Marked (The Pack) (33 page)

A figure appeared from behind me and caught the animal in mid air. John from the ice cream shop, still in human form, tossed my attacker into the nearby woods. A moment later, Louise came racing down the hill. I shoved the wolf that was latched to my leg, then picked it up and threw it as hard as I could. It landed in the nearby ditch.

Louise caught my arm, “Go home, now.”

“But Eric, I think he’s hurt.” I turned to start up the hill and stumbled. Louise caught my arm

“I’ll take care of Eric. Go home, Alexis, now. Run fast.”

I ran then, faster than I ever had before, trusting Louise to take care of Eric. For now, it was all I could do because the three would not let up until I was out of sight. I raced across the road to the cemetery and down the path that was a shortcut to Louise’s house.

I had barely sat down on the sofa when I heard the door open. I leapt to my feet as Louise came in.

“You should have locked this behind you.”

“Like that would stop them.”

Louise continued into the room and turned on a light. “It would give you a minute to get ready, get out the back, something.”

“How’s Eric?” My fear nearly clogged my throat, making the words difficult to get out.

“Fine, we called an ambulance and John stayed with him. The three werewolves left right after you did, so I came behind you. I didn’t want them here after you. I think they’re done for now. Soon we’ll have the calling and that will be the end of this.”

She suddenly seem to notice my blood smeared clothes. “Are you hurt?”

I slid my hand over the front of my shirt. “I don’t think so, at least nothing that’s not on its way to healing.”

“Go clean up then. I’ll have to leave again soon, but I think you’ll be safe here. I’m calling Raina to try and place some protection around here for you.”

“Like a chant.”

Louise nodded. “Something like that.”

I stood for a moment, not making a move yet to go upstairs.

“What is it?”

“I don’t think this is about what happened with Celina the other night,” I said.

“What’s it about then?”

“Me and Channing… and Eric.”

“That doesn’t sound good.” Louise said folding her arms in front of her.

“Channing has wanted to date Eric for a long time. He’s never been interested in her and would never date her. She said she was over it and didn’t care. But I think she’s really mad.”

Louise shook her head. “All that on top of the whole werewolf dilemma. Do you always attract so much trouble?”

I opened my mouth to argue, to defend myself, but my throat got tight and tears filled my eyes. My teeth clamped down on my lip trying to fight back the quiver if felt starting there. Was this my life now?

“I never did before,” I choked out, “but it seems like I do now. I swear I don’t mean to. I don’t know what’s happening.”

With frustration I wiped at a droplet that had escaped down my cheek. I took a breath, fighting for control, but felt a sob building. I really didn’t want to do that in front of Louise. I didn’t want to stand here and cry like a two-year-old. But I hadn’t asked for this. I didn’t come here to Lebeaux so I could get caught up in this werewolf mess, just like the viral werewolves hadn’t asked. Only I couldn’t get a shot, not ten shots and get rid of it. I was stuck, forever, whether I liked it or not. My life would never be the same again. I looked at Louise as another tear spilled over, then another.

“I don’t want this.” The words spilled out with my sobs.

Louise came to me, putting her arms around me, sighing deeply. “I’m sorry. I know you don’t. It’s not all your fault. What’s happening in Lebeaux really has nothing to do with you. There was a problem here with the viral werewolves before you came. That’s why I’m here and all the other families have come. You got caught in the middle of it.”

I nodded against her shoulder. “I guess I’ll go home soon and everything will be back to normal.”

“Let’s hope so.” Louise breathed quietly in my ear then stepped back. “Now get cleaned up and go to bed. I’ll be leaving in a few hours.”

I started toward the stairs, but stopped at the entryway to the living room.

“I didn’t know.” I said with my back still to Louise, my eyes on the floor.

“Didn’t know what?”

“That I was so strong. That I could fight like that. I could have…” I paused, not sure I could get my mouth around the words when I could barely get my mind around it. “I could have killed them.”

“Yes, you could have.”

It was simply another overwhelming fact about me that I had to learn to deal with. “Are all werewolves that strong?”

“They’re all stronger than humans, but not all of them are as strong others. Some are stronger and faster than you can imagine.”

I studied a dirt stain on my shorts and a slowly disappearing abrasion on my knee. “And I’m one of those. The faster, stronger ones.”

Louise didn’t answer immediately and I turned to look at her. For a brief moment I saw what I thought might be fear in her eyes. But it was gone so quickly I felt sure I’d imagined it.

“It would appear you are one of them. I’m beginning to think you may have more abilities than we ever expected.”

I started up the stairs. I didn’t know what else to say right now except that I seemed hardly able to move under the weight that was pressing down on me. An all consuming heaviness I had no name for, so how could I possibly explain it to Louise or anyone else?

After my bath, I snuggled under the covers. Louise had turned the air conditioning down and the house was cool despite the stifling heat outside. I’d nearly dozed off when I heard the sound, low to high, a deep trumpeting like nothing I’d ever heard before from an instrument. Seconds later it sounded again and Louise cracked the door. From the hallway light I could see her, clothed in the silver shirt, silvery black coat and black pants exactly like I’d seen in Brynna’s closet.

“Why are you wearing that outfit from the play?”

Louise frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“Those clothes you’re wearing. Brynna had a set like it in her closet She said it was for a play.”

Louise chuckled. “Brynna does have some good ideas. That’s not what it’s for. These are designed for when we’re out in human form and need to protect ourselves from the teeth of other wolves. The fabric is specially made to keep teeth from getting through.”

“Like a bullet proof vest?”

“Kind of like a bullet proof vest, yes.”

“So will it stop silver bullets?”

“Now you’re being silly.”

“I guess so. Be safe Aunt Louise.”

