Of Wolves and Men (20 page)

“Here they come.” Butch shook his head sadly.

“Look, Butch, they got to find this group of sadists. You know? We don’t want no more harm comin’ to anymore animals or the ponies. Do we?”

“Nope. Better get off the tail before we get run down.”

Charlie walked off the dirt path with Butch, stopping to watch the heavy vehicles power up the small bridle trail.

As they passed, Spirit jerked his head up and down in annoyance. Charlie tried to see which car held his man. Now that Roman had figured out how to control the change, he assumed he would head back to Reno. Would he say goodbye? Or just vanish?

A black SUV stopped. Roman got out of the passenger side and Charlie could see Phil driving.

Spirit immediately had a fit at Roman’s approach. Charlie controlled the horse, hearing Scout stomping and fussing beside him.

Roman stopped his progress towards the horses. “Charlie.”

“Go on. I get it.” Charlie nodded to the car idling behind Roman.

Roman hit his hand twice on the roof of the car and Phil continued on. “Butch? Can you head up the mountain and show the boys where you found the coyote?”

“Sure.” Butch used his heels to urge Scout on, and Scout seemed more than happy to get away from Roman.

Charlie struggled to keep Spirit under control with one hand. “Come on, boy. Work with me here,” Charlie said to the horse.

Roman backed up, obviously trying to keep the horse from growing too nervous.

“I give up.” Charlie hopped off of Spirit and took the reins over his neck to hold. He dragged Spirit towards Roman and stood in front of him. “You’re leaving. I know.”

“No. I’m not going anywhere until this is resolved. These people who did this to me are here.

Not in Reno.”

“Right. So you’re staying back just for that. Okay.” Charlie felt his heart break.

“Charlie…” Roman reached for him.

Charlie backed away. Spirit stomped, the whites of his eyes showing. Charlie’s hand began stinging and more blood seeped through the bandages.

“You should have gone to the hospital, Charlie.” Roman tilted his head to his hand. “It’s still bleeding.”

“Why don’t you stop telling me what to do?” Charlie watched the last vehicle in the caravan vanish behind a stand of evergreens. The helicopter was over the reservoir, making oblong circles in the sky.

“Babe.”

“Go. Get lost. You wanted me for the help. Now you got plenty of it.” Spirit became increasingly agitated.

“You think I don’t care about you?”

“I think you’re a selfish bastard. That’s what I think.” Charlie nearly got toppled over by Spirit.

“What is your problem, boy?” He jerked the horse’s bridle but the more annoyed Charlie became, the crazier Spirit’s behavior was. Trying to control a large gelding male with one hand was not easy. “Look what your being here does to a horse, Roman. If he can’t stand you, how am I supposed to feel?”

“Don’t say that.” Roman glanced over his shoulder, as if checking to see if anyone was still lingering. All the agents and officers were far away by now. “Charlie, I can’t help what happened to me. I can’t change anything.”

“But you will.” Charlie’s shoulder was jerked as Spirit reared. “God damn it!” He faced the horse and shouted, “Cut it out!”

Spirit went wild, rearing up and kicking out his front legs. Charlie suddenly realized the horse wasn’t afraid of Roman, it was afraid of him. “What is with you, Spirit?” He dodged a flailing hoof and the reins were tugged out of his hand. Spirit galloped back to the barn as if he had a demon chasing at his heels. With his mouth gaping in shock, Charlie stood staring after his beloved horse.

He spun around and pointed to Roman. “This is all your fault! I wish you’d never come here.

You know that? You have been nothin’ but trouble to me from day one.”

“I’m sorry. But I needed you. Charlie, you know what I’m up against.”

“You? It’s always about you!” Charlie’s hand burned and throbbed. He pointed at Roman with his good hand. “You have any idea what influence you’ve had on my life? My job? My

emotions? I’m a wreck at the moment. You even think about that?” He swore under his breath and stuck his hand under Roman’s nose. “And this? You fuckin’ bit me!”

“I didn’t mean any of it.” Roman wrung his hands in frustration. “I didn’t purposely screw you up. You wanted to make love to me as well. Don’t act like I was alone in this relationship. You fucked me, didn’t you? So don’t pretend you got nothing out of this deal.”

