy's vision blurred, and
she felt her balance slipping away. Lucy hugged Hanna a second longer than
necessary, fighting to stay upright without giving herself away. The dogs
circled around them with tremendous energy, yipping and bumping into Lucy.

"Lucy.
Lucy. Lucy." Hanna kissed Lucy's cheeks and then wiped away her own tears.
Overwhelmed, Lucy stepped back and ran her hands over her face and through her
hair.

"You're
finally home," Hanna said and reached out to gently tuck a stray strand of
Lucy's red hair behind her ear. "You must be dead tired and starving. Let's
get you taken care of."

"Yeah,"
Lucy said. "The last couple of days have been tough on Xochi and me. And
now we have this Hound or something."

"What
Hound?" Hanna's head turned to Xochitl. Xochitl gave her a little wave with
her fingers.

"Kai!"
Lucy called the boy.

Hearing
his name, Kai nearly flew out of the car, a flood of animated Chinese words
escaping his lips, and briefly bounced to a halt next to Hanna, who staggered
back.

The
pack of dogs brayed in astonishment, and Kai joined in with a keyed-up howl.
The giant Chasselas put his two enormous paws on Kai's shoulders and licked his
face.

Kai
laughed out loud, and the chase was on. Before Lucy or Hanna could stop them,
the dogs and Kai circled the car at breakneck speeds, howling and barking with
excitement. Lucy couldn't tell if the pack was chasing Kai or if Kai was
chasing the pack.

"What
in the green hells is going on?" Hanna transitioned abruptly from the kind
smile to a livid grimace. Hanna had never liked surprises. "I just wanted
a nice reunion. You!" She pointed at Xochitl impatiently. "You
brought chaos to this house! Get your Hound under control."

Xochitl
snickered.

"Kai.
Side." Lucy spoke gently and pointed to the ground beside her. As if
pulled by a rope, Kai settled himself beside Lucy and grinned over at Hanna who
was having trouble gathering her dogs.

"Hey,
Hanna, looks like you have everything completely under control." Xochitl
scoffed and leaned against the hood of the car.

"Gerri
and Ronna," Hanna called over to her helpers. "Say 'hi' to Lucy and
then put the puppies in the kennel." Hanna tried to collect her dignity
while the thin dog Poppy snuffled at Lucy's hurt leg, bumping her and whining
softly.

"Rhodesian
ridgeback pups," Hanna explained. "Boy and girl. They are going to be
huge."

"Sweet."
Lucy picked up the wiggling girl puppy and kissed the top of her head. The
effort gave Lucy a head rush, and she quickly had to set the little animal back
on the ground.

Having
already dashed over from the kennels to help, Gerri and Ronna gave Lucy hurried
hugs, promised to catch up, waved to Xochitl and — on Hanna's insistence
— carried the two large puppies back to the house. Dark puppy eyes looked
longingly back at the pack, but Hanna would not lift their banishment.

"Bye,
perritos!" Xochitl watched the two helpers lug the pups up the stairs. "Must
be nice, having all that help around here. Of course, you are really good at
getting other people to do your dirty work, Hanna."

Lucy
understood Xochitl's good-natured teasing, but she had the feeling Hanna would
detect only an edge. Not wanting any part of the unavoidable confrontation,
Lucy bent down, put her arm around Kai, raked her fingers through Bonn's thick
coat and then petted Poppy's snout.

Hanna
tugged on her braid and looked down at Lucy and Kai. After a moment she raised
her eyes to Xochitl as if studying her. "You think you know everything,
don't you?" She delivered the question to Xochitl aggressively, even
taking a quick step toward Lucy's friend.