“I will. You stay inside and don’t let anyone, and I mean anyone, in.”

“Okay.”

I heard the door downstairs shut and then the lock turn. I pulled the covers up to my neck. Outside, the sound of the horn throbbed in the night air. I felt drawn to go to it and nearly sat up. Pushing myself further into the mattress I kept repeating that this time, the call wasn’t for me.

Chapter Thirty-Three

I wasn’t sure how long I’d slept, didn’t really even remember dozing. A wailing howl seemed to vibrate the house. I sat up in bed, the covers falling to my waist. At first I thought my hearing had suddenly improved and I was simply picking up sounds from the field where the wolves were. But the sound hadn’t seemed that far away. Glancing at the clock on the bedside table the numbers glowed two-fifteen in the morning. I’d only been asleep for a short time if they’d sounded the horn for the first time at one. The howl split the air again. I leapt from the bed. Looking out the window I couldn’t see anything. Concentrating on sounds, I tried to force myself to hear better.

The clicking seemed quiet at first, but it grew louder. Something with toenails was walking on the front porch. No, more than one something, I heard several toenails. I ran to the bedroom door and raced down the steps knowing they were out there and could hear me. What else could I do? I had to get to the field where the others were so I wouldn’t face this alone. Louise was right. I wasn’t prepared and didn’t know how to take on a pack of wolves that threatened me. The front door rattled with the weight of a body slamming against it.

I broke for the kitchen door that led to the deck. I threw it open and slammed into the large wolf standing there, it’s back nearly to my chest. A growl rose in my throat as I shoved the creature out of my way. It clamped onto my arm. I used my other hand to work the loose skin of his mouth on top of exposed teeth and pressed down forcing teeth through skin. The animal’s grip broke and I pulled away, blood running down my arm. I could hear the steps of the others on the porch, coming this way. I leapt from the top step, transforming in mid air. When I hit the ground I ran. I knew it was Channing and her two friends. They’d missed the calling, didn’t go. Brynna had described the place where the Lycernians planned to gather to administer the anti-viral. I knew where it was, knew how to get there, if I could just be fast enough. The woods at the edge of the yard parted into a path. I raced along it, the others right behind me.

The path began to widen, the underbrush getting thinner and I knew the field couldn’t be far. Then, from the left, a wolf appeared and slammed into me. I went down, rolling across the ground taking the huge wolf with me. With all four feet, I shoved against it, pushing the wolf away. The animal rebounded and dripping teeth locked onto my neck. Another wolf grabbed my back leg and pulled in the opposite direction, while another grabbed my forefoot dragging in yet another direction. They were going to pull me completely apart. Then I remembered Louise’s words. Die by beheading with a special sword or be torn to pieces and the pieces would be burnt. A cry rose up in my throat and rent the air as I struggled.

From the trees I could see the figure coming, someone in human form, a great sword at their side. My breath came in tiny gasps because of the pressure on my neck as teeth sunk deeper. At least now, with the sword, it would end quickly. I couldn’t make out the face, a man, large. The blade rose in the air, arced above me. I closed my eyes still struggling for breath, then blackness.

“Alexis.”

Clawing my way out of darkness, I forced my eyes to open, to see what death looked like and who would be calling my name. Maybe I was a ghost and when I opened my eyes I’d be floating above the scene seeing myself, head separated from body.

“Wake up, Alexis.”

I opened my eyes. Vincent crouched over me. I tried to take in the surroundings. He’d wrapped a cloth around one of my arms that must have been badly injured and covered me with a blanket. There, on the ground beside him, was the sword. It had been Vincent I’d seen approaching.

“I’m not dead.”

He gave a half smile. “No, lucky you.”

“How did you find me?”

“I heard you calling.”

“I don’t remember calling anyone.”

“You did though. I heard you. I wasn’t far. The field with the others is just over there.”

He gestured with his arm and I twisted to see. I sucked in a breath and my stomach rolled, much like it had the night I’d been so sick and threw up the chicken foot. Only this was much worse. I scrambled away from Vincent on my hands and knees and threw up.

“I’m sorry. I was going to try and prepare you,” he muttered, repositioning the blanket to keep me covered.

“Is that possible?” I choked, wiping the back of my hand across my mouth.

“What do you mean?”

“To prepare someone for that.” I swung my arm wide at the scene in front of us.

He shook his head. “I guess not.”

Scattered along the path were the three girls with whom I’d spent most of the summer. Their bodies lay in various odd positions, unclothed, and one was headless.

“Did you have to kill her? Couldn’t you have just given her the anti-viral?”

“I gave them all the anti-viral. It worked on those two but not the other one. It happens that way some time. She was a genetic werewolf, Fenryrian.”

I stared at the body of Channing and shook my head. “No, that’s not possible. I saw her arm, the mark. It was the one for the viral werewolf, the regular virus, I saw it.”

Vincent walked to the body and twisted one of the arms. “Was it this? “

On the skin was the mark I had seen, the one that identified the person as a werewolf carrying the original virus. “I don’t understand. Why is it there like that? Shouldn’t it have disappeared?”

“It’s tattooed on. It’s not her natural mark. She must have kept it covered with make-up or something until she wanted to show it.” He grabbed the other wrist. “If you look closely you can see her real mark, it’s only slightly faded.”

I didn’t bother to come closer. “Why would she do that?”

He put the arm gently on the ground and shook his head. “I don’t know the answer to that.”

We heard voices through the woods and Vincent called out. I tightened the blanket around me and stared at the ground. As the others appeared, Vincent gave them instructions. When I looked up, the intact bodies were gone. Only Channing’s was left, covered with a blanket. Louise squatted in front of me.