“A fuck?” Charlie started breathing fire he was so enraged. It felt like a ball of acid began to burn in his belly. “I wasn’t even sure I wanted to be gay. I had one blowjob from one fella and you came along and—”

“And?” Roman’s eyes widened as his frustration turned to rage. “You wanted me. Don’t even pretend this was me pushing you, making you do things you didn’t want to do.”

“But you did. I didn’t know what I wanted. You come along and well…look at the wreck you made of my life.”

“Your life?” Roman choked. “You call me a selfish bastard? How would you like to be cursed?

What did I do to deserve that? I walked into a room and bang. I’m a fucking wolf or a crow.

Don’t even try to make me feel sorry for you.”

Charlie puffed up his chest and poked his finger into Roman’s. “Fuck you! You got that? Why don’t you go back to Reno and bite yourself?”

Roman snarled and pushed Charlie.

Charlie reacted and attacked Roman. They struggled with each other, trying to throw the other one off balance, or topple backwards.

A searing pain hit Charlie. He cringed and closed his eyes. Roman’s masculine snarls became rabid and canine. Charlie opened his eyes and the two of them dropped to the hard ground, rolling to gain dominance. Roman’s sharp white canines snapped at Charlie. He snapped back and when he tried to yell obscenities, he snarled instead. As they fought, they left a trail of clothing behind. Charlie bit Roman’s snout and he bit back.

When Charlie spotted beige fur in Roman’s teeth he realized he wasn’t a man any longer.

Charlie had changed.

On all fours, the two of them fought for dominance. There could only be one alpha male.

Roman rolled to his back, his lips curled to show off his fangs. Both of Roman’s front paws were pushing Charlie’s chest.

Charlie stood over him, snarling and licking his teeth and nose. “
I’m a fucking wolf! Now look
what you did!”

“I didn’t do it! How the hell could I do it?”

“You bit me!”

“That can’t be why!”

Charlie straddled Roman’s body, staring down at him. “
You son of a bitch. I should kill you!”

He snapped at Roman’s neck.

“Don’t blame me! I don’t have the power to change someone into this!”
Roman snapped back, nipping Charlie’s snout.

“What am I supposed to do now?”

“How the hell should I know? You think I’ve figured this mess out?”

Charlie took a look out into the distance. He couldn’t believe how far he could see. Sniffing the air, he was hit with so many different scents, he was overwhelmed.

“So? How do you like it?”
Roman pushed his big front paw into Charlie’s chest.

“I don’t know. I can’t believe this isn’t a weird dream
.” He heard the helicopter off in the distance, and if he focused, he could hear men’s voices. And they had to be nearly three or four miles away.

“I had a feeling when you went into a trance last evening, and there was blood on you…well…”

Charlie looked down at Roman’s dark coat, then his beige one. He could only see his front legs.

“
You think it’s what happened that night? Why didn’t I change then?”

“You didn’t get mad.”

“I’m not sure I hate this
.” Charlie sniffed at Roman’s fur.

“Are you kidding me? You want to be an animal?”
Roman pushed his paw into Charlie’s nose.

Charlie nipped at him playfully.

Roman scrambled to his feet and began roughhousing, trying to push Charlie over. Charlie danced around excitedly, his tail high up in the air.

The sense of power and freedom Charlie felt was exhilarating. Leaping and using his snout, he pinned Roman under him again. Roman licked at his mouth and chin in submission. Charlie stood over Roman, one paw on his chest, the other beside him. The cut on his hand was gone.

Charlie sat on his hindquarters and kept looking around. “
Everything is sharp. I can see and
hear so many things
.”

“I never stopped to enjoy it. I was consumed with fear.”

“I understand that
.” Charlie licked at his nose in affection. “
I just wish we could change at will.

You know? I mean, I can’t do my job this way. But wouldn’t it be fun to spend a few hours a day
racing around the hillside?”

The mobile phone in Charlie’s coat pocket rang.

They both perked up and looked.

“That’s either Vernon for me, or Phil for you
.” Charlie walked to where their clothing was and sniffed.

“We could be a help to Phil. Think about using our senses to find these morons who did this.”

Charlie wasn’t so sure he wanted to. The phone stopped ringing and he nudged the jacket with his paw, but there wasn’t much he could do with it.

“Let’s at least head over there
.” Roman stuck his cold, wet nose into Charlie ear.

Charlie shook his head at the tickle. “
What if they don’t know it’s us and shoot us?”

“Phil will know
.”

“He knows about you. He won’t expect two wolves. No way, Roman.”

“Come on
.” Roman pranced a few paces in front of him.
“Race me.”

“And what if we both turn and are naked and our clothing is back here? You’re crazy.”
Charlie tackled Roman to the ground again.

“You don’t have to be so aggressive
.” Roman nipped at his snout.

Charlie laid on top of him. “
You still smell good. I can’t stop sniffing at you.”
Charlie stuck his nose against Roman’s furry neck.

“Charlie?”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t want to be a wolf or a crow anymore. Please come with me to help the guys
.”

They rubbed noses, licking at each other’s mouths. “
Okay, Roman. But you make sure no one
kills us. Can you do that?”

“I’ll try my best.”
Roman got to his feet and shook off, making his dark fur fluffy.
“By the
way
,” Roman said as he began to trot in the direction of the search
. “I fuck you tonight
.
Doggie
style.”

“Ha. Ha.”

~

Roman didn’t know if wolves could laugh, but he and Charlie were racing up the frozen trail, snapping at each other, tails flying high like flags, and making squeaking sounds as they did.

“You’re enjoying this too much
.” He grabbed hold of Charlie’s tail in his teeth and Charlie leapt up and sprinted off, showing his long canines to Roman as he did.

“
And you’re not?”

Roman caught up. “
Maybe a little. It is more fun with you
.”

The helicopter flew low overhead. Both Roman and Charlie cowered and lay flat from the intensity of the noise. Roman crawled over to Charlie and pressed against his side for reassurance. “
Maybe this wasn’t a good idea.”

“Too late now
.”

Charlie was staring up ahead.

A sheriff’s deputy had a shotgun pointed at them.

“Shit. Where’s Phil?”
Roman didn’t move.

“I can smell him but I can’t see him
.”

Roman sniffed the air. “
He’s by the fence with Nick
.”

“He’ll shoot if we run for it.”

“He’ll shoot if we don’t. Ready?”

“Go!”

They took off and heard a shot ring out behind them. The noise was so loud to his sensitive ears, Roman nearly froze.

Charlie nipped at him to keep him moving. “
He’s up there. He heard the shot and is coming to
investigate it, Roman
.”

“What’s going on?” Phil yelled. “Who fired that gun?”

“Wolves! Look out!” The sheriff raised the gun to aim.

“Stop!” Phil held up his hand. “That’s one of our agents!”

Roman put his front paws up on Phil’s chest. “
Thanks, buddy
.” He licked his face.

“Cut it out, Roman.” Phil nudged him down. “Who’s that?”

“Charlie
.” Roman danced around Charlie.

“Is he a real wolf?”

Roman made two squeaking noises, hoping Phil remembered their code from the other day.

“Then where did he come from?” Phil did.

“How do I tell him?”
Roman stared at Charlie, who was sitting and panting, his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

“You’re askin’ me?”
Charlie tilted his head sideways. “
I’m trying to prepare myself to be stark
naked in front of a dozen people.”

Roman jumped up on Phil again. “
Let us help you. We have better noses than our tracking
hounds.”

“I have no idea what you’re trying to tell me.” Phil shook his head in confusion.

“Charlie.”

“Yeah?”

“Can you smell anything? Like burning herbs?”
Roman stood beside him.

Charlie sniffed the air. “
I can. But I have no idea if it’s just someone’s fireplace to keep warm.”

“Not burning wood
.” Roman raised his nose in the air.

Phil knelt down. “Can you smell it?”

Roman made one noise. He could. He would never forget that smell. Trying to let Phil know, he made a circle at his feet.

“Go! We’ll follow you.”

Roman heard Phil using the radio to advise the officers on the scene Roman was going to track the scent.

Charlie caught up to Roman, who seemed to be making a beeline for the reservoir. “
You can
smell the people who did this to you?”

“I can smell the same chemical smell that knocked me out at the scene where this happened
